Betta is lying on side but comes up to eat

[dodi]

Can someone please help. My crowntail betta who was once so active has been floating to the bottom of his tank and lying on his side. He will come up when I come to his tank and still eats and has an appetite then floats back down. I have tried everything. I fasted him for a day and gave some pea which he loves. I added aquarium salt to the 3 gallon tank. Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are 0. I then added some API Fungus cure as he had a white spot on hIs tail only. No fin rot, his color is beautiful. The temp is at 80. I lowrred the water in the tank so he can swim up easier. Please can someone suggest what I can do. I dont want to lose him. I have had him for 9 months now and he has not been the same active little guy the past few weeks. I cut him down to one mini pellet omega one a day And have skipped a day of feeding. I am at wits end. Should I try epsom salt?
thank you for any advice,!

 

[JC_Bus]

He might be bored and want new stuff in the tank go explore.


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[Brookster123]

How often you change water? You ever rearrange the tank?

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[dodi]

How often you change water? You ever rearrange the tank?

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I normally changed water every Wednesday about 30 per cent with gravel cleaning. Since he started acting not well I changed water every three days since I lowered the volume in his tank. All parameters of water are perfect. Added almond leaves to his tank. He has a sponge filter. He loves to come up to my finger and even bite playfully but then he loses his energy and sinks back down. He is not depressed since he wants to play but doesn't have energy. I will try and add new decor and change things around but I do play with him and he tries to chase my finger but doesn't have energy. But I will try and change his decor. Thank you for your help! I have done everything except Epsom salts as heard that is not good either. I don't want to keep over medicating. But will do the tank rearranging. Thank you.

 

[dodi]

Thank you. I have two silk plants and a moss ball in his tank and Indian almond leaves. I will go and get him new decor. He wants to play as he will come to my finger and bite and follow it around but then he tires and sinks quickly. Unless he is old but he is a small guy and only had him 9 months. But will try new decor.

 

[Autumnsky]

Big Question - How's his poop?

I LOVE epsom salts for the little guys. I use about 1 tsp per gallon to start, add it half (always only dissolved) with a partial water change and then half 8-10 hours later. Then keep the same 1 tsp per gallon with all future pwc.

Pwc every couple days.

If he doesn't look much better you can double the dose after a few days, same as the way as the first one. After he recovers, you can reduce the Epsom salts by just doing pwc.

How much salt are you using?

You can use 1 tsp per gallon, same way as above - always dissolve first.

Epsom salts really isn't salt so you can use both together.

If you end up doing any real meds, I would do a couple pwc to get out the majority of the Epsom salts.

 

[dodi]

Thank you! I was very hesitant to use the Epsom salt as I heard it stresses them out but if it has worked for your little guys I will try as it is my last resort. He has not been pooping as much at all. Before he got this way he had a large poop and not much of anything after so was thinking he was blocked up. I stopped using Aquarium salt as thought that might block him more. I was not sure if I was dealing with constipation or a fungal infection so I was treating the poor guy with everything but Epsom Except for fasting and peas. I will do a water change in the morning with half Epsom to start as you suggested. Thank you soo much. I have heard different things and am so confused but will give this a try. He is a feisty and playful guy and still loves his food. I feel so awful to see him this way. Thanks so much.

 

[trennamw]

Maybe leave him alone for a few days before trying another treatment? Changes are stressful. Putting more stuff in the water can also induce osmotic stress.

Do you test your water? What tests do you do and what are the most recent results?

3 gallons probably needs far more water changes.


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[dodi]

I could not wait till morning it is 1:30 am here now but I removed some water from his tank and added new water with same temp with half teaspoon of Epsom dissolved with stress coat. He was sleeping as they do at night but i couldn't wait. will let the poor guy rest now and add the other half tomorow. Thanks again.

 

[dodi]

I have stopped using Aquarium salt and the searchem paraguard. I tested the water with the API liquid kit and all levels were 0. pH was at around 7.6. I did a half water change after the api fungus cure which was last week. I will see how the Epsom works. Thank you!

 

[dodi]

Just an update but the little guy has improved and is swimming more actively and not sinking as much since I added the Epsom salt. I will add the other half tonight. Thank you soo much!

 

[Autumnsky]

When he did his big poop, was it white and or clearish or stringy looking?

Again clean fresh ( by fresh always mean treated with dechlorinator) water is good for the sick fish, nearly always is beneficial, that is why suggested also several 50% pwc.

[Sometimes with some water that a fish has been in for a long time without pwc and is very bad quality, can be a shock. Then you would need many small 10% pwc say 2-3 spaced out over the course of a day, for several days] Didn't think that was the case.

Mainly keeping up on pwc, maybe AFTER this is better every few days.

Most fish that have had this type of issue (swim bladder) seem to be very easily stressed to get it again, if there is poor or less than ideal water quality. I had one particular fish problems over and over. I had to put him into a larger tank with a good double pad filter and do weekly 1/3 to 1/2 pwc, so as not have any possible issues.

So if he recovers well just make sure about keeping the water high quality.

If he has internal parasites or something else then there is more to do. You don't see any tiny worms or anything in his gills or vent?

 

[dodi]

His last large poop was orange in color but haven't seen him pooping much at all since. The Epsom seemed to help but he is still struggling to swim and sinks but not as much as before. He still wants to play and eat. He even flared.
There are no worms on his gills but he has had a white fluff on his tail very small and has not spread or changed. I added the fungus cure but the white is still there.
The tank is a 3.5 aqueon but now is half that since i had to allow him to swim easier to the top. I am going to get a five gallon with more length rather than tall.
will start doing more water changes. I test the water and ammonia and nitrites at 0 but will do more changes now anyway. I use prime and stress coat.
Thank you Autumnsky for your great advice. I will try post a pic here. I love him so much don't want to lose him.

 

[Autumnsky]

I wouldn't want you to lose him either. Sometimes it does happen. But for now I would hope someone with more antibiotic experience could offer some insight. I would do another day and see. Maybe some medicated food.

Was the poop like the color of his food? If it wasn't stringy then that sounds positive NOT having internal parasites . I would keep feeding alternate peas and a couple pellets morning and eve. It would be good to know he pooped again to rule out constipation. Keep an eye out for that.

 

[dodi]

Thanks Autumnsky. Yes his poop was normal pellet color so it's good to know it wasn't parasites. It is hard to know what you are treating for and if there are two conditions going on at same time And what and how to treat. The white thing on his tail is stI'll there but he has improved even more and even is swimming to greet me again. I think the Epsom and water changes helped alot. I will give him a small pellet as you said in morning and alternate with pea. I am glad he loves the peas. Until he is back to normal. And I have learned not to overfeed! I give in to his begging and believe this may have caused this. So a lesson learned. My other veil tail boy is doing fine and another beggar for food but I have learned not to give in. Don't want to go through this again if this was the issue. Oh and the crown tail did have a small normal poop at last. Your help and all others here is appreciated so much. Sending hugs to you and all.

 

[Autumnsky]

So happy he is at least feeling better. Just remember they tend to be sensitive to this sort of thing in the future. I feed mine Hikari BioGold as the staple food and other items like freeze dried and rehydrated or frozen Brine shrimp, Tubifex Worms and (blood worms are good but I am allergic so none of those at my house). Peas too.

Now when mine beg I feed them a pellet or 2 and a few when it is real feeding time. Less if they begged too much, lol. I would do a fast once in awhile for him and the pea on a regular basis like 1-2x per week after he seems better.

As for the spot on the tail maybe get a good close up and post a new thread for some help from people. You might try to brush it off with a bamboo chop stick or your very rinsed off hand/finger. Then see if it comes back. Or there are any more.

 

[dodi]

Thanks Autumnsky! your knowledge and help helped alot. I tried to post a pic of him but would not work. got a good pic of him but could not attach it. I am still learning. yes I feed him and the other guy a bit of the frozen brime shrimp once a week. Elvis the crown tail loves it of course but Frankie the veil tail is more picky Which is good since I haven't had a health issue thankfully with him.yet! I feed as you suggested now with one pellet in morning and one when I get home and give Elvis the tiny bit of pea alternating so to help him with the constipation. Both love peas but just give the other guy once a week since he is OK. I stopped the freeze dried blood worms since I think this too caused Elvis problem as he loves them and again I think gave too much. I will stick with the small pellets and frozen brine for treat for now and fast once a week for both. I hope your guys are doing well you are a great betta parent! Elvis is coming along better. I think it will be hard to remove the white spot on his tail but it has not gotten bigger or spread any where else. And am getting him a five gal longer tank which will be easier to keep the water level lower and hopefully he will be 100 per cent again. but he has improved alot. Thanks so much.

 

[Delapool]

Passing through and it looked like the ingredients you had tried for the white spot on the tail were acriflavine,
malachite green/victoria green and aldehydes/formalin? This was the API fungus cure and seachem paraguard?

 

[dodi]

Yes I did the two treatments for fungus cure as suggested on the box but since one packet is for ten gallon I dosed a quarter if that to the 3 gallon tank. Waited 48 hours then dosed the next quarter of the full package. Waited another two days then did water change. He was not stressed but the white stuff on his tail remained. Then tried the paraguard but thought I was overdosing the poor guy and stopped. Was not sure if I am dealing with swim bladder or constipation or fungus or all. He is better since trying Epsom and still has appetite and looks healthy otherwise except still not his 100 per cent active as he used to be.

 

[dodi]

It is hard to dose for smaller tanks so maybe did not add enough API fungus cure. should I try again with the fungus cure? is there another treatment I can try? I don't want to over medicate and he h