Help: I Just Got a New Betta And He Is having Trouble Swimming!!

[Saltypuppy]

So I just bought a new Betta Yesterday - He is a Red Butterfly Deltatail. I got him home and noticed that his posture was kind of odd. I didn't see anything at the store because he was just chillin' at the bottom. Like most of them do with no room to move... So I brought him home. Well I noticed that it looked like he was sitting on his tail. So I nudged the cup to get him to change posistion. When He moved I noticed that his back was curved in an "S" Manner. So That worried me. His back has a bit of an arch in it but It really doesn't look bent to me. Anyway the problem is that he can't swim up very easily and I'm not sure whats wrong. He is Pretty active for having so much trouble swimming and he is willing to eat. I Tested that Yesterday before thinking maybe it was SwimBladder. :p So Ya. I could use any help at all!

I currently have him in a small tank - 1 gallon - With 4 inches of water in it to make it easier for him to come to the surface. His tank isn't as warm as it should be I don't think But I also don't want to buy a heater if he is going to die anyways. So Ya -all cleaned equipment and he just is having a hard time. Here are some pictures.

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Please Help me out! I Really want this beautiful Boy to recover!!!

[BigJim]

Is he eating?

[logansmomma1228]

Fish Disease and Treatment


this is what i am thinking atm... might not be though. maybe he just needs some time to get used to the tank? did you cycle your tank?
what are you water parameters. could be ammonia or nitrite poisoning as well.

[dkpate]

I still think swim bladder. How is he doing today?

[Saltypuppy]

Originally Posted by BigJim

Is he eating?

Yes I gave him one small betta pellet to check that he was eating.

[Saltypuppy]

Originally Posted by logansmomma1228

Fish Disease and Treatment


this is what i am thinking atm... might not be though. maybe he just needs some time to get used to the tank? did you cycle your tank?
what are you water parameters. could be ammonia or nitrite poisoning as well.

Its Cycled. If its any kind of poisoning he had it when I bought him. He was like that when he was in the cup I just hadn't notcied at the petstore cause he was being lazy.

[Saltypuppy]

Originally Posted by dkpate

I still think swim bladder. How is he doing today?

He is doing much better actually! I have him one pea two days ago and I fasted him yesterday. His swimming is normal and he is very active and social. He greets me whenever I come by the tank. So thats cool. However it still seems that his swimbladder is swollen and he hasn't pooped much... So I was thinking maybe I should give him some more pea. He didn't eat much of it the first time I don't think he was to fond of it.

[Saltypuppy]

Originally Posted by logansmomma1228

Fish Disease and Treatment


this is what i am thinking atm... might not be though. maybe he just needs some time to get used to the tank? did you cycle your tank?
what are you water parameters. could be ammonia or nitrite poisoning as well.

Well I did cycle. But he had it when I got him so If it was poisioning it was from when I got him... But his Swimbladder is kinda swollen so I am thinking swimbladder diesase.

[Saltypuppy]

UPDATE -

So his tank is now at 78 and has 4 inches of water for his ease. It has been decholrinated and I gave him a pea 2 days ago. He was fasted for one day and is swimming like a normal fishy. His spine is nice and straight and he seems to love displaying his fins to me. So I am happy he is making an improvement. But his swimbladder is still swollen and he isn't pooping as much as I think he should be. So I am fasting him again today... but I was thinking maybe He needs another pea. What do you think?

[logansmomma1228]

I am happy to hear that he is doing better! If it were me I would give him another pea, but I am not the expert on that one.

[Saltypuppy]

Thats what I was thinking too. I think I will wait for a couple more opinions than make a decision.

[logansmomma1228]

have you done any research on the swim bladder? you might be able to find something doing so. Good idea waiting for some more opinions

[Saltypuppy]

I'll have to read up some more later.

[dkpate]

You can feed more pea, and if he is having trouble taking it, you can put a piece on the end of a toothpick (cut the pointy part off) and feed it to him like that, then fast another day.
If the pea is not working, you can try adding some aquarium salt, which will also help. The dosage is 1tsp per gallon, but I always used 1/2 tsp on the first day, and then used 1tsp the second day. Make sure you dissolve the salt in water before you add it to the tank. Also, you should do a 50% pwc every day while using salt, which would remove 1/2 tsp, so you would replace with another 1/2 tsp. I hope that makes sense lol. DO not use salt for more than 10 days with bettas, as it will affect their kidneys.

[Saltypuppy]

Alright I'll do that. I don't have any aqarium salt at the moment.... O.o

[logansmomma1228]

Originally Posted by dkpate

You can feed more pea, and if he is having trouble taking it, you can put a piece on the end of a toothpick (cut the pointy part off) and feed it to him like that, then fast another day.
If the pea is not working, you can try adding some aquarium salt, which will also help. The dosage is 1tsp per gallon, but I always used 1/2 tsp on the first day, and then used 1tsp the second day. Make sure you dissolve the salt in water before you add it to the tank. Also, you should do a 50% pwc every day while using salt, which would remove 1/2 tsp, so you would replace with another 1/2 tsp. I hope that makes sense lol. DO not use salt for more than 10 days with bettas, as it will affect their kidneys.

SP, Aquarium salt is pretty easy to find. It's like 2$ for 1lb or something like that.

quick question... what happens if you don't dissolve the salt first?! When I had the otos I put salt in the tank directly... I didn't know you are supposed to that

[Saltypuppy]

Wow I might have to buy some of that!

[Saltypuppy]

UPDATED AGAIN - HELP!!!
He was given another pea today because his swimbladder still looks swollen. I now noticed today that he is breathing rather fast... its like he is hyperventalating. But he still is behaving normal... any ideas? He can swim fine and everything now and now I have this new symptom...

[logansmomma1228]

when is the last time you checked your water parameters and did a water change? Do you know what your pH is also. If you could get exact levels (not they are ok) I can help you a lot more.

As for the AQ salt, IMO it is a neccessity for aiding in recovery of sick fish and a good stress reliever. Especially for how cheap it is.

[Saltypuppy]

I don't know the parameters cause I don't have the equipment for that yet. But the ph is 7.4... So I guess its a little high... O.o Should I change it right now or should I leave it as he is already stressed?