# I don't know whats wrong with my betta :'(



## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

I have a female betta thats not even six months old. She used to be very energetic and love to eat, but i don't think she has eaten anything in about 6-8 days. I feed her one or two flakes because i dont want it to sit, but she never even eats those! Her color is very dull, and at certain angles in light she looks white almost. Like she has no color at all. Her scales on one side are not normal, they look scraped in a way. She rarely swims only when I try and wake her. She sits at the very surface of the water on a rock, and doesnt move... at all, morning and nigh shes in the same spot. Her fins are kind of clamped also. I dont know what to do. I clean her tank once a week and try to take care of her the best I can. 

I have betta medication called bettafix, it says it heals damaged fins and skin. I've used this on a previous betta of mine but three days later it died. I really don't want to lose my francine ):

Anything I should/can do? What might this be?

PLEASE HELP!


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## iloveengl (Sep 1, 2011)

I'm sorry your little girl is sick. 

Can you tell us what size tank she is in. Is it filtered? How much of the water do you change each week? What temperature is the tank - is it heated?

What kind of decor is in the tank? Any tankmates?

Can you post a picture of her?


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

She's in a little under 2 gallon tank, so not big. I have a filter but I haven't installed it yet, I just got it. I don't have a heater though. She has a plastic plant that is in a corner and then a cave like rock that she sits upon. She has alot of area to swim though still. When I clean her tank, i usually change all the water. It gets cloudy after just a week. I have the betta solution for it and everything though.

I'm trying send the picture to my computer, its not working though.


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

It wouldn't upload a picture, but it kind of looks like a really really thin layer of mold on her sides. but its transparent. and you can only see it if you look from a birds eye view, if you look straight on at her level she seems normal except her one side scales.


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## iloveengl (Sep 1, 2011)

Bump. Sorry, I'm not certain what her condition could be. Doesn't sound like she has the decor to scrape herself on....

For healing purposes, I'd say get her into some warm water (in the 80 degree range) and increase your weekly water changes. 

Cool water will make a tropical fish such as bettas appear dull and sluggish, so perhaps that has a part in her behavior. :-/


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

thanks :/ i tried to research it more, and some of her symptoms are of chilodonella? Thats the closest thing I could find. I changed her water today and installed the filter. She's still just sitting at the top of the water though.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

small picture yes, but this is what you think it is? that is "chilodonella"

and the next one is scraped scales, often from a plant, or even rocks, or from other fish. The betta's missing fin is from another fish., but excuse that 

I have found a site that has lots of betta diseases... http://itsjustbetta.blogspot.com/2011/09/betta-diseases.html

and like the other person said, first step is getting her into warm water


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

Its not as dramatic as the first picture. its just a slimy look coat around her body, very thin though. nothing thick or that i could like scrape off or anything. But im 95 percent positive she has scraped scales going off of that picture


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

*Picture of my betta francince*

One photo is looking straight in at her, There she looks semi okay. Her color isn't as it looks in different light. In that picture she is just sitting at the surface, which is is continuing to do.

The other two, are the way her scales look in different light. You can see like a murky white layer around her. She never used to look like that.


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

. if you move the water around her she starts moving her fins and changes position. 

i also tried feeding her, and she looked at it and swam the complete opposite direction.


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## Franklinstein (Sep 24, 2011)

Could it be this?

*True Fungal Infections
*•Symptoms: White cottony like patches on its body or head, Lethargic, Not eating, Clamped Fins, Pale Colors
•Treatment: Conservative: Lower temperature below 76* F and treat with Aq.Salt at 1 tsp/gal. Increase water changes to 100% daily. Replace accurate amount of salt following water changes. Never continue salt treatments for more than 10 days. Medication: If Conservative treatment is ineffective after 10 days or you see the fungus spread rapidly during the course of conservative treatment, move to medication. Add “Fungus Eliminator” by Jungle, API Erythromycin, API Fungus Cure, API Triple Sulfa, OR Mardel’s Maracyn II. Change water every day and add a new dose of the same medication. Continue until all fungus has disappeared.


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

If it's something external, try treating your betta with warmer water (78 should be good) and 1-2 tsp/gal of aquarium salt. Slowly work up to 3 tsp/gal if you believe it is a fungal. If you don't see any improvement within a few days of aquarium salt, try switching to a medication recommended for fungal issues. Just keep in mind that both treatments will wear your fish out and take away energy, so it's important to feed a good diet.

Try to switch to pellets since they cause less problems with bloating and are generally easier to feed than flakes. It's easier to tell how much your betta is getting with pellets than it is with flakes. to tempt your betta into eating, you can try soaking it's food in garlic juice. This will also help boost the immune system.

Not to change the subject, but your betta looks to be a male with how long the ventral fins are and general body shape as well as how long the other fins are. I know there are some females with really long fins out there, but something about yours makes me think male.


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

Whatever you do, don't use bettafix/melafix. It damages the bettas labryinth organ, which can in some cases cause death. :/


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

good i wont use bettafix, i used that one time and it killed my fish i think. i dont think its a fungal infection, i could be... but its not patchy. its just a smooth coat all over. 

The cup said female when i bought her... maybe they lied :0

oh, and if i do the aquarium salt treatment, is there any way that if its not a fungal infection that it will harm her even more?
I'll try the garlic/pellets


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

It will not harm her/him more if it isnt a fungal infection, not to worry.


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

Okay thanks! I'll go pick up aquarium salt first thing in the morning.

Does anyone have any idea though of anything specific of what this is?
I've tried to research so much, but it doesn't fit the description of anything I've read. I just want to know more!


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

How often are you changing the water? If your tank is 1 gal, I recommend 1 50% and 1 100% weekly or for cleaner water 2 50% and 1 100% weekly.

Ammonia can build up very easily in smaller tanks and hurt a betta quickly. High ammonia would cause pale color, clamped fins, and a thick slime coat, which this might be if you aren't changing the water enough.


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

Would it cause her not to eat also? She hasn't eaten in about a week. I've changed her water completely every week. But when she started to not eat her food, the water began to get really dirty. So i've not let food sit any more, and Ive since then also bought a filter to keep the water clean. Also the tank is a little under 2 gallons, but its still small and easy to change obviously.

& when i get the aquarium salt tomorrow, do I run the filter with that or not run the filter when I have the salt?


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

If she is getting burns from ammonia, she probably won't want to eat at all since she' uncomfortable. but you're doing ok with water changes. Just do another 50% weekly to your schedule and you'll be on top of it.

You can leave the filter running with aquarium salt. It won't hurt at all.


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

Okay, I'll try that and see how it goes.


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

Thank you everyone!


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## Help BLUE (Sep 24, 2011)

Keep us posted, curious to know what happened. I have a sick betta right now too and don't know what's wrong or how else to help. It's upsetting, I know how you feel. I hope your fishy gets better.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Sorry to hear about your friend =(

That is her slime coat. Her body is creating excess coating. They usually over produce it to compensate for whatever it is they had. And when healing/healed they shed it. Also related largely due to poor water quality, or lack of the proper water conditioner which creates toxins such as ammonia and other heavy metals which can remove their coating.

Do a 100% water change and make sure you add in the appropriate water conditioner. At this point I would stay away from Stress Coat.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Good luck on your betta  you have some good info on here


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

Thanks for all the info, now that i think about it, i think its from the ammonia levels. I never tested it or anything, but I had water conditioner that didnt look right and i used that for a week or two becuse i didnt realize it was bad. I switched as soon as i realized though. It made her water very cloudy, and dirty. 

If thats what the problem is, will the salt help? 
Since i switched conditioner i also added a filter, with she heal on her own or should I do the salt, or another treatment?


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

1 tsp/gal of aquarium salt will not harm her and might actually help her if she's got any ammonia burns and will keep infection at bay while she heals more. 

She should be able to heal on her own with good water quality.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Exactly what pataflafla said  aquarium salt will really help her, and clean water is best!

I wish ya luck


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

Thanks everyone  I changed 50% of her water today. she sniffed her food, but she didnt eat it. I guess I'll see how it goes for the next couple days! I have a good feeling though!


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

That's very good


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## ilovemybetta39 (Sep 23, 2011)

Francine is improving! She is a little more active. she still sure at the surface though, but she has started to eat again, not a lot but you can tell she is hungry! She also is starting to shed her slime coat! Thanks everyone for all the advice and tips!


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Definitely sounds like she'll pull through


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