Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => The Emergency Room => Topic started by: jesnon on October 22, 2014, 11:15:40 AM
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I'm very concerned about Mr Betta...
I was away at the weekend as it was my birthday on Wednesday and I decided to go and see my family. Unfortunately it seems Mr Betta is not right.
Last night I noticed after work I hadn't seen him in the tank and panicked. However I found him inside his cave when I lifted it up and he came up to see me.
Today again I couldn't see him and again found him in his cave. He came out for a swim around but he's very slow and after a few minutes despite food offers he returned back to his cave.
I'm very worried about him. ..
The only difference in the tank is I've noticed some new algae (it looks like green hair algae). The other two tank mates are fine and their usual lively selves constantly swimming towards me begging for food.
I'm worried maybe he has eaten something again, it looks like something is hanging out his mouth again. However looking closer it almost looks like algae is growing on his nose!?
I'm going to do a big water change and see if that helps...
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I hope MrB's OK - I feel a certain affinity!
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I hope MrB's OK - I feel a certain affinity!
Unfortunately things aren't looking good for him at all :(
I just did a large water change and he came out because I moved the cave to do a gravel clean... he just sort of 'hangs' in the water with his head up and tail down. I don't know what's wrong or what to do. Will feed peas tonight and see if that helps but it really depends if he will even eat it
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One other thing you could try is soaking his food in garlic juice. It is a mild antiseptic and can help.
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One other thing you could try is soaking his food in garlic juice. It is a mild antiseptic and can help.
I knew you'd be able to suggest something! Silly question but how do I make garlic juice? Do I literally just need to blend garlic?
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If you have garlic cloves to hand, squash them to get the juice out. Blending would be a good way to do this. Or you can buy garlic juice (apparently, never seen any but then I've not looked for it either).
In theory, garlic also tempts fish to eat it.
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Just a couple of quick observations from having a betta myself!!!
Apparently bettas shouldn't have peas as their digestive tract is not made to deal with them. Get your self some almond leaves they have anti fungal properties you could also try betta plus water conditioner which has extract of almond leaf in it.
Hope he's ok!!!
FC76
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Hmm I haven't fed peas recently so I doubt they would be the cause but I always thought they needed peas to avoid constipation? I can pick up some almond leaves after work tomorrow.
I'm very concerned... he hasn't come out of the cave at all since I last posted surely he needs to breathe? If I'm honest I don't know if he will make the night :-( wish I knew what the problem was
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Well, he has made the night! As soon as the lights came on he was about swimming then went to the top.. I'm not sure if he gulped air or not before he went back to hanging. He's returned to the cave now
Edit: actually he hadn't returned to his cave I found him hiding at the back of the tank. He's swimming slightly better than yesterday but is still hanging with his bum down. I've read this could be swim bladder so I added peas but he didn't seem interested. I'll pop into the MA on the way home and ask advice and maybe pick up some almond leaves. .. I hope he gets better
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Hey jesnon,
I do hope Mr Betta is ok. You might find this website useful to find a diagnosis for him.
http://www.fishyportal.com/diag/
i've been looking at it this morning to try and find out what is going on with my phantoms as another one has died this morning, and may I say have scared myself half to death with some of the suggestions it has given me!!!!! :yikes:
I would advise to use it when you are feeling logical and to work through the symptoms one by one and be as truthful as you can with yourself about what you've seen and what you think you've seen now it has been suggested by the website!!!!!!
Hope it helps!!!
FC76
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Thank you FC that website looks really useful!
I think if anything if is SBD or some kind of internal infection. After talking with s LFS they recommended some medication which I've dosed now but things aren't really looking good. When I got in he was in the cave again which I moved to check he hadn't died, he swam out but is now sat on the cave not moving at all :(
I will try feeding food soaked in garlic tonight and see what happens...
The medication is anti internal bacteria by NT labs. It says on the instructions to dose every other day up to 4 times, and to double the dose if ph is over 7.5. I've just done one dose but could add another
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Just a little update from me. Mr Betta is doing ok, he still hides all day in the cave but today when I lifted it he was swimming much better and appeared brighter. He still isn't eating though and is hanging still at times and spending all day in his cave. I'll dose the med again tomorrow and see how he goes. I offered flake today which Oz and Bow ate, but will try blood worm later and see if that encourages him to eat
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Hi Jesnon,
Just back from 10 days away and sorry to hear about Mr Betta. I hope he'S still improving. Are you sure he's not being stressed by his tank mates?
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Hi Jesnon :wave:
So sorry to read about Mr. Betta :( I hope he starts to get better soon...these fishies do worry us sometimes, don't they?
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Hi Jesnon,
Just back from 10 days away and sorry to hear about Mr Betta. I hope he'S still improving. Are you sure he's not being stressed by his tank mates?
I'm pretty sure he isn't being hassled by the tank mates as they basically completely ignore each other. Normally if a fellow endler is sick they tend to nip and chase the poor individual but they've continued to completely ignore each other! Hi Jesnon :wave:
So sorry to read about Mr. Betta :( I hope he starts to get better soon...these fishies do worry us sometimes, don't they?
Unfortunately he's still a poorly guy but instead was hiding behind the filter intake instead of in the cave and he tried to eat today. I'm away over night at work so I'm hoping my partner has been looking after him. He's still hanging but I've dosed more med and will see how he goes. . Fingers crossed
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Unfortunately my partner just informed me that Mr Betta has died :-( pretty gutted. Not really sure what to do now, starting to wonder if I should just give up since I seem to kill everything I touch!
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I'm sorry to hear that. But don't give up yet.
I once bought a betta that lived 12 days. He was a butterfly superdelta, pale blue body, pale blue fins with white edges and red spots in the white margins. I bought him on 13 Feb 2010 and he died 25 Feb 2010. Yes, I do keep records of the fish I buy. He never seemed quite right; he was jumpy and nervous all the time I had him.
I bought my current betta on 27 April 2013. He is still alive although he is starting to show his age.
From one extreme to the other. Apart from the ones that are obviously sick in the shop, you just can't tell in advance which fish will live for 18 months and which will live for 12 days.
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I'm sorry to hear that. But don't give up yet.
I once bought a betta that lived 12 days. He was a butterfly superdelta, pale blue body, pale blue fins with white edges and red spots in the white margins. I bought him on 13 Feb 2010 and he died 25 Feb 2010. Yes, I do keep records of the fish I buy. He never seemed quite right; he was jumpy and nervous all the time I had him.
I bought my current betta on 27 April 2013. He is still alive although he is starting to show his age.
From one extreme to the other. Apart from the ones that are obviously sick in the shop, you just can't tell in advance which fish will live for 18 months and which will live for 12 days.
Thanks Sue, I guess you're right! I just wish the poor little guy could have spent longer with me :-(
I have seen some absolutely gorgeous fish when I went to buy some meds for him. Ideally how long til I should get another betta?
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Hi Jesnon,
So sorry to hear about Mr Betta.
I was just typing my reply when Sue beat me to it, which is good, because she's the one with the knowledge!
My original message urged you not to give up and to remember that you have some healthy fish remaining in your tank, which suggests that the problem was with Mr Betta himself, rather than something you did or didn't do. Who knows what conditions he was kept in before you got him? Isn't it more likely that these contributed to his decline?
Fish keeping is an absolute pleasure, until everything goes wrong, as everyone on this forum knows. Don't think of giving up. Everyone will be wiling to give you advice and support when you feel ready to get another fish - perhaps another Betta even. :-\
Diz
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I have seen some absolutely gorgeous fish when I went to buy some meds for him. Ideally how long til I should get another betta?
There are two point to consider.
If the betta that just died had some infection, you should wait until you know the tank is free of it. Without fish in the tank, most diseases will die off. But you do have fish in the tank, and unless there's something you've not told us, they are fit and healthy suggesting (as Diz says) there was something wrong with the betta when you got him.
The opposing point is that if you wait to get another, your bacteria will die off to the amount needed for just the fish you till have. Getting one quickly will prevent this die back.
I would be inclined to get another straight away.
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Aah, Jesnon...really, really sorry to hear that :( It's so horrible when you lose a fishy, but please don't give up. I'm betting like everyone else that he was already a bit poorly/older when you got him, and that there was nothing you did, that caused this. He perhaps was never meant to be around for long, maybe that was why a name for him never caught your imagination :-\
I think, like Sue, that you should go and get another one as soon as you can....good luck, hope there's one that you fall in love with straight away.
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Thank you all for the lovely messages of support. Poor Mr Betta, such a shame.
I know there are some lovely bettas in the Aquajardin, however that's also where I bought Mr Betta from so I'm not sure whether to avoid it. Though Oz and Bow also came from there and they're doing great.
I could potentially get one tomorrow but will see...
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this has gotten me through some tough times.i highly recommend you read this most people will cry when they read this including me.
Every day, in aquariums, pet stores, and private homes, fish pass away, often times largely unnoticed. Many suffered in their last days or hours, grappling with disease, being attacked by tankmates, or having their bodies trapped against filters when they grew too weak to swim. So few fish have lived well on this earth, being used as decorations or disposable pets instead of being recognized as the special individuals that each of them are.
Thankfully for them, there is a better place.
We've all heard about the Rainbow Bridge, where dogs and cats and other pets cross over into the next life, where they run and play healthy and whole until their special person comes to retrieve them one day. What most people do not know is that there is a beautiful, flowing creek running under the Rainbow Bridge, leading to many vast lakes, swamps, rivers, and even oceans, where fish can live in bliss and harmony after what is all too often a short life of suffering.
You see, when a fish passes away, his spirit leaves the pain of his body and enters warm, flowing waters. There, he finds himself whole; tattered fins are restored, fungus-clogged gills are free and functional, open wounds are healed, and "pinecone" scales lay flat. There are other fish there, but none of them chase, nip fins, or threaten. The current is never too strong, the water temperature is always just right, and there and plants and rocks to hide amongst - not that there is anything to fear. Social fish swim close with their peers, while solitary species always have enough space for comfort. They all travel through these peaceful waters in one great school towards their destination.
Eventually, the waters of the creek are illuminated with the technicolor glow of the beautiful rainbow arching high above. Cats, dogs, rabbits - every animal you can imagine - cavorts above them, but the fish needn't fear predation or harm. As they flow beneath the rainbow, they come to a crossroads; little streams leading to the ideal habitat of each species. There are warm stretches of rice paddies for the bettas. There are cool, vegetated ponds for the goldfish and koi. Bright, welcoming reefs greet the oceanic fish, and warm, freshwater ponds, rivers, and creeks spread wide for the tropical species.
The fish huddle at the cross-roads tentatively, nervous of what awaits them next. Maybe some are unused to wide spaces; others have never seen their natural habitat. Some are afraid larger fish will eat them if they break away from the group. But finally, one will swim forwards. His fins will wriggle with excitement, and he will zip through the water gleefully, towards his new home in the next life. There, he will find others of his kind, though a fight will never occur. Food will be plentiful and living, not freeze-dried or pelleted. There will be no harsh lights or noisy filters, because the waters here are always ideal for their inhabitants.
And perhaps, if the fish had a special someone who cared in their life, that person will one day sit by the lake or shore or riverbed, where he or she will be recognized by a beloved pet. A flick of the fins and a friendly snout poking through the water's surface will reunite the two at last, with the message passed between them:
It's all going to be okay now...
i got this from another site but he should really read it.
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I have seen some absolutely gorgeous fish when I went to buy some meds for him. Ideally how long til I should get another betta?
The opposing point is that if you wait to get another, your bacteria will die off to the amount needed for just the fish you till have. Getting one quickly will prevent this die back.
I would be inclined to get another straight away.
That's an interesting point Sue. In a situation like this, how long do you have before the bacteria die back to cope with the remaining fish and therefore how long can you leave it before buying a replacement for the fish that died?
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Hi Jesnon,
Sorry about Mr Betta. I concur with all the sentiments already expressed. some fish are just not right and cant cope with life. you mustn't beat yourself up. i know what you mean about feeling like everything you touch is doomed. Stanley, my Betta was so stunning when i got him and now because of a couple of bad decisions on my part is a ragged, sorry looking fish and I feel so ashamed.
Also remember the journey Mr Betta probably had to go through to get to your tank. Stanley came originally from Indonesia!!!!!
Chin up lass!!!! :)
Brian, I've heard of the rainbow bridge before, it's a lovely sentiment!! :)
FC76
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Hi Fishcake,
How is Stanley doing now?
Diz
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I have seen some absolutely gorgeous fish when I went to buy some meds for him. Ideally how long til I should get another betta?
The opposing point is that if you wait to get another, your bacteria will die off to the amount needed for just the fish you till have. Getting one quickly will prevent this die back.
That's an interesting point Sue. In a situation like this, how long do you have before the bacteria die back to cope with the remaining fish and therefore how long can you leave it before buying a replacement for the fish that died?
It used to be thought that filter bacteria died within a few hours of insufficient food. Recent knowledge is that they don't die immediately, they become dormant before they die, and it takes weeks or even months rather than hours for them to die. But the longer they are dormant, ie without food, the longer it takes them to 'wake up' once food becomes available again.
I will be honest and say I don't know exactly how long they will remain undormant for, but I think up to a week is fine. Even if they have become dormant by the end of a week, they will 'wake up' very quickly. Possibly even a couple of weeks is fine. And since it is good practice to test for ammonia and nitrite for several days after getting new fish, any lag in them waking up will be spotted immediately.
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Thanks Sue, that's good to know. :)
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Hi Diz,
He is ok in himself. (currently investigating some nerite snails in a bag in his tank that I am acclimatising).
His fins are ok-ish. The fin rot has almost completely gone and regrowth is beginning but he is tatty and his dorsal fin is all clamped shut. I think this is called sticky fin(?) and on reading about it i still have no real understanding of what causes it!!!
Looking at the pics of how he was and now how he is, is soul destroying tho. :(
FC76
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Hi Fishcake,
Glad to hear he's on the mend. I'm sure his fin will improve as well. I've also heard of this 'sticky fin', but I'm not sure what causes it or how to cure it. Apparently, it's common for the more 'full-finned' varieties of Bettas (rather than the relatively short-finned plakats), so don't beat yourself up about it too much. Perhaps Sue might be able to tell you more? ???
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I'm sure that Sue will know exactly what to do!!!! what would we do without her. O:-)
I've put a picture of Stan saying hello to his new snail pals in a separate thread, so we don't go completely off topic here!!!
FC76
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From what I can gather, water changes are the best way to help the betta's fins. Sticky fins is not something my bettas have ever had; bits falling off the fins, yes, but not sticky. Yet.
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Well I thought I'd update a little, I popped into my LFS on the way to work today and. .. have reserved a new betta. I was a little disappointed my favourite one from the other day has already gone, but my new betta will be a pale bodied bit orangey yellow full tailed chap. He seemed happy and alert and is in a tank on his own. The new delivery comes on Thursday so I could have waited.. But I didn't want to wait and for him to be gone!!
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I'm sorry to hear about Stanley but sure he will recover well. Do keep us updated about him
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Well I thought I'd update a little, I popped into my LFS on the way to work today and. .. have reserved a new betta. I was a little disappointed my favourite one from the other day has already gone, but my new betta will be a pale bodied bit orangey yellow full tailed chap. He seemed happy and alert and is in a tank on his own. The new delivery comes on Thursday so I could have waited.. But I didn't want to wait and for him to be gone!!
Good for you Jesnon. Let us know how you get on :)
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Sorry about MrB Jesnon. I suppose Bettas must be a bit like guppies, so over-bred for their colours that there are quite a few weak ones around..... and he was one of those.
I look forward to piccies of your new Betta..... whatever he may be called.
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while i was at walmart i saw 2 crown tails that looked like they came from the same birth.i never have seen 2 bettas that have such amazing colors that looked like they were from the same birth.