I have a male betta fish...I've had it for about 1 1/2 to 2 years. It lives in a bowl and I feed it 1-2 times a day about 4-5 pieces of food. It just sits at the bottom of the bowl or on the fake plant, and seems to struggle to move to the surface to eat, then sinks back down again. He used to move a lot. Is he just old or is there something wrong with him???
2007-09-27 07:32:46 · 7 answers · asked by ashley_p89 4 in Pets ➔ Fish
It sounds like you could have one of several problems:
1) If you feed it around 10 pieces of food a day, that's really a bit too much. Some sites I've looked at say that you should only feed them about 3 pieces ONCE a day. It's important to keep in mind that a betta's stomach is only about the size of his eyeball. Try fasting him for a day or two - he might be constipated, which is painful for him! Do a little research on the 'net about how much food you should feed him.
2) The water temperature may be too low for him and it is making him lethargic. Bettas are from Thailand, which has a very warm climate, so it is important to keep them in a bowl with water around 75 degrees.
3) If he's having trouble getting to the top of the bowl, he may have swim bladder disease. Try going to this site for more information about it:
http://www.netpets.com/fish/reference/freshref/swimbldr.html
Hope this helps a bit. Good luck!
2007-09-27 10:52:47 · answer #1 · answered by omg_becky06 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wait, you have him in a tiny, cold bowl and you wonder why it isn't active? That would be like wondering why the human in the 50 degree closet isn't active, IT ISN'T HEALTHY! Bettas are tropical fish, and as such, should be given ample swimming room (2.5+ gallons) with a filter and heater. If you upgrade your Betta to a real home, you will see marked improvement in color, finnage, and activity.
Soop Nazi
EDIT: Bettas SHOULD, with proper care, live to the ripe old age of 5 (7 years old is not uncommon). A filter and heater are great ways to help your Betta live a long, healthy life. Also, consitpated fish get bloated and float, they don't sink. Constipation is unlikely, but you REALLY do need to feed it less. I give my Betta 3 pellets twice a day and frozen blood worms once a week.
2007-09-27 20:10:54 · answer #2 · answered by nosoop4u246 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fish are more likely to get sick or lethargic when kept in an unfiltered and unheated habitat. A bowl really isn't an idea permanent home for any fish, even a betta.
If he's acting lethargic, I'd suggest having your water tested by a knowledgable staff member at your local fish store.
It's been a hot summer this year so it's possible that your air conditioning is forcing his water temp to drop below a safe level, making him listless. Get a thermometer to check its temperature. Bettas are tropical fish and require tropical temperatures if they're going to thrive.
2007-09-27 14:57:42 · answer #3 · answered by Quiet Tempest 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sadly it sounds like he's on his way out. When the bettas I've had in the past kicked the bucket that was how it started. I've always had better luck with feeding them smaller amounts...but that might not be the case for all.
They claim they can live for up to 4 years, but I can't say that I've seen that....mine, like yours last maybe a couple years.
2007-09-27 14:43:46 · answer #4 · answered by bulldogclover75 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your fish wont die...he has what they call flip-flop. He's just constipated. This is gunna sound weird but put 1 frozen pea in your tank and he'll be back to normal in about a day. This is a very common fish problem. Left untreated your fish WILL die. Just try to feed him a little less.
2007-09-27 17:47:56 · answer #5 · answered by Jennifer C 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YEA she is old that is a long time for a fish to live
2007-09-27 15:04:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think that your feed amount is not enough, so increase a little.
2007-09-27 16:14:39 · answer #7 · answered by kazi_lateef 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋