# Betta fish keep dying. Frustrated. Please give me advice.



## kikimango204 (Oct 4, 2020)

*Hi, I wish some can give me advice or share experience in successfully treating sick bettas.*

I kept a lot of betta splendens without any success keeping them long enough.
My longest one lasted about 2years? I wished he lived longer (I did not see signs of getting too old).
I just lost my favorite boy, Meteo, and buried him in my back yard. Kept him about 6 months.
He was so energetic and always eager to eat until early last month, where he suddenly became lethargic and deteriorated further.
He may be about 1.5 years old..? Was not a young fish when I got him but also did not look old (had vivid and great color).
He was an HM or delta (or mixed, can't tell).
He only had mild fin rot with fin tear (he tore his tail off not long after I got him) and 
I have been treating him with a very small amount of aquarium salt (very small amount only).

I even tried different types of antibiotics to treat sick bettas without any success.
I tried doxycycline, amoxicillin, and Furan-2 (with different bettas at different times of course and they were ONLY THE LAST RESOURCE!).
All my bettas had sudden lethargy with decreased activity level before dying (and mild fin rot). Few had sudden death without any symptoms at all.

So, back to my recent betta (Meteor) story that died.. 

*his tank spec was:*

Temp: 27 degree celsius (with heater of course)
Ph 6.3 (I know a little too acidic but it was stable), ammonia always been 0 or <0.25 (I use liquid test solution)
I did PWC of 25~30% every 5-7days, treated with Prime and usually leave water overnight. I do drip acclimation with an air tubing.
I feed hikari betta food daily (5 pellets each time) on an alternative day, and sometimes I feed frozen food. Food all get soaked before feeding.
His tank size: 5 gallon, unfiltered (I had a filter previously from my cycled tank, he could not tolerate even slight bubbling. He got stressed and tore his tail.)
I give my bettas a few drops of Vitachem with food.
Normal small gravel substrate with silky artificial plants in.


Am I doing something wrong?? I lost so so many bettas very early days in keeping.
I love betta so much and try my best to keep them long but no avail.
I asked a betta breeder and my betta keeping friend for advice but they could not find any answer to it.
I suspected my local water quality but my cory cats (had them about 2 years already), harlequin rasboras, red cherry shrimps and even yabbies doing so well.
Shrimps and snails breed like crazy in my planted tank.

I really do not see any reason why my bettas keep dying. My only betta remaining is a clown tail and I kept him for about a year so far..? 
(He lives in a smaller tank (~3gallon) with the same conditions.)
He is doing good so far but I am very worried if he happened to die soon as Meteor did.

Would It be that fancier breed betta prone to illness and death? (Most of my bettas were plakats and half-moons).
Or should I investigate my local water further? Like water hardness or etc?
Or my fish tank itself has something wrong and kills off my fish? 
(I happen to find most bettas dying from this 5-gallon tank with fitting lid (has a small hole in the middle for feeding.)
Would tight-fitting tank lid cut off the air?

Or it is just that I just don't have any luck with them?? I am very frustrated in my betta keeping hobby and thinking to end it if my last betta dies.
*Please anyone throw me any ideas or feedback or whatever.* I am ready to listen and learn.


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## AndreaPond (May 2, 2020)

You'd have to complete the form proving all the details of your fishes' care in order for anyone to provide insight.


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## Mbpoppy (Nov 3, 2019)

Hi! Personally I don't like lids, fitted or otherwise, lights or not, but that's just me and not necessarily your issue.

In any case this is the form that's being referred to. I know you've answered a couple things already but this extra information can be helpful;









*****PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Fill out this form so...


Many thanks to BF/TFK Member Mike for developing this questionnaire. It is the same form with a few additions. Please copy and paste into a new message and complete this form when seeking help for your Betta. This information and a clear photo posted directly into the thread will help us give...




www.bettafish.com


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## fatblonde (Apr 20, 2020)

Mbpoppy said:


> Hi! Personally I don't like lids, fitted or otherwise, lights or not, but that's just me and not necessarily your issue.
> 
> In any case this is the form that's being referred to. I know you've answered a couple things already but this extra information can be helpful;
> 
> ...


 Out of curiosity (since this isn't listed in Diseases and Emergency) have you had any issues with them jumping out?


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## hiprasojo (Sep 21, 2020)

I read all the infos you provided and you clearly have the understanding on how to take a good care of your fish better than I do but kinda agree with @Mbpoppy here. Try take off the lid so the fish can get adequate supply of oxygen and make sure the room where you keep your betta has smooth airflow.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Betta are facultative breathers. This means their gills are their primary breathing apparatus with the labyrinth used if water is not well-oxygenated. A filtered, a covered tank is fine. However, if an aquarium is tightly-covered tank or has little airspace and _no_ filter that can be problematic. This may be your issue. So, when you get a new Betta use the filter.

Know that unless a fish is being blown all over the tank and it does not have a place to rest or eat peacefully the output is fine.

As far as lids, they serve two functions: Preventing evaporation and jumping. Betta are notorious jumpers. It's not a matter of _if_ they're going to happen but _when_. This is why people urge they be used.

Another thing to consider: So Betta can't easily jump, you would need to lower the water level 3". (I have had them successfully jump when the water level was 2"+.) This mean a five gallon's volume is lessened by 1.7 gallons.

Hope this isn't TMI. We are always ready to help.

And, yes, please do fill out that form. We may see something you missed.


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## fishowner550 (Mar 26, 2020)

Can you post pics of the betta that you said was tearing his fins? Im curious if its tears or bites?


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## darkunripe (Sep 30, 2020)

Hii I have also betta Fish and Trout fish. before five-month my beta and trout fish were also dying due to the poor water conditions.
I know this is very difficult to take care of beta fish because the beta fish and babies are like a rose if we don't care for them in proper feeding and environmental condition it is possible that we lost them.
There are various reasons your Betta fish die and the most common among them are stress, inappropriate tank size jigging rod, lack of aquarium preparation, poor water conditions, and overfeeding.
Overfeeding: feeding your beta fish in excess can kill it, so try to avoid overfeeding.
poor Water Condition: For Beta fish, it is necessary that the water must be clean and optimum water temperature( 75 to 80) degree.low or heigh water temperature can damage your fish.
Tank size: Betta fish is very aggressive in nature, so any kind of assertive or combatting behaviors both from or directed at Bettas will significantly decrease their lifespan. Also, don’t keep too many in the same tank.


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