Beta people we need your help

[smarch]

I got my newest beta Sunday his name is Napoleon. I new he would be a difficult case when I chose him, amongst all the long finned bright colored betas whas this little guy, not too much color and my girlfriend pointed out his fins were rotting and his water looked like he'd been there quite some time, I've dealt with fin rot it's not a huge problem, but after 2 days of being in his 1 gallon hex tank I've noticed he's a little different. He hangs out only at the bottom and goes to the top only rarely, but it's not that he's struggling. He also is very hard to coax to go after food. If this was sickness I'd just move him to my smaller half gallon bowl so he could breathe better but it looks like he's anxious and skirmish, I think he was in that cup so long the tank is overwhelming, should I move him to the smaller bowl for now hoping it will be less overwhelming or should I leave him in the gallon and hope he gets used to it? I'm afraid if I keep him in the gallon it'll stress the life right out of him!
I've never experienced anything like this!
:huh:

 

[Beck]

What is his water temperature? Bettas actually like it warm.

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[Tom]

What are you offering for food? Tried anything wiggly yet?

 

[smarch]

I don't have a thermometer in this tank but I've kept many bettas in it as a healing tank and have never had a problem, I know it's not cold though.

And I've fed pellets, I have dried bloodlines I can try? Where would I get some wigglies I've never seen stores sell live betta food? I've never had picky eaters they usually love the pellets, he just didn't see them in time or doesn't fully care because of the possible fear/anxiety I feel he has

 

[Benjamin]

Bettas LOVE mosquito larva, just don't offer too many or you will have mosquitos in your house. Don't move him and further stress him out. Water temps mid 80s are good.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

The bigger the better for betta, move him to anything smaller and losing water quality would not make up for the better access to air. Ideally, they thrive in anything 5 gallons or more and this is widely becoming the minimum requirement among betta enthusiasts.

For a sick fish, especially, his temp should really be in the low to mid 80s, I keep all my bettas at 82 normally and if they happen to get sick they go up to 85.

He may have just been beyond saving upon purchase, most of the betta at petstores are barely clinging to life at most petshops, unfortunately.

Make sure you take out any uneaten food after a few minutes, that can ruin water quality especially in such a tiny amount of water and it's important that his water is pristine while he heals.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Briam shrimp , little brown ants ,and yes water fleas are some of their favored food
And fill a clean milk jug w/ warm water let it sit over night and do morning water changes

 

[smarch]

5 gallons!? That went up fast, it used to be 1 was good then it was 2.5 ... wow, i''ve kept fish in this tank fine, it's actually my 2nd because my betta Sushi, at work, thrived (Quite constant wanted changes I assure!) I used to keep them in half gallon bowls and 'tanks' pet stores sell, I didn't encounter severe problems but began to feel bad when I saw Sushi frolicking and flailing at work and at home they just sat there, I now have 2 splitting my old goldfish 10 gallon tank with a divider of course and heater.

I knew he would be hard especially his condition but I couldn't let him just die there without even a chance (I know that's not the way to think but I was there for a betta anyways)

And I don't know about the pet store ones being practically lost cases because I've never had a problem with pet store bettas, I've had problems with others before I was smart enough for a hospital tank. But I think it all differs from each individual fish, my Frank fish betta I got from Wal-Mart over 2 years ago and he's still going strong... and he was living in the bowl before I got wise.

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And silly question but when you say little brown ants can I go outside and just pluck them up?? Or is that a bad idea?

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[Grandpa Turtle 144]

I just went out side and picked them up!

 

[smarch]

That sounds simple enough I'll try with some ants tomorrow, I noticed he goes for his food as it falls but then it falls into the gravel where he can't get them, maybe ants will work (though the thought of bringing them in the house somewhat bothers me... coming from the girl who wants a bearded Dragon in the future lol)

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[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Can you live with a 5oclock shadow ? Give the dragon a shave

 

[smarch]

Well it's 5 o'clock somewhere, lol and no I think saving wouldn't work to well for future his/her scales

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[CourtneyAndCarl]

Re: RE: Beta people we need your help

Yeah, it is going up pretty high but I guess the proof is in the results. People are starting to realize that just because they can live in a pint of water for a few years doesn't mean they should. And the whole "living in puddles in the wild" thing is completely debunked which is another reason for the bigger tank movement. A lot of people say betta are boring but in my opinion they are pretty interesting and just plain funny to watch when you put 'em in a twenty gallon tank full of other fish. I've got one right now that makes my dwarf cichlids turn tail even though they occasionally beat the snot out of each other... wouldn't dare touch the betta though.

I wasn't saying they were all lost causes, most of mine have come from petstores but unfortunately some of them are especially if they are showing severe fin rot in their cup.

I also had a betta named Sushi once! It's a good name

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[smarch]

Not lost causes, but I forgot how you worded it. And I suppose in this case it's possible, but when you see a pet in need with a problem you know how to fix its hard to just put it down and pick a different one. And we had a betta we won at a church fair that lived 5 years in his plant vase thing, but looking back he was boring... but boring is basically a reflection that they could live better, because my 3 (not including Napoleon yet) are all active, Sushi in his 1 gal just as active as my 2 in the 10.

And his name is a funny story. I got him for work before I had my desk in engineering, so he stayed on my dad's desk, pink gravel and all, for a few weeks. Every time I'd be over at lunch my dad would be all 'oh sushi' but eventually it stuck, he's somewhat of our mascot lol. Moral of the story don't let engineers name your fish! :blush:


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[smarch]

Well he's hung on this long, but now he's starting to act sick, I moved him to the smaller bowl because he wasn't leaving the bottom of the tank, I moved the heater to the small tank too but am watching the temp super close because it's so small, I treated with aquarium salt today and some melafix but is there anything I can do that I'm not? How often would you say I should put in salt? Also love heard about salt baths with high concentrations of salt for 10-15 minutes, is this safe or more harm than good?

I'm beginning to see maybe we can't win this, I don't know the last time he's successfully 'caught' his food and in transfer he just didn't have much fight to him. I know we may be facing the end if this battle, but I just want to make sure o did everything I could, and if not live at least be comfortable in the brief period of the only home he ever got.

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