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

[dkpate]

Bettas can go a month without food, so the peas and nothing else for a few days is not going to hurt him.

The veggies thing is why I feed Hikari pellets, since they have everything a betta needs. Then they get peas once a week, and a few bloodworms as a treat.

Swim bladder is not always floating, some sink straight to the bottom.

Keep up the good work Salty, you are doing fine.

 

[Saltypuppy]

Thanks so much guys! He is doing so much better today! No heavy breathing - odd swimming or anything he seems 100% normal! So I hope he is all better now.

 

[dkpate]

That's awesome! Good job.

 

[Saltypuppy]

BLAH! NOW ICK! No wonder why he was acting strange a couple days ago. I found one white dot today... I think its ick.

 

[logansmomma1228]

I think bettas are prone to velvet as well. IDK for sure, but it seems they get it easily. You might want to (slowly) raise the heat and start adding some salt.

P.S. -

 

[Saltypuppy]

Should I try to fix it? I mean I can still return him... I don't have any salt or a REAL heater for the tank...... so what should I do. he only has one spot and thats it.

 

[dkpate]

If you can, go get some meds, like QuICK Cure (does stain plastic things blue, but works great) and treat him with the same doses it says for tetras, which is about half the normal amount.
To check for velvet, shine a flashlight down the side of him with the tank light off. It will be an orangeish color and actually looks like 70's velvet LOL. That is a fungus, so you would have to treat for that as well if he has it. Melafix and Pimafix are the best IMO, but they don't treat ich.

 

[Saltypuppy]

Can I use aqarium salt to treat ick?

 

[BigJim]

You can, but bettas don't tolerate salt very well. Crank the heat up in the tank to speed up the ick life cycle and treat the tank. Ick is only vulnerable when it's off the fish and free swimming.

 

[Saltypuppy]

I think I should just return him. :C

 

[dkpate]

You have a chance to save him though. If you return him, he will more than likely die.
You can only use salt if you have a heater I believe. You can get an ich med for pretty cheap.

 

[Saltypuppy]

:C I have no heater though...

 

[Saltypuppy]

Besides I heard bettas don't tolerate salt well. I don't know what to do. I have been having bad luck for months everything seems to go wrong.

 

[dkpate]

I know they don't tolerate salt, but you can use it for up to 10 days. I know you don't have a heater also, which is why I suggested the QuICK Cure.

 

[Saltypuppy]

Are you sure quick cure would work? And not harm the fish... :C Man this is so sucky I have such horrid luck. Of course I would get the ill fish.

 

[dkpate]

I used QuICK Cure on my red betta, and he was fine.

 

[Saltypuppy]

Hmmm I guess I would have to see if my petstore sells it. I can't go till tomorrow morning though...

 

[dkpate]

Well, he only has one spot so far right? He should be okay. I know they have it at the Walmart here, and it's a small bottle around $3.

 

[Saltypuppy]

He has two I think. I saw one on his fin. Would I be able to tell if he was better within 10 days for sure. I really wanna get him in with my other betta to avoid any more stress.... But I DO NOT want to chance my other fish getting sick.

 

[dkpate]

Yeah, don't put them together. Are you SURE it's ich and not fungus?