i just purchased my first fish, a betta named cujo, about a week ago. i purchased him from wally world (im a diehard rescuer). he's in a 5.5gallon tank with a heater and biowheel/carbon filter. about 3 days ago, i noticed he looked like he had lice. i read on here (thank you for all the good info!) that he had ick. i went back to wally world and got the only medicine for ick they had. i treated his tank with 1/2 tsp of the stuff. i'm worried because its not going away and he's getting more and more lethargic. not only that is he's still not eating! he plays with his food but in the end, never actually digests any of it. HELP!

Did you remove the carbon? Carbon sucks up all chemicals, even medications.

yeah...i took out the carbon filter part before i put the ick medicine in. (which is info i got off this site! not even a mention of it on the bottle!) is there anything else i can do? i feel like i should be doing more...

I'd suggest emptying out some tank water every 3 days (I'd say maybe half?) and replace with clean dechlorinated water. Then add half the medicine you used for a full dose (since you emptied half the tank). I'd also suggest adding aquarium salt (wally world should have some, because that's where I buy mine). I think the directions recommend 1 table spoon for every five gallons (as a preventative) but since yours is sick I'd try adding two table spoons.

I'm not sure if my information is entirely correct , so if it's not, someeone please correct me.

Also I'd turn up your heater to 82 degrees.

i actually just did a 50% water change and bought some aquarium salt to add. i only added the 1 Tbsp but he seems to be doing better today. i'm pretty hopeful. About the heater tho - Is there such a thing as an adjustable heater for a 5.5gallon tank? the only heaters ive found for that size are preset for one temp.

I think they have them out there. Probably the best treatment for ich is the increased heat and salt. I had an outbreak in my golides once and a couple weeks of the salt and the increased temp of 82-84 cured them.

i realize this is a little late in coming but i thought i'd give you an update. cujo died. i did a 50% water change and moved his tank to a different part of the house so he wasnt so stressed. i treated his water and added some salt. i bought a new heater and i thought he was doing better. actually, the ick was getting better. i was so worried about the ick that i failed to notice what else was going on. he must have been really ichy from the ick and he kept rubbing himself on the plants in his tank. when i put his tank together i thought it would look nice to add a small tera cotta pot where he could hide if he wanted to... i never thought about the tiny little drainage hole in the bottom of it. he was trying to ich himself (i think) and he wedged himself into the tiny little hole at the bottom of the pot. i had to poke him out of the hole and he was SEVERELY injured. i felt there was no other alternative than euthanasia at that point. his fins were pretty much shredded and his back and underbelly had huge gashes where the pot had dug in. he tried to swim a little but he was struggling too much. PLEASE read my story and pay attention to your tank...i never thought about the dangers of such a simple ornament.

Aw hun I'm sorry to hear that he passed! I just had to euthanize one of my boys too...I know how hard it is to do, but just remember that they are at peace now.

Do you plan on getting another fish? If so, be sure to clean and sanitize the tank and all equipment before you do. You can boil the ornaments and gravel, and use a mild bleach solution on the tank and filter. Hope this helps!

thank you for the kind words. i have to say, that was one of the most traumatizing things ive had to go thru (barring when my dog got hit by a car in front of me). i did get a new betta...i havent named him yet mostly because i wanted to make sure he would live. (i didnt want to get attached...) lol. i'll get pictures eventually...he's smaller than cujo was but he's blue and red and he makes bubble nests like you wouldnt believe!

So sorry about you little guy. It is hard to euthanise a best friend but sometimes that is the best thing for them to put them out of the misery. sorry. congrats on you new betta baby