Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm getting really worried about my betta. I got him a few weeks ago, and he was with another betta that sadly passed away. Since then, he's been acting weak. I'm thinking he might've gotten sick from the other betta, since they shared a tank. Yesterday was really scary - he was gasping for air nonstop, and we'd just changed the water and brought home a new betta. He was mostly just lying at the bottom, looking really weak. When he did swim up, it was like he was forcing himself to get some air.

This morning, I'm relieved to see he's doing a lot better, but now I've noticed these weird little things on him. His two front fins have these tiny stringy things dangling, and he's got tiny bumps all over. I'm hoping it's not itch, but I'm not sure. The bumps are pretty small, so maybe it's nothing? I just really want to make sure he's okay, and if he is sick, I don't want it to affect the new betta we just got. Can someone please help me out? My tank is 2 gallons, by the way. I've attached some pictures.

Welcome to the forum, kindfish. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your tank is way too small for two betta fish. I know, I know, the pet store probably told you it was fine, but trust me, they just want to make a sale. The truth is, most betta experts agree that even 2.5 gallons is a stretch for one betta, let alone two. I've got my boy in a 10-gallon tank all to himself, and even that's not the biggest.

To help you out, we need some more info about your tank. Can you tell me: is the tank cycled, and if so, how did you do it? Does it have a filter, and is it working properly? What about a heater - what's the temperature set to? How often do you change the water, and how much do you change at a time? What kind of water conditioner are you using? Are there any plants or decorations in the tank besides the fish? And have you added anything new to the tank recently, besides the new betta? The more info you can give us, the better we can help you figure out what's going on with your sick betta.

I completely agree with kalinda, 2 gallons is far too small for a single betta. I'd strongly recommend upgrading to a 5-gallon tank for the health and well-being of your fish.