When To Put-Down My Betta?

[The betta expert]

Hi guys,

My betta, Lucy who I have had for four ( ) years is on the verge of dying. Every day he can hardly swim- he has tar-tar, is lathargic constently, wont eat his food.... Before when I came into the room, he used to swim to the front of the tank to say hi- sometimes even jump, but now he dosent notice me at all. He just looks like he's in such pane. The vet says to put him down. SHe thiks that it would be the kindest thing to do. BUT I JUST CAN'T DO IT, GUYS! I'm really sorry if i seem emotinal, but i just need your help. What do you think is the best desishion?

Lia

 

[loraxchick]

he could just be old, but also might be sick. could you give a better description of his symptoms? could you post a picture? have you seen him poo (what did it look like). what is the temp in his tank? what do you feed him? is he pale? have trouble balancing in the water? is he coming up for air? does he look bloated?
for now keep his water clean (lots of small waterrchanges). i have never been able to euthanize any of my bettas so i feel for you. it is a hard enough thing to watch them go downhill, but some make miraculous recoveries so never give up on them. fish are pretty resilient creatures. but 4 years is a great life for a betta, so take comfort in that.
cheers

 

[The betta expert]

he could just be old, but also might be sick. could you give a better description of his symptoms? could you post a picture? have you seen him poo (what did it look like). what is the temp in his tank? what do you feed him? is he pale? have trouble balancing in the water? is he coming up for air? does he look bloated?
for now keep his water clean (lots of small waterrchanges). i have never been able to euthanize any of my bettas so i feel for you. it is a hard enough thing to watch them go downhill, but some make miraculous recoveries so never give up on them. fish are pretty resilient creatures. but 4 years is a great life for a betta, so take comfort in that.
cheers

Thanks for the support. SO, he is lathargic, and has fin rot all over. Ha ton of ich( white spots). He won't eat, say hi, flare, or do anything that he ued to do. He is at 27 degrees c. thats like 80 degrees F. He was always so colouful, but now he is in pastel shades. His dark blue eyes are white. The vet says thats part of aging. He i a bit fat, so I tried not feeding him, but that just made it worse. Everytime I put food in the tank now, he swims away from it as far as he can. Every other day, I do a half clean, and every week a full change. Is that good?
I don't have a filter, but his tank is well cycled. He live in a 10 gallion with live plant, a catle, a heater, and a thermomater. Orry, but I can't post a pic. intill I get a new camera. Pleae help!

 

[ellena]

Are you treating the ich?
As you are doing regular water changes, this is a bit irrelevant, but so you understand for the future, cycling can only be done to a filter, so your tank isn't cycled. If he pulls through/you get another, be sure to read up on cycling in the beginner section

 

[Jonty]

Try turning the heat up to 30 to treat ich

 

[BethK]

With a heater, you really do need a filter.

Are his scales sticking out and is he losing color?

TBH, I think at his age and this stage, I doubt it can be reversed I hope it can be (((hugs)))

 

[loraxchick]

treat him for the ich. once that is gone he may just recover. if not, at least youve tried. and if he has no filter and has finrot, 30% water change every day for two weeks. see if there is improvement.
cheers.

 

[The betta expert]

Are you treating the ich?
As you are doing regular water changes, this is a bit irrelevant, but so you understand for the future, cycling can only be done to a filter, so your tank isn't cycled. If he pulls through/you get another, be sure to read up on cycling in the beginner section

well, techically it's not cycled, but my water Conditiner does that-- it's specially desighned to cycle a tank without a filter. He seems to do perfect on it. I mean he is 4, thats old.

 

[Assaye]

Are you treating the ich?
As you are doing regular water changes, this is a bit irrelevant, but so you understand for the future, cycling can only be done to a filter, so your tank isn't cycled. If he pulls through/you get another, be sure to read up on cycling in the beginner section

well, techically it's not cycled, but my water Conditiner does that-- it's specially desighned to cycle a tank without a filter. He seems to do perfect on it. I mean he is 4, thats old.

You can't really cycle a tank without a filter. The best most conditioners can do is remove a little bit of ammonia and/or nitrite.
Either way, I think you probably do enough water changes for ammonia to not be a problem. Only a test would prove that, though.

For now, don't give up. IMO killing a fish in an inhumane way is worse than letting it die naturally. If you want to put him down, research clove oil euthanasia, but I think he has such a range of treatable conditions that I would at least try to save him. Do water changes every day and treat for ich. Aquarium salt will help.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

He has ich and fin rot all over? Are you even treating any of this or just observing his state? He must feel terrible. Poor fish. Unless you're treating him, I think it's inhumane to keep him alive.

 

[The betta expert]

I am sorry to say that he died yesterday. I followed your advice and bought a treatment kit for ich, he reacted badly and died. Thankyou all for your help. I burried him ooutside in the garden. Here's what I wrote on a stone-

R.I.P
LUCY
"Though Your body is gone, your soul shall live forever."
Rest In Peace, my darlinng boy.

 

[loraxchick]

so sad...im sorry for you
likely he was too far gone.
what meds did you use out of curiosity?
RIP poor boy.
cheers!