Betta Lethargic and breathing heavy

[HabsFan]

1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the best of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).

Betta. He seems very lethargic and it has gotten worse. Started about a week or 2 ago. He did eat yesterday morning but since then has been laying at the bottom of the tank and breathing heavy.


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

Temperature is 78-79F. Ammonia is at 1 or slightly under. Nitrites are 0 and Nitrates are at 5. pH is 7.2


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

10 gallons and about 2 months.

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

Aqueon 10 gallon filter that came with the tank kit.


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

Just the one male betta.


6~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?

I did a water change yesterday afternoon but did not vacuum the gravel. I usually change the water every 2 or sometimes 3 days. Typically do a 25% change. I don't always vacuum the gravel.

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

Had him about 2 months.

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

Nothing new but there were some plants that were added about 2 weeks ago.


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

No change in diet but been feeding him Aqueon betta food.

Here is a video of him:
https://youtu.be/qv1UDBvdl-8

Here is a pic:

 

[Potluck]

1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the best of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).



Betta. He seems very lethargic and it has gotten worse. Started about a week or 2 ago. He did eat yesterday morning but since then has been laying at the bottom of the tank and breathing heavy.





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



Temperature is 78-79F. Ammonia is at 1 or slightly under. Nitrites are 0 and Nitrates are at 5. pH is 7.2





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



10 gallons and about 2 months.



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



Aqueon 10 gallon filter that came with the tank kit.





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



Just the one male betta.





6~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?



I did a water change yesterday afternoon but did not vacuum the gravel. I usually change the water every 2 or sometimes 3 days. Typically do a 25% change. I don't always vacuum the gravel.



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



Had him about 2 months.



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



Nothing new but there were some plants that were added about 2 weeks ago.





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



No change in diet but been feeding him Aqueon betta food.



Here is a video of him:

https://youtu.be/qv1UDBvdl-8



Here is a pic:

Ammonia is most likely the cause, you should never have any ammonia in your tank, do you use water conditioner when you do a partial water change? If not get a bottle of prime.

What is the ammonia level in your source water? You might have to go to ro/di water or a pur water filter for source water for water changes if ammonia is high in the source water.

What are you testing with (test strips or liquid?)

aqueon filters aren't very good as everytime you change the cartridge you throw out your beneficial bacteria, however you can modify this filter with ceramic media so that doesn't happen, so that fits into my next question, how many times do you change the cartridge?

If you rinse it you should only do so in a bucket of tank water never under a tap it kills your beneficial bacteria.

If you dint want to modify the filter you can get an aquaclear 30/50 which are the best hob's on the market (in my opinion and other) just can't be too strong as bettas do not do well in heavy flow.

 

[HabsFan]

Ammonia is most likely the cause, you should never have any ammonia in your tank, do you use water conditioner when you do a partial water change? If not get a bottle of prime.

What is the ammonia level in your source water? You might have to go to ro/di water or a pur water filter for source water for water changes if ammonia is high in the source water.

What are you testing with (test strips or liquid?)

aqueon filters aren't very good as everytime you change the cartridge you throw out your beneficial bacteria, however you can modify this filter with ceramic media so that doesn't happen, so that fits into my next question, how many times do you change the cartridge?

If you rinse it you should only do so in a bucket of tank water never under a tap it kills your beneficial bacteria.

If you dint want to modify the filter you can get an aquaclear 30/50 which are the best hob's on the market (in my opinion and other) just can't be too strong as bettas do not do well in heavy flow.

I am on well water but I do put prime in with each water change. I think the tank is still cycling which is likely the source of ammonia. I just did a 50% water change and used RO water and a double dose of prime.

I am testing with the API master test kit (liquid).

I am not a fan of this filter at all and I'm actually working on cycling a new 20 gallon tank with an Aquaclear 30 that I was going to move the betta to. I was hoping it would be cycled by now, but Ammonia is still around 4 and no nitrites yet. I haven't changed the cartridge on the Aqueon yet because I didn't want to lose the bacteria on it and I had thought the 20 gallon would be close.

 

[Potluck]

I am on well water but I do put prime in with each water change. I think the tank is still cycling which is likely the source of ammonia. I just did a 50% water change and used RO water and a double dose of prime.



I am testing with the API master test kit (liquid).



I am not a fan of this filter at all and I'm actually working on cycling a new 20 gallon tank with an Aquaclear 30 that I was going to move the betta to. I was hoping it would be cycled by now, but Ammonia is still around 4 and no nitrites yet. I haven't changed the cartridge on the Aqueon yet because I didn't want to lose the bacteria on it and I had thought the 20 gallon would be close.

Okay, just keep that ammonia down in your 10 gallon, if it was cycled then you shouldn't have ammonia unless somethings crashing it , the plants will help with ammonia as they use it for a food source, well water can have ammonia so I would honestly check that anyways just to be sure and check RO as well, I know it's different but I bought distilled water for my ferts and the ammonia was 2ppm, I took it back to the store and got another gallon and it didn't have any. Do you notice anything with the bettas waste? Is it stringy? Does the rectum look normal, is the fish still eating?

 

[HabsFan]

I did 2 50% water changes with RO water (different days) and he has been doing great. I'm not sure if it was ammonia or constipation or swimming bladder but he has never been so active and is eating well.

I bought an RO system for my house so I'll be using that for all water changes. Testing my water it had about 5-10ppm of Nitrates though his tank had about the same but the ammonia was at 1.

The ammonia is barely getting a reading, if anything it is <.25 now.

 

[Potluck]

Good deal just remember you have to re minerialize RO water which I have no experience in doing.