# Very lethargic betta - please help!



## harrypotter (Aug 9, 2011)

I really need some help! For the past two days my betta has been laying at the bottom of his tank, coming up only for air and for food, although today I found uneaten food in his tank (he is a complete pig and eats everything so somethings is definitely wrong)

Housing 
What size is your tank? - 2 gallon
What temperature is your tank? - 74 degrees. I bought a heater last night because I thought the cold water (temp sat at 70 degrees before heater) would be affecting him but I can't get the heater to go any higher than 74
Does your tank have a filter? - No
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? - No
Is your tank heated? - Yes, just bought one
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? - He's alone

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? - pellets
How often do you feed your betta fish? - he gets 3-5 pellets once a day, Monday to Friday (I give him the weekends to digest)

Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change? - Once a week
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? - 100%!
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? - Betta Plus Tap Water Conditoner

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

Ammonia: n/a
Nitrite: n/a
Nitrate:
pH: 6.7
Hardness: n/a
Alkalinity: n/a 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? - His physical appearance has not changed
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? - He swims in short bursts but mostly sits at the bottom of the tank, coming up only to breathe and when there is food.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? - Sunday
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? - I don't know what's wrong with him so I haven't treated him yet. I thought maybe he's constipated so I thought I would try giving him a bit of a cooked, peeled pea to see if that helps.
Does your fish have any history of being ill? No, but I've only had him for a month.
How old is your fish (approximately)? The pet store said he was 6 - 9 months and I got him a month ago so the oldest he should be is ten months.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Welcome to the forum and sorry your Betta is not well....

Part of the problem may be temp related and water quality related......I would start making some daily 50% water changes with like temp dechlorinated water for a couple of days and keep the temp at least 74-76F if that is as high as you can get it...and see if that will perk him up....

Then get on a regular schedule of twice weekly on a 2gal unfiltered tank...1-50% and 1-100% to maintain water quality.....

Generally a healthy Betta will be fine in the mid-upper 70F range and it can help with longevity too.....every Betta can be different in the tolerance to water temp.......

Once he start to feel better he should start to eat again....I would hold food for 2 days then offer a good quality varied diet fed in small frequent meals and if you have access to mosquito larva-offering a rinsed larva on occasion would be enjoyed......

Love to see some pics.....


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## harrypotter (Aug 9, 2011)

thanks for the reply!

i'm going to buy some kits so i can test my water and make sure there aren't chemicals in there that are harming him. i've had him over a month now so i thought if the water was bothering him, he'd get sick right away but maybe not.

maybe my water conditioner isn't good enough? i buy it at walmart, it's betta plus water conditoner but if there is a better suggestion out there, i'd love to hear it. 

i just put the heater in last night and it raised the water 4 degrees so i'm hoping within another few hours, it'll go up again so it's at about 78 for him. i thought he might be too cold but he's lived in this water for a month and has seemed fine which led me to believe he might be constipated.

this is malfoy! http://i56.tinypic.com/aaisz4.jpg


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

What other symptom is he having besides being lethargic and poor appetite.....

Along with water quality issues and cooler water 70F over a period of time can catch up with them and compromise the immune response....usually improved water quality and temp along with a couple of days-generally they will respond well.....

Prime by Seachem is a good dechlorinator.....you don't have to use Betta specific products.....


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## harrypotter (Aug 9, 2011)

that's pretty much it. he just sits at the bottom of the tank and will only come up for air or if there is food, but today i had to take food out because it was just sitting there over a few hours and he normally always eats everything in sight. 

i'll have to check out prime by seachem, the stuff i'm using may not be conditoning the water good enough and he may be suffering from that. thanks so much for your help, i'm really worried i'm going to check on him one of these times and he'll be dead. i shed quite a few tears over this already, lol.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Be sure and dose the dechlorinator for the full volume of the tank even with the partial water changes and check the label to make sure you are using enough for chloramine...some products direct to use double dose when you have both chlorine and chloramine in the source water....

I would make a 50% water only change with like temp dechlorinated water today and tomorrow and see if that will perk him up...a lot of times that is all it takes.....

Keep us posted.....


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## harrypotter (Aug 9, 2011)

I tested the levels of the water and the ammonia was VERY high. I went and bought something that is supposed to eliminate it, yet when I tested the water after 12 hours, there wasn't that much of a significant change. I'm VERY worried about my betta!


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

What kind of water test product are you using and have you tested the source water for ammonia..what is the ammonia number-results...also-some dchlorinators especially the type that also cover ammonia....they change the ammonia to ammonium that is harmless to the fish....but the test kit can't tell the difference....the fish behavior will usually tell you...

In a filtered/cycled tank-once the beneficial bacteria kick in they will get rid of the ammonium just like they do with ammonia....


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## harrypotter (Aug 9, 2011)

I'm at work so I don't have the results with me right now. His tank is only 2 gallon but do you think he needs a filter? Perhaps I should be buying him a bigger tank that has a filter.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Filters are optional.....but to establish the nitrogen cycle you need a filter of some type....the 2gal unfiltered is fine.....adding live stem plants would be better IMO than a filter......its never a bad idea to get a bigger tank however....lol.....


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## harrypotter (Aug 9, 2011)

I live in a small town that doesn't sell live plants for aquariums but I'll try to see what I can do. I've never owned a fish before, he's my first attempt and I'm already attached to him and will feel awful if he dies due to my lack of care. 

I just really need to figure out how to lower the ammonia in the water. Would adding aquarium salt help?


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

What is the ammonia reading and if you can answer the questions in my reply #8 post....once you get home.....


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## Comet1993 (Jul 28, 2011)

He's a beautiful fish. =] I hope he gets feeling better soon. It would be easier to get a filter for a bigger tank.. And easier to clean, as well.


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## harrypotter (Aug 9, 2011)

I may have to look at bigger tanks because I won't lie, I'm getting really tired of doing 100% water changes once a week and now he's going to need them more to get rid of the ammonia. What size of tank would you recommend? Would a 5 gallon be large enough to accomdate a filter and heater?


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## harrypotter (Aug 9, 2011)

I tested the ammonia and it's still reading around 1.00 and that's with 25% water changes and conditioning the water. I don't know what to do!


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I would really like to help...but until you answer the questions...I have to assume.......and thats doesn't help anyone......

What kind of test products are you using, have you tested the source water, if so, what are the readings, what kind of ammonia removing product are you using.....you may be seeing ammonium not ammonia.....


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## harrypotter (Aug 9, 2011)

- I use Nutrafin Betta Plus Water Conditioner when I change his water
- I have been using Nutrafin Cycle to help with the ammonia
- Mars Fish Care for the PH Liquid Test Kit
- API Ammonia Test Kit
- I feed him Zoomed Betta Pellets

The water is really cloudy now, which it never used to be so I don't think the Nutrafin Cycle stuff is working. I'm going to a bigger city tomorrow so I'm going to try and find some Prime by Seachem and hope he hangs on just a little bit longer. 

When I first tested the ammonia, the resting was over 4.00 but now it is .75 - 1.25


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Your most likely seeing ammonium and not ammonia due to all the chemical additives.....I would test the source water and make sure you don't have ammonia in it to start......

Did you add the filter or not......if you don't have a filter running it is pointless to cycle the tank...the bacteria need oxygenated water......

you don't need all the chemical additives...a good dechlorinator like Prime is all you need to use...too many chemical additive in a small volume of water and the fish can get toxic....just trying to make it easier for you and more Fun and less work......once it become work and problems its not much fun and that what this hobby is about.......to be enjoyed and fun......wouldn't you agree.......


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## harrypotter (Aug 9, 2011)

I just wanted to post and say thank you so much for all the help I received. I picked up some Prime by Seachem and some Stress Coat. I added the stress coat and within 2 days, I woke up to this! Somebody is clearly feeling better!


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## BETTACHKALOVE (Nov 22, 2010)

How is his behavior? Is he still lethargic? Is he eating at all? I would be very happy for you if he get better. Unfortunately u can't say he is better if he did bubble nest. It just natural reproductive instinct.


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## harrypotter (Aug 9, 2011)

He is always swimming around now, I have only seen him at the bottom a few times and it looks like he is sleeping. He is eating once more, gobbles everything up and is flaring plenty. He seems back to his old self.


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## BETTACHKALOVE (Nov 22, 2010)

Nice,congrads!!!! So you just used Prime and stress coat. What kind/brand of the stress coat did you use?


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## harrypotter (Aug 9, 2011)

I bought the stuff from API and it's worked wonders!


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## Aven (Jul 30, 2010)

Cycle hadnt been working most likely because it takes around 2 days to activate, and/or just doesnt work though i have had pretty good results with it. I would say that 1 100% water change in an unfiltered 2 gallon is too infrequent? Iwould suggest a 50% and 100% weekly but investing in a 5 gallon with a filter doing 25% water changes every week should be ok. Im not an expert by any means, but this is just what i picked up from my research. Im glad to hear he got better!


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