Why does bettas open and close their mouth all day?

I recently took two bettas home. Generally I know fishes breathe oxygen through their gills, but why do they open and closes their mouth frequently?

 

I recently took two bettas home. Generally I know fishes breathe oxygen through their gills, but why do they open and closes their mouth frequently?

Water goes through the mouth, and out the gills. Kinda like inhaling through the mouth, and exhaling through the gills.

 

Thanks! that means its normal nothing to worry about.

 

That depends, sometimes fast opening and closing of the mouth can be a number of things. New fish will breathe rapidly from the shock of being transported. You should also test your water for high ammonia, nitrate, pH, and nitrite levels. High temperatures may also cause rapid breathing

 

That depends, sometimes fast opening and closing of the mouth can be a number of things. New fish will breathe rapidly from the shock of being transported. You should also test your water for high ammonia, nitrate, pH, and nitrite levels. High temperatures may also cause rapid breathing

Well as per the advise of store form where i bought them, she gave me an air pump to induce oxygen into their fish bowl. Its not a tank but a average sized fish bowl adequate for keeping too small bettas.

They create so much waste that I had to change the water everyday. Its been 7 days though. Still do I have to check all this pH, nitrate and ammonia?

 

Are the bettas together in the bowl? Bettas are very territorial and can fight with each other even if the 2 are females. The heavy breathing may be caused by the stress of them being together. A bowl is too small for 2 bettas to be kept in because of their territorial tendencies.

 

Okay! I might need to go to that store again because I didn't ask for their gender and if its like what you said, ill buy a bigger bowl for them. or a male in between them haha

 

Separate them ASAP if you can. Males are even more aggressive. Generally females have shorter fins, males have a much longer fin. Bettas should never be kept together in the first place. The only time they can be together if they’re all females in a 20+ gallon tank or when you’re breeding them. Don’t add more to their bowl, they might end up killing each other

 

Do you have a picture?

 

are your bettas both male if they are the will fight to the death its not good to have two males together if u have 2 females that will work there may from time to time be a torn fin but thats ok its not a good idea to have a male and female together as the female could get hurt or killed by the male as for the opening and closeing the mouth thats common for bubble nest building fish to do cheers john

 

HyugaClara,
I don’t think the tank is cycled completely. It could be the water is turning toxic ?

 

Bettas are labyrinth fish, evolved to thrive in low oxygen waters. They have something like a primitive lung and can take oxygen from the atmosphere when there is not enough in the water. Something to be mindful of before heeding any advice about increasing oxygen levels in the water.

 

He's yelling for more food or is telling his reflection off.

 

There is another thread running on these new fish in a new tank being looked after by a new fish keeper that writes of not knowing about the nitrogen cycle at the time of first posting.

 

A filter is essential!

 

You’ll need to get 5+ gallon tanks for each betta. The whole betta bowl thing is actually pretty bad for them. Especially females, because they have shorter fins. Try to get a filter for each tank if you can, as they’re very important for keeping fish. Also get a test kit, liquid would be best but strips would be ok as long as there’s an ammonia strip too.