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Ok I posted awhile ago about my betta?

He hasn't been well for a week and a bit now. He's also not eating. He hasn't touched a speck of food in over a week. I tried giving him a pee but he didn't touch that either.

He doesn't have any physical signs of illness, except rapid strained breathing. His coloring seems duller than he used to be. Most of his symptoms are behavioural (sp?)

He sits on the bottom of his bowl gasping. He will swim when startled but does sometimes bang into things when he does this. (side of the bowl, or plants) I haven't really seen him swim to the top for a breath, so I am only assuming he does this or he would have died by now wouldn't he have??

Honestly, everymorning, I am surprised to see he is still alive.

He's in a 2.5G bowl, with no heater but the temp has been contstant at 78-79 degrees. There is no filter.
I do weekly 100% water changes with the last one being about a week ago (going to do another one today) I always add some Wardly Chlor-out during water changes (dechlorinator) I have also be adding some salt to his water since he's been unwell.

I am thinking it's old age maybe?? I feel bad for him. Is he suffering? How long can he go without food??



Thanks!

You could offer him some frozen brine shrimp but I have a feeling the problem is swim bladder or internal parasites...

Trops that will not eat usually waste away and die, a condition that could take a week or two depending on the size and age of the fish.

--garyroland.

Ok it's been almost 3 weeks and still betta is alive (yea!) but he still hasn't eaten. I did manage to get him to eat a tiny tiny bit of pea today. He seems to be swimming a bit more than usual so I hope that means he's getting better but I am not getting my hopes up. His color is very faded but still no spots or lesions anywhere on his body. Fins look good but droopy. On the last water change I didn't add as much water as normal just so that he wouldn't have so far to swim for air. (hope that was ok to do, but I felt bad for him)

I'm crossing my fingers that he pulls through.

maybe parasites but you'd probably notice stringy white poo and a sunken belly. I've seen similar symptoms in bettas with bacterial infections. Bettas will tend to go off food completely if they're unwell, no matter what the ailment is. Also in bettas, wasting will tend to happen slower, possibly taking weeks.

Taking the pea is a good sign, but I would probably dose with a good broad spectrum antibiotic. IME loss of colour tends to be bacterial more often than parasites, especially in bettas. Kanacyn is a good antibiotic to try, go slow with feedings when the betta is accepting food again. They can easily get constipated if they haven't been eating. Do 50% water changes instead of 100% to reduce stress while the betta is unwell, you can use a piece of airline tubing as a siphon/vac to get any poo or anything off the bottom. I like to keep sick bettas in barebottom bowls so I can see any uneaten food or poo and remove it ASAP. Increase water changes to 50% every 2 days.

If you have a *small* pump, an airstone will raise the dissolved oxygen in the tank and make it easier for the betta to breathe if it is struggling to reach the surface.

HTH and good luck

Just a little tidbit to add, I agree with pretty much everything everybody else has said.

If the betta becomes healthy again (cross your fingers!) Or you have to get a new one ( ;.; ), I recommend going with the 50% water changes -all- the time, instead of 100%. He may need a 100% every once in awhile, but overall such huge water changes can be stressful to the fish whether they are sick or not. Good luck!

Last edited by Mogmog at 13-Nov-2004 18:40

I have heard that some anti-parasitic food would help (from petsmart) but if your fish is not eating, i'd try something else. I recently looked at some fizzing medication by Jungle (Bowl Buddies). The anti-parasitic helps treat internal and external parasites and also helps cure bacterial problems. I haven't used this product myself, but it's worth a try. A box comes with 8 tablets, which treats 80 gallons. It's pretty cheap too, about 3 bucks i think? good luck with your fishy.

I've got a fever... and the only prescription... is more cowbell!