Really Sick Beta.. Help Please!!

[OpheliasTragedy]

I have a beta fish and about 2 days ago, I noticed him being extremely lethargic and not eating any food, also he was hiding out in his rock and not coming out, except to go up to the surface once and a while to either float about or what seemed like gasp for air. His black face also seems to be going gray, but not like a fungus is growing on him, just like he is simply changing colour, Also he has clapped fins and before I changed the water over he had cloudy eyes, however the eyes seem clear again and he doesn't seem to be gasping any longer, but all other symptoms seem to remain...I also tested my water and everything was where it should be. I also did a 40% water change. I don't know what is wrong with him.....

[LosC]

What did you test for? What are the results? Tell us more about the tank hes in. Size, heater, filtration, etc?

[OpheliasTragedy]

I tested the ammonia and the nitrates and nitrites.

He is in a 5 gallon tank with a sucker fish and 2 harlequins. and I have heater and a filter for the tank, which sits around 78 degrees.

[MeganL3985]

What size tank is it, what were the results of your tests, how often/much are you feeding and how old is the fish?

[LosC]

Sounds like he could be depressed or have a disease. It's hard to say right now what exactly is wrong with him. Try looking for other symptoms; patches or sores on him. You said he is changin color; what color is he changing? which part of his body? Check out his gills for inflammation or swelling, fins for color or rotting, body for his scales and color, does he look skinny, fat or normal? Most likely it will be depression unless you discover new symptoms.

[OpheliasTragedy]

It is his face that is changing colour, the thing is, he doesn't have any sores on him or any fin rot or anything, that is the really strange thing about it all.... He just simply stopped eating and is looking dull and and sick like.

[shalafi04]

How long is the light on for? What were the results of your amm. nit/nat tests?
and, on a side note, you need to move that pleco into a bigger tank 5gal is not good. I made that mistake when I first started keeping fish and he ended up dead

[karbomb]

by sucker fish do mean pleco? and how often do you do water changes?

[OpheliasTragedy]

it isn't a plecko. The person at the pet store told me how the plecko would outgrow my 5 gallon tank, so I went with a flying fox instead.


I do weekly water changes, of about 10% to 15% of the tank and I used aged water that I leave out for 24 hours to get to room temperature.

I also only leave the light on for a maximum of 10 hours per day, during the day, I heard the light shouldn't be left on any longer than that. Is that to long??

On first test my ammonia was a tiny bit high, I can't remember what exactly but it was still in the safe zone, but just, but still as a precaution I changed 40 % of the water anyhow. Since that 2 days ago, The ammonia has been back at zero and the the nitrates and nitrites were both in the safe zone. and that also seems to be when his eyes became a little less cloudy and he seemed to gasp less in the water.

I went to the pet store today, and both people working in there said that even though the ammonia wasn't that high, it sounded like he could have ammonia poisoning. So, they recommended I get aquarium salt, So I have purchased that and put it in the tank. They also said I should watch for fin rot and fungus now, cause he will be more susceptible to it cause of the ammonia poisoning.


I also picked up some blood worms and he ate a a little, not much but that is the first thing he has eaten since he got sick. I know that normally you should only feed the blood worms about once a week, but since he is sick should I be feeding him the blood worms like every other day switching it back and fourth with his regular beta food, until he is better to ensure he eats???

[karbomb]

it isn't a plecko. The person at the pet store told me how the plecko would outgrow my 5 gallon tank, so I went with a flying fox instead.


I do weekly water changes, of about 10% to 15% of the tank and I used aged water that I leave out for 24 hours to get to room temperature.

I also only leave the light on for a maximum of 10 hours per day, during the day, I heard the light shouldn't be left on any longer than that. Is that to long??

On first test my ammonia was a tiny bit high, I can't remember what exactly but it was still in the safe zone, but just, but still as a precaution I changed 40 % of the water anyhow. Since that 2 days ago, The ammonia has been back at zero and the the nitrates and nitrites were both in the safe zone. and that also seems to be when his eyes became a little less cloudy and he seemed to gasp less in the water.

I went to the pet store today, and both people working in there said that even though the ammonia wasn't that high, it sounded like he could have ammonia poisoning. So, they recommended I get aquarium salt, So I have purchased that and put it in the tank. They also said I should watch for fin rot and fungus now, cause he will be more susceptible to it cause of the ammonia poisoning.


I also picked up some blood worms and he ate a a little, not much but that is the first thing he has eaten since he got sick. I know that normally you should only feed the blood worms about once a week, but since he is sick should I be feeding him the blood worms like every other day switching it back and fourth with his regular beta food, until he is better to ensure he eats???
a flying fox fish needs to be in at least 25 gallons.
harlequins should be in schools of 5 or more and in at least a 10g tank
your little tank is very over stocked.
you should probably be doing 50% water changes weekly with a tank that overstocked. or maybe 30% water changes twice weekly.
he probably is suffering due to the overstocking. your tank probably can't handle the bio load.

[OpheliasTragedy]

A flying fox will also outgrow my tank??? I didn't know that. Ohhh alright, thanks so much, alright, well I will get out and buy a new tank then. Thanks so much for your help :) Now everyone just cross your fingers that I can save my poor little beta Gilbert...

[karbomb]

A flying fox will also outgrow my tank??? I didn't know that. Ohhh alright, thanks so much, alright, well I will get out and buy a new tank then. Thanks so much for your help :) Now everyone just cross your fingers that I can save my poor little beta Gilbert...
i would get a 30g with 5 flying fox fish (4 plus the one you have) and 12 harliquin rasboras total.i would just keep you betta alone in the 5g or maybe with 5 pigmy corydoras or 5 ghost shrimp.
if you can get a 30g cycled fast enough and move all the fish out except the betta, he will be very happy and much healthier.
good luck

[OpheliasTragedy]

Alright thanks. I will go out and pick up a bigger tank tomorrow. Thanks so much for your help. I had no idea that the flying fox would keep growing. :)

[karbomb]

i am also really impressed that you are willing to go out and get another tank. that's what makes a good fish keeper, keeping the fishes best interests in mind.
in the short term, you may want to return all of the fish to the store and have just the betta in there. then get a 30g cycled and buy more fish. (check out the fishless cycling ebook.)

[karbomb]

Alright thanks. I will go out and pick up a bigger tank tomorrow. Thanks so much for your help. I had no idea that the flying fox would keep growing. :)
the space a fish needs is not always based on how large it will grow, but the behaviors of that fish. if a fish needs a lot of swimming room, like neon tetra's although they are small enough to fit 5 in a 5g, it unhealthy for them to be in such a small tank. anywho flying fox fish get up to 6" and are best kept in schools. they can also be very aggressive as they age

[shalafi04]

there really isnt a "safe" ammonia level. And I have a 5g betta tank as well so I know how frustrating the small tanks are to keep stable. I have found the easiest way is to just net/cup the fish once a week and do 100% water changes with aged/treated water; as well as a gravel, plant, and decoration cleaning. Your tank never cycles, but your fish never have to suffer any uncaught side effects associated with cycling.

All in all, I'd suggest giving the betta his own space for now. And keeping his space super clean. they can be rather prissy fish and like there conditions to be verging on spoiled rotten! All 9 of my betta get the above stated cleansing per week. And the blood worms once every couple of days will help increase fat which may help with the lithargy, if he's being lazy... Keep us posted.

[OpheliasTragedy]

I am not sure the pet store would take the fish back, i got the harlequins almost a month and a half ago and the flying fox, which was about half the size he is now just under a month ago...Hopefully I can get the tank cycled fast enough to move them and give my beta the 5 gallon tank....and a nice comfy home where he recovers...

[shalafi04]

if you have a local fish store, odds are they will take the fish for store credit if you're lucky, or even just to help you out. call around and see if there's anyone locally thats not a big chain store who would be willing to accomidate you

[OpheliasTragedy]

Ohhh okay Thanks. I will call around to pet stores tomorrow to see if they will take the other fish back. :) crossing my fingers they will..cause that would make things much easier for getting a new tank and getting it stabilized.

[karbomb]

cheers to you mate. although shalaf has a good idea about large water changes, i think you could do fine with 50% water changes weekly. i would be weary of a tank that was never cycled.

[OpheliasTragedy]

Ohh I missed the post about the 100% water changes weekly, I will try that out, along with moving the other fish out of the tank, either by taking them back to the pet store, or getting a bigger tank. I have wanted to get a bigger tank anyhow, cause I have noticed it seems like the ammonia levels are much harder to keep stable in a small tank, I keep running into problems that my friend who has an 80 gallon tank never has. thanks you guys.


Also, I didn't know flying foxes get aggressive as they get older, that is a good thing to know, he most certainly needs to get a bigger tank then.

Thanks again so much for all your help, and I will keep you posted on how this all goes!! :)

[OpheliasTragedy]

Sorry everyone to double post, but I wanted to give you all an update on my beta Gilbert.

He is doing so much better, The aquarium salt seems to have helped him soo much. His colour is returning to normal, and he even ate flake food today. He is still not out of the clear yet, and I was told to keep an eye out for fin rot and ich right now till he is fully recovered.

I am getting a new 25 gallon tank this weekend, and until it is cycled I am going to be doing 100% water changes weekly and crossing my fingers that Gilbert continues to get better and that all my fish can hold out in there small tank just a little bit longer... Thanks again everyone for your help :)