guys help me! im actually so sad right now whats wrong with my poor guy.. i recently did a water change after not being home for a while i had put that wood in the water that makes it brown but when i got home the water was way dark i wasnt sure if it was normal my fish seemed okay but i wanted to change the water because everyone kept saying it looked dirty so i changed it and now my fish is just laying around he was swimming the first day or 2 after the change but now hes just laying around and earlier when i tapped the glass he freaked out and went to hide usually he will come up to me.. Something that is different then normal is that my boyfriend was recently over here for the weekend and he got a betta from the store because the poor guy was in such bad condition and my boyfriend already had a little experience in fish keeping but while the betta was here we let it float in the cup in my tank just so his water would be a lil warmer and my betta was flaring and so was his (both males) mine would follow his around the cup and swim toward him he even fell asleep right next to the cup he seemed okay but then we did the water change and now hes acting weird. and he wont eat his food. PLEASE HELP I LOVE HIM SO MUCHH!!
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1o8jp3z
Posted by angeleenamerrill
5 Comments
my heater is kind of broken the temp of the water is usually 74 sometimes it gets to 76
Motherfucker retype that shit.
A lot of things are going on in reading your post.
First: Wood, make sure it is aquarium-safe wood. They sell wood for reptiles, that is treated, that are not safe for fish. If you aren’t sure, remove. It will leech toxins in the water.
If you didn’t prepare and boil this wood, be aware it can leech too many tannins or carry pathogens. Boiling and pre-soaking is highly recommended.
Second: If you changed a large chunk of water, it can destabilize the Betta. That is why 50% is usually the maximum recommended. Fish have osmosis that helps them regulate water inside their bodies. When you remove a large part of water and introduce a new, fresh part that is hyperbolic, it can throw their balance off. Sounds like you did two major water changes, upon return home, and then after the wood.
Third: Putting two bettas in the same aquarium, even with good intentions, isn’t recommended. It can stress both fish out. While we humans, understand no harm will come to them, they are bred as the fighting fish, and will tunnel-vision. It can be a stressful experience.
Fourth: Cold water makes fish lethargic and slows down metabolism. Recommended temperatures are 78-80F. 74 is too low. It can also impact his immune system and make him susceptible to all other unpleasant diagnoses.
Long comment short, get a heater ASAP, keep him in stable water (measure your parameters: ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrates under 20), tannins are okay as long as wood is safe, Indian Almond Leaves are great if you steep them in hot water to soften first (10M).
You can look into getting him Seachem Stressguard, out of abundance of caution. It is used for fish transport, but is an antiseptic that helps with fish coat, scratches.
Another important thing I have to mention, from the angle of the photograph his stomach looks extremely round. Is he bloated? Can you send more pictures? What does he eat and how frequently?
First things first just take a deep breath. He’ll be okay.
Do you have any way to test the water for ammonia nitrite and nitrate levels?
Do you have dechlorinator that you add to the water when you do water changes, assuming you use tap water.
Does the tank have a filter? If so, you didn’t do anything like clean the filter or change out the filter media when you did the water change right?
I don’t think think that the betta in the cup would have done anything. The dark water from the wood is normal and the tannins are actually healthy and good for them.
Your tank looks h0ribble:(