Serious inquiries only please.........?

Question

My daughters beta fish has been sluggish and w/o an appetite for a week now. This morning we found him floating vertical yet still alive. Is there anything I can do? If not is there a quick method of putting it out of its misery? Its my daughters first pet. :(

Answer 1

Bettas are hardy fish, and they can act healthy until the very end. He is probably too far gone, but if he's alive, he may yet recover. Do a large 50% water change, increase the water temperature to 82F and add a little aquarium salt (1 flat tbsp / gallon) to the water. Try feeding him a few pieces of shelled pea to stimulate his appetite.

Am I correct in guessing that you keep your betta fish in a bowl / vase / small tank? Unfortunately, petstores tell you that you can do this; in reality, bettas will not survive long in a small tank. They need heat (they are from thailand and 80F water), filtration (to keep the water clean), swimming room (5 gallons is sufficient) and weekly 30% water changes. Getting this type of setup would be the best thing you can do for him.

If he is too far gone, you can put him in a small cup with about an inch of water and fill it with baking soda. It clogs their gills. You can also remove the head with a knife, which is the fastest, most painless way of killing him.

So sorry to hear about your daughter's pet :( There's a lot of misinformation out there that makes it difficult to properly keep fish. If she and you want to get another fish, I encourage you to research the subject together, to be great "fish parents".

Answer 2

To end its suffering quickly place in an air tight plastic bag, remove all excess air, it will sleep in a few minuets. BUT if you think there's time to save it, try a shock treatment for fish fungus, ich, or some other water treatment in tank, then do 25% water change after time recommended on label. I have saved a few fish this way, and others have died as they were to far gone. Good Luck......Ask at local pet store what to use if you choose the latter, make sure you describe fish and symptoms.

Answer 3

I would try a water change of 75%(use declorinated water). If that does not spark him up(he may have an internal infection if hes not eating), the most humane way to put a fish to rest, is to put him in a ziploc bag with his current water, and put him in the freezer. He will slowly go to sleep as the water cools. Sorry if you loose him(for your daughter), but they live 2-3 years max, and thats under perfect conditions.

Answer 4

The first thing you should do is change the water in the bowl with new water. Make sure to treat it with a dechlorinator.

This may be enough to save his life, but only time will tell.

Bettas in unfiltered bowls need to have the water changed daily in order to do best. Even better is to keep them in a heated and filtered aquarium of at least 5 gallons.

Answer 5

i'm 16 and my first pet was a dog, but soon after that i got a betta. chances are that it is dying. what my parents tried to do for me, was get another betta that looks just like it and switch them. but do not fluch your betta. my parents did that and it spoiled their plan because in the middle of the night when i got up to go to the bathroom, lo and behold, Pablo didn't get properly flushed and was floating there dead in the toilet. you can put him in abox and throw him in the outside garbage. or you can explain to your little girl tha her fish died, but the switch thing works easier. if she notices a difference, just tell her that sometimes they change their colors. i hope i helped a little bit.

Answer 6

unfortunately no quck fix. Try changing the water in his bowl and putting him near (not in) some natural light. sadly beta fish arent known for thier longevity. hope he brightens up.