Anonymous asked: Hi Ladies ~I have a betta that is not swimming. He is just floating vertically in his tank. Eating, but hovering with his nose at the top of the tank. But vertically. Very odd. Any suggetions?
Oh no, I hope your betta gets better soon!! Here, I have turned to nippyfish and hopefully they can help you.
There are couple of likely possibilities. Without greater detail into the water parameters I’m going to have to guess a bit but here are some thoughts based on what you provided. First, toxic water conditions could have lead to some sort of infection, possibly of the swim bladder causing him to not be able to right himself. Although your previous betta lived a long full life, a 1 liter contain (about 1/4 U.S. gallons) is really to small to safely house a betta. Even though the water appears clean, it’s important to remember that the presence of ammonia is completely undetectable to the naked eye. It is both colorless and odorless and in such a small container can build to dangerous levels in just a couple of days. The rate at which ammonia accumulates is different for every fish. Like people, bettas metabolize food at a different rate so while it’s possible your old betta produced ammonia more slowly (by metabolizing food) this one could be making it much more quickly. There are other factors that effect the toxicity rate as well including diet, water temperature and pH levels. Individual Bettas are also affected by their water conditions differently too. Your old betta may have had a stronger immune system then your new one. This is not to say that you have poor water quality. I can only guess based on the size of the container and the frequency of water changes. The only way to know is to test regularly for ammonia. Knowing your pH level is important too. Ammonia becomes much more toxic in“basic” water. (Water with a pH above 7.0). Here’s more information on choosing a tank for your Betta.
The article this is from goes more in-depth here. Good luck with your fishie! :c
