Betta exhaustion?

[Origami Gourami]

Hi there,

I was wondering if anyone could answer a problem I'm having with my normally chirpy betta.

He has been looking exhausted this last week, resting most of the day and looking slightly off-balance at times. He is still very active when the lid is opened and it's dinner time, but he seems to flop on the bottom and watch the world go by.

Everything is pretty much the same since he went it; small Fluval 1 providing a slight current, but nothing that has bothered him before, ten small neons for company, plenty of plants and leaves, water temp 26C, airstone gently working away, no ammonia, pH 7.0 - 7.5.

Have noticed very slight markings along his top edge, like he's bumped into something and bruised a couple of scales, not sure if it's related. No other visible signs; no yellow dusting, no fungus, no rot of any kind, not skinny or overly fat and lovely clear fins!

He looks bored! He stills hurtles around when it's feeding time and comes up to the side to say howdy, flares at his reflection sometimes, etc.

Just wondering if there's anything you can suggest?

Thanks in advance!

 

[BettaMomma]

Hmm...
It sounds like you're spoiling your little boy rotten!

How big is the tank that he and his buddies are in?

 

[Origami Gourami]

I know, you'd think he'd be over the moon having the run of the pad!

He's in an 18" wide, by 12" deep and 15" high bow fronted 38 litre, he's only got ten neon buddies and a large synthetic root in the middle to swim round and rest on.

I'm going to try diverting the current away from the main body of the tank to see if that makes any difference, but as I say, it's never bothered him before now.

PS He's the first betta I've had who jumps out of the water for his tea! He still does that now, even though he seems under the weather...

 

[BettaMomma]

You know...
if he were my betta, I might consider getting him his own little 2.5G tank, even if it's just for hospitalization until you figure out what's ailing him.

He could be bored, or he could be exhausted from trying to fight the current - even though you say it's not bothered him before.

Would you be able to pick up a little hospital tank for him? With the thought that it might one day become his permanent home??

 

[Origami Gourami]

Hi BM and thanks,

That's a good point, the only problem being here in the UK I think it would be too cold to have him in a small unheated tank - even though it's warm in my living room, I wouldn't trust things to stay constant enough to keep him happy.

Plus he seems to like hurtling around chasing the pigeons (well, neons!) when he's in tiptop condition.

He just looks so happy normally, roaming around and wriggling through any plant leaves that float the surface, flaring at his reflection when the mood takes him and then jumping for his food.

Will keep an eye on him for now...