# Please help Bettas getting sick!



## Bejeweled (Aug 8, 2013)

What is this stuff??


Please help I am very worried about him! He was fine just 2 weeks ago. here is a picture from 2 weeks ago

He is eating ok but he is acting different, not listless though. I may have cross contaminated his tank from the females and I have lost 2 females now. Brought home a female Betta, split tank after original fish Julia nipped new one (together less than hour) then within week new girl died. 2 weeks later Julia, my most favorite and friendly female Betta got sick, developed dropsy with white stringy poop and she died slow horrible death. Cleaned tank and stones and decorations very hot water, no soap. 2 new female Betta, separated immediately. I did add algae eaters to control algae. Noticed one of the new females with white stringy poop(? internal parasites) ordered meds. Out of town 2 days, came home this morning, one female betta, not the one with white stringy poop, was dead. Then noticed my male Gem has this on the bottom of his fins. Please help. I do have parasite medicine for the new female. I have not noticed any white stringy poop from him and I don't want to treat him unless I know what it is. He is the happiest fish usually dances just seeing me. He was slow to react today but is eating fine and will dance when I talk to him just not as animated as usual. If any ideas please let me know, I did not sterilize net when I scooped algae eaters and added them to tanks. One for each Betta. My other male betta Jewellian is acting fine and I see nothing unusual on him or in his tank. He has been so much more happy since I added an algae eater. I am so sad, Gem is the ultimate best of fish and I do not want to lose him! Not only is he super friendly he is the most beautiful betta!! I do use acquarium salt in their water, I do 1/4 water changes weekly. I used distilled water and I use water conditioner if I am doing more than 1/2 water change. I may have over fed Gem before I left town Friday. I feed them frozen bbs and blood worms and some days the flakes and pellets so they will eat them when I leave town and set up betta ball feeder. It looks like algae balls at the ends of fins but I also see white stringy things on some of other fins. *c/p* Appreciate any input!!


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Looks like fin rot?
Best is clean warm water.
You should be changing more then 25% a week.Move right up to 50% every week and maybe 50% everyother day for a week.
Why are you using distilled water?It may not be helping?
Can't say about stringy poo or worms they are a whole other issue.
What size is the tank and do you have a heater?
And rehome the algae eaters,as IMO they may besides overfeeding and poor water quality be what is killing your fish.Even if they don't touch your fish they are probly stressing the bettas IMO.
Feed less, everyother day(the most) for next week while doing LARGE waterchanges.If you don't have heater get one.Bettas PREFER 80 +.
Don't clean tank with hot water/tap water oor anything besides conditioned tap.You may have damaged your BB .Do you have test kit?I would be watching closely for a mini spike at least(you killed it with hot water).


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## Bejeweled (Aug 8, 2013)

Thank you for input Coralbandit! Using distilled water because wasn't sure about chlorine in my well water even though I am adding conditioner, thought would be safer. Yes have heaters for all tanks. Males in 1 gal each , with filters and heaters. Other bowl is 2.5 gal with filter and heater also. Will put algae eaters in 10 gal tank that is housing no one right now. Will increase water changes and frequency as suggested. I have had Gem (the one pictured with this stuff on him) for over a year and the other male for 1 1/2 years and I have never had a problem so I am very upset if I am not caring for them properly! They are wonderful fish. Please clarify I may have damaged BB, what is BB? and what is conditioned tap? I want to be sure I understand exactly what you are saying. Also I will have to get new test kit.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Very good info for answer!
BB is Beneficial Bacteria .2 kinds ;one that convert ammonia to nitrite and one that converts nitrite to nitrate.They are one of if not the most important thing in tanks with fish.
I'll guess that your well would have no chlorine or chloramine as they are additives to municipal water supplies.so I wouldn't worry about them.
But I would HIGHLY recommend an API master freshwater test kit(liquid with glass vials) to even test your well with.When you test your well we will be able to say if it is good.
Until then just change as much water as you can afford.Many bettas get fin rot ,and some use meds but really fresh(clean water) will work better.
I'll gamble you can mix 50/50 well and distilled and give your fish good water.
distilled like RO has very little "anything" left in it ,including some minerals that fish do benefit from.If your heaters can get tanks up to 80(your in GA and I don't see this as a problem)I would get them to 80-82.
On the "crazy" I would try wiping the stuff off Gems fins by petting him if possible.
Conditioned water is municipal water with :sea chem Prime,Safe/Kordons Nova aqua added to remove chlorine/chloramine.Your only benefit from conditioners will be they neutralise "heavy metals' also.Sea chem prime is the conditioner of choice here for those with smaller setups(the safe is the same but my kilo treats 200,000 gallons! you don't need that much probly!)


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## Bejeweled (Aug 8, 2013)

GOT IT!! I will try these things as well! Gem is the most friendly fish, I had no idea fish actually interacted with you! He does not back away if I put anything in there, he actually comes over. I will see if I can wipe it. If I can get any off I may look under microscope my husband has, maybe that will help identify too?? Will increase heater. Well is community well and I heard that they were adding a little chlorine but not as much as city water. I think with the water conditioner added and mixing 50/50 they should be OK. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR HELP! and I will get test kit!


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