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Little Green

Thurs: day 4: Not much to tell today. She is doing very well...the spot on her eye is definitly getting smaller, her fins are all healing nicely and she is friendly and chipper as ever. Didn't do anything different with her today, just added the daily dose of bettafix...oh...I did by some Betta Gold for my fish today. Gave them all a nibble for dinner tonight.

Emg2 <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Little Green

Friday day 5 : Well, I did it...I put Green in her new tank. She was looking so well and I couldn't see how hanging out in that dirty little bowl could be good for her. Made sure there was a dose of bettafix in her new tank..it had been cycling for about 3 days. Took my time acclimating her to the new water and...in she went. (picture of her in her new home on "rate a fish")

The spot on her eye is just about gone..her fins are looking good..only a little more growing in to do...all is looking well with her. Will continue with the bettafix for the entire 7 days and keep an eye out for anything else that could crop up.

Emg2

Way to go, Green!!!! I will check out the pix next and vote.

Little Green

Sunday day 7: After watching Green in her new tank I have noticed that she seems to have a bit of swim bladder disfunction going. I don't know if she had this since I got her...being in that little bowl makes it hard to watch how they swim. It seems to be only slight and only noticeable when she holds her position. Seems to be tipping just a little side to side. Most of the time she is up at the top of the water..when she does swim down towards the bottom she pops right back up.

Hhmmm....time to read up on swim bladder disfunction in fish. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Emg2

Little Green

I ended up putting little green back in the bowl for treatment. She seems well enough and cheerful, but has a fuzzy thing on one gill that is being stubborn. I don't know what it is, too small to really get a good look at it. For all I know it could just be tear in her gill parts as she had been pretty beat up when I got her.

Anyway, treating her with salt and bettafix still. Also she swims a little tilted, but not very noticably. Maybe I'm just too fussy ? :rolleyes:

Emg :rolling:

Hello to everyone:I am new to this site and found it trying to research betta fish to help my sick betta. His name is bubbles and he is the prettiest blue/purple betta you have ever seen. I have had him for about 4 months now. Funny thing is that is was a birthday present! Cool huh? Anyways bubbles has always be very healthy and happy until now. He is not eating anything. I am learning a lot about bettas but still have so much to learn. I am wanting some help though with his care. I have read so many different ways that people take care of there bettas and wanting some more info. Right now I am mainly trying to figure out why he is not eating. I use distilled conditioned water, and some say this is not good? If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!
THANKS- BELLEA!

Emg, Little Green seems to have a fungus on the gill. I had a betta who had that, and it's very hard to get rid of. It keeps popping up, just after you think you've got it fixed.

Probably moving from her safe little hospital tank into the larger home stressed her out. Try feeding some live foods to make her stronger. Kepp her in the small tank at good temps, keep medicating and adding salt, and feeding live food. Make sure her new home is warm enough - you might need a jr heater instead of ambient light to keep temps from fluctuating.

I don't know why she would be having swim bladder problems, that's not common in bettas that are otherwise healthy. SOunds like she just had a bout of indigestion - another good reason to get her on live foods.

About the fungus, though - a stronger treatment might be your best bet to get rid of it once and for all. Wait til she's stronger though, since those treatments are hard on them.

Wow - alot of work for one small fish. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I think she wil be just fine. She will need your special care for a while longer. :love:

Hi Bellea. Thanks for joinng us crazy betta addicts! It's better to use conditioned tap water, rather than distilled, which is, in essence, dead water. There is a conditioner just for bettas, called Splendid Betta Complete Water Condioner, and I rely on it heavily. Any good condioner can help you though. One that adds slime coat protection is best.

Your fish may not be eating for a bunch of reasons. One might be too cold temps - or having been exposed recently to colder temps. Or foul water condions, or too high an ammonia or nitrite spike. Take a bit of your water to a fish shop for testing, or buy a kit. The do a partial water change, and raise the temps.

tell me more about how Bubbles is housed, and your care routine, okay? <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hello Jilly

Maybe I should throw one of the smaller shrimp in with Green from time to time ... <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

But seriously, what would you recommend as far as live food goes? I don't see a whole lot for live foods at the petshops. I was figuring in the spring when the mosquitos come out to set up a bucket of water and catch some larva.

I had asked a fella at one fish store about brine shrimp, he said they were quite a job to keep up....had to get a brine shrimp hatchery thing and everything. But maybe he was just trying to sell me something....I didn't buy it. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Emg :beamedup:

Hello Jilly,

This is Bellea. Thanks for the tips. I actually have some good news to report, my betta bubbles has eaten for the first time in a few days. He ate 4 pellets. I have heard bettas don't eat much but Bubbles seemed to always be really hungry. I would never give him more than the food label said to but he ate a lot. At least he ate some today.

You wanted me to tell you more about his bowl setup and everything. Well I have been using distilled water like I said before, but I am going to start using tap water soon. I have a question though. With the tap water do you have to let it sit out a while before you use it. I know you use conditining soultion but that does not seem like enough because the conditioner I use comes from walmart and it is simply called stress coat. It acts like you just put one drop in and that is all since I don't have a big tank or anything. I will have to try that splendid betta conditioner I have never heard of it probably b/c I have so far only gotten supplies from walmart. It was funny you told me to buy a testing kit b/c I did recently. I was not completely sure everything it was telling me but the results read that I had a dangeously high level of nitrate in the water. I immediately changed the water and tested it agian and the level was ok. I am wondering why this was true and wondering how long those levels might have been to high???? The alkalinety and hardness levels were really too low but I don't know what to do about that except maybe start using tap water.

I have never been to concerned with the temp. of the water b/c I did not know really to be. I knew he was a tropical fish so I needed not to let him get cold but I guess I will have to get a themometer. I felt of the water and it was a little cold. Also I had one of those fake plants in there and have been meaning to get him a real one. I have a rainbow colored cave in there that he loves to sleep in especailly, supposedly it is safe, i got it at walmart. But I am really wondering if it is, When I put it in there it was making lots of bubbles and a funny noise. It looked and sounded like I had dropped an alchaceltzer in the water. I have had the cave for almost the whole 4 months and have never noticed that before. One last thing I have these colored rocks in there. They are not gravel the are more like jewels, also can be found at walmart.

I have heard the term do a partial water change before but I am not sure really what you mean.

Sorry this is so long, hope this helps give you a better picture of how I have things. :kiss: