Vet Q&A-Fish

My male beta fish hasn't eaten in about 10 days. He sits at the bottom of his tank and doesnt move unless i move the plant in his tank. There is a heater in his tank that regulates the water, and he has more than enough tank space. I recently did a 1/3 water change because he wasn't eating and his food was piling up. I've had him for a few months and this has never happened before.Has colour fading/ no signs of bloating. He is laying on his side and appears to be hyperventilating.

Hello and thank you for your post! Have you had your water checked recently? I would pick up a water test kit for aquariums. You can find these at most pet stores and see if there is any chemical imbalance that may be causing these signs. He could also be sick so you might consider taking him to an exotic veterinarian to have him looked at. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction!

I got my vanilla lobster home yesterday and the first thing I noticed was that he was raising his tail sharply and almost stumbling around. I woke this morning and he was on his side. It's a 55 gallon tank and has only been established about two days but we used the instant start bacteria treatment and the rest of the tetras, bichir, parrot fish are doing ok. Any thoughts?

Check the water chemistry. Invertebrates can be more sensitive to ammonia levels than other fish. It is always recommended to quarantine new additions in a separate tank to rule out or treat infection or parasites prior to adding to the main tank. Make sure he isn't being harrassed by other fish. As he matures, he will grow and become a potential threat to bottom dwelling tankmates.

My betta fish isn't eating and he seems really scared. What should I do?

Lower the light, limit trafffic in front of aquarium, check water quality and adjust as needed. Give a safe structure for Salsa to hide if he needs security. If you have to do a water change, make it progressively not drastically. We do not want to stress him furthermore. Hope salsa feels better. Cool name for a beta.

My border collie itches himself constantly and has red scabed patches under his armpits... he has to stop all the time to itch himself. We don't have fleas here. We have already switched his food and have started him on fish oils. Should I take him to a vet?

Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Poor Bo! You are describing a very itchy dog! I think he would benefit by being seen by your Vet. There are many other causes for severe scratching that aren't from fleas or food allergies: allergic reaction, yeast or bacterial infection or scabies (a contagious mite). Your Vet may do a skin scrape to rule out mites Then prescribe something to relieve the scratching, possibly an antibiotic or a medicated shampoo. Good luck!

Can i get 3 mollies and 1 cory city for cycling my 7 gallon aquarium?

You should use one or two small, inexpensive but hardy fish to cycle a tank. Ideally, the tank should be cycled empty to prevent fish losses. You can also use a quick start product to speed up the cycling.

My 1 year old gsd is biting /licking her butt, occasionally has incontenince, and has diarrhea (sometimes snotty) about every 2 weeks. She's on a fish based kibble diet as my other dog has very bad allergies to chicken and beef. Please help

If Gemma was previously diagnosed with food allergies, then they don't seem to be better yet. What you are describing would definitely fit with a food allergy, so I'll give some comments about how I would address this problem. First, it can take several weeks for the allergy to go away after a diet change. So, if it's been less than six weeks after the diet was switched, then you'll need to wait a little longer before you know if it worked or not. Food allergies are due to certain proteins and they are usually animal proteins (beef, pork, dairy, etc.). To find the actual protein Gemma was allergic to, you must have done an elimination trial. If there was not an elimination trial done, then you would be only guessing at the source of the allergies. One way I often bypass the elimination trial is by recommending a hydrolysed protein diet such as Hill's i/d. In these diets, the proteins are broken down, so there is minimal chance of them causing an allergy. This would have to be prescribed by a veterinarian though. In the meantime, you may consider starting a diet trial to see if that helps to relieve the problems Gemma is having. Here is a link to a good article that explains how to do the diet: http://communityvet.net/2010/03/diy-elimination-diet-for-the-dog-an-cat/ Keep in mind that your diet trial will cease to work if she is getting any treats or table scraps. Make sure that there is no possibility of this happening - especially if there are kids in the house. As always, it's always best to do these things in consultation with your vet. They can also ensure that nothing else is responsible for the diarrhea. I hope this helps and Gemma feels better soon.

I bought a female betta fish and i put it with my other 6 fish in my 3.5 gallon tank and it has unusual behaviors, it's staying my the bottom and it's barely swimming and eating. I put the fish in the container it came in with some water and food and the food is still there. Also, some of my other female betta are always by the filter so i don't know if that's usual for them in a new tank or not

Your tank is overstocked. At most, you should have no more than 2-3 fish depending on size. The general rule is 1 inch of fish per gallon of water (goldfish are the exception). Check the water quality. Toxins such as ammonia or nitrites can build up in an overcrowded tank or one without adequate filtration. Consider a larger tank or multiple tanks to reduce population. Perform a water change using aged or conditioned water to prevent shock. Make sure your filter is rated to handle at least twice the volume of the tank. Monitor your fish for bullying. This can cause stress which may account for the symptoms you are seeing. Remove aggressors if necessary.

I have a flower horn fish 2 years old, very healthy until now. Decided to give him live fish, I believe this how he got ill. He does not have a hole yet, but he defently has the disease. Big white spot on his head and a small one on the side of his head. Pls tell, me what to do. Tel- 201-736-3049/ email- tgutie0556 gmail.com

The addition of live prey may have introduced parasites into your aquarium. It is also possible it was pre existing and an unknown stressor may have triggered active infection. Regardless, now you have to treat. Check water quality first. Poor water quality is a major cause of illness and it can also complicate any condition. Test a sample at home with a kit or submit a sample for testing. Most pet stores or aquarists will do this for free or for a nominal fee. Ammonia and nitrites should be 0 ppm (parts per million). Nitrates should be 40 ppm or less but for HITH, try for 10ppm or less. Perform partial water changes using aged or conditioned water that is temperature and pH matched to prevent shock and further stress until water parameters are acceptable. Metronidazole is the treatment of choice for HITH. It will kill Hexamita which is the parasite associated with HITH. You can purchase metronidazole for tanks online or in the aquarium section of most pet stores. Follow label directions carefully. Remove the charcoal from the filter during treatment. A broad spectrum antibiotic should also be used to prevent secondary infection. If you have other fish in the tank, monitor them for similar symptoms. A proper diet is also critical. A vitamin and mineral deficiency may predispose a fish to this condition. Use a fortified pelleted diet. You can soak food in garlic juice (or GarlicGuard by SeaChem) to boost the immune system and stimulate the appetite.

Is my Betta fish sick? If so, how sick? And if he is sick, what can I do to help him get better, or is it too late?

Clamped fins are a sign of stress. This can be due to water quality or low water temperature. Ideally, a Betta should be kept in a tank no smaller than 2 gallons. A filter is recommended but water changes (using aged or conditioned water) can be done every week or two to maintain water quality. A heater is essential. Bettas do best between 78 F and 80 F. Feed him a good quality pelleted food, Hikari pellets are recommended.