Help Please!! Beta Gill Problem and Others!

[Ntreri]

Yesterday, my parents purchased a glass fishbowl for my birthday. We bought a Betta that night, and he looked fine while in the store. We brought him home, and we noticed a little later that his left gill sticks out more than his right one. Is this normal, or is something wrong with him?

Also, does anyone have any suggestions on keeping the water temperature between 75 and 82F, or is it ok for the water temperature to drop below that?

I tried feeding him this morning, but he did not touch his food, but he goes up to the surface, grabs a mouthful of air, and blows bubbles under-water. Is this natural for Bettas? How will I know if my Betta is hungry or not?

He is still in the cup that we bought him in. We plan on transferring him to his glass bowl this evening. Is there a certain way you have to do this, or can we scoop him out of the water with a net and quickly set him in the bowl?

We are letting the water sit for 24 hours and have added a "Stress Coat" to remove the chlorine from his water. Is there anything else we need to do or know about keeping a Betta? :?

Also, will my Betta jump out of his cup, or out of his glass bowl when I put him in it? I have 2 dogs that might eat him, and a cat that would play with him. Should I cover the bowl?

Also, our house gets cold at night. Will my Betta freeze to death, or will he be fine? The water was kind of cold this morning, (around 72.6F) so we put a lamp above the water and it is slowly climbing back to the regular temperature.

Please help!! Sushi (my Betta) is my first fish! I don't want to lose him!

[William]

Yesterday, my parents purchased a glass fishbowl for my birthday. We bought a Betta that night, and he looked fine while in the store. We brought him home, and we noticed a little later that his left gill sticks out more than his right one. Is this normal, or is something wrong with him?

This doesn't have to mean anything!

Also, does anyone have any suggestions on keeping the water temperature between 75 and 82F, or is it ok for the water temperature to drop below that?

It is best to keep that temperature but a little below that (1-2 degrees F) is ok if it can't be avoided.

I tried feeding him this morning, but he did not touch his food, but he goes up to the surface, grabs a mouthful of air, and blows bubbles under-water. Is this natural for Bettas? How will I know if my Betta is hungry or not?

The Betta is new so it might not eat for a couple of days. feed very sparingly the first weeks as the bowl is new. the air bubble behaviour is natural. Feed him no more than he can eat in 2 min 2 times a day and he'll be fine.

He is still in the cup that we bought him in. We plan on transferring him to his glass bowl this evening. Is there a certain way you have to do this, or can we scoop him out of the water with a net and quickly set him in the bowl?

Just scooping him isn't a good idea. Are you using a heater or is both the cup and the fish bowl room temp?

We are letting the water sit for 24 hours and have added a "Stress Coat" to remove the chlorine from his water. Is there anything else we need to do or know about keeping a Betta? Confused

Keeping a betta is a lot like keeping any other fish with the exception that they breed air. Download and read my ebook.

Also, will my Betta jump out of his cup, or out of his glass bowl when I put him in it? I have 2 dogs that might eat him, and a cat that would play with him. Should I cover the bowl?

Covering the bowl is a good idea but make sure that the cover allows for air exchange between the bowl and the air in the room. bettas breed air!

Also, our house gets cold at night. Will my Betta freeze to death, or will he be fine? The water was kind of cold this morning, (around 72.6F) so we put a lamp above the water and it is slowly climbing back to the regular temperature.

He will likely not die but might be more sensetive to disease and a higher temp would be better. Perhaps you can by a small heater.

Please help!! Sushi (my Betta) is my first fish! I don't want to lose him!

We all want him to live

[Ntreri]

Thank you for your help! I really appreciate it!

This morning, I looked more closely at his his gill, and it's all inflamed. I'm not sure what's wrong with him, but I hope it's nothing serious.

Thank you for for all your help again!

[William]

I would talk to however sold you the Betta if the gill is inflammated. Your Betta realy shouldn't have that an inflamation one day after you bought it.

A higher temperature and bettafix (or similar med) should help the Betta to heal. You can try adding aquarium salt to the water (1 tablespoon / 5 gallon water) if your unable to get bettafix or similar. However I still think it is the responsibility of the seller to sell you healthy fish and that he should replace the Betta or give you what you need to treat him.

[Ntreri]

Bettafix? Is that a brand of medication for Bettas?

And what exactly does aquarium salt do?

Thank you so much for your help!

[mimi13]

Wow, you named him Sushi too? OK, I can only give you advice by memory, because you have so many questions, (which is not a bad thing!), my betta sometimes does not eat, but that dosen't mean anything, he will eat in a day or two. As for the cup to bowl transition, I pour the water from the store cup into a net and drop him into his tank. My fish flares his gills A LOT, so one sticking out more than the other, it probably just means he is preparing to flare, but there is nothing to flare at! I hope I helped...... :)

[mimi13]

My fish has lived for two months now, with no sign of illness, and I don't even have a filter or a heater! You should talk to the pet store because he should not have an inflamed gill the first day you got him. Where did you get him? I got my Sushi at petsmart.

[mimi13]

my temp goes up and down a lot because my mother needs air because its hot, then it gets cold, so she needs heat. IT IS EVER-CHANGING!!!

[mimi13]

:D

[CatfishLover]

my friend use to have a beta and fed it once a week and lived for about 5 years.

[William]

Yes bettefix is a brand of meds. But other brands that treat gill inflammation should work qually good.

Aquarium salt reduces bacteria growth among many diseases and can thereby cure fish from many diseases.

[Ntreri]

Thanx! We are going to the local pet store this morning to pick up some new food because Sushi isn't eating his pellets. My aunt has a few Bettas, and she said hers wouldn't eat them either. She said to try "Tetramin Tropical Flakes". On the bottle it says good for Bettas, so we are going to try that. We are also going to look for some meds.

Btw Mimi, I got my Sushi at Petsmart too! ^_^

Thank you for all the help!

[Ntreri]

We got Sushi some Aquarium Salt and some Bettafix. Plus some new food. He is eating regular again! =D

We also put some Bettafix in his water, and his gill is looking a little bit healthier. He is also the most lively I have seen him yet!

Also, how do we find out if Sushi is an aggressive Betta or not? =\

Thank you for all your help!

[William]

Put a mirror in the tank and let him fight himself ;-)