# Lethargic, vertical hanging out Betta



## caliroze (Jun 10, 2007)

I've had Sparky for 6 weeks now and he has lost his spark. (He is red.) Last Sunday he refused to eat his dried bloodworms treat. All week he hasn't been eating and on Friday I fasted him along with his housemate (in separate tanks). I've done three complete water changes for Sparky last Sunday, Wednesday and now today, Saturday. He is in a one-gallon tank with RO water and water conditioner.

Right now he is hanging vertically with his nose to the top of the water. He is breathing and flapping his side fins. He doesn't swim much anymore and hangs out on the bottom a lot. He doesn't unfurl his fins anymore like he used to either.

Help!?


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## nav2008 (Jul 17, 2008)

water paramaters? did you check ammonia? and temp?


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## caliroze (Jun 10, 2007)

I don't have any water parameters testing kit or know how to do that. The temp is 86 F.


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## Meatpuppet (Mar 1, 2008)

i think doing 3 complete water changes a week for a little 1 gallon is a bit overkill. 50% twice a week is plenty.

you really should go to your LFS and purchase a master liquid test kit the messures ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph. you can then tell us your results. they are really easy to use.

and 86 degrees is WAY too high for your fish. bettas like 78 degrees so if you have a heater turn it to 78, if not you could turn a fan to blow on the tank to cool it down. and make sure its not in direct sunlight


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## nav2008 (Jul 17, 2008)

i know ammonia can make a fish gasp for air but if your doing 3 compleet changes the only way you have ammonia is if its in your water and you dont age/condition it. yeah 50% 2-3 times a week is ok. and i left my window open on accident and 3 of my bettas tanks in sunlight hit 85-86 degrees... they got lethargic. fan helped alot.


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## caliroze (Jun 10, 2007)

Normally I do PWC once a week but since Sparky stopped eating last Sunday, I've been doing the 3-times a week. My other Betta fish, Shimmer, is in the same water, same location, same food, same everything, and he is normal, swimming around a lot, making bubblenest, and eating.

I use RO water with conditioner.

I moved Sparky and put a fan on him now.


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## Flashygrrl (Jan 18, 2008)

You shouldn't be using RO water unless you are adding the trace elements and buffers before you put it in the tank. Is there something wrong with your main water supply?


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

I agree. If you're using RO water you should be using something to add minerals back to the water afterwards. Otherwise there's a) no vitamins or nutrients in the water for your fish and b) the water has no buffering capacity so the ph can change extremely rapidly


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## caliroze (Jun 10, 2007)

OK, can I do a complete water change now, using regular tap water and the Prime water conditioner with slime coat I bought yesterday? Sparky is still the same and his temp is down to 82. Shimmer is in the same situation in a separate tank and is doing fine.


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## Flashygrrl (Jan 18, 2008)

Odd that Shimmer is still doing ok. Yeah, do a 100% water change. Those should be done 2-3 times a week with a 1 gallon tank but it sounds like you know that already.


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## caliroze (Jun 10, 2007)

Thanks Flashygrrl. It is strange that Shimmer is great and Sparky is not. I did a 100% water change with tap water and Prime conditioner added.

Normally I did PWC once a week. When Sparky stopped eating a week ago, that's when I changed his water 3 times in one week. I could do a complete water change once a week if it would be better. I'm confused at all the different advice given about water changes for one-gallon tanks. Some say complete, some say only partial, but when I do only partial, the yuck builds up and floats back into the water then settles down again. I thought the cleaner the better, but then was told only PWC should be done. :?


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## Flashygrrl (Jan 18, 2008)

Having a 1 gallon tank makes it hard to do a partial, if you can manage then great but you'll end up having to do it like 4 times a week. Can you consider upgrading to a 2.5 for each of them? Then you only have to do partial twice a week.


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

There's a benefit and a downfall to both- which is why you're hearing conflicting advice.

The PWC has the downfalls you mentioned.

The full water change is much more stressful on the fish as you must move & net him every time, and the water parameters probably change quite a bit when you move him back.

If you can keep the water quality up, stick with PWC's.


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## caliroze (Jun 10, 2007)

Would 50% PWC for one-gallon once a week be OK?


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## caliroze (Jun 10, 2007)

I am going to get Sparky some medication ASAP. Has anyone had experience with Hikari Betta Revive Health Aid? I found it at the Petco web site but am going to the store Monday. It has a 100% customer satisfaction rating and treats and prevents a variety of maladies. I think Sparky is sick. He will not eat at all, hasn't eaten for a week, stays on the bottom of the tank or was vertical hanging yesterday, and does not show off his fins, just swims to the top of the tank periodically for a breath and then goes back down.


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## Flashygrrl (Jan 18, 2008)

caliroze said:


> Would 50% PWC for one-gallon once a week be OK?


No.

I know of people who have used it and said it works but I'm not sure it's the safest of combined meds to use.

Ingredients: Water, neomycin sulfate (<10%), methylene blue (<0.5%), proprietary polymer mixture, buffers, EDTA, malachite green chloride (<0.01%), cyanocobalamin, electrolytes.


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## caliroze (Jun 10, 2007)

I already got it and put Sparky in a new water change with the drops. I wouldn't know one medication ingredient from the other. If it doesn't work, what would you recommend? The Hikari says to treat for 3 to 7 days with new water change each day.


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## Flashygrrl (Jan 18, 2008)

I know bettababy's always suggested the meth blue and Fungus Elmi combined to treat it, she says it's the safest and most potent way to go about it. I think it was the meth blue/malachite green combo that she said wasn't totally safe. However, getting the meth blue can be kinda tricky a lot of the time since a lot of stores don't seem to carry it.


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## caliroze (Jun 10, 2007)

Sparky is on day 2 of treatment and I just did his complete water change with new medication drops (and Prime water conditioner) in it. He looks just as miserable as ever.  If he doesn't die first and after seven days of Hikari Revive, I'll go to a lfs and see what they have. I am distressed because I don't know how much or if he is suffering. I guess I can only keep on treating him. He hasn't had food in 10 days!


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## Flashygrrl (Jan 18, 2008)

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed


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