care for a struggling betta

[roygun_1]

I was at the LFS and noticed a female crown tail struggling, laying on her side in the tank. The employee said she'd been there a while, no prior signs of illness, but I'm not so sure. After taking a closer look, I think the strong flow in her tank might be taking a toll, and the hard water in that area probably isn't helping. I'm guessing she's exhausted from swimming against the current and the water parameters are stressing her out.

The employee called the boss, and they offered me the fish for free, hoping I could nurse her back to health since no one else would likely buy her. At home, she's really struggling to swim, mostly staying at the bottom of the tank on her side, only going up for air. No pinconing or other visible signs of illness, just her behaviour that's off. I'm wondering if this could be swim bladder syndrome or something else entirely.

Honestly, I'm pretty sure she'd have been left to die, so I'm just trying to give her a chance to recover.

[roygun_1]

I've got her set up in a separate box with a cycled filter and heater, but I'm unsure about the next step - should I add salt to her water or is that even worth it at this point, considering her current state?

[brinyveg]

@roygun_1, I'd say try the salt, see if it helps. To me, it seems like she's just worn out from the strong current in her old tank, not necessarily a lost cause.

[brinyveg]

I'd avoid using stress coat on her, aloe vera can be harsh.

[kingrise]

I think she's just exhausted, like she's been constantly fighting against the current, you know, it's draining her. It's similar to if we had to climb stairs all day, every day, she's just worn out.

[brinyveg]

I'm with you on that, she's probably exhausted from fighting the current all day, every day. It's like being on a never-ending treadmill, no wonder she's struggling to swim.

[brinyveg]

I was at the LFS and noticed a female crown tail struggling, laying on her side in the tank. The employee said she'd been there a while, no prior signs of illness, but I'm not so sure. After taking a closer look, I think the strong flow in her tank might be taking a toll, and the hard water in that area probably isn't helping. I'm guessing she's exhausted from swimming against the current and the water parameters are stressing her out.

The employee called the boss, and they offered me the fish for free, hoping I could nurse her back to health since no one else would likely buy her. At home, she's really struggling to swim, mostly staying at the bottom of the tank on her side, only going up for air. No pinconing or other visible signs of illness, just her behaviour that's off. I'm wondering if this could be swim bladder syndrome or something else entirely.

Honestly, I'm pretty sure she'd have been left to die, so I'm just trying to give her a chance to recover.

What's in the conditioner then, does it have aloe vera in it?