What in the WORLD is going on?!?!?

[Kiarra]

I do have a suspicion.

It sounds like when he's separated, he does well. And when he's around other Bettas, he doesn't do well. Maybe it's stress at being around the other Bettas? I really think his tail looks like he's been chewing on it. I've seen that same kind of tears in the boys I bought from Petsmart that were in the same cup and had torn into each other. Those look like bite-rip marks.

I think you might want to look into letting Sakana live all by his lonesome, away from the other Bettas, for a while, and see if that fixes his symptoms.

 

[flautist]

Could be... only problem is, all I have is the 2.5 gallon that Angel is in, and the half gallon bowl. I KNOW Angel wouldn't do well next to the others... poor guy is scared of his own shadow... literally. His tail accidentally brushed up against the thermometer today, and it scared him so bad that hid in his plant. He literally folded himself in half to fit inside the leaves of this plant and didn't come out for about 3 full minutes. There's no WAY he could live next to another betta. However, I don't want to condemn Sakana to anything smaller than 2.5 Gal, because that's all he's ever known, aside from the couple of weeks he lived in one when I first got him. I also don't have the money for another tank at the moment.

What should I do in the meantime, until I can get another tank?

 

[Kiarra]

Well...you could add plants or something to Sakana's usual home along the divider so that he can't see the other Bettas, and have him on the end.

 

[flautist]

Well...you could add plants or something to Sakana's usual home along the divider so that he can't see the other Bettas, and have him on the end.

That's a good idea!!!

I thought the cave I gave him would be enough, but I guess not. Guess I will be making another trip to Wal-Mart.

*Glances at Angel the Wal-Mart rescue*
*Must resist urges to go on more rescue missions. *

 

[BettaMomma]

Hey there -
From what you're describing here, I hate to say it but it sounds like columnaris.
I have 2 girls that are battling that right now.
It starts on their forehead right between their eyes and spreads like CRAZY. Literally overnight. I have Millie in quarantine, and I just noticed Nellie is showing the forehead patch also. I have to pick up a hospital tank for her today...

Columnaris is marked by grey/white patches near the gills & head and/or white stringy or spotty material on the fish. From what I can tell, they act fine other than the spots when the illness is first onset.

I would also quarantine him, and monitor him for a while. If you notice the patches on his head spreading (which you will within 24 hours, if this is what it is) you should treat him with Maracyn. Also, it will help to make sure the temp is kept about 75 - no warmer - during the treatment.

Good luck.

 

[flautist]

Hey there -
From what you're describing here, I hate to say it but it sounds like columnaris.
I have 2 girls that are battling that right now.
It starts on their forehead right between their eyes and spreads like CRAZY. Literally overnight. I have Millie in quarantine, and I just noticed Nellie is showing the forehead patch also. I have to pick up a hospital tank for her today...

Columnaris is marked by grey/white patches near the gills & head and/or white stringy or spotty material on the fish. From what I can tell, they act fine other than the spots when the illness is first onset.

I would also quarantine him, and monitor him for a while. If you notice the patches on his head spreading (which you will within 24 hours, if this is what it is) you should treat him with Maracyn. Also, it will help to make sure the temp is kept about 75 - no warmer - during the treatment.

Good luck.

Well, he's had the patches on his head for about 48 hours, and no spreading. Did some switching around... From the spot closest to my seat at the desk, it did go Koenig, then Diamond, then Sakana. Now it goes Sakana, then Koenig, then Diamond. I have lots of plants along the divider between Sakana and Koenig, and I will be getting some more this weekend. He's still alittle clamped, but then I just moved him 15 minutes ago. His color is starting to come back already. I guess he just missed me.

 

[Kiarra]

Let us know how he's doing when he gets settled.

 

[Flamenprettyboy]

Have you tried to add a small amount of rock salt or aquarium salt. If it is a fungal problem it may help a little. If you have other fish in the tank. I would make sure they can have a little salt with out hurting them.

 

[flautist]

I think he just missed me. He and Koenig are flaring like crazy at each other whenever they see each other, so I am definitely getting more plants.. poor guys tail looks HORRIBLE, but I can tell it's almost definitely biting, now that I've seen him flare. Sakana's side is now the side with the filter, and he LOVES the filter. The current isn't very strong, and he's been using it as a water slide. It's so cute. Within a couple hours of him being on that side and flaring at Koenig and playing in the filter and getting my attention again now that he's close to me, he regained his color and lost his stress lines. I'm keeping some MelaFix in the water now to help with his tail.

If he flares with Koenig too much tonight, will it hurt either of them? He seems much happier than he was, but I don't want him to get hurt from flaring too much.

 

[Kiarra]

It shouldn't really hurt them. I have several that I literally can't separate (they mope, stop eating, and generally act like dying fish when I do separate them) and they flare at each other all day long, every day. All of their fins are fine and in perfect condition.

One note, though. If they are trying to bite each other through the divider, that could result in a mouth injury. It's a pretty remote chance, but it's there. So if they ARE trying to bite each other, it's best to separate them further, so they don't bang their mouth on the divider and end up hurting themselves.

 

[flautist]

No, they aren't trying to bite each other, just flaring like mad.

I guess Sakana just missed me and didn't like Diamond.

Speaking of Diamond, (the one with the clamped up fins, if you remember that thread) he still has clamped fins, but not as bad now that I have moved him. I still wish I could figure it out. He doesn't seem to pay much attention to Koenig, he's healthy, he eats, he builds nests, the water is at a steady 80 (working on lowering to 78)... I just can't figure out why he's always clamped up. I've had him for 2-3 months now, and he's always been clamped except when he's flaring. I've tried him by himself, I tried him in a community tank with danios, and now he's with other bettas (dividers inbetween, of course). always clamped.

 

[Kiarra]

If he's fine otherwise, and there are no marks on him, then don't worry about it too much. I had one CT who had been left in a cup for 10-14 days before I found and bought him, and he kept his tail (and only his tail) clamped for over a week, even though there was really nothing wrong with him. Just keep an eye on him, and, if he develops any strange symptoms, then you can worry. Till then, I wouldn't fuss too much.

Why are you trying to lower the temp down to 78?

 

[flautist]

They are used to 78... I raised it slowly to 82 when I thought Sakana was sick.

Though, if they stay happy, I might keep it at 80.

 

[Kiarra]

Okay. Either one is good. I was just curious why you were lowering it.