FishProfiles.com Message Forums

My female betta has her own 1 gallon tank, temp is a constant 74 degrees. I use seachem Prime water conditioner and I change her water once a week with same temp dechlorinated water.

We just moved so I was a little overdue on her waterchange, probably 2 weeks since the last one >cringe< and I changed her water today.

Before I did the water change she was fine. After I changed the water, she was okay for a couple of hours, and just now as I went to get a glass of water I noticed her on her side. She is anchoring herself under plant leaves to keep from floating to the top, and she swims away when I swirl my finger in the water near her, but she can't remain upright.

Seems much like SBD, but I don't know what it could be caused by I also heard this could be caused by constipation, but she's been eating the same food (HBH betta bites, 5-6 daily, none 2 days out of the week) for months. Then I was thinking maybe she is egg bound? I have no idea, but someone please help!

Since I thought it may have been triggered by the water change and maybe there was something bad in the water, I did another 100% water change of same temp water treated with prime.

Last edited by guppylove1985 at 18-Oct-2004 01:05

You would notice eggbound, that a rather distinctive shape.

Give her some time, it could be a type of shock if the water parameters were greatly different (which they probably would be after 2 weeks)

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

In my personal experience, if I am over a week overdue with my little betta's water change, I only change half of the water one day, and then all of it the next day. I do this so as not to shock him by getting him from icky to perfectly clean water too quickly

Good luck, I really hope she gets better soon!

thanks for the replies and advice guys~ I definitely won't be going 2 weeks with no water changes again She is SOOOOO much better! I put her on top of the fridge, and added a tiny sprinkle of epsom salts, and she is good as new! She is swimming around and even has vertical stripes because there is a male next to her on top of the fridge