Twitching Betta - Not Ich I don't think

[Bettabeready]

1~What type of fish is afflicted?

I have 2 Juvenile betta. This morning I saw the younger of the two (Peanut) started twitching and swimming in a jerking manner. Peanut usually gets really excited about food, attacking them with no remorse. He was still eating but it seems like he was having trouble seeing the food. He wasn't attacking them right away like he usually does. Usually I have the older one, Geronimo, jump for his food. This morning he did a sad attempt of doing so. Both of them ate with some mild struggle.
The water was getting a bit bubbly on the surface so I decided to syphon out about 50% water. Geronimo started spazzing out and even tried jumping out of the tank. Then I added prime treated water in about 1 gallon and waited for a bit as to not shock the fishes with the cold temperature. This is when Geronimo started going crazy, swimming into the decor, and swimming in a tight circle. He was laying down on his side on the bottom of his tank at one point. I attached a video.

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

ammonia = 0, nitrites = 0, nitrates = 0 , 74 (I know beta prefers 78 but they were both really active before this morning, also I have 2 shrimpies in there and don't wanna boil them with 78 - 80 degree water), pH = 7.2

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

10 gallon with a tank divider. The tank been set up for about a month.

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

Fluval for 10 - 20 gallon

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

it just 2 bettas in their own 5 gal side of the tank. 1 Amono shrimp, 1 ghost shrimp and 1 small zebra nerite snail. The tank mates seem to all be fine.

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?

changed water this morning. I been doing a lot of water changes because there was a nitrite spike a week or so ago because I was told my tank is cycled and I am able to add in fish now. But I figured later that my tank was just starting to cycle that's why there was no nitrite, no nitrate but small amount of ammonia. But I finally got all the water parameter down to ideal with prime and stability and frequent water changes. Then this happen a few days afterward. usually I remove 25 - 50 %.

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

I had Geronimo for almost a month now and I got peanut just over a week ago.

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

I did add new log and some new decorations 2 days ago. i soaked them in tap water and washed them before adding it to the tank. i also placed a couple of pothos leaves by the filter in hope that they'll start sprouting root and help take out the nitrate and nitrite. Maybe there was parasite in the stem?

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

I been feeding them a mix of omega one fish flakes (one 1 flake per day crushed up), dry freeze omega one blood worm, frozen brine shrimps and blood worm. I have started feeding them live Grindal worms a day ago. I'm wondering if couple be the Grindal worms that are making them sick? When I feed them it some coconut fibers got in the water also.

* I m scared that the water might be contaminated so I removed them into a 2.5 gal bucket with freshly treated water and their own heater (I only filled up the bucket half way because I don't want to risk them jumping when I go to school). They have calmed down quite a bit (prob from exhaustion?). They're quite inactive, hanging out around on the top. They are still twitching but not trying to rub themselves on anything which is why I don't think it's ich but I'm now to this so any suggestions/solution is much appreciated.

I tried getting a close up picture of the top of his head. I think that's his pattern but I might be wrong.

 

[Bettabeready]

here's a video of peanut twitching

he usually swim straight to my finger and peck at it, hoping for some food.

 

[Angellove78]

You probably overdosed on the prime. Here's something for you to read I clipped off seachem web question page. PRIME: It is a reducing agent, so what can cause an issue when over-dosed is that if there aren't enough other things in the water to react with, like nitrogenous waste or chlorine, it will react with and reduce oxygen.*

 

[Bettabeready]

I never thought about that. Is there something I can do to fix that now?

 

[Angellove78]

2- 50% water changes and redose the right dose and don't dose til the second water change . Make sure the water is the same temp as the tank.

 

[Bettabeready]

I did 100% water change (4 times 25% each time to not further stress out the fishies). He's still convulsing however. It's almost like he's having a seizure. I don't think he has any control over this spastic movement. I have since added the destressing solution and tetra all in one medication. He doesn't seem to be getting any better but maybe I just need to give him more time

 

[Angellove78]

Somethings wrong. Shine a flash light on them. Look them over hard. I'd think ich, or velvet. You only had one of them for a week. And they share the water in that tank. Look them over really good.

 

[Bettabeready]

here's a clearer picture of his body. I don't see any white dots or any golden/copper shimmer, but it might also be due to my inexperienced eyes.

this is him this morning.

he has his appetite still which is great but the convulsion is making it very hard for him to get to the food and swallowing. He been a very picky eater since I first got him so I wasn't surprised that he didn't take the pea or flake food. He managed to keep down a very tiny piece of dry freeze blood worm.

 

[Bettabeready]

Here's a closer image of his body. I don't see any white dot (ick) or any copper/golden shimmer but that may be due to my untrained eyes.

He still has an appetite but the convulsion makes it difficult for him to get to the food and swallow. He didn't eat the cooked pea or the flake. I'm not surprised since he was a very picky eat to begin with. He managed to keep down a tiny piece of freeze dry blood worm.
The little one on the other side of the tank seems to be doing fine now. He's swimming smoothly and show curiosity in surrounding. He instantly attacked the pea.

Here's how the bigger one is doing this morning. He been convulsing for a day staright :

 

[Angellove78]

Well! I've done a little more research on this. It don't seem like ich or velvet is why I looked into it a little more. When I first read your post, the live worms came to thought. But, was hoping it was just the water change. You might wanta stop feeding them those worms. Some live food will carry parasites. My hunch is "whirling disease" it's a parasite that infects the nerves And causes cartilage damage. Keep treating and keep the water clean. Look in to it a little more (google it) for your own understanding and more info on it. This is the only other thing that makes sense to me in your situation. Hope this helps....

 

[Bettabeready]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate it your efforts. Wow I read the disease description and I'm checking off all the symptoms. I'll definitely do more research on that.