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Just this morning, I noticed that my betta wasn't up and about like he usually is. I checked to see where he was, and he was sitting on the bottom of the tank on his belly. He's been doing this all day now, coming up only for air or food. He is breathing normally, and he doesn't have any marks on him. Over the past week or so, I've slowly raised the temperature of my tank from 74 degrees F to 82 degrees to help treat some of my other fish. Is the temperature change the reason he's now acting lazy? I'm not sure on that count, because he has been acting normally up until today. Is it a sign of old age? I've only had him for six weeks or so, but I know bettas are usually at least a year old before they hit stores. Does anyone have a clue as to why my betta is acting so strangely? Or will I have to buy him a couch for the bottom?

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

I would lower the temperature to about 80 degrees; if he starts struggling to get to the surface lower the water level as much as you can. How much are you feeding him? Overfeeding can cause Bettas to get sluggish.

What do you have at the bottom of the tank? If its sharp or rugged gravel I'd put a few smoothe pebbles down, I had this happen to one of my boys and he tore the tip of his fins up before he got active again.

He isn't struggling at all, and he doesn't make any weird movements. I know that my gravel is okay for him, seeing as it's just fine for my cories. The problem with lowering my temperature is that I need it to stay high. I raised it as part of a treatment to get rid of some parasites that have been plaguing my cories. I can't lower it without risking the lives of my little catfish. I'm pretty sure that my betta hasn't been overfed either, as lately I've been giving him less food than normal.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

I know you probably know this but in case you don't, could he be constipated. Does he maybe look a little fatter than normal? If so, I hear a pea will help relieve him Sorry to insult you if you already know.

Nah, no insult. You've got to make sure I know it, because if I didn't, and it went unsaid, I might have had some problems with the betta. He doesn't look bloated, but I may try feeding him a pea tomorrow just in case. What is it, just one regular pea, with the shell still on?

EDIT: I gotcha. Bite-sized bits for Bob the betta.

Last edited by sirbooks at 23-Oct-2004 21:34

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

I think you cut it up into quarters....bite size you know?