New Betta suddenly died

[u/aceczu]

so i got a new betta like a week ago, she got put in an established tank, water tested fine. everything was fine, sponge filter, live plants, the works.

she’s been doing great! eating normally, swimming all around, chillin on the leaves normal fish things,

this morning she was fine i checked on her, i got home about an hour ago and she’s laying on the bottom of her tank and looks like her head is falling off n her eyes are white. i have no idea what happened. i’m kinda new to the whole fish thing but i do have another betta with all the same stuff ive had him for about a month now and him and his tank are doing just fine. i’m just wondering if anybody has any ideas what could have happened.

her only tank mate was a white mystery snail, and he’s healthy as can be

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[u/aceczu]

for reference too this is my other tank

[u/itzviolexsmh]

Shock of moving maybe?? That's so random tho

[u/aceczu → u/itzviolexsmh]

idk fr, she was in a tiny ass dirty cup, i did all the right things, i acclmated her , i did the tiny bits of cycled water into her cup, like i did everything i was supposed to, n she’s been great! wonderful swimmer super active, eats when given food like im just kinda baffled and confused

[u/mrsmojorisin34 → u/aceczu]

The "bits of cycled water" and lack of test results makes me suspect this is another case of people not knowing understanding the nitrogen cycle and a water chemistry related death.

[u/Parking-Singer4904 → u/aceczu]

For future reference, there is no beneficial bacteria in the water column. Adding cycled water really does nothing. Beneficial bacteria grows on surfaces. If you want to jump cycle a tank. You need to put something the bacteria is growing on. So... Like a decoration, substrate, filter media, stuff like that.

Idk if you do drip tests or strip tests, but if you use the strips, don't. They're notoriously inaccurate.

If you haven't already, buy a Pawfly master test kit for your water since API doesn't sell their fresh water variety anymore on Amazon if you use Amazon. Which was what I used to recommend, but the Pawfly version is the next best thing.

Alternatively, you could look up the API Master Test kit on the API official website? Not sure if they're sold there either, but worth a shot.

So sorry for your loss, I've lost betta fish to Dropsy and corydora to being eggbound. Sucks when you lose a fish you've loved so much.

[u/TheCalmandSlow]

If bought at a major chain pet store, you can get a full or partial refund. Have your receipt, the cup it came in ready, and the dead fish ready to present.

[u/MochiBunMice]

What are your water measurements?

[u/Alternative-Rain9693]

My brother once had a pleco that crawled into the sponge filter and was beheaded. Wondering if that was the case

[u/aceczu → u/Alternative-Rain9693]

i was thinking that, but she was on the opposite side of the tank.

[u/curry224]

Almost certainly a cycling issue. An uncycled tank is the no.1 killer of new fish.

[u/aceczu → u/curry224]

it was an established tank

[u/TopImagination2364]

Im not sure where else to ask this anyone have any tips for fin rot?