Topic: Sick Betta

[jkruzi]

I've had a male betta for about 6 months.  About a month ago he stopped swimming around the tank.  He can only swim at the top with his upper fin sticking out of the water.  If we try to help him go down into the tank he immediately pops back up to the top.  What is wrong?  He is eating.  I do water changes at least every 8 days.

He shows do other signs of diseases.

[Carianne]

Can you post a pic? Sounds like he may either be constipated or have swim bladder

[Mere Air]

It sounds like he may have swimbladder issues.  How often do you feed him and how much at one time?  Does he look normal?  Are his scales sticking out?

This Flippers And Fins article about Swimbladder Disease might help you: http://p076.ezboard.com/fflippersnfinsfrm11.showMessage?topicID=5.topic

[AiWen]

How big is the tank?  

[jkruzi]

He's normally in a 1/2 gallon bowl with gravel and a small cave.

I've placen\d him in a qurt bowl with no gravel or decorations and have feed him the inside of a pea for the last 2 days.  there are a couple of small solid light brown masses at the bottom of the bowl now.  It is not from the peas.  Can this possibly be feces?

[Mere Air]

There are a couple of small solid light brown masses at the bottom of the bowl now.  It is not from the peas.  Can this possibly be feces?

Probably.  What color is your Betta?

How often are you changing the water?  A quart container is pretty small and should be changed daily, taking care that the new water is the same temperature as the old water.

[angie02144]

I am not sure what is wrong with him but I don't think you are changing him enough!  A 1/2 gallon tank needs cleaning way more often than every 8 days.  I keep my guys in 2 gallon tanks and they get cleaned every 3-4 days.  I am sure there is mess piling up on the bottom.  You may need to do daily or every other day changes on a 1/2 gallon.  I am sure someone else will reply with proper cleaning time periods.

[jkruzi]

He looks normal and his scales are not sticking out.  I feed him about 10  flakes once a day.

I am in the process of trying to check for constipation using green peas.  It looks like there is some feces in the bottom of the bowl this morning, but he is still swimming at the top of the bowl.

[jkruzi]

He's wine with blue fins.

I just put him in the quart bowl to see if he is constipated.  This is his second day in it and I did change the water yesterday evening.

Yes, the water is the same temperature.

[jkruzi]

Thanks for the info.  I'll start changing him more often.  The bowl came with the instructions to do a 50% water change once a week.  I've been doing a complete clean out once a week.