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I have been watching my betta float with his tail virtcally over his head like he is doing a head stand wherever he stops in his bowl. He stays like that all the time. When he stops swimming his tail just drifts upward and leaves him in this position. When he tries to come up for air, he uses little bursts of energy to propell himself out of the water a bit so he can breath. Its as if his tail has helium in it and he has to struggle to keep it down long enough to get air. When he floats at the surface, he flips almost completely up on his side. He is breathing rapidly through his gills and is very thin everywhere except at the end of his body near his tail. That area seems thicker than the rest. He eats when I put food in the bowl but hardly more than a piece or two because he can't swim up to the food. he knocks it down and then has to catch it in order eat. Does anyone know what is going on with him or had any experience with something similar. I've 2 other bettas die but not for the same reasons (i think) I really don't want him to die. It is my little brothers favorite fish and I need to keep him alive, I've never seen another crowntail in this color so it would be very Very difficult to replace. Please help if you can. Thanks ahead of time!

sounds like a swimbladder problem

anything i can do to help him?

i dont think so but maybe someone else will be of more help, im not to sharp on swimbladder disorders, maybe i should reasearch it

not much you can do.

try feeding him daphnia or a pea, in case it is constipation pushing on his swimbladder.

you can lower the water level a bit to stop him struggling so much. I think the rapid breathing is just exhaustion, once he stops struggling, it should settle.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

I lowered the water level, he seems to be stabilized. he's not getting any worse but he's not getting any better. I going to try some medication for a bacterial infection just incase that is what has caused him to swell. It won't hurt to try i guess