Betta Heavy Breathing

[ThatCrazyFishLady]

I just purchased a new betta and it is currently in QT. I've been noticing that the betta is quite active and is eating well. However, he breathes very heavily in which his gill plate is moving. The water parameters are fine and the tank has plenty of hiding places.

Is this normal for fish with large finnage? He may be one of the more heavily endowed bettas I have every owned.

 

[Cat]

An aerator would be a great idea if you have a tank 3 gallons or smaller a 5 gallon tank would be a big improvement to help the fish breathe with more space poisons build up in the water that may cause this check for nitrates,nitrites and aimmonia this could cause iota get a heater or filter this could help.

 

[ThatCrazyFishLady]

Hi there! He's in an established 10 gal that has been running with my other six 10 gals for a year. His breathing as decreased to normal and he is acting like a perfectly happy betta! He gills are black so I couldn't tell if he had ammonia poisoning from being in those awful cups or not. His fins were so I'm good condition so I thought that it might not be ammonia.

I'm happy to report a good ending. I thought I might have gotten to him too late.

 

[Alma@fish]

Sounds like you got this under control, and I hate seeing fish in the tiny little cups.