Sick Betta

[Morphkid03]

I just returned from a week-long vacation and I unfortunately have noticed something strange going on with my new halfmoon betta, Oscar. He has been sitting in the corner wedged between the glass and my terracotta pot in his tank, not swimming about like he normally does. The only time he left that spot was when I went to feed him, but I noticed instead of floating normally he seemed to be swimming more vertically, plus his breathing seems fairly rapid and his color has paled. I'm extremely concerned- what do you think the problem may be?

All of the water stats are in the normal range and his tankmates, nine Corydoras catfish, are all fine.

 

[Morphkid03]

Update: Oscar was lying on his side breathing heavily in his tank so I moved him into isolation in my 1gal hospital bowl with some aquarium salt so he would have less space to wear himself out in and get to the surface easier... Seeing no improvement, hoping for the best.. Only have had him like a month and he's still young, he really shouldn't be having troubles so quickly.

 

[erk628]

Is it a betta or and Oscar?

 

[c-dub]

I think the Betta's name is Oscar.

Have you tried feeding him submersable food rather than flakes? He doesn't have too much air in him does he?

 

[WILDER]

Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
Did someone feed him while you was away.
Does the fish look bloated.
Is the fish still eating.

It sounds like swim bladder.

 

[Morphkid03]

My test kit it currently MIA, searching for it right now, will update with my tank stats as soon as I find where I stashed it.

My neighbor was feeding him his usual pellets, 4 pellets 2x a day (Or at least that's what I told him... he could have overfed)
Fish has gone to the bathroom but still looks bloated even though he hasn't eaten today.
Stress stripes have appeared.
Had a normal appetite yesterday but today he wouldn't eat the pea I offered him at all, and that's unusual as I have fed it to him before and he loved it.
Has been either wedging himself behind the small hospital heater I have or laving vertically on the bottom of the tank, head up. I think you are right Wilder, it sounds like SB. How do I treat it?

 

[Morphkid03]

Just checked on him and he was floating upside down breathing heavily near the bottom of the tank, but he was able to swim to the surface to breathe, but just let himself float back down once he got to the top.

Please help, I'm afraid he's going to die!

 

[Morphkid03]

Bump for EMERGENCY, his condition is continuing to go downhill.

 

[WILDER]

Epson salt baths.
Bacterial med.

To be honest it sounds like he's dying, bless him.

 

[Morphkid03]

Epson salt baths.
Bacterial med.

To be honest it sounds like he's dying, bless him.

Would Maracyn be a good bacterial med to try?
Keep your fingers crossed. He seems better right now but I'm waiting on bated breath for the worst.....

 

[WILDER]

Yes maracyn fine.
Let me know how he gets on if you don't mind.

 

[Morphkid03]

Just noticed that he seems to have fin rot mainly on his dorsal and some on his anal and tail fin. Have started him on Maracyn and Melafix which has worked when Oliver got fin rot... here's hoping that it was just fin rot that caused all this...

 

[WILDER]

If a fish has lost quite abit of a fin or tail it can cause the fish to wobble.
As long as there not struggling to swim.
Good Luck.

 

[Morphkid03]

If a fish has lost quite abit of a fin or tail it can cause the fish to wobble.
As long as there not struggling to swim.
Good Luck.

Def. has not lost a lot because I would have noticed it beforehand, but I feel like this might be the root cause of everything. Keep your fingers crossed.

 

[WILDER]

Good Luck.