Beta fish dying!

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Classroom Pets Chatboard

Beta fish dying!

by Marianna

Feb 18, 2007

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Can someone please help?

My beta fish is named Nemo, I'm pretty sure he's a boy,
and we've had him for about 5 years.

But lately, he has been changing color. He used to be a
bright blue, and then he changed to red for a while, and
then he changed to white and gray, like he was growing
pale.

He also hasn't been eating, he lets his food fall to the
bottom of his tank. Normally, when I feed him, I make sure
he eats at least one of his pellets before I leave him,
but he doesn't eat at all now.

He also has problems swimming. He used to be able to swim
all over his tank, but now he stays at the bottom. His
gills stick out alot, and look purple, or more red, and it
looks like he has trouble breathing, like he is very
tired.

The last time we changed his water was two days ago, his
tank is about 1 gallon size, we use a vase. We don't have
any kind of heater for him, or any...See More

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Jane Well I am glad to see I am not alone. I know there is no happy ending here. It is nice to know I am not the only one who got so attached to their little beta. Mine is about 1 1/2 years old. My main concern is I don't want him to suffer. Is it better to 'flush him' as so many people have said to me? I just can't do it! He still responds when I tap o...See More

Aug 23, 2008

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PLEASE get those betas out of those cramped, unhealthy fishbowls I wrote this for another thread, but it bears repeating here:

I'm always confused when I see all these "Dying beta" posts, because I've had betas live for years. They THRIVE in community tanks, where they hang out near the top, mind their own business, and have room to swish around and show their beautiful colors. It's best to give them so...See MoreI wrote this for another thread, but it bears repeating here:

I'm always confused when I see all these "Dying beta" posts, because I've had betas live for years. They THRIVE in community tanks, where they hang out near the top, mind their own business, and have room to swish around and show their beautiful colors. It's best to give them some floating plants to hide in when they're feeling shy. I have NEVER had a beta get aggressive with any of the other fish. The male betas fight with other male betas; they leave everybody else alone. I think you can even keep a male and a female together, although I can't remember if I've done this.

What WILL kill them is keeping them in one of those awful tiny bowls they're sold in. They're miserable there! They won't be healthy in any room-temperature fish bowl for long, whatever its size. Like any tropical fish, they ABSOLUTELY NEED to be in an aquarium with a heater and a good thermostat so the water temperature isn't always fluctuating. Every fish tank should also have a good filtration system to remove waste from the water and keep it well aerated. This will solve your "frequent cleaning" problems.

Every tank should also have at least one plecostamus and two corydora catfish--cories like to play and should NEVER be kept without a friend or two, nor kept in a tank with sharp-edged gravel at the bottom. Softer sand keeps their little whiskers from breaking. They'll help take care of algae on the sides and food scraps that fall to the bottom. BTW, algae on the sides of the tank is no problem for the fish as long as it's healthy and green.

As for goldfish, they really aren't happy in a tank with tropical fish. If the water's warm enough (mid-70s F) for tropical fish, it's too hot for goldfish, who like their water temperature down near 65-68 F. Even in a goldfish tank, though, you need to have a good filter and aeration system. It's not fair to keep any fish in a small bowl full of stagnant water. They need plenty of room to swim, and as in nature, they're healthiest in clean, well-aerated water.

A fifteen-gallon aquarium is really the absolute minimum size anyone should buy, and again, it needs a good filter, a heater, and a thermostat! If you're just going to buy a fish, plunk it in a cramped little bowl and leave it at that, don't bother, because your fish aren't going to live for very long no matter what kind they are.

On 8/23/08, Jane wrote: > Well I am glad to see I am not alone. I know there is no happy ending > here. It is nice to know I am not the only one who got so attached to > their little beta. Mine is about 1 1/2 years old. My main concern is I > don't want him to suffer. Is it better to 'flush him' as so many people > have said to me? I just can't do it! He still responds when I tap on > his bowl before I feed him. But when he lies on his side, struggling, > it is painful to watch. I'll just keep changing his water and doing > what I do. I have lowered the level so he doesn't have to exert much > energy to get to the top. Poor little beta.

Aug 24, 2008

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Liann my beta used to have a brilliant silver line and it is gone...he also eats less than half of what he used to eat...and he burrows his head under a rock when he sleeps! is he dying? On 2/21/07, Aimee wrote: > 5 years is a long life for a betta. I think he may just be dying of old age. If the meds > don't work, then maybe he's just too old to f...See More

Jan 11, 2009

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Sandy My Beta is about 2 yrs old....for the past month or so, he's been hanging out at the bottom of the fish bowl. When he does swim, he seems fine, until his body begins to leans on his side. He cannot hold himself up. He has not lost color yet. Haven't tried any meds nor have I taken him to a vet. Is he dying?

Sandy

On 2/21/07, Aimee...See More

Sep 7, 2009

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anna I think this will help because we have a beta to and hes getting pretty old. So when we saw him just siting at the bottom we started to put a lamp over him to make the water warmer but there is a cost you have to put more water in the tank evry time it gets to low. So hope this helps you if it does not i dont no what else. Bye

Dec 28, 2009

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