Fishy didnt survive his infection... :(

[Elijon]

this morning he seemed to be making an improvement, but just a few minuets ago when i went up stairs for some tea he was floating. he was alive when i went downstairs not 30 minuets before...

i had fishy for 6 months, and i think about 4 months he got a bacterial infection. (probably the stress of when i moved weakened his immune system) of course, he the first betta ive had since i was 9 years old, and i didnt realize he was sick until my moms fish died from a similar infection just 5 days ago. i researched betta sicknesses to try and find out what killed her fish, and along the way i realized what was terribly wrong with mine.

i rushed to the store 4 days ago and got him some meds - but he still has refused to eat. i think what eventually killed him was not the infection, but the fact that he has simply not eaten in so long because of the infection.

i feel so terrible. the poor guy was sick for months and i didnt even know it... if i had done something sooner he would probably be fine.

I use water conditioner and water dechlorination, and feed them a varaity of foods.... we clean the bowls once a week with about a 75% water change.

i am wondering if there is bacteria in our tap water that is making our fish sick? im living in a rual area right now and some of our water *IS* irrigation water, so im wondering if perhaps there is a kind of bacteria in the local system thats killing our fish.

I have one other, much younger fish named Nori. he seems healthy and fine. but now i am worried he might get the same infection.

does anyone know of a good kind of preventative, to help keep bettas from getting sick in the first place? something that you can put in the water every time you change it to help get rid of any harmful bacteria?

[bettalvr]

EJ, can you tell us more about your water? Are you on city water or well water?

[wiccansinger]

try an indian almond leaf, they are recomended all the time as a help to preventing diseases, although i dont believe it can stop them all the time, but stops most cases before they start. also with the meds now on hand and the knowlage you have aquired you will be more ready if another betta gets an infection

[Elijon]

im not entirely sure :/ part of our pipe water is irrigation water, part is city...but our neighborhood has its own water, so its not the outside city water O_o; its very complicated. the tap water from our sink is supposed to be good water, but because its separated from regular city water it might be ground water from the local area.

thanks for the info wiccansinger, do most pet stores carry them?

[wiccansinger]

Over here in Aus on the gold coast they dont seem to, i have had to look forever to find them, i would suggest ebay as a way to get some... alternatively you could use Aqua Bid not sure if they haev any at the moment though. there are other websites that have them for sale to, or you could go to a specialist aquarium shop and they may order it in for you.

[Elijon]

hmm, ok thanks

[wiccansinger]

no problem im glad that i could help ^.^