fairy:

I was having tremendous problems with my guppies (when raised them 30 years ago no such problems) always getting this or that. They scratched as yours are, but no spots indicating ich, so from my research can be parasites/bacteria - without a microscope who knows for sure - but many problems making it seem like a nightmare, not the guppies I had as a kid, lol. First group had horrible gill inflamation and died shortly (pet store not exactly healthy source).

Seems inbreeding and more toxicity in today's water makes them more vunerable them before. Then after doing much serching on the web, started aging and filtering my nyc water (horrible water). Now in mint condition. No more flukes, ich, or what ever they had before - many many problems prior, dropped like flies. I have a huge fluval (sp) filter with chemical remover pad and activated charcoal, and put filtered (from shower head) cold water in it (hot may have toxic chems from water tank). Made a huge difference. From the copious research I did for my guppies, it seems they are more delicate then ever before, and now I use them as indicator fish ie if they get sick something is wrong with my water... This is only my experience, but plants (they like the algae) aged (I try to use after 3rd day at least) triple dipple filtered water, plus a little aquarium salt and higher ph, made a HUGE difference. Actually no more deaths since... (well expect some from old age at some point, lol) Best to you... Sherry

thanks, sherry! all appetites had been well, but i still focus on his skinniness....and, he does show some interest in the females, but not as much as i would think. this makes me think he is sick or infested in the first place. still curious to see what i will find when i get home.

good luck with your betta, i haven't a clue!

well, he is alive. he must have been trying to doze???

Has his color faded any? Keep an eye on him at feeding time to make sure he isn't seemingly eating the food and spitting it out shortly after. I had a fancy that did this, got more and more lathargic then its color faded and within a week was dead. I didn't notice the food spitting until after someone mentioned it to me.

thanks for the input woe. his color is fine and even improved since last month, hence my confusion of him lopping over. got that american culture going- if he aint chunky, he aint healthy. i still say he looks skinny and doesn't pay enough attention to the ladies. i will concentrate more on his eating habits.
thanks!

If he's too skinny but eating well, could be fish TB or simply inbreeding resulting in a malformed guppy...

well, today he was doing worse than ever, including slow and heavy gill movements. he only swam if i tried to net him. strange thing is, his colors are still better than when i got him.

could my other guppies have what he has/had? or get it? i know i need more plants...so maybe that is partly why my one of two females just "sits" there. there is also one baby in the tank.

thanks!