HELP! Something is wrong with Bob

Question
Hi,
I have had Bob the betta for about 1 yr, he lives on my desk in the office.  He lives in pretty good size tank (I would say about 1.5 - 2 gallons, with a light) he lives alone and I keep the tank clean, I feed him everyday, about 3-4 pellets, I do not give him more that he eats right away.  Normally Bob is very active, but about a week and a half ago, he started acting very wierd, he is just laying on the bottom.  He still comes up to feed and is eating all his food as usual, but that is the only time he leaves the bottom.  When he does come up to the top he is moving funny, like he is having a hard time staying up there.  If he stopps swimming he sinks like a rock to the bottom, he doesn't seem to float like he used to.  He seems perfectly normal in everyother way, color is good, edges of his fins are fine.  What should I do?  Please help, I have come very attached to Bob and would hate for anything to happen to him, he is my favorite co-worker.

Dru

Answer
Hi Dru;

Poor little fella. He has a failed swim bladder. The swim bladder is an organ just below the spine inside of fish that controls buoyancy. It inflates with blood gasses if the fish wants to go up in the water or deflates if the fish wants to go down. When it fails it deflates and the fish have to stay on the bottom. If you lower the water level so he doesn't have to fight so hard to swim up he can reserve energy and hopefully heal. Some recover, some don't. It can be caused by infection, a cold spell in the winter and their water gets too cool, injury, stress, etc.

Bob is getting older too so is more prone to health problems. Bettas live to be 2 or 3 years old and are already a year old when we buy them. Keep him in a very warm place and/or put a light on him to raise his water temperature up. It will have to be on 24 hours a day so it stays warm at night too. Just like an old person, bettas need warmer conditions as they age. Even young bettas need 78 degrees minimum. If you can get his water to 80 or 82 he should do better.

Followups welcome

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

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Hope your little co-worker feels better soon......