One Dead, One Dying

[bakes_buns]

Hi All,

I had a m/f Betta pair. Both were fine and healthy, especially the female. I decided I would try and breed them. The female is now dead and the male appears to be very sick. I'm not sure what happened, any advice or comments would be good so that I don't make the same mistakes again.

On Monday evening I bought a small 25W heater for a 5 Gal tank (the breeding tank) and a 2 in 1 Hatchery. I moved the male from his small tank into the breeding tank and the female from the breeding tank into the 2 in 1 hatchery which I then placed into the breeding tank. Both looked excited and flared up at each other.

On Tuesday night they were very inactive. On Wednesday morning neither ate and I planned to move them but was in a rush. When I came home that evening she was dead and he was looking very unwell.

Any ideas what might have made them sick and die? Two days seems pretty quick to go from healthy to dead. The only think I can think of that it may have been due to changes in water temperature due to the heater being installed..

Sorry for the essay but it is a bit sad as the female fighting fish was one of my favourite fish.

 

[Julie-Anne]

did youu condition them first they need very clean water and to be very well fed with bloodworms and such before you try breeding them

 

[PreciousGems]

How long have you had them? Is it possible that they were sick? Did you dechlorinate the water before adding the fish? That's the only thing that I can think of that could cause a sudden death. Were there any meds that you added to the water?

Alexa

 

[bakes_buns]

They were fairly well fed and I changed about 20% of the water in the 5gal tank before moving the male in. The male I have had for 6 months. The female for about 3 months. The male is still alive, although only barely.

Maybe in all my excitment I forgot to put the dechlorinator in the water... hrmm.. Might be useful to get a chlorine test kit!!

 

[PreciousGems]

Yeah, one time I forgot to put in dechlorinator. I had just finished all of the jar water changes, and had just remembered (about 20 minutes later). They were all lively and I hurried and dechlorinated the water, and now they are fine. That's too bad that you might have forgotten it. I know how that is to forget things in excitement. Now I always add the dechlorinator first and make a habit out of it. A chlorine test is not necessary as chlorine and chloramine evaporate after a day, and if you forgot the dechlor, you'll probably forget to test the water. Sorry about your fish.

Alexa