Anyone have a Beta Fish

[kaylajr]

My Grandfather has one and it is acting weird
and I know nothing about them but he is worried

He just got home from the hospital andif I could reassure him it is normal that would be great

Ferdinann( the fish) is maybe a year old

he is is a filtered tank

lately the fish has taken to laying on the bottom in the rocks

burrowing in and just staying there

if you tap the tank near him he will swim up but he just sits there for hours

is this normal???


I say "he" cause the tail is bluish purple
but maybe it is a "she" the body is not overly colorful


any ideas???

 

[ntburns22]

We had our beta for about a year and it started doing the same thing. He was like that for about 1 week or so and then he died.

 

[kaylajr]

That's what I thought
but I was hoping for some good news

 

[D L and K's Mom]

I am sorry to hear your fish is not feeling well. I am a first grade teacher and we have had the same BETA fish for years....the secret. I keep replacing poor Sapphire when he/she passes away. It is pretty easy to fine one that looks the same...I know that sounds mean. I hope your fish does better if not maybe you can switch them without your Grandfather knowing??? Is that a possibility?

 

[spokanemom]

I have a beta that is now 5 years old. Yes 5!!!

We have been waiting for him to move on to the great fishbowl in the sky, but apparently, he has other ideas. We would like to get some other fish in our tank and with the beta, who will either terrorize or eat the others, we will have to wait.

That said, last week he started hanging out in the upper corner of the tank and did not move from that spot for two days. Then, the miraclous happened, he snapped out of it. Now, he is all happy again.

I don't have the answer, but not moving for days does not mean that it time for the giant flush. He may have just needed a rest from whatever stresses a fish had.

I hope he does ok.

 

[snowwite]

We have not had the best luck with fish.Ok, it is worse than that we have accidently killed every fish we had.The guy at the fishstore told me I killed them by cleaning the tank. Did you clean it recently? Also, the Beta didnt do well in the 5 gallon tank but thrives in a goldfish bowl. Apparently where they are from they can survive for long periods in mud puddles and if the water is too clean they dont like it.

 

[sweet angel]

My beta is only a couple months old, so I'm not going to be much help. Did he recently move the bowl? Change something in it?

Is he still eating?

 

[Jpgirl]

It doesn't sound good. Try and look at the fish-are his fins ragged or scales missing? He could have a bacterial infection-white cottony spots are a fungus. YOu could take him in to a fish specialty store and they could see what he may have. My beta only last a year too. I have aquariums and once a fish starts acting like that it's usually pretty close to dying.. Sorry.

 

[tigercat]

My dd had a beta fish. It seemed to be doing alright but then one night it committed suicide. It had tried it before but during the day when someone was able to save it, but the last time it did it at night so there was no one there to save it.
tigercat

 

[snowwite]

My dd had a beta fish. It seemed to be doing alright but then one night it committed suicide. It had tried it before but during the day when someone was able to save it, but the last time it did it at night so there was no one there to save it.
tigercat

Did it jump out of the bowl?

 

[Cruisin]

Beta fish like warm water.

Ours used to stay near the bottom of the tank and not move much.

I got a little light for the top of his little tank and now he swims around everywhere and hangs out near to the top.

The light gives off enough heat to warm his water.

Try moving him to a warmer location and see if that helps.

 

[Cruisin]

Did it jump out of the bowl?

Beta fish will do that. It is best to keep them in a covered bowl so they can not jump out.

 

[kaylajr]

Yes he is still eating

and I will have my Mom move the bowl in the AM to a warmer part of the house to see if that helps any


Thanks everyone

 

[beachbunny]

If your fish is colorful, it's a male.

Your fish may be quite ill. Try cleaning the water (pre-aged 24 hours), putting a little bit of rock salt and ick in the water. Ick is beta fish medication - you can get it at a pet store.

 

[tigercat]

Yes it did jump out of the bowl. They had had it for about 2 years and never had any problems with it until then. It jumped the first time and then about a week later it did it at night.
tigercat

 

[patrizella]

My SIL's Beta did that. Jumped out of the cup he was in, while she was changing the water. The fall was too far/hard and he was gone. She still won't take the tank down. We have a Beta, nearly 6 months old and it is a lazy fish. She will sit in the "plant" in the tank-which keeps her near the surface (maybe for heat). She will also hide under the "plant" for hours. I notice that when the water is changed she becomes crazy active-all over the tank-trying to attack her reflection. I usually change her tank every other day. Maybe he is just being lazy. Best of Luck!!!

PS-I just noticed that was my 100th post!!! (Sorry-not trying to steal the thread).