I did a (rather large) water change and my betta fish immediately started fucking dying. I conditioned the water and everything. It was filtered water that I usually use. Within the hour, she sunk to the bottom and started heavy breathing. I immediately transferred her to a shallow breeding net in a DIFFERENT tank with stable water and she is still dying. Now she's laying on her side barely breathing. I don't know what the FUCK im doing wrong. This is my SECOND BETTA to die. I'm trying SO FRICKEN HARD. I have a planted 10 gallon, cycled, maintained and clean, heater, filtered, and yet I can't seem to keep a betta fish alive. My last one randomly got dropsy and I tried so hard to save her but she died. How the fuck can I keep amano shrimp larvae alive but not a betta fish? I don't understand why they arent thriving. Perms are PERFECT and all other fish in the 10 gal are thriving and doing just fine. All other tanks in my room are perfect.What am I doing wrong!!!???? I'm so frustrated, I just want a betta fish. I don't want to keep killing them, I don't even know how I am. I love my fish so fucking much I don't want them to die- I don't get it- I do the fucking impossible. Betta fish survive years in bowls but my planted paradise kills them within 3 months what the actual fuck.
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1du3704
Posted by Own_Adhesiveness2829
5 Comments
you said you were cleaning the sand. is it possible that an ammonia pocket might have been disturbed during the wc? this would likely send her into an ammonia shock
another other hypothesis is that your city’s or neighborhood water supply may have been contaminated. a few years ago there was a problem in my city’s water supply, the ph suddenly dropped and something contaminated the water. i got lucky bc i procrastinated the water change, but my boyfriend’s friend did his in time and lost a couple of discus, plus had a few get really sick.
I’m not going to lie, I also struggled with trial and error with my bettas. Serious question, when you do water changes are you putting the new water in slowly or really quick? I lost a betta because I was reckless with a water change and I put the new water in so quick all of the sediment rose and my betta died a day later. Also, what brand of conditioner do you use? Or what chemicals do you use for your water change? Hoping the best for you on your journey!!
You say you did a (rather large) water change. How large is large?
You also say, it’s ur 2nd betta to die. Did the last betta die after a large water change? If so, maybe large water changes are the problem. I’m not certain.
Lastly, someone talked about an ammonia pocket. I think I lost a betta that way once.
Anyway, very sorry this happened. I’ve been there and it really sucks. ☹️
Hopefully she pulls through 🤞
Im wondering about the Water parameters before and after the change… If you say that Ammonia read 0, the water was conditioned and the temperature was the same.. Im wondering about a difference in PH before and after, about acclimation and about how was the transfer back and forth, cause if he instantly sunk, it could be definitely a shock… that I have seen when a fish is transfer from two way different temperatures, to a way to different PH or way stress was present.
Sorry about your betta. I’ve had bettas die on me before and it is very upsetting. Try putting catappa leaves in the the tank. They help with water conditions for bettas. Helps in shrimp tanks, too.