Sick betta not eating for the last 4-5 days

[Sergio]

My 2 and half month boy has now been sick for like 13-14 days.

He was the most active fish I have ever had by a lot. Suddenly a day after a 50% water change, I noticed he started to act weird and couldn't swim as normally. Something was bothering him. He then started to stay at the bottom at all times and only went up for air and then zoomed back to the bottom. Sometimes he would like twitch and zoom so fast around the tank and the stop and stay at the bottom as always. Then sometimes he would stay at the top on a hammock leaf. Now almost 14 days later and like 4+ days without eating, he's just kinda floating. He still can swim a little and seems to still have some strength on him, maybe because he is young. Never had a young fish get sick this fast, only 2.5 months with me.

His fins got a little bad while he's been sick, which is common in my experience with sick bettas.

He's in a 2.5g tank with a sponge filter.

What I can do to make him eat and to save him? I really don't want him to die this early 😔

Btw I have Kanaplex and aquarium salt on hand, and also a .75 or 1g hospital tank.

Edited April 11, 2023 by Sergio

[Colu]

What are your water parameters ammonia nitrite nitrate pH temperature @Sergio

[Sergio]

On 4/11/2023 at 8:08 PM, Colu said:

What are your water parameters ammonia nitrite nitrate pH temperature @Sergio

I have changed the water like 3 times in the last 8 days.

I have no idea about parameters, but I have like a couple of API strips that I can use. Some people say they aren't as accurate, but it's what I have right now.

Edited April 12, 2023 by Sergio

[Colu]

On 4/12/2023 at 1:25 AM, Sergio said:

I have changed the water like 3 times in the last 8 days.

I have no idea about parameters, but I have like a couple of API strips that I can use. Some people say they aren't as accurate, but it's what I have right now.

Without noing your water parameters it's difficult to make an assessment as most case of disease are caused by poor water quality incorrect  temperature to low or high poor diet 

[Sergio]

On 4/11/2023 at 9:17 PM, Colu said:

Without noing your water parameters it's difficult to make an assessment as most case of disease are caused by poor water quality incorrect  temperature to low or high poor diet 

I just changed 50% of the water right now. Like 3 times in 4 days. And dosed Seachem Prime. 5 days and he still doesn't eat, mostly floats and swims a little from side to side. Still has some energy for a sick betta who hasn't eaten in 5 days.

 

I did soak him on aquarium salt 2 times for like 10 minutes. But I'm so scared I didn't put too much salt in his half gallon hospital tank. Maybe I need to dose more salt for it to have some effect. He seemed relaxed in the aquarium salt, even swimming a little here and there.

I will use a strip later for parameters.

[Colu]

On 4/12/2023 at 7:10 AM, Sergio said:

I just changed 50% of the water right now. Like 3 times in 4 days. And dosed Seachem Prime. 5 days and he still doesn't eat, mostly floats and swims a little from side to side. Still has some energy for a sick betta who hasn't eaten in 5 days.

 

I did soak him on aquarium salt 2 times for like 10 minutes. But I'm so scared I didn't put too much salt in his half gallon hospital tank. Maybe I need to dose more salt for it to have some effect. He seemed relaxed in the aquarium salt, even swimming a little here and there.

I will use a strip later for parameters.

Do you have a heater and filter on his tanks as bettas do best with there temperature around 82 low temperature can cause loss of appetite 

[AntonioTheFishGuy]

I'd definitely stop changing the water every few days until you've checked the water parameters. If the water parameters are fine, then you may just be stressing him out more!

[Sergio]

On 4/13/2023 at 3:18 PM, AntonioTheFishGuy said:

I'd definitely stop changing the water every few days until you've checked the water parameters. If the water parameters are fine, then you may just be stressing him out more!

I moved him to new fresh water on a small hospital 0.75 gallon tank.

I'm now treating him there with Kanaplex. 

Been 6-7 days and he still hasn't eat anything... I'm afraid he doesn't have much left if he doesn't eat. He still has a little energy and swims a little here and there and gets air. He's just floating.

Can I add a little aquarium salt in there with the Kanaplex?

[Colu]

On 4/13/2023 at 10:19 PM, Sergio said:

I moved him to new fresh water on a small hospital 0.75 gallon tank.

I'm now treating him there with Kanaplex. 

Been 6-7 days and he still hasn't eat anything... I'm afraid he doesn't have much left if he doesn't eat. He still has a little energy and swims a little here and there and gets air. He's just floating.

Can I add a little aquarium salt in there with the Kanaplex?

Yes you can use aquarium salt with kanaplex 

[Sergio]

Sadly my baby boy died after 17 days sick. He didn't eat for the lasy 7-8 days, which impressed me. Compared to my 1st 2 boys, he died peacefully and didn't seem like he was suffering like my other 2 boys, who were getting really bloated, were struggling a lot and gasping for air at all times. 😢

 

He's the 1st fish who died so young, only 2.5 months old.

 

He died today and later today I discovered that his main tank had a lot of (20+) tiny worms of all sizes (biggest like inch or inch and a half) swimming around... Wonder what kind of worms they are. First time I have worms on my tank.

 

First pic is how the worms kinda looked like. 2nd pic was my beautiful boy Boni 🙏

 

Now I suspect those worms are what killed him.

[BAT]

Sorry to hear @Sergio

my betta is sick right now too

you did a great job caring for him.

RIP❤️