# Buoyancy problem



## kera236 (Jun 2, 2011)

I have a new little girl for my sorority that I'm working on slowly. I have all of the girls now, I'm just waiting for a shipment of plants . Anywho, this girl has had problems since before I bought her.

She floats on her side when ever resting and struggles to swim down. She's eating fine and is responsive. She did this the day before I bought her. I've had her for 3 days now and she's colored nicely. 

I just put her in a gladware container, about the size of 2 of those cups they keep them in in the stores, floating in w/my other girl in the 10gal. Its too soon to see if there's improvement. ( I put her there for the warmer water)
Any advice is welcomed


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## Micho (Aug 22, 2011)

Sounds swim bladder disease! 

Does this sound like the symptoms?

*Swim Bladder Disease (SBD)/Bloat*
•Symptoms: Betta has trouble swimming, maybe he can’t stay upright and can only swim on his side. 
•Treatment: This is not a contagious or fatal illness. If it isn’t congenital (aka a condition that he/she has had since birth), then it is caused by over feeding or feeding the wrong foods. Bettas will typically recover after a day or two of Epsom Salt treatments (1-2tsp/gal) and fasting. You can help prevent a reoccurrence by switching to a better pellet food, feeding less and offering a more varied diet. To make it easier for the betta to eat and breath, you can make the water shallower. You can offer him/her frozen daphnia (sold at Petsmart) as daphnia will help him/her pass stool. DO NOT FEED THEM PEAS.

Also fill this out so we can assist you better!

Housing 
What size is your tank? 
What temperature is your tank? 
Does your tank have a filter? 
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? Is your tank heated? [
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? 

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? 
How often do you feed your betta fish? 

Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change?
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? 

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

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity: 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? 
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? 
When did you start noticing the symptoms? 
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? 
Does your fish have any history of being ill? 
How old is your fish (approximately)?


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## kera236 (Jun 2, 2011)

I guess that's what that sounds like. I really don't have the informantion to be filling that out though. I gave as much as I could. 

Right now i'm feeding her a pellet a day though, because she is smallish and I change her water 100% everyday. I'll fast her though and buy some epsom salt tomorrow. 
Thanks!


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## Micho (Aug 22, 2011)

Glad to hear it but you might wanna put her in her own little QT tank! Around 1 gallon is good. Seeing how you just bought her, you should have put her in a QT tank before adding her into your sorority, she could have been carrying something that could easily have spread to your other girls. Even if she was showing no symptoms.

And yes 100% water changes everyday, (putting her in a QT tank makes that easier), also make sure to not confuse Epsom salt for AQ salt! 

Good luck to you and your little girl. :>


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## kera236 (Jun 2, 2011)

Lol Like I've said she's in a glad tupperware, but floating in the 10gal for the warm water and I've owned her for 3 days and each of the girls are still separated from eachother.

I know the difference  I have aquarium salt, but no episom. I've been wanting to buy it, but I haven't had a need for it. Seems I need it now  They have it at my local grocery story I know for sure.
She's in good hands.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

She could have some lingering problem from before you bought her. Is she bloated at all and is she pooping?


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## earthworm88 (Jul 8, 2011)

A problem I know all too well  My little guy has it when I bought him (didn't know what to look for then), tried all types of treatment and at the end, have concluded that his SBD had become chronic or genetics. 

This is what I would do, conservatively at first:
1) pre dissolve one gal of conditioned water with 1 tsp of ES
2) empty as much water from the gladware container she is in now, and pour in the tx water into the container. 
3) change water daily, when you change the old water, smell it to see if it smells funny
4) Is she bloated? fast if bloated for couple days, then feed frozen daphnia


Hope she will recover, hopefully just a case of indigestion or such. 

Cheers!


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## kera236 (Jun 2, 2011)

She's fine now, I think all she needed to help her was warmer water and a day of fasting.
Now I'm the one who's sick lol

<3 Thanks for the help


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'm glad your girl is feeling better and I hope you get on the mend soon too. Get well quickly, Kera.


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## earthworm88 (Jul 8, 2011)

Hehe...of the two options, I guess it's better that you are the one sick and not your fish lol At least you can talk :-D

On a serious note, some bettas may be more prone to bloating/indigestion etc so you may just want to be watchful with her diet.

Hope you will be 100% well soon.

Cheers!


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