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SusiBee
. . . . .
Member since 3/09 8268 total posts
Name:
S
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Betta fish question
I have a 4 year old betta fish in my office, inherited him from a manager when she left.
He's been fine, but now has developed fin rot. He is lethargic, laying on the rocks on the bottom of the tank, and he won't eat. Fins look shredded.
This morning I put him in a temporary tank while I cleaned the other, and all the accessories that go with it. No filter or heater.
He seemed a bit better after I did the switch, moving around more. Ran out to Petco and bought Bettafix treatment to see if it helps.
Question, when I put him back into his regular tank, do I use all clean water or use some of the water that he is in now ?
I usually use filtered water that I temper, but I read that I could use spring water also. There is so much conflicting info on the internet.
Can't believe that I am so attached to a fish, but Blue has got a great personality.
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Posted 1/25/19 2:31 PM  |
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klingklang77
kraftwerk!
Member since 7/06 11486 total posts
Name:
Völlig losgelöst
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Re: Betta fish question
You need to add the old water. At least 50%. I would do 80% (ETA 80% of the old water) . Whenever I did a water change I always only did a small amount. Also leave the filter medium as is.
Aquarium salt also helps. Don’t use table salt.
ETA: if you do too much of a water change, you will run into problems with ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites.
Message edited 1/25/2019 5:17:20 PM.
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| Posted 1/25/19 2:52 PM |
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hmm
Sweet
Member since 1/14 7983 total posts
Name:
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Re: Betta fish question
the Long Island Fish Hospital was started in 1998 to care for all types of pet fish. All cases are attended to by Dr. Julius M. Tepper, a veterinarian who has been caring for domestic and exotic pets since 1976.
Mailing address: 1 Saddlebrook Lane, Manorville, NY 11949
Tel: 631-909-3091
Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.
hope Blue is feeling better
Message edited 1/25/2019 10:12:10 PM.
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| Posted 1/25/19 10:11 PM |
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MrsO
Big Brothers to Be
Member since 1/07 4520 total posts
Name:
Maureen
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Re: Betta fish question
Whenever we change our beta fish - we change all of the water with the exception of about a cup
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| Posted 1/26/19 2:24 PM |
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SusiBee
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Member since 3/09 8268 total posts
Name:
S
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Re: Betta fish question
Posted by hmm
the Long Island Fish Hospital was started in 1998 to care for all types of pet fish. All cases are attended to by Dr. Julius M. Tepper, a veterinarian who has been caring for domestic and exotic pets since 1976.
Mailing address: 1 Saddlebrook Lane, Manorville, NY 11949
Tel: 631-909-3091
Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.
hope Blue is feeling better
Thank you. Blue is on my desk in the city. I will see what happens on Monday. Hopefully he will be better and I will put him back in his big tank.
Whenever I clean his tank I always do half old water half new. But I wasn't sure this time because of the fin rot.
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| Posted 1/26/19 5:38 PM |
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hmm
Sweet
Member since 1/14 7983 total posts
Name:
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Re: Betta fish question
Posted by SusiBee
Posted by hmm
the Long Island Fish Hospital was started in 1998 to care for all types of pet fish. All cases are attended to by Dr. Julius M. Tepper, a veterinarian who has been caring for domestic and exotic pets since 1976.
Mailing address: 1 Saddlebrook Lane, Manorville, NY 11949
Tel: 631-909-3091
Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.
hope Blue is feeling better
Thank you. Blue is on my desk in the city. I will see what happens on Monday. Hopefully he will be better and I will put him back in his big tank.
Whenever I clean his tank I always do half old water half new. But I wasn't sure this time because of the fin rot.
my supervisor has a beta, staying on the bottom oh his bowl, for weeks, not sure why but I was going to call. The site says call with questions, so maybe a call is all you need.
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| Posted 1/27/19 12:01 PM |
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Peainapod
Peanuts are here!
Member since 1/09 13591 total posts
Name:
Diana
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Re: Betta fish question
Posted by klingklang77
You need to add the old water. At least 50%. I would do 80% (ETA 80% of the old water) . Whenever I did a water change I always only did a small amount. Also leave the filter medium as is.
Aquarium salt also helps. Don’t use table salt.
ETA: if you do too much of a water change, you will run into problems with ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites.
this is interesting. i wonder if my DH knew this b/c we've had 2 betas this year die within 3 months from Petco.
hmm..
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| Posted 1/27/19 9:42 PM |
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SusiBee
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Member since 3/09 8268 total posts
Name:
S
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Re: Betta fish question
Blue isn't doing well, the fin rot is progressing and now his body is starting to change color, which is not a good sign. I'll change his water today and keep up with the treatment, that is pretty much all I can do.
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| Posted 1/28/19 7:47 AM |
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klingklang77
kraftwerk!
Member since 7/06 11486 total posts
Name:
Völlig losgelöst
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Re: Betta fish question
Posted by Peainapod
Posted by klingklang77
You need to add the old water. At least 50%. I would do 80% (ETA 80% of the old water) . Whenever I did a water change I always only did a small amount. Also leave the filter medium as is.
Aquarium salt also helps. Don’t use table salt.
ETA: if you do too much of a water change, you will run into problems with ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites.
this is interesting. i wonder if my DH knew this b/c we've had 2 betas this year die within 3 months from Petco.
hmm..
Maybe. If you change too much of the water then you disturb the whole cycling thing (google aquarium cycling). I’ve had a lot of fish tanks and I have really read up on them. Just putting in new water doesn’t make it better. You need to test water samples. I had a fish for ten years and I just cleaned out the gravel and did a 20 percent water change. He lived 10 years. I also never changed the filter medium.
To OP, I’m sorry to hear about your fish. Do you have a heating element for the tank?
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| Posted 1/28/19 8:39 AM |
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Peainapod
Peanuts are here!
Member since 1/09 13591 total posts
Name:
Diana
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Re: Betta fish question
Posted by klingklang77
Posted by Peainapod
Posted by klingklang77
You need to add the old water. At least 50%. I would do 80% (ETA 80% of the old water) . Whenever I did a water change I always only did a small amount. Also leave the filter medium as is.
Aquarium salt also helps. Don’t use table salt.
ETA: if you do too much of a water change, you will run into problems with ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites.
this is interesting. i wonder if my DH knew this b/c we've had 2 betas this year die within 3 months from Petco.
hmm..
Maybe. If you change too much of the water then you disturb the whole cycling thing (google aquarium cycling). I’ve had a lot of fish tanks and I have really read up on them. Just putting in new water doesn’t make it better. You need to test water samples. I had a fish for ten years and I just cleaned out the gravel and did a 20 percent water change. He lived 10 years. I also never changed the filter medium.
To OP, I’m sorry to hear about your fish. Do you have a heating element for the tank?
huh..interesting. i think they told us to change the water every 4-5 weeks, put some additive in it, etc. they dont eat often so Dh would feed it every few days. I wonder if the water changing was killing it.
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| Posted 1/28/19 11:06 AM |
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chilltocam
LIF Adult
Member since 11/11 9141 total posts
Name:
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Betta fish question
Could it be old age? How long does that type of fish normally live?
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| Posted 1/28/19 11:21 AM |
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klingklang77
kraftwerk!
Member since 7/06 11486 total posts
Name:
Völlig losgelöst
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Re: Betta fish question
Posted by Peainapod
Posted by klingklang77
Posted by Peainapod
Posted by klingklang77
You need to add the old water. At least 50%. I would do 80% (ETA 80% of the old water) . Whenever I did a water change I always only did a small amount. Also leave the filter medium as is.
Aquarium salt also helps. Don’t use table salt.
ETA: if you do too much of a water change, you will run into problems with ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites.
this is interesting. i wonder if my DH knew this b/c we've had 2 betas this year die within 3 months from Petco.
hmm..
Maybe. If you change too much of the water then you disturb the whole cycling thing (google aquarium cycling). I’ve had a lot of fish tanks and I have really read up on them. Just putting in new water doesn’t make it better. You need to test water samples. I had a fish for ten years and I just cleaned out the gravel and did a 20 percent water change. He lived 10 years. I also never changed the filter medium.
To OP, I’m sorry to hear about your fish. Do you have a heating element for the tank?
huh..interesting. i think they told us to change the water every 4-5 weeks, put some additive in it, etc. they dont eat often so Dh would feed it every few days. I wonder if the water changing was killing it.
I did a 20% water change every one or two months. The most important thing is that you vacuum the gravel. There is no reason to change the filter medium. Just rinse it in the tank water before you vacuum it. Chlorine from the tap water will kill the balance you have in your tank. When you really think about how fish live, they don’t get water changes.
However, if you have a disease in the tank you can do a 20% water change every day. You also need to raise the heat and add aquarium salt.
Siamese fighting fish can live for about 5-7 years.
When I read that it was on the gravel, I don’t think there is much hope. I would do a small water change, don’t touch the filter, rIse the heat, and add aquarium salt and a medicine for fin rot.
Also take off the lid to five more oxygen and just cover the tank to the fish won’t jump out
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| Posted 1/28/19 4:03 PM |
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hmm
Sweet
Member since 1/14 7983 total posts
Name:
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Re: Betta fish question
Posted by SusiBee
Blue isn't doing well, the fin rot is progressing and now his body is starting to change color, which is not a good sign. I'll change his water today and keep up with the treatment, that is pretty much all I can do.
te
why not call the number I posted, see what they say. It worth a call
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| Posted 1/28/19 9:48 PM |
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SusiBee
. . . . .
Member since 3/09 8268 total posts
Name:
S
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Re: Betta fish question
I did more research last night, and to treat the fin rot I should change 90% of the water daily and add the medicine to the water.
Blue was swimming a bit when I came in this morning, taking it as a good sign that he's a fighter.
When I inherited him in September, I changed his tank to a bigger one that was easier to clean. His old tank was really small and so filled with algae that I couldn't get it clean. He's never had a heater so I didn't do one for the new tank. I also don't have an extra outlet to plug one into.
The water must have been dirty and I didn't see it, that's why he got sick. I'm pretty good at switching out the water and doing a tank and pebble cleaning monthly. Not an easy task to do at work.
All I can do is wait and see what happens. He has been in the office for 4 years already.
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| Posted 1/29/19 8:17 AM |
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klingklang77
kraftwerk!
Member since 7/06 11486 total posts
Name:
Völlig losgelöst
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Re: Betta fish question
Posted by SusiBee
I did more research last night, and to treat the fin rot I should change 90% of the water daily and add the medicine to the water.
Blue was swimming a bit when I came in this morning, taking it as a good sign that he's a fighter.
When I inherited him in September, I changed his tank to a bigger one that was easier to clean. His old tank was really small and so filled with algae that I couldn't get it clean. He's never had a heater so I didn't do one for the new tank. I also don't have an extra outlet to plug one into.
The water must have been dirty and I didn't see it, that's why he got sick. I'm pretty good at switching out the water and doing a tank and pebble cleaning monthly. Not an easy task to do at work.
All I can do is wait and see what happens. He has been in the office for 4 years already.
I’m going to disagree with a 90% water change. That causes too much stress for a fish. I would do 50% at most for fin rot every day/ every other day. Get some aquarium salt and a medicine for the fin rot. Also try stress coat. That will help with the chlorine. Make sure you are taking samples of the water.
And please get a heater. They need a heater as they are tropical fish. The heat will make the fish less stressed. It will also help against ick. Ick is the last thing you need.
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| Posted 1/29/19 9:25 AM |
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Sash
Peace
Member since 6/08 10312 total posts
Name:
fka LIW Smara
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Re: Betta fish question
Awe I am praying for Blue and rooting that he makes it. It's so sweet how much you care.
We had a Betta fish and he past away after a year and half. It was hard, my son was devastated. I didn't think you could love a fish like that. His name was Rockstar.
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| Posted 1/29/19 10:14 AM |
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jellybelly79
LIF Adult
Member since 5/06 3389 total posts
Name:
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Betta fish question
How’s your fishy doing?? Hope he’s pulling through!
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| Posted 2/1/19 10:14 AM |
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SusiBee
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Member since 3/09 8268 total posts
Name:
S
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Re: Betta fish question
Posted by jellybelly79
How’s your fishy doing?? Hope he’s pulling through!
Thank you.
Seems to be doing better, more active and his fins do not seem as shredded as last week. He's interacting with me a bit more, doesn't seem to be in distress anymore.
Monday I will move him back into the big tank, I ordered new supplies from Amazon this morning so I can test the water regularly, treat it and hope to keep him well for a while longer.
He's 4, which is kind of old.
I have people here at work stopping by to check on him, the CEO's secretary wants a status update every morning.
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| Posted 2/1/19 2:24 PM |
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chilltocam
LIF Adult
Member since 11/11 9141 total posts
Name:
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Re: Betta fish question
Posted by SusiBee
Posted by jellybelly79
How’s your fishy doing?? Hope he’s pulling through!
Thank you.
Seems to be doing better, more active and his fins do not seem as shredded as last week. He's interacting with me a bit more, doesn't seem to be in distress anymore.
Monday I will move him back into the big tank, I ordered new supplies from Amazon this morning so I can test the water regularly, treat it and hope to keep him well for a while longer.
He's 4, which is kind of old.
I have people here at work stopping by to check on him, the CEO's secretary wants a status update every morning.
So glad to hear he's doing better! Hope he keeps improving! 
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| Posted 2/1/19 2:48 PM |
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jellybelly79
LIF Adult
Member since 5/06 3389 total posts
Name:
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Re: Betta fish question
Posted by SusiBee
Posted by jellybelly79
How’s your fishy doing?? Hope he’s pulling through!
Thank you.
Seems to be doing better, more active and his fins do not seem as shredded as last week. He's interacting with me a bit more, doesn't seem to be in distress anymore.
Monday I will move him back into the big tank, I ordered new supplies from Amazon this morning so I can test the water regularly, treat it and hope to keep him well for a while longer.
He's 4, which is kind of old.
I have people here at work stopping by to check on him, the CEO's secretary wants a status update every morning.
I’m SO happy to hear this!!! You really did a great job! I totally understand the attachment to a fish especially a beta xo
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| Posted 2/1/19 3:59 PM |
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SusiBee
. . . . .
Member since 3/09 8268 total posts
Name:
S
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Re: Betta fish question
Blue was moved back into his big tank. He is happily swimming around and actually ate his pellets today. He hasn't eaten in almost two weeks so I am taking this as a really good sign.
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| Posted 2/4/19 8:59 AM |
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jellybelly79
LIF Adult
Member since 5/06 3389 total posts
Name:
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Re: Betta fish question
Posted by SusiBee
Blue was moved back into his big tank. He is happily swimming around and actually ate his pellets today. He hasn't eaten in almost two weeks so I am taking this as a really good sign.
Awesome!
Happy to hear this :)
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| Posted 2/4/19 9:49 AM |
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