Betta fish are extremely active and have enormous personalities and colors. Have you noticed that your Betta fish is not eating much and is quite sedentary?
There are a number of reasons why your Betta might not be moving much or at all, so avoid jumping to conclusions right away. Although there are certain factors that might not be as serious as you believe, there are also obvious problems.
Male betta fish are well-known for their vibrant, flowing fins, as well as for being relatively easy-care and robust fish. A betta is quite perceptive to the stimuli around them and will frequently swim enthusiastically as you pass their tank. It’s unusual to be still. When your fish suddenly stops moving, it might be alarming. However, it does not necessarily imply that he is about to pass away.
Your Betta fish may not be moving for a variety of reasons, including stress, bad water quality, and disease. Given that bettas are normally active fish, finding that yours is not moving might be unsettling. However, unless you are aware that your fish is sick, it is not usually a reason for alarm.
So why isn’t my Betta fish swimming around? The quick answer is that it most likely results from one of these five causes:
- Sleeping or taking a break.
- Poor-grade water.
- It is no longer there.
- Constipation, swim bladder, or another ailment is present.
- Incorrect feeding.
Reasons Why Betta Is Not Moving
Your Betta fish might be unresponsive, sluggish, immobile, or not feeding properly for a number of various causes.
There are other, less serious causes as well; however, even these need to be addressed right away if you want your Betta to continue enjoying a happy and healthy life. Yes, some of these are really serious and might lead to your Betta’s demise.
Unfavorable Temperature
Unfavorable water conditions are a major factor in why your Betta fish may be very sleepy and not be swimming around. The water’s temperature is the most critical consideration in this situation.
The ideal temperature for Betta fish is around 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Now, if the water is too hot, your fish won’t likely get sluggish; yet, if the water is too cold, the opposite is not true.
A fish’s metabolic system will collapse, internal processes will shut down, it will stop eating, and it will stop swimming if the water is too cold, especially when the temperature falls below 76 or 75 degrees.
So, if your Betta isn’t moving, make sure everything is in working order by checking the heater and the water temperature. Another reason for the absence of movement can be inadequate illumination. Do you have lighting in your Betta tank? Although it is improbable, if the tank is frequently dark, your Betta may be dormant or sleeping since it believes it to be evening.
Extreme pH Levels
The survival of Betta fish depends on this component as well. Betta fish prefer water with a pH of 7.0, which is considered neutral. Any pH value outside of the ideally neutral pH will have a detrimental effect on the health and activity of the Betta fish, leading to diseases and potentially even death.
Dissolved chemicals like nitrate and nitrite are significant components that can impact the pH of water.
When present in large quantities, these toxins have the ability to poison your fish or cause a number of illnesses. Therefore, it’s crucial to keep an eye on the tank’s pH levels to make sure that’s not the cause of your Betta’s immobility.
Ammonia, Nitrate, Or Nitrite Poisoning
If your tank’s pH and temperature are ideal and your Bettas aren’t moving, it’s possible that excessive nitrate, nitrite, or ammonia levels are to blame; your fish may have been poisoned.
Checking to see whether your fish is poisoned is rather simple. The first thing you should do is see whether the fish is having trouble breathing or breathing heavily. Additionally, you could notice that the Betta isn’t eating properly and is laying at the bottom of the aquarium. If you see these signs, it’s critical to check the water’s ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels with an aquarium test kit.
Your Betta might be at risk if the average ammonia level in the water is more than 0.25 ppm. Make sure that the water’s nitrate and nitrite levels are both less than 0.5 parts per million (ppm) and 20 parts per million (ppm), respectively. Make sure the breeding Betta tank or aquarium has a sufficient biological filtration system.
Poor Lighting
Additionally, your fish may move less under bad lighting. Your fish may be sleeping or otherwise inactive at the bottom of the tank or aquarium if the lighting in the Betta’s tank is typically dim because it believes it is no longer daylight. Therefore, it’s crucial to modify the illumination in the tank.
Your Fish May Be Asleep
Betta fish require downtime just as people do. Yes, at some point, everything needs to sleep. In this way, the body replenishes its energy and maintains its regular biological functioning.
Life simply wouldn’t exist without sleep, at least not for more than a few days. The betta fish must rest. These fish occasionally close their eyes and occasionally do not. Betta fish frequently lie on the bottom or on the leaves of various plants while they are asleep, turning on their sides.
Your Betta fish can simply be dozing off if it isn’t moving around much. Chances are excellent that the Betta was actually simply taking some rest if you shake the tank, stir the water, or switch on the lights and it starts acting.
Now, if your Betta fish looks to be sleeping a lot or is sleeping a lot, there may be another cause. It can be the result of poor feeding practices, disease, or poor tank conditions. Another possible explanation is that your Betta is becoming older and losing life slowly from its body.
Older Betta fish will exhibit more sluggishness and inactivity than younger ones, just like older people.
Your Betta Fish May Be Dead
Okay, so it is clear that this is the worst-case situation. The median lifespan of betta fish is 4 years, with a range of 3 to 5 years. Yes, just like humans and all other species, betta fish may and do pass away.
If your Betta fish is older than three years and it is not moving, particularly if it is floating about or lying on its side at the bottom of the tank, or even if it has closed its eyes, then yes, it may very likely be dead.
It is tragic, but it should go without saying that death is a part of life. Flicking the glass, agitating the water, and attentively examining the Betta to see whether its gills are moving or not are all effective techniques to determine whether it is dead.
There are techniques to resuscitate fish, although, with their advanced age, the chances of any resuscitation efforts succeeding are small to none. If your fish is above 3, the odds are that it is the end if you observe absolutely no indications of life.
Swim Bladder Disease
Occasionally, Betta fish experience issues with their swim bladders. The swim bladder is a pocket that, depending on what the Betta fish is doing, either fills with gas or empties. It is a buoyancy aid that aids in direction as well as buoyancy, helping it to float or sink.
Your Betta fish definitely has a swim bladder issue if you observe that it’s still breathing but not moving and tipped to one side. Overfeeding and constipation are the most frequent causes of swim bladder problems in Betta fish.
Your Betta fish will most likely have an enlarged or bloated abdomen if this is the situation. In order to fix the problem, try depriving the fish of food for three days, after which you may feed it a few shelled peas—preferably boiling ones—to help dissolve the obstruction.
Your Betta may stop moving significantly if they develop one of several illnesses. Pop eye, dropsy, Ich, velvet, certain fungal diseases, parasitic infections, worms, and other conditions are examples of these.
Inappropriate Feeding And Poor Quality Food
Aside from constipation, not feeding your Betta fish the correct meals may also be contributing to its slowness and sluggishness. The diets of betta fish must contain a lot of protein. In actuality, they eat meat almost exclusively.
You must provide them with high-quality feeds, such as Betta fish flakes and pellets, instead of that subpar stuff. Additionally, daphnia, brine shrimp, different kinds of worms, and insect larvae are also beneficial. Lethargy in your Betta can result from it not obtaining enough protein or food in general.
Try feeding it a little extra food, but no more than the Betta can consume twice daily in approximately two minutes if you have been very sparing with the amount of food you have been providing it.
Stress
One of the most frequent factors to take into account when analyzing why your fish may stop swimming is stress, which has a significant impact on their general health.
When it comes to stress in our silent companions, it can be challenging to know exactly what to look for, but if any of these things have happened, it may be something to take into account.
- Going from one tank to another recently
- Suffering from sickness
- Temperature shock can result from abrupt changes in water parameters, such as pH and water temperature.
- Not getting a good night’s sleep because of inadequate illumination or tank water quality
- The addition of a new betta tank companion to a male betta’s aquarium. As your betta gets used to its new tankmates, there may be a brief period of heightened aggressiveness and stress. After a few days, though, everything should return to normal.
- A recent meal that was too tough for them to digest, such an unshelled pea
Signs That Your Betta May Be Stressed
- Betta fish resting on the tank’s floor.
- Swimming upstream, downstream, or sideways (also a common sign of swim bladder disease)
- heavy breathing or erratic tongue and mouth movement (which may also indicate a lack of oxygen in the tank) Perhaps a bubbler can assist with this.
- An appearance that is typically drowsy, swimming slowly in the direction of food, or lying on the tank floor.
Age
Your betta fish naturally slow down as they become older since their regular biological processes degrade over time. The usual lifespan of a betta fish in captivity is between 2 and 5 years; therefore, a fish that appears sluggish and is 4 years old may just be maturing more slowly.
Tankmates
If your filtration and aeration systems aren’t functioning in order, keeping too many other fish in the same tank as your betta might result in major issues. With more fish comes more garbage! Also, bear in mind that owing to their aggressive character, it is not suggested to keep two bettas together.
Is It Normal For A Betta To Stay In One Spot?
A Betta fish will often remain in one spot, but there are several circumstances you should be aware of. Since you are the one who knows your fish the best, you are undoubtedly familiar with its routines and habits.
There is usually nothing to worry about if you are aware of your fish’s propensity for laziness. However, if your fish is suddenly lingering in one location when it would normally be swimming around, you should start looking into the reason why. It’s crucial to make sure that your fish aren’t sticking to one location for the wrong reasons.
What Should You Do If My Betta Fish Stopped Swimming?
There are a number of choices available to you if your fish stops swimming, including:
Performing Proper Water Changes
A substantial water change may be more harmful if the fish is so ill that it is immobile. Because of this, I advise performing weekly 15–30% water changes. Perform more modest water changes (5–10 percent each day) if the tank is unclean. The fish will experience shock if the environment suddenly changes since it is used to filth. It’s not what you desire.
Focusing On Maintenance
Please make an effort to perform simple maintenance. That entails:
- Removing a few fish from an overloaded aquarium.
- Removing rotting plants and fish as well as other dead creatures.
- Removing leftovers and trash.
- Tank maintenance. That includes cleaning the walls and any other items in the aquarium, as well as vacuuming the substrate.
- To stop sick fish from spreading their illness to nearby fish, they should be transferred to a hospital tank.
- Make careful to cycle the tank. It can take up to six weeks.
Additionally, I advise frequently checking the levels of ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, temperature, pH, and other variables. For precisely this reason, aquarists are advised to always have a test kit on hand. Levels of ammonia ought to be zero.
I strongly suggest purchasing the API Freshwater Master Test Kit for that reason. Your pH, nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia levels will all be precisely measured by that bundle. You’ll then be able to tell whether anything went wrong in five minutes.
Adjusting The Water Parameter
The tank’s environment ought to be favorable for bettas. Remember the following:
- Temperature- Between 76 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s also crucial that the temperature doesn’t change and is constant.
- Water pH- Between 6.5 to 7.5
- Water Current-Slow
- Toxins – Use conditioners to get rid of copper, ammonia, chloramine, chlorine, and other dangerous substances. I personally prefer the Seachem Prime Fresh and Saltwater Conditioner.
- Size- A minimum of 2.5 gallons
- Plants – Plants are necessary for a betta aquarium to be healthy. Their presence will reduce tension and worry.
- Lighting- Bettas don’t require any special lighting. The lights should not, however, be left on for more than 12 hours.
Feeding Your Bettas Properly
Bettas need to eat a variety of foods, such as brine shrimp, daphnia, several types of worms, and insect larvae, to name a few. Don’t overfeed the bettas, but make sure they have enough protein. Give them no more than what they can finish in two minutes. Limit your feedings to three times each day.
Dealing With Swim Bladder Disease
Use the following procedures to treat your betta if you think it may have swim bladder disease:
- Fast -Be quick and give the betta three days without food. Fasting will enable the fish’s digestive system to clear out any obstructions that may have developed if it is constipated.
- Peas – Peas are an excellent remedy for constipation. They are used to treat constipation in fish because they have a laxative effect. Prior putting placing the peas in the tank, remove the outer peel.
- Salt – A dash of salt helps hasten healing while also warding off infections.
Treating General Diseases
You need to take care of the fish if it is sick. Start by attempting to match the treatment to the condition. The following are some common techniques individuals employ to treat illnesses:
- Quarantine – Place the fish in confinement until you can determine what it is infected with. If not, it could spread to the other fish.
- Vet – Speak with a vet. In an effort to find the medication that works by accident, some people try several different drugs. A bad medicine, however, might harm your betta. Speak to a veterinarian. They will suggest a successful course of action.
- Water Changes – You may employ water changes to get rid of the parasites that are causing some of the illnesses that are afflicting your fish. This is one of the reasons that many aquarium hobbyists do a water change in response to infections in the aquarium.
- Infections – Depending on the circumstance, bettas with infections may benefit from treatments such as Maracyn II, API Fungal Cure, Malachite Green, and Copper Sulfate, to name a few. However, you must once more match the medicine to the illness.
Creating A Stress-Free Environment
Maintaining the ideal conditions in the tank is the simplest technique to deal with stress. Additionally, I advise adding a powerful filter and making routine water changes to keep the tank clean.
It’s crucial to have good tankmates. Avoid fish that move quickly and have a history of biting the fins of other fish. Additionally, it is not advised to have several male Bettas in the same tank. They are overly combative and will probably engage in physical conflict.
How To Help Your Betta Fish Move Again?
Here are a few methods that can help your Betta move again. Remember these points:
Change The Water
For your betta to be able to remain active and healthy, good water quality is essential. Maintaining a schedule to make sure the water is never too dirty to hinder mobility will help you stay on top of washing out dirty water and refilling it with fresh as frequently as necessary.
Improve Feeding Routine
Make sure your fish is getting enough protein in its food because protein is an essential component of a betta’s diet. To make sure protein levels stay high, try feeding your bettas a special diet and supplementing them with worms, brine shrimp, and insect larvae. Bettas may acquire the energy they need to be active and healthy with the aid of a balanced diet.
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Check For Illness And Treat It As Necessary
The ailments that Bettas are susceptible to include dropsy, worms, infections, and constipation. Your betta’s health depends on you keeping an eye out for these conditions and administering the proper care when it’s required. After receiving the proper care, a fish that is immobile due to sickness is likely to recover significantly.
Introduce New Objects
A fish that is bored is less likely to move around much and is more likely to spend time floating in the water, relaxing, or sleeping. By giving your betta new things to play with, like plants and hiding spots, you may improve the activity of your fish. Make an effort to replicate the betta fish’s native habitat in Southeast Asia by furnishing the tank with a lot of eye-catching items.
Switch Up The Location
Betta fish are friendly and vivacious fish, and yours will probably be delighted to meet you. Because of this, you might want to think about relocating the tank to an area where you spend a lot of time so your fish can observe you. If the fish perceives that something amusing is going on around it, it could be more likely to move about.
Conclusion
Although owning a Betta fish, whether female or male, is intriguing, it is unfortunate that they will ultimately pass away. However, the reasons for your fish not moving may vary. Poor food quality, unpleasant weather, excessive pH levels, and bad water quality are a few examples of the causes. If any of your fish have problems, you shouldn’t worry too much or feel bad about yourself since there’s always a chance to revive them and get them back to health. The simplest way to detect behavioral changes in our betta fish and distinguish between what is cause for concern and what is normal betta behavior is to keep a close eye on them.
Give them Betta fish toys as well to keep them occupied and stimulate their minds. Toys in their tank make them feel less stressed and less aggressive, which improves their health.
Regardless of the cause, don’t give up too soon because there is always a chance of bringing your Betta back to health.
FAQ
How Do I Know If My Betta Is dying?
If your fish has obvious discoloration on its body, such as brown or white blotches, it may be close to passing away. Serious infections can also be indicated by other symptoms such as irregular swimming strokes, shortening, or Betta fin rot.
Why Is My Betta Fish Lying At The Bottom Of The Tank?
When the water temperature in your tank falls really low, your fish may remain motionless at the bottom of the tank or aquarium to conserve energy.
Alternately, your Betta will stay at the bottom of the tank due to the higher oxygen levels there if the water temperature jumps up to the high side.
Why Is My Betta Fish Lying On Its Side?
Swim bladder problems might be the reason why your Betta is sleeping on its side. These issues happen when the swim bladder stops functioning properly for a variety of reasons.
Gas from this organ within the fish keeps it buoyant in the water. These conditions are often not just one ailment but rather a group of problems affecting the organ.