Trouble breathing?

[laze]

Thanks to those of you that have helped out with my questions during the last week or so... I did a 50% water change tonight and our betta seemed to be doing well. Then, I went in to check on his tank temperature and when I flipped the light on, he started freaking out, skittering all over the tank (10 gal.) and almost looking like he was trying to jump out, which he's never done before. Then he slowed down, stayed at the top near a corner and seems to be breathing very slow and laboriously through his gills and mouth. What the heck is going on? I've been treating him with Aquarisol and he's been eating well (he ate a pellet or two just a couple hours ago)...

Is it possible he just got freaked from the light coming on when he was trying to sleep?

I'm almost afraid to medicate him with the Bettafix antibiotic, but I'm not sure whether I should take a "wait and see" approach or what... thoughts?

 

[laze]

Something I forgot to mention: when we did the water change, we took out the two live plants that were in there because they were developing a white fuzz that seemed to be affecting him. Could removing those plants have done some damage?

 

[jams.alaskan]

I don't think that removing the plants would do harm but he might miss the hiding places... I think that you just scared him. Sunrise dosen't appear with a light switch so our sudden dark and light may be a little hard to get used to. On my tank I use a low watt bulb near by to signal morning and leave it on for a few min to let them adjust - at night I leave it on as a night light so that fish that need to find a safe tuckaway place can do so before total lights out. In the summer here it is light all the time - I wonder how much that screws them up. What does it do to plants?

ALASKA

 

[Ben]

with my light there is a little circle at the back that goes on for a minute and i think it gives the fish some time to get adjusted and then the whole light just goes on.

 

[iloveyou]

yea he was just probably freaked out a bit... he should be fine awhile after that experience

 

[laze]

Thanks for the replies...

Yeah, it really surprised me at how he reacted since he had never done so before. Then again, I know how I am when someone jolts me out of sleep, so I guess it makes sense.

I checked in on him this morning and he seemed pretty much normal again and he ate when I fed him, so that's a good thing. I guess even after two months, a betta can continue to surprise you with his personality quirks.