# My betta looks dead....HELP!!



## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

so like my title says my betta looks dead....he wont move....i have him in a 2 gallon(i would have gotten a bigger one but im in college and cant have a very big fish tank) tank with filter and heater.....he just stays on the bottom near his shell and he looks dead......i recently bought him at the pet store...hes been in his tank less than a week.....he was moving around and was having fun at first


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## xjenuhfur (Jan 30, 2012)

This should be posted in the betta emergencies section, but fill this out. then we can help you more.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Did you add tap water conditioner?

How often do you clean the tank?

When was the last time you cleaned the tank?

WHat is the temperature of the water at?


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

i just bought the tank and i washed it with hot water including everything that i put in it....yes i put in conditioner too....its only been 4 days and it has filter and heater.....it just doesnt want to move....i was wondering if i should return him?


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

does he have a heater? They can be lethargic if cold. Its also possible he is sick. any other visible signs of sickness? clamped fins, fuzzies, white spots?


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

no....i noticed when i bought him he had a little fin rot but that was about it....he looks normal...his color hasnt changed he just lays all on the bottom...and doesnt move at all.....


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

How's his poo look too? Like...white and stringy, broken and clear in spots... is he bloated, or gasping hard?


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

idk ive never seen him poop.....the gravel i use is colorful so it makes it very hard for me to see it.....hes not gasping hard....nor does he seem bloated....he just lays on his side and looks dead...he doesnt move when i tap his tank either


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## bettafishfinnatic (Mar 18, 2012)

can you post a picture so we can see what kind of community you have?


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Hmmm can you get a few pictures? Even if they are not the best quality.

How are his gills? are they reddened, speckled, swollen...?


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

Maybe he IS dead... just saiyin


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

OMG that's terrible!!! lol @ Pog


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

no he isnt dead....cause ive poked him and he moves very quick...but then he just goes back to hi little spot and just sits there


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## Calypso77 (Jun 17, 2012)

Picture?


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

im trying to put the pictures up but idk how too


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

must click go advanced and click the paperclip icon


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## Calypso77 (Jun 17, 2012)

You can put it in your Album in your control panel and then link it here or use something like Photobucket to upload the picture and then copy the image code into here.


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

here is what he looks like


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

Is that a REAL conch shell? They can raise the Ph pretty quick, causing all sorts of problems


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

yea it is....its 10 yrs old so i thought it wouldve been fine D: should i take it out?


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

Srry accidentally posted this one.... read next on ^_^


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

I would recomend, and do a water change to bring the Ph back down. Idk if Ph auses lethargy tho, how long has it been there?


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

ive had him for 4 days and he just started doing that yesterday.....my old betta didnt do that at all though


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

Hw long was it with the conch shell?


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

my old betta had it for a month......he never had a problem with it...he even made a bobble nest....then i gave him to my cousin as a bday present....this new betta is acting weird


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

maybe it is not acustomed to it.. idk? What is the ph n the tank?


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

idk...i dont have any the tools to test stuff like that


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Did you acclimate him initially? Not all bettas show signs immediately.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Hmmm...a water change might be a good idea. Something icky may of gotten in the water and is making him ill. 

what water conditioner do you use?


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

@sena: idk what your asking me (sorry im only a beginner) 

tetra aqua safe plus water conditioner


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

oh i forgot to say that i have a mystery snail in there with him too .....just 1


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

she or he..I think sensa is a she?..is asking how did you add the fish to the new tank? did you keep it in the cup and add in tank water every 10 or so minutes or did you just put the fish into the new water. If it is quickly added to new tank water, it can go into shock. They need to slowly get adjusted to the tempature of the water and the chemistry (ph, hardness, ect). 

I think you should do at least a 50% water change and remove the shell. Each betta is different and the shell might be making him ill.

EDIT:

mystery snails poop alot. How big is your tank and do you have a filter? If its a small tank with no filter I suggest doing a 100% water change and cleaning out the gravel to remove all the snail poop. I empty out the water, add some back in and swish around the gravel, then dump the water and repeat the process again to get all the poop out. With all the waste from the snail, you may have a high ammonia level...


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

um.....yea i just put him in there...he looked fine at first...just swimming around and adjusting to his new environment....but okay ill clean his tank and remove the shell.....ill see if he does any better


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

thanks you guys for your help....wish me luck


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Yes I am a she lol there is no males named Sena. 

After you clean the tank, float the betta, add a little water from the tank to his cup/bag/container every 15 minutes. That is acclimating, and this time around should still be done


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

alright.....i cleaned his tank and took out the shell......lets see how he does...if hes still ill looking im returning him


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## MistersMom (Aug 9, 2011)

Don't return him, its only 5 bucks, at least if he is dying let him live out his last few moments in a nicer home with some one who loves him there ..... not a cup on a cold shelf with dying bettas sitting around...


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## SweetNightmare (Mar 15, 2012)

Don't return him. Fish are not some item that should be returned if defective. If he does pass, go back to the store with his body and see if they have a guarantee on livestock. I know our store will replace any fish that dies within seven days of the purchase. Thus, there is no reason to return him if he's alive just because he's not swimming around. Give him time. I would also suggest removing the snail if you can; they pollute small tanks. And always remember to acclimate the fish. It's very important.


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

okay if he dies in a few days i still can return him anyways....petsmart accepts dead fish too just as long as i keep the receipt


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## KNIFE (Jun 18, 2012)

oh and since ive changed his tank hes not on the bottom anymore...i hope he feels better it seems as if hes doing better but ill have to see what happens


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

good, remember to give us updates!


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Good luck!!


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