Dead Betta, diagnosis please

[Bill Stock]

I thought Junior was becoming more sedentary lately, sleeping in his tree
(plastic plant) quite a bit. I cleaned his tank on Monday and aided the
usual dechlorinated and temperature matched water. He seemed fine, although
I was concerned that he got too close to the action at one point.

Last night he did not come up for his food. I found him dead on the bottom
tonight, with white ???? on the bottom side of his head? Any ideas on the
cause? I guess I need to do a serious disinfection and recycle next. Junior
was only about 6 months old.

TIA

[NetMax]

"Bill Stock" > wrote in message
...
>I thought Junior was becoming more sedentary lately, sleeping in his
>tree (plastic plant) quite a bit. I cleaned his tank on Monday and aided
>the usual dechlorinated and temperature matched water. He seemed fine,
>although I was concerned that he got too close to the action at one
>point.
>
> Last night he did not come up for his food. I found him dead on the
> bottom tonight, with white ???? on the bottom side of his head? Any
> ideas on the cause? I guess I need to do a serious disinfection and
> recycle next. Junior was only about 6 months old.
>
> TIA


White fuzz? fungus, opportunistic organism which feeds off organic
matter, usually dead. Might have originated in the gills, either in
post-mortem or a contributing cause. I wouldn't worry about disinfecting
for fungus as it's everywhere. If it was due to something else, and the
fungus was just being opportunistic, then that is a different matter.

Was Junior 6 months with you (so closer to 14-18 months old) or 6 months
old?
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Gill Passman]

Bill Stock wrote:
> I thought Junior was becoming more sedentary lately, sleeping in his tree
> (plastic plant) quite a bit. I cleaned his tank on Monday and aided the
> usual dechlorinated and temperature matched water. He seemed fine, although
> I was concerned that he got too close to the action at one point.
>
> Last night he did not come up for his food. I found him dead on the bottom
> tonight, with white ???? on the bottom side of his head? Any ideas on the
> cause? I guess I need to do a serious disinfection and recycle next. Junior
> was only about 6 months old.
>
> TIA
>
>
>
Sorry about Junior :-(

I have lost two bettas now after around 6 months of buying them. The
last one died just over a week ago - Mr Bluey :-( . There was no sign of
any illness and the water quality was good. The only way to describe
what happened is that he just seemed to get old very quickly. I spoke to
one LFS about it and he seemed to think it pointed at old age - afterall
I don't know how old he was when I got him.

Gill

[Elaine T]

NetMax wrote:
> "Bill Stock" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I thought Junior was becoming more sedentary lately, sleeping in his
>>tree (plastic plant) quite a bit. I cleaned his tank on Monday and aided
>>the usual dechlorinated and temperature matched water. He seemed fine,
>>although I was concerned that he got too close to the action at one
>>point.
>>
>>Last night he did not come up for his food. I found him dead on the
>>bottom tonight, with white ???? on the bottom side of his head? Any
>>ideas on the cause? I guess I need to do a serious disinfection and
>>recycle next. Junior was only about 6 months old.
>>
>>TIA
>
>
>
> White fuzz? fungus, opportunistic organism which feeds off organic
> matter, usually dead. Might have originated in the gills, either in
> post-mortem or a contributing cause. I wouldn't worry about disinfecting
> for fungus as it's everywhere. If it was due to something else, and the
> fungus was just being opportunistic, then that is a different matter.
>
> Was Junior 6 months with you (so closer to 14-18 months old) or 6 months
> old?

Bettas are 8-12 months old at purchase? That seems really old for a
fish with an average lifespan of two years.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Gill Passman]

Elaine T wrote:
> NetMax wrote:
>
>> "Bill Stock" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>> I thought Junior was becoming more sedentary lately, sleeping in his
>>> tree (plastic plant) quite a bit. I cleaned his tank on Monday and
>>> aided the usual dechlorinated and temperature matched water. He
>>> seemed fine, although I was concerned that he got too close to the
>>> action at one point.
>>>
>>> Last night he did not come up for his food. I found him dead on the
>>> bottom tonight, with white ???? on the bottom side of his head? Any
>>> ideas on the cause? I guess I need to do a serious disinfection and
>>> recycle next. Junior was only about 6 months old.
>>>
>>> TIA
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> White fuzz? fungus, opportunistic organism which feeds off organic
>> matter, usually dead. Might have originated in the gills, either in
>> post-mortem or a contributing cause. I wouldn't worry about
>> disinfecting for fungus as it's everywhere. If it was due to
>> something else, and the fungus was just being opportunistic, then that
>> is a different matter.
>>
>> Was Junior 6 months with you (so closer to 14-18 months old) or 6
>> months old?
>
>
> Bettas are 8-12 months old at purchase? That seems really old for a
> fish with an average lifespan of two years.
>


Does anyone actually have an idea of the age that most bettas are at
purchase? If their lifespan is two years then 12 months plus means we
are unlikely to keep them very long....I think a few questions on age at
LFS are in order.....It might save some heartache and self-blame
questions...

Gill

[Bill Stock]

"Gill Passman" > wrote in message
.. .
> Bill Stock wrote:
>> I thought Junior was becoming more sedentary lately, sleeping in his tree
>> (plastic plant) quite a bit. I cleaned his tank on Monday and aided the
>> usual dechlorinated and temperature matched water. He seemed fine,
>> although I was concerned that he got too close to the action at one
>> point.
>>
>> Last night he did not come up for his food. I found him dead on the
>> bottom tonight, with white ???? on the bottom side of his head? Any ideas
>> on the cause? I guess I need to do a serious disinfection and recycle
>> next. Junior was only about 6 months old.
>>
>> TIA
>>
>>
>>
> Sorry about Junior :-(
>
> I have lost two bettas now after around 6 months of buying them. The last
> one died just over a week ago - Mr Bluey :-( . There was no sign of any
> illness and the water quality was good. The only way to describe what
> happened is that he just seemed to get old very quickly. I spoke to one
> LFS about it and he seemed to think it pointed at old age - afterall I
> don't know how old he was when I got him.
>
> Gill

Thanks Gil et al,

I had him about six months, so don't know his real age.

I think I may restock with something else. I was thinking Tetras, but
anything active and suitable for a 10 gallon would be OK.

[Bill Stock]

"NetMax" > wrote in message
.. .
> "Bill Stock" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I thought Junior was becoming more sedentary lately, sleeping in his tree
>>(plastic plant) quite a bit. I cleaned his tank on Monday and aided the
>>usual dechlorinated and temperature matched water. He seemed fine,
>>although I was concerned that he got too close to the action at one point.
>>
>> Last night he did not come up for his food. I found him dead on the
>> bottom tonight, with white ???? on the bottom side of his head? Any ideas
>> on the cause? I guess I need to do a serious disinfection and recycle
>> next. Junior was only about 6 months old.
>>
>> TIA
>
>
> White fuzz? fungus, opportunistic organism which feeds off organic
> matter, usually dead. Might have originated in the gills, either in
> post-mortem or a contributing cause. I wouldn't worry about disinfecting
> for fungus as it's everywhere. If it was due to something else, and the
> fungus was just being opportunistic, then that is a different matter.
>
> Was Junior 6 months with you (so closer to 14-18 months old) or 6 months
> old?

Thanks Max, it would be nice to avoid another cycle.

I had him six months.


> --
> www.NetMax.tk
>

[NetMax]

"Gill Passman" > wrote in message
.. .
> Elaine T wrote:
>> NetMax wrote:
>>
>>> "Bill Stock" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>
>>>> I thought Junior was becoming more sedentary lately, sleeping in his
>>>> tree (plastic plant) quite a bit. I cleaned his tank on Monday and
>>>> aided the usual dechlorinated and temperature matched water. He
>>>> seemed fine, although I was concerned that he got too close to the
>>>> action at one point.
>>>>
>>>> Last night he did not come up for his food. I found him dead on the
>>>> bottom tonight, with white ???? on the bottom side of his head? Any
>>>> ideas on the cause? I guess I need to do a serious disinfection and
>>>> recycle next. Junior was only about 6 months old.
>>>>
>>>> TIA
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> White fuzz? fungus, opportunistic organism which feeds off organic
>>> matter, usually dead. Might have originated in the gills, either in
>>> post-mortem or a contributing cause. I wouldn't worry about
>>> disinfecting for fungus as it's everywhere. If it was due to
>>> something else, and the fungus was just being opportunistic, then
>>> that is a different matter.
>>>
>>> Was Junior 6 months with you (so closer to 14-18 months old) or 6
>>> months old?
>>
>>
>> Bettas are 8-12 months old at purchase? That seems really old for a
>> fish with an average lifespan of two years.
>>
>
>
> Does anyone actually have an idea of the age that most bettas are at
> purchase? If their lifespan is two years then 12 months plus means we
> are unlikely to keep them very long....I think a few questions on age
> at LFS are in order.....It might save some heartache and self-blame
> questions...
>
> Gill


Yes, please do. Smaller Bettas are in the range of 7 to 8 months old,
while adults are closer to 11 or 12 months old. This is what I've been
told, and it doesn't seem completely unreasonable given growth rates for
anabantidaes (very small fry to start with) and the length of the Betta's
fins. Of course, given the economic pressures and lower market scruples
from where they originate, I'm sure every technique to accelerate their
growth is currently being used, regardless of the long term health
effects on the fish *grr*.

Also their expected age of 2 years is (from my understanding) in room
temperature water. In proper tropical conditions (warm filtered water),
their life expectancy is much longer, towards 5 years of age.

I haven't enough birth to death experience with Bettas, but perhaps there
are some breeders out there who could enlighten us..... TYNK?
--
www.NetMax.tk

[§tudz]

"Bill Stock" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Gill Passman" > wrote in message
> .. .
>> Bill Stock wrote:
>>> I thought Junior was becoming more sedentary lately, sleeping in his
>>> tree (plastic plant) quite a bit. I cleaned his tank on Monday and aided
>>> the usual dechlorinated and temperature matched water. He seemed fine,
>>> although I was concerned that he got too close to the action at one
>>> point.
>>>
>>> Last night he did not come up for his food. I found him dead on the
>>> bottom tonight, with white ???? on the bottom side of his head? Any
>>> ideas on the cause? I guess I need to do a serious disinfection and
>>> recycle next. Junior was only about 6 months old.
>>>
>>> TIA
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> Sorry about Junior :-(
>>
>> I have lost two bettas now after around 6 months of buying them. The last
>> one died just over a week ago - Mr Bluey :-( . There was no sign of any
>> illness and the water quality was good. The only way to describe what
>> happened is that he just seemed to get old very quickly. I spoke to one
>> LFS about it and he seemed to think it pointed at old age - afterall I
>> don't know how old he was when I got him.
>>
>> Gill
>
> Thanks Gil et al,
>
> I had him about six months, so don't know his real age.
>
> I think I may restock with something else. I was thinking Tetras, but
> anything active and suitable for a 10 gallon would be OK.
>

Bettas, as said earlier are from 6-12months old from purchase, usually, but!
bettas (if you get a good strain) can live for over 3yrs, but due to years
of inbreeding and such like, they have become a breed of genetic oddities
and they have many problem. If you look at a wild betta, not a betta
splenden, they look totally different, males and females in the wild are
almost the same, and they are brown as well.
I've had my betta for about 4 months maybe longer, could be even 6 lol, and
he is fitting fit, he has out lived 3 female bettas I purchased about 3
months ago. He is mean son of a fish though, lol.

[IDzine01]

I believe the type of care they receive before they're puchased has a
lot to do with it too. Bettas purchased directly from a breeder may be
healthier then one that has been sitting on a store shelf for a month
swimming in his own filth.

Bettas living to see their 5th birthday are by no means unheard-of.

[Bill Stock]

"Bill Stock" > wrote in message
...
>I thought Junior was becoming more sedentary lately, sleeping in his tree
>(plastic plant) quite a bit. I cleaned his tank on Monday and aided the
>usual dechlorinated and temperature matched water. He seemed fine, although
>I was concerned that he got too close to the action at one point.
>
> Last night he did not come up for his food. I found him dead on the bottom
> tonight, with white ???? on the bottom side of his head? Any ideas on the
> cause? I guess I need to do a serious disinfection and recycle next.
> Junior was only about 6 months old.
>
> TIA

I was considering getting another male Betta and perhaps a couple of
females. But quite a few of the males were already floating in their cups,
so I passed. I ended up with Cherry Barbs instead.