Sick and dying fish

Midwife@heart

Midwife@heart

Small Fish
#1
Oct 18, 2011
38
0
6
47
Miami, FL
#1
New problem. Here is a previous thread that might have something to do with this one http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/fre...-platy-dying-can-i-save-him-2.html#post613518

On the 21st I bought a sucker fish and two Marble Mollies. Then on Monday of this week I bought a female Betta. Everything looked fine. The female Betta lasted less than 24 hrs., it was dead by yesterday morning. There were zero signs that she was killed by the other fish.
The sucker fish died yesterday night.
My male Betta now has a white/grey spot on its "torso" (I have a attached a cell photo). It looks lethargic and sometimes it sits at the bottom going to its side.
Another change recently is that my brother is visiting from Delaware and he likes the apt. cold. My apt. is usually between 75 and 80 degrees. So the change in temperature could have also caused this.

I bought medicine for Ick and now have a tank with blue water lol. I took the carbon filter out. I also bought sea salt but I don't know if I should use it.

What's your advice?


 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#2
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#2
Did you have the male and female betta together in the same tank?

What are your reading of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in the tank currently?

Do you have a heater (if so, what is the temperature set at)? Your fish are tropical fish and need consistent temperatures. The house temperature should not affect them if you have the proper heater. I kept 8 aquariums in my home in the midwest where the house temperature stayed in the mid-high 60s for 3 months of the year with no problems.
 

Last edited:
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Thyra

Superstar Fish
#3
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#3
OC, that is exactly what I was going to ask! Also I was wondering if the tank had a heater, because unless the room temp was really low, it shouldn't have effect the tank temp if the heater was working. The picture of the betta looks like it could be fungus and it is probably the result of bad water quality. Until you get control of this do not add more fish.
 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#4
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#4
My furnace went out in the winter one year, house temps were 42. I had a fireplace on the first floor and electric blankets on the 2nd floor (where the tanks were too). Temps stayed steady at 78 in all tanks (except one that had a danio species that I kept at 72). I was more worried about the water pipes than the fish!
 

Midwife@heart

Midwife@heart

Small Fish
#5
Oct 18, 2011
38
0
6
47
Miami, FL
#5
I have a heater but since we live in Miami, FL and my house is always warm, I never thought to put it in the tank. Do you think I should put it in?
The male and female Betta were together and they did fine. I never saw them fighting.

When I get home I will check the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#6
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#6
Have you researched betta care? There is a lot to breeding them and I certainly have never heard of anyone trying it in the same tank with other fish. I am not an expert, but my understanding is the male builds a bubble nest when he is ready, but that doesn't mean the female will be ready. The female is put in and watched very closely for a very short time. If it is not a compatible situation they can stress each other to death, if not out right kill. You have a small tank with few hiding places unless you added some since the first pictures, but that still wouldn't solve the problem. Breeding bettas is a complicated, labor intensive endeavor which takes a lot of preparation.
 

Kiara1125

Kiara1125

Superstar Fish
#7
Jan 12, 2011
1,142
0
0
Florida
#7
Male Bettas will KILL females or other males in the same tank. PLEASE don't buy anymore fish and do RESEARCH before you buy anymore fish. The male Betta undoubtedly killed the female.

My friend can do wonders with fish, and for 3 years now, she's had two male Bettas living together in a 10g. She took time and effort to do this without any fighting and it took her over a year. Please never even think about attempiting it. I'm just throwing the fact out here.
 

Midwife@heart

Midwife@heart

Small Fish
#8
Oct 18, 2011
38
0
6
47
Miami, FL
#8
Thank you. My brother breeds Bettas and has given me advice. I actually plan on buying another tank for just the Bettas. I wanted them together now even if the chances of breeding are small, that was not my main goal.
I really do not think the male killed the female. I saw no signs whatsoever but I could be wrong.
 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#16
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#16
Midwife@heart said:
Ammonia 0-0.25 ppm
PH 7.6-8.5
Alkalinity 300
Nitrate 80
Nitrite, this one I have no idea because the card show pink colors but the testing strip turned like a light yellow/off white.
Click to expand...
Nitrates of 80 are way high. You should do water changes if it reaches 20. An ammomia 'range' is not helpful. You should always have 0. Not sure about your nitrite reading. Any of those readings could be enough to stress/kill a fish, espcially one stressed out by a male betta. I would suggest investing in a kit that used test tubes to get a more accurate testing of your water.

Female Betta spendens should not be kept in with any males except for short breeding stints that are closely supervised. These fish are not 'wild' types and have been bred in captivity for hundreds of years. If the male is not ready to breed, he will defend his territory against any female betta. Once he IS ready (after a bubble nest is completed), he MAY accept a female to breed with, and IF she is willing, it can happen. They cannot 'cohabitate' in the same undivided tank until both are 'ready.'

If your brother breeds these fish, he should know this.
 

Midwife@heart

Midwife@heart

Small Fish
#17
Oct 18, 2011
38
0
6
47
Miami, FL
#17
OrangeCones said:
Nitrates of 80 are way high. You should do water changes if it reaches 20. An ammomia 'range' is not helpful. You should always have 0. Not sure about your nitrite reading. Any of those readings could be enough to stress/kill a fish, espcially one stressed out by a male betta. I would suggest investing in a kit that used test tubes to get a more accurate testing of your water.

Female Betta spendens should not be kept in with any males except for short breeding stints that are closely supervised. These fish are not 'wild' types and have been bred in captivity for hundreds of years. If the male is not ready to breed, he will defend his territory against any female betta. Once he IS ready (after a bubble nest is completed), he MAY accept a female to breed with, and IF she is willing, it can happen. They cannot 'cohabitate' in the same undivided tank until both are 'ready.'

If your brother breeds these fish, he should know this.
Click to expand...
I have test tube kits for Ammonia and PH.

Oh and I separated the Betta from the other fishes.
 

FlameTetra333

FlameTetra333

Large Fish
#18
Jul 18, 2011
291
0
0
underwater
#18
You said you put the Betta in another tank. How big is it? Believe it or not, people tend to isolate sick fish in small tanks (3 gallons or less) when a bigger tank is needed. I'm not saying you need to blow all your money on decor and all that. All you need is a spare 10G, a filter, a heater, and one hiding place. Heck, you don't even need a substrate!
 

Midwife@heart

Midwife@heart

Small Fish
#19
Oct 18, 2011
38
0
6
47
Miami, FL
#19
FlameTetra333 said:
You said you put the Betta in another tank. How big is it? Believe it or not, people tend to isolate sick fish in small tanks (3 gallons or less) when a bigger tank is needed. I'm not saying you need to blow all your money on decor and all that. All you need is a spare 10G, a filter, a heater, and one hiding place. Heck, you don't even need a substrate!
Click to expand...
The crappy bowl it was gifted in lol. Maybe this is the time to get the 5 gallon tank. I cannot afford or have the space for another 10 gallon but the stand where I have my current 10 gallon has the space for a 5 gallon tank. Would that be enough? Also, I would hate to spend the money at this time and have the Betta die the day after. What are the chances of it surviving?
 

Midwife@heart

Midwife@heart

Small Fish
#20
Oct 18, 2011
38
0
6
47
Miami, FL
#20
Well, unless there is a miracle overnight, it looks like this might be my Betta's last night. He is sideways at the bottom of the bowl, still breathing a bit.
Tomorrow I will do 25-50% water change and hope that I don't lose anymore fish.
 

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