# Betta hyperventilating



## Hikari (Jul 12, 2011)

I just put my fish in his new tank, and he's swimming around slowly back and forth at the top and hyperventilating. His gills are moving quickly in and out. The tank is the right temperature, so it's just the stress from moving. But I'm scared he's going to get sick. What should I do?


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## BettaMiah (Sep 12, 2011)

There isn't anything you can do. 
Did you float him?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Just keep an eye on him. If he's healthy, he'll be fine in an hour or so. Did you acclimate him properly?


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## Hikari (Jul 12, 2011)

I made sure the temperature in the tank was exactly the same as his bowl, and filled about a gallon of it with his old bowl water.

Is this breathing heavily normal? It's just his gills moving rapidly, he's not opening his mouth or anything. And he's still flaring too.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I think its a bit of a water ph shock.. Next time don't get any petstore water into the tank, its gross lol. Acclimate by first floating the fish to get used to temps and then slowly add new water in his bowl, once it fills remove half the water and slowly fill it again.. Its not just temperature he has to get used to, its the water chemistry as well.. Once you've got mostly new water in the bowl and his been in it for 15-30 minutes net him (don't want to get petstore water in lol!) and place him in the new tank. I think he should be fine, just keep an eye out for lethargy and gasping.


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## Hikari (Jul 12, 2011)

It actually wasn't pet store water, I've had him for almost a year and a half now. He was in a 2 gallon bowl before and I just upgraded him to a 5 gallon tank. I figured because it was the water I always use that I wouldn't need to accumulate him since I've always done 100% water changes weekly before without any problems. I think it's just the new tank and the new environment that's a bit overwhelming for him (I had to move him to the basement). 

His breathing has slowed now, and he's as aggressive as ever, flaring at me whenever I look in the tank at him like he normally does. How long does it usually take for a betta to forget about his old living space and accept the new tank as his/her home?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

You should always acclimate bettas, even if you've had them for awhile. The water will have different chemistry in the bowl and from the faucet.. For one thing there wont be ammonia in the new (conditioned) water, there will be in the old.. The water supply may have something added to it. If you add tannins like IAL, the pH would be slightly different. So its impotrtant to acclimate every time. Although, yes the change in tank and environment does add to stress as well. Glad he's doing better. He may take a coupe of days to get used to his tank. There are some bettas who never get used to it though and may change behaviour.


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## Hikari (Jul 12, 2011)

I'm really worried about him changing his behavior. I wish I could have set up his tank like this when I first got him, but I had a cat then who was always in the basement. This cat recently passed away, so I got my fish a new tank and moved him down here. I need some company down here now that my kitty is gone, and I know my fish would not be as disturbed down here as he is upstairs. But if he starts changing his behavior and not calming down, I will have no choice but to move him back to his bowl and to his old spot upstairs.


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## Micho (Aug 22, 2011)

Give him a few days at least, try to turn off all lights and reduced the stress. Sometimes as fighter said, as strange as this sounds Bettas will like smaller tanks than bigger ones, if he does not improve in several days I would suggest moving him back to his two gallon bowl. .


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I think you should really relax. 
As long as he isn't showing any unhealthy symptoms, he'll be fine. In fact usually bettas like new spaces and a new view. He may take a week to get used to his new home but he will! And seeing you everyday will reassure him that everything is ok. A betta's world is just his little tank so a change here and there could only be better for him.


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## Hikari (Jul 12, 2011)

Thank you so much. :-D He seems to have stopped breathing so heavy now, and is his usual aggressive self. He is flaring a lot, which is a good sign because that's normal for him. He's also hovering at the top by the heater like he did in his old tank. I would be much more worried if he was sitting at the bottom of the tank, or flashing. But he seems to be ok right now. I hope he'll get used to the tank and new environment really fast.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'm sure he will. And you're welcome.


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## Hikari (Jul 12, 2011)

He's doing this thing where he'll be all fine and normal one minute, and freaking out breathing heavily again the next. :| I wish he would just calm down. He also won't eat. I'll give it maybe 3 or 4 days, and if he's still like this, I'll have no choice but to put him back in his bowl upstairs. :-( I spent a whole lot of time and money setting this up for him, so that would really suck.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

At least give him a week. Some bettas take longer than others. If he's going to be clamped and sitting in one place after that then it probably wont work but if he's exploring and stuff, he likes it.  If the only symptom is the heavy breathing then it could be something else, not the tank...


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## Hikari (Jul 12, 2011)

Unfortunately I had to move him back to his bowl.  He was just breathing heavy all the time, and that only started when I put him in his new tank. Plus he started sitting in one corner of the tank with his fins clamped, refusing food, and not looking happy at all. His color and eyes were paler. At 4:00am I got up because I just couldn't sleep from being too anxious about him. I went downstairs to check on him, and he looked more miserable than ever. At first, this evening, I thought everything would be fine because he did seem to be exploring and calming down. But then he went back to being extremely stressed again. So I was moving him to his old bowl in his old spot upstairs very early this morning! It was terrible! Now he's happier back in his bowl, but he got extremely stressed because I couldn't net him right away and had to chase him around the tank for a bit. It was so hard to catch him in that tank! I'm so scared now that he's going to get sick or even die from this extreme stress.

The main reason I got him this 5 gallon tank in the first place was because I was researching online that betta fish HAD to be in no less than a 5 gallon tank, otherwise they weren't properly taken care of. Well, the people who wrote that were wrong. My fish was happy and thriving in his 2.5 gallon bowl, and I never had any problems with water changes or him getting sick. My betta just must be one of those who prefer small tanks to big ones. Maybe if I had put him in a 5 gallon when I first got him he wouldn't have such a problem with it, but like I said, there was no room upstairs for a 5 gallon, and I couldn't bring him down to the basement until now because of my cat. 

I'm really depressed now because I spent a LOT of time and money on this tank, and that my fish had to have such a bad experience when I was just trying to do what was best for him. I just hope he doesn't get sick. I will never take the risk of moving him again. Now I have a $50 5 gallon tank sitting around that I can't use. I don't want to get anymore fish, this one already takes up all my time and energy. Maybe in the very distant future I'll be able to use it, I guess. Please let me know what you think about my experience and if I am doing the right thing for my betta. Even with all my research I feel so ignorant because it seems like everything has to always go wrong. :-(


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

How is he behaving in his 2.5? If he's not improved, the tank may not be the culprit. Can you give me some info of the tank, your betta and how you treat the water?
If he is truly not fit for the 5 gallon, that's ok. You can always use it later. Every betta is different. Just like people are.


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## Hikari (Jul 12, 2011)

He is much better back in his 2.5 gallon upstairs. He's completely normal and seems to be very happy and relieved to be back in his home. I just fed him and he ate right away. It seems he was just not liking the big tank at all. It's really too bad, I thought he would have been very happy in it since I read that betta like big tanks. But you're right, every betta has their own personalities and preferences. I'm just glad his stress is gone and he's happy again. 

This is the new tank: http://www.amazon.com/Kollercraft-AquaBrite-Fish-Aquarium-Gallon/dp/B0042SYOLC I treat the water with Prime conditioner. As for my betta, he's been super aggressive from day one. When I was picking out a betta from the pet store, he made himself noticed by me by swimming against the cup and flaring like crazy! He was the only one moving. He was also the exact color I was looking for. I guess you could say we chose each other. Whenever someone looks at him in the tank, he right away swims forward and flares. He's very bold, and never hides out, not even when he's stressed. He was even swimming forward and flaring in the new tank, even though he was stressed out. I hardly ever see him at the bottom of his tank, except sometimes when he's sleeping. But usually he hovers at the top, mostly where the heater is. His colors are very vibrant, and he seems very healthy and happy. I feel stupid for trying to move him when he was doing so well, but I really wanted to give him the best life possible.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

That's a very nice tank. If he's better that's good. And a 2.5 gallon is a fine home for 1 betta. Infact in a 5 you could have 2 divided.  I'm sure you'll figure out what to do with your 5 eventually. And if your boy is happy in the 2.5, its no problem. Its a good size. As long as you have a heater and filter (not required IMO) its great.  Just keep up the water changes. Its not stupid of you to think that he would be happier in a 5. How would you know that he wouldn't be right?


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Contrary to what people will tell you, not ALL bettas will be happy in a bigger tank. Although most do seem to like it.

Did you have alot of empty space in the new tank or were there alot of plants and decortions like caves and such? He may not of liked it if there was big gaps of open space. I have one red CT that would not move from behind the heater till I added some fake plants, a coffee cup with a fake plant in it, and a tiki hut. its only 3 gallons but once i added more places for him to hide, he started moving and not just hoovering behind the heater.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Contrary to what people will tell you, not ALL bettas will be happy in a bigger tank. Although most do seem to like it.

Did you have alot of empty space in the new tank or were there alot of plants and decortions like caves and such? He may not of liked it if there was big gaps of open space. I have one red CT that would not move from behind the heater till I added some fake plants, a coffee cup with a fake plant in it, and a tiki hut. its only 3 gallons but once i added more places for him to hide, he started moving and not just hoovering behind the heater. 

I think the more stuff in the tank, the more secure they feel.


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## Hikari (Jul 12, 2011)

fightergirl2710 said:


> That's a very nice tank. If he's better that's good. And a 2.5 gallon is a fine home for 1 betta. Infact in a 5 you could have 2 divided.  I'm sure you'll figure out what to do with your 5 eventually. And if your boy is happy in the 2.5, its no problem. Its a good size. As long as you have a heater and filter (not required IMO) its great.  Just keep up the water changes. Its not stupid of you to think that he would be happier in a 5. How would you know that he wouldn't be right?


Thanks, I feel much better now, (especially that I went and had a nap LOL!) I guess even if it cost a lot of time, money, and stress, it was worth it in the end because I tried, and now I know he's not a fan of big tanks. I really like this tank, but how he feels about it is much more important since he's gotta live in it! But I'm sure I'll find use for it one day.

Despite the huge stress he was under for the last 12 hours or so, he's completely fine now that he's back in his old home, and he's acting like nothing happened which is a huge relief! 

I have a 10W heater in the bowl, but I might put the 25W in there yet since it'll keep it a little warmer during the winter months. I have to do a lot of water changes since I don't have a filter, and I know he'll just get upset again if I try to add one. *sigh* Finicky little thing! Thanks so much for helping me through this. 



Tikibirds said:


> Contrary to what people will tell you, not ALL bettas will be happy in a bigger tank. Although most do seem to like it.
> 
> Did you have alot of empty space in the new tank or were there alot of plants and decortions like caves and such? He may not of liked it if there was big gaps of open space. I have one red CT that would not move from behind the heater till I added some fake plants, a coffee cup with a fake plant in it, and a tiki hut. its only 3 gallons but once i added more places for him to hide, he started moving and not just hoovering behind the heater.


I guess my guy is one of those exceptions, although I do think he would have been fine if I had put him in a 5 gallon when I first got him. He's been over a year in this 2.5 gallon, and he obviously doesn't like change. I actually had the entire bottom of the tank full of decorations, even a little cave thing that he paid no attention to. It didn't keep him from clinging to the heater. I didn't want those decorations to go to waste, so now I've got them all crammed into his 2.5 gallon! He still doesn't pay any attention to them. :-D


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