What can be wrong with my Betta fish??

Question

My betta fish is acting really weird. Lately he has been hanging out upside down. What's wrong with him? He still moves but he won't swim up no more I touch him and it seems as if he was dead and obiously he breaths but he won't swim up no more and i tried feeding him the food to it's mouth but he won't open his mouth so if anyone knows what can be wrong with him I'd appriciate it if someone can tell me. P.S. I've had him since 2003 and he was a young one when I bought him.

Answer 1

This is a response I found on the subject by Karen Fields:

It would help me much better if I know your betta's symptoms. If he has swim bladder problems typically he will have lots of balance problems, such as-- Lying on his side at the top, swimming upside down, in other words he won't be able to keep his balance very well at all and will struggle to maintain a normal position in most cases. His abdomen would be greatly swollen as well. Swim bladder disorder can be caused by improper diet, or even too much food. SBD is not contagious and there is no need to 'give up' on a fish with SBD, and supposedly, it doesn't cause them much pain. But you should help them of course as soon as possible! Treatment for this condition is first, try to keep your betta's diet not too filling but balanced with good variety. But to first help him clear himself out fasting (not feeding) him for 24-48 hours. Now after this happens, usually you would pop out a pee for him to eat. But since he won't eat his peas (shame on him), forget that.
But seriously, watch for any of his 'bathroom' deposites. If he has SBD or is constipated, seeing his droppings will let you know that his condition is slowly clearing itself out.
Your betta might need an extra day or so to clear himself out if you are certain it may be SBD or Constipation. Always ensure he has good water quality and a warm temperature to help keep his immune system up.

I do have another thought on what could be wrong. Remember I'm only guessing several ailments that could be affecting your betta--since I don't know his symptoms. Dropsy is a somewhat common disease which is actually considered a symptom than an disease itself. Unfortunately no one really knows what exactly causes Dropsy but it could but the result of a number of things, whether it's internal bacterial infection, viral, or internal parasites. A fish with Dropsy will have a swollen belly, but generally will have little problems swimming. This inflation is caused by swelling within the organs and tissues, which is the result of fluid built up in the kidneys and the fish is inable to secrete excess fluids as he would normally. In time the fish's swelling will also raise the fish's scales leading to a 'pinecone' appearance when viewed from straight above down at the fish. It is undetermined if dropsy is contagious, some same it is and others dissagree. By far precautions should always be taken, this can be considered a very serious disease.

It is most unfortunate for treatment remedies as Dropsy can be caused by so many other ailments. This makes for choosing a treatment medication very hard and you can only do your best. Of course, the best chances of your betta's survival would be the catch this early on and begin treatment right away. If you use salt as a prevenative in your betta's water. You must make a water change and add no more aquarium salt. The reason for this is the betta cannot remove sodium from his body and his kidneys are already having a difficult time due to the disorder. However, the addition of EPSOM salt can be beneficial as it can help your betta lose more fluids. Epsom salt is made up of magnesium, not sodium, and does not pass through the fish but instead relieves some of the pressure built up as a result of dropsy. If you do decided to use Epsom salt as an extra measure, be sure to remember it is made up of Magnesium sulfate. And is one part sulfa to it's make up. When using medications insure that they are compatible with sulfa ingredient sometimes found in other medications. DO NOT use epsom salt if your medication warns you not to.
Because of the broad range of causes, using a medication that is a broad-spectrum antibiotic may help cure most cases. Remember it is important to have a medication that treats both Gram positive, and Gram negative bacteria.
To simplifly this- 'Kanacyn' medication treats both.
Another excellent option would be the combination of Marycyn-one and Maracyn-two. Both these medications are made to be safe to use together and will treat most bacterial problems.

Additional procedures are of course keeping your betta's water clean. Change his water more frequently during medicating to relieve some of his stress. And as always keep his water warm at around at least 75-80F. Don't let him get cold...

If your betta lives in a bowl. Medicating may be very difficult as most medications are based on a dosage per 10 gallons. Marycyn-one and Maracyn-two can be fixtured to 1 gallon dosages-if this might help--- For Maraycn---- dissolve 1 TABLET in 10 TEASPOONS of water. Add ONE TEASPOON of concentrate per gallon. And add ONE Teaspoon daily of the concentrated mixture. Maracyn-two is a bit different-- For one round, dissolve ONE tablet into 10 TEASPOONS of water. For the first day, add Teaspoons of concentrated mixture per 1 Gallon. For days 2-5, add 1 Teaspoon of the concentrated mixture per 1 gallon of water.
Don't medicate unless you are certain you know what and how to treat his illness.

dosage for Epsome salt--
*~*If you are working with a smaller tank, measure out 1/8 of a teaspoon of Epsom salt. And divide it up into 5 equal parts. Dissolve one part per gallon of water. It does seem very little but it goes a long way. More is not better, however.

Remember,I am not 100% saying this is dropsy that your fish has. It is just a possibility. Let me know how he has been doing and if any of my suggestions might have helped. If you suspect dropsy, treat him right away-- doing research on the disease will also give you a much better understanding on it's causes and recommended treatments, much better than I can explain.

Answer 2

Well unfortunately the environment which you have provided is not healthy for a betta. He will not thrive in a bowl. 1. Betta's are tropical fish. They are native to Southeast Asia where it is consistently warm so the Betta's preferred temperature range is 78F-82F. Much higher than room temperature commonly is, especially this time of year so an aquarium heater is necessary in most cases. - When fish are kept in a temperature that is too low they will be lethargic, unlikely to eat, and susecptible to disease. 2. ALL fish kept as pets should have filtration. A filter not only aerates the water, but it is responsible for the break down of fish waste. Fish waste is given off in the form of ammonia which is toxic. When you have a cycled filtration system beneficial bacteria enhabits the media and breaks down ammonia into nitrite (which is also lethal) and finally into nitrates which are much less harmful and easily kept at a manageable level by performing weekly partial water changes. 3. A 1/2 gallon bowl is too small for any fish. Many consider the minimum for a betta to be about 5 gallons. It provides enough swimming space, is safe to heat, and makes for a more stable environment than smaller volumes. - Also, bettas are known jumpers and may jump out of uncovered bowls. So a proper tank with a full lid is important.

Answer 3

Beta fish usually last a very long time. These types of fish are very neat fish, you do not necessarily have to clean up after them but you should also know that the food you give them should not be touched by your hands. You may have used cream on your hands or used a cleaning product that may stress the fish out. The fish may also be stressed out if there are any other fish with them. You should never change all of the water, only about 5 to 10 percent of it. I had a fish for almost 4 years, I made the mistake of buying a alggie eater to keep the tank clean, that just killed mine.

Answer 4

Sorry man, but your betta seems to be getting close to Fish Heaven. The reason why its lopsided is because his swim bladder isn't balancing him anymore. Just as long as you cherish the memories you had with him for the past few years.

Answer 5

That is really bad. I hate to tell you but there isn't much you can do for him once he's to this point.

He is either a bit older than you think, or he has a swim bladder disfunction. Either way, since he's not eating or swimming without being touched there really isn't anything you can do for him.

Sorry

MM

Answer 6

He may have swim bladder disease. There are some medications you can try from the pet store. A knowledgeable clerk there should be able to guide you in the right direction.
Good Luck.

Answer 7

LOL! Sry, I just remember when I had a betta fish... It would never eat. They're just weird like that. Unless you really care about him, just let him act weird and die. Get a big fluffy pet, not a scrawny little fish.

Answer 8

sounds like he got problems and wont last long

Answer 9

Sorry to break it to you, but it sounds like he is on his last leg and he's probably going to die soon. :(

Answer 10

Don't touch him!!!