LONG post, need expert betta advice!!

Holly9937

Holly9937

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Jan 20, 2005
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After I thought we were doing so well ... For the background...I have had the betta for about 2 months, he is in a 2.5 gallon cycled tank. It has a small whisper filter (he doesn't seem to mind the current), not heated, its around 72-74 degrees, I'm assuming its too small for a heater. The ph is around 7.6-7.8, nitrite and amonia 0, not sure about nitrate. He has had this problem once before, shortly after I got him. He has a buoyancy problem, and floats to the surface, I only saw him go on his side for a brief second (and I've been watching him closely!), mostly he seems unable to be able to swim from the surface without great struggle. When he had it when I first got him I assumed it was because I overfed him, but I have since stopped doing that, usually fasting him once a week or so. I read that the cause is usually poor water quality, overfeeding, or the wrong food. He refuses everything but freeze dried bloodworms and the occasional pea( I did not feed him for almost a week and even then bloodworms were the only thing he would not spit out!) . Any tips or anything else I can do to prevent this, or something I'm doing wrong? The last time it happened not feeding him for a couple of days did the trick, should I fast him longer or more often?
Sorry about the long post, Thanks for all of your help
 
I am faced with a similar problem.
Dont know with it is problem with buoyancy or just plain behavior.
My betta swims pretty normal - but at times when he is at the base of the tank - I notice that he tilts a few degrees to his side - this sometimes scares the hell out of me. Is this normal ? Do do sleep sideways by any chance ?
 
how similiar is your situation?? how long have you had him?
 
this particular one I having only since a week.
the one I had earlier which no more now had a similar issue.
whereas I have another one that rests absolutely vertical.
 
I had this happen to my Oscar a few years ago. Some said Dropsy and others said air bladder (from gulping air while eating). I increased ank maintenance, tried some parasite meds and it cleared up for a while. Unfortunatly it came back and I ended up losing the fish. I would try to increase the temp if possible.
 
Hello Holly,

You may have a "belly scraper". This is what you call a fry that was overfed during it's "fryhood" and the swim bladder did not develope properly. It could cause a betta to be more prone to swim bladder issues, especially when overfed. You may not be overfeeding him as far as feeding bettas in general go, but if his swim bladder is not large enough, then just a bit over his limit is too much and can cause his 'balance' issues.

There really isn't much you can do except to be sure you do not overfeed him. I have one like that myself...a fry that I raised...it was such a beautiful orange color that I kept her. I just feed her very sparinginly and she does fine...though she does have difficulty swimming, but not too bad.

A constant diet of freeze dried bloodworms can cause constipation leading to swim bladder issues. You may want to try and get him used to a bettaspecific pellet food. He will eventually eat them if you are persistant in offering it. Don't worry if he doesn't eat for days...bettas can go weeks without eating, so the experts say.....though I have never let them go THAT long..lol..

If you give him one pellet at a time, maybe 2 or 3 times a day that could help.
 
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Thanks for the tips, I woke up today and he was as good as new! Its just frustrating, and this is the first one I've ever had, why can't he be as simple to care for as the fish in my other tanks!?!?! :rolleyes:
 
Holly,

When you choose a betta, make sure he is in very good health. No stringy fins or fuzzy spots. Look to make sure he is active and alert, nice bright colors and not frumping in the bottom of the cup looking ill.

Another tip is to find out when the LFS gets their bettas in and be there on that day. That way you know they haven't been sitting in those cups for too long...unless you get one from Walmart....I don't know what that store does with bettas but they look awful almost all of the time, even on the day they get them in. I think they sit in a warehouse someplace until the store orders them or something...poor things...
 
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