# Water problems, betta staying on bottom of tank



## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

I purchased a betta approximately a week ago. I had the water tested at the pet store before I brought the fish home and the water was said to be fine (results below). The fish was fine for about six or seven days but for the last two or three days he has been staying at the bottom of the tank, hiding in his log or by the Marimo ball. Yesterday I did a 25% water change and it has not made any difference. If I go to the tank with his worms, he will eat, but he’s not swimming at all so I am assuming there must be a water problem. I am going to the pet store today to have it tested again.

My beta is in 5 gallon heated tank. The substrate is aquarium sand (Tahitian Moon sand), there are three live plants and two fake plants, several Marimo balls, two betta logs (one on the bottom and one floating), and three aquarium rocks and a small piece of driftwood. I’m treating the water with Prime and using a bit of Excel for the plants. I am feeding him frozen blood worms, approximately four a day. I did have some Hikari pellets but he did not seem to like them (I have ordered the ones the person I bought him from was feeding him). The water is filtered with minimal current, and the water is also heated to 78 degrees. The tank has half an Indian almond leaf in it as well. 

I purchased this tank in the summer and the first fish I put in the tank, sadly went right to the bottom and died a few days later. When I took the water into the pet store I was told that there was an excessive level of copper because I live in a very old house with copper pipes. I was told to get a Britta filter and filter all water. I filtered several buckets of water after letting my tap run for two minutes to clear any water that had been sitting in the copper pipes. When I had the water tested it showed no copper.

I am really at a loss of what to do to save this fish. I have tried to do everything necessary to make it a proper environment for this fish, but he doesn’t seem happy staying at the bottom and I am fearful he’s just dying slowly.

I am open to all and any suggestions to help my fish please 

Last water test a week ago:
pH 7.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
GH 40
copper 0


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## `GhostDogg´ (Apr 22, 2010)

Welcome to BCA.

Try a mirror to get him to perk up, no longer than a few min a time, few times a day.
I used to age my water when I kept betta, just enough for 50% WC (25%/2X a week).


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

How does his body look? Does he seem bloated? I would recommend not to feed him bloodwoorms only. Try some National Geogpraphic Betta pellets, maybe he'll like those better. You can also try to put a pea in the tank. Keep testing the water and make sure there is no ammonia or Nitrite present. The results from your last test look good.


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## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

He did not react to a mirror. His body, fins, and eyes all seem normal. He does not seem bloated. The previous owner was feeding him Aqueon betta pellets and they should arrive today. He did not like the Hikari pellets or Nutrafin bug bites. He likes the bloodworms and has eaten approximately three to four worms every day except for the last two days when he has eaten nothing. I did have the water tested and again it was fine with no trace of copper. I have been doing water changes, approximately 4 L a day. Initially I was using water I had prepared from my tap, the last two days I used distilled water. The last two days he did not come out of his log at all other than the occasional trip to the top to get air. This morning he actually came out of his log. He’s not swimming around or acting normal, but I’m pretty impressed he came out of his log because I thought he went in there to die. If my tapwater is not an option in maintaining this tank, what other water options do I have? Some people have said distilled water is fine and others have said it’s not fine. I will do pretty much anything to keep this fish alive.


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

I don't know about other water sources, I'm sorry. I was just reading an article that said copper was more harmful to plants and invertebrates than fish. Again, I don't know. Have you researched RO water? 
Make sure that the water parameters don't change when you do such frequent water changes, especially the KH,GH and PH. I have a healthy betta who doesn't react to a mirror


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## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

He is a white fish and just this afternoon I noticed some fin tips seem red. He is out and about more today, but not really moving, just see him at different spots at the bottom of the tank which is different from the two solid days he spent inside the log. I will have the water tested again tomorrow just to see. I will look into what RO water is.


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## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

Is there a way to upload photos from a cell phone? Every time I try it says the picture is too large but I can’t seem to make it small enough to get past that error message.


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Where do you live? Do you add any additives to your water? Out of the tap, lower mainland water is very similar to RO water, practically 0 dGH, and dKH. Any idea if your pH is fluctuating?


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## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

I live in the West End. I live in the oldest residential house still standing in Vancouver, it was built in 1888. I add Prime and Excel to the water. The pH has not been fluctuating but I will see what the test results are tomorrow. He spent most of the day under his Indian almond leaf. I did not do a water change today.


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

How is he doing today? hp10BII is right. I have been adding products (can't even remember their names) for many years now. Before that I always had issues with fish dying. Now they only seem to pass of old age


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

A couple of things. Maybe he is reacting to the Excel? Do a water change but skip the Excel to see if he improves. 

With an almond leaf, or organics that breaks down (including driftwood) you really should watch KH and pH levels - it acidifies our water and because we have so little KH, your pH could crash...like overnight in a small tank. Really hard on fish. Nothing wrong with the almond leaf, it's a great conditioner for bettas but I would suggest some sort of a buffer to the water to raise KH. pH will likely rise, so do it incrementally. I like Seachem Alkaline Buffer. Raising GH a little more wouldn't hurt either, it will be good for the plants and helps fish osmoregulation. Seachem Equilibrium is good for most plants to up your GH (calcium, magnesium). I do this for all my tanks, even the soft acidic loving fish. Most fish do well with a little added minerals to the water.

But I would spend a little money and buy an API Master test kit. Pick up a GH/KH reagents too, they don't come with the master test kit.


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## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

Fish is not hiding today, but he’s also not swimming around. I tried to feed him some worms and he would not eat. 

I had the water tested today:
pH 6.8 (down from 7.0 a week ago)
KH 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0 (was 20 a week ago)
GH 30 (down from 40 a week ago)

I changed the substrate from Tahitian Moon sand to a different kind of sand that is supposed to buffer pH. I did a 50% water change.

When I showed the guy at the store a video of the fish he thought the fish might be sick so I purchased a API general cure. 

The fish is still out and about and still not swimming. I am going to head back to the pet store on Friday after the API treatment and get the test kit, the equilibrium and the alkaline buffer.

Thank you to everyone who is trying to help out, really appreciate it.


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## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

I am quite sure he has fin rot. The tips of his fins were a bit red yesterday but today they are even more red and he’s hiding. I did put in the first dose of the API General cure, but I’m wondering if that’s the correct way to treat fin rot as I’ve seen multiple other suggestions online &#55357;&#56848;


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## `GhostDogg´ (Apr 22, 2010)

Fin rot could be from high ammonium levels.
There's a liquid product I used to use for my Bettas fins.
Melafix & Pimafix. They smell like watered down essential oils. ie: Tea tree oil.
How long has this tank been up & running?
-Could be mini cycles causing ammonium spikes.


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## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

The tank has been set up for a few weeks. The water has always tested 0 for ammonia. I am heading over to the pet store today to get some Melafix.



`GhostDogg´ said:


> Fin rot could be from high ammonium levels.
> There's a liquid product I used to use for my Bettas fins.
> Melafix & Pimafix. They smell like watered down essential oils. ie: Tea tree oil.
> How long has this tank been up & running?
> -Could be mini cycles causing ammonium spikes.


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## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

I actually think he’s doing a wee bit better. The last two days he was not moving at all hiding behind stuff in the tank. He was not eating. He did not eat worms for two days. But this morning when I got up he was out and while he was not swimming normally he was up right and not leaning or hiding and he actually came to look at me so I thought maybe he’s hungry. I put in three worms and he ate one. He is definitely looking perked up so I’m going to go purchase all that other stuff at the pet store &#55357;&#56397;&#55356;&#57339; (I am sorry, but I’m way too poor to invest $100 on a fish that might have died within a day, don’t mean to be negative.) I really wish I could post some photos


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

Fin rot is quite easily treatable with aquarium salt and water changes, especially if it is just mild fin rot.


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## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

When I went to the pet store, he sold me Melafix for the fin rot. I asked him about aquarium salt and he said that Melafix would be better ?



waterlilly said:


> Fin rot is quite easily treatable with aquarium salt and water changes, especially if it is just mild fin rot.


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## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

He is hanging in there and I just spotted him swimming around. He finished the API Cure and has four more days of Melafix treatment. I put in the Equilibrium and the alkaline buffer today. I’m somewhat hopeful he’s gonna live so I ordered his Christmas present LOL


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

You could add some Stress Coat, now that you've finished the API Cure. It helps with healing and regrowth of the fins.


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## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

The fish seems to be hanging in there. Tomorrow is his last dose of Melafix. His fins are almost completely back to normal, no more red. I have a couple buckets of prepared water waiting to do a water change tomorrow. I will add a new carbon bag to the filter. I will add the Equilibrium and alkaline buffer again. The following day I’ll get his water tested. I hope he perks up even more.


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## `GhostDogg´ (Apr 22, 2010)

Remove carbon when treating with meds.


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## waterlilly (Aug 22, 2010)

Once you remove the remainder of the medication with the carbon, there really is no need for it. If you don't replace the carbon frequently, it can cause problems. The most important things for keeping happy and healty bettas are: at least a 5 gallon tank, heater, slow flow filter and clean water. You seem to have all of those things.


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## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

My fish is still not doing well. After the treatment with the API Cure and a week of Melafix, his fins are back to normal, but he’s not swimming around. 

Water Testing:
OCT 30	NOV 30	DEC 11	DEC 22
pH 7.0 7.0 6.8 7.6
KH 10 75 0 80
Ammonia	0 0 0 0
Nitrite	0 0 0 0
NitrAte	0 20 0 0
GH 20 40 30 120
Copper 0.35 0 0

I have used Equilibrium and an alkaline buffer, and changed the substrate to a pH buffering substrate. I stopped using Excel and I’m using Prime as the conditioner.

I do see him in different parts of the tank, but I rarely see him move to those different parts. He seems to like lying on the java moss, actually any of the live plants he seems to like.

He has eaten a very minimal amount, at least four days he had nothing. When I did my water change after the Melafix a couple days ago, I moved him into his little travel container while I was fixing up the tank and I put three pellets in the container and he ate two of them. I put some pellets in yesterday and I’m pretty sure he ate a couple. I did a 50% water change. I prepared the water the day before and warmed it to within 1° of his tank water.

Is it possible he’s getting better and I’m just impatient or overly worried about whether he’s going to live?

Any suggestions would certainly be appreciated.


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## Finnymcfinnerson (Dec 8, 2018)

He died just now


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Sorry to hear, I don't think there's anything more that you could have done for him. 

Any idea how old he was? Bettas have short life spans so if he was a larger betta, maybe he was close to his best before date? I try to select juvenile ones, knowing that I could probably get at least 3 years out of him.


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## Arthur11 (Jul 13, 2021)

I have a betta aquarium and frequent water changes can make my fish sick. But using betta water conditioner helped me solve that problem. It not only neutralizes chlorine in tap water but also removes excess heavy metals and minerals. One thing that makes me more happy is that it has indirectly helped my bettas look great. Because my fish are no longer as susceptible to stress as they used to be, their colors are even brighter.


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## dino (Aug 29, 2011)

what kind of filter? what kind of media? lets start at the basics is your tank cycled? do you have test kits?


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