Problem with my bettas mouth?

[KellyL]

My betta has been a bit off for a few weeks now, he likes to rest ontop of the filter output close to the surface and has been there almost constantly for 3 weeks now.
I have tried general tonic and adding salt but nothing seems to help him. He has no visible symptoms.

He will get off the filter output when I am around the tank but when I feed him he tries to eat the pellets but cant seem to eat them. They are the same pellets he has been eating since I got him 6 months ago. He will try and take them off the surface but I dont know if he cant open his mouth wide enough or there is something else wrong with his mouth, if he does manage to get one in his mouth he often struggles to swallow it and spits it out - then he will try and eat it again!

I dont know whats wrong with my poor little man! :( if anyone has any ideas, please help me?

Thank you!

[Oldfishlady]

Sorry you are having problems....We need more info....complete this and add to your thread and a pic if you can...The more info we have the better....

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=49233

[KellyL]

Housing
What size is your tank? 8lL
What temperature is your tank? 27C
Does your tank have a filter? yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? no
Is your tank heated? yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? none

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? small pellets occasionally dried bloodworm
How often do you feed your betta fish? every morning

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? change 2L twice a week
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? tapsafe for the chlorine and recently aquarium salt

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

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH: Have color-change strip tests. all are ok
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? no
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? yes
When did you start noticing the symptoms? behavior changed 3 weeks ago
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? general tonic then salt
Does your fish have any history of being ill? some finrot (months ago)
How old is your fish (approximately)? bought 6 months ago. age unknown

[KellyL]

He is the fish in my profile picture, he looks no different than he did then. I can try and get a picture of him sitting ontop of the filter output if you really think that will help?

[Oldfishlady]

In a 2gal tank with a filter...My first thought on him staying in one areas is due to the water movement. Eating issue-try some live food-if you have access to some live mosquito larva offer one to see if he can eat it...Need to rule out a foreign body that is preventing him from eating. Is he yawing and/or shaking his head any?

I would try turning off the filter for awhile and see if this helps any.

Your avatar pic is fine for what I need...nice looking fella by the way...

[KellyL]

hi, I dont think the water movement is a problem for him. Its always been the same, its on so slow I could probably pour water quicker through a drinking straw!!

Even though he is struggling to eat he must be managing to eat something or he would be dead by now! I crushed a pellet up into tiny pieces yesterday and he ate quite a bit of that. I have no idea what live food the stores around here carry I've seen brine shrimp before but will they be to small?
thank you for your advice! :)

[Oldfishlady]

I like to use live mosquito larva I collect in standing water in my yard-but if he ate the crushed food okay-that at least rules out a foreign body.

It is not uncommon for sexually mature male Betta to be less active since they are surface dwelling, feeding, nest builders that stake territory waiting on a female to reproduce. Adult male Betta generally are not in constant movement, however, they should respond to you once you have them conditioned to do so.