Sick betta

[Miyavp]

So here's the story. My betta was in a one gal tank without a filter or heater or anything for about five months. He got ammonia poisoning and a fungal infection. In that time I'd done a fishless cycle on my 5gal tank and recently got him moved into it.
Now I treated him for two days with kanaplex, the directions say you can treat for three days. The fungus looked gone so I stopped medicating him and put the carbon back in because I was worried about losing the bacteria I'd spent all those momths growing. Now the fungus is back and he's looking worse than before. He just sits in between a rock and his plant and looks very not well. When he does move he darts around the tank rappidly flashing on the gravel the plants and the wall of the tank.
I took out the carbon today and gave him his last treatment. I went two days without the medication. I read on seachems website you dont want to go over three days due to possibility of kidney damage. What do I do tommorow? Is there another medication I can buy? How long should I wait before using it? Will he stop sitting at the bottom when the fungus is gone?

 

[Miyavp]

The fungus

 

[Hholly]

What are the current water parameters? Does that med treat for parasites?

 

[Miyavp]

What are the current water parameters? Does that med treat for parasites?

Kanaplex says it treats fungal and bacterial fish diseases. It was working it got ALOT smaller. And idk exactly I've been too busy to test so I've been doing small daily water changes. I tested it for a week straight before I put him in and the tank was fully cycled.

 

[Hholly]

If you get a chance, test it. Otherwise, you can't do too many water changes. It may be that he was just in poor conditions so long that it did a lot of damage. What temp. Is the water?

 

[Miyavp]

If you get a chance, test it. Otherwise, you can't do too many water changes. It may be that he was just in poor conditions so long that it did a lot of damage. What temp. Is the water?

The heater is kind poor so it ranges from 79-82 but never higher or lower. And I've made sure they were very small. Not to effect anything on too large of a scale. I had some strips I wish I had now but I gave them to my bf for his tank cause I have a liquid kit and just havent had time to do the testing I keep to do.

 

[Hholly]

Well, maybe the meds made him feel a little poorly. Hopefully he will bounce back. Test his water when you get the chance. Good luck!

 

[Miyavp]

Well, maybe the meds made him feel a little poorly. Hopefully he will bounce back. Test his water when you get the chance. Good luck!

He seemed to be feeling alot better on the meds. As soon as I took him off them though he started acting sick again..

 

[Miyavp]

I took a real good look ay him and it looks like the scales just arent there thats why its white. I added back the carbon filter and a little stress coat (half the recomended doseage) and he's up and swimming already

 

[lauritastlouis]

If you get a chance, test it. Otherwise, you can't do too many water changes. It may be that he was just in poor conditions so long that it did a lot of damage. What temp. Is the water?

In my own experience with my betta oh yes you can do too many water changes. He kept getting fin rot. The lfs that I finally chose as my go to store told me the same thing. Once I learned to slack off on the water changes to 1vtimebperbweek unless the water spike he suddenly started to heal. I medicated till I had killed all of my biofilter even. Even thoughvibhave to recycle my tank I have found that if I change 1-2 times per week, he heals. If I do it more, he starts to lose fins again
I know that I will be crucified by the community for saying his but the fact remains that consistency seems to be safer for these guys than constantly adjusting to achieve perfect numbers on paper. And don't fall for the ammo lock or amquel BS that I fell for. All it seems to do is make my own fish degenerate his new fin growth.

There are a lot of opinions and "truths" out there and yes ammonia is bad but what I have learned is that bettas do not like change, even if its for the better....

 

[Miyavp]

Thought I'd give you guys an update. Zeus fungus is completly gone! And he's active as ever. Bought him some hikari betta gold and man is he getting colorfull I tried to get the photos to show how pretty he is but he just didnt want to sit still thanks so much for all the help

 

[Hholly]

Great news!

 

[Miyavp]

Great news!

Yeah I just gave him a water change and cleaned the diatoms off the front of his tank so I thought it'd be a good time to let you guys know how much better he's doing I'm so happy I didnt lose him.

 

[Hholly]

Good work! And he's gorgeous btw.

 

[Russelmartin55]

Yes he is very pretty!