Sudden-onset Lethargy?

Help, guys! I'm worried. I recently noticed that my betta was acting a lot more tired than normal. Usually he has a sleep spot where he'll float off to to nap, and when he's awake, he's very active -- but recently he's been lying at the corner of his tank all day.

Quick specs:

5 gallon.
Filtered.
Heated to 79-81 F.
Small airstone.

-Feeding every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Top Fin Betta Pellets (3-5 pellets), supplemented about once a week with 2-4 frozen blood worms. One or the other, never both, and no leftovers are ever left in the tank.
-Routinely vacuuming and changing water at least twice a month, usually three times a month.
-Only using Seachem Prime and Stability.

As for water parameters, I'm bad at estimating colour values, but the true value is definitely within the ranges I've provided. Tested with API's Freshwater Liquid Master Test Kit.

Ammonia: 0-.10ppm.
Nitrite: 0-.10ppm.
Nitrate: 0-2ppm.

His colour's the same, scale consistenty is the same, gills are the same, eyes are the same. No new lumps or bulges, no fin wastage.

He's been with me for about a year and a half, not counting how long he spent at Petsmart before I got him. I'd estimate him to be almost two.

I'm at a loss to be honest. I just changed half his water as an all-around bandaid for the problem and double-dosed the Prime. I tried to feed him again, still not interested.

Any advice? Is he just getting old? 2 years really isn't old for a betta, but maybe the store had held him longer than I'm assuming.

 

Ammona 0-10 ppm??? I'd be freaking out if mine was over .5! Are you sure you're reading your test results correctly? 0 ammonia would be yellow, and I wanna say API master test kit only goes to 8 ppm on ammonia but I can double check my kit, but either way, at 8ppm, you'd be getting a very dark green color, so if your ammonia is somewhere between 0 and 10ppm, something is not right. Same with nitrite as well 0 and 10 will have totally different colors, 0 will be a light blue and I believe when nitrites are present it will be purple, you also have hardly any nitrate, it sounds to me like this tank is not cycled. Any chance you could test your levels and attach a picture of the color of your results? If your ammonia and nitrite could possibly be that high, that's definitely why your betta is lethargic. Also please switch to higher quality food, I use omega one food for all 6 of my bettas, avoid anything with fish meal, while I don't know the ingredients in the top fin food, I am fairly certain just knowing the brand that it likely contains fish meal and a lot of additives and fillers. Please attach a picture of your water test colors if possible, I have been using that kit for a while now, and I can probably help you get a better idea of what your precise levels are, and that could also help to figure out if your betta is ill or suffering from toxic ammonia and nitrite in the water.

 

Ammona 0-10 ppm??? I'd be freaking out if mine was over .5! Are you sure you're reading your test results correctly? 0 ammonia would be yellow, and I wanna say API master test kit only goes to 8 ppm on ammonia but I can double check my kit, but either way, at 8ppm, you'd be getting a very dark green color, so if your ammonia is somewhere between 0 and 10ppm, something is not right. Same with nitrite as well 0 and 10 will have totally different colors, 0 will be a light blue and I believe when nitrites are present it will be purple, you also have hardly any nitrate, it sounds to me like this tank is not cycled. Any chance you could test your levels and attach a picture of the color of your results? If your ammonia and nitrite could possibly be that high, that's definitely why your betta is lethargic. Also please switch to higher quality food, I use omega one food for all 6 of my bettas, avoid anything with fish meal, while I don't know the ingredients in the top fin food, I am fairly certain just knowing the brand that it likely contains fish meal and a lot of additives and fillers. Please attach a picture of your water test colors if possible, I have been using that kit for a while now, and I can probably help you get a better idea of what your precise levels are, and that could also help to figure out if your betta is ill or suffering from toxic ammonia and nitrite in the water.

Omg I'm so sorry, I meant 0-.10 for both levels, not 0-10. Don't worry, the tank is cycled and the colours on the kit are all well within the range for the safest amounts possible. Omg I'd be freaking out too, my poor fish!

 

Phew. Okay good. Although it's good to be at 0 ammonia, and you likely are, the API kits are a pain to read, so that's probably most of the issue with the readings. What I do is either dump it onto a white paper plate, or dump it on the side of a white sink, and then rinse it down. By dumping it against something white, it'll make your results soooo much easier to read. The nitrite is the easiest to read, if it's only light blue, you're at 0, if there's any tinge of purple, there's nitrites. As far as the lethargy with your betta goes, is there anything accompanying it? Is he bloated at all? It sounds to me like you checked your water quality, so I don't think it is that. Has anything in your routine changed? (Frequency of water change, food, amount being fed, etc.) just anything different.

 

Phew. Okay good. Although it's good to be at 0 ammonia, and you likely are, the API kits are a pain to read, so that's probably most of the issue with the readings. What I do is either dump it onto a white paper plate, or dump it on the side of a white sink, and then rinse it down. By dumping it against something white, it'll make your results soooo much easier to read. The nitrite is the easiest to read, if it's only light blue, you're at 0, if there's any tinge of purple, there's nitrites. As far as the lethargy with your betta goes, is there anything accompanying it? Is he bloated at all? It sounds to me like you checked your water quality, so I don't think it is that. Has anything in your routine changed? (Frequency of water change, food, amount being fed, etc.) just anything different.

He's no different at all in colour, shape, or demeanor other than this lethargy. He's looking a little skinny, but undoubtedly just because he hasn't eaten since I've noticed this change, so he's missed almost five days' worth of food.

And thanks for the tips btw!

 

I wouldn't worry too much about the food, fish can go quite a while without food. If he is lethargic, there is certainly something going on. Any heavy breathing? Is your tank heated? I'd check temps, something may have malfunctioned and he may be getting cold/hot.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about the food, fish can go quite a while without food. If he is lethargic, there is certainly something going on. Any heavy breathing? Is your tank heated? I'd check temps, something may have malfunctioned and he may be getting cold/hot.

No heavy breathing I think, and the tank's thermometer is a comfortable 80. The water in that tank and the water in my other tank feel the exact same, and the other tank has a much higher quality heater. This was my initial thought actually, but it proved inconclusive. ):

 

Strange… although I have had a few of my bettas suddenly become lethargic, but 5/6 of mine have had rough times in their lives, curved backs, missing half their tails, curled fins, (obviously came to me like that) but I've managed to get them all back to what's normal for them, and they all do awesome, although occasionally they'll have an "off" day and just not seem too great, I'll always begin to assume the worst, but the next day they'll be totally normal again. When you say lethargic, do you mean just laying somewhere and barely moving or breathing, or do you just mean less active than what's normal?

 

Strange… although I have had a few of my bettas suddenly become lethargic, but 5/6 of mine have had rough times in their lives, curved backs, missing half their tails, curled fins, (obviously came to me like that) but I've managed to get them all back to what's normal for them, and they all do awesome, although occasionally they'll have an "off" day and just not seem too great, I'll always begin to assume the worst, but the next day they'll be totally normal again. When you say lethargic, do you mean just laying somewhere and barely moving or breathing, or do you just mean less active than what's normal?

Right now, he's hiding behind his heater in one spot. It's 3pm; he was in the same exact spot when I left for work at 6am today. He's breathing quite normally, but when I tap on the glass, I get no reaction.

 

Strange… although I have had a few of my bettas suddenly become lethargic, but 5/6 of mine have had rough times in their lives, curved backs, missing half their tails, curled fins, (obviously came to me like that) but I've managed to get them all back to what's normal for them, and they all do awesome, although occasionally they'll have an "off" day and just not seem too great, I'll always begin to assume the worst, but the next day they'll be totally normal again. When you say lethargic, do you mean just laying somewhere and barely moving or breathing, or do you just mean less active than what's normal?

Strangely he's popped back up now! Eating fine, not hanging out in one spot. Fins, colour, breathing, and attitude are all fine now. Very weird. Maybe he was just pouting.

 

Great to hear! Mine have done that before, they just act a little funny for a day and then are back to normal.

 

Great to hear! Mine have done that before, they just act a little funny for a day and then are back to normal.

Super weird. Thanks for your help anyway!!