Sick Betta And Algae

[Melaraya]

I have a one and a half gallon tank with a Betta that I've had for about 5 months. First 3 months went smoothly and about 2 months ago P's tank started growing algae in it. We kept up with the 1/4 water changes about every 10 days and everything was fine and P was happy. A month ago my girlfriend took P for me as I was going on vacation. While she had him, she did a COMPLETE water change and a couple 1/4 water changes. She brought him back to me 6 days ago. The tank had a LOT of algae but P seemed OKAY. I immediately commented that she was acting a little different. I expected a lot more excitement from her when I talked to her or put my face against the glass to look at her. 2 days into having her back I noticed she was just staying in the same spot behind all the plants and near the surface. It was a little difficult to get her out to eat. One day later I got a water tester for pH, nittjte, nitrate, carbonate, and general hardness and some API Agaefix. 2 days later a majority of the algae is gone, the tester strip reads at optimal levels for all five categories, but P is now resting on rocks at the bottom of the tank. I am so scared she is going to die and I feel like I only have about a day or so to figure this out. This is an unfiltered tank with 3 plants. They do not cover the surface. Help, please!

 

[FroFro]

I have a one and a half gallon tank with a Betta that I've had for about 5 months. First 3 months went smoothly and about 2 months ago P's tank started growing algae in it. We kept up with the 1/4 water changes about every 10 days and everything was fine and P was happy. A month ago my girlfriend took P for me as I was going on vacation. While she had him, she did a COMPLETE water change and a couple 1/4 water changes. She brought him back to me 6 days ago. The tank had a LOT of algae but P seemed OKAY. I immediately commented that she was acting a little different. I expected a lot more excitement from her when I talked to her or put my face against the glass to look at her. 2 days into having her back I noticed she was just staying in the same spot behind all the plants and near the surface. It was a little difficult to get her out to eat. One day later I got a water tester for pH, nittjte, nitrate, carbonate, and general hardness and some API Agaefix. 2 days later a majority of the algae is gone, the tester strip reads at optimal levels for all five categories, but P is now resting on rocks at the bottom of the tank. I am so scared she is going to die and I feel like I only have about a day or so to figure this out. This is an unfiltered tank with 3 plants. They do not cover the surface. Help, please!

What is your water temperature? Do you have a heater? Betta are tropical fish that like a temperature of 78-82 degrees F ideally, so colder water makes them lethargic. Did your friend use water conditioner when changing the water by any chance?  A filter is a must, having a fish sitting in a bowl with unfiltered water is just asking for problems. Water changes are good but having the water changed SO MUCH in so short of time might have caused your betta undue stress. Question, do you keep the tank near windows/ an area where it gets any sunlight on it? This can contribute to algae growth. Betta are pretty chill fish as those heavy fins prevent them from darting around like a danio does every waking moment without burning a lot of energy. Does P still have an appetite? This is a long shot, since betta have are labyrinth fish and can go to the surface to breath, but is your water aerated otherwise? I've read that excessive amounts of algae (usually in ponds though....) can eat up all the oxygen in the water and can severely harm fish, have you tried getting an aquarium sponge/cleaning tool to scrape the algae off the glass and other surfaces?

 

[marnold00]

+1 for FroFros questions.

Id also add that your girlfriends tap water could have different hardness and pH to yours, and if you have a heated aquarium, the full water change couldve brought the temperature down really low.

You need to find out asap if your girlfriend conditioned the water if it did come from the tap before putting it in the tank.


People on these forums will be able to advise a suitable filter for a small tank but youd need to get one.

The words "nitrogen" and "cycle" are used a lot here. It could be ammonia poisoning if your tank hasnt cycled fully - did your girlfriend scrub down the entire tank? The bacteria that is the staple point of the nitrogen cycle lives on all the surfaces - and also in filters (another reason to get one!). If the tank was completely scrubbed down it may need to cycle again. Take a water sample to your LFS for them to test. If it has ammonia and/or nitrites then that can be fixed.

If your girlfriends tapwater is hugely different to yours, or ammonia/nitrites are present, then the cure for this will be more water changes. Just please make sure the water is conditioned and not too different in temperature to the tank.

 

[Wildbetta]

I have a one and a half gallon tank with a Betta that I've had for about 5 months. First 3 months went smoothly and about 2 months ago P's tank started growing algae in it. We kept up with the 1/4 water changes about every 10 days and everything was fine and P was happy. A month ago my girlfriend took P for me as I was going on vacation. While she had him, she did a COMPLETE water change and a couple 1/4 water changes. She brought him back to me 6 days ago. The tank had a LOT of algae but P seemed OKAY. I immediately commented that she was acting a little different. I expected a lot more excitement from her when I talked to her or put my face against the glass to look at her. 2 days into having her back I noticed she was just staying in the same spot behind all the plants and near the surface. It was a little difficult to get her out to eat. One day later I got a water tester for pH, nittjte, nitrate, carbonate, and general hardness and some API Agaefix. 2 days later a majority of the algae is gone, the tester strip reads at optimal levels for all five categories, but P is now resting on rocks at the bottom of the tank. I am so scared she is going to die and I feel like I only have about a day or so to figure this out. This is an unfiltered tank with 3 plants. They do not cover the surface. Help, please!

 
First off -- in a tank of that size with no filter -- you will need to be doing water changes much more often than every 10 days.  Every other day of around 50% is much more preferable.  A filter is not required for a betta and in a tank of this size it is debatable whether it would even be worth adding.  However depending on where you are in the world, a heater is very likely needed to keep the water temperature in the healthy range for the betta. 
 
Algae in and of itself is not normally something to really worry about as it does not bother fish. Wiping things down on a normal basis, keeping up with water changes, and making sure you keep the tank out of direct sunlight is a good way to keep down algae.  The algaefix while it did get rid of your algae, was not the best for your fish.  Chemicals should be limited as much as possible when dealing with fish -- especially so when dealing in a very small unfiltered tank.
 
What is optimal readings for the strip tests that you got?  Prefer numbers over words like "normal" and "good".  You also need a test for ammonia which is the most important test for your case.  The nitrite and nitrate are also important for you to watch.  The others are not really something you have to worry about on a normal basis.  In a small unfiltered tank ammonia will rise quickly and cause issues with your fish so it is very important to do water changes on a regular basis.