Betta Fish sick

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mbooker

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Nov 22, 2016
Messages
55
Location
Alberta
Hi

I noticed my Betta wasn't very active the last few days, so I thought he might have a water issue. Its a 5 gallon tank and I've been doing 50% water changes the last few days, treating and temperature matching it. My water numbers all look good, PH is at 8.2 which is where is always is. No ammonia or nitrite and low nitrates. Filter is working well and there are several live plants that all look good.

Last night I noticed his fins don't look right. Almost looks like mold growing.

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I'm fairly new to keeping fish, any ideas what it is and how to treat it..

Thanks
 
the tank is heated, right? that's the most important thing along with proper ph and whatnot. he may have fin rot, id suggest going to your local pet store and see what they have for fish treatments. typically a general fungus cure will help fin rot, and using double the usual dose of "stress coat" will also help. if that doesn't work, go for tetracycline. it's an antibiotic which is good because it'll kill the bad bacteria, but bad because it'll kill the good bacteria. so use it as a last resort. other than that, keep changing and testing your water.

if you're going to use any fungus cure or antibiotic medicine, take your filter cartridge out. leave the filter running without it. the carbon in the cartridge will suck up all of the beneficial medicine and the antibiotic will kill any beneficial bacteria in there anyway. if you use an antibiotic, try to save your filter cartridge in some other tank or water anywhere you can so that you save that good bacteria and can put it back in the filter when you're done treating the fish.

i hope your fish gets better soon!
 
If it's a female than It might have become eggborn
 
Were did u get it from. Ps. If u live in Alberta Canada go to big als in Edmonton
 
I got it from PetValu, I'm in Brooks, not a lot of selection here.

I'm planning a trip to Pisces in Calgary next time I'm in the city, wish I was closer to Big Al's
 
I think they have a big al's in Calgary too
 
He didn't make it... I moved him to a hospital tank I set up and tried some fungus infection but I guess I was too late


Any tips on disinfecting his original tank without losing my cycle... Or am I best just to restart it with clean everything?
 
How long have you had him? A lot of bettas are already adults, or have been through a lot before you even get them, so sometimes no matter how well you keep them they just never have a good immune system :/

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I've had him for a few months... He was never overly active but seemed healthy until a few days ago
 
Well first of all, how big is your aquarium. If it's 30 gallons or less, get some ghost minnows and than some African dwarf frogs.
 
Well first of all, how big is your aquarium. If it's 30 gallons or less, get some ghost minnows and than some African dwarf frogs.

It's a five gallon, so they're limited to what they can stock...

OP it sucks he died, I hope you have better luck if you decide on another

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