Very Sick Betta Needs Help

[snue]

Above is a video of my poor betta fish. His name is Dolly Bird. I brought him (Perfect dark blue) from the fish shop about 2 months ago with some other 11 glowlight tetras along with the tank 50 litres with filter (Bio balls + Ceramic Rings + Activated Carbon) + heater, stress coat and stress zyme.

When I brought the fish I had no idea about the cycle process and the fish shop never told me, they just sold it all to me. Now I realize that was a big mistake and I am trying as hard as I can to keep all the fish alive.

After a week my betta looked HORRIBLE like I couldn't find a picture on the internet of another betta fish that looked like that.

Immediately I was on the net and found out about (Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates), I brought a API master test kit and tested everything.
The ammonia and PH was High and the fish store recommended that I replace the Stress Coat and stress zyme with Seachem Prime and Stability and replace the Activated carbon with nitra-zorb which of course I did along with regular water changes (2-3days). I also brought some PH Down. They also told me to starve the fish for a week and use melafix daily and with every water change.

After 3 days the tetras started eating at the betta's fins and there were big missing pieces which made it look even more horrible, so I fed them and I have fed them every day since.

After 2 weeks the ammonia was gone, but the nitrites went really high, so I kept the regular water changes (2-3days) and sometimes every day.

another week had passed so i decided to leave them without a water change for 4 days. Then I did a test and the ammonia was gone the nitrites were gone aswell. So I done a water change and the nitrites came back.

I also brought some tonic salt and added a dissolved table spoon, after that the tetras seemed to be floating higher than they usually float so I stopped adding it.

The ammonia is still fine but I'm having troube with the nitrites. I have replaced the nitra zorb with activated carbon again since the ammonia has gone and I have used all the melafix. The betta looks like it might be getting a bit of color back in its fins but i'm not sure, it still looks horrible.

At the moment PH is 6.8-7, Ammonia 0, Nitrite VERY HIGH, Nitrate 0. Temp 25'c.

Should I get more melafix and take the activated carbon back out ???
Should I keep daily water changes or am I doing too much should I leave to allow enough bacteria to grow ???


I don't know, please help, am I even doing the right things...

The betta has been swiming around looking happy all through this, but maybe hes just been trying to scratch his back or something because its burning I wouldnt have a clue

Also in a few weeks we are planning on getting a 450 litre tank with a oscar and convict cichlid since we have completely fallen inlove with fish. Whould that need fish or fishless cycling and what should be done.

Thanks for any help/advice you can give.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

For your big tank do a fishless cycle.

For the small tank I'd try and stabilise the water before adding medication (sometimes the best medication is clean water).

Do daily water changes and see how it goes (a fish in cycle will take longer than a fishless cycle)

 

[fluffycabbage]

Crikey, you need to post this in the emergency section asap.

Nitrites are poisonous, as is ammonia, and as long as there are either in the water you will need to do large water changes. You dont need all these chemicals at all - just a dechlorinator for water changes (get a big bottle coz you're gonna need it!)

What are your water stats today?

Dont ever go back to that shop unless you absolutely have to - theyre in it for the money, and that is it. All your advice will come from this forum from now on

 

[t3l01v]

Everyone can relax. Dr. Brandon has arrived.

Ok, your Betta looks fine from the video. If he's eating normally, I wouldn't worry. If you're worry stems from the fins that used to be blue and are now white (guessing), I wouldn't fret. Some bettas marble. I've bought more than one that were totally red or totally blue and then later partly turned white/ gray/ purple/ black. I see more of this in halfmoon and crowntail types.

Some tetras go into PEST mode and nip fins. That's just the way they are, though I haven't seen that happen in one of my tanks recently. In this case, I would recommend increasing the size of the school. I like to maintain tetra schools at 11-19 (odd numbers. I've read and experienced that even numbered schools will split into two seperate schools) so they keep each other busy and they don't get bored. This is my experience though.

As for the water issues- STOP. "The only things that happen quickly in an aquarium are bad ones." Condition your tap water as you normally would. I recommend Kordon Amquel- blue and orange bottles. The orange one detoxes Ammonia, Nitrates, and Nitrites. The blue (green) bottle is a slime coat. Only add the blue bottle per the instructions. This stimulates (read, irritates) the fish's slime coats and has vitamins.

Each day change 10-15% of the water, for a week or so. Then let it go and test every day to make sure your params (Ammo, Nitra, Nitri) are within reason. If you test after your water changes, you're wasting your test.

If your betta starts developing finrot, bacterial infections, and/ or fungus, then start dosing the Melafix and Pimafix per instructions. I love those two products and swear by them. Be extremely careful to follow the instructions on these products. There are two strengths, and the bottles look exactly the same. One is the professional grade and is literally 10x stronger. I lost an Angelfish and several loaches making this mistake.

Oh, and slowly move your heater up to 80F degrees. This will help a ton with healing, and keep infections and parasites away- since your betta fish is getting nipped. Feed the betta fish a high protein diet, like bloodworms. However, counter your feeding of bloodworms with a serving of daphnia to keep him from getting constipated.


Lastly, update me here on your progress.

 

[snue]

Thanks so much dr. brandon

Thanks for all the info on my betta.

I have another question, im having nitrite problems (dark purple, highest reading on chart) with the current filter on this 50l aquarium. theres 11 glowlight tetra and 1 betta, i've been doing daily water changes with prime and ph down daily since tap ph is 8. Maybe there is not enough room for the nitrite bacteria to grow so ive been wondering if I should buy a canister filter, Aqua one CF-500. Is that too big for 50l aquarium I think I need it though, its the smallest I can find and i want those nitrite to go away but I dont want to blow the betta all over the tank. Is there anyway this filter could work with this tank or a similar one ??

Also,

I recently brought a 100g tank and im going through cycling that, which is going very very badly. Is there anything you could suggest, also any tips on water changes and cycling for the larger tank (has 2 silver dollars, had 5 but they died because I didnt know what i was doing, one looked sick and I thought it was from the substrate so I put them in buckets, emptied the whole aquarium, took out the sand and filled it back up because i was trying to help them but i made things way worse, the next day they were even worse, so I got white spot medication and put it in but it was too late and the 3 stressed ones passed away. the 2 that are left are fine, absolutely no sign of strees but it doesnt excuse me for what I done to my other silver dollars, I felt horrible, like there was nothing I could do and just wanted to ring the ambulance, I burried them and planted a tree ontop of them.), I have to get the temp right of each bucket plus the ph right on each bucket it just seems like such a task theres got to be a better way.

Thanks heaps. Courtney.