# Please help my betta is dying!



## Ballerinagrl26 (Sep 27, 2011)

My betta is less than a year old and I have had bettas in the past as well, they all seem to die from the same sympotoms and i am yet to figure out what is causing this. I will describe.

I have been treating my betta for about two weeks for fin rot. I am using the betta fix from the pet store. ( I am new to this). He was doing well, but then i started noticing that he would stay on the bottom of the tank and would only move when i tapped the glass to feed him. I have him in a 2.5 gallon tank with a heater. I tried to put a filter when i first got him but the current was too strong for him. I do water changes every week, but recently noticed that there is this white scum on the surface of the water. dont know if that is normal or not. I noticed today that he wanted to eat but was struggling to get the food into his mouth. then shortly after that he started rapidly skimming the surface of the water trying to get a gulp of air! As I stated my previous bettas all had the same symptoms and all died within two weeks! I am desperatly trying to prevent this from happening again. He is loosing his color and like i said cannot breathe. he just lays on the bottom then darts to the top and skims the water frantically for air. Please help! ANY SUGGESTIONS ARE BETTER THAN NONE. I WOULD RATHER KNOW WHAT IS WRONG THEN NOT, EVEN IF THAT MEANS THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO. PLEASE JUST HELP!


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## Ballerinagrl26 (Sep 27, 2011)

one more thing, i use the conditioner for the water as i am directed to do so. I do a 50% change in water each week.


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

Please try to fill these out as much as possible. 

Housing 
What size is your tank?
What temperature is your tank?
Does your tank have a filter?
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?
Is your tank heated?
What tank mates does your betta fish live with?

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish?
How often do you feed your betta fish?

Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change?
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity: 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed?
How has your betta fish's behavior changed?
When did you start noticing the symptoms?
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
Does your fish have any history of being ill?
How old is your fish (approximately)?


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## Indyfishy (May 31, 2010)

First off, welcome to the forum, and I'm sorry your little guy isn't feeling well!!! First off, stop the betta fix, it actually harms the betta's labrynth organ (lungs), and it could be making him feel worse. Don't feel bad about it though, he should be fine, and they really shouldn't market the stuff for bettas. It sounds like you might not be doing enough water changes, which could be causing the problem. In a 2.5 gallon tank he needs one 50% and one 100% weekly water change. Did you acclimate him when you changed his water??? He could be suffering from temperature shock if the water in his cup was very different than his tank water. For now, move him too a small container (the cup you bought him in is fine) and float it in his tank to keep the temp consistent. The cup you bought him in is fine. If it won't float, you can clip it or tape it to the side. If you have it, stress coat is an amazing water conditioner that will help soothe him. If not, you can use either indian almond leaves, crushed and naturally dried oak leaves, or decaf green tea (just green tea, no flavorings) and steep them in a gallon jug with dechlorinator, and use that as his water for his daily water changes in his cup. The tannins from the leaves will soothe him and make him feel better. Check his gills, are they red or inflamed looking in any way??????


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## bettarainbow (Apr 15, 2011)

You know, i am not an expert doctor regarding betta fish but when mines are sick, i put them in a tank that i set up specially to try to get them rid of their sickness. I think whoever that have betta, either beginner or pro should always have indian almond leaves and aquarium salt with. I only use those 2 things to treat my fishes. Most of betta breeders will tell you to use almond leave. 
Where are you from ?? If almond leaves are not available in your area then you can get them for cheap price from international betta congres website.
I always use those leaves and salt disregarding the ph or any other things and it works for me.


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## Indyfishy (May 31, 2010)

Indian almond leaves are definitely the best choice, but if you are unable to get them then naturally dried and crushed oak leaves work just as well. The decaf green tea will also work in a pinch.


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## Ballerinagrl26 (Sep 27, 2011)

Well guys, his gills look like they have red lines on them. he is getting worse too. his body is starting to curve and he wont leave the bottom. only to speed around frantically trying to get air from the top..He is not a new betta. I have had him for about 6 months now so i have changed the water many many times . I always make sure the temp matches what is was before i removed him from the tank. I always make sure the temp is the same. .. heres more about my tank.


2.5 gallon tank
heater
temp averages around 78 degrees
no filter or air stone ( he almost died when i attached the filter)
no other fish in the tank, just a fake plant

as far as food, he eats the freeze dried blood worms. usually once a day.

I clean 50% each week. I use the conditioner and I use tap water.

I checked the PH of the water with the strips that show colors not paramaters. everything was good. 

Like i said he is getting much much worse and i know that he is going to die soon. I feel like crap u know. Any idea what the hell this disease is?


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## Ballerinagrl26 (Sep 27, 2011)

Should i remove him from the tank and put him in a smaller bowl? He isnt getting any air from the surface of the water at all. Like i said he just swims around frantically with his mouth sticking out the surface of the water. I feel so bad for him! I cant even watch when he does that, it just breaks my heart! Then he just sinks to the bottom with his gills frantically gasping for air. god im gonna loose my mind. I just want to know what the hell this is . What im doing wrong so i know what needs to be changed. He only has a few days maybe a week left.. so sad!


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## Ballerinagrl26 (Sep 27, 2011)

just checked the water.. 

NITRATE:0
NITRITE:0
HARDNESS: 75 SOFT
CHLORINE:0
ALKALINITY: BETWEEN 180-300
pH:7.2


His color has become really dull blue and red. He used to be nice and bright and playfull and active. He liked to make his bubbles. Now nothing! He just sits on the bottom. I started noticing this behavior about a week and a half ago. but he was still eating and breathing just fine then. he was never sick before and the only thing i treated him with was betta fix and that has stopped yesterday. he had fin rot and thats what i bought to help it. i read that hurts his lungs so i stopped. maybe that is what caused this crap! uuuggghhhhh!!!


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

If you can, get him into some clean water with just conditioner. There might still be remnants of betta fix in with him that could be causing some issues.

Did you redose the betta fix at all before changing all of his water? You could have accidentally over dosed on it, which could be causing this problem. 

Keep the water level low in whatever you have him in after you change out the water to make it easier to get to the surface. Keep wherever he is dark to calm him down more too. 

Is he sinking, bloated belly, or floating on his side? If it's any of these, you might want to start him on 1 tsp/gal premixed epsom salt to help his swim bladder. It's easiest to mix it in a gallon jug with dechlorinated water and use it for water changes. You'll want to change his qt water daily to keep it clean.

For future use too, aquarium salt can be use to treat fin rot instead of medication.


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## Ballerinagrl26 (Sep 27, 2011)

I havnt put any more bettafix at all since cleaning him, but like i said i only did a 50% water change. Should i do a complete water change tomorrow? Also, he is just sinking right after he freaks out trying to get air. that is the big problem that he cant get any air at all! He isnt bloated or floating nothing like that. The only other thing is that he had fin rot and that was starting to get better before this breathing thing happened. I noticed that he had some red lines on his gills but i am not sure if they are just part of his coloring because he is red and blue. I just wanna try to get him better or at least make him feel better. I dont want him to suffocate to death ! that is just a horrible way to die! It hurts to see my little buddy suffering and i cant do anything at all to ease it!


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Poor guy =(
I would recommend putting him in a smaller container with 3-4 inches of water. Use water conditioner and keep him warm. If the fin rot is still there I would use 1 tsp per gallon of Aquarium Salt, 100% daily water changes for 10-14 days. 
Just make sure it is actual fin rot.. missing fin doesn't always mean fin rot.
Wish you luck and the best.


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

I highly recommend Myates advice and also doing a 100% change on his tank whether you let him stay in it for now or not.


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## Ballerinagrl26 (Sep 27, 2011)

please anymore suggestions please! im heading to the store now to get an air stone for him and i am planning on changing his water again today and im gonna do a 100% change and put just conditioner in the water.

what else should i put in there to help him? he is seriously not getting any better, just worse and worse. its killing me to watch him suffer like this!


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

It sounds like he just needs clean water and time.

If you don't already have aquarium salt, I recommend getting it since it can take care of a lot of external problems. Epsom salt is also a recommendation since it can help with internal.


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## Ballerinagrl26 (Sep 27, 2011)

im gonna get him the stone and the salt now. how much would i mix with the water since it is a 2.5 gallon tank? I am horrible at measuring things like that out. Also, would i just do a complete water change and mix the salt in then? should i let the water sit for a while before adding him back into the water? should i just keep him in the little bowl and add the water from the clean tank in then?


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

Take him out of his tank and do a 100% water change. The water you add in should only have dechlorinator and aquarium salt. For now, only fill his tank up half way so he can get to the surface easier.

Since the tank will only be half full of water, mix in 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of aquarium salt. It's easiest to do this if you have a separate cup, to measure it out into the cup and take some clean tank water. Swish it around until there are no more salt crystals before adding it to the tank.

After the salt is added, acclimate your boy to the temperature of the tank and then gently add him. Keep the tank dark so he can rest and take it easy.

Try to get as little of the water he's in from his old tank into his new tank.


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## Ballerinagrl26 (Sep 27, 2011)

will this salt help with his breathing? or is this just gonna help his fins? I dont wanna take him out and stress him more if this isnt going to help his breathing at all. Poor little guy wont even move anymore. he really looks like hes going to die soon.


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## Ballerinagrl26 (Sep 27, 2011)

I just did a 100% water change. I added the 1 teaspoon of the aquarium salt. I did as you mentioned. I let the crytals disolve before adding it in the tank. I only filled his tank 1/2 way to make it easier for him to reach the top. i cleaned the gravel completely to wash away any of the old water particles. and his fake plant i rinsed with hot water as well. the temp was exactly the same. i made sure the water was exactly 78 as it was before i took him out. so i prevented the water temp shock. i will keep an eye on him overnight. i have his light on now but if he starts to get stressed i will shut it off.


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

Sounds good. Keep us updated! 

AQ salt will help with the fins and any other external problem- won't help with gill movement.


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## Ballerinagrl26 (Sep 27, 2011)

What can i do to help with his breathing? He seemed to be doing a little bit better but then i fed him. He did manage to eat a giant blood worm, but the he started freaking out again , like he couldnt breathe...hum.......

Is there anything else i can do to improve his lungs? The only thing in the water right now is AQ salt and conditioner. I threw the bettafix in the trash. 

Let me know please


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

Mmm, well there isn't really anything you can do for breathing. If you've lowered the tank water to 4-5 inches that's really all you can do I'm afraid. Is his tank in a high-movement area? Do you move around his tank a lot? You could try covering his tank with a towel to make it dark and calm for him.


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## Ballerinagrl26 (Sep 27, 2011)

his tank is sitting on my end table next to my bed. Usually the only traffic is me laying in the bed. I got the light off now and he is laying around. He was doing ok lastnight , but i think that was because there were air bubbles left in the water from when i cleaned it out. but when the water settled thats when he started acting bad again. I just got the air stone to put in there and im hoping that will help.


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## youlovegnats (Feb 23, 2011)

The air stone really done't help bettas. They have an organ to breath oxygen directly from their mouth. Air stones are used to add oxygen to the water for fish who don't have labyrinth organs.


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