My Bettas is sick, what do I do?

Question

My Betta has gotten his stomach swollen and he just lays on the bottom of the tank, he doesn't move anymore and is unactive. What do I do? What kind of disease does he have?

Should I put him in a seperate tank? because he's with 2 other bettas with dividers. I don't want the sick one to infect the others.

Answer 1

A picture is worth a thousand words. I will post some websites below that I have found very helpful in caring for my betta. These websites have pictures and descriptions of various disorders so you can determine what your betta has and can determine which medications to buy from your pet store. Without seeing a picture, your betta could be constipated, just from the description of his swollen belly. This would make it difficult to swim, too. Make sure you don't overfeed your fish. If you use pellets, be sure to follow package instructions; I find that 3 to 4 pellets twice a day is enough for my fish. Bettas sometimes benefit from a little frozen pea to help with constipation, too, or a day fasting once a week as preventative.

Personally, I have NOT found Melafix very helpful with serious infections, so I would not bother buying it if you determine your fish has something serious like dropsy. (It really is only good to head off a mild infection or fin rot.) With dropsy, the fish's scales will be sticking out like a pine cone. Even the breeders who run the websites below don't recommend Melafix for serious infections; it's not strong enough. You will need a broad spectrum antibiotic or antifungal in that case. The websites will be helpful in telling you what to get. (Petco or PetSmart carry Maroxy, Maroxy 2, Jungle Fungus Eliminator, tetracycline and other effective medicines.)

Don't give up and don't be discouraged on what others have posted here! You wouldn't want your family to give up on you if you were sick. It may not be as bad as dropsy (constipation is very treatable), and you could save the life of your fish with a little research and TLC. I wish you and your fish good luck!

Answer 2

Sounds like he may either be constipated or have dropsy. If his scales on his belly are sticking out, he has dropsy and needs medicine you can find at the pet store. If the scales aren't sticking out, get a few peas (frozen or not, cut them in half, and put them in the tank. They help alot with constipation in bettas.

Oh, and by the way, bettas in divider tanks don't do well because they are always flaring for the other males and they get really stressed because they don't ever rest. You should get separate tanks for them.

Answer 3

Is he performing any more effective useful because the water ameliorations? i imagine he looks somewhat swollen/bloated besides. in a unmarried image, it fairly a lot looks that could be what's causing the colour loss, because evidently interior an identical section because the bloating is. First, supply up utilising the salt. in consumer-friendly words use aquarium salt if treating for parasites or if there is nitrites modern contained in the tank. also, supply up utilising the ph adjusting product. those are junk, and could surely reason more effective damage then good till you comprehend what you're doing by way of adjusting the ph. often, after utilising this stuff, the ph will leap lower back the position it become initially very rapidly, causing added rigidity on the fish. maximum fish will tolerate ph from 6.0-8.0 basically fantastic. go away it truly is what it truly is at certainly on your position. i might want to point choosing up a smaller gravel vacuum on your tank length, and commence doing weekly water ameliorations. no matter if the betta doesn't make it, in case you intend on getting yet another, all fish extremely favor to have their tanks wiped clean out weekly. without understanding what the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates were that o.k. may be what the probable become. each of the indications you've defined from the colour loss, bloating, clamped fins, etc. might want to be indicators of undesirable water high quality. i might want to proceed with the ordinary water ameliorations for the subsequent few days. Then get on a weekly agenda. %. up some epsom salt besides, and upload somewhat that to the tank. i might want to upload about a million/2 teaspoon. Epsom salt helps with constipation, and also helps to allure to fluids out. Aquarium salt keeps fluids, so lower back, do not use that anymore till treating for what I particular above. also for the subsequent few days, in consumer-friendly words feed him a small portion of the interior a pea. That helps with constipation besides. it really is all i might want to do at this factor for remedy. If he's gonna make it, it will be because of the progression in water high quality. If he's too a techniques lengthy gone, the different stuff maximum probably received't help, and that i do not see a choose for utilising any med at this factor because it extremely doesn't sound like a bacterial or parasite project. good success!

Answer 4

Before doing these things, quarantine your sick betta in his own tank/bowl using water and gravel from the tank with the dividers.

Do three things:
1. Get medicine drops from petco/petsmart/any fish store/any pet store in the fish aisle. Get a product called Malefix. It comes in a blueish-purple bottle and is a general antibiotic cure all for fish.

2. Add aquarium salt to the water. Even though bettas are freshwater fish, salt helps sick fish, especially tropical fish like bettas. Add 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt per 5 gallons of water. Buy this where you buy the malefix. NOT TABLE SALT

3. Give him warm water. Like salt, it helps sick tropical fish. Just add luke warm tap water around 85 degrees (Conditioned/dechlorinated as always)

Always remember these things to keep your betta healthy:
- Always dechlorinate/condition the water you add to your tank. Don't EVER add straight tap water because it contains chlorine, chloromine, ammonia, and other metals that are very harmful to your fish. Get water conditioner drops at walmart/petco/petsmart.

- Don't put your betta in a tiny tank (under 2 gallons). Bettas can SURVIVE in tiny tanks but they live way longer and happier in a larger tank. Filters are necessary and extremely useful if you don't like doing such frequent water changes. Heaters are good too if you don't live in a hot climate.

Hope your betta gets better!

Answer 5

Sounds like something (food) caught up in his gut, or he's got dropsy (scales standing out like a pine cone). He may be on the way out, they only live 3 or 4 years and much less if they are not cared for properly. Try cleaning out his home, change the water, and put in a pinch of epsom salt, don't feed him for a few days, then change his water again before a week passes. It may help but there's no garentee. If he dies go get a prettier one to replace him.

Answer 6

I'm not sure about the sickness but I'd just like to restate what others are saying about dividers. They may be interesting to watch because the fish are flaring all the time and displaying their fins. But these are terrible for the fish. Wouldn't you be stressed out and tired if you were furious and wanting to fight someone all the time? I know I'd be exhausted from all the stress.

Answer 7

I'm sorry to tell you this, but it is probably going ot die because this has happened to me twice. So I just stopped getting Betta fish. They are so hard to take care of.

Answer 8

Sorry, but I think that his days are numbered. There really isn't much that you can do. BUT, in an attempt, I would change the tank he is in, maybe the fresh water will help. Not much but worth a try. Sorry.

Answer 9

Doesn't sound good for him... definately remove him from other fish, check his water and pray.

Answer 10

it sounds like dropsy (it has kidney damage) is his scales standing out? furaloid might help?