my betta?! its acting weird!

[theeyrietrainer]

i dont know if this is a disease so im going to put it in the betta forum, but my betta is constantly at the surface, you may think that is no biggy, but it seems that he cant swim downwards. he tries but hes like a ballon filled with helium and your trying to make it go underwater. then if he doesnt move but just lazes there, he begins to go horizontal. one side goes faces down while the other faces up, please help me!

 

[theeyrietrainer]

i found that the right gill is sticking out more than usual and it is the right side of him that faces upwards! i hope he isnt going to die! the only times he flips up is when he is a little exhausted from trying to balance himself upright

 

[PreciousGems]

It sounds like Swim Bladder Disorder. This is generally caused by over feeding but is NOT fatal if treated. I would clean your betta's water partially and quit feeding it for today and tomorrow. Lower the water 1/2 way to make it easy for him to get to the surface/bottom with out having to bobble around. If he gets better, let me know, because it may be something else if he doesn't.

Alexa

 

[Iggy]

I agree with Alexa, sounds like swim bladder. Their swim-blader is what they use to balance themselves under water, so if they get over-fed (fat) or too constipated, their stomacs and intestines swell and it deforms their swim bladder so they cannot balance themselves.

Bettas can and DO over-eat. You need to cut back on the food intake generally, and skip a few days feeding right now.

I try to skip at least one day a week for my bettas, so they loose some weight and dont get constipated.

Again, lower the water, skip food for two WHOLE days, and give plenty of care and attention.

Keep us posted!

 

[theeyrietrainer]

Well he became fine after like...3 hours i think. I know bbs gives swim bladders but flakes do too?!!??! (i only feed my bettas flakes once a week so i dont think that could affect him...) i also feed him frozen bloodworms, could these affect him? i rarely over feed him

 

[Fish are cool]

its a swim bladder disease or is there a shiny object at the top that he is attracted to, and wants to 'fight' it?!?

 

[theeyrietrainer]

no its swim bladder

 

[theeyrietrainer]

ok nevermind, maybe he isnt healed from swim bladder or something! i didnt feed him hoping he would heal, and he seems to have. how he acts as thought his right fin has been torn out even thought it is still intact!!! please help!

 

[PreciousGems]

He's probably just tired of trying to balance himself out when he had SBD. Just keep him off food for tomorrow too. They usually do that with their fins when they are exhausted.

Alexa

 

[bobrob]

Flakes expand in the water and in a fishes gut but your only feeding them once a week so it shudnt be a problem.

 

[theeyrietrainer]

well, he influenced his neighbour! my other betta! on their right fins (both o' em) long lines that are shiny (underwater bubbles from a plant kind of shiny) are on that fin and it is like stuck onto their side and they cant "use" it

 

[PreciousGems]

Did you just clean their water? Sometimes oxygen bubbles DO stick to them like they do to plants/decorations.

Alexa

 

[theeyrietrainer]

well i did change it, he uses it little more now, and the end of his fin seems to be white. im not sure if its fin rot, but its like faint white along the edge

 

[Iggy]

New fin growth starts off as almost pure white or clear before it gets it's color.

Fin rot is more ragged and greyish. No worries man!

 

[theeyrietrainer]

ahh....THANK YOU IGGY!!!! that sure did relieve me by ALOT! THANKS TO ALL WHO POSTED! THEY TOO WERE VERY HELPFUL! i thought he was going to DIE! THANK YOU ALL!