[Cvan360]

Hi all,

I'm stumped and disappointed, lost our betta that was about a year old and I'm not sure why. Would love some ideas and thoughts.

It has a 16 gallon cube tank all to itself. Very heavily planted. Matrix media that's been cycled for about 9 months. Water parameters are 0 ammonia 0 nitrate 0 nitrite. 35% water change weekly. Never had any issues.

We left for a vacation on Wednesday last week, he looked great when I left. 48 hours later I had someone come over to feed him, and watching on the camera I set up I noticed a large white marking on his back. Very hard to see. But he was also swimming highly erratically.

I got a couple more clips of him on the camera where I can make out the white area on his back. I have no idea what it is, was not there at all when I left 48 hours earlier.

Same person came over and told me he's dead on the bottom of the tank.

That's all I know. Can't imagine what in the tank could have injured him like that. Or even if the injury would appear white like it does. I'm totally stumped.

Here's some video clips I pulled, that's effectively all I have to go off of at this point.

 

[itsdirk]

Looks like an injury. Spooked and hit a sharp branch maybe? No cat in the house trying to take a swipe?

 

[Cvan360]

Nope, no cats. Empty house. Looking at some of my video clips it looks like that white marking appeared within a day after I left.

Here's a picture of the tank setup from the front.

 

[buggyInteger]

He was moving really erratically. Stray electrical current maybe, from the heater?

 

[zdrc]

It sorta looks like he's flashing. Perhaps it's a parasite?

Honestly though, I think current fancy betta stock is pretty low quality. I had a koi betta that just dropped dead for seemingly no reason after about a year. None of the other fish in the tank showed illness. I imagine line breeding has led to some pretty genetically weak individuals just like it has for ram cichlids and dwarf gouramis.

 

[Cvan360]

Great points. The erratic swimming really looks like he's aware of whatever the mark on his back is and doesn't like it. The only variable that I "changed" right before I left is I added a FZone Auto Topoff. I can imagine that caused this but I'm reaching. Here's a pick of him I took before I departed. Less than 24 hours later he has that white mark...

 

[Michael John Scott]

Hi all,

I'm stumped and disappointed, lost our betta that was about a year old and I'm not sure why. Would love some ideas and thoughts.

It has a 16 gallon cube tank all to itself. Very heavily planted. Matrix media that's been cycled for about 9 months. Water parameters are 0 ammonia 0 nitrate 0 nitrite. 35% water change weekly. Never had any issues.

We left for a vacation on Wednesday last week, he looked great when I left. 48 hours later I had someone come over to feed him, and watching on the camera I set up I noticed a large white marking on his back. Very hard to see. But he was also swimming highly erratically.

I got a couple more clips of him on the camera where I can make out the white area on his back. I have no idea what it is, was not there at all when I left 48 hours earlier.

Same person came over and told me he's dead on the bottom of the tank.

That's all I know. Can't imagine what in the tank could have injured him like that. Or even if the injury would appear white like it does. I'm totally stumped.

Here's some video clips I pulled, that's effectively all I have to go off of at this point.

View attachment 1050565

I've had lots of bettas over the years, and even as an experienced fishkeeper, I've lost a few for reasons unknown. Bettas sometimes just up and die. When I go to bed at night they are fine, and healthy looking with a great appetite. The next morning they are dead and everyone else in the tank is doing fine. I've always chalked it up to a 'betta thing.'

 

[Cvan360]

I've had lots of bettas over the years, and even as an experienced fishkeeper, I've lost a few for reasons unknown. Bettas sometimes just up and die. When I go to bed at night they are fine, and healthy looking with a great appetite. The next morning they are dead and everyone else in the tank is doing fine. I've always chalked it up to a 'betta thing.'

Thanks for sharing. Good to know. I don't have a ton of experience, but I do have another tank and I've been putting a lot of effort into making sure this guy's tank is dialed in just right. I think what throws me off the most is the white visible portion of his body appearing out of nowhere. I wish I could get a clear view on what it even is. Wasn't there at all when I left. The camera I have doesn't show a clear enough view. I asked the person who was watching my house too take a photo but it had already died in his down low in the plants where we can't get a good shot. By the time I get back it'll probably be decomposed.

And on that note I'm worried about what that decomposing fish will do to the overall health of the tank, although it was the only fish in there.

 

[dfarr67]

They don't last long for me either- poor genetics I think.

 

[Apalladino65]

I've had very random betta deaths as well. Rest of the fish were fine, and they just died, zero signs of any issues.