I need help with my Betta fish! :(?

Question

There is something VERY weird going on with my betta. I have no idea what is wrong and need some help, its actually scaring me.

I posted this question a month ago, please take a look:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhXayTPq2VHvoYC5dONlzVbsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071128165614AAXVlyF

Now, it hasn't been eating in about 3 months. I see him floating up to the top, so I put some food in there (tube worms) and he actually ate! It's VERY rare that he does this. When he comes up to the top he sort of.. like, floats to the side. He has trouble swimming because his tail end keeps floating up. For the past 3 months he just hides in the plants and doesn't bother moving.

This has got me SO confused. I haven't got him any medicine because I don't know what it is that I'm treating. I hate seeing my fish like this.

He does have a light so the water is heated, in case you wanted to know.

Please help

He ate the tubeworms just a few minutes ago, by the way. Its been MONTHS since he's eaten anything

Whoops, sorry. Not tubeworms, I meant bloodworms

Answer 1

swim bladder disorder i'd say. Too much pressure on the swim bladder ad it bloats. When this happens betta's hiude under plants or rocks to keep them from floating up the the surface, lodge themselves is a better word. Or they float at the top. It hurts him to eat so that's why he doesn't eat unless he's extremely hungry. Theres not much you can do for him...you can try adding aquarium salt to his tank or mgiving him a slat bath. Luckily swim bladder disorder isn't at all fatal. Just annoying to the fish.

Answer 2

A light isn't the best way to heat the water. Even if it does warm the water during the day, the water can still cool down more than the betta would like when you turn the light off at night. A lot of fluctuation will stress your fish, and stress weakens their immune system. And fish wouldn't want a 24 hour day any more than you would, so leaving the light on all the time isn't a good option either.

And even with the light, it may not make the water warm enough, or it may make it too warm. Do you know what the actual temperature is? It should be 76-86oF.

Fish need correct temperatures to digest their food (since they aren't warm-blooded, they have to rely on the temperature of their environment for this), so the fact that he wasn't eating well may mean there was a temperature problem all along.

Answer 3

awwww poor fish!!!
you know, he may be depressed. try feeding him life foods with his pellet food. feed him about 4 pellets twice a day and like 3 bloodworms a day. alternate the bloodworms with brineshrimp so he doesnt get bored with it. one day out of the week dont feed him so his bowels can clear. does he have a big enough tank? if he isnt in anything larger than a 5 gal. then put him in a 5 gal. or even ten. make sure he has a filter as well. and maybe even a bubbler. are there live plants in the tank? live plants are very good. also, do a partial water change atleast once a week. maybe he is getting old. usually, if you get betta's from walmart or any other fish store, they are older than what you think and don't last long. it is a good idea to get betta's from an expierienced breeder. if you need help finding one, get at me. i breed betta's also. they are like the coolest fish ever :) i hope he gets better. if that doesnt help, then hes probably living his last days. :(

Answer 4

Hmm... well I'd say that was swim bladder disease, but it would be best to check with your aquarium fish supplier. If you go to walmart to get your fish, go to the local petshop because the person who mops floors in the petshop will probably know more about your fish than the guy who sold them to you in walmart. I'd just describe the problem, maybe snap a couple pics or even a video, and ask them what they'd suggest as the best medicine for your fish. He's almost certainly sick, unless his tail is so enourmous he can't control it. If that's the problem, I've heard that you can trim their tails, but I wouldn't dare do that myself. Otherwise, it's some kind of slow-developing illness that is really taking it's time on your fish. If you get the meds and help him, he should be pretty active once whatever he has is gone.

Answer 5

Why did you feed him tubeworms? Try regular high quality betta fish food! Maybe she/he isn't the "roomy" type of fish! He might want a better environment. Try going to your local pet store and buying some pebbles, fake palm trees, and little toys for him!

Answer 6

Do you have aim or want to talk on the phone? MUCH easier that way. I can tell you every detail you need. Make it quick because your betta fish might die.

Answer 7

Maybe it's his food. It's what it sounds like.