Betta doing vertical death hang

[Fin35]

So I had a betta fish that has fungas on his fins. He was still eating and swimming so I tried betta revive. 24 hours later he was so much worse! He is now doing the vertical death hang! He went from being sick to eating to not in 24 hours on this dumb medication! I changed the water last night and took it out, but it’s probably to late for him now? I’ve lowered the water and stopped the bubble filter since he can’t swim well, is this okay? Also, why is he trying to stay at the top of the tank? Isn’t there oxygen for him to lay at the bottom? I have live plants. Thank you.

 

[Aiken Drum]

First off, your fish is ill. Its not the medication that is making it worse, no point blaming the medication. Its the progression of the illness that is making your fish worsen.

Bettas are labyrinthine fish, so they can get oxygen from surface. When stressed this is what they are likely to resort to. If you have turned off the filter oxygen will deplete, so again he will go to the surface for air.

Can you give more details on the tank please.

What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values.

How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up?

What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of*gph*if known.

How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?

When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?

How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?

Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?

What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently?

In all honesty, if the fish isnt eating or able to swim its probably too late for treatment.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Is this the same betta you have previously posted about? The one you have have had for 2.5 years?

The fish will probably be 3 years old now, thats old age for a betta. You have tried several medications to try and help your fish. As you get older you become more susceptible to disease, and treatments just stop being effective.

 

[Fin35]

I’ve been treating him for two weeks now with aquarium salt,, tried an antibiotic, and his conditions declined rapidly with betta revive instantly, , so I do think it was the medication that might of caused the rapid decline. Either that or the medication caused my tank to re cycle. He ate and was swimming before I administered it, he just had fuzz on his fins. He declined 24 hours after I put that medication in his tank. The water perimeters are good, I’ve probably done like 10 water changes and have been changing his 10 gallon tank every single day. I just turned off the filter because he’s dying and having trouble swimming, he was breathing from the top of the tank before I turned it off. I’ve had him 2.5 years. I’ve lowered the water very low. I do think he’s on his last leg sadly.

 

[Fin35]

Oh was around 7, no nitrates or ammonia which I wouldn’t expect because I’ve literally changed the water everyday for like 2 weeks. He ate yesterday and got worse 24 hours after betta revive. I just turned off his bubble filter and lowered the water to where he’s just sitting on a plant and doesn’t have to vertically hang. I’m just going to leave him. I was doing aquarium salt, and an antibiotic. Another thing that could of happened was the antibiotic for fungas on his fins. The fungas is gone but his condition is worse as he’s swimming vertically. The medication is erythromycin.