# Are Some of My Betta Fry Dead or Feeding Off the Bottom of Tank



## JJChocolate88 (Mar 14, 2013)

My fry are about a week old now, some of them have really grown and look like week olds, others are still smaller. My question is, A LOT of them hang around the bottom of the tank where I put the microworms. It looks like they're laying there dead, but occassionally some will swim up from the bottom and i'll see some swim down and just lay there like the others.

But, today I took a turkey baster and blew some air/water in the area just to make sure they were still alive, I couldn't tell if some of them were dead or not. 

Now I am concerned because if a good number of them are actually dead, I don't just want to leave their decomposing bodies in there to polute the tank and if they ARE NOT dead and I siphon them out, then I WILL kill them.

*So I would like to know...is it normal for fry to hang out on the bottom of the tank and hardly move and how can I be certain whether the fish are actually dead or feeding??
*


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

It's hard to say. Good water prams will enable fry to constantly stay at the bottom. But many troubled fry also stay at the bottom. If they are healthy, they should swim/move from time to time. But if something is wrong, they might need a little nudge before moving.

Dead fry are usually white and swollen - the over all shape (head and body) is different. Healthy fry (light colors) are sort of pale-ish with normal form.

I hope they are ok and you are only over reacting. I'd hate to see good spawns go bad. Happy endings are by far my favorite results. . . . good luck.


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## JJChocolate88 (Mar 14, 2013)

thanks for the advice. I am just concerned, i have no idea what is going on. most are still on the tank bottom. i guess i will just leave them alone for now. i am thinking there is something wrong with the water quality...i mean it's starting to stink and its so hard to clean with such little fry in there and the sponge filter will not stay in tank bottom. everything was going fine up until this day. now i have no idea what is going on.


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## Jayloo (Mar 13, 2013)

Dead fry decay and it is noticeable. They can even become fuzzy!


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## Darth (Nov 19, 2012)

I always add an anti fungus med in smaller doses to all my tanks so to curb this.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

How much water are you changing, and how often? 

If it's starting to stink and such then possibly need to up the change. Especially up the vacuuming if you are feeding lots of micro worms and they are all hanging at the bottom.. 

Unsure why your filter isn't staying on the bottom.. the one you asked about in the other thread you created sticks to the side of the aquarium with a couple suction cups.. maybe have to get some new suction cups?


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Try changing as much water as possible and refill with drip system so water pram changes doesn't shock them. 

Attach an airstone to your siphon so fry wouldn't be sucked out (don't bother siphoning the floor/gunk for now).


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## JJChocolate88 (Mar 14, 2013)

thanks everyone for the advice. i changed a couple liters of water...it's impossible for me to siphon the bottom, it just takes too long with my little homemade vacuum. i'm gonna get a snail and put it in there and hope for the best. i also put a filter in. i still have no idea whether the fish on the bottom are dead or alive, they don't appear to be decomposing or anything...

i am gonna invest in some anti-fungal medicines if anyone has some suggestions i'd appreciate it. 

i am going to


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

Try touching the ones on the bottom with a sick. If they swim then they are alive, if they dont move they are dead


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## Option (Oct 20, 2012)

Yeah, you would definitely be able to tell if they're alive or dead....bumping them gently with a net or finger should stimulate some response out of the fry. They should at least wiggle in response for you even if they're not free swimming yet.


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## JJChocolate88 (Mar 14, 2013)

im tempted to just siphon the bottom regardless and if they're alive, they should swim away shouldn't they?? if i get a live one in the siphon then when i check the bottle i should at least see them moving


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

If they are alive they should respond by moving away from the disturbance or at least moving around. 

It's no big deal to suck up fry. I do it all the time. I just use a small measuring cup to get them all back out again. 

If they aren't moving around a lot in the bottle, it could be that they are stunned by being pulled up the siphon. Sometimes my fry will just sit motionless at the bottom of my water change bucket, so it won't necessarily mean they are dead.


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

Maybe suck up a sample few with a turkey baster and put it under good light or zoom in for pics or microscope. Anti fungal is good to have small amount (half dose) in tank from the start. At this stage being patient and changing as much water as possible even if its a super slow job (and it is) is the key.


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## VincentTH (Nov 9, 2012)

The reason they are at the bottom is because they want the microforms. If you feed them with vinegar eels, they will be all at the surface. For the first 2 weeks, I use a combination of both, because the eels are smaller and they swim at the surface.


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