Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm getting really worried about Betta - he's been super active, always swimming around the edges of the tank, but today he just parked himself on the floor and hasn't moved all day. I fed the fish and put the blood worms in, and he didn't even flinch. My other fish - a guppy and some neon tetras - seem to get along fine, but Betta just stayed put.

I was seriously freaking out when I saw his mouth kinda bobbing open, thought for sure he was a goner. So I stuck my hand in to poke him gently, and he took off like a shot. But instead of swimming around like normal, he just cruised over to the other side of the tank and is now resting on the floor again.

Here's a pic of him before I touched him: http://imgur.com/a/YvYGT

Hey there and welcome to the forum, I'm glad you're here. To help your betta, we'll need some info from you.

Have you made any recent changes to your tank, like adding a new plant or some chemical additive?

Is your betta's color looking okay, or is he slightly bloated? What's the condition of his fins - are they looking a bit tattered or discolored? Let us know if you've noticed any physical issues.

Is your tank heated? Betta fish need warm water, between 74 and 82 degrees, to be comfortable. If the water's too cold, they can get lethargic, and if it stays that way for too long, they can start shutting down.

I'd recommend doing a partial water change - at least 30% if you've done one recently, or a 50% change if it's been a few days. Just make sure the new water is close to the same temperature as your tank water, and pour it in slowly so you don't disturb your betta and the other fish.

Is your tank getting enough oxygen? If the surface is pretty calm, it can be hard for your fish to breathe. Betta have those labyrinth organs that let them breathe air, but they still need well-oxygenated water.

How big is your tank, by the way? 5 gallons, 10 gallons, something else?

Can you give us your current water parameters - nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, pH, and alkalinity? We need the latest numbers, not something from a few days ago.

Is your tank cycled, with a healthy bacteria colony? If you're not sure what that means, here's a quick link to help you out: http://aquariuminfo.org/cycling.html

How often do you do water changes, and how much water do you change? You should be doing at least 30% changes twice a week, or a 50% change once a week.

What else are you feeding your betta besides blood worms? Do you give him pellets, or maybe some betta flakes? Just remember, a betta's stomach is about the size of his eye, so they're easy to overfeed.

I'm sure some of the other experts will chime in soon about your tank's compatibility with the guppy and neon tetras. I do know that guppies and betta can be a bad mix, though - betta might see a colorful guppy as a rival and try to attack it. Generally, betta do best when they're alone or with fish that won't challenge them.

I really appreciate your detailed response, Fablet. I'm glad you're willing to help me figure out what's going on with my betta, Furion.

My tank is 5.5 gallons, with a heater and filter. I do water changes, about 1 gallon a week, using tap water from my sink. I know it's not ideal, but I haven't had any issues so far.

As for Furion's condition, I'm pretty sure he has fin rot. His fins look a bit jagged and maybe even blackened on the tips. I need to see him spread them out to be certain, but that's my best guess. I'm thinking it might be related to the tiger barb glofish I had in the tank for a day - he was nipping at Furion, so I returned him. Alternatively, it could be from the baffle I made for the filter or one of the synthetic plants.

I've already ordered the fin rot medication, which should arrive tomorrow. But my main concern is his lethargy - would fin rot really cause him to be so inactive?