help with beta fish...PLEASE!!

M

Mino

Northern Dreamer
Hey people...I know you are not animal or fish doctors but I'm watching my little aqautic friend dying on me and hoping you guys might know some tips. He is a male beta (siamese fighting fish) he and a couple of feeder fish (algea eaters) were living in a ten gallon tank without a problem then everyone started getting sick when I introduced a new filter pump into their world. The feeder fish (small) died off first and the beta started to lose color. So I changed the water in the tank and the betas condition seemed to improve for a couple of days. The second feeder fish died and today I came home to find the beta all curled up on the bottom of the tank. He was clearly using all his available energy to reach the surface for air but did not have the strenght to go the nine or so inch distance. I removed him plus some of his same water into a shallow holding tank so he could get air. This has worked so far. I am now setting up a second tank with new water which is coming up to tank temp as I write this. I'm hoping that if there is a contaminant in the old water I will have eliminated it and thus save his life. I am just hoping some of you may know some other life saving tricks which might help this little friend of mine. He is very special to me for sentimental reasons and if I have to be up all night with the little guy...So be it!!! If you have any ideas or knowledge in this area PLEASE HELP!
 
I always heard Beta are happiest in a small container vs a large tank. Have you tried any tank drops that balance the ph? Don't just put him in raw tap water.

Just my 2 cents. Hope he's ok.
 
Thanks kai...This guy has thrived in a ten gallon tank for almost two years with treated water as in drops added. I have him stabalized now and he is doing much better now he can get to the surface for his air. It turns out he has a swim bladder disorder caused usually by constapation. He's very pissed that he's in an emergency ward (Brandy Snifter) and that I'm trying to force feed him a cooked organic pea on a tooth pick. This will cure his POO Pooing disorder...Or so the experts are telling me.
 
Just please tell me you're fliming the organic pea on a toothpick forcefeeding! That is something people are willing to pay to see. I've got $1.99 ready for iTunes...
 
I have one that has been alive for about 3 years and hes in some old flower vase. He seems to survive some pretty nasty stuff. I forget to change the water sometimes and im reminded by the smell. I dont know how he lives in it when its like that. They seem to never run out of oxygen either.
 
They are a hearty little fish for sure. They breath mostly from the surface, every once in a while you'll see them charge staight up to the top of their tank/container/vase and grab a mouthful of air. That was the problem with my little guy, he has almost a foot to push to the top and with his swim bladder ailment he has little or no control over his tail fin. Though he was trying he just couldn't make the surface. He was in fact suffocating at the bottom of the tank. I reasoned that If I brought the surface closer to him he might make it, and so far it's going well. He's not out of the woods by any stretch. My boss will not understand me taking the day of for a five dollar fish I've no doubt so I will have to lie and say he is an extrtemely rare championship show fish worth thousands...Which of courseto me, he is.
 
Thanks all for trying to help but my little buddy rejoined the universal energy pool during the night his contribution to my reality being complete I guess. I'll miss the little bugger. So long William and thanks for the two years of happiness you brought me! Thanks for trying to help guys.
 
Sorry to hear that. The depth shouldnt have been a problem though I had one in a 120 gallon tank at the office and he did fine until i went and bought another one and threw it in there. I figured that there was enough room for the both of them in such a big tank. WRONG. They fought to the death when I wasnt looking. They pull each others fins off until the other cant swim anymore.
 
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