sick betta looks like he is going to pass away

I bought a male betta from petsmart. I have him in a 2.5 gallon tank with conditioner. I have only had him in there for a week and I have been trying to feed him betta pellets and even freeze dried blood worms and he wont eat a thing. I have even taken out the food he doesnt eat prior to adding more. He has not been swimming much since I have had him in the tank and yesterday he looked even worse. He sits at the bottom or top of the tank and doesnt move much only to get air. He even sits face down on the bottom and looks very sick. He looks so bad I have to keep checking to see if his gills are moving. I have a nice setup for him and am not sure what else to do. I am going to add a real plant for him to see if he will eat that as well as adding some aquarium salt. Please help with anything else I can do because he doesnt look like he will last much longer.

I always feel bad for Bettas. How can life be any fun in that shitty little tank?

As for yours, I would do a complete water change, be careful how much "conditioner" you are using in such a small tank. Be careful with how much you are feeding the fish, uneaten food rots in the tank and can screw up your water parameters.

Good luck.

I will do another water changeout and as far as conditioner I only add as per the directions which is one or two drops per gallon. I am not sure if you are saying that my tank is too small or if you are referring to how they are kept in general. I think that 2.5 gallons should keep the fish happier than the little cup I bought him in. If 2.5 gallon is too small what is recommended? I have a nice setup for him with a hiding place, some taller fake plants to swim and hang out in and a betta leaf hammock.

No, I was talking about the little cups and the bowls some people keep them in, just seems cruel.

I will say what other members will say, but more politely.

Goldfish and Bettas are notoriously mis-sold as fish that can live in small tanks with no equipment. Many, many fishkeepers that now know better started off where you are, because that's what the people at the store tell you.

Your betta will probably survive in a 2.5 gallon tank. (By survive, I mean he will be depressed, aloof, and probably only live for a year.) Without filtration, you'll probably have to do a full water change every day to keep the water clean. (The water is unclean long, long before it gets cloudy.) I would recommend that you get some kind of setup that can have a filter.

You can get very small filters that would be appropriate for your tank, but since Bettas don't like strong water movement, it would probably be easier to get a 5 gallon or even 10 gallon tank (you can probably get a 10 gallon for FREE from craigslist or someone here). Get filtration going and your fish will be healthier.

Then, get a small heater and get the water temp up to 80-ish degrees (you can buy a small pre-set heater that will automatically turn on and off for less than 20 bucks) and your Betta will be much happier.

I know this is probably frustrating, since the people at the store most likely lead you to believe that you could put your Betta in a little tank and not have to worry. But like a lot of people, you've been suckered by people that are probably ignorant, or at the very least, are trying to sell you something.

The 2.5 gallon tank I bought does have a carbon filter and does not make a big current. The water is pretty calm for the most part. I had a bad experience with a heater with the first betta I bought. Somehow that heater (marineland) got the water temp up to 90 degrees and killed the fish. It had no settings and was supposed to control at 78 degrees. SO I am afraid to try another heater but I live in a townhouse that holds the heat well so our house is always at least 73 degrees. I also have a thermometer in the water and it has been consistently 76 degrees and gets up to 78 or so with the tank light on. I also have the tank in our kitchen away from windows or doors but where the fish can see people alot. I feel that I have done a pretty good setup for him and feel he just may be sick and not much else I can try. I will do another water changeout though. I planned on every week and 1/2 because it does have the carbon filter. I would appreciate if anyone had any other suggestions that I could try. I will be adding some aquarium salt and a real plant today. Also I tried to feed him a green pea but he wouldn't eat that either.

Not sure why you need anymore suggestions? Fyurae pretty much gave you all the advice you need! Take it! Good luck

Hi Chad,

I found myself in a similar situation about 2 weeks ago. My fiancee fell in love with the saddest/most unhealthy betta from another pet store.

First of all, realize that coming from Petsmart, The betta has been sitting in a cup of methylene blue for a couple of weeks at least. Their water gets changed once a week there. They're fed very sparringly.

So right out of the gate, we have a fish who is emaciated and drugged up. First thing to do is get a larger container setup for the betta.

2.5g, 5g, 10g, 10000g, there all too small compared to nature. Give him the best home you can provide him. A 2.5 gallon aquarium will work, it's no more cruel than people putting stingrays, and most large catfish in their 3-400 gallon tanks. However generally more space is always better for any fish/animal.

As for filtration on a betta tank. The important part is to keep the flow very low. They are a species that likes to stay near the banks of rivers and rest in/on branches that have fallen into the water. Adding a filter to a tank can kill a betta just as fast as not doing any water changes.

Onto water changes, change 1/3 of the tank volume of water once a week if you do not have any filtration. If you do have filtration, you can do a water change every month.

Bettas thrive best in an environmental with plants. The plants act as a filter and provide cover for the fish to rest. Java moss, Guppy grass, Anubias, java Fern are all great starter plants for your betta.

On to food! In my experience a fish that has been neglected does not want to eat normal food. Any flake, bloodworm, pellet etc is going to be resisted. Mine would not even take frozen blood worms or live black worms. However I finally found what would tigger his feeding instinct. Live brine shrimp. After a few days of live brine, he now eats whatever we put in the tank. Took 11 days from laying on the bottom of the tank dying to building a bubble nest at the top of the water ready to mate.


Just a P.S. If you get a larger tank, there are plenty of tank mates you can keep with a betta. A 10 gallon makes for a nice ecosystem with a betta, some corydoras, and a few other small fish.

wow sounds like people here in washington got their betta info together.. haha. anyone else had success in breeding them? off topic but this guy is good. hes got all the info he'll need

Thanks to all for the help. I will pick up some live brine. I agree that you people know alot about these bettas and I came to the right place for advice! Thanks again.

Chad, please register on the site Good luck with your Betta!

Chad,
Don't forget that if your little fellow does die within 2 weeks you can take it in with your receipt and get a replacement or your money back. I know that's not a lot of consolation... just sayin".
Ron

I really do like the perspective you put into your post Cory with the comparison to nature!! So true.

My first betta, Robert The Fish, was from PetsMart and he died withing about a week. I couldn't bear to get another one from there and have it die so I didn't do the exchange. I went to a breeder I found online (Chard56 on aquabid) and I got some of the healthiest, friendliest bettas I could have imagined.