My betta after I had cleaned the tank?

Question

I've just cleaned my betta's 3-gal. tank. When I moved him back in, he flopped out and onto the table. Now, he's mostly staying at the bottom of the tank, with his fins on the gravel (almost upside down!) Is it normal for a betta to be so stressed after a tank cleaning?

Answer 1

I wouldn't say normal no, but I don't think it's anything to worry about yet. Look for physical signs of problems. My Betta, as I emailed magicman a couple weeks ago, I swore he was possessed like in the Exorcist. He had the most demented face about him, would put his face right down in the gravel, rear up in the air, and his fins all over the place. When I came in to work in the morning, I was like $hit he's dead!! Nope sure enough he's quite alive and been doing so like this a couple weeks now. Magic told me just keep an eye out for physical signs, discoloration, ragged fins, ich spots ect...

Is your tank filtered? He might not like the temp or ph if you did a total change out. I have the Eclipse 3 gallon which is filtered. I only change out 30% of the total volume, twice a week.

JV

Answer 2

No, that's far from normal, although bettas are jumpers. He most likely got hurt from the jump and fall. I really couldn't tell you specifics, but I'd imagine if he doesn't perk up within the next day or 2, he's not going to make it. Sorry. Sad, but true...

In order to answer this question, a bunch of other questions have to be answered...

How much water did you change? Was the temp of the water you added the same as the water you took out? Did you float him in a bag after you changed it? Did you use any kind of soap while you cleaned it? Did you use any chemicals to equal out the basics of the tank, like maybe stress coat, or a dechlorinator?

You probably stressed him horribly by not taking precautions. If you changed too much water, that could be a bit of a shock to him, because it's too different. If the water was too cold/warm he probably jumped because it was a shock. (How would you like it if someone threw you in a seriously cold pool? Same thing with your betta.) You have to float him in a bag for at least 20 minutes to equal out the tempurature in the bag and tank. If you used any kind of soap to clean it, you shouldn't have. It could have killed him. Hot water, and a clean scrub pad usually works wonders on alge, and other fish tank dirt. You have to rinse it perfectly, and then make sure the temp of the water you put in the tank is the same temp as what it was before changing, or what he's in while you're cleaning it.

Make sure you have a bit of aquarium salt (not table salt!) in your tank, and it should help him heal. Make sure you've got enough stress coat in the tank also, which will also help him heal.

Good luck, and I hope for your sake he survives. Sometimes people learn better from their mistakes... I wish you and your betta all the best....

;o)

Answer 3

No they do not normally act like that ever. The Betta is in shock from the difference in the temperature in the water. You have to put the Betta in a plastic bag and let is rest in the cleaned tank to get the water in the bag and also your Betta to slowly adjust to the temperature changes. Drastic temperature changes in water can kill any type of fish due to shock. If the Betta survives this cleaning follow the above directions to put any fish into any tank. Not doing so may and very likely will kill the fish.

Answer 4

Please do never use any style of cleansing soap or different cleaners like lots of the persons have stated. If any hint of the cleaners stay it is going to kill your fish. i might propose purely taking a paper towel and wiping the interior the aquariums. With the rocks I used to take the fish out and supply the rocks a rapid rinse under the faucet. you're likely getting algae as a results of too plenty mild publicity on your tank. in the journey that your tank is under a incredible mild or is with the aid of a window, try shifting it to a darker area to assist administration the algae enhance. If the tank can help it you could additionally evaluate getting a like minded algae eating fish to be its tank mate.

Answer 5

Hi you shocked him when you put him back into a freshly cleaned tank. So when he jumped out of the tank he become injured by the fall. From now on when you clean your tank do not remove him from the tank. Only remove 25 percent of the water in the tank. Make sure you replace the water with water that is the same temp. and has been treated.

Answer 6

How much water did you change
when changing /cleaning a fish tank you are only supposed to change 10 to 25% of the water
and if you where you are on city water you have to treat it
the biggest problem is having the water the wrong temp
if they go through a big temp change it can kill them

That is why when you bring the fish home you put the bag that he came in into the water and slowly get him used of the water in the tank.

There is a great web site that tells you all of the tricks of looking after any pet
it is
petplace.com
They have lots of articals on fish and they are written by vet's

Answer 7

Yes! especially if he flopped onto the table. Put some stress coat in the tank and a little bit of Salt.
This should help as long as he doesn't get worse!

Answer 8

Taking a fish out of it's container a giving everything a thorough cleaning is very wrong, you should do some research on aquarium maintenance before you get the replacement fish.
Was I mean? Where you?

Answer 9

no its not normal. did you treat his water? Why do you remove him to clean the tank? How much water did you removed? should be only 1/3 and the new water added needs to be "stress Coated" or some other chlorine remover used.

Answer 10

you are supposed to save 2/3 of the water then add 1/3 of fresh water so your fish wont die. if you changed all the water to fresh water 9 times out of 10 it is going to die. srry