# Betta fish motionless at water surface



## belle87ad (Jan 25, 2021)

Hi all. I used the question template below to report our problem. Sorry, no picture (I'm on my break at work). 

*Housing:*
How many gallons is your tank? 3
Does it have a filter? Yes 
Does it have a heater? Yes
What temperature is your tank? 80 degrees
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? No
Does your Betta have tank mates? What kind? No

*Food:*
What food brand do you use? Tetra BettaMin small pellets
Do you feed flakes or pellets? Pellets
Freeze-dried? Freeze dried blood worms occasionally
How often do you feed your Betta? How much? Two to three pellets morning and evening. 

*Maintenance:
Before* your Betta became ill how often did you perform a water change? Once every three weeks
What percentage of water did you change? 100%
What is the source of your water? Tap water
Do you vacuum the substrate or just dip out water? Vacuum the substrate.
What additives do you use other than conditioner? What brand of conditioner? Top Fin aquarium water conditioner and bacteria starter 

*Water Parameters:*
What are your water parameters? Please give exact numbers. If tested by pet store please get exact numbers. "Fine" or "Safe" won't help us help you. Important: Test your water _before_ the regular water change; not after one. Husband brought our tap water and treated tank water to petsmart today and they did a test and said it was "fine." Did not ask for numbers at the time. 

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness (GH):
Alkalinity (KH):

*Symptoms and Treatment:*
When did you first notice the symptoms? Two days ago. Last week my toddler got a hold of the fish food and dumped it all in the tank while I was at work (food container has since been removed). My older son did his best to clean out the tank of all the food. When I got home from work late that night I did a 100% water change and cleaned all the décor and the pebbles. 
How has your Betta’s appearance changed? Top fin sitting against body. Color is same. Does not appear to be bloated but this is my first betta. I will get a picture of him tonight. 
How has your Betta’s behavior changed? Completely motionless. Lays up against against back of the tank by heater. Stays at the surface of the water and blows bubbles and does not move. 
Is your Betta still eating? Has zero interest in eating
Have you started treating your Betta? If so, how? I did an additional small water change and got a new tank heater as the heater I had showed the water being a little cold (74). Got a heater that allows me to adjust temp and raised the temp. 
Does your Betta have any history of being ill? No. 
How long have you owned your Betta? A month. Was completely healthy until the food dumping incident. 
Was he or she ill or suffering some sort of damage when purchased? No. Totally healthy.


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## Aries&Gucci (Jan 6, 2021)

I would try to clean the tank ONCE every week and I do not recommend BettaMin it really in't the best. maybe feed 3 times daily. Your betta could be sleeping or bored so dont worry too much unless there's sings of swim bladder. do you have decor in the tank, how fast does the filter flow on a scale of 1-10, how long have you had the betta, and does it have a light????


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## belle87ad (Jan 25, 2021)

Aries&Gucci said:


> I would try to clean the tank ONCE every week and I do not recommend BettaMin it really in't the best. maybe feed 3 times daily. Your betta could be sleeping or bored so dont worry too much unless there's sings of swim bladder. do you have decor in the tank, how fast does the filter flow on a scale of 1-10, how long have you had the betta, and does it have a light????


Thank you for responding! 
What feed do you recommend? 
I'm mostly concerned because he went from extremely active to me thinking he must be dead because he will not move at all. He's plastered himself against the wall of the tank by the heater and LOOKS dead. 
Yes I have fake plants and a hollow rock for him to hide in. I'm not sure how fast the filter flows...it's a small tank and the filter came affixed to the tank. We've had him for a month. And yes, he has a light. 
Thanks!


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## Aries&Gucci (Jan 6, 2021)

so try lightly patting on the tank or swirling your net in the tank seeing if he moves. I recommend feeding him betta buffet by Omega1 and if he is bored try a marmio ball bettas love those.


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## Aries&Gucci (Jan 6, 2021)

and put more water conditioner in the tank because if there's too much ammonia it will slow the fish and eventually cause death.


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## Aries&Gucci (Jan 6, 2021)

and can you give me a pic or brand name of the tank please.


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## belle87ad (Jan 25, 2021)

Aries&Gucci said:


> and can you give me a pic or brand name of the tank please.


 Sure, it's this tank:









Top Fin® Custom Colorflow™ Aquarium with 7 Color-Changing LEDs | fish Starter Kits | PetSmart


Top Fin® Custom Colorflow™ Aquarium with 7 Color-Changing LEDs at PetSmart. Shop all fish starter kits online




www.petsmart.com


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

We cannot say what is going on until you provide a photo so I will wait to comment on his issue.

But, to make sure you know, it is not normal for Betta to remain motionless at the surface. And it is not normal for Betta that have good appetite to suddenly stop eating. It is not normal for the fins to remain folded. Changing the water and getting different food is good advice; however, it is not going to help your boy's issues.

For long-term, a three-gallon requires a weekly 25% water change and vacuum. It is not necessary to use more conditioner than advised nor do you need to keep using a bacteria starter unless directed by the manufacturer.

As noted, you do need a more nutritious food; the more fillers/grains near the front the less nutritious. There are several good ones: Fluval Bug Bites, NorthFin Betta Bits, New Life Spectrum, Aqueon Betta or Color (not Betta Pro formula) and Omega One. The best food, by ingredients, for insectivores has no grain and is 51% protein. However, it is only available online Grain Free Bug (Black Soldier Fly) Formula

Fish receiving enough food should look like this from above. No indentation between head and body.








When you take the photos, try to get a side view of him out in the tank proper so we can see his profile and how he holds all of his fins.

Thank you.


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## belle87ad (Jan 25, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> We cannot say what is going on until you provide a photo so I will wait to comment on his issue.
> 
> But, to make sure you know, it is not normal for Betta to remain motionless at the surface. And it is not normal for Betta that have good appetite to suddenly stop eating. It is not normal for the fins to remain folded. Changing the water and getting different food is good advice; however, it is not going to help your boy's issues.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for your response. I got some photos this morning. Sorry for the darkness. He's naturally black and blue and I had to take them while my son was still asleep before leaving for work. Note that he has remained at the surface motionless, barely responds to stimuli and does not want food. This is 100% backwards from his normal behavior. Ugh, and I didn't get a side view, but his top fit is against his body.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

I'm sorry, but he's not really clear. Maybe you can get more when the tank is lit?

He might be constipated. Can you tell if he is bloated or his belly is more expanded than usual? Are his scales raised like a pine cone? If it is, you can do use plain, unscented Epsom Salt. One tablespoon completely dissolved in a gallon of water. Place him in this solution for 10 minutes but remove immediately if he acts stressed. Make sure water temperatures match.

If he is constipated, this will help. If you have another container you could use as a hospital tank so you can tell if he evacuates that would be good.

Another treatment is in-tank using ES @ one teaspoon per three gallons. This is a gentler treatment.

Here is a bloated Betta:







_.Courtesy Aquarium Fish City_


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## KekeTheBettaDoc (Dec 3, 2020)

Hi! Agreed with everything. I think he might be a bit shocked from all the food that was dumped and the full tank cleanings. 100% can be a lot on a fish. I don't think he is sick but rather stressed.


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## belle87ad (Jan 25, 2021)

KekeTheBettaDoc said:


> Hi! Agreed with everything. I think he might be a bit shocked from all the food that was dumped and the full tank cleanings. 100% can be a lot on a fish. I don't think he is sick but rather stressed.


Thank you for the response! Do you know how long a betta can be in shock? This is now about day four. When is it safe to do a 25% water change again?


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## belle87ad (Jan 25, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> I'm sorry, but he's not really clear. Maybe you can get more when the tank is lit?
> 
> He might be constipated. Can you tell if he is bloated or his belly is more expanded than usual? Are his scales raised like a pine cone? If it is, you can do use plain, unscented Epsom Salt. One tablespoon completely dissolved in a gallon of water. Place him in this solution for 10 minutes but remove immediately if he acts stressed. Make sure water temperatures match.
> 
> ...


Thank you!!! Sorry the pictures aren’t great! He does not appear to be bloated. I feel so bad for him. Each day I’m expecting to find him not alive. I mean how long can they go without food?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

They can go weeks without food. I don't recommend it, but we were out of two for 4-5 weeks and everyone was fine.


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## KekeTheBettaDoc (Dec 3, 2020)

Shock/stress can take anywhere from 1-2 weeks to wear off. I would wait 3 days before trying another water change. I would turn the lights off during this time and maybe place a towel over the tank to help him rest.


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## belle87ad (Jan 25, 2021)

KekeTheBettaDoc said:


> Shock/stress can take anywhere from 1-2 weeks to wear off. I would wait 3 days before trying another water change. I would turn the lights off during this time and maybe place a towel over the tank to help him rest.


Thank you for this! We have shut off his light and this weekend I will do a 25% water change and continue those weekly. Quick maintenance question--if I'm doing the 25% changes weekly, I shouldn't ever have to do a complete water change right? Thanks again!!!


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## KekeTheBettaDoc (Dec 3, 2020)

Nope! Never, it's not good for them. 1x monthly I do a deep clean of 50-60% and clean the filters


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## belle87ad (Jan 25, 2021)

KekeTheBettaDoc said:


> Nope! Never, it's not good for them. 1x monthly I do a deep clean of 50-60% and clean the filters


Ahhhhh oh gosh so it's my fault!! . Not that I plan on food getting dumped into his tank ever again....but what should I have done differently? His water was SO nasty when it happened. Just more 25% changes until the water is clear?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

No, it's not your fault. While not good, they won't kill a Betta. I do wish you would provide a good, clear photo, though.


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## belle87ad (Jan 25, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> No, it's not your fault. While not good, they won't kill a Betta. I do wish you would provide a good, clear photo, though.


Okay good news and other news. He’s finally out and about and swimming around! He’s also eaten a few of his new omega pellets which is huge. The new problem is oh boy his fins look rough. I’ve attached better pictures now that he’s not huddled up against the back of the tank. His beautiful fins look shriveled. Is that a symptom of shock? Or just being plastered against the wall and the current going against him for days on end? Or is it fin rot? He does have several plants as you can see but he never had a problem getting around them before. Anyway thank you for everyone who has helped us! Wilvurt lives on!


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## BettaloverSara (Oct 15, 2020)

belle87ad said:


> Okay good news and other news. He’s finally out and about and swimming around! He’s also eaten a few of his new omega pellets which is huge. The new problem is oh boy his fins look rough. I’ve attached better pictures now that he’s not huddled up against the back of the tank. His beautiful fins look shriveled. Is that a symptom of shock? Or just being plastered against the wall and the current going against him for days on end? Or is it fin rot? He does have several plants as you can see but he never had a problem getting around them before. Anyway thank you for everyone who has helped us! Wilvurt lives on!
> 
> View attachment 1026022
> View attachment 1026023
> View attachment 1026024


What do you mean by shriveled? Is he a young betta? It looks to me like he might have some crown tail in him, the ends of his fins look like they are growing. I will note that I have a few of those caves and I only use them on my short finned guys as I find they have some sharp edges to them. You may want to check them and take some sand paper to the holes.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

It could just be decor damage. Maybe you could place a light over the tank so it doesn't look so dim and we can more clearly see his fins.

Not sure what you mean by shriveled so maybe a picture with his fins more defined will be of help. Here's an example of what I mean.


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## belle87ad (Jan 25, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> It could just be decor damage. Maybe you could place a light over the tank so it doesn't look so dim and we can more clearly see his fins.
> 
> Not sure what you mean by shriveled so maybe a picture with his fins more defined will be of help. Here's an example of what I mean.
> View attachment 1026040


Hi there. I’ve enhanced one of the photos so you could see him better and circled the areas that concern me. His dorsal fin has quite a bit of damage that was only sustained after this shock he went though where he was motionless against the back of the tank. I’ve also attached a pic of what he looked like when we brought him home from the pet store. Thanks again for your help!


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## belle87ad (Jan 25, 2021)

BettaloverSara said:


> What do you mean by shriveled? Is he a young betta? It looks to me like he might have some crown tail in him, the ends of his fins look like they are growing. I will note that I have a few of those caves and I only use them on my short finned guys as I find they have some sharp edges to them. You may want to check them and take some sand paper to the holes.


Hi there! Thanks for your response. I’ve included some closer pics in my other response. I’m not sure how old he is, we got him at ye old petsmart. I sure hope he’s young, my son and myself have gotten quite attached to him! That’s very good advice about the cave. I will definitely do that as he loves going into it. Thanks!


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## Iyasasa (Dec 27, 2012)

It looks to me like he took a few nips at his fins. Many bettas do this when they are stressed. Since his situation has improved, it's possible he will stop nipping at himself.


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## belle87ad (Jan 25, 2021)

Iyasasa said:


> It looks to me like he took a few nips at his fins. Many bettas do this when they are stressed. Since his situation has improved, it's possible he will stop nipping at himself.


Is there anything I should add to the water to help soothe him during the healing process? I read something about a certain tea?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Yep, either biting or decor damage. I like to use either Indian Almond Leaves or plain Rooibos Tea. Both contain antibacterial and antifungal properties. You can float either or brew a tea, condition and add to tank. Water should be at least this color.








Betta fins don't stay pristine. Mine have sustained minor damage and all they have in their tanks are live plants and smooth Cholla pieces. As long as they're eating and moving around most fish are okay.

Sure looks better, doesn't he?


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## KekeTheBettaDoc (Dec 3, 2020)

You can run a thing of pantyhose over the plants and if it tears, it means its too sharp! I would definitely get some more silk plants for the top of the tank as well


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