# I have NO IDEA what is wrong with my fish.. ....



## angie08 (Jun 11, 2009)

:-? so i just joined this site because it seems to have very good info. on it. and my Betta fish.... idk whats wrong with it. i looked at so many posts and idk. 
to just get all the details in, so it might be long. I got my Betta fish around May 15. I got a male and so far I've just been calling him fishy. the first week i had him he was soo happy.. with the biggest bubble nest. and i didnt know what that was at the time... so i found this site. anyways he moved around so much and was very active. i fed him 2-3 pellets in the morning when i got up for school and at night around 7 or 8 pm. I was so satisfied that bubble nests meant my fish was healthy and happy. After a week and a few days I did his first water change/ fish bowl cleaning. it wasn't as hard as I thought. went well. That was all done i put drops into his water to make it pure or whatever and waited a little bit. he seemed fine and normal for a while then he started floating kinda at the top kinda sitting there, not moving alot. he had a small bubble nest then. he was still eating fine too. then he started acting lethargic and I called a friend and I just did another water change. I read on here that they can get stressed out. .and I wondered if he was sitting at the top cause of that. ...or if he's sleeping??? ? idk how a fish sleeps. lol. so it continually happened.. i would clean the tank, put drops in... he's be fine.. then this weird thing after a day or two. Now this week he just seems to be getting worse. he has a little bit of curl on the end of two of his main fins.. idk if thats just him or something bad.. . but it seems its getting worse. he had a little curl like that when i got him though. he also seems to be loosing his color a little bit behing his little fins. and he hasnt been eating much this week.. ..and NO bubble nests... .he tried eating a pellet that was blown up from the water but he is a small fish so he couldnt. he seems to have a problem eating his food this week or doesnt like it. ... ?? ?i have no idea. we did a water check at petsmart they said the water was acidic probably from his food that would be at the bottom. but he usually eats all and is fine. so i think thats all ...... its alot. it someone can HELP... that would be soooo amazing.


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Woah, slow down. 

First, hi and welcome to the forum! 

Second: is there a heater in your tank? 
Bettas become VERY lethargic in cold water. They're tropical fish and thrive around 82 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Third: What exactly are you putting in the water to make it "pure"? The only thing you need is water conditioner and some clean water. 

Please clarify and we'll be glad to help.


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## Vikki81207 (May 27, 2009)

The curling of the fins sounds like fin rot. Use aquarium salt, and find something to treat it with.


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## dr2b (May 31, 2009)

Tian tian asked all the questions I was thinking of. But also, you shouldn't leave food sitting in the tank... can make the water acidic and that is really not good for the betta.


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Vikki81207 said:


> The curling of the fins sounds like fin rot. Use aquarium salt, and find something to treat it with.



Curling or clamping, specifically? Either is bad, true, but clamping can occur when a fish is lethargic from cold, illness, etc.


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## crowntail lover (Apr 25, 2009)

How often do you change his water? What are you feeding him? How big is his tank? And does he have any discoloration in his fins? Do you use water conditionar?


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## dr2b (May 31, 2009)

Is he in a tank by himself or with any other fish?


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

crowntail lover said:


> How often do you change his water? What are you feeding him? How big is his tank? And does he have any discoloration in his fins? Do you use water conditionar?



EEEEeeee so many questions!!! :-D This is fun. Let's see if she answers.


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## Vikki81207 (May 27, 2009)

Oh I didn't know it could be from cold water too. lol.
Maybe my babies don't have fin rot.
But their tanks stay about 78 to 80. I dunno.


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## dr2b (May 31, 2009)

My little one used to curl his fins from day one when I picked him out. But now that I have him in his tank with a heater he rarely curls them. I am amazed by how different of a fish he is now in this new tank.


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Vikki81207 said:


> Oh I didn't know it could be from cold water too. lol.
> Maybe my babies don't have fin rot.
> But their tanks stay about 78 to 80. I dunno.


Hmmm.... that is strange.


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## crowntail lover (Apr 25, 2009)

I hope they get to feeling better


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## dr2b (May 31, 2009)

I hope we didn't scare angie away with so many questions...


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## crowntail lover (Apr 25, 2009)

haha....


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## angie08 (Jun 11, 2009)

-I don't have a heater and the water is kinda room temperature. and yes i'm using water conditioner. i forgot that's what its called. 
-fin rot.. idk. i tried posting a pic of what his fin looks like but can't get it to work. i'll make an album and put it there. 
-i don't let the food sit in there.. .cause that would be bad anyways. I just learned it was acidic and he just started not to eat this last week or so
-he has no discoloration of his fins and i clean his tank once a week. i use conditioner
-and he is in his own 1 gallon glass tank by himself.
-


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## Vikki81207 (May 27, 2009)

Well I guess I'll find out if it's cold water or fin rot soon. I'm treating it for fin rot right now.


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## angie08 (Jun 11, 2009)

you didn't scare me away. haha.. .thanks.. i hope he feels better soon. ..


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## Vikki81207 (May 27, 2009)

&& I think she did get scared away. lol


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## dr2b (May 31, 2009)

I hope it's water temp and not fin rot Vikki... and he feels better soon.


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## crowntail lover (Apr 25, 2009)

You should clean the tank 3 times a week with a 1 gallon...And what type of food are you feeding him???


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

1 gallon sounds okay, but with that small of swimming space water can get more acidic faster. Up the ante on water changes and see how that goes. Add a heater for him, too and then let us know how things go. Wishing y'all all the best!!!


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## crowntail lover (Apr 25, 2009)

Yes add a heater as well. But what are you feeding him? And you need to change the water 3 times a week..


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I hope he feels better too.


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## angie08 (Jun 11, 2009)

the food i am feeding him is called Top Fin Betta Bits. i've never heard of a heater for a normal fish bowl.. .? and the people at the pet store said it was fine to clean it once a week.. it shouldnt be so hectic to take care of this fish. and i posted good pics of him of his fins in an album.. so idk if its fin rot or not..


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

A 1 gallon can be cleaned once or twice a week.


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## dr2b (May 31, 2009)

Stuff can build up fast in a 1 gallon tank... I would clean it at two times a week if it were me. And I know my pet store sold a small heater for small tanks. I think it was by Hydro...it was like $12 or $13...


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## dr2b (May 31, 2009)

He is very pretty angie! I hope he feels better.


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## angie08 (Jun 11, 2009)

really. .hmm. okay. well we'll see. its like the size of a soccer ball.. haha.. if you flattened two sides and the top.


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

Rule #1: NEVER listen to the people at the petstore. They just want to make money off of you.  


Saw the pictures; very handsome fish. Hope everything works out!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

TianTian said:


> Rule #1: NEVER listen to the people at the petstore. They just want to make money off of you.


I agree.


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## angie08 (Jun 11, 2009)

thank you . you don't think he has fin rot though?


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## TianTian (Apr 14, 2009)

No, doesn't sound like it... try a heater. Besides, if it IS fin rot, I think the added heat will help your Betta recover faster.


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