What do you do if your betta fish is laying on its side?

Answer 1

Swimbladder is a disease which symptoms cause fish to become unable to swim correctly, your fish may exibit swimming toward the bottom of your tank or bowl, then floating back up, swimming in circles or laying or floating on his side....

There are three main things according to the posts and articles I've read that can lead to swimbladder disease * Constipation (from overfeeding or feeding too rich foods like bloodworms) * Dirty water (from uneaten food or waste products of fish)

* Bacteria Treatment: Constipation: First, a betta's stomach is the size of it's eye, so overfeeding can be happen very easily. Stop feeding and fast him for three days. Make an epsom salt bath, in a one gallon tank, use 1 teaspoon of epsom salts in dechlorinated water and leave him in there for 5 to 15 minutes or up to half an hour. Then return him to his previous tank (cleaned and dechlorinated if it is dirty.) Adding some salt to his tank water will help ( 1/2 to 1 teaspoon table salt per gallon.)

I have also heard of a the inside of a cooked pea and cut into very small pieces fed to the betta to relieve constipation. You can do this once a week as a preventative. Dirty tank: Do a complete water change and clean everything in the tank with HOT water (no soap) Try and keep the cleaned and treated water to the same temperature so as to not stress the fish. Bacteria: You can check with your local pet store for an antibiotic for the water.

Finally, Swimbladder disease is easily treatable and your fish is not a goner. Betta's can live in slightly salty water and it helps to keep the bacteria levels down in the water which can cause fin rot.

Answer 2

this probably means your fish has a disease where the gall bladder cannot be controlled or sadly means it is dying:'( but if you like either take it to your vet or put it out of his/her misery:'(

Answer 3

It means the fish is either dead or dying. You obviously have not followed the basic rules of sucessfull fish keeping which are. ":- 1 inch of fish must have at least 1 gallon of water. (A Betta is a 3 inch fish) :- Every tank must have a permanently running 'cycled' filter. :- Every tank must have at least 50% of its water replaced every week." A single Betta needs at least 3 gallons of water and should be kept at around 78F.

Answer 4

it might die. sorry...

New answer:

Goldfish: Swim Bladder Problems.The fish are unable to maintain an upright position when still and may float head-down, on their side, or upside down. The fish may sit on the bottom of the aquarium and struggle to swim to the surface, or may hang at the surface and be unable to swim down. Weakness and lethargy and a resulting loss of balance can also be caused if the fish is ill with another disease, so check for other symptoms.

Swim Bladder Problems Symptoms:

Fish can control their position in the water with the swim bladder, an organ that fills with or expels air to affect flotation. Swim bladder related problems can lead to malfunction of the swim bladder so that the fish can no longer control its flotation and orientation, or can do so only with considerable effort. Swim bladder problems are most common in short-bodied goldfish, eg fantails, orandas and so forth. In these fish the swim bladder is often slightly deformed, putting the fish at a much greater risk of developing swim bladder problems.

A swim bladder problem may develop as the fish grows, with the defect only becoming apparent later in life. Diet can also exacerbate swim bladder problems. Goldfish are prone to constipation, and swim bladder problems will become much worse when the fish is constipated. Water temperature can also affect the operation of the swim bladder. Swim bladder problems can also be caused by internal growths and tumours or by bacterial infections.

Prevention:

Most swim bladder problems are not preventable, however, feeding fancy goldfish a good diet will prevent constipation and associated swim bladder problems. A mix of prepared and frozen foods, particularly with frozen brine shrimp as a supplement, is best.

Treatment:

There is no treatment possible for swim bladder problems caused by genetic defects or internal growths, however, a fish can often live with the swim bladder problem for many months. Feed the fish brine shrimp to ensure that it is not a simple case of constipation or correct any other dietary problems.

Blocked intestines can and will interfere with the function of the swim bladder. If this is the case, a cure is easy to effect.

First check your water. If you are not using marine salt, gradually add it to the tank over a twelve hour period (addition of one tablespoon per five gallons does wonders).

Fast the fish for 4 days. Don't worry a hungry fish is better than a dead one! This will enable the fish to clear itself out, and normal function of the swim bladder should return. After the fourth day, resume feeding with live or frozen brine shrimp.

By this time you should have learned your lesson, and will go on to provide your goldfish with a more nutritious well-balanced diet as recommended.

Answer 5

There could be many reasons why your betta is behaving this way. One could be water quality, another could be too big of a change if you have recently changed the water and either the temperature was different, or the PH was too different; both can cause shock and may lead to fish death.

Answer 6

It means the fish is sick, and most likely will die. It can be any number of things including cancer and bladder infection.

Answer 7

It can mean several things ur fish could be sleeping ...ur fish could be playing dead....ur fish coud be i n a coma.....but then again ur fish may not be playing and really be DEAD

Answer 8

This is most commonly a sign that they are "down for the count". The odds of them surviving once they reach that stage are very slim.

Answer 9

That may be that your fish is dead.