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Hi! I've bought my third Betta fish probably about a month ago now, and keep him in about a fltered 2.5 gallon tank. My past two fish I kept in a gallon fish bowl, but I decided with this one I'd finally get my fish a nicer bigger tank, although from what I read you just can't get one too big for a betta's happiness

My betta was doing fine for nearly the whole month, but recently I made a move and brought him with me. I rinsed the tank out, gave it all new water (from the store. I still used dechlorination drops and let it sit for about 24-hours. I tend to be a bit paranoid about the water), changed the filter and after making sure the temperature was nearly exactly the same as the water he was in, added him back to his tank. The first time I did this he seemed very happy to be back in his tank and out of the gallon bowl, but after a few days he was uncontrollably floating at the top of the tank. The poor guy had to rush down and nestle under a plant or one of the items in his tank to keep from floating at the top, and heseemed to be spitting more of his bubbles than usual. Now, the temperature difference wasn't much, I made sure the room temperature was nearly the same and subsequently compared his water temperature before putting him into the tank.

I was worried the new water might have stressed him too much and moved him back into the gallon bowl (which was still clean) and barely fed him (maybe a pellet the two days he was in there). After about two days he seemed to have regained complete control, so I added him back to the tank whose water I had changed the day prior in the hopes he'd take a liking to this water more, and he seemed fine back in his tank for a day or two.

But now, just a few days later, he's back to uncontrollably floating at the surface again. Please, I'd appreciate any advice in helping him!

Hi there MWillis,

It seems to me that your betta could be suffering from SBD, or Swim Bladder Disease. You can try fasting him for two to three days and see if he gets better. If not, I'd recommend giving him some crushed peas, make sure you boil them first though. It does help in purging the excess air trapped within the swim bladder.

I have tried this with my goldfishes, and it worked wonders. Keep us posted.

Bleeder's Forum
http://silentlucidity.s10.forumsplace.com

Several questions and concerns

I rinsed the tank out, gave it all new water (from the store

.
When you rinsed the tank out did you use any chemicals/soaps to clean it. If so what did you use and did you go about it?

I still used dechlorination drops and let it sit for about 24-hours.

That is a good thing I store my water for one week and have done for many years.

changed the filter and after making sure the temperature was nearly exactly the same as the water he was in,

Changing the filter exactly what did you do? Do you mean completly changed the medium/foam etc? If you did this you certainly would be going through water "cycle" process. If you just rinsed it in the old tank water and replaced it very quickly there would be no cycle process. Did you add a measureed amount of "Cycle" to the water as this will keep the good bacteria in its origional state?

but after a few days he was uncontrollably floating at the top of the tank. The poor guy had to rush down and nestle under a plant or one of the items in his tank to keep from floating at the top, and heseemed to be spitting more of his bubbles than usual

This does sound like a swim bladder problem. The link below might help you. Please get back to us with the questions I have asked. Can you also do a full water test, if not take a good water sample to your LFS.

swim blader info

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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A lot of fish due to inbreeding can be very susceptible to swim bladder issues. Bouts of swim bladder trouble can be triggered by almost anything, from temperature changes, to salinity changes, ph changes, feeding schedule changes, and any major water quality change.

The trouble with this fish, in this particular tank is that to keep the water clean you have to change such a significant proportion of it, meaning water quality and oxygenation values will be changing radically on far too regular a basis.

With a fish with these kinds of issues it would really help to have a much larger body of water, ie: ten gallon or greater so that water changes can be or a smaller and less radical percentage, it would also allow the fish to become more muscular and fitter, and less e to the weight gain and feeding impact that even small quantities of food can have on a less fit fish.The temperature variencies also decrease as water volume increases.The addition of many plants will also help insulate the water from rapid chemistry changes.

To keep this fish alive, you will have to go bigger. A bigger tank is a more stable tank, often needing less cleaning , fewer changes, and infrequent filter cleaning.The increased surface volume will also help keep a steady rate of gaseous exchange. A fish with bladder a issue will not appreciate the increased stress of using its labyrinth organ so regularly. The idea is to keep compression on the gut and therefore the swim bladder to an absolute minimum.Good and steady oxygenation, will reduce his need to use the labyrinth organ, and thusly lessen his chances of swim bladder problems. Swallowing bubbles can radically change a fishs bouyancy thusly making more work for an ailing swim bladder. If the fish never needs to do this by using its gills to gently absorb oxygen from the water instead the process is far more gentle.

Pellet foods can be problematic for feeding fish with bladder issues, their solidity and slow expansion when exposed to moisture can mean they expand within the fish, again causing further compression on the internal organs, and aggravating his condition. For this fish it may be better to crumple flake finely and add water to it a few minutes before adding them to the tank. The resulting food may be a bit mushy, but it will stay the same size inside the gut as it was when originally consumed, making for a much safer feeding.

Because of its illness, which may be permanent, you will need to treat this fish far more delicately than is usual for the species.This may mean leaving behind the usual preconceptions of betta toughness, and treating it as if it were a more delicate species.If you can do that, it may live a long time, if not, it probably wont.

Good luck.

It's a Betta - many have genetic digestive problems. A filtered tank may stress him more, by nature Bettas have poor buoyancy, and they can get stressed from a filter knocking them round the tank.

Try feeding flake instead of pellets and introducing fresh veggies and live food into his diet. Brine shrimp, bloodworms, etc. A normal pea, cooked and shelled, is also good as it is a natural laxative for fish, and can clear the digestive problems which can cause swimbladder issues.

He will still want to breathe from the surface, even if gas exchange means he doesn't need to. A good tip is a soft plastic plant positioned where he can lie on it and still reach the surface, I used to use this always when my Bettas were new rescues, and it works very well to support them and minimise stress.


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