Expert: Christy - 9/18/2008

Question
QUESTION: I had bought my first Betta about 3 couple ago and kept him in a small betta tank. I was changing 1/3 - 1/2 water every 4-5 days as there is no filter.My 'Royal' was doing good with a twice feed per day, but then I noticed the water going really dirty so I changed it completely. After that now since 1 week Royal is not eating anything and just sits on the artificial rock or stays at the top.I dont see any fungus or torn fins so not sure if he is having fungus. Any remedy will be welcomed.
Thanks
Naushad

ANSWER: Hi Naushad
First, what size is the tank?

And, are you on a public water supply that has chlorine added to the water?  If so, do you use a dechlorinater to remove chlorine from the water?

Any idea what the temperature of the water is?

Christy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hey Christy,
Thanks for the quick response..I am living in a Condo so my water is coming from a tank. I am using a dechlorinator liquid to remove chlorine. The tank is a small 1/2 gallon one and I am trying to maintain the temp between 78-80 degrees. Today my wife kept the tank in sun and it seems to benefit him as he seems to be a bit active. Also I have bought the Bettafix liquid and put it in the tank.

Answer
Hi Naushad
With a 1/2 gallon tank, I would recommend increasing the water changes.  I would change out 1/2 of the water every 2 days or so.  Doing a full water change can stress the fish out.  When you do a full water change, you need to make sure you let them adjust to the new water because the ph and temperature will most likely be different then what the fish was used to-not sure if that's what you did or not.  Also try to get the new water temperature as close to the tank water temperature.

Now you said you were trying to maintain the temp at 78-80°F....has it been staying at that or was it fluctuating a lot?  When the temperature gets cooler, they start acting kind of funny, like not eating and acting lethargic.  So that may be what happened.  That's the problem with smaller tanks like those, it's hard to keep the water warm enough for a betta.  And, regular heaters are too large and powerful for anything smaller then 5 gallons.  Though they do make a small heater that will increase the temps about 4-5 degrees.  I'll post a link for one of those at the bottom here.  That may help to keep the temperature a bit more stable if you are having problems with it fluctuating-a common thing that happens at night time when the lights turned off.  With him doing better since you moved him to the sunlight, I'm wondering if it is indeed a temperature issue you're dealing with.  One thing to be careful of though, make sure the water doesn't get heated to much being in the sun, so monitor the temp good.  But, direct sunlight will also cause some algae issues.  Doing the frequent water changes will help, but it may start growing on the sides of the tank as well.  Algae isn't bad for fish, but most fish keepers generally find it unsightly :)

The BettaFix is fine to use, it won't hurt, but not sure how much it really is helping.  BettaFix is the same thing as MelaFix-a common herbal antibacterial remedy for fish.  BettaFix is just packaged in a smaller bottle for smaller tanks.  It's toted as being a "cure all" for fish and bettas, but it's really only good for injuries like torn fins and such.  Like I said, it won't hurt to use it, but I don't think it will help too much at this point.  

Try keeping an eye on the fish for now, see if he's doing better with the warmer water and a more stable temperature.  Increase the water change schedule and see if that helps as well.  If not, let me know if there's other symptoms that show up.  Good luck and let me know if you have more questions.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=12087

Christy