Lethargic Betta

3 actually isn't old for a betta, it's barely middle age, but if you got him from a national pet chain, they're often mass need (betta equivalent of a puppy mill) and longevity is not a priority for those breeders. So it's possible it's just in his genetics to have his little body shut down early.

Maybe see if he'll eat peas? If he's not eating pellets you need something else, the bloodworms will cause constipation. Or daphnia, that's closer to his natural diet, but while everyone I know says their bettas love it, I've never had one that would eat it.

I'd recommend leaving him in the breeder box for now. If he's having trouble swimming, that'll help keep him comfortable. If it's just his age, anything to keep him comfortable is the priority in my opinion.

It is really sad, I hope he bounces back, but if he doesn't, it seems like he had a wonderful life with someone who cared deeply about him. A 10 gallon all to himself, a very knowledgeable and responsible owner, I mean, he was definitely spoiled and treated well. No matter what at this point, judging by this thread, I feel like you've done right by him.

Please continue to keep us updated on how he's doing.
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Yeah, I knew 3 years wasn't really that old but he was already an adult when I got him. Being my first fish (before I was into the hobby) I got him from PetSmart, so I definitely wouldn't be surprised if he just has bad genetics, on top of the fact that I got him full grown already.

Hmm, I will see if he takes peas. He usually eats pellets right up and when I have tried blanched peas before he wasn't much of a fan. I will try again though. If he doesn't end up taking those I will get some daphnia. He's never had it before so if it comes down to that hopefully he'll take it.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I mainly asked because the breeder box is quite small, but I can get him a bigger one easily. I usually use it for pregnant platies, bullies, or sick fish, so it's not typically a long term place for my fish to stay.

Aww, thank you so much. That almost made me cry. I will continue to post updates here for everyone.

Thank you all for your help! <3
 

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Yeah, I knew 3 years wasn't really that old but he was already an adult when I got him. Being my first fish (before I was into the hobby) I got him from PetSmart, so I definitely wouldn't be surprised if he just has bad genetics, on top of the fact that I got him full grown already.

Hmm, I will see if he takes peas. He usually eats pellets right up and when I have tried blanched peas before he wasn't much of a fan. I will try again though. If he doesn't end up taking those I will get some daphnia. He's never had it before so if it comes down to that hopefully he'll take it.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I mainly asked because the breeder box is quite small, but I can get him a bigger one easily. I usually use it for pregnant platies, bullies, or sick fish, so it's not typically a long term place for my fish to stay.

Aww, thank you so much. That almost made me cry. I will continue to post updates here for everyone.

Thank you all for your help! <3
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I can understand your concern about the breeder box. If you'd like to get him a bigger one that might be a good idea, I also like those floating betta logs that keep him near the surface. In those pictures he didn't seem to care much about the pot, so he might not care about the betta log either, but I feel like keeping him near the surface will help him out.

That's true, I've heard that the pet store bettas can be anywhere from barely out of fry stage to a couple of years old. There's just no telling, and those fish are bred to look pretty enough for long enough to get sold. Of course, that doesn't mean they're not fantastic little fish, all three of my rescues were bought at a pet store, and I love them to death. And GrI'm is just nothing short of a miracle, with everything he's been through (he's at least 3, as well), and he's still alive and kicking. So nothing I say or have said about pet store bettas is meant as a slam to your boy or any individual fish purchased at a pet store.

So it is possible your boy is closer to 4 or 5. And who knows the conditions he was kept in before you got him? It's possible if he was kept in that little cup for months on end, at a young age, it just did too much irreparable damage. I'm actually not sure of the longterm effects of severe ammonia poisoning, so it's possible it could've shortened his lifespan.

But then again, maybe this is some random mystery "fish cold" or whatever and he can bounce back and recover. I mean, you never know. Stranger things have happened, and these fish seem to take delight in worrying us needlessly. Adorable, sadistic brats.
 

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Yeah we all hope that to come true. Maybe he recovers. Even if he doesn't you tried your best and that's the only thing you can do right now.
Hope he gets well
 
Yeah we all hope that to come true. Maybe he recovers. Even if he doesn't you tried your best and that's the only thing you can do right now.
Hope he gets well
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I can understand your concern about the breeder box. If you'd like to get him a bigger one that might be a good idea, I also like those floating betta logs that keep him near the surface. In those pictures he didn't seem to care much about the pot, so he might not care about the betta log either, but I feel like keeping him near the surface will help him out.

That's true, I've heard that the pet store bettas can be anywhere from barely out of fry stage to a couple of years old. There's just no telling, and those fish are bred to look pretty enough for long enough to get sold. Of course, that doesn't mean they're not fantastic little fish, all three of my rescues were bought at a pet store, and I love them to death. And GrI'm is just nothing short of a miracle, with everything he's been through (he's at least 3, as well), and he's still alive and kicking. So nothing I say or have said about pet store bettas is meant as a slam to your boy or any individual fish purchased at a pet store.

So it is possible your boy is closer to 4 or 5. And who knows the conditions he was kept in before you got him? It's possible if he was kept in that little cup for months on end, at a young age, it just did too much irreparable damage. I'm actually not sure of the longterm effects of severe ammonia poisoning, so it's possible it could've shortened his lifespan.

But then again, maybe this is some random mystery "fish cold" or whatever and he can bounce back and recover. I mean, you never know. Stranger things have happened, and these fish seem to take delight in worrying us needlessly. Adorable, sadistic brats.
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I agree with every word. <3

I'm really sorry to update and say that he passed away this morning. I'm really heartbroken by this. He's been through a lot and I'm just glad that he had a really good ending to his life with me. He will forever be one of my favorite fish. RIP Mystique. <3
 
Oh I'm so sorry to hear that.

You gave him a wonderful life and made every effort to make his last days comfortable. I'm so sorry for your loss.
 

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In my microworm culture there are these bigger worms and I was wondering what it is?
 
Possibly maggots, gnat larvae, my angels absolutely loved them, but they were from cutting too large of a breathing hole in the top. Do you have a picture of them?
 
Possibly maggots, gnat larvae, my angels absolutely loved them, but they were from cutting too large of a breathing hole in the top. Do you have a picture of them?
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I have no experience with microworms, just with grindals, so I don't know if they would be harmful to the culture. I think you would want to avoid them since the small fish you are feeding the microworms to won't be able to eat the maggots.
 
HI everyone, I'm new to this forum - I registered just now to see if I can get some help with my seemingly sick betta. I've had him for almost 2 years now and while the pet store thinks it could be due to old age, I'm not so convinced.

For the last week or so, he's been hanging out at the bottom of his tank. He only takes a swim if he thinks there's food for him. Sometimes his back end sits higher than his head - so abnormal for them to do that.

Water parameters are all good, filtered, water temp is 80-82 degrees F. Today, he didn't even have energy to swim to the top to get his food. It was such a struggle. Since two days ago, I added some aquarium salt.

I'm attaching a couple photos of him. Does anyone see anything that is obviously wrong with him? Does it look like he may have ich? I've seen some shiny silver spots here and there since a while ago, but they haven't gotten worse (I don't think) and his shiny purple coloring makes it hard to tell if it's just age changing his color in some areas or if it's something else. Can anyone advise? Oh, he's a half moon betta, but his tail has been constantly ripped/nipped at since over a year ago. He just doesn't look like he did in his prime. Any opinions and help greatly appreciated. Thank you!
 

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Kaitlyn, thanks for your response! And good eye about the body shape. Since the beginning, he has had a bit of a crooked spine. Very evident as he's swimming around. Hasn't ever gotten in the way of him swimming or anything like that though.

He's not constipated/bloated, but is there a way to know for sure if he has SBD?
 
Well, usually they'll float.. I just thought maybe, since his back end is a little higher up that his head. They just look bloated, usually. From the photos, I thought he might be! But if not, then that doesn't seem to be the issue..

Wonder if it has to do something with his crooked spine + getting older?
 
Well, I've done some searching on the internet for similar cases to yours.

Whats your water change schedule like? How much and how often?

Have you ever noticed him getting dragged to the filter, or swimming near it maybe, resting against it, etc?

When was the last time you saw him poop, and what did it look like?
 
Well, I've done some searching on the internet for similar cases to yours.

Whats your water change schedule like? How much and how often?

Have you ever noticed him getting dragged to the filter, or swimming near it maybe, resting against it, etc?

When was the last time you saw him poop, and what did it look like?
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Water change schedule is once a week, anywhere from 25-40% of the water, depends on how "dirty" the tank looks. Usually closer to 25% thought.

He lives in a Fluval Spec and he does like resting against the intake slots.

Last poop was yesterday, looked normal. However, now that you mention it, the few poops before that were white. Not stringy or anything, still the same solid looking poops, but very light in color.

I'll do some reading on fish tuberculosis.
 

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I managed to take a few more pictures of him today. I honestly cannot tell if he has ich. His body has a blue-purple silver color and I see some silver spots here and there, only at some angles though - it's not bright white in person. Does it look like ich to anyone?
 

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It looks like you should treat him with 'something'. what that something is - I don't know. But in human medicine without a diagnosis we treat/diagnose by process of elimination. If it looks like Ich to you, treat it as such. If it's not Ich, I would think the treatment for Ich wouldn't hurt while you figure out what he has.
 
It looks like you should treat him with 'something'. what that something is - I don't know. But in human medicine without a diagnosis we treat/diagnose by process of elimination. If it looks like Ich to you, treat it as such. If it's not Ich, I would think the treatment for Ich wouldn't hurt while you figure out what he has.
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Thanks. I've actually started treating him for ich with a slight temperature raise and aquarium salt (I've read meds is really hard on them especially since he's already unwell), but he seems to be doing very poorly now. Not sure he'll be able to recover from this, assuming it's not old age.
 
If he’s not showing clear signs of illness, and you doubt old age, water changes always a good bet.

I have seen my guy recover from a few random things with a week of daily water changes. The salt it a nice touch too, though I personally prefer dips or baths over adding it to the tank. It’s much easier to remove if the fish shows stress
 
I just got back home from a 4-day trip where I left my betta in my mom's care. Now he's quite lethargic. I see no signs of sickness on him, and I will get the water parameters tested asap (I don't have my own testing kit, I realize, that's something I need to invest in; I need to save up the money as my mom won't pay for it, she thinks it's a waste to spend $20 for the Master Test Kit on "just a fish"). But as far as I know, the parameters are good. He still is taking food though and is responsive to me, just very lethargic.
I will do a 50% w/c on the tank right now and maybe add some in hopes that it will help? Any advice?
 
Just do a large water change. Maybe even 75%. Usually they perk right up after a change. I’d hold off on the salt until you’re sure there’s something wrong with him. You can add API Stress Coat if you have it, but if you don’t it’s fine.
 
I left a fish with my mom for a bit and he seemed similar, maybe he's just a bit tired from the change in care! you should do a water change and get your water parameters before taking any big steps
 
Agreeing that you shouldn't add the aquarium salt unless you're certain something is wrong. Run a water change and get the parameters checked. Having a liquid test kit is really helpful and in the long run can save you a fair bit of time/money if you can test your own water on your own schedule, plus they should last a few years (I think a kit expires after five years?) and you're basically teaching yourself chemistry. Science!

I think it's also possible that your fish may just be feeling lazy today, or there may be some other reason.

There was one time my crowntail was sitting in a corner of the tank, not patrolling like he usually was. I was worried until I took a closer look at him and realized he was also looking a little fat.

20170503_005746.jpg He'd been snacking on his plants, it looked like. I only gave him half his usual evening meal and the next day he was fine. Sometimes weird things happen. I hope your fish is alright!
 

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I just got a new betta today and it's just sitting at the bottom of its tank, not really moving.
 
If your water parameters are good (no ammonia, no nitrites, maybe some nitrates) and your temperature is above 76ish Fahrenheit, and you know your water is conditioned, then it's likely just a matter of time before your betta adjusts to the new space.

Some bettas will patrol the tank (glass surfing) for several days before they settle in, others will just sit until they've gotten acclimated to the tank. If your betta doesn't show interest in eating after a few days, then that might be a sign that something is wrong.
 
I just got a new betta two days ago, and he did the same thing for the first day. Didn't move a whole lot, real timid, flaring at his reflection almost constantly. Now, he's moved on to his glass surfing/exploratory phase. All fish are different, different personalities. Give him time. He'll settle in, and get used to his surroundings. I mean, think about it - if you were a little fishy, that lived in (most likely) nothing but a stupid plastic cup with nothing for your entire life, and you were suddenly netted, taken briefly out of water, and put into a DIFFERENT plastic boring container (the bag) then transported, then put into an aquarium with lots of stuff and things he's never seen before...you'd be freaked out too. Just give him time. I'm sure he's just fine
 
hello all! I believe I’ve posted about my betta fish before, but I’m having some concerns with him!

He seems not as vibrant as when I got him, and as of late, he seems not as interested in food in the past couple of days, and for the past two days, he’s been mostly hanging out at the bottom of his 5 gallon tank.

I did a water change less than a week ago and just got back from PetSmart so that I could get my water tested.

At the moment, there’s no ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, or chlorine in the water, according to the little report card I was given.

Water hardness is 75, or “soft”, alkalinity is 180, which is on the higher end of ideal, and my pH is 7.2-ish.

Any thoughts or suggestions?
 
Are you over feeding him he could be bloated and that’s why he’s hanging out at the bottom
 
Are you over feeding him he could be bloated and that’s why he’s hanging out at the bottom
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That could be a possibility. I feed him the floating betta pellets, how often should I feed him?
 
Here’s what he looks like, he’s just been in this nose-dive position all day. He’s gotten up to swim around a few times but yeah.
 

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Pellets can often expand you should put the pellets in water for at least 10 minutes before feeding them to your Betta to make sure they have expanded fully I actually crush my pellets
 
This is my forst time posting on here, I hope I'm posting in the right spot! If not I apologize.
I've had my female betta since november 2017, she was a baby when I got her. She normally swims non stop and is extremely active during the day, but this morning she wasn't moving at all and breathing heavy. I change 50% of the water once every week, and I have no idea what is wrong, she is still eating and swimming normally, but she hid behind the filter for hours.
Tank has already been cycled
Tank size: 3 gallons
Heater: 80 degrees
Filter: whisper 1-3gallon
Amonina: 0ppm
Nirate:0ppm
Nitrite:0ppm
PH:7.0ppm
(I use API freshwater master test kit)
This is my first fish and I've never run into this problem, she has always had problems on and off with fin rot. I noticed a tiny hole like mark on the top of her, but nothing else seems abnormal.
I know this picture isn't that great,but this is the weird mark on the top of her.
 

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can you shine a flashlight on her, she could have velvet... Shine a light and look for gold reflect.
 
I do not think its velvet, her breathing is getting worse, she isn't leaving the surface. I'm so worried I have no idea what to do
 
my betta fish sterling has been lethargic and refuses to eat since tuesday. I did a 15% water change and vacummed the gravel. he ate 3 bloodworms monday night after the water change. has been lethargic since tuesday morning and refuses to eat anything, including pellets and bloodworms. i'm not sure what to do. I thought maybe swim bladder but he's swimming okay. I don't know if he's pooping tho. and occasionally he eats the snails' algae wafers.

Tank
What is the water volume of the tank? 10 gallons
Does it have a filter? yes
Does it have a heater? yes
What is the water temperature? 79.3
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts.) 2 mystery snails (black and golden), 1 horned nerite snail

Maintenance
How often do you change the water? once a week
How much of the water do you change? 15%
What do you use to treat your water? apI water conditioner
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water? I do a water change and vacuum the gravel.

Parameters
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish? yes
What do you use to test the water? apI freshwater master kit
What are your parameters? We need the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Ammonia: .5 ppm
Nitrite: .25 ppm
Nitrate: .20 ppm
pH: 6.0

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish? twice a day
How much do you feed your fish? 2-3 pellets/bloodworms
What brand of food do you feed your fish? omega one
Do you feed frozen or freeze-dried foods? frozen and pellets

Illness & Symptoms:
How long have you had this fish? since nov. 3
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms? tuesday
In a few words, (more room for details below) what are the symptoms? sterling is lethargic, stays at the bottom of the tank or ocassionally swims up and lies on the plants. refuses to eat.
Have you started any treatment for the illness? no
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase? no
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all? no signs on the outside of physical injury, fin rot, etc. not as active, refuses to eat.
 
Doesn’t sounds like your tank is cycled. There should be no ammonia or nitrite in a cycled tank. I suggest you start with a 50% water change. I’d bet the high levels of ammonia and nitrite are making him feel sick.
 
Doesn’t sounds like your tank is cycled. There should be no ammonia or nitrite in a cycled tank. I suggest you start with a 50% water change. I’d bet the high levels of ammonia and nitrite are making him feel sick.
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it registered at 0 when I first put him in the tank at the beginning of november. I ran it for two months. the tank was cycled. if my nitrite and ammonia are too high, could there be anything in the tank causing it? I will do a 50% change but I worry it's not going to be enough since I do consistent water change every monday.
 
I’m not arguing but did you add ammonia when cycling the tank? Perhaps you changed a filter cartridge or rinsed it in hot/cold water? Either way it sounds like you’ve lost your cycle unless there’s a good amount of organic matter rotting in the tank that the filter can’t handle.
 
Personally I would change more than 15% of the water during your weekly water changes. I have a ten gallon and I usually do 50% on my weekly water changes. The only thing to do is just daily water changes until the ammonia is at zero.
 
I’m not arguing but did you add ammonia when cycling the tank? Perhaps you changed a filter cartridge or rinsed it in hot/cold water? Either way it sounds like you’ve lost your cycle unless there’s a good amount of organic matter rotting in the tank that the filter can’t handle.
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I wasn't arguing. I corrected your assumption. yes, I did change the filter. my filter notifies me when it's time to change the filter so I changed it last week. it had an odour coming from it.

Personally I would change more than 15% of the water during your weekly water changes. I have a ten gallon and I usually do 50% on my weekly water changes. The only thing to do is just daily water changes until the ammonia is at zero.
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thank you. should I do 50% water changes daily until it goes down?
 

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