Just bought a new betta from the store... they were having a sale and this poor little guy looked very close to dying. In fact, a whole mess of others next to him were already dead. I brought him home, and I'm looking at him now. He's a small red crowntail, in one of those evil small cups (which is only 1/3) full. He's breathing incredibly hard, and it seems that his slime coat is sloughing off. I'm afraid to acclimate him and put him in a new tank. What should I do? I don't want to do anything wrong and let this guy die!

Another thing... when he breathes, his gills come waaay out, and when he takes a breath, bubbles come out of his mouth. Could it be gill flukes or something? I'm not too familiar with this type of thing.

Hi

Ouch, he does sound in a bad way.

I personally would acclimate him and put him in the tank (as long as there are no other fish in there already), on the grounds that lots of clean fresh water is often the best cure for fish ailments. It is possible that his cup water is simply full of ammonia/nitrites or the pH in it has plunged, causing th gasping and slime coat sloughing.

I would also add 1 level teaspoon of salt per gallon to the tank (any salt unless it has anti-caking agents in it, completely dissolved first in some tank water and poured into the tank well away from the filter or fish). A mild salt solution usually helps sick fish. Keep the tank light off and don't feed him for a couple of days.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

Hope your betta gets better.

Just do what emmahj said and I think it should be fine.

Im sorry to hear about your new betta, it is sad when you seem them like that isnt it??? I would say move him to a bigger tank as well... theu DO need more water then what they fill in the little cups at the store... I hope he gets better for you!

He's such a cutie, so I really hope he lives! I put him in clean water, and a larger container.. he seems a little more comfortable, but he's still breathing like he's being chased by a shark. And I'm able to see inside his gills, and I can spot either air bubbles stuck in his gills or wormlike things. I can't quite make out what it is. Anyone have a clue? If not, I'll just continue to take emmahj's advice and see if he can tough it out.

He didn't make it. But at least he died in a bigger container and clean water. I can give him a proper funeral instead of the pet store throwing him away in the trash. Thanks for the help, guys.

Wormlike things in the gills? Oh man, that sounds like gill maggots. Those are very uncommon - the pet store he came from must be really erk! Disinfect the HECK out of that container before you use it again, just in case.

I'm so sorry he didn't make it hun. But at least he died in good clean surroundings and water, so you made him as comfortable as possible. And yes, at least he will have a proper funeral. Well done for trying to rescue him.

sorry he didn't make it, but bless you for making his last day peaceful..

Sorry to hear about your little one.

Ergasilus is the proper name for them. Nasty little buggers which cause severe gill damage, but almost never seen in North America thank goodness. They are a parasitical crustacean which hold on to the fish's gills and sometimes inside the mouth with hooks. (The 'maggots' are actually the egg sacs produced by adult females). A fish can have so many of them the gill arch is not visible. They are treatable with Dimilin and Program.

So sorry about your betta......If we only could tell beforehand who we could help and who we couldn't...If I brought a sick fish home and it died,even knowing it was sick somehow I still feel like I didn't do enough,or the right thing,ya know? But then I have saved a few so I guess I gotta feel good about that.