i recently went on vac for bout a week and a half i bought one of those auto feeders so that my betta would be ok while i was gone, but the stupid thing didnt work now hes lookin really bad. losing his coloration and his tail is very slender. currently tryin to bulk him back up w/blood worms. need help asap[/img]
betta in trouble
- Thread starter bear78
- Start date
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An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hi bear78 and welcome to Aquarium Advice!
Sorry to hear about your betta. Those vacation feeders can be more trouble than they're worth. It probably dispensed too much food, leaving the food to decay and produce ammonia. I would do a water change (about 50%) as soon as possible, if you haven't already. Loss of color is a sign of stress. If the ammonia levels are high, the betta probably is stressed.
I would also change the water again tomorrow if the betta doesn't show any signs of perking up, if he's in a small tank. How big is the tank? Is it heated/filtered? Do you have test kits?
When you say his tail is very slender, does it look ragged, or shorter than it was before?
Without knowing much more, (and I'm kinda guessing that the auto feeder messed up the water) I would do water changes until he perks up. Also keep an eye on his tail -- if it begins to look ragged, stringy, or fuzzy, then post back.
Sorry to hear about your betta. Those vacation feeders can be more trouble than they're worth. It probably dispensed too much food, leaving the food to decay and produce ammonia. I would do a water change (about 50%) as soon as possible, if you haven't already. Loss of color is a sign of stress. If the ammonia levels are high, the betta probably is stressed.
I would also change the water again tomorrow if the betta doesn't show any signs of perking up, if he's in a small tank. How big is the tank? Is it heated/filtered? Do you have test kits?
When you say his tail is very slender, does it look ragged, or shorter than it was before?
Without knowing much more, (and I'm kinda guessing that the auto feeder messed up the water) I would do water changes until he perks up. Also keep an eye on his tail -- if it begins to look ragged, stringy, or fuzzy, then post back.
10 gal tank heated to 78 have a hob filter unfortunately dont have test kit yet. no food was dispenced in tank (at least not that i could tell) betta ate whatever he could while i was away i tried to take a pic will try to post. he had a full thick tail nice a wide now its very slender looks starved. took him out of the main tank and have placed him in one gal tank just in case. i had 2 males in same 10 gal. (and ya i had a 10 gal divider between them. actually it was a mess screen. worked really well.
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
Is he still in the one gallon tank? If he doesn't have white stringy stuff or fuzz on him, I would put him back in the heated, filtered tank. He could be stressed by the new environment -- the one gallon tank. Also, bump the temp up to 80 degrees. That may help perk him up. If you can, turn the flow on the HOB filter down. Bettas don't like current.
If you don't have test kits, take some water in to your lfs and have them test it for you. The ammonia must be at 0 or the fish will be stressed. If you know the ammonia level, you can judge how much to change your water to remove the ammonia. I would change no more than 50% of the water a day. Too much water changing can cause stress too. How is the other betta doing?
If you don't have test kits, take some water in to your lfs and have them test it for you. The ammonia must be at 0 or the fish will be stressed. If you know the ammonia level, you can judge how much to change your water to remove the ammonia. I would change no more than 50% of the water a day. Too much water changing can cause stress too. How is the other betta doing?
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
The tail would not be affected by how much food--not to make it look "starved." If the belly is strunken in, then the fish is starved.
Does the tail look chewed on? Is it ragged? Is it torn up. Those are all signs of stress. Stress from no food, stress from seeing the other betta, stress from any number of things. Unless there is ammononia in the tank, I would do 10-20% water changes and see if he perks up. Remember to only add dechlor to the tap water.
one gal is heated to 79 and filtered w/inground. he is more active now in the smaller tank and is eating very well. although he doesnt have much of a taste for brine or blood worms anymore. his midsection looked like it was pinched. but he also lost the fullness he had in his tail too. his tail hasnt been chewed on but doesnt look its best. as for the stress of seeing the other betta they lived in same tank for a year at first lots of flaring then they where used to each other and would only flare once in a while (feeding time) his coloration went from a beautiful dark red to a light red and white patches. his fins still have the dark red. as for my other betta he was almost solid white w/alil black around his head. he was not so lucky when i came home from my vac he was floatin
update betta still swimin 
started treating him w Melafix. he seems to be doin better more active but still looks bad. fins r ragged and had a lil fungus begining to grow on his mouth. any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
started treating him w Melafix. he seems to be doin better more active but still looks bad. fins r ragged and had a lil fungus begining to grow on his mouth. any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would use something else besides MelaFix. In some cases, bettas have not tolerated MelaFix well. I didn't have a good experience with it in my bettas. If I have more time later, I'll pull up some threads about bettas and MelaFix. For your betta, I would try an antibiotic like Kanacyn, or BettaMax. BettaMax is easy to dose in a one gallon bowl, and is a green powder (it can stain silicone, and your countertop if you're not careful with it!) What size tank is your betta in now? I'm glad to hear that he's hanging in there!
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
If you see improvement in him, then don't stop. Just be careful with the MelaFix. I'm not saying to not use it under any circumstances. 
I used it with my betta in a one gallon bowl. He was very stressed, lethargic, and once, after a dose, he fell like a rock to the bottom of the bowl. I immediately did a complete water change, and he perked up.
MelaFix can affect the betta's labyrinth organ (the organ that they use to pull oxygen from the air). It would be somewhat similar to us breathing in a noxious gas. So watch your betta carefully for signs of stress, and be prepared to do a large water change. I was just thinking that your betta already had been stressed, and this may further stress him.
Some members here have had success with their bettas in MelaFix, but their bettas were in larger (15 gallon, I think) tanks.
So, continue to use it, but just be watchful. What dose are you using? I used 1/8 of a teaspoon in my gallon bowl. Also, I wouldn't use it for more than 3 more days. Good luck, and I hope the betta continues to improve!
I used it with my betta in a one gallon bowl. He was very stressed, lethargic, and once, after a dose, he fell like a rock to the bottom of the bowl. I immediately did a complete water change, and he perked up.
MelaFix can affect the betta's labyrinth organ (the organ that they use to pull oxygen from the air). It would be somewhat similar to us breathing in a noxious gas. So watch your betta carefully for signs of stress, and be prepared to do a large water change. I was just thinking that your betta already had been stressed, and this may further stress him.
Some members here have had success with their bettas in MelaFix, but their bettas were in larger (15 gallon, I think) tanks.
So, continue to use it, but just be watchful. What dose are you using? I used 1/8 of a teaspoon in my gallon bowl. Also, I wouldn't use it for more than 3 more days. Good luck, and I hope the betta continues to improve!
well i use a surenge to administer the melafix i use alil under 1 1/2 cc's. he seems to be doin ok w/it but i am ready to do complete change. have been watchin him like a hawk. im also using an airstone so hopefully i wont have to come to the surface very much so far so good. hopefully he pulls through.
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
It sounds like you've got everything under control! Keep doing what you are doing, and keep watching him! Will he go back in the 10 gallon when he's better?
Edit:
Be careful with the airstone in a small bowl; be careful it doesn't add too much water movement. An airstone to aerate the water is probably not as beneficial for a betta as other fish, since they can use the labyrinth organ to get oxygen from the air. The betta will still need to come to the surface periodically. Just make sure that the airstone doesn't prevent him from doing so, by adding too much current, and you should be fine!
Edit:
Be careful with the airstone in a small bowl; be careful it doesn't add too much water movement. An airstone to aerate the water is probably not as beneficial for a betta as other fish, since they can use the labyrinth organ to get oxygen from the air. The betta will still need to come to the surface periodically. Just make sure that the airstone doesn't prevent him from doing so, by adding too much current, and you should be fine!
An t-iasg i would like to thank you for your advise and help while i was trying to pull my betta through very hard times, unfortunately, when i came home from work today he had passed. I guess it was his time after all. i tried everything that i could and u help in every way u could and i appreciate that very much. i guess in time i will get another betta but not for alil while. not untill i do more research and find a reputable breeder. i bought fire from walmart alil over a year ago so just by guessing the was about 3 years old. if u have any info on a good place to buy a YOUNG betta please let me know. and if u have any other good info for me. thank you for everyones time and help through this.
and in closing a moment of silence for the fallin..................................................
and in closing a moment of silence for the fallin..................................................
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
bear78, I'm so sorry to hear this You tried very hard, and did everything you could, and your betta was quite a fighter. He had a good life with you!
I'm lucky that I have a fish hatchery close to me (well, 45 minutes away...close by Pittsburgh standards!) Try doing goggle searches for fish breeders, hatcheries, and suppliers that are near you. You could also try asking at a local aquarium club if anyone knows local breeders. Some of the fish magazines, Tropical Fish Hobbyist and Aquarium Fish magazine (these are the ones I get) have a directory in the back of stores, listed by state. Usually the chain-type lfs don't advertise in places like this, so you'll get a lot of specialized fish places. But the only way to know the age of the fish for sure is to get it directly from the breeder.
Again, I'm sorry about Fire.
You tried very hard, and did everything you could, and your betta was quite a fighter. He had a good life with you! I'm lucky that I have a fish hatchery close to me (well, 45 minutes away...close by Pittsburgh standards!) Try doing goggle searches for fish breeders, hatcheries, and suppliers that are near you. You could also try asking at a local aquarium club if anyone knows local breeders. Some of the fish magazines, Tropical Fish Hobbyist and Aquarium Fish magazine (these are the ones I get) have a directory in the back of stores, listed by state. Usually the chain-type lfs don't advertise in places like this, so you'll get a lot of specialized fish places. But the only way to know the age of the fish for sure is to get it directly from the breeder.
Again, I'm sorry about Fire.
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
bear78, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I had been following the thread, but An t-iasg was giving better advice than I could.
As far as your next betta purchase, try contacting your local Aquarium Society and see if their is a local breeder.
As far as your next betta purchase, try contacting your local Aquarium Society and see if their is a local breeder.
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