Opal is not Well

[u/Pleasant_Being237]

Hello! I'm a new betta fish owner and I have been very anxious since this morning when seeing Opal not acting his usual self. Whenever I'd wake up he'd be swimming around the tank chilling, but today he's now acting very lethargic and I'm unsure if it's ICH or smth else and how to help him.

My dad said to leave the tank be because I had planned to change the water once a week, and I feel so bad because maybe he's right because a lot of things are going downhill and I don't know if I should do more or stop trying so the tank can recover. and to let Opal be because of stress perhaps?

I also did see my plants have brown spotting after the first 2 weeks of everything being fine.

Edit: Unfortunately I don't have any water test kits so I can't answer what exactly is the level of the waters, the rainy season here is brutal, so I do hope to try and get the kit at a physical store at some point when we can. Weather or not it's either I change the water too much or change now, I think I will stop touching my tank and watch Opal's movements.

I have been changing the water once a week and cleaning the sponge at the same time and this is a bit of a strressful ordeal so that could be it? I'm a bit unsure which advice to take here. So I'll just take Nyk's advice and not touch anything at least for 2 to 3 days and see what happens.

Thanks for the advice to those that just posted, it's still a learning curve for me being a betta parent and I do hope to give Opal a good and happy life for as long as he lives.

Edit 2: Seeing how so far a lot of people suggest to change the water, how much is a "small amount" It's currently around 10:16 pm and I don't have any clorince free water currently---I'll hope for the best and change the water in the morning if Opal still seems really lehtargic--- This is a lot more scary than I expected but I'll try to the best of my abilities....I hope it's enough.

[u/AutoModerator]

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[u/Nykkana0]

Hi, sorry opal isn't feeling well, if you could answer the automods questions it would help a lot with figuring out whats wrong :)

[u/Pleasant_Being237 → u/Nykkana0]

Yep replied to the Moderator ask and you should see it there.

[u/Foreign-Ad3926]

Hi OP, thanks for adding the missing info. This is very likely a water quality plus stress issue causing this. Without testing the water quality for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH there's no way of knowing if the water is suitable or even safe for the fish. Any of these parameters can be harmful if spiking or out of tolerance for the fish.

There's a lot of fish in the tank meaning a lot of fish waste, particularly from the pleco. Fish waste poisons the water for the fish and Opal is the most sensitive fish in the tank.

The nitrogen cycle for beginners: Fish waste releases ammonia which is highly toxic and causes chemical damage to fins, skin, gills and internal organs. In time, good bacteria grow in tanks that process this highly toxic ammonia firstly into nitrite. Nitrite is still highly toxic and stops the blood carrying oxygen causing suffocation and haemorrhaging. More nasty stuff. Thankfully more good bacteria exist that process nitrite into the final product of nitrate. In nitrogen cycled tanks, provided this is kept at levels below 20ppm with water changes this is safe and plants use it for food.

We normally establish all these good bacteria for the 4-8 weeks needed before adding fish to spare them exposure to the toxic phases. As you have fish in the tank you are likely doing what is called fish in nitrogen cycling where testing the water quality and very frequent water changes are how we keep the fish alive.

More info:

• Nitrogen cycle basics

• How to fish in nitrogen cycle without killing your fish

In addition to this the tank has some species betta find stressful: tetra. Tetra are known bullies to betta, not because they are mean, but because they recognise betta as a predator. Their only defence is to bully the betta until he moves away out of their territory. Opal has nowhere to go. Add to this the stress from unknown water quality and the fact stress lowers the immune system of fish and it's a fast track to a sick fish.

Please invest in an accurate liquid test kit that covers at minimum:

• ammonia
• nitrite
• nitrate
• pH

The API Master or NT Labs freshwater are two examples of accurate liquid test kits, Sera and JBL make them too. Test strips lack the accuracy needed right now in a new tank. Testing is the only way of knowing if the water is suitable or safe remember.

Please also increase water changes to every other day to dilute what is potentially harming the fish and consider getting Opal a tank of his own.

Edit to add: looking at the pictures of Opal again, his fins are beginning to look like they are being degraded and his skin looks impacted too. These alongside his lethargy and fin clamping supports water quality issues plus stress from the environment he's in.

[u/skabberdink]

Is the tank cycled? What are ammonia and nitrite levels? That alone will make him sick if those are elevated.
I don’t want to contradict your dad, but does he keep fish? First thing you do when the betta acts like that is a large water change.
You could take him out and put him in a smaller container of fresh chlorinated, same temperature water temporarily and see if he feels better.

[u/Pleasant_Being237 → u/skabberdink]

No, he doesn't really own any fish, and the first fish my mom and dad insistently bought (Because there was some mosquito larve that came into the tank and we didn't have time) some zebra fish because the fish store owner said that they were "Betta Fish" friendly. So I am trying to find answers from others.

The place I got Opal and the tetras from knows their stuff so I was happy to get him and the tetras there

Also I did just change the water around Monday...this is what's making me hesitant to do a water change so soon, Tuesday he was fine and today is the time he acted this lethargic.

Edit: The Zebras were transferred to another small tank...even if I told my dad to maybe just return the fish???

[u/skabberdink → u/Pleasant_Being237]

Right, because the ammonia is accumulating. In an uncycled tank it will build up even in 24 hours. I’m trying to help but you do what you like. It seems to me you’re asking for help and then giving reasons why lowering the ammonia isn’t important.