I'm at my wit's end - nearly all my betta sorority is down with what I think is dropsy. I first noticed one was bloated and lying on the bottom yesterday, so I isolated her in a breeder and skipped feeding, thinking it was just constipation. But this morning, one by one, the others started displaying the same symptoms - only two seem unaffected so far.
I'm stumped, as I'm certain my tank cycled ages ago - we're talking two years ago and a complete nitrogen cycle. However, my API Master kit is ancient - seven years old - and it's showing 0.25 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 5 nitrates. This raises more questions - has the test kit expired, or did I somehow lose my cycle? Meanwhile, two more bettas have developed bloating, and they're all lethargic and hiding. I've spotted faint pine-coning on a couple of them. Yesterday, they were all active and fine.
I gave the first sick betta an Epsom salt bath, but catching the others is proving impossible. I'm desperate for advice - my tank's equipped with a filter and heater, and the temp's steady at 80. My harlequin rasboras and balloon mollies seem completely unaffected. I've ordered a new API Master test kit from eBay, as the local stores only carry those inaccurate strips. The tank's a 20L, and I'm at a loss.
help, all my betta fish are getting sick
Re: help, all my betta fish are getting sick
To start, I'd love to know a bit more about your tank. How long has it been set up for? What's your water change routine like - how often do you do them, and how much water do you change each time? Do you also clean the gravel when you're doing a water change?
Also, have you added anything new to the tank in the past couple of weeks? And how long have you had the bettas for? Were they all introduced to the tank at the same time? You mentioned a 20L tank, is that correct? And just to confirm, how many fish do you have in the tank in total?
Regarding the test kit results, 0.25ppm ammonia isn't a huge amount, and it could be from something as simple as food you added to the tank recently, or even a dead plant. It's worth noting that test kits and medications are sensitive to heat and sunlight, so it's best to store them in a cool, dark place. I used to keep mine in a plastic ice cream bucket in the fridge.
Also, just a heads up, test kits and medications do contain some poisonous chemicals, so be sure to keep them out of reach of kids and pets. And when working with these things, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soapy water afterwards.
As for the bettas, it sounds like they might have an internal bacterial infection. This could be from poor quality food, a dirty tank or filter, or even tuberculosis. One thing you could try is doing a 75% water change and cleaning the gravel daily for a week. Just make sure any new water you add is free of chlorine and chloramine. If you haven't cleaned the filter in the past couple of weeks, now would be a good time to do that too.
You might also want to consider using antibiotics, although they probably won't save the ones that are already showing symptoms. And if it is tuberculosis, unfortunately, there's not much you can do about it.
Also, have you added anything new to the tank in the past couple of weeks? And how long have you had the bettas for? Were they all introduced to the tank at the same time? You mentioned a 20L tank, is that correct? And just to confirm, how many fish do you have in the tank in total?
Regarding the test kit results, 0.25ppm ammonia isn't a huge amount, and it could be from something as simple as food you added to the tank recently, or even a dead plant. It's worth noting that test kits and medications are sensitive to heat and sunlight, so it's best to store them in a cool, dark place. I used to keep mine in a plastic ice cream bucket in the fridge.
Also, just a heads up, test kits and medications do contain some poisonous chemicals, so be sure to keep them out of reach of kids and pets. And when working with these things, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soapy water afterwards.
As for the bettas, it sounds like they might have an internal bacterial infection. This could be from poor quality food, a dirty tank or filter, or even tuberculosis. One thing you could try is doing a 75% water change and cleaning the gravel daily for a week. Just make sure any new water you add is free of chlorine and chloramine. If you haven't cleaned the filter in the past couple of weeks, now would be a good time to do that too.
You might also want to consider using antibiotics, although they probably won't save the ones that are already showing symptoms. And if it is tuberculosis, unfortunately, there's not much you can do about it.
Re: help, all my betta fish are getting sick
I had a similar issue with my betta sorority, they all got bloated and developed a weird fuzz on their faces. I lost 11 beautiful females to columnaris, it was heartbreaking.
Re: help, all my betta fish are getting sick
I've dealt with TB in my tanks before, unfortunately, it's a familiar foe. I even contracted it myself at one point. However, I've never seen it hit all my fish at once like this. Typically, it would be one fish, and then months would pass before another would get sick.
To answer your questions, coltin, my tank has been set up for about 2 years now. I do water changes once a week, replacing around 40-50% of the water. I always clean the gravel during these changes. Recently, I've added a few new fish to the tank, just one or two at a time over the last few weeks. I didn't get all the bettas at the same time, and my tank is actually 20 gallons, not liters. As for the fish count, I have 9 bettas, 1 harlequin rasbora, and 2 balloon mollies.
I'm really worried that TB might be back. I thought I'd finally eradicated it, but I guess I was wrong. I'm devastated, to be honest. I'd grown attached to these fish, and the thought of losing them is heartbreaking. I tried various antibiotics last time, but nothing seemed to work. I spent a small fortune trying to save them, but it was all in vain.
I do have one question, though - could feeding my fish thawed frozen brine shrimp that had been left out overnight have caused this? I didn't think it through, and I fed it to them the next day, despite it being out for over 24 hours. Could that have triggered this outbreak?
To answer your questions, coltin, my tank has been set up for about 2 years now. I do water changes once a week, replacing around 40-50% of the water. I always clean the gravel during these changes. Recently, I've added a few new fish to the tank, just one or two at a time over the last few weeks. I didn't get all the bettas at the same time, and my tank is actually 20 gallons, not liters. As for the fish count, I have 9 bettas, 1 harlequin rasbora, and 2 balloon mollies.
I'm really worried that TB might be back. I thought I'd finally eradicated it, but I guess I was wrong. I'm devastated, to be honest. I'd grown attached to these fish, and the thought of losing them is heartbreaking. I tried various antibiotics last time, but nothing seemed to work. I spent a small fortune trying to save them, but it was all in vain.
I do have one question, though - could feeding my fish thawed frozen brine shrimp that had been left out overnight have caused this? I didn't think it through, and I fed it to them the next day, despite it being out for over 24 hours. Could that have triggered this outbreak?
Re: help, all my betta fish are getting sick
I'm thinking it might have something to do with the thawed frozen brine shrimp. Fasting them for a bit could be worth a shot, see how they respond. coltin, what are your thoughts on this?
Re: help, all my betta fish are getting sick
If it is indeed food poisoning, then antibiotics might be worth a shot, but be prepared for them to wreak havoc on your filter. Keep a close eye on ammonia and nitrite levels for the next few weeks, and consider reducing feeding and doing daily water changes to mitigate the impact.brookly wrote: ↑Fri Sep 16, 2022 3:14 pm I'm at my wit's end - nearly all my betta sorority is down with what I think is dropsy. I first noticed one was bloated and lying on the bottom yesterday, so I isolated her in a breeder and skipped feeding, thinking it was just constipation. But this morning, one by one, the others started displaying the same symptoms - only two seem unaffected so far.
I'm stumped, as I'm certain my tank cycled ages ago - we're talking two years ago and a complete nitrogen cycle. However, my API Master kit is ancient - seven years old - and it's showing 0.25 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 5 nitrates. This raises more questions - has the test kit expired, or did I somehow lose my cycle? Meanwhile, two more bettas have developed bloating, and they're all lethargic and hiding. I've spotted faint pine-coning on a couple of them. Yesterday, they were all active and fine.
I gave the first sick betta an Epsom salt bath, but catching the others is proving impossible. I'm desperate for advice - my tank's equipped with a filter and heater, and the temp's steady at 80. My harlequin rasboras and balloon mollies seem completely unaffected. I've ordered a new API Master test kit from eBay, as the local stores only carry those inaccurate strips. The tank's a 20L, and I'm at a loss.
Re: help, all my betta fish are getting sick
I'm not sure if I should be relieved or more worried, but I appreciate your insight, Colin - it's a huge help. I do have some antibiotics on hand, Fish Bendazole (Metro and Fenben) and also Tetracycline, so I'll definitely give them a try. I'm really hoping this will help save at least a few of my girls - I'm absolutely heartbroken over this.
Re: help, all my betta fish are getting sick
For the sake of your fish's health, it's crucial to only use fresh food. If you've got frozen fish food that's been defrosted and left out for more than an hour, get rid of it - don't risk feeding it to your fish or any other animal. Always err on the side of caution when it comes to their well-being.
Re: help, all my betta fish are getting sick
My vet friend had suspicions about some frozen blood worms being the culprit behind the columnaris outbreak in my tank. I decided to stop using all frozen foods altogether.