Marine betta dying

bshake · Sep 5, 2022

Hello everyone Im new to Reef2Reef and to the Hobby, I recently got a marine betta from my LFS about a week ago it's like 4 inches. I have in a QT tank because I was trying to get him off of live food. The betta hasn't eaten yet I tried ghost shrimp, guppies and all the frozen foods that I can get my hands on, the past 3 days or so his health spiraled down hill. Ive been treating him since he got sick with Sachem paragaurd and API fin and body cure and Prazipro but looks like he's just getting worst It's got one cloudy eye, fins are all deteriorating, and looks like wounds on its side. The betta has been laying at the bottom of the tank all day and doesn't really move much but it's still breathing

mehaffydr · Sep 5, 2022

@fishmedic

Jay Hemdal · Sep 5, 2022

This looks like it could be an acute bacterial infection. My recollection is that these sometimes develop this issue when first acquired. Other than trying a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic, I don't know much about this issue. I think this person has seen the issue firsthand, so I'm pinging him to see if he can help:

@ThRoewer

Jay

vetteguy53081 · Sep 5, 2022

Agree on bacterial infection which may have stemmed from an injury. These are tough fish and with good water quality and what Jay has mentioned - broad spectrum treatment- there should be recovery. I used for my betta Ruby rally pro but feel Seachem neoplex in a quarantine setting will also be effective. My betta got an injury two years ago from staghorn which I moved and healed nicely :

bshake · Sep 6, 2022

It’s driving me crazy such a beautiful fish and losing it would hurt, it’s literally been laying down for a day now. I’m not sure how this happened? He was good and then bam this. Should I try something else besides the paragaurd and api’s fin and body cure?

Jay Hemdal · Sep 6, 2022

bshake said:
It’s driving me crazy such a beautiful fish and losing it would hurt, it’s literally been laying down for a day now. I’m not sure how this happened? He was good and then bam this. Should I try something else besides the paragaurd and api’s fin and body cure?

Paraguard won't help with bacterial infections. The API product is doxycycline, an antibiotic, but there is some indication that it doesn't work well in marine aquariums (only freshwater).

You could try Neoplex, but I think it was tried in a similar case and didn't work. Maybe use Kanaplex?

Jay