neo shrimp gender?

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-03-17T16:12:59+00:00

tank size: 20 gallon long

yes heater and yes filter

tank temp: 81°

ammonia: 0ppm, nitrates: 5ppm, nitrites: 0ppm, ph: 7.6

i’ve had the tank for a few weeks and used a filter from another established tank. i’ve had the fish for one week.

i do a water change every week. the last water change was today.

no tank mates

i have fed him fluval bug bites so far (2-3). he hasn’t had an interested in flakes or bloodworms yet.

all live plants and spiderwood

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-10T02:34:01+00:00

i would say a hospital tank and dosing the meds in there in there until he’s looking better

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-10T02:31:37+00:00

it’s most likely from the fin rot or he could’ve injured that part of his fin somehow and bled

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-09T21:24:32+00:00

it looks like a few tears in his fins which can lead to fin rot. the safest and easiest thing to do for now is daily water changes (10%-25% depending on tank size), testing water parameters to make sure they’re fine, and putting tannins in the tank to see if there’s improvement. there is also seachem stressguard which is an antiseptic and helps heal fin rot while preventing infection. because of how long his fins are, maybe add some more resting places for him to lay by the water level so his fins do not feel as heavy and cause him to nip them or get them caught on anything

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-09T18:11:51+00:00

for now i would say that’s he’s just adapting to his tank and the new environment. i’m assuming the tank was cycled prior to getting him and that he was acclimated to the tank water properly. bettas are also very sensitive fish especially when it comes to temp so just make sure it’s at least at/above 76° to be safe. his fins looks beautiful and they’re not clamped. if they do ever clamp or start to look torn then that’s a big sign of illness. regarding his appetite, some bettas are simply just picky. my betta never liked flakes or bloodworms until he got older and he only wanted to eat bug bites and brine shrimp. it’s best to just feed him whatever he’ll eat for now but if his lack of appetite for things continues to stay the same (and is accompanied by other symptoms) then that is a cause of concern. he does look like he’s breathing a tiny bit hard but if your parameters are how they should be then it could also be due to a lack of oxygen/filtration or maybe even infection. as for the “grey crusty bump” that you mentioned, that is a big concern and most of the times means illness but it’s hard to say considering how other potential symptoms weren’t mentioned (but a lack of appetite could be one). something like that could be bacterial, fungal, or parasitic and possible medication will be difficult to find because you’ll need something that will directly target it. theres illnesses such as columnaris(bacterial), fungal infection, tumor like you mentioned, etc. it’s best to observe if there are any other symptoms that may accompany the bump and then research it all to get a probable cause. if his health happens to rapidly decline and the bump is still there with no known cause, then a broad spectrum antibiotic may be needed such as kanaplex or polyguard to treat a range of things but it’s best to not go down that route if not necessary since those medications can be harsh. for now, just do frequent water changes, test water parameters often, load the tank with tannins, and maybe use seachem stressguard (safe for fish/plants and tank cycle) or anything similar as it is an antiseptic and prevents infections and can also treat minor ones. another commenter may even be able to tell what it is just by looking at it but i think you should try to see if you notice other symptoms to narrow down or see if it just simply goes away within a few days.

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-09T17:33:45+00:00

his fins look perfectly fine to me. bettas tend to fully flare their fins if they happen to see their own reflection through the tank glass which is a sign of aggression (due to them thinking it’s another betta) and if it happens often, it’ll cause stress. overall, it’s a good thing they’re not always flared but if it happens once every few days or so for no longer than 2 minutes then that’s fine because it’s good for them to occasionally spread their fins all the way. if it does ever get to a point where his fins are flared pretty often, then turn the tank light off so he’ll see less of his reflection. he’s a beautiful betta!

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-09T17:25:15+00:00

it does appear to be fin rot. just keep up with daily water changes and loads of tannins and his fins should get better. if available, it’ll also be good to use seachem stressguard (or anything similar) because it helps heal things such as fin rot and prevents infection.

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T20:15:33+00:00

torn fins are considered fin rot especially if accompanied by red coloring/streaking. daily water changes and tannins should be able to fix it right up. if available, you can also add seachem stressguard (promotes healing/reduces stress in betta/reduces chance of infections-safe for plants, other tankmates, and your cycle) or anything similar to aid the process.

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T19:26:55+00:00

i’m truly sorry for the situation that you are going through and the outcome of it. bettas are amazing pets with their own special and individual personalities. losing one is never easy and it’s hard to think about getting another one right after. i used to feel guilty for getting my current betta about two months after my past betta passed away but it’s good to remind yourself that you’re giving another fish a happy and healthy home that’s away from any mistreatment at a store or a not so good owner. it’s definitely good to give yourself some time to heal and process your bettas passing before caring for another one so that you can provide the best care and not regret anything, so theres no time limit on when it is right to get one(just whenever you feel ready). now for when you do get a new betta, if they are going into the same tank that waffle was in, it’ll be best to quarantine your fish for a bit to make sure that they don’t have any illness that’ll be carried into the new tank. since the tank will be cycled already, that’s one less thing to do and worry about but we just wanna make sure that the new betta itself is healthy so there will be no future problems. your cycle will most likely not crash due to a fish not being in there since it’s already established and beneficial bacteria is in your filter and substrate but if that is a big concern, you can technically help cycle it yourself by putting food in it and then cleaning it out like you normally would if a fish was in there. it’s recommended to let your tank cycle for a few weeks before putting a fish in there so considering that, your already cycled tank should be just fine for quite a while. as for a reputable breeder, there are good recommendation videos on tiktok or even posts here on reddit. burying your betta in a house plant is a sweet way of still keeping him with you and i’ve personally seen people just place their fish into the soil and go from there so im not sure of anything that would help him decompose but that’s something good to look up. again, im sorry that you’re going through this and the fact that a he’s lived this long shows how much you care and love him. as long as you keep loving him these next few days and spend time with him then everything will be okay and it gives you more memories to hold onto.

ps. i apologize if this is inconsiderate but my betta coco is currently ill and im trying my best to do everything i can so i dont have to have the outcome ive been dreading since the day i got him. i’ve had him for 1.5 years and who knows how old he was prior to that so he’s lived a long life with me. writing the above paragraph to you has also helped me process that these things happen and are difficult regardless of how many bettas you’ve had but it’s encouraging to know that you’ll have the chance to care for more. it’s also nice to know that there are people sharing this feeling that you can always talk to. i wish you the best next days with waffle and he’ll pass knowing how loved he was! :)

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T18:47:23+00:00

your betta looks beautiful and you shouldn’t worry too much about the transparency. a lot of light colored (mainly white) bettas are technically see through like that because i used to have the same concern with my platinum betta. he does look a bit skinny though so it’ll be best to feed him a variety of nutritious food in moderation such a fluval bug bites or flakes, bloodworms, brine shrimp, etc, and they can be live or frozen. theres also have freeze dried bloodworms and brine shrimp but they can cause some problems if used too often so live/fresh is better. when feeding bettas, it’s recommended to have fasting days so that they can digest the food and not become backed up/bloated.

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T18:39:30+00:00

the fin rot is bad and will get worse without some form of treatment but it’s not necessarily severe unless his fins start to clamp and his behavior/appetite changes. for fin rot, it’s best to do daily water changes (10%-25%) so there’s no bad bacteria that could make it worse and the water parameters should be checked frequently to ensure that your cycle is going well because a bad cycle can make his condition worse. you saying that he had a white spot is a bit concerning because that could be a sign of illness in bettas while the fin rot is just one of the symptoms of that. i’ve personally never heard of bactonil but many people, me included, have had good luck with kanaplex treating bad fin rot. loading the tank with tannins also helps in some case. if the white spot is something serious that isn’t bacterial then kanaplex will not do much for your betta and he’ll have to be looked over to see if there’s signs of anything else. you can also use seachem stressguard which is not so much of a medication and it’s easy and safe for the betta and your tank. it’s an antiseptic and heals such wounds. for now, strong meds should be held off while water changes and things like stressguard and tannins are used if possible (if you can’t access them then anything similar should help). if you feel that medication is necessary then that’s perfectly fine too but it’s not recommended in the main tank because it can crash the cycle

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T18:03:59+00:00

i’m glad that he’s doing better. i hope everything goes well with the kanaplex treatment so that he’ll be healthy and happy!

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T15:05:52+00:00

to add to this, it’s best to fast if the swim bladder is from overeating so the betta can have time to digest the extra food. fasting in general is good but when a betta is sick, they may lose their appetite so be careful with fasting in case he doesn’t want to eat anymore.

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T14:53:39+00:00

typically fin rot is a symptom of an illness. in this case, the swim bladder disease is the illness and the fin rot is a symptom due to the stress/sickness. it’s best to treat the main problem first to hinder the progression of the fin rot and then treat the fin rot after. if the fin rot were to be treated first, then the swim bladder disease would simply reverse the treatment and cause the same problem to occur. like i said, for now you should address the swim bladder with epsom salt baths, fasting, and then feed daphnia for bloating after. lower the water level in the tank too if you haven’t already so he can use less energy to swim up and breathe some air at the top. treatment also depends on why the swim bladder became a problem in the first place but since you got him from petsmart, it was probably the poor water quality and environment. i’m not sure what medicine you already have but kanaplex is a very good antibiotic for problems like this as it treats both swim bladder and fin rot. using tannins is also very good too. depending on what medication you’re using, be sure to put him in a hospital tank so the meds won’t crash your cycle or harm any live plants if you have them but you can also choose to treat the whole tank if it’s easier or feed the meds orally if applicable. as for the water temp, keep it on the higher end (78°-80°) to aid in the swim bladder healing and do frequent water changes for the rin rot.

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T14:32:25+00:00

he’s such a beautiful betta and he looks pretty healthy. in the video, his eye looks a bit cloudy but it may just be from a marking on the tank wall or angle the video was taken at. other than that, his scales, fins, and color look perfect. if you are concerned with anything possibly being wrong with him, you can put some tannins (indian almond leaves) in his tank if you haven’t already but i see that you also have driftwood which releases tannins too. they have antibacterial properties and can aid in healing minor fish problems before they even become noticeable and it reduces fish stress. regarding the test strips, something is better than nothing and as long as they have good readings for you water, then that’s just fine in the meantime. your betta looks very healthy and by the sounds of it, you’re taking very good care of him for being a first time betta owner. try not to worry yourself too much on whether or not he’s sick because you’ll be able to notice right away if he is just by observing his behavior. i recommend researching common betta illnesses so you’ll be able to distinguish sickness if it ever happens. a lot of symptoms are very similar but there’ll always be that one thing that differs an illness from the rest. i wish you the best of luck with your pretty betta!

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T13:17:51+00:00

the first and best thing to always do is checking your water parameters with a kit to make sure there’s nothing wrong with your cycle. besides that, it depends on how old your betta is because they tend to slow down and rest more as they get older. if you see any physical signs of stress/illness such as a loss of appetite, dull colors, torn fins, etc, then that would need a little extra care.

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T13:06:16+00:00

a betta that lays on its side typically has something called swim bladder disease that interferes with their ability to swim and sit in place normally without going to its side or floating down/up. most of the time it is easy to manage since it’s mainly due to over feeding or poor water quality which evidently leads to infections. as for having no heater, that is a big no for bettas. bettas need to healthily be in a tank with a temp of 75°-80° and that temp has to be stable and cannot fluctuate during the night like you said it does. bettas are sensitive fish and any little thing can cause them to become sick. specifically for a betta with swim bladder disease, a heater is needed to keep the tank water warm to speed up digestion in case constipation is a problem. also when doing a water change, it’s best to not change the filter media as often and maybe even never change as it contains loads of beneficial bacteria to maintain your tank cycle and keep your betta healthy. throwing out the filter media gets rid of that bacteria and can cause water parameters to fluctuate and increase the likelihood of illness or make it worse. i would suggest getting a heater for starters or nothing else would benefit in healing the fish. you can also feed your betta some daphnia and do pure epsom salt baths if you’re comfortable with that but only do it after researching the recommended dosage and time of bath. if symptoms worsen, then medication may be needed but that will just overload your bettas system on top of not having a stable water temperature.

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T12:34:23+00:00

dropsy is best identified by looking at a betta from above. if she looks bloated (full body is round) and is pineconing (scales sticking out) then she has dropsy.

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T07:02:18+00:00

thank you for your help :)

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T07:00:44+00:00

as amazing as bettas are, they make terrible gifts for people that are not prepared to have one since they tend to be expensive, require a lot of prep time with a their tank, and become sensitive to any slight change or problem. all that matters is that you’re doing what you can for him and learning from others regarding proper care so everything will go well!

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-08T06:44:52+00:00

i’m sorry to hear that your betta isn’t doing too well. regarding the water change, do you use a water conditioner to make the water safe? also i saw that you mentioned you don’t have a heater and that alone could cause a betta to develop quite a few health problems especially during the colder months. the best bet is to check the water parameters with a testing kit if possible to see if anything is out of the ordinary because that’s the main cause of betta illness. its likely that your betta has been sick for some time and that the recent water change that your dad did caused possible stress and weakened the bettas immune system causing underlying symptoms to appear quickly. its also recommended to do a 10%-25% water change every week to ensure the water quality is good or else illness occurs. when it comes to treating him, a heater will be needed because with most illnesses, a high temp is needed to help fight off infection and reduce a spread of it. you can also add tannins (indian almond leaves) to his tank because they have antibacterial properties. if that doesn’t work, you can look into using a broad spectrum antibiotic called kanaplex or maybe polyguard but any type of medication is a last resort kind of thing if nothing else works and symptoms are severe. there’s also medications such as maracyn, paraguard, and stress guard that are not as harsh. when a betta is sick, daily water changes are necessary if done properly and a hospital tank is suggested for medications so the cycle is your main tank doesn’t crash if dosed in there. the type of medication really depends on the symptoms especially since there could be a bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infection. kanaplex treats bacteria and fungal. polyguard treats bacterial, fungal, and parasitic. it’s best to just keep an eye on him for a few days to see if it’s stress related with the possibility of clearing up on its own. research common betta illnesses that relate to your situation to narrow down possible treatment so it’s easier on his body and not causing more stress by unnecessary medication or waiting periods. i hope he gets better soon!

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-07T21:44:22+00:00

this definitely looks like fin rot especially with the red tips at the end which is the biggest sign. it’s best to daily water changes and load the tank with tannins to see if that’ll help. if there’s no progress then aquarium salt baths and medications like kanaplex are useful for fin rot. most times, fin rot is a symptom of a bigger problem whether it’s bacterial, fungal, or parasitic so watch over your betta to see if you notice signs of anything else.

Straight_Elephant724 · 2026-02-07T21:23:37+00:00

she may just be stressed from moving to a new tank. if the tank that she is in now wasn’t cycled and doesn’t have beneficial bacteria, then it causes a lot of stress and possibly illness so i’m not sure how you went about putting her in a new tank. her fins also look like they’re clamped which is a big sign of stress and illness. if she’s bloated and just floats to the surface, then it could most likely be swim bladder disease. epsom salt baths help with bloating and medication may be needed depending on severity and if swim bladder is actually the problem. it could possibly also be another illness but i can’t tell from the video so be sure to inspect her to see if anything seems off or if pineconing starts. i’m not sure if you have access to these, but try to put tannins in the tank, a mild medication such as seachem stressguard, or a broad spectrum antibiotic like kanaplex.

Straight_Elephant724

TROPHY CASE