I'm freaking out, my little water baby is sick. I just got him from PetSmart 3 days ago and I thought he died on the way home. I'm pretty sure he has swim bladder disease, but now I'm thinking it might be something else. There's this weird bulge on his side near his tail, do you think he has parasites?
I've got him in a temporary fish bowl for now, just till he's better. I tried giving him a tiny bit of frozen pea, but nothing's working. He's so gorgeous, his colors are amazing and his blue eyes are stunning. I've been trying out names - Finnly, Duncan, or Castiel, but nothing seems perfect yet. I added some pics from his first night, check them out.
help, my betta is sick
Re: help, my betta is sick
Honestly, that tiny bowl is probably doing more harm than good. You should really consider putting your little guy in a proper tank.
Did you remember to add water conditioner when you set up the bowl? Have you changed the water at all since bringing him home? And did you condition the water then too?
Did you remember to add water conditioner when you set up the bowl? Have you changed the water at all since bringing him home? And did you condition the water then too?
Re: help, my betta is sick
I think double tails can be pretty susceptible to swim bladder issues and tumors. Same with the bowl, get him out of there.
Re: help, my betta is sick
Can you get some more pics of him from the side, I really want to see that bulge you're talking about.
Re: help, my betta is sick
I'm not sure why you're bringing up stress, my betta wasn't stressed, he was just exploring his new environment. Betta fish are naturally curious, they love checking out their surroundings. When they do get stressed, they usually just lay on the bottom of the tank with their fins clamped.Luminar wrote: ↑Mon Mar 10, 2025 4:48 am I'm freaking out, my little water baby is sick. I just got him from PetSmart 3 days ago and I thought he died on the way home. I'm pretty sure he has swim bladder disease, but now I'm thinking it might be something else. There's this weird bulge on his side near his tail, do you think he has parasites?
I've got him in a temporary fish bowl for now, just till he's better. I tried giving him a tiny bit of frozen pea, but nothing's working. He's so gorgeous, his colors are amazing and his blue eyes are stunning. I've been trying out names - Finnly, Duncan, or Castiel, but nothing seems perfect yet. I added some pics from his first night, check them out.
A proper tank cycle can take weeks, it's not something that happens overnight. You need to build up beneficial bacteria that can break down toxins produced by the fish. This is typically done by adding pure ammonia to the tank, which helps the bacteria grow.
Here's a great resource that explains the process in more detail: Cycling Your First Fresh Water Tank. It's a good read for anyone looking to set up a healthy tank for their fish.
Re: help, my betta is sick
A 24-hour run time isn't even close to a cycled tank, and I'm guessing there's no filter on it either. Can you show us a photo of the tank?Luminar wrote: ↑Mon Mar 10, 2025 4:48 am I'm freaking out, my little water baby is sick. I just got him from PetSmart 3 days ago and I thought he died on the way home. I'm pretty sure he has swim bladder disease, but now I'm thinking it might be something else. There's this weird bulge on his side near his tail, do you think he has parasites?
I've got him in a temporary fish bowl for now, just till he's better. I tried giving him a tiny bit of frozen pea, but nothing's working. He's so gorgeous, his colors are amazing and his blue eyes are stunning. I've been trying out names - Finnly, Duncan, or Castiel, but nothing seems perfect yet. I added some pics from his first night, check them out.
It's unlikely the tank size freaked him out - bettas are used to swimming in small spaces in the wild. Being moved is stressful, but that's not the issue here. The real problem is that you've got him in an uncycled bowl, which is probably toxic by now. That's likely why he's sick. What he needs is a filtered, cycled tank with daily water changes, using water conditioner and matching the temperature to the tank.
Re: help, my betta is sick
At the very least, you need to change 80% of the water in that tiny bowl, and make sure to use a water conditioner. Your little guy's been stuck in less than a gallon of water for three days now, and I'm willing to bet the ammonia levels are through the roof - it's probably torturing him.
Re: help, my betta is sick
You'll also benefit from moving him to the bigger tank. Invest in the API master kit and test the water daily for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Change at least 50% of the water, ideally 75%, whenever the ammonia and nitrites read above 0. You'll be doing this for a few weeks. What's the temperature of the water, by the way? I've got a heater in mine, after all, they are tropical fish.
Re: help, my betta is sick
The poor little guy's definitely showing signs of ammonia burns, and it's heartbreaking. I strongly advise upgrading to a minimum 5-gallon tank as soon as possible - 10 gallons would be ideal, though.belleora wrote: ↑Mon Mar 10, 2025 6:17 am Honestly, that tiny bowl is probably doing more harm than good. You should really consider putting your little guy in a proper tank.
Did you remember to add water conditioner when you set up the bowl? Have you changed the water at all since bringing him home? And did you condition the water then too?
If you can't get your hands on the API Master Test Kit, consider taking a water sample to your local fish store. They usually test it for free, so be sure to ask them for the actual numbers, not just a vague "it's fine."
Re: help, my betta is sick
I'm not going to explain every single decision I made, but I'll try to give you a better understanding of what's going on. When I put my little guy in the 10-gallon tank, he freaked out, and I don't just mean he was stressed - he was diving down headfirst, flipping over, and his gills were going crazy. That's the same thing my first betta did before she passed away, and I'm not going to take any chances with this little guy.
I know some of you think I'm being too cautious, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I've had bettas before, and I know they can't be kept together, which is why they all have their own separate tanks. My little baby girl betta is in a 2-gallon tank right now, and she loves it.
I've had this little guy for three days, and I've been taking good care of him. I've been doing 100% water changes, keeping his water clean, and making sure the temperature is just right. I've also been keeping an eye on his condition, and I've noticed some improvement. He's not floating at the top of the tank with his body bent anymore, and that's a good sign.
I'm not going to argue with you about the best way to care for my betta. I just want to help him get better, and I appreciate any advice that's actually helpful. But please, don't assume you know what's going on just because you've read a few posts. I've been taking care of this little guy for three days, and I think I know what's best for him.
And by the way, I did not make this little guy sick. He was already sick when I bought him, and I'm just trying to help him recover. I've been doing my best to care for him, and I'd appreciate it if you could just offer some helpful advice instead of making accusations.