Sick Betta Fry

[grownocean]

Some of you reading this might have seen my privious post about purchasing a betta fry, and now I'm back with more struggle. I bought one of those "baby bettas" from Petco (awful that the company sells them, right?), and I've had it for about a week and he/she isn't doing well. As time has gone on, I've noticed that it has slowly lost color, clamped its fins, and is now laying at the bottom of the tank. Let me provide some detail on my tank...

It's a 10 gallon, heated to 80F, filtered and planted. I tested the water two days ago after my last water change, which was 50%, and the test came out with: 0ppm nitrite, 0ppm nitrate, ph between 7.0-7.5, 180 kh, and 180 gh.

Chemical additives: 5ml of stress coat, 5ml of nutrafin plant gro, 20 drops of pH down (the water in my area is really hard)

No signs of ich (thank god), or velvet, as I don't see any gold looking patches. I've been feeding him/her small, frozen brine shrimp. I have noticed that he/she seems rather bloated... But I'm assuming it's because he/she has been snacking on leftover wafers for the shrimp. I guess I want to know what I'm doing wrong. Perhaps it was already unhealthy when I got him/her? Too much stress for it's short lifespan? Help

Thanks,
Andria

 

[GuppyGirl20]

Is this the same fry that you said had white spots on it or did you take that one back? The bloating could signify constipation. Try fasting it for a couple days and if there isn't any improvement get some daphina to feed it (it's a natural laxative for bettas). 

 

[grownocean]

I took that one back, this is a new one. Can constipation cause him/her to lose color, clamp fins, and lay at the bottom on the tank?

 

[bluesword23516]

I is a possibility. If a fish isn't feeling well it can do that. Like GuppyGirl said I would fast him/her for a few days then do a very small feeding. Just keep the water clean and hope fully the betta will recover. 

 

[grownocean]

Update: I found it dead this morning and the shrimp were snacking on it's body. I guess I understand because, well, obviously it wasn't healthy to begin with.

Thing is, my previous adult betta passed in this tank, too, along with a ghost shrimp and I'm not sure why. I'm worried about putting more fish in. They didn't seem to have diseases and I use the API test strips, and like I said, my nitrite and nitrate are at 0ppm. My shrimp and snails seem to be doing well. I don't know why I've had these deaths and if I should even try stocking with something different.

 

[GuppyGirl20]

A problem could be that you're using strips. They are notoriously inaccurate. I recommend buying the liquid strips.
 
Did the adult betta and ghost shrimp seem to pass unexpectedly? The betta could have been old (I'd don't know much about shrimp so I can't help you there, sorry).
 
I don't mean to insult your intelligence, but when you go to buy a betta do you check and see how alert it is and how its acting before you buy it? Sometimes their color can still look good but they aren't acting normally which indicates they are sick because sometimes the stores just have a bad batch.  

 

[Wildbetta]

I see an issue here that might have made things worse.  Why are you using the ph down?  There is really no good in using those products and they can cause quite severe ph swings that it can kill fish.  Domestic bettas can adjust to quite varying degrees of ph and hardness in the water as long as they are given the chance to get used to it.  Using chemicals to adjust things like that are just not a good idea.  I also noticed that you didn't list a reading for ammonia.  This is IMO THE most important reading to watch.  
 
Baby bettas sold at stores are normally not in the best of health when purchased as is.  They don't handle the swinging temps, the high ammonia from the small cups that don't get changed enough, and being fed foods that are not meant for fish that young or small.  With it looking bloated, you might have been feeding it a bit more frozen brine than needed for how small a fish it was or like you mentioned had been munching on the snail's wafer.  
 
I am sorry to hear about your betta's passing.