Betta Stays At The Top

Can't figure out why our betta stays at the top of the tank. The water is nice and clean and he has plenty to explore. The only thing I can think of is that he spent the last five months in a 1 gal. bowl and now that he's in a 30 gal. tank, swimming to the bottom is too much work? Because he will cruise down and a across from time to time but for the most part, stays at the top...

Any ideas are greatly appreciated!!

 

What are the perimeters of the tank? Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate?
How long has the Betta been in the 30 gallon?
What temperature is the tank set to?
What kind of filter do you have and does it create a lot of current?
Is he Betta alone in the tank?

 

Getting test strips now. So I'm not sure about all the parameters. He's been in the tank about three or four days. The heater is set to 76°. I just bought a new filter because the first when I had seem to create a lot of current and was too powerful for my tank so I bought a smaller filter and I still feel like this one is too powerful for the tank so I have only been turning it on periodically. He is all alone.

 

My betta liked staying at the top of his tank and seemed to consider the top third of the tank to be his territory that he would patrol. Maybe it's just because he breathes air from the surface and thinks it's more convenient. I know most bettas do like sitting on plants to be closer to the surface that way

 

bettas are top dwellers so they tend to stay near the top more then anywhere else. my betta is almost always near the top

 

You don't know if you have "clean" water if you haven't tested it. It could be full of ammonia and/or nitrites and nitrates in turn poisoning him. Test it asap.

Also, 30 gallons is HUGE for a betta, especially if there is any water current and your betta is of the long-finned variety. The biggest tank we currently have housing a betta is a 20 long, and she stays near the top most of the time. She only goes low when chasing food. Bettas breath air and will stay near the surface to take "gulps" when they want to.

 

You don't know if you have "clean" water if you haven't tested it. It could be full of ammonia and/or nitrites and nitrates in turn poisoning him. Test it asap.

Also, 30 gallons is HUGE for a betta, especially if there is any water current and your betta is of the long-finned variety. The biggest tank we currently have housing a betta is a 20 long, and she stays near the top most of the time. She only goes low when chasing food. Bettas breath air and will stay near the surface to take "gulps" when they want to.

Since it's such a big tank and he's the only fish and he's only been in the water a few days, I didn't think it'd be an ammonia. I did just test however and everything looks good. I think it's just as everyone has been saying, that bettas just like the top portion.

I think I figured it out. I turned the heater up a couple degrees from 72 to 77. That, combined with the fact that he just prefers the top, I think he's all good.

Thanks everyone!

 

Food will cause ammonia levels to rise too.

And yes, definitely a temp issue. Bettas love their water around 80. Turn it up a couple more and he'll be super happy.

 

HI guys. I've had my male betta for almost a year. About 2 months ago I moved him to a 10 gallon heated and filtered tank. For the last 3 weeks he has been staying behind his air filter or behind his heater only coming out to eat. The temp of his tank is 79°f nitrates 0 nitrites 0 ph 7.2 chlorine 0 alkalinity 150 at least that's what my test strip says. He was bloated and I fasted him and has since went back to his normal size. He is floating a little sideways. I feel I have done all I can do for him but he just dosent want to move. What else can I do for him or what am I doing wrong.

 

I noticed you didn't give a reading for ammonia. Did you cycle your tank?

 

Do you feed him flakes? He may have swallowed air, although I need an ammonia reading to be sure that this is the only variable.

 

The strips are terrible. You should invest in the API Freshwater Test Kit.

Do the test strips not provide an ammonia reading?

Did you cycle your tank before adding your Betta in? Or do you not know of the Nitrogen Cycle?

If you did not cycle your tank, the lack of nitrates would suggest that perhaps your tank has not cycled and is currently poisoned with ammonia. Bettas have a special organ that allows them to intake air to supplement their oxygen intake, and if the water is lacking in oxygen/poisonous, this would make sense.

Do you treat your water with a product such as Seachem Prime?

 

My test strips do not say ammonia on them. They are the tetra easy strips. And yes I did cycle the tank before I put him in. I feed him the pellets not flakes. I do a 25 to 30 % water change once a week and use a water conditioner. If he has ammonia poisoning what can I do to help him. I'll be going tomorrow to get different test kit.

 

My test strips do not say ammonia on them. They are the tetra easy strips. And yes I did cycle the tank before I put him in. I feed him the pellets not flakes. I do a 25 to 30 % water change once a week and use a water conditioner. If he has ammonia poisoning what can I do to help him. I'll be going tomorrow to get different test kit.

Start with a water changes bi-weekly as well as some stress coat. You may also need to move the filter to get a good look at him so you’re sure he isn’t showing any external symptoms such as spots, parasites, cotton, slime, lumps, white patches, loss of color, etc.

 

My test strips do not say ammonia on them. They are the tetra easy strips. And yes I did cycle the tank before I put him in. I feed him the pellets not flakes. I do a 25 to 30 % water change once a week and use a water conditioner. If he has ammonia poisoning what can I do to help him. I'll be going tomorrow to get different test kit.

Consider picking up Seachem Prime at your local pet store as well as the test kit.

Seachem turns ammonia into ammonium, rendering it harmless to your fish. It will make your fish much more comfortable if you must get through a fish-in cycle.

 

My test strips do not say ammonia on them. They are the tetra easy strips. And yes I did cycle the tank before I put him in. I feed him the pellets not flakes. I do a 25 to 30 % water change once a week and use a water conditioner. If he has ammonia poisoning what can I do to help him. I'll be going tomorrow to get different test kit.

how was it cycled

 

I will try these things and hopefully that helps him. Thanks!

Update..I tested for ammonia the test said 0 but I still did about a 80% water change. He came out for about 15 mins. Ate his food and swam around then right back to behind the air filter and heater. He didn't seem to have trouble swimming like he was. Maybe he was just in a funk. I'm trying to do the best things for him cause I'd hate to loose him.

I'm also having a little problem with him suctioning himself to the filter. I know it seems crazy but he seems to enjoy it when I seem him doing it I flick the water a little he moves..has anyone had an issue with this and if so what can I do to stop it I don't want him tearing his fins.

 

I'm also having a little problem with him suctioning himself to the filter. I know it seems crazy but he seems to enjoy it when I seem him doing it I flick the water a little he moves..has anyone had an issue with this and if so what can I do to stop it I don't want him tearing his fins.

He might just like the hiding spot. Is your tank planted and provide hiding places? Your filter may also be too strong, so he may be hiding behind it to protect himself from the flow. I think heated, pristine water conditions will solve any mild issue.

 

Healthy fish don't get stuck in filters. Sick ones do.

I'd consider getting a sponge filter just in case, or putting some sponge around your power filter.

 

I've had my betta since March and he has been well and swimming around. Up until recently he has started to stay near the top of the tank (I have a tall house on stairs and he rests on the roof) and not swimming as much. He still eats and not swimming sideways. I did a full clean of the tank and let it cycle, bought a new filter (in case of low oxygen levels) and he still goes back up there. Is something else wrong? I have a 3.5 gallon tank with heater, temp is good also.

 

What are your water parameters?

 

Betta fish do spend time at the surface but should not be there to often, because that can mean oxygen in the aquarium is too low. Poor water oxygenation and air flow could be a possible cause...

I am wondering what your water parameters are as well.

 

Tank is at 75 degrees Fahrenheit, pH 7.5, ammonia 0 nitrates 0. I’ve noticed he is either at the top (still under the water level) or down at the bottom where it is dark and covered. Still swimming around sparingly (his normal swim for me to feed him). It looks like he also made another bubble nest after the deep clean (the filter pushed it apart), I’ve ordered a bubbler which should be in tomorrow to increase oxygen, seems he’s taking gasps everytime he goes to the top

 

My Betta would do this sometimes until I got him a nice aerator. This added much needed oxygen to my water and now he is much more active. If you notice him gasping for air at the top it could also be from chemicals in the water. Check to see if any decorations are known for releasing chemicals. What do you do for water changes? How often and how much?

 

The last time I did a 50% water change and that was 2 weeks ago (while I was moving I couldn’t really lift it full) not sure if a lot of the food he didn’t eat came up during the shifting. I filled with preconditioned water and added safe start plus by tetra. He was fine for about a week and I kept on a light that is attached to his lid that I never really used before. But I noticed the filter I previously had was not running like it used to so that is when I bought the other one since I thought that is what was causing the loss of oxygen

I did a complete water change and cleaned the gravel 2 days ago, then let it cycle for 24 hours

 

A cycle usually takes about 4-8 weeks because it takes a very long time for good bacteria to build up. Do frequent water changes (about 60%) until your tank is fully cycled. Make sure to test your water for ammonia to make sure it doesn't spike.