I have a male half moon betta that is lethargic and seems to have sticky fins now. He is in a 5 gallon tank. The temperature stays @ 78-80 degrees. I have a filter with a sponge baffle. I have live plants and a log for him to hide in. He actually developed a white spot in May and the pet store said to turn his tank up to 80 degrees. At that time I did not have an adjustable tank heater so I was typically at 76-78 degrees. So I purchased an adjustable heater turned to 80 degrees gradually and that took care of that. Then he got fin rot as the edge of his fins turned black and fell off. I had added a snail to help with cleaning and I think the snail caused most of this. I removed the snail in early June and my betta seemed to do much better. But in the last couple of weeks he has become very lethargic, laying on the bottom of the tank and to my knowledge not eating. I spoke to the local family owned pet store and they asked if I was cleaning my gravel. I though I was but had the wrong syphon. I purchased a different one and now am really able to see that the particles are being removed. They suggested I begin doing daily water changes. I have been doing this and think he is improving as he has seemed to swim a bit more in the last couple of days and he did eat a couple of days ago. But his fins look clumped together. I use the API Freshwater Test Kit and my Nitrites and Ammonia are both 0. The pH is @ 6.6 and the Nitrite at 5.0. I use the API Betta Conditioner for the water and am adding a small amount of API pH UP because my tap water reads about 6.4. I feed him a pinch of Tetra Betta Flake Medley once a day. Any thoughts please? I have attached a video and a couple of pictures. Thank you.
Betta Lethargic and Sticky Fins
- Thread starter Gretch35
- Start date
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King Fisher
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Stop dosing your tank with pH buffers. You will do more harm than good and eventually he will die from the fluctuations. Your pH is fine out of the tap for a Betta. If you wanted to get it to 7.0 then buy some crushed coral and add it to the tank in small amounts and test as you go. Your water quality seems to be straightened out so I'd start doing 50% water changes every 3 days until your tank is cycled. Test the water on day 3 before your water change and see if you are reading any ammonia or nitrites. If you are then change the water every two days...test again.
He looks to be suffering from fin rot and possibly ammonia burns. If you aren't against salt.....add 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt to 2.5 gallons of water or every 50% water change. After a week or so you can bump this up to 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. If you want to go the medicine route try erythromycin or melafix. I'm sure there's other treatment I'm not thinking of that others here know about.
Also, get Seachem Prime for your water conditioner. It will help keep your ammonia, nitrites and nitrates lowered for a few days along with it being a dechlorinator.
He looks to be suffering from fin rot and possibly ammonia burns. If you aren't against salt.....add 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt to 2.5 gallons of water or every 50% water change. After a week or so you can bump this up to 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. If you want to go the medicine route try erythromycin or melafix. I'm sure there's other treatment I'm not thinking of that others here know about.
Also, get Seachem Prime for your water conditioner. It will help keep your ammonia, nitrites and nitrates lowered for a few days along with it being a dechlorinator.
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