Male beta with white stringy poop with undigested food

[Sahabo]

Just to be clear, and hopefully not redundant or annoying, ammonia, nitrIte and nitrAte are all harmful to fish in varying degrees.

I've learned that there are 3 ways to keep a betta:

1. keep him in a very small tank and change the water often enough that he doesn't get sick and die of ammonia or nitrIte poisoning.

2. keep him in a larger tank and cycle it with him in there, using his waste as the ammonia source, but risking harming your betta

3. do a fishless cycle in a larger tank and add your betta when the tank is cycled and there is no ammonia or nitrItes anymore.

Because I didn't know enough when I got my betta, I did option 2. If I could do it over, I'd pick option 3. I also learned that while bettas can survive in a very small tank, they don't thrive and they are much happier with more room. A large tank also gives you options of more fish, aquascaping and the like.

Don't hesitate to ask any questions. If you like, go through the "getting started" thread to learn more. You can also post questions there about setting up a new tank and cycling.

 

[new2betas]

Heidi,
Thanks so much for all of your info and that video was great! I am sure I will refer to it in the future when I need to do it on my larger take, but not until it is cycled and ready for fishes! I think I have definitely decided on option #3. My new tank is all set up and I am willing to wait for it to cycle before putting my betta in it. Oh, and BTW - that nasty thing that was hanging off of him fell of a little while ago (an hour or so after putting in the parasite clear). So, hopefully he is on the mend now. He seems fine otherwise, is swimming around, color good, ate a couple of his pellets a little while ago!
Thanks all for the help and suggestions!

 

[marchmaxima]

Hey Dotti - You've been busy today!

Well done on your new purchase! I'm sure your Betta will love you to bits for it.

If the whole Cycling thing is completely new to you, I understand! I had to read those articles 3-4 times before I started to get it. I was not expecting to need to learn the ins and outs of water chemistry!

Here's something that might help you put it together. I was so paranoid over my cycle back in January that I documented water tests every day and often posted the link with questions. I used raw prawn as the ammonia source because I can't get the high-grade ammonia down here in Oz, but any ammonia source will produce a similar trend. You can at least see what happened in my tank over the life of the cycle.

Fishless Cycling Test Results

 

[new2betas]

Wow Sharon, that chart was amazing. I am not sure I will have the stamina with two young kids still at home, etc., to keep up something that detailed. Is it okay to just test the water once a day instead of twice? Where do you buy just one or two shrimp? Could I buy a whole pack from the store and freeze some? and is that the best source for the ammonia. I would rather use a food source instead of straight ammonia. I am not sure why...it just seems more natural...
Again, to all of you who responded I am thankful! It has helped immensley and I can see I now have a new hobby....I have enjoyed this today. I have always liked aquariums and really enjoyed my saltwater tank when I was a teen, but since having kids I haven't really done that much.....then I got these bettas (one is in my daughter's room, even though I take care of it). The one in her room is also in a two gallon tank but it is robust and a beautiful blue color. It swims around happily, has bubble nests, and eats voraciously! He really is beautiful! I will have to get a pic of him also! Anyway - I appreciate all of the wisdom and help! I will have to "formally introduce"myself in the correct place for that at some point real soon!

 

[marchmaxima]

Testing once a day is fine.

Most people will suggest using the ammonia path if you can. Rotting seafood can be a wee smelly and you can control the dose better with a liquid. I have no choice, so it's rotting goodness for me!

That said, if you're happy to go down the raw prawn idea, just pop down to your local fish monger. I suggest fresh, not frozen if you can get it..... and as a side note, I can't imagine living life wiht no access to fresh fish!!!...... And yes, you are going to get some wierd looks when you say "one raw prawn thanks". Expect to have to repeat yourself.

I'm allergic to shellfish, so there's no use buying anymore than 1 or two at a time, otherwise, I'd have purchased a handful and tossed the rest on the Barbie.

Sorry, but I had to get the stereotypical aussie shrimp on the BBQ joke *boom* *tish*

 

[Sahabo]

Hi Dottie, we are all happy to help! I've only been at this for a few months myself, and it's due to the wonderful support and advice of the people on this forum that I know anything at all So glad you have decided to join us...it's a very rewarding hobby! We'd love to see a pic of your daughter's betta...

I've heard shrimp are a great source of ammonia...I've also read that putting them in a nylon bag will help avoid a mess as they break apart.

Welcome and good luck with the new set up!

 

[new2betas]

Sharon - I got another question for you....after looking at your fishless cycling test results (and printing them for my reference, lol) I noticed that you added a 1/2 a prawn the first day you set up your tank? Is this correct? I did not do this yesterday, is that okay....can I wait a little while before doing that step and also, IF I go the liquid ammonia route, how much of it do I had to a 10 gallon tank? Thanks again, in advance!

 

[marchmaxima]

I am so happy that my log is helping you! I kept it for my own sanity at the time and I'm pleased to hear that it can be used as an aid for you.

I only documented the cycle. From memory, the tank was ready to go 48 hours earlier. That said, your new eco system (and the cycling process) doesn't actually start until you add an ammonia source to feed the bacteria and they start multiplying. The only reason I can see that you would wait is to just ensure all your equipment is running properly.

Although notice in my first few days that 1/2 a raw prawn only gave me a small ammonia spike before returning to 0ppm. Basically I didn't add enough. For fishless cycling you want aim it so your ammonia level is up between 2 - 4ppm. As soon as I added a bit more raw prawn a few days later, I got to that figure.

So for a 5 gallon, 1/2 a raw prawn would proably be around about the right amount(ish). Note that when I refer to "half a prawn" what I mean is half a king prawn... I don't mean half a little salad-size or stir fry sized prawn. Sorry, different country, slightly different lingo there

I've never gone the liquid route, so I'll leave that question for someone else whose more experienced in dosing ammonia than I am.

 

[new2betas]

Fishy still not looking great.....

I just wanted to post an update.....with pictures as well. It has been 24 hours since I added the parasite clear and he is still passing these things....can you see in the pic? And, he is not swimming as happily today. I am getting worried about him. It says on the parasite clear not to repeat treatment for 48 hours. I tested all my parameters today in his tank and they are normal. He is just not acting his normal, happy self.

 

[Sahabo]

Dottie...this looks a bit different than the initial pic you posted where it was long, white and stringy. Is he passing smaller white waste pieces now?

 

[An t-iasg]

That's what I was thinking. You've given him one dose of the med and although he's still passing the undigested pieces, it doesn't look as bad as before, so by the end of the 48 hours he may be better. If not, go ahead and give the second dose.

 

[new2betas]

What he passed last night (what was in the pic) didn't look exactly like what he had coming out of him before. It wasn't nearly as long before it fell off and it looked mainly like food in a little white sac. He looks much better this morning and is swimming around more. I have read on more than one occasion on this forum about pre-soaking his pellets in some tank water first. I think I will try that and see how he does, maybe he will digest it a little better. Also, one other question. Since I treated the whole tank with the parasite clear, how will I know if my snail got treated in just one dose, since I really can't see his poop. The guy at PetSmart said the snail might have been the culprit, since the fish got sick two weeks or so after introducing the snail to the tank. If I treat the tank again today with the parasite clear would it hurt my betta to get two doses if the medicine is already helping him?

 

[new2betas]

I soaked his food this morning for just a few minutes before giving it to him. When I put it in the tank he "chewed it" and then spit it out.....I have another kind of food, some freeze dried bloodworms, but he has never seemed to care for them either. Should I try some flake food?

 

[An t-iasg]

It's an excellent idea to soak his pellets in tank water. I soak mine for 2 1/2 minutes. If I soak much longer than that, they sink rather than float.

Bettas don't normally care for flake food, but I would try to get him to eat something so you can continue to monitor the waste. You could try some flakes if you have them. My bettas love freeze-dried bloodworms. I soak them for about 45 seconds. You could try the soaked pellets again. Bettas are finicky with new foods sometimes and he may not have been used to the texture of the soaked pellet. Sometimes fish spit out food that is too big for them. My one betta couldn't eat the Hikari Betta Gold pellets even though all of my previous bettas did. I got him the Ocean Nutrition betta pellets. They were a bit smaller and he had no trouble with them.

I would be inclined to give a second dose of the parasite med. If your betta does not look stressed, give the second dose.

 

[new2betas]

I gave him some flake food and he ate it and seemed to like it...so, go figure. I guess I have a finicky betta. He has begun to pass some more food, which looks to be inside a white sac (like my more recent pictures) not the stringy stuff anymore. He seems to have perked up some since earlier this morning and since eating the flake food. He is swimming more and flaring his fins more, instead of just hanging around with his fins down looking depressed....

 

[An t-iasg]

That's good news - that he has perked up! I think he would be able to handle a second dose of the med then. Sometimes meds say to do a water change between doses. I don't have the particular med you're using, but be sure to follow the directions.

 

[new2betas]

It does say to do a 25% water change....I did that yesterday...would that count or should I do another one today before treating again??

 

[An t-iasg]

Well, water changes never hurt, but in this case I'd say the one you did yesterday is good. They may be wanting a certain concentration of the first dose still in the water before the second, so by doing the 25% change, you have diluted the first dose enough to add the second. That's how I would do it. As always when you add any kind of med, be sure to watch for signs of stress and do a water change if necessary if the fish looks too stressed.

 

[Sahabo]

so glad to hear he is perking up I agreed with Deb about the water change. hopefully this second dose of meds will clear it all up! my betta is also finicky. He did something similar for a while when I started soaking his pellets, chewed them up spit part of them out. but he eventually got used to the texture and now eats them all up!

You're doing a great job with him!