Beta fish not swimming around anymore

[mrzap]

My beta had a raised white spot on its side last week. I immediately added 2 tablespoons of aquarium salt (i have a 10 gallon) and started treating with 10 drops of quick cure per day. The spot is gone, but my beta usually just lays down on the gravel or a plant and just lays there all day. He used to be actively swimming like my other fish. He no longer comes up for food and I think he has trouble reaching the surface of the tank. His gills seem to be taking very heavy breaths.

I have a bubble wand going the entire length of the back of my tank and two live plants so I don't think its a lack of oxygenation.

What is going on? Ideas?

Thanks

 

[mrzap]

I replaced my filters yesturday and just did a ~10-15% water change this morning as well. My beta has not swum up to eat for 2 days now

 

[Christmasfish]

Normally I'd say not to sweat a couple days, but added to all teh other events..I'd try to get him up to speed ASAP. Since the weather in your neck of the woods just took an upturn, I would put him in bowl..even some stupid rubbermaid container as long as he can see out.
Something that you can keep at a 6 inch depth and at least a half gallon.
You might try bettamax to perk him up since you have no almond leaf.
He almost sounds like a betta that had a bad reaction to melafix. Something has either swelled his labyrinth organ and depressed him or affected his swim bladder (bad for male bettas since they only can really use whole body twitches and the pecs for locomotion. worstest case is neurologicak and no full body movement.

Bettas and most labyrinth fish have developed a dependency on the labyrinth, they must use it to pass the air through their gills. The gills are not effecient enough. And if anyone picks at him while he is down he will stress further. His behavior also is one that all small gourami show when afraid of a tank mate or surroundings. Small gourami like bettas, dwarves and chocolates when feeling off color or insecure; will stay hiding at the bottom until it straves (usually) or drowns (occasionally).
Him being the only fish showing ich if he was so active is very odd anyway. You sure it wasn't a fungal spot from a tankmate nip? Any new semiaggressives added?

Throw me a bone here..

what is the temp,
size tank,
last water parameter reading and when,
number of tanksmates that are known to get vile when breeding or nip

 

[mrzap]

I don't think it was ich. Prolly some infection from a nip or abrasion. 10 gallon. Water was tested about 3 weeks ago and everything except ph was ok so I lowered that. I think it is ok.

He has one molly and two 2.5" catfish. Never see any nipping behavior. The molly will occasionally swim up next to my beta and nudge him, but never bites or looks agressive. Usually the beta would flare at him if anyone and the molly would run away.

I have a 2.5 gallon tank with UG filter that I have a female beta in. Should I put her in the 10 gall and put him in the 2.5 gall? I also have just a plain fishbowl not in use, but it has no filtration.

 

[mrzap]

I switched him to his own fishbowl (the regular one without filtration) because he looks really bad. I made it about 6 inches full of water so the widest part around the bowl is where the water level is.

It may be swim bladder related because he seems to have difficulty swimming in a vertical position for very long. He tends to get crooked.

 

[An t-iasg]

Mrzap, I'm very sorry to hear this. How old is your betta? My betta was almost 2 years old, and he acted like this -- just lying on the bottom, not coming up to eat, and gills moving fast. I did give my betta Bettamax, in a one gallon bowl, but it didn't help. I then put him back in his 5.5 gallon tank and lowered the water so he could get to the top. I'm sorry to say that it didn't help him, though. He died after lying on the bottom like that for about a week -- 5 days in the Bettamax and 2 days back in the tank.

Like Christmasfish said, bettas do need to use their labyrinth organ. A betta's gills alone aren't enough for them -- they must supplement with the labyrinth. So lowering the water level may not cure anything, but it will make him more comfortable, hopefully. Just be very careful that if you do medicate with a lower water level, don't add too much medicine (since there is not a full gallon of water in there anymore). I think using the fishbowl is ok. My betta's QT is a one gallon bowl, and I don't use any filtration when they are in it with medicine. I do change the water every other day, though.

You could try a stronger antibiotic than BettaMax, like Kanacyn, but just be careful not to overmedicate if the water level is lower. That was going to be my next step for my betta, but he died before I could try it. Good luck and let us know how your betta is doing.

 

[mrzap]

Well he is 3 months old from the pet store, but who knows how old he is really. I added some betta max. Amazing how much we spend on fish to keep them alive when I could buy 3 betta's for what I paid for the betta max =\

He is my first fish, I don't want him to die. I can only hope for the best. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[An t-iasg]

Yes, that's true -- We really don't know how old they are when they come into the pet store, or how long they've been there.

I was very sad when my first betta died. He was not only my first betta, he was my first fish ever. I still think about him sometimes.

It sounds like you are doing everything you can for your betta. I hope the little guy pulls through!