What's wrong with my betta- possible ammonia poisoning?

Question

My betta fish, Miikun, started to spit out his food and gradually stopped eating altogether around Thanksgiving. It's almost 3 weeks and he won't eat, he breathes heavily and stays at the bottom of his tank, only going up for a gulp of air every 5-10 minutes or so. I've tested his water and everything was good except the ammonia was a light green on the mardel test strip, 2.5, instead of 0 (yellow). His gills also bled a little when I put him into a hospital tank. I completely changed his water gradually over a week and retested, ammonia was 0. Here's the info on his tank conditions: I've had him 5 months so far, He lives in a 5 gallon plastic tank with a mechanical topfin filter that I keep clean. Temp. is 78-80 degrees. No real plants, algae has been a problem but I always clean the things in his tank in dechlorinated water when algae builds up. Aquarium salt in tank, lots of back-up meds, Phsically looks healthy. He eats pellets, flakes, and bloodworms. What can I do to help him?

Miikun's body is physically healthy looking, no ich, no fin rot, his abdomen is not bloated, no velvet, his color is still gorgeous, but the more he goes without eating, the weaker he's been getting. He's starting to struggle a bit just to swimp to the top of the tank and take a gulp of air. When he bled it was a small puddle under him coming from his gills. If it was ammonia poisoning and he's now in clean water, he isn't perking up. I even e-mailed BettaTalk's expert Faith and she saw pics and said he looks good physically. This is truly mysterious and I am sad to see my betta boy suffering each day, only growing weaker. If anyone out there is an expert please, tell me what could be wrong cause I have already weeded out just about everything, except maybe fish Tuburculosis, or cancer, or just...old age? Miikun's fate lies in the answer ;.;

I originally thought that by virtue of having a filter in the tank I wouldn't have to do many water changes. I was truly ignorant, and I know that it's not good to break down the tank and totally clean it because it removes the good nitrifying bacteria, I thought just keeping the filter clean was enough. I didn't know about ammonia and I had nothing to test for it even though I have tests for PH, Nitrates, Nitrite, Alkalinity, and Hardness. I only put 1/2 tablespoon of aquarium salt in his tank when I set it up, no more than that, just as a preventative for ich ect. It's difficult to know what to do when so many different people have completely contradictory info. Like to use salt or not use salt, water change with filter or no need cause filter does the job. Also I read that live bloodworms can give the fish parasites. I wish I had clear answers so I stop making mistakes that can cost my fish his life! Thank you all who gave me advice so far.

Also I am unclear as to what 0.25 is on the ammonia test strips. According to the booklet that comes with the mardel test strips, the toxicity of ammonia is effected by temperature and PH. It says that the reading 0.25 (light green just above the color of yellow which is 0, where you want it to be) is a "Safe" level with PH 7.2-7.6 at 0.25 reading, but of course if any ammonia is present it's good to get rid of it.

I'm sorry I read the bottle wrong! The ammonia level was NOT 2.5 it was 0.25 ppm!!! SO that should not have been enough to poison Miikun, right???

It's too late...Miikun just died, right after I returned from petsmart with a java fern and bloodworms for him T_T I think the answer was this: It wasn't bad tank conditions, it wasn't bacaterial or parasitic, he had something internally wrong with him, like cancer or something since he bled from him gills. No meds could cure him, nor could perfect water conditions. My heart is broken that I couldn't find the answers and I couldn't save him even though I did everything I was supposed to do. May Miikun rest in peace ;_;

Answer 1

2.5 ammonia is through the roof. Ammonia in any amount is toxic, and at 2.5 it would be unbearable.
How often do you clean your tank? You should be changing 20-40% of the water every week. But you should not be taking the fish out and cleaning the whole tank. Also, don't clean the filter. Just rinse it in a cup of dechlorinated water if it gets gunky. Don't replace it.

How much aquarium salt are you using? Personally, I would not use salt unless treating for parasites (Ich or velvet). If you put in too much (anything more than 1 flat tablespoon in your tank), it messes with their osmotic regulation.

Anyway, now that the water is clean, he should perk up.. try feeding him a small piece of a pea (without the outer casing) and see if he'll take that, then don't feed him for a day. Or offer him some live bloodworms.

If he still showing signs of illness, try a course of Maracyn-2.

Answer 2

It does sound like ammonia poisoning, but he should have perked up when you moved him to a clean tank.

He might be constipated from overfeeding. His abdomen will be a bit enlarged if so. Try feeding a cooked pea; remove the skin and crush the pea before dropping it in the water.

It might also be finrot brought on by the ammonia. Finrot can cause loss of appetite and hanging around at the bottom of the tank like that. If so, his fins will look tattered. They sell medications for finrot.

Good luck! I hope he feels better soon.

Answer 3

aww, your fish reminds of my well betta, Mace. :( however besides, everytime my betta turns out 'slow' or 'unsatisfied' to investigate if he particularly is, What i do is get a small replicate, Put it in entrance of him (he'll suppose that theres a different male, so the tendency is, he'll 'flare' he'll appear amazing lovely! betta's appear lovely once they flare. take a look at making him flare a few occasions per week however DO NOT EXHAUST HIM. if he wont flare, manner he is unsatisfied. Everyday, whilst you feed your bettas you must compare them. Over time your eyes will come to be knowledgeable and you're going to be capable to instantly observe the slightest difference for your bettas look or frame language. How are you able to inform in case your betta is "below the elements"? (evaluate the HEALTHY from the SICK) Healthy Betta Eats like a little bit pig Swims round and is lively Acts typical Is colourful and colourful Fins and tail are unfold out like fanatics Body appears slick and blank Eyes are typical Gills are typical Scales are delicate Belly appears typical Now, the Sick Betta Does no longer devour in any respect or eats reluctantly and might spit out his meals. Is no longer lively. May lay on the backside and arise just for air, or might keep on the floor in a nook. May darts and purposely runs into whatever he can (gravel, rocks, and so on) so as to scratch itself. Looks paler, colour is stupid, might flip grey Tail and routinely fins are clumped, closed, stiff watching or falling aside Body will have: open sores, white cottony patches, pink spots, lumps or white spots. One or each eyes are sticking out and swollen One or each gills don't near all of the method and keep part open (swollen/infected). They might appear pink. Scales are raised (like a pine cone) Belly appears too hole or at the opposite is abnormally swollen and tremendous. If your betta reveals a number of of the 'unwell betta' signs then it's unwell. It have got to instantly be eliminated from any neighborhood or shared tank and remoted in a bowl/jar. I advocate utilising a one gallon bowl for unwell fish, each to insure the water nice stays bigger among water alterations and to make it easier to manage the correct dose of healing. Use the identical tank water to avert an abrupt difference of water situation whilst you first jar the unwell betta. earlier than you do your subsequent water difference, you must acclimate the betta slowly to the water you're going to be utilising for the water difference. I advocate that you simply get rid of seventy five% of the water and regularly upload somewhat of water each and every hour till the bowl is complete. This will make certain the betta acclimate easily from the earlier tank water to faucet water or something different blank water you're going so as to add. Remember that tank water could also be distinct in nice seeing that of crops, rocks, warmers and filters you're utilising in there. Whereas a naked bowl provides not anything to the water. And that's why you must acclimate the betta whilst you do the primary water difference. After that you are going to no longer have got to fear approximately doing a typical one hundred% water difference. Now if the unwell betta was once in a jar to start with, then with no trouble do an entire water difference to furnish a blank atmosphere for healing. I advocate placing him in a brand new, sanitized jar. This method you're going to eliminate probably the most koodies. :) Jar must be stored in a hotter room. Important: Be certain to scrub your arms with a well antibacterial cleaning soap after dealing with your unwell fish not to unfold illnesses in your healthful ones. Anything that is available in touch with the unwell fish (fish web, palms, spoon, jar, and so on) will must be disinfected earlier to getting used for different fish. Next you have got to attempt to make a correct prognosis of your betta‘s sickness (goodluck!). Once you understand what sickness you're handling (confidently), then you'll decide on the fine direction of healing for it.

Answer 4

No my betta went thru the same fase... just try feeding it a few more times a day.