Betta has stopped eating and keeps to the bottom of tank

[Kerryjoy]

hello

I wonder if someone could give advice on my poor Betta.

He is a little lethargic, staying at the bottom of the tank but still eating when he can and when I entice him.
He is not himself. He doesn’t have any signs of being sick, just little lethargic and not active. Also, maybe breathing more deeply and often bit more rapid.

Any ideas what might be up?? Be much appreciated. He was fully grown when I got him and I’ve had him for 5 months now. Tank water is fine and tank has a filter.

Only change is I added a nirate snail a few weeks back - should I treat the tank for a parasite ??
The 2 other fish are in the tank are fine though....Corys.

Many thanks

 

[FroFro]

hello

I wonder if someone could give advice on my poor Betta.

He is a little lethargic, staying at the bottom of the tank but still eating when he can and when I entice him.
He is not himself. He doesn’t have any signs of being sick, just little lethargic and not active. Also, maybe breathing more deeply and often bit more rapid.

Any ideas what might be up?? Be much appreciated. He was fully grown when I got him and I’ve had him for 5 months now. Tank water is fine and tank has a filter.

Only change is I added a nirate snail a few weeks back - should I treat the tank for a parasite ??
The 2 other fish are in the tank are fine though....Corys.

Many thanks

Labored breathing and lethargy is usually an indication the problem is in the water. You need to do an immediate 50% water change of treated, near the same temperature as the tank water and monitor him. Depending on the size of your tank, you may have too many fish than is suitable which will cause spikes in your water parameters. NEVER resort to using medications until you are certain what the problem is. Randomly throwing in medications will only exacerbate the problem. Medications also affect fish differently and can harm some to the point of death. For example, a medicine that contains copper will kill your snail. Please also never use anything like bettafix, melafix, or anything ending in -fix as the chemicals in these medicines mess with the labyrinth organ in betta (the organ that allows them to breathe both surface air and air in the water) and can damage it for life.

We'll need you to answer a few questions before we can give any further instruction.

What are your water parameters? Ph, Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrates, and alkalinity?

What size is your tank and how many inhabitants?

How often and at what volume do you perform water changes?

Do you use a siphon to clean decaying matter out of the substrate?

How often and at what quantity do you feed your fish, including the cories?

Have you noticed any discoloration on your betta or slightly swollen abdomen?

What is the flow rate of your filter output? A strong current will exhaust your betta. Betta prefer a slow or nearly non-existent current as those long fins make swimming in fast waters difficult.

 

[Kerryjoy]

hello

I wonder if someone could give advice on my poor Betta.

He is a little lethargic, staying at the bottom of the tank but still eating when he can and when I entice him.
He is not himself. He doesn’t have any signs of being sick, just little lethargic and not active. Also, maybe breathing more deeply and often bit more rapid.

Any ideas what might be up?? Be much appreciated. He was fully grown when I got him and I’ve had him for 5 months now. Tank water is fine and tank has a filter.

Many thanks

hello

I wonder if someone could give advice on my poor Betta.

He is a little lethargic, staying at the bottom of the tank but still eating when he can and when I entice him.
He is not himself. He doesn’t have any signs of being sick, just little lethargic and not active. Also, maybe breathing more deeply and often bit more rapid.

Any ideas what might be up?? Be much appreciated. He was fully grown when I got him and I’ve had him for 5 months now. Tank water is fine and tank has a filter.

Many thanks

Labored breathing and lethargy is usually an indication the problem is in the water. You need to do an immediate 50% water change of treated, near the same temperature as the tank water and monitor him. Depending on the size of your tank, you may have too many fish than is suitable which will cause spikes in your water parameters. NEVER resort to using medications until you are certain what the problem is. Randomly throwing in medications will only exacerbate the problem. Medications also affect fish differently and can harm some to the point of death. For example, a medicine that contains copper will kill your snail. Please also never use anything like bettafix, melafix, or anything ending in -fix as the chemicals in these medicines mess with the labyrinth organ in betta (the organ that allows them to breathe both surface air and air in the water) and can damage it for life.


Thanks for your msg - please see answers all below to the qtns
Thanks
Kerry

We'll need you to answer a few questions before we can give any further instruction.

What are your water parameters? Ph, Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrates, and alkalinity?

Ammonia 0
Ph 7.6 (this has never changed for the whole year and a half I have had the tank)
Nitrate rest from test kit 10 or just below

Other nitrates from test strips
Nitrates no2 - 25
Nitrates no3 - 25


What size is your tank and how many inhabitants?
38l with one betta and 2 Corys.

How often and at what volume do you perform water changes?
50% water change Once a week.

Do you use a siphon to clean decaying matter out of the substrate?

Yes I use a nano siphon with every water change.

How often and at what quantity do you feed your fish, including the cories?

Corys every couple of days with a pellet.
betta once a day.

Have you noticed any discoloration on your betta or slightly swollen abdomen?

Belly seems fine, not much change in colour. Maybe little paler.

What is the flow rate of your filter output? A strong current will exhaust your betta. Betta prefer a slow or nearly non-existent current as those long fins make swimming in fast waters difficult.

Flow rate is very low and does not affect him, he swims around happily usually with no issues. It’s a Denerles nano filter with adjustable flow.