Beta seems sick

Question
Hi Chris,

I have had a beta for about a month.  He was doing nicely.  I feed him flakes and he was very active, making bubbles.  Seemed healthy.  He does not seem to be eating anymore. His food sits at the top or bottom of the bowl and he seems lethargic.  This morning he responded to my being near the bowl and came up to swim a bit but seems tired and sank back down to the bottom.  Maybe I am overfeeding him?  I was pouring flakes in the morning and afternoon.

I change his water about once a week..put about 4-5 drops of the balancer in (don't have the bottle with me here).

Thanks

Answer
Hi Rena;

Clean out all the old food and get him into fresh water and then put his bowl in a warmer spot in your house. Bettas sometimes stop eating when their water temperature gets below 75. You can also put a light on his bowl if you don't have a warm place. It needs to be at 80 or 82 while he is still feeling sick. When he gets better you can lower it to 75 to 78 and keep it there. Bettas who have been too cool will often sink down in the water. They will also do that from temperature shock. If a water change was made and the new water was not of the same temperature as the old water, it can shock fish and their swim bladder is damaged. That's why they can't rise up to the surface easily anymore; failed swim bladder.

The swim bladder is an organ that fills with blood gasses when the fish wants to float up. The blood gasses dissipate so it deflates again when the fish wants to sink. When the swim bladder is damaged it can no longer hold blood gasses and the fish stays on the bottom. The most you can do for them whatever the cause of SB failure is to keep the water clean and consistently warm so it can heal itself. Sometimes it does, but more often the fish lives out it's life resting on the bottom of it's tank. It helps to lower the water level so he doesn't have to struggle so hard to get air at the top. It helps him to reserve his strength for healing.

Just keep him warm and clean and hopefully he will get better soon......

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins