Please Help!

[Sadie555]

I think there is something wrong with my betta. I went to clean her bowl this evening, and rather than wildly swimming away like she did the last two times, she just sat there. I plopped her into her clean bowl, and she did the same thing. She's NOT dead, but she's sure ACTING like it. (Her fins and gills are moving a lot.)

Please help me figure out what is wrong with my betta, and if I can save her.

[Oldfishlady]

Sorry your Betta isn't well......

Need some more info.....Tank size, water temp, filter, live plants, additives used, appetite, how much and how often are the water changes, how long have you had her.

Was this a 100% water change and if so, how did you re-acclimate her to the tank.....Did you use enough dechlorinator, was the water temp fairly close between new and old water.....

Right now-check your water temp to ensure it is within normal range of 76-80F and make a 50% water only leaving her in the tank-Use double dose dechlorinator and like temp water by checking the replacement water with an independent thermometer....turn off the light and hold food for 24h....

Keep us post.....

[Sadie555]

I think she is dead. :'( She is no longer moving so much. Just sitting at the bottom of the bowl, lifeless.

[Purple]

Please answer these questions and we can help you. If her gills are moving, she's alive. They don't sit at the bottom of their bowl when they're dead.

[LittleBettaFish]

She might just be in shock. Sometimes if they are shocked by a sudden change in water conditions like temperature or pH they will sit at the bottom with their gills hardly moving at all making them look almost dead.

If there's a big difference between the water chemistry in your bowl from your tap water it can cause problems if fish are not given time to acclimatise.

[Sadie555]

She had officially died. Her gills stopped moving completely. I'm sorry everyone. I know better now how to care for these guys. I'm sorry one had to lose a life for me to learn.

[Purple]

I'm sorry for your loss.

[Oldfishlady]

Sorry for your loss.....But don't give up...stuff happens....we learn, grow, move on to become better Betta keepers......and sometimes we can even help others learn from our mistakes......

Again sorry for your loss....look forward to seeing pics and hearing about your new Betta....