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Whats wrong with my betta fish2007-11-24 23:42:45

My betta fish has been really strange lately -- not moving much, keeping really close to the top of his bowl water -- but he's still eating. He looks slightly faded in his color as well (it looks like he has tiny some bubbles on his black coat, making him look dark grey). The only possible explanation I have is that when I changed his water, I put him in the tap water before adding the pH balance and chlorine remover. I added the chemicals to balance the water within seconds, but I think it already affected him. It's been almost a week now with no improvement. how do I make him better?

Answers:

I think that may be the reason. Do a 100% water change and add the chroline remover a few minutes before you put him in.

Other conditions to maintain:

鈥?tank size. Your 'bowl' is probably less than a gallon. You said that he's been swimming in the same water for a week. In a bowl that small, you should be doing water changes 2 or 3 times weekly to keep the ammonia levels down. Upgrade him to a tank of at least 2 gallons. The bigger you can go, the better.

鈥?water temperature between 75-80 degrees. Cold water makes them lethargic/sick because they're tropical fish. Keep his tank in a warm room, away from windows and drafts (do not leave him in natural sunlight or you might have a cooked fish). If this means investing in an aquarium thermometer and a water heater, then by all means, invest.

鈥?Places to hide. Bettas can get stressed to the point of illness if they have no places to hide. Add some silk plants (not plastic because it will rip your betta's fins), or small terra cotta pots turned on their sides, shot glasses turned on their side, or store-bought aquarium decor.