Beta's head down

[Tigerbarb]

A while ago, the filter on my beta tank was off and I took about a gallon of the water out to fill up my snail tank immediately. He will usually remain still, laying down upright on the gravel, with his head resting on the floor of the tank, and when he does this, he is usually breathing hard. I currently have him in a small plastic container, right by my computer. The beta was stressed, of course, when I scooped him up in the container and brought him over, but now he is very calm and laying down again. Any idea what is going on? He can still swim fine, when he chooses to.

[Mvjnz]

Bettas aren't supposed to lie still for long periods of time. They are usually rather active and curious.

Does the tank have a filter? What size is the tank? Sometimes when they are kept in small tanks they just lie there, because the tank is too boring and small for them to do anything. As soon as they are put in a bigger tank with plants and a cave for them to hide in, they will become active and curious, the way they are supposed to be.

[Ryuu]

If he is "gasping' for air, it is usually an airation problem.

[Tigerbarb]

Bettas aren't supposed to lie still for long periods of time. They are usually rather active and curious.

Does the tank have a filter? What size is the tank? Sometimes when they are kept in small tanks they just lie there, because the tank is too boring and small for them to do anything. As soon as they are put in a bigger tank with plants and a cave for them to hide in, they will become active and curious, the way they are supposed to be.
The beta is in a 5g breeder, I think, and the tank is equipped with a sponge filter, castle w/ cave, and a collection of live plants.


If he is "gasping' for air, it is usually an airation problem.
He is now hiding in his castle, and he keeps going up every minute or so to get air from the surface, even when I have an air-driven sponge filter running. I might replace the filter with an airstone, for now, as the filter produces very coarse, un-straigned bubbles.

[Mvjnz]

My betta went up for air as well, even tho the tank was cycled and the filter stirred up the surface. It's just a thing they do. But he should not be sitting at the bottom for long periods of time. When mine did that he was coming down with white spot.

[cocoa_pleco]

gulping for air every one in a while is normal since bettas are labyrinth fish

[Boertjie]

Bettas is top breathers, so it is normal for him to go up for air. When one of our Bettas did that Gemstone treated him for stress and also gave him a broadspectrum bacteria treatment. He came right after a couple of days.

[Nick_Pavlovski]

Maybe he just finds your activities in his tank as stressful or worrying, so he's scared?

[graceluvsplatys]

keep a close eye, what doi you feed and how much?
do you guys think its constipation or something?

[themuffinbandit]

well that happened to me for a while. the cause may be because they are just plain bored. mine was. since i kept him in his own tank b/c everyone told me bettas were solitary fish, and in a corner. mine used to just do what urs did. however, i now have moved it to the living room where me and my parents and sister hang out so he gets all excited and swims around a lot more nowadays. my other betta i put in a community tank. she always swims around now. i guess its b/c mine were used to action since my dorm room was tiny and they were there with me and always saw a multitude of ppl just walk in and out. haha. anyways, long story short, move him to a place thats more active. gl hope this helps