My Betta is acting weird. He's slow, sinks, and doesn't eat. Help?

Question

I know alot of people post annoying "My bettas dying" questions, sorry I guess I'm one of them >; )
He was so happy and all like a noraml swimming betta would eat like a pig and sish before my hand. I had him in a glass floating in a rather torrental 6g (rapid water is bad for betta, I know) so the rush wouldnt ruin him. He seemed fine in there for day on end. I would wave my hand in front of it several times and he would cutely swish before it. But today he was lying at the bottom, I thought he was weak from hunger I tried feeding, but no good he ate only one pellet. My bro said I could have starved him. He's not slimy, blurry eyes or parasite leeched he's just seems like very tired fish. when he gets air he sinks down and. I took him out of the glass and plugged up the current but do immediate recoverery. I tried even putting puttingh food up to his mouth but no.

to Kylie Anne: he WAS in a tall drinking glass filled with aquarium water, that floated in the water. It protected him from the rapid current, I plugged up the current so he wouldnt be tortured. I wanted to get him a nice little home (like a 1gallon complete with light on my shelf) but I'm still saving up money, but it maybe too late now.

to Kylie Anne: he WAS extremely happy, believe me, without a heater and WITH a filter (with low current) he was active and all, soooo cute. I had him in a 5g, he was very happy and active, it had no heater.

Then moved him to this 6g.

about his position? when he's lying on ground he's about on his side with his fins lop sided, he seems to have his "nose" hanging on below the water surface when at the top. I another betta who did something like this, he died when I quarantined him. I know alot about betta I'm no novice this isnt normal behavior. I've seen him at his "inactive periods" theyre are pleasent, this one is sad and disturbing. I have had him since christmas, he was in small bowl at the store moody and all, when he was taken home he cheered up immensly.

Answer 1

You should realize that bettas are tropical fish from southeast Asia (Thailand, formerly Siam, hence the name Siamese fighting fish) and should not be kept in bowls, they should have an aquarium with a heater and a filter just like any other tropical fish. The commonly held belief that they live in muddy puddles and water filled hoofprints is just not true. They live in rice paddies and slow moving streams that may be shallow, but are a part of a much larger bio-system.

The water temperature in southeast Asia is about 78-82 degrees F and stays steady within those parameters. The fluctuating temps from day to night in a small unheated bowl are not healthy for bettas and keeps them in constant stress.

The constant temp change in a small bowl and resultant stress eventually compromises their immune system and allows opportunistic bacteria and parasites to gain a foothold in their bodies, thus causing illness and death.

The life span of a betta in the wild is around 4-5 years, in a properly heated, filtered and maintained aquarium they have been known to live for up to 7 years. In a lab environment the record is just over 10 years.

People who brag about having one that lived for a year in a bowl are certainly not taking care of it properly. I’m sure it was pure torture for the betta. In the care of people like this, they are lucky to live for a year.

The first signs of problems in the bowl are when the betta becomes listless (just sitting on the bottom), loses his brilliant color and starts being very picky with eating (eventually he stops altogether and dies).

BTW, betta is pronounced bet-tah, not bay-tah.

Most of the people at the fish store do not know how to take care of bettas properly and are only interested in selling you more fish, fish food and overpriced bowls. A 10 gallon aquarium runs just under $10 so even if you don't filter it or heat it, it is much better for your betta than a small bowl that probably costs almost as much. Just make sure you do 25-30% water changes every week.

Email me if you would like to talk about bettas.
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Answer 2

the concern is you're slowly killing your fish! Yours is the weaker one, so it truly is exhibiting indications faster, yet they're going to both die upfront, and incredibly quickly. i does no longer save a snail in a 1/2 gallon tank, now to not teach 2 Bettas! in case you want to save them in a divided tank, get a 10 gallon, or a minimum of a 5 gallon, and in effective condition it with a divider. Bettas do perfect in 5 gallon tanks, yet can manage in 2.5 gallon tanks. Which ever you pick, it may be heated and performance a smooth filter out. If the water would not freely flow by the divider, placed a heater and filter out on both aspect. If the divider is sparkling, placed some tall (authentic or silk) flowers alongside it so as that they do no longer ought to stare at one yet another each of the time. do no longer use plastic flowers in Betta tanks! make confident the water aspect is low sufficient that they can't bounce from one aspect to the different. Bettas are staggering jumpers! in case you try this and carry out weekly water transformations of 20-25%, your Bettas will stay lengthy, healthful lives. A Betta can stay 5 years or better if saved in sturdy circumstances. do not attempt this and Blondie likely gained't stay to work out Christmas, and the different one will be lengthy gone in the previous spring! i will almost assure it! Get some books and/or visit some on-line forums about Bettas. and aquarium conserving. You curiously have plenty to study about those staggering fish.

Answer 3

Could be a myriad of things including simply normal activity. Fish can go through periods of low activity.

Continue to feed him normally and see if he eats. It is possible he is overfed rather than starved. So he has no drive to eat right now.

Do you know how old he is? Betta (pronounced bet-ta btw) is not a long lived species. Five years is old for a betta with most living about two to three.

The only other question I have from your description is if he maintains an upright position or if he tends to tip to one side or nose up or down when holding still? This can indicate a swim bladder problem which is always fatal.

Answer 4

I'm really confused on what you have him in, could you explain that better?

*edit2*
no, I wasn't saying your's wasn't happy, I just hate when you obviously know your betta is acting different and people try to tell you that's how they're supposed to act.

anyway, if there are no symptoms, my guess would be depression. make sure he has things to do, like silk plants to hide in. a heater might work too. what's wrong with keeping him in the 6gallon? and currents aren't a big deal, some live in slow moving streams. as long as he can swim it's fine. also, i highly recommend a heater because they are tropical fish.


*edit*
before there are tons of answers about how "bettas are boring, they aren't supposed to do anything" THEY ARE! buy your betta a REAL tank with a HEATER and FILTER and you'll see they're just as active and lively as any other fish, they're one of the smartest fish annd have personalities.

Answer 5

your set up sounds like you are trying to be overly complex to help him out. is there anything else in the aquarium? let him have run of the place and shut off the filter.

my first line of defense for a sick fish is always to do a water change. i have also found even the moodiest of bettas will eat frozen blood worms.
if they don't go for them right away wiggle them around in their face with tweezers.

fyi you can get a 2 1/2 gallon tanks at walmart for about 25.00. i keep mine in 2 1/2 gallons without filters and do regular weekly water changes/gravel vacuums of about 80% of the water.

Answer 6

The first thing that comes to my mind is ammonia problems if his glass was separated from the filtered water. Try a water change and see if that perks him up.

MM

Answer 7

i had a betta, named him charlie. he had ick and died. it was so sad, but hey, he was a fish and thats what fish do sometimes. good luck with getting your betta back to normal.

Answer 8

MY BETTA WOULD DO ALL THE SAME THINGS... BETTA'S ARE WEIRD.... something.. it wud put the food in its mouth and like spit it back out..lol. it'll be fine