Betta Swimming in a vertical position

WaterBaby

WaterBaby

Senior Member with Senior Moments
Sep 23, 2002
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Florence, New Jersey
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My female betta is swimming in an upright (vertical) position (head up, tail down). It seems as if she can not hold herself horizontal unless she is resting on something. What's going on? I don't want to lose her.

Thanks
Michele


A little more information for you. She is in a 20L community tank. Her tankmates include 4 Scissortails, 2 lemon tetras, 2 blood fin tetras and 1 danio. Water parameters are pH-7.6, no nitrites, ammonia. Nitrates are 20 to 30ppm.

I have been reading up on swim bladder disease, and think this is what she may have. Since she is in a community tank, she eats flake food like the others, since it is hard to isolate her to feed her betta pellets.

Should I remove her and put her into a hospital tank? I was going to do a general cleaning and water change today, but I don't want to freak her out by stirring up things in the water. (But I guess I'd freak her out by removing her from the tank also :confused: )

Right now, she's laying on the bottom of the tank, near the corner, I guess to balance herself.
 
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I can't offer much advice, but my betta started having troubles like that about 4 days before he passed away.

Hopefully someone here can help you.. I was told over the phone that this sometimes happens with bettas that are older in age, and have organ infections. Not sure if this is the case with you though.

Good luck, I hope your little buddy survives. Losing bettas really sucks, they have so much personality.

As far as a hospital tank, I don't see the harm. To me, I wouldnt be sure if the fish is going to live anyhow.. you may as well try everything, right?
 
Update on Betta

She is still not swimming too well. I did try to float her for a few days in a tupperware, but she kept getting out, so I put a lid on it and kept her there for a day. I tried the mashed peas for two days, and she did eat a little, but it seems as though that didn't work very well either.

Other than her swimming weird, she doesn't seem to be ailing. Her fins are flared, and she does make it to the top of the tank for air (eventually). However, I don't know how long it will be before she tires....

Other than the peas, I haven't fed her anything else for about 4 days. Should I feed her a couple of betta pellets today?

I'm thinking about moving her into one of those mini bow 5gallon tanks. What do you think?

Michele
 
Might be a good idea. It seems she's been a bit of a hog with the flakes...lol...you may continue to have this problem with feeding her if you keep her in the community tank. If you have her in a tank by herself, you can better keep an eye on how much she's eating.

I would continue to fast her. Try just a small bit of the pea each day and see if she eats it...and whether or not she passes a large poo. You may have to go easy on the feeding from now on with her....or she'll get completely well and never be bothered by swim bladder issues again. Can only wait and see.
 
I can't tell if she pooped yet. I have put her back into the main tank. I'm going out later to buy a small 5 gallon tank for her.

I do have some frozen blood worms (are these mosquito larvae)? Should I feed her some of these in the meantime and not the betta bites?

Thanks for the help. She is a very personable betta and will almost let me hold her in my hand, in the tank of course. I'd hate to lose her.

Michele
 
She's much better,

:dance:

I bought a 5gal mini bow and put her in it. I fed her sparingly and used the frozen peas.

It took awhile, but she is swimming normally again. I'm going to keep her in this tank so I can regulate her feeding.

Thanks for the help!!

Michele
 
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