Betta sick- What's Wrong?

Question

My friend's betta is sick. He just site sideways on the bottom and only goes up to get air and to eat. He is in a bowl much too small though. He has no signs of parasites or anything. My friend said he's been doing that since she bought him a year ago. What's wrong with him?

He's also incredibly small for her having him 1 year. His fins are really short too, but he doesn't have black on the ends so I dont think It's fin rot. They're not even either.

I am sure he is a male, his fins are really long in some places but almost to the body in others.
I cannot get a new aquarium for it because it's not my fish and I don't even live there.

And to all of you who say bettas are not exciting- Yes they are. Mine swims around all day long and loves exploring his plants. He is quite exciting to watch.

Answer 1

Sounds like water quality issues to me. The fact that it's in a bowl way too small also tells me the water quality os most likely poor. Low temperature can also cause these problems. Get the fish in a proper sized container with clean warm water and it will probably perk right up.

MM

Answer 2

Check to see if its actually a male, females are short , look not so pretty,and tend to stay on the bottom. Males are colorful, long finned, and go any were. Betta's are lazy fish, but since he / or she has been living for a year it must be the personality of the fish. Is like saying a happy or angry person is sick! A Betta's will do better in a 1 gallon bowl with a temperature of 75 - 82 degrees F , so tell her to get a temperate and put the bowl in a warm place were the temperature will be its like. MAKE sure the bowl or contender has gravel that has been cultured ,becuase the gravel is the filter. Debris in the water can harm the fish! All fish bowls need cultured gravel unless they have a filter.

Answer 3

From my experience when bettas are in a bowl they dont swim much - well lets face it they dont have much room to swim anyway. In a bigger tasnk they will swim more cause they have more room , but mine even in a 15 gallon tank just angs out in the corner on the gravel til he is ready to do a few laps to patrol the tank and make sure all the other fish are in order

Answer 4

I had this on my betta it kinda looks like spider webs.....anyway I used the multi remedy stuff for 3 days until he got a hole in his belly so I rang the vet who knew nothing and suggested I ask the petstore owner.....he said it was a fungus and that I had to treat him especially for that coz the multi remedy medicines are diluted so I got the fungus and tail rot medicine and in a couple of hours all the fungus was gone. He still had the hole in his belly and whenever he ate food would come out of it.....kinda gross when feeding him bloodworms coz it looked like worms were coming out. But anyway you need to treat him with the fungus medicine as soon as possible........and if he's in the tank with your other fish ,as mine are (stuck to the side in betta tanks) you will need to treat the whole tank. The reason this happened is probabaly due to poor water quality.....if all your water seems fine stir up your gravel and you will prob find out that it is dirty underneath.....don't clean it out until you have treated the betta though.

Answer 5

Get him a bigger bowl, but let the water sit in it for a day or two before moving him. (Lets the temp and the oxygen regulate.)

Betta's aren't that exciting, they're not really mobile fish. Get him a bigger bowl and make sure it's not in direct sunlight.

Answer 6

I would say that chances are your friend doesn't keep him warm enough. If their temperature is below 75 or above 84, they aren't very active. If he had a bigger tank so he could move and a heater, I'd bet he'd be a lot more fun to watch!

Answer 7

get a bigger bowl...or maybe its just a lazy fish lol

Answer 8

bettas are just lazy and dont do much.....although a bigger bowl wouldnt hurt........

Answer 9

he is in a bowl too small!!!