# Swimming in Circles?



## Popoli (Nov 29, 2012)

Recently, I moved my two male bettas into a divided ten gallon tank. The water is treated,filtered, heated, and each fish has their own place to hide and plenty of plants (I also got some marimo moss balls today and each fish now has their own).

When I got ready to feed them this morning, I noticed that my oldest male Edgar was acting a little strange. He just kept swimming in small, tight circles and wouldn't even swim to the surface to eat his pellets (when usually he sucks them right up). And when he did come to the surface for air, he was extremely skittish, which is very unusual for him as he's always been more relaxed.I started cutting back on feeding Edgar earlier this week because he looked slightly bloated and I fed him bits of a pea because my research said a pea would help (until I came here and found out the opposite). I'd thought that Edgar's bloating had passed because he'd been acting perfectly fine until this morning.

After doing a Google search, I thought he might have a swim bladder infection. He's currently in a single gallon tank so that he doesn't have to swim as far to get some air. I went out and bought some aquarium salt, a different brand of food, and Bettafix. My other betta is perfectly fine.

Is it normal for bettas to swim in circles if they have a bladder infection? 
I read that a symptom of swim bladder was swimming on their side, but Edgar's not on his side when swimming.

Also, I'm afraid to keep him in the one gallon tank for too long because the water is not heated and my dorm is quite cold. Would Edgar be okay if I returned him to his five gallon now that his water has been treated with medicine?


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## LittleBlueFishlets (Nov 10, 2012)

Stop! Don't use Bettafix or Aquarium salt!

Bettafix contains an oil that can make it difficult for Bettas to breathe. Avoid anything that ends with '-fix.' (Bettafix, Melafix, etc.) 

Aquarium salt is for EXTERNAL issues. Your description doesn't mention any external problems, and it's not advisable to use Aquarium salt at other times, as Bettas are very sensitive to it. Plus, if he does have an internal issue, it could make it worse.

Swim bladder disease would affect his buoyancy. But it doesn't sound like he's having buoyancy issues from your description. So it doesn't sound, to me, like he has this.

How long ago did you move him into the larger tank? It's possible that he's just stressed out about the move. There's a lot more area, and a new neighbor next door. Can he see through the divider at all? Is there any water flow between the sections? 

When was the last time he pooped? And what did it look like? If you think he's constipated or bloated, you could try using Epsom salt. (But I still think he may just be stressed out from being in the new tank.)

If he was my fish, I'd try putting him back into his old home to see if he went back to his normal behavior. I would put him into 'regular' water, with nothing more than conditioner in it. (Because I don't see any evidence of disease right now.) And then I'd just keep an eye on him to see if his behavior goes back to normal.


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## Popoli (Nov 29, 2012)

It's been almost three weeks since I moved my bettas into the ten gallon and both of them seemed to take to it pretty smoothly. I just started noticing Edgar's odd behavior about two days ago. Since placing him back into his old tank, his behavior hasn't changed. He continues to swim in small circles around his plant.

I placed two pieces of mesh in the middle and neither of my bettas pay any attention to the other. The water flow wasn't great, but I bought a second low flow filter so each fish has their own. I haven't seen any waste in his tank, though.


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## Popoli (Nov 29, 2012)

Below is a link to a video I took of Edgar this morning when I first noticed his strange behavior. After quarantining him to a one gallon all day and thoroughly cleaning my ten gallon, he appears to be doing a bit better. But he's still swimming in circles.

http://s23.beta.photobucket.com/user/Zero-chan/media/IMG_0502_zps5fd25ad3.mp4.html


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## Popoli (Nov 29, 2012)

I woke up this morning and Edgar was still swimming in his circles. He also still will not eat and continues to be very skittish. If anyone knows anything about his condition, please let me know! I really want to get my betta back to his usual self!


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## Otterfun (Dec 31, 2012)

I noticed a horizontal stress stripe, are his fins always this color or is it losing Cody color?

Any white spots on his body ? Is his face , chin, and body under his gills always this white?

Does he scratch against the plant or just circle it?


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## Popoli (Nov 29, 2012)

Do you mean the white stripe along his spine? As far as I know, it's been there for quite a while. He doesn't scratch himself on the plants either. He circles around them or just in an empty area. He hasn't pushed himself underneath the base of the plant since I took the video. And I haven't seen any white spots on his body. I've been examining him for any possible outer infection, but he looks the same. However, he does appear to be duller than he was previously.


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## Popoli (Nov 29, 2012)

I just got back to my room now and can clearly see the stress stripes that you were talking about, Otterfun. Do you suppose that's what is causing his strange swimming behavior?


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## Otterfun (Dec 31, 2012)

Popoli said:


> I just got back to my room now and can clearly see the stress stripes that you were talking about, Otterfun. Do you suppose that's what is causing his strange swimming behavior?


I am thinking ick.

Go read up on the sticky under Diseases 1 & 2 and check for symptoms.


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## Popoli (Nov 29, 2012)

Thank you, Otterfun! I'm going to go do that right away!


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