# Having trouble Swimming!



## Euphie101 (Aug 28, 2010)

It seems I'm having awful luck with my bettas. My favorite guy just passes a month ago, and I got a new guy. He was healthy besides a little tail biting, and now he's having trouble staying right side up. He seems to go and float to the side and has to constantly keep moving to stay righted. I'm worried about him, and it would be heartbreaking for me to loose him as well!

Housing 
What size is your tank? - 2.5 gal
What temperature is your tank? 78-79 degrees
Does your tank have a filter? Yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? Nope
Is your tank heated? Yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Pellets 
How often do you feed your betta fish? 3 pellets/day

Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change? 1 time a week, 90%
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 90%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Water conditioner

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia: n/a
Nitrite:n/a
Nitrate:n/a
pH:n/a
Hardness:n/a
Alkalinity: n/a

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? None
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? Started floating sideways, having trouble staying upright
When did you start noticing the symptoms? today
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Not yet
Does your fish have any history of being ill? Nope
How old is your fish (approximately)? Not sure, store fish.


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## Canuck Fins (Oct 5, 2010)

Sorry to hear your fish isn't doing so well. I think part of the problem is your water changes. On a 2.5 gallon, your fish really needs 2 changes a week -- one 50% and one 100%. 

Swimming on its side sounds like it might be swim bladder. Is he bloated or his spine look bent or anything look physically wrong (coordination aside)? If he's having trouble coming up to breathe, try lowering the water level temporarily.


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## Euphie101 (Aug 28, 2010)

Yea, I suppose I figured that a little bit. My schedule recently picked up, and though that's no excuse, I haven't been getting to the water changes as much as I've liked. 

I've put him in a smaller container as kind of like a mini hospital tank that I'm floating in this normal tank. This that okay?


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Should be. Make sure it's shallow and not deep. I had to put my betta in one of those floating in the tank before, and he was fine. Good Luck!


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

If he is having buoyancy problems I would do Epsom salt 2tsp/gal treatment

Pre-mix the Epsom salt 2tsp/gal in a 1gal jug of dechlorinated water and use this for the 100% daily water changes for 10-14 days....cover the top of the small QT container you have him in floating in the heated tank (76F) with plastic veggie wrap to keep the air above the water warm and humid for the labyrinth organ

It can take 4-5 days before you start to see improvement with buoyancy issues with this treatment..... if it is not genetic related.

When a Betta start to have buoyancy problems it can either be the swim bladder or labyrinth organ...it can be bacterial related and sometimes it can be genetic related, over feeding can cause these symptom as can too cold dry air above the water and the Betta kinda gets a cold of sorts......

Once he recovers I would up your water changes to twice weekly 50% to maintain water quality and fin health...1-50% water only and 1-50% to include substrate cleaning by vacuum or stir and dip method....


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