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My brother rescued a betta yesterday from a chainstore that will remain unamed. It was sitting in one of those bowls that can barely fit the fish, let alone give it enough room to swim. We brought it home and put it in a nice 1 gallon bowl. He seemed to enjoy it until this morning. I noticed that he was laying on the gravel. He didn't make an movements to move, except to go up for air. I don't think he is sick, because if I move the tank, he perks up. I was wondering if the tank is simply too big for him and he doesn't have the muscles to move in a tank bigger than his old one. Is that possible? Do you think he will adapt to his new tank?

Thanks
- DJ :88)

It almost sounds as if he's in shock. Could at sometime during the night a sudden or fast temperature change have happened to his bowl?

Last edited by Cichlid Keeper at 13-Mar-2005 13:39

Yeah, during the night the temperature fluctuates a bit (about 2 - 5 degrees). However, it never effected my other betta. Do you think he will get used to it?

I think he'll probably be fine if that in fact is what the problem is. You may even want to consider doing a water change.

do you have a breeder net or a barracks or something like that?

It is a shock response, but it leaves him open to infection as shock makes the immune system plummet.

If you can make him feel more secure, by putting him back in a smaller territory, you will have a better chance at introducing him and having him be active.

Check his fins out, they often get thickening and a bit of finrot when this happens.

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 have one of those tiny bowls, but my brother might get curious as to why I'm messing around with his fish. I'm also worried that switching back and forth between bowls might do more harm that good. There's no other fish in the bowl (naturally) that could get him sick. Maybe it's best I leave him be?

It could have been the shock for change from polluted water to clean water, added to the change in temperature. You might try wrapping a towel around the bowl at night to insulate it some. I wish you and your brother the best of luck with the new betta.

A towel!
**** isn't that common sense!?
I can't believe I didn't think of that!
You just saved my heating problem!
*hits head against wall*