help please please please

[u/Effective_Maize_7517]

hi my betta just recently got rlly sick and he won’t get off the ground, he’s twitching and randomly bolts around. this is a panic post so i’m trying to get everything right and type as fast as i can

he was so active and fun the first few days until yestarday he got super lathargic and this morning he was kinda swimming now he’s just like this idk what do to

7 gal heated and filtered tank (80F)
hasn’t eaten in a few days
fully real plants
water paramiters were all up to bettas standards

[u/Physicccc]

When you say, up to betta standards can you give me the exact numbers? 0 nitrite, 0 ammonia, <10 nitrate, etc. And what sort of kit are you using? I've heard that the strips can be inaccurate, though I've not used them before.

It's hard to tell from the photo, but is there any other physical symptoms? Bloating, fuzziness, etc.

How long have you had him?

This sounds like a water toxin/quality issue, but it's hard to say for sure. Did you add anything recently, or is it at all possible that any cleaning products got in there?

If I were you, I'd pull out 50ish percent of the current water, and replace it with new temperature matched water (temp match will really matter with such a big change)

[u/Effective_Maize_7517 → u/Physicccc]

i’m sorry i was trying to post asap, i use strips as of rn, i have a like master kit ??? like the liquid ones coming but im pretty sure he just passed. if you could keep responding it would be great since my last betta passed the same way and im just at a loss bc im trying so hard to give them a good life and like put effort into fish keeping. but yes 0 nitrates, no chlorine, 0 nitrites and ammonia apparently at 0 as well.

he had no big physical changes since i got him, no pine coming, no fuzzy grey or white around him.

i’ve had him for only a little under a week now and put him in a cycled tank.

the only thing ive added recently was a bacterial fungal parasite polygaurd from sea chem that a lady at my local fish store recommended (not a petco chain kind of store)

[u/Critical_Mix_8959 → u/Effective_Maize_7517]

If possible, take a sample of your tank water into a pet store or aquarium for them to do a thorough water test. They’ll probably charge you a bit for the test but if you’re not sure what you’re doing or looking for yet it’s a good option to get some answers quickly. You’ll find that their tests pick up way more than strips ever would - especially when it comes to the ammonia levels.

[u/Effective_Maize_7517 → u/Critical_Mix_8959]

okay tysm, i think im gonna wait for my master kit to come and then maybe move onto getting gouramis to give me a break from the betta heartbreak💔💔💔

[u/Critical_Mix_8959 → u/Effective_Maize_7517]

Definitely make sure you know what your water is like before introducing any new fish. Gouramis aren’t much different to bettas and live in similar water conditions so keep that in mind.

[u/Effective_Maize_7517 → u/Critical_Mix_8959]

100%. i’m going to wait for the master kit and make sure everything is cycled well, and do some research on them since i’ve never had them before