alynnj17

My male betta has been acting very strange lately. It hasn't been eating its required amount of food and it is almost always at the top just floating, sometimes backwards ! Does this mean he's dying? Please help!!

Gunnie

Hmmmm. It doesn't sound like he is well. How is he housed? Do you have him in a betta bowl or a regular tank? What are your readings for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH? What is the temperature of the water? Let us know and tell us if he has any spots or if he's discoloring anywhere, maybe turning grayish in areas.

Craig

sounds like hes gasping 4 air stayin at the top al the time this could b a sign that the ammonia levels r high

alynnj17

i don't think ammonia is the problem because we fill his bowl with distilled water. He is housed in a bowl designed for bettas. He has lost his color for the past couple days but today he has started to get it back but he's still not eating.

Gunnie

The distilled water won't have any effect on eliminating ammonia from your betta bowl. The minute your fish is put in that new water, he produces ammonia. Eventhough he can breathe some air from the surface, bettas can still suffer from high ammonia levels.

0morrokh

Distilled water isn't the best because it doesn't contain good nutrients found in tapwater. Gradually replace a very small amount of distilled water with conditioned tapwater. Do you know about the nitrogen cycle? Read about it at http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm. Be sure to be doing weekly 50 percent water changes, and keep the temp of the room warm since Bettas like warm temps. I reccommend moving your Betta to a 5 gallon tank with a heater. Be sure to cycle the tank before moving the Betta.