roasted marshmallow Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 First off, let me say I'm a noob when it comes to fish. All I know, I know from a friend... and it's his wedding I got my beta at, so I don't want it to die. So here's the issue... I have the little guy in a little 3 gallon tank with a filter attached to the airpump. (See what I mean? I don't even know what it's called!) Anyways, I was told to clean out about 1/3 of the water with a gravel cleaner once a week or so, and I've been trying to, but it's probably closer to every two weeks. Little Yac didn't seem to mind though, so I've been fairly faithful about it. Anyway, lately his fins have been a little off... like they're being chewed up at the ends. Mostly his tail, and not the top and bottom fins, but a little bit of those too. And he had a spot on one of his gills. I'd also been noticing that I couldn't suck up all the floaties in the water anymore, so today I decided that his water might be a bit toxic, so I put him in his old bowl, and cleaned the whole tank out. (Just rinsing, I know they don't like soap.) Well now he's just laying on his side at the bottom of the tank. He moves once in a while, but not often, and he just goes to a different spot to lay down. I put in the fancy drops in his water, and I put changed the filter as well, so he should be clean and contaminate free. Why is he just laying there? What can I do to perk him up? Help! I don't want Yac to die! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_Frenzy Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 Are you using something to remove the chlorine from the water when you do water changes? What exactly are the "fancy drops" you are adding? Is the water you add to the tank approx the same temp as the water you took out? Need some more info to help out your little buddy. Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roasted marshmallow Posted September 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 I'm using Prime as drops. I talked to Tanker and he thinks Yac is probably just in a bit of shock and is adjusting to his new water. Told me not to do that again. I'll give him a day or two to get out of his funk... he's probably just pissed at me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrie Lee Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 When you washeed his filter it wasn't in tapwater was it? Tapwater kills the effectiveness of the filter. When you clean the filter do it in water from the tank or treat the water with the drops first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qattarra Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 You'll need to warm him up too, they are tropical fish. Is there a room in your house that stays quite warm? You may need to buy a small heater. 1 Dechlorinated water. Prime is quite concentrate , I'm sure you don't need more than 3 drops for a 5gal bucket 2 Heat , 76 is great 3 Clean water 4 good food, just enough , his stomac is the size of his eyeball, 2 - 4 meals a day , couple pellets each time 5 when you change his water make sure it's the same temp as before or just 1-2 degrees warmer, never colder. 6 Betta fix ( a meleluca oil product) to help repair his fin rot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanker Posted September 9, 2007 Report Share Posted September 9, 2007 and I put changed the filter as well Um... and again, in English! If you followed my old advice and bought the little box filter that sits in the corner and is clear and bubbles nicely, then ya... "Oops". You can change the water, and clean the filter elements, but not both at the same time. Short story: you killed the 'cycle' of the tank, which takes 3-5 weeks to reset, now. Yac is gunna be a hurting unit until then, and probably another month afterwards as he recovers. The only thing that can 'save' him from a torturous two month is if someone in Calgary can get you a chunk of filter floss from their tank, and you use that in your box filter for the next couple weeks. The good bacteria we have talked about lives in the filter, and the gravel. By rinsing both, you nuked them. Nothing we all haven't done before (a few times) as it's easy to do - and luckily there are ways to fix it, fast. Step One: add 6 drops of Prime each day, until then. It's a tad bit if an overdose, but it certainly will not do any more harm. Prime not only binds the chlorine, but ammonia, too (which is what Yac is suffocating on, right now). Some people may suggest a water change everyday, but I think that he may be close enough to the edge that any change in water chemistry or temp at this point will shock him past the point of return. Tanks that small are very delicate (obviously) and most of us have tanks many times it's size and what's good for the goose, ain't always too poop-hot for the gander. 2: Spend today (Sunday) trying to score a chunk of floss from someone on here (or a nylon sock with gravel in it) - either one must be from an established (read: dirty) tank so it will seed your bacteria. Several members live near you. If I was anywhere but on the highway today, I could be more help, but I'll be crossing the Rockies so wifi is scant, to say the least. The chunk only needs to be about 1/4 cup in size, as that will return the cycle in hours, literally. If you run short, try calling Riverfront (pretty much your closest 'friendly' store and beg). Keep the cycle media in the tank for a couple days, and once it's in the tank, stop adding Prime. Otherwise there is no point as the bacteria will not feed on the ammonia, before the Prime takes care of it. The bag of cycling media (floss or gravel) should be transported from one tank to the other 'constantly wet' so a Ziplock full of tank water works great. Dry can mean dead, so not good. If he makes it through this, he is not a fish - he is Chuck Norris. I'll be home Sunday night, on schedule, so let me know how it's going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMumba Posted September 9, 2007 Report Share Posted September 9, 2007 How is Yak today? I hope better! Keep us informed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roasted marshmallow Posted September 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 yac is not doing better yet, though I've been following instructions here... I may have seen slight improvement, but I don't know. He seems pretty out of it. And now I have sympathy sickness. So tomorrow after I take myself to the doctor, I'll be going to Riverfront to beg for assistance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_Frenzy Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 What part of Calgary are you in? I have lots of tanks = lots of filter media. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roasted marshmallow Posted September 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 I am in Inglewood. It's all good though, I have help coming for Yac today. In addition, I think he is getting better as this morning he's moving around a lot more, trying to eat, etc. So far, the Prime is helping it looks like. Had a nice long chat with Tanker last night who set me straight on a few things I've been doing incorrectly, and Yac already seems at least a little better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMumba Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 I am happy to hear, that Yak is feeling better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roasted marshmallow Posted September 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2007 Yac is happy as a pig in dung again! He's eating well, swimming around, his fins are looking a bit better. He's happy. Thanks for all your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanker Posted September 12, 2007 Report Share Posted September 12, 2007 Great to hear it! Keep him alive this time! Yvette says that if I have to bail that damn fish out again, we're coming down there to rescue him! Fish Social Services! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.