# New Betta, not eating, not active, not skittish. Help?



## Rennae (Jan 8, 2012)

So I purchased and tanked a new betta on Tuesday of this week. It's currently Saturday, so it's been 4 - 5 days since he's been tanked. The first day he was a bit active, though mostly stuck around his plants. The next morning/evening he was a little more brave, swimming around the tank, but mostly staying in the same area, resting on the bottom or near the top of the water. The past couple days though he hasn't moved much at all. He goes from being under his log for a while, to floating up near the waters surface. Infact all afternoon today he hasn't moved, floating in the same spot at the top of the water. He's still alive, as he's breathing, however his breathing is quick, and it seems he's constantly breathing oxygen.

A few things:

1) He has proper heating, 78 - 80 Degrees at all times.
2) Water was safe. Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite levels were all fine.
3) He hasn't been eating since I got him.

I talked to someone from Petsmart in regards to it and their suggestions were a couple of things.

1) Try putting the aquarium salt in to see if it helps (she thinks he might be blocked up)
2) Try shutting off and taking the heater out. If this is a good idea then so be it, but I told her I wouldn't do that until I consulted here due to the fact that everywhere I have seen on this site, people are sure that heaters are required.

Anyways, I'm doing a water change right now, 50% and adding the salt to the tank. Is there anything anyone else might think it might be? I'm really unsure as to what is going on with him, but I'm very concerned.

This is a picture of him sitting near the top of the water somewhat on his side. I'm very concerned about this position particularly.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

ack! no! don't use aquarium salt, if he's "blocked up" epsom salt will help him go. It also looks like he's having trouble swimming in that picture, and epsom salt helps with that.

Please answer as many of these questions as you can, and we should be able to provide more help.
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=49233

Edit: it is possible you forgot to add dechlorinator? I have heard of fish reacting like that


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## Rennae (Jan 8, 2012)

Housing 
What size is your tank? 5 Gallon
What temperature is your tank? 78-80
Does your tank have a filter? Yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? No
Is your tank heated? Yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Been trying to feed Pellets, Flakes, and Bloodworms. Hasn't eaten anything.
How often do you feed your betta fish? Try at least 2 times a day.

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? 25% Every other week. 50% once a month and 100% once a month.
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Add Water Treatment

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

Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: N/A
Hardness: N/A
Alkalinity: N/A

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? His appearance hasn't changed since getting him
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? He's not active at all really. Never really moving much.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? Through the past 3 days have noticed steady decrease of activity.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Haven't started, though did water change added aquarium salt to try to help.
Does your fish have any history of being ill? N/A
How old is your fish (approximately)? N/A (Though petsmart says they are roughly 3-4 months depending)





Big question, I did the water change and added the salt already, though I haven't put him in the water yet. Should I keep him out of the water and do a 100% change, using the other salt instead? If so, where do I get the other salt? I really appreciate any ones help with this.


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## Rennae (Jan 8, 2012)

Please I need help. I didn't want to leave the betta in his cup over night as I wasn't sure that was the best thing for him. I put him back in his tank and now that I have a couple minutes later he's freaking out. Not in the normal swimming around hectically. More, giving a good couple heaves with his tail, then just flopping freely down until he hits the ground or plants or something. Then he sits there for a bit. Then he does it again. I don't know what is going on, I'm frightened that I've just doomed him. One thing I noticed is that his gills are staying flared open. they aren't flapping open and closed like normal breathing. They are still moving, but staying flared. What can I do? What do I do?!


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

Inflammation of the gills?


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## Rennae (Jan 8, 2012)

He's gone..... I don't understand. I left him in his cup in the tank to get re-adjusted to water temperature. Reintroduced him to his tank maybe 20 minutes ago. 10 minutes ago I took water samples. Here are the following values:

PH: 7.2
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm

The only things that I added to the water was Water Conditioner, and some Aquarium salt (at the suggestion of the petsmart individual). The salt was added a little after the water conditioner, stirred in and let disolve before putting it into the tank. This was done 4 hours ago. The betta was re-introduced to the tank 20 minutes ago. Would the salt have caused him to go into shock? Cause him to die? I don't understand... can someone please shed any light? Suggestions? Things to be careful of?

I'm sad, but I want to get another one. However I want to make 100% sure that I don't screw up again.


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

I'm sorry  Go for a male who seems healthy go in on the day they get there new shipment best pickings. Completly clean the tank if you use it


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## Rennae (Jan 8, 2012)

Thing is I got this one the day they came in. He was also the most active of the bunch in his cup. Hence my draw to him.... I just don't understand what went wrong. There was nothing wrong with the water levels and he seemed healthy when I first got him... This is upsetting and makes me really worried to try again honestly...


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

i actually dont look at active, this female was active and ive had the most problems with her. go for what you like color wise thats what i do. Renji was shy as could be but i like his tail now hes got personality.


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## Rennae (Jan 8, 2012)

Here is another serious question. Before I get another. This tank I'm using had been used by different kinds of fish before my betta. I scrubbed it out with hot water, just water to clean it up. Though it may have been cleaned previously with chemicals when we got rid of the previous fish. This was about 6 years ago though. Could those chemicals that were used so long ago have affected him? Would I be better off to get a new tank before trying again? If so I want to get that first and get it all set up before getting the new betta.


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

Not sure maybe. whats your tank before i say anything else?


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

you can do a bleach cleaning and i can give you specfic instructions on how to do it with out hurting future fish


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## Rennae (Jan 8, 2012)

It's just a 5 gallon glass tank. Like the cheapest ones you can get at petsmart. All glass with plastic black trim on top and bottom.


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

ah so youve got what i have. ok then. You can easily do a bleach cleaning. do about 1 part bleach and 5 parts water, just alot of water and very little bleach . Scrub tank with bleach water, poor out, rinse several times, then take dechlorinator and water and scrub the tank use something else to scrub then what you used the first time, rinse and your done.


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

Itll help get rid of chemicals and sickness


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## Rennae (Jan 8, 2012)

With dechlorinator, do you mean the water conditioner? Or what exactly?


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

water conditioner. It gets rid of chlorine. its the same thing lol


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## Rennae (Jan 8, 2012)

Okay. Perhaps you can answer another question for me. How long should you let the Water Conditioner sit in the change water before actually changing the tank water? Is it okay to do it a couple hours before? Or should you wait a full 24 hours? This is for regular water changes that I'm asking.


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

Question has me a bit confused, When i change my water i syphon with a small low strength syphon. Get to the point you want the water then get your new water add conditioner try and get the water temp to the same as the water in the tank before you do, then just add it to the tank. This answer the question?


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## Rennae (Jan 8, 2012)

It does. And thank you so much for your help. I still wish I could figure out what happened with this guy... but I guess I should just worry about getting the tank ready for another.


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

Your very welcome  It happens I guess, Midoris not doing so hot and apprently its cold tonight so its messing up my room temp and my one gallons are getting to cold. I'm getting a heater but its gotta ship. If you need anything else message me, il friend you so im easy to find


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## dormfish (Sep 4, 2011)

So sorry for your loss. It was probably the aquarium salt. The store clerk told you the wrong kind.  

Nooo Chemicals!! Hot water only. Scrub it down with hot water and rinse it thoroughly several times. As for de-chlorinator, they work instantly, though usually I wait about 5 minutes as a precaution.

Don't worry if it takes a week or so for your betta to settle in. My first boy, Odysseus passed away this last week due to swim bladder disorder. Now I have 2 bettas. A male, and a female in my community tank. lol. (I think I have a problem.) I bought the male on Tuesday, and he is just starting to eat regularly. My female, who I bought tonight, isn't eating yet. She's still getting used to going from a 8oz cup to a 10 gallon aquarium! 
Guess I'm just saying, don't freak out if they don't eat right away. Just put a pellet in before class, and leave it in there for an hour or two. My new bettas always seem more eager to eat when no one is watching.

Good luck!!


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

dormfish are you saying no chemicals to the may have used chemicals to clean that tank previously or my bleach thing?


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## Rennae (Jan 8, 2012)

Thanks for the help as well dormfish. However I'm also wondering. Are you referring to not doing the bleach clean Wolfie suggested?


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## dormfish (Sep 4, 2011)

I've always been told not to use chemicals. I think it's risky.If even the tiniest bit of residue is left on the surface of anything inside the tank, you're going to run into a lot of problems! I've always cleaned all my equipment and tanks in hot water and have never run into a problem with bacteria or viruses. The heat kills most of them.


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

My parents have used bleach and I've used it as well never once had and issue. The amount of bleach to water ratio is pretty low. Because bleach is chrlorine using declorinator gets rid of it. Although I only recommend using it to throughly clean rocks and tank if a possible disease issue. I also use it on drift wood I find at the lake to clean it. Hot water doesn't alway get rid of all the bad things. I recommend it because the possibility of chemicals and disease in the tank. the proper cleaning with bleach can help get rid of them quickly. Tips to go with you can't use to much declorinator when you use bleach it's better safe then sorry. When you have it all set back up again water and everything test everything especially the chlorine. (side note I apologize for any misspellings or odd words I get autocorrect a lot lol)


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## dormfish (Sep 4, 2011)

Ah, I forgot that bleach is chlorine. I suppose it could work then, as long as you used some extra conditioner to neutralize any extra chlorine that may be left behind by the bleach. I still personally stand by hot water, but whatever works.


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

Well if you use white rocks it becomes a necessity really or else they turn brown and green . http://www.ehow.com/how_4896588_clean-aquarium-bleach.html here's a link that can help although I don't agree with the amount of bleach. The bad thing with bleach is it drys out your hands so you need to use lotion when your done. Also dormfish love the pic lol


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## a123andpoof (Apr 10, 2010)

I am so sorry about your fish!

And I have also used bleach without a problem, though never used dechlorinater after...I just rinse it in hot water than cold water until the smell leaves...done it to a few tanks and never had a problem.


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## dormfish (Sep 4, 2011)

Lol, thanks. it's a picture of my old pleco, Bopalopoagous. XD


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

It would seem both of our fish passed my female died earlier today. Pretty sure it was that new issue with the blue getting the weird disease :/ there at the rainbow bridge now may they swim in piece


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## dormfish (Sep 4, 2011)

wolfiegreen said:


> It would seem both of our fish passed my female died earlier today. Pretty sure it was that new issue with the blue getting the weird disease :/ there at the rainbow bridge now may they swim in piece


I'm so sorry? What were her symptoms before she passed, if I may ask?


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## wolfiegreen (Jan 23, 2012)

Clamped fins and sitting at the bottom. Stress strips to but I got her like that. Then her fin started to gray and moved along to the dorsal and other fin theaha he went in less then to about 48 hours I believe. She looked like this when she finally died :/ http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=90086


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