# My betta fish seems bloated and discolored :(



## Homeskillet10788 (Sep 30, 2009)

*My poor little fishie seems under the weather! Can anyone help?*

1. Size of tank?
*1 quart*

2. Water parameters
a. Ammonia?
b. Nitrite?
c. Nitrate?
d. pH, KH and GH?
e. Test kit?
*Not sure exactly what's in the water. I use Boston tap water, but I always treat it with dechlorinator before putting him in.*

3. Temperature?
*Room temperature*

4. FW (fresh water) or BW (brackish)? 
*FW*

5. How long the aquarium has been set up?
*About 10 months*

6. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them?
*Just one crowntail betta fish, average size. I've had him for 10 months.*

7. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)?
*N/A*

8. a. Any live plants? Fake plants?
b. Sand, gravel, barebottom?
c. Rocks, woods, fancy decors? Any hollow decors?
*One fake plant, gravel bottom, no other decor*

9. a. Filtration?
b. Heater?
*Neither--I just clean the tank out about once every 2 weeks*

10. a. Lighting schedule? What lights are used?
b. Any sunlight exposure? How long?
*He's sort of near my window, so he gets a moderate amount of sun on sunny days*

11. a. Water change schedule?
b. Volume of water changed?
c. Well water, tap water, RO water?
d. Water conditioner used?
e. Frequency of gravel/sand (if any) vacuumed?
*I change all of the water every 2 weeks. I use Boston, MA tap water. I do use water conditioner/dechlorinator, but I just ran out, and threw away the bottle, so I forget the name of it now.*

12. Foods?
How often are they fed?
*3 Hikari Betta Bio-Gold pellets every night, although now I've noticed him getting bloated, so I want to decrease that.*

13. a. Any abnormal signs/symptoms?
b. Appearance of poop?
c. Appearance of gills?
*His stomach is bloated, and his fins seem a little discolored (brownish) and not as big as they used to be.*

14. a. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? 
b. What meds were used?
*Every time I change the water, or anytime he looks a little discolored, I put in 2 drops of Mardel Maracyn-Oxy as a preventative measure.*

Read more: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...orm-read-before-you-post-61135/#ixzz1QrQyvEpd


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Welcome to the forum......

Sounds like a water quality issue that has caught up with him....lets hope its not too late...I would get him started on Epsom salt 2tsp/gal, tannins along with 100% daily water changes for 10-14 days

I would pre-mix some treatment water in a 1gal jug of dechlorinated water..Add the Epsom salt 2tsp/gal and tannins -either IAL or dried oak leaf to steep and use this water for the 100% daily water changes in the quart container you have him in......if he recovers-I would look to get at least a 1gal container and do twice weekly water changes of 1-50% and 1-100% to maintain water quality....long term in a quart size container...they really need at least every-other day 50-100% water changes and daily would even be better....

Good luck and keep us posted.....


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