My Betta fish is swimming strangley!

Question
I just got this Betta fish yesterday from my summer school teacher. I am not sure as to how old this fish is, the sex of it, or its past health problems but it seemed fine when I had taken it home. Now it seems to be swimming rather strangely. It swims for a while then lays sidewards at the top of the bowl & all motion stops. Is it dieing, or is there any thing I can do? Oh,& its in a regular size goldfish bowl, has no tank mates & I am not sure about the temperature.

Answer
Kai,

This could be a number of different things. Betta Fish require water temperature between 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit and if it gets to cold, it can cause the fish to go into a shock. Or, it could be a swim bladder issue that could be caused by the water quality, self injury (running in a plant or the side of the tank), or injury caused by a hand or net. Or it could just simply be at a resting state. If this keeps up for the next few hours it is probably something listed above.

-Bethany