# Please help - My betta fish has been sick for a month and now breathing rapidly



## marshiemellow (Oct 29, 2012)

Hello,

I've had my fish, Bubble, for about a year and a half now and up until a month ago, he was a happy and healthy fish. For the majority of his life I've had him in a bowl... not good with sizes though XD But I've recently (today) upgraded him to a 2L (i think) tank with a heater that doesn't work at the moment :\

A month ago, he stopped eating (and he still refuses) and became inactive, lying on the bottom of his tank. He also started losing his colour and his fins started to rip.
His bowl also started becoming unclean very quickly - a day or two after cleaning.

Earlier this week I started giving him medication which is specifically to treat bacteria and repair fins, and that has made him slightly more active. He moves a little, but still stays on the floor. Sometimes he goes spaz and swims rapidly around the tank... And other times he tries to nip at his tail.

Yesterday, I noticed he was breathing rapidly, judging by the part of him that flares up. I have no idea what to do, and I'm scared it's a bad sign. I've heard about ammonia poisoning and I don't THINK it could be that... Not too sure though :\

Please help!


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

how much and what are you feeding him>?

remember, 2.5 gallons HEATED 80-82 degree water is needed to maintain happy healthy bettas. In a 2.5 gal tank, with a filter, water changes 2wice a week, 1 50% and 1 100% are needed.


sounds like you are not cleaning his "tank" enough and you are overfeeding.

Its best NOT to medicate until you know actually what your fish has, and what you are dealing with, as sometimes it can actually weaken the fish and make the problem worse.


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## marshiemellow (Oct 29, 2012)

I fed him one (freeze dried) bloodworm a day, which is what I was advised to by the pet shop.
He was fine in his bowl... His condition came on literally overnight :\
I used to clean his tank 100% once a week, and now I have to at least 2-3 times to prevent it getting dirty again


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## sainthogan (Sep 27, 2012)

bloodworms are like candy, you should be feeding a good pellet or at the very least good quality flakes (mine won't eat pellets, so I have to feed flakes). Plus, I don't think 1 bloodworm a day is enough. In the small bowl you had him in, you should have been cleaning at least everyday. In the 2 liter (which is equal to about a half gallon) you should be cleaning it 4 or 5 times a week. Ammonia poisoning can take on the symptoms you have described, especially in older fish such as yours. A Bettas life is about 2 to 4 years, shorter if kept in small, unclean spaces, longer if kept in larger, clean spaces.
Take a flashlight and look to see if you see any gold or rust colored "dust" anywhere on his body, especially his gills. If you do, he's got velvet and he will need daily water changes in addition to medication.


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## MDS91 (Oct 29, 2012)

For the record, Bloodworms are fine to feed as a primary food, they're more or less what a betta's natural diet typically consists of. They're highly nutritious, and probably a better food source than most pellet/flake foods I've seen advertised for bettas that often have questionable ingredients and not enough protein. Omega is the only brand I've seen in any of the stores I've been to that has decent ingredients, for whatever it's worth. 

Anyways, as far as your fish goes, do you salt his water at all? If not, I would start there, maybe a teaspoon or so of aquarium salt for the 2L tank. The salt does a few things, it usually makes the water a little less tolerable for bacteria and such, and usually makes the fish a little more comfortable.

When you say the tank gets unclean very quickly, what exactly do you mean? If the water gets noticeably cloudy very quickly, can happen in as little as a few hours, it's likely a bacterial bloom of some kind. I've only had that happen once, but I put maybe 5-7 drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide in the bowl, similar size to yours, and it cleared it up pretty quickly. Peroxide "decomposes" fairly quickly into water and H20, so it's pretty safe in small amounts. If this is happening again and again, there's clearly some kind of underlying bacterial imbalance, and I would probably suggest thoroughly cleaning out the tank with plenty of 3% peroxide at the next 100% water change and adding a bacterial supplement to give the good bacteria a head start. You should be able to find bacterial supplements anywhere with fish supplies, and while you're there it's always a good idea to pick up some ammonia safe just in case. Also, just to be clear, you pre-treat the water with stress coat or betta safe, or something of the sort, correct? If not, get some stress coat, it's a life saver, and untreated water isn't healthy. Also, when you change change the water, make sure the new water is at the same temperature. Personally, I just use my finger to test temperature difference, it seems more accurate to me than any thermometer I can afford. You may or may not already do all these things, just being thorough. 

As far as directly treating your fish goes, it could be some kind of bacterial infection, although I think nipping at his fins can be a sign of parasites. I'd look closely and see if you notice anything on him. Either way, all kinds of medicines available anywhere you can find fish food, however be aware that many are toxic. The most effective treatments I've used for suspected bacterial infections and fin rot were simple salt baths, and highly diluted peroxide baths. I can't give you specific dosages off the top of my head, but there's plenty of information on google. I will say, be very careful with peroxide if you consider it. It can work wonders in some instances, especially involving fin rot, but too much is deadly.

Lastly, how long as your fish been without food? Food provides a lot more than just energy, and it is important that he eats in order to get better. I don't recommend it on a regular basis due to the possible risk of introducing parasites, but if your fish won't eat and you've got a lot of mosquitoes around your area, live mosquito larvae make a nutritious snack that I've never seen turned down by a betta. The betta I'm currently taking care of hadn't eaten in over a week, and was nearly entirely unresponsive, wouldn't even react to being gently poked by his captain america decoration. Throw some mosquito larvae in with him, even Mr. Comafish can't resist the temptation. Assuming it's not too cold out where you live, they're usually present in any sitting amount of water, you can even 'farm' your own just by putting a bucket of water outside in a shady place and adding a handful of dead leaves and waiting a few days. I just fish them out with a small metal strainer as they come to the surface, putting them in a small bowl with clean water and a lid. Avoid small black worm like things that are often in the water with them, here in florida at least, I think I've heard that these can sometimes be toxic. After you've caught a few nice big ones, put a good sized pinch of salt in the bowl and a few drops of peroxide and stir it around a little. No idea how effective that is at preventing waterborne parasites, but it makes me feel safer at least. It can sometimes kill some of the smaller larvae, but they're pretty hardy for the most part. After that and thoroughly washing off the small metal strainer, I fish a few out of the small bowl with it and put them in with the betta. Sometimes it can take a few minutes for the fish to notice their movements but once they do, I've never seen any betta pass them up, no matter show sick, dead, or out of it they seemed. 

Anyways, best of luck. Hope he heals up and gets better.


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## marshiemellow (Oct 29, 2012)

Thank you for responding!
I do put in the salts for him, and I also pre-treat the water whenever I clean his bowl.
It's hot where I live at the bottom, but nowhere to find mosquito larvae :\ I tried feeding him a flake, like the other suggestion, but he still won't eat 
Whenever i look at him, I don't see anything out of the ordinary apart from his loss of colour... He used to be red, but it's completely gone now.

Also, I just checked on him then... He seemed really irritated with static movements. He also looked like he was preventing himself from floating up... And he was lying on his side before that. Then he started swimming around really rapidly and tried to jump out of his tank a few times... And he has never tried this before. He then settled back on the floor behind his plant.

Is it possible to get him better? It's been going on for so long now  I want him to at least eat something


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## ravenwinds (Feb 5, 2012)

MDS91...welcome! Your post is pretty informative and seems like good advice, but 2 things I have noted: 
1 bloodworms are very nutritious and part of a wild bettas diet, but the Original Poster has been using freeze dried bloodworms exclusively. Freeze dried worms etc can cause numerous bowel issues such as swim bladder issues, constipation, etc.
It is recommended not to use freeze dried anything....feed frozen or live.
2. You said mosquito larvae are a good "snack" but bloodworms are a staple of their wild diet....you will find many information about a "varied" diet of worms, nematodes, and ...major staple of their diet (and what most Thai breeders use exclusively) Mosquito Larvae.
The best diet is a varied one, and you are correct MDS: most bettas will rise from their death beds for live food, especially mosquito larvae.

Otherwise you have given very level advice.
I agree with other responders: a 2L tank needs a heater that works and it needs to be cleaned every other day, if not daily. Definitely use treated water...stress coat and prime are two of the best I have used.
It doesn't matter as much on how large your betta's home is, although 1 gallon + is recommended, as long as the water quality is good and clean!
It is for your convenience to have a larger filtered and heated tank so you don't have to clean it every day. 
Good luck.


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## marshiemellow (Oct 29, 2012)

Oh, and I forgot to mention... I did proper measures of the tank and it's actually around 5ish liters :| I'll post a photo of bubble later as well... see if anyone can identify anything :\


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Actually only feed bloodworms ounce a week it's is lacking of some protiens and can cause bloating. Md h20 and water are the same thing.


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## marshiemellow (Oct 29, 2012)

It won't let me upload a picture :\
Is there any way to make food seem appealing to him anymore?
And is someone please able to explain his desperate attempts at trying to jump out... I'm really worried.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Do a water change FFF are great.


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## marshiemellow (Oct 29, 2012)

I have been... It does nothing for him


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Certain live foods grab there interest.


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## marshiemellow (Oct 29, 2012)

I've tried that too.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

A betta can go a week without food.


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## marshiemellow (Oct 29, 2012)

He's gone over a month without food.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Never heard of that try and convince him to eat that food that kills parasites.


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## jsgossamer (Oct 11, 2012)

The other thing is that he just may be at the end of his life. You have had him a year and a half, he was most likely an adult when you got him and if you got him from a chain petstore he may not have had the best genetics. 

That said, you have gotten some good advice. Hopefully you can turn him around. Not eating for a month is a heck of a long time. His body maybe shutting down by now.


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## MDS91 (Oct 29, 2012)

Ravenwinds, had no idea about the freeze dried food being an issue, I've never used it myself, but good to know.

Betta's can go several weeks without food. 

And to fix my typo earlier, Hydrogen peroxide decomposes into water and oxygen, 02.

Anyways, as long as he's still alive it's always possible for him to recover, and it sounds like your betta's still got some fight left in him.
I don't fully understand what you mean about it being hot but nowhere to find mosquito larvae. Do you mean there aren't mosquitoes around, or there isn't any nearby sitting water for them to reproduce in? Or something else? If they're around at the very least, put a small bowl or bucket outside preferably somewhere shady, fill it with water and toss a handful of old dry leaves in. You'll have larvae in a week or two, maybe sooner.

Anyways, the erratic swimming and jumping makes it sound a little more parasitic to me. Have you noticed him rubbing against anything? You might try looking at him with a magnifying glass and a flashlight as well, paying close attention to his gills and fins, particularly whichever one he was he was biting at. I think the jumping could be him trying trying to escape from his environment, or from something in his environment that he thinks is harming him, which also makes me think parasite. 

Whenever you change his water next, I'd suggest googling a decent how to/dosages for a salt bath and giving that a try as you change the water, on top of what I mentioned before about cleaning the tank with plenty of peroxide and trying a bacterial supplement. Worst case scenario, it doesn't help and you have to think of another treatment. Nothing to lose.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

The Betta is not that old two years top is it age pretty young.


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## marshiemellow (Oct 29, 2012)

There isn't any nearby water for them to reproduce, sorry. I might try your suggestion actually. Is there a chance that it'd bring foreign bacteria into the water though?
I'm not too sure if he's been rubbing against anything, but he seems to try to scrape himself against the actual tank glass... nothing else. Is there any way to prevent a potential parasite? I don't want him suffering 
It's really weird though... One moment he seems calm on the bottom of the tank, then he starts moving around rapidly out of nowhere... I've noticed it twice so far and it does occur close together. Maybe the parasite does something to him at those moments?


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

There is an extremly high chance of introducong bacteria same with him missing them espically in austrilia.


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## MDS91 (Oct 29, 2012)

I'm more worried about parasites than bacteria from external environments, betta's naturally live in similar water. Either way, after you fish a day or two's meal of larvae out into a smaller bowl with clean water, put a few drops of peroxide and a good pinch of salt and give the bowl a gentle stir for a few seconds.Between the two, should kill anything in the water except the larvae, and usually kills at least a few to sometimes all the smaller larvae. I use a small metal strainer-spoon type of thing, probably intended for tea leaves or something, but it's the perfect size for larvae fishing, lets all the water flow though but none of the larvae, so it's incredibly easy to just scoop them right out.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Bettas naturally live in Swamps, Khongs, and Rice Paddies.


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## ravenwinds (Feb 5, 2012)

MDS91: I wanted to thank you for the well thought out advice your giving. I never thought of using peroxide...and I am a nurse! One of best things about peroxide is readily and quickly breaks down to water and air!


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

I have read of it before.


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## Perry the platypus (Aug 20, 2012)

I'm so sorry! I do not know how to treat betta diseases.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Dont be sorry that is good it means you have healthy fish.


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## MDS91 (Oct 29, 2012)

Yeah, it's great stuff used properly, countless uses. Just have to take care if you are using it as a treatment for the fish, as it'll have no trouble killing the fish in too high a concentration. Another note, if you ever dip anything metal into it, specifically my tea/larvae strainer things, wash them off with water as soon as you're done. Unreal how fast it can rust things when you forget to wash them off.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

I am telling you larvae are a bad idea.


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## Blue Fish (Jun 11, 2012)

I've had several people recommend live mosquito larvae to me as well whenI had a rescue who wouldn't eat...and if it's been that long since he's eaten, he needs something. I'd think that the benefit of getting him to eat far outweighs the risks of potential bacteria. 
And I think that MDS is right, it sounds like a parasite. I hope he gets to feeling better soon...poor little guy.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

*How often and how much do you change the water?
Do you use water conditioner?*



> I've had my fish, Bubble, for about a year and a half now and up until a month ago, he was a happy and healthy fish. For the majority of his life I've had him in a bowl... not good with sizes though XD But I've recently (today) upgraded him to a 2L (i think) tank with a heater that doesn't work at the moment :\
> 
> A month ago, he stopped eating (and he still refuses) and became inactive, lying on the bottom of his tank. He also started losing his colour and his fins started to rip.
> His bowl also started becoming unclean very quickly - a day or two after cleaning.
> ...


2 liters isn't very big and if you aren't doing enough water changes, he may be showing signs of ammonia poisioning. 
Ammonia poisoning is one of the biggest killers of aquarium fish. It occurs most often when a tank is newly set up. However, it can also occur in an established tank when too many new fish have been added at one time, when the filter fails due to power or mechanical failure, or if bacterial colonies die off due to the use of medications or sudden change in water conditions.

The worst factor in ammonia poisoning is that elevated ammonia can't be seen. Although the effects can be seen, they are often misunderstood or missed entirely until it is too late. Regular water testing to detect elevated ammonia, and learning what symptoms to look for go a long ways towards combatting this invisible fish killer.
*Symptoms:*



Fish gasp for breath at the water surface
Purple or red gills
*Fish is lethargic
*
*Loss of appetite 
*
*Fish lays at the bottom of the tank*
Red streaking on the fins or body
 Ammonia poisoning can happen suddenly, or over a period of days. Initially the fish may be seen gasping at the surface for air. The gills will begin to turn red or lilac in color, and may appear to be bleeding. The fish will being to lose its appetite and become increasingly lethargic. In some cases fish may be observed laying at the bottom of the tank with clamped fins.

As the damage from the ammonia poisoning continues, the tissues will be damaged as evidenced by red streaks or bloody patches that appear on the body and fins. Internal damage is occurring to the brain, organs, and central nervous system. The fish begins to hemorrhage internally and externally, and eventually dies.

You said he got a new tank today, so that means his water is all fresh, right? Try doing 2 water changes a week. One where you clean out the gravel and all the water and another one with a 50% water change. 

This might not be the problem but he should be getting 2 water changes a week to keep the ammonia down. 

They can go for several weeks without eating but if you can get him to eat, that is a good sign. Garlic juice can sometimes intice them to eat their food.

when you say pre-treat the water - are you adding in water conditioner or just letting the water sit out for 24 hours? If you are just letting it sit out for 24 hours, you need to be using a water conditioner as well to treat the heavy metals that are in the tap water otherwise they can poision or kill the fish


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Hey guys i was trying to read all pages. From all symptoms that he has i think it a possibilities that he can have external parasites or flukes. Both of them kind of external parasites. He is sick for long time and his immune system is very weak since he didn't eat for a month how i understood. I am not sure if he wills survive but i would recommend aquarium salt. Aquarium salt will welp if he has external parasites and it also has antibacterial affect. 
But before you can use aquarium salt you need to make sure he is not bloated. Because aq salt will make bloating worse. So is he bloated?
What kind of medications did you use? Did you finish the course of it.
You wrote that you been using aquarium salt. How much and how long of it you been using? It very important in order to help the right amount and durations of the salt treatment.

When you treat with aquarium salt for external parasites or flukes you need to use 2-3tsp/gall pre mix salt. You need to pre mix and make sure it dissolved. If you able to raise the water temperature, it will speed up the parasites life cycle and will help them to fall faster. You need to do daily water changes .


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## marshiemellow (Oct 29, 2012)

Hey guys, just wanted to say thanks for all your help.
Unfortunately, Bubble passed away over night


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

So sorry for your loss  If you decide to rescue another betta make sure you disinfect the tank.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

So sorry I know how you feel my female Betty the Betta died.


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