Betta fish - mine is trying to die - UPDATE RIP #gtff

Tuddy
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Betta fish - mine is trying to die - UPDATE RIP #gtff

Postby Tuddy » Tue Dec 19, 2017 3:42 pm

Okay friends.

I have a fish at work, his name is #gregthef*ckingfish. How he got his name is a story for another day.

Anyways. He has fin rot and I am trying to keep him alive. I went the pet store and was told to try aquarium salt treatment over medicine first.

He lives in a one gallon tank with a filter. I change his water every couple of weeks. I used water cooler water and use conditioner in it. He gets fed 3 pellets a day with the odd worm for a treat.

I did a 50% change of water yesterday and took out the carbon filter and replaced it with a sponge. I also added the salt. Today, I did a full tank change and added salt again.

Suggestions? Stories of experience? #projectsavegreg is underway and I really am attached to the little guy and hate to see him sick and sad.
Last edited by Tuddy on Wed Dec 27, 2017 7:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby orono » Tue Dec 19, 2017 11:46 pm

How old is he?

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby Tuddy » Wed Dec 20, 2017 3:50 pm

Well that's the thing. He could be 6 months or he could be 2 years old. If it's old age, I am okay with it. But who knows how long he was living in one of those cups at the pet store before I bought him.

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby orono » Thu Dec 21, 2017 12:09 am

That does make it difficult, though I doubt they last terribly long in those cups so he probably isn't a geriatric. Are you sure it's fun rot? Malachite green works well for many types of infections.

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby PhoenixRising » Thu Dec 21, 2017 5:49 pm

You have to be pretty careful what you treat betta's with. Since they're labrynth breathers there are treatments that can affect their ability to breathe. My suggestion for fin rot would be the aquarium salt (or mortons ice cream salt, works the same and costs way less), frequent water changes, and does he have a heater? While Bettas are advertised as living fine in a bowl with no heat etc, they really do much better with temperatures in the 80F range. While not really necessary, they also appreciate tannins in the water. I've heard the best things about indian almond leaves and used to use them myself back when I was breeding them... you can buy the dried leaves or buy "tea packets" to brew and add to the water.
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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby Tuddy » Fri Dec 22, 2017 2:03 pm

Thanks!

I have been using the aquarium salt and changing his water everyday for the past 3 days. I also have been putting in water conditioner. While he isn't any worse, he doesn't seem to be any better. I put a heater in his tank as well. I also took out the carbon filter and replaced it with a sponge filter.

I will probably change his water for 2-3 more days then I will be gone for Christmas for 2 days (he is my work fish, but I am going to try and come in Monday and Tuesday).

Hopefully, he starts to perk up, He lays at the bottom of the tank propped up against some rocks. He seems to like the dark, so I haven't been putting his light on during the day.

Ugh, I kinda wish he would decide what he wants to do. Its breaking my heart.

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby PhoenixRising » Fri Dec 22, 2017 2:38 pm

Is there any chance of you being able to post a clear picture of him? Orono does have a point that it could also be something other than fin rot. Typically fin rot is from sitting in dirty, ammonia ridden water. But if he's had a filter this whole time, the tank is biologically balanced, and he got water changes every couple weeks it is possible its something else.
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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby Imperini » Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:06 pm

I had gotten a Betta fish once and bought it a fancy tank with a filter and all sorts of bells and whistles and I found that the filter I guess was too powerful for him so if I left it on he would start going downhill and if I turned it off then he would perk up. It sounds like you may have had him for at least a little while doing well with the filter so maybe it's nothing like that but I figured I'd throw it out there just in case.

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby Tuddy » Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:16 pm

gtff2.jpg
gtff2.jpg (218.85 KiB) Viewed 16880 times


gtff1.jpg
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He has hardly any fins at all. And this is his standard position. Laying down.

:( :( :( :( :(

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby PhoenixRising » Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:17 pm

It does indeed look like fin rot, but I'm wondering if there isn't an underlying cause... even just old age. At first I thought it looked like he had spots by his gills, but looking closer I believe that's just his scales?
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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby Tuddy » Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:20 pm

I feed him daily, and I witnessed him eating a pellet the other day. I am going to assume he finds the other pellets and eats them too.

And he does have discolored scales too.

I'm hoping old age is the cause. His tank only ever got disgustingly gross once. And that was when I was off work for 2 1/2 weeks in July because of surgery. I had someone look after him and I don't think they turned the tank light off the whole time. Algae everywhere.

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby Tuddy » Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:20 pm

PhoenixRising wrote:It does indeed look like fin rot, but I'm wondering if there isn't an underlying cause... even just old age. At first I thought it looked like he had spots by his gills, but looking closer I believe that's just his scales?



Should I look at adding medication along with the salt?

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby PhoenixRising » Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:40 pm

Has he responded at all to the heater/salt combo?
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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby Tuddy » Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:48 pm

PhoenixRising wrote:Has he responded at all to the heater/salt combo?


Not really. No worse, definitely no better.

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby PhoenixRising » Fri Dec 22, 2017 4:01 pm

What dosage of salt are you using? The salt should be just over 1/2 tsp per gallon... or 1tbsp per 5 gallons.
I'm racking my brain trying to remember which meds are ok. I think at this point they may not help, but I don't think it would hurt either.
ETA: What temperature did you set his heater at?
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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby Tuddy » Fri Dec 22, 2017 4:07 pm

PhoenixRising wrote:What dosage of salt are you using? The salt should be just over 1/2 tsp per gallon... or 1tbsp per 5 gallons.
I'm racking my brain trying to remember which meds are ok. I think at this point they may not help, but I don't think it would hurt either.
ETA: What temperature did you set his heater at?


I am using the 1/2 tsp. as he is in a 1 gallon tank. This is the heater.

https://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Fish-Heat ... ms?ie=UTF8

I may go and get some medication, really, it's either going to help or not. :\

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby PhoenixRising » Fri Dec 22, 2017 4:19 pm

I know for sure you should stay away from Pimafix and Melafix. I've had good luck with them with other fish types, but its one that makes the bettas unable to breathe.
So its a heater that has the temperature already set for you... I'd be tempted to get one of the internal thermometers ( I never liked the kind that sticks onto the glass) and see if it has it at at least 80F or not.
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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby Tuddy » Fri Dec 22, 2017 4:26 pm

PhoenixRising wrote:I know for sure you should stay away from Pimafix and Melafix. I've had good luck with them with other fish types, but its one that makes the bettas unable to breathe.
So its a heater that has the temperature already set for you... I'd be tempted to get one of the internal thermometers ( I never liked the kind that sticks onto the glass) and see if it has it at at least 80F or not.



Thanks for your help! You have been more informative than pet store people. I am going to run out at lunch and get a different heater. When I stick my finger in the water, it is my body temp.

Its so weird. A couple of girls in a different department and I bought our fish at the same time. They use tap water, conditioner, a carbon filter and their fish is doing great. The only difference with me is that I don't use tap water. The only issue they had was they found out that someone (probably night shift cleaning staff), was feeding him and he got constipated. They just starved him for a couple days and he did fine.

Sometimes I wonder if something like that happened to my fish. I've hidden the food.

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby PhoenixRising » Fri Dec 22, 2017 4:40 pm

A side thought, what kind of filtration does the water from the cooler go through?
ETA: AND how long has that been the water he's been having water changes with? How long have you had him?
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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby Tuddy » Fri Dec 22, 2017 4:42 pm

Oh I have no idea. Ugh this is so damn frustrating.

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby Tuddy » Fri Dec 22, 2017 4:46 pm

I got him in April? And I only used bottled water. I don't trust the tap water here at my workplace.... If I was at home I would.

ETA: Like I said, he was fine up until about a month ago when I noticed his fins getting ragged. I thought it was because of a fake plant I had in there ripping his fins. I removed that promptly and only have one silk plant in there, along with a hammock leaf. Which he used to love laying on and watching me.

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby PhoenixRising » Fri Dec 22, 2017 5:03 pm

I doubt its the water then if you've been using it that long. :(
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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby demi » Fri Dec 22, 2017 6:43 pm

Tuddy wrote:.....along with a hammock leaf. Which he used to love laying on and watching me.



Awwww!

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby Tuddy » Fri Dec 22, 2017 7:32 pm

gtff3.jpg
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This is what he looked like in October. I blamed that orange plant for tearing his fins so I took it out. They were okay, but then drastically got worse.

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby demi » Fri Dec 22, 2017 8:03 pm

What type of water is in the cooler that you use? If it is purified by reverse osmosis, which a lot of purified water is, that could be the problem. RO water is free from bacteria and minerals, including trace minerals such as iron and manganese. Maybe Greggtff isn’t getting the minerals he needs.

If the tap water is working great for the other beta, maybe you should try it?

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby Tuddy » Wed Dec 27, 2017 2:25 pm

Well, I came in over the weekend, changed his water and he was kinda perky on Christmas Eve. I stayed home Christmas and yesterday though. Came to work today.... no fishy. RIP #gtff

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Re: Betta fish - mine is trying to die

Postby StraightForward » Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:09 pm

Oh, I'm sorry Tuddy. I worked at a pet store all through college and had several bettas. Once the fin rot starts, it seems near impossible to save them. :(
Keep calm and canter on.


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