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HELP! My BETTA IS (Still alive) FLOATING AT THE TOP OF THE TANK.


EnderRen
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My Betta fish is floating at the top of my tank not doing much, and I have no idea why. Before This he was hiding all the time, but now he is just at the top of the tank. He has not eaten in days (that I know of), I have tried two different foods at this point. He wouldn't stop hiding, and he is now doing nothing at the top of the tank. I need help. Is it my flow or is it something else that I am unaware might be happening. I dosed seachem prime just now (a decent sized dose), so that should help if it is water chemistry. (I just did a water change yesterday as well). He is just kinda letting the filter push him around. I fed him some food right in front of him, and he did not eat. I have no idea what is going on, so help is much appreciated.

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On 1/2/2023 at 8:02 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Any signs of sickness?

@Colu

not that I know of, my best guess would be swim bladder disease, but I could be wrong. I don't really know what sicknesses bettas could have. He has is gills flayed as far open as the will go and he is floating at the top of the tank lethargically and he has not eaten. It is not Ich at least.

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On 1/2/2023 at 2:40 PM, EnderRen said:

I have an airstone and 3 platties

Some information would be helpful whats your water parameters ammonia nitrite nitrate temp etc any signs of bloating what type of filtration are you using how often have you been feeding him when he was excepting food also a picture of the sick fish might help with a diagnosis 

Edited by Colu
Stupid autocorrect
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On 1/2/2023 at 10:00 AM, Colu said:

Some information would be helpful whats your water parameters ammonia nitrite nitrate temp etc any signs of bloating what type of filtration are you using how often have you been feeding him when he was excepting food also a picture if the sick fish might help with a diagnosis 

I checked my water, and all the parameters are fine, and I use an aqua clear, air stone, I have tried feeding him once a day 2 pellets (which he has not eaten). I have tried a couple of other foods, but I figure if he is hungry enough he will eat eventually.

0?ui=2&ik=ea29ac0f22&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-a:r3024481586303277542&th=185730475754bc9d&view=fimg&realattid=1857304475d2e42bc731&disp=thd&attbid=ANGjdJ9_rhC_XsnQweAcfFdbxSvvitkFMR705nqCa81rXJXGQCE8ZL3SIHDpdpOs-L393-Eo_j8_7rjOP3ujwHG_nPVPIZcfee5c-5QXPO7kDf_mP-OZCpLFFbe2TCc&ats=2524608000000&sz=w1868-h893

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On 1/2/2023 at 3:06 PM, EnderRen said:

I checked my water, and all the parameters are fine, and I use an aqua clear, air stone, I have tried feeding him once a day 2 pellets (which he has not eaten). I have tried a couple of other foods, but I figure if he is hungry enough he will eat eventually.

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What your temperature at as most cases of illness in Betta are because they are kept at to low temperature they do best at 82 can you try uploading the picture again it's not loaded properly 

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On 1/2/2023 at 12:15 PM, Miranda Marie said:

How long have you had the fish (betta and the platties) and how long has the tank been set up? 

Not very long

 

On 1/2/2023 at 11:07 AM, Colu said:

What your temperature at as most cases of illness in Betta are because they are kept at to low temperature they do best at 82 can you try uploading the picture again it's not loaded properly 

I keep it at about 78-79 because 80 is too hot for the plattys

He also looks like his scales are sticking out, so that is probably not good.

I think he has dropsy 😥 I got him just 3 days ago and he has dropsy...

Edited by EnderRen
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On 1/2/2023 at 9:06 AM, EnderRen said:

all the parameters are fine

 

On 1/2/2023 at 1:29 PM, EnderRen said:

Not very long

We need more specifics to help. A lot of times people will say paramaters are fine and they aren't or "not very long" could mean a lot of things. It could mean 2 day or it could be 2 months. Both of which are very different situations. 

We need exact numbers for parameters and a time estimate in days or months. 

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On 1/2/2023 at 2:55 PM, Cinnebuns said:

 

We need more specifics to help. A lot of times people will say paramaters are fine and they aren't or "not very long" could mean a lot of things. It could mean 2 day or it could be 2 months. Both of which are very different situations. 

We need exact numbers for parameters and a time estimate in days or months. 

Amonia 0 Nitrites 0 Nitrates 10 ppm. Ph 7.5 Water Hardness 120. 78 degrees F, I started the tank about 3 weeks ago. 

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If he's got pineconing I would start treating with Aquarium salt 1 table for 3 gallons that will help reduce any possible fluid buildup as he's not eating I would treat the tank with kanaplex it's a good antibiotic treatment for kidney infection that can cause the fluid buildup and I follow up with a course of metroplex that treats aeromonas bacteria can cause some of the symptoms associated with dropsy @EnderRen

Edited by Colu
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On 1/2/2023 at 3:10 PM, Colu said:

If he's got pineconing I would start treating with Aquarium salt 1 table for 3 gallons that will help reduce any possible fluid buildup as he's not eating I would treat the tank with kanaplex it's a good antibiotic treatment for kidney infection that can cause the fluid buildup and I follow up with a course of metroplex that treats aeromonas bacteria can cause some of the symptoms associated with dropsy @EnderRen

Alight I'll go and do that

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Update, I don't think my poor betta is gonna make it through this dropsy. 😥This is very discouraging, but it will not keep me from keeping fish, I will just try to prevent such a thing from occurring again. Though it still feels terrible. I don't know when he started getting dropsy, but I think by the time I noticed it, it was too late. I spent 33 dollars on the best looking betta in the fish store only for it to catch dropsy and die ;-; I hate to have this happen so, do you guys have any tips on how to prevent this from happening again?

Edited by EnderRen
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On 1/2/2023 at 10:33 PM, EnderRen said:

Update, I don't think my poor betta is gonna make it through this dropsy. 😥This is very discouraging, but it will not keep me from keeping fish, I will just try to prevent such a thing from occurring again. Though it still feels terrible. I don't know when he started getting dropsy, but I think by the time I noticed it, it was too late. I spent 33 dollars on the best looking betta in the fish store only for it to catch dropsy and die ;-; I hate to have this happen so, do you guys have any tips on how to prevent this from happening again?

When something like this happens, what's most important is that you learn from it to better yourself for the next fish. If you do that, then the experience is worth it and had a purpose. This hobby has harash consequences for even the smallest of mistakes, but if each of those consequences leads you to being better the next time, then it did its job. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders about this hobby so I expect you will bounce back and be better for it. 

My advice is to try a different fish. Bettas are very hit or miss health wise. Some are very inbred while others are just not well cared for before they make it to you. What was it that you liked about the betta? Maybe we can find a fish that fits the qualities you liked. 

Edited by Cinnebuns
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I hope your betta pulls through. If he doesn't, you should know that this is a sort of a sad right of passage. The may have been something you could have seen or done of you were more experienced but staying out there's only so much you can realistically know.

Don't beat yourself up too much about it. Make sure you learn from this, look into potential causes and what you can do in the future to prevent/treat it.

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On 1/3/2023 at 1:39 AM, Cinnebuns said:

When something like this happens, what's most important is that you learn from it to better yourself for the next fish. If you do that, then the experience is worth it and had a purpose. This hobby has harash consequences for even the smallest of mistakes, but if each of those consequences leads you to being better the next time, then it did its job. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders about this hobby so I expect you will bounce back and be better for it. 

My advice is to try a different fish. Bettas are very hit or miss health wise. Some are very inbred while others are just not well cared for before they make it to you. What was it that you liked about the betta? Maybe we can find a fish that fits the qualities you liked. 

Well, it fits in a ten gallon perfectly, I wanted a center piece fish, and I just love the look of betta fish. He also happened to have a unique pastel coloration for a betta which I found very attractive. So if you have any other suggestions for fish like them I would love to hear it!

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If you've only had the betta for 3 days then it possibly was sick to begin with from the store.  I try to proactively quarantine and feed medicated food (antibiotics & antiparasite) for like 5-7 days when getting new fish.  I've been successful so far with my betta sorority this way (fingers crossed).  Maybe this will help next time.  

Good luck to you!

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If your Betta has past then maybe it is time to consider your options.

Do you want to be a fish keeper? If yes then it's time to research the nitrogen cycle and the different between cycled and seasoned tanks. Lots of vids available on both things via YouTube and aquarium coop site.

Betta's are not the easiest fish to keep but an understanding of the above topics will help you have success with them .

I'm sorry you had such issues with your first fish maybe take your time get a tank through the "cycle" and pick a new fish that suits your set up and local water .

I've kept a goldfish alive for more than 25 years but never had a Betta more than 18 months so there is something too be said about the right fish for the right water.

Sorry if I sound harsh at the start of this I want you to be a happy fish keeper but not all fish suit all tanks and at the beginning it is best to work with your water. It's not that you are doing something wrong just that you were not being set on a path to success at the get go.

If you want to be an aquascaper then you need to focus on plants and inverts rather than fish. You'll still need to understand the nitrogen cycle but you'll have different limits to play with.

Betta fish are super pretty but seem to be road to heart ache. There are lots of pretty fish out there that will suit your needs with a little research.

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