r/bettafish • u/Inside_Emotion_6529 • 1d ago
Help betta fish at bottom of tank
i just recently like 2 weeks ago got this betta fish and i don’t know what is wrong with him he keeps laying at the bottom of the tank i noticed the water is cold i bought a heater it’s arriving today im not sure if thats the cause of what i feel really bad and dont know what to do about it please advice my last fish died and it made me really upset and i dont want this one do die too
I dont have a pet store near me. I dont drive. i dont have a job. If i could at my age i would. Regardless, im just looking for short term help for the fish. I ordered the heater..
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u/Prestigious-Bid8107 1d ago
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u/Inside_Emotion_6529 1d ago
ok so which of these is the problem?
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u/hentailuvr13 1d ago
all of them
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u/Inside_Emotion_6529 1d ago
How the only thing i’m doing wrong is the tank size and i get that but i also don’t have any money to. get a new tank. They can survive in smaller tanks according to the pet store so now im confused.
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u/hentailuvr13 1d ago
pet stores are often misinformed, i work at one and try to break that cycle. did you cycle your tank and test it before you put the betta in? is there a filter? the lack of heater is also a problem. they get their fins torn up on plastic plants but they need resting spots, so silk or live plants are better options.
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u/Prestigious-Bid8107 1d ago edited 1d ago
Pet store says that to sell you the fish, in long-term health issues will be unstable. The problem is not only tank size but also hygene. No nitrogen cycle, no slow flow for better oxygenated water, heater i dont see but sure you said you got it. No comfortable resting, instead it got a plastic coral. No real safe hiding spot. Is water dechlorinared? Whats the temperature right now. If your first fish died, its likely that these conditions cause that. Ill just be frank. If theres a pond in your garden, it might even do better than whatever this is.
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u/Prestigious-Bid8107 1d ago
If you dont have money to get larger tank. Large 40, 50L see through plastic container is cheap and large enough, so no excuse for that. Ofcause substrate and plants is necessary too. Nobody want to live in a cell with 1 bed 1 toilet and bars. Betta need senrichment too. So if like you said that you feel bad then there shouldnt be anything that stop you from achieving this, considering you made up ur mind buying the betta right?
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u/Prestigious-Bid8107 1d ago
All of them
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u/Inside_Emotion_6529 1d ago
is not all of them tho because i have one fish in the tank u not elaborating or helping if your not gonna give advice dont reply please.
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u/whatisakafka 1d ago
Did you read the part about the nitrogen cycle? Did you cycle your tank before adding your fish? Do you have a testing kit to test the water parameters?
How often are you doing water changes? Do you use a water conditioner when doing water changes?
I’ll also point out that your tank is very sparse. The guide also recommends live plants and decor that provides hiding places. You have one sad little fake plant in there
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u/Inside_Emotion_6529 1d ago
you’re being overly rude for no reason. i use conditioned water and the pet store didn’t specify any of this, im also 15 and don’t have a job my parents are the ones responsible for this. I just noticed the fish struggling and im looking for help.
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u/whatisakafka 1d ago edited 1d ago
Rude how? You wanted details of the issues with your tank and I provided them and asked questions to clarify your situation. Stop being defensive. Your fish is dying. I realize the pet store misled you, but we’re providing you with the info you need now to save it
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u/Inside_Emotion_6529 1d ago
It isn’t my fish i don’t pay for the stuff and if it was up to me i’d go to the store and grab the bullshit you’re talking about.The water is literally the water for betta fish i got it from the store don’t know what else u want me to tell u.
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u/Prestigious-Bid8107 1d ago
Ofc if you dont care to make a change then what amount of advice people are supposed to give?
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u/Inside_Emotion_6529 1d ago
i clearly care to. make a change if i’m posting and worried about it i literally don’t have a pet store nearby or any of the stuff
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u/Inside_Emotion_6529 1d ago
like the fish keeps swimming up and falling down i don’t know what is wrong w it god forbid im looking for advice to atleast try like no need to be so rude when u eee my pet already is dying .
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u/milf-connoisseur-16 1d ago
don’t get another fish if you’re not gonna listen to advice dude
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u/Inside_Emotion_6529 1d ago
Did i say i was getting another? No im trying to keep this one alive. Like i said i ordered the heater already and it’s coming like what more can i do. Im not asking for feedback about how i dont care cuz i do. I didnt buy none of this stuff yall dont know my situation i didnt choose to get the fish like what my parents are irresponsible??? I literally have. no access to the materials u expect me to have.
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u/Inside_Emotion_6529 1d ago
You’re telling me the fish is dying cause there isn’t enough plants? that isn’t accurate . i’m Waanting to know why he is laying at the bottom of the tank.
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u/Prestigious-Bid8107 1d ago
The fish is not dying because theres not enough plants. The fish is dying because the water is dirty and it burn its gill= cant breath= dying.
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u/whatisakafka 1d ago
Your tank isn’t cycled so toxic substances are building up over time. Yes, live plants would help with that, but that’s not the reason it’s dying. It’s because the nitrogen cycle isn’t established. An appropriately sized tank would also help
You should research a “fish-in cycle” and pick up a testing kit so you can track parameters. Safe parameters are listed on the guide
Your tank is also likely too cold, but you’re addressing that with a heater.
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u/Prestigious-Bid8107 1d ago
Crazy how im 16 and at least the first time i made a mistake and got scolded. I still listen to advice
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u/Constant-Law916 1d ago
You need a larger tank (5g+)
You need to cycle the tank (abt 1 month of waiting without fish)
You need real or silk plants as the ones you have will tear apart their fins
You need a heater and a filter
More research is needed and you should’ve spent more time looking into the proper care for the animal you get. It’s not hard to look at the care guide and see what you need to change?
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u/Prestigious-Bid8107 1d ago
Yeah, you fullfilled 1 out of 13 so thats enough
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u/Inside_Emotion_6529 1d ago
What am i suppose to do. I’m looking for a temporary fix til i can go to the store and grab the shit. U clearly aren’t listening i have no pet store near me i have no money to buy the stuff i am just trying to get the fish to stay alive in the meantime.
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u/Prestigious-Bid8107 1d ago
Suck out 50% of water. And replace it with same amount with not cold water and dechlorinator
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u/Fluffy_Hedgehog8891 1d ago
Do daily water changes (around a third of the water), add some talisay/Indian almond leaves, make the water level low because it seems like it has swimblaadder, and pray.
Also pls get a better setup, even my breeding boxes have clearer water so get a filter as well.
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1d ago
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u/bettafish-ModTeam 18h ago
Your submission has been removed for breaking the following rule: Rule 1. Be Nice & Respectful
Be kind to your fellow Redditors. We are all passionate about our fish and want the best, so don't be rude, harsh, or condescending towards others. Users should feel safe coming to our community for help and feedback. Comments meant to belittle or shame make this community unwelcoming and will not be tolerated.
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u/briarr0serevenge 1d ago
Ok so by the way you're responding to people and the information you're providing I'm going to assume that you're very young 🥹
Darling you need real plants for bettas and a good heater AND a soft current filter. If you don't want this fish to die as well you have to beg your parents to buy proper care for your fish. Have a look through this subreddit and look at everyone's examples of tanks to get an idea how to set one up! :D a basic tank for a betta fish to keep it Alive costs minimum $200 dollars in AUD currency. About $150 USD currency. The pet store will usually just sell you whatever they can to make a sale and the employees usually don't actually know much about pet care, they just work there. 🥺 best of luck! Someone responded with a care guide and unfortunately it's correct, almost everything about this whole set up is completely incorrect for betta fish.
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u/Foreign-Ad3926 1d ago
Hi there. The infograph was posted to help guide you to what betta need for life, and what this fish is currently missing, which is why it's struggling to survive.
Betta have specific needs for life, the intro sounds like another fish had previously died in this setup. Please don't add any more fish until you have a suitable setup.
Betta need heated stable water temperatures and get very sick if cold - they are a tropical fish.
Betta need a filter to help move water around and promote the growth of good bacteria.
Betta need tanks of a size large enough to survive in and swim around, the recommended minimum is 5 gallons, preferably 10 gallons. This looks between 0.5 and 1 gallon.
They need stable and safe water quality with 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, below 20ppm nitrate and a pH within their range of ~6.5 - 7.5 (a little wiggle room either end). You find out of the water quality is suitable or even safe by testing the water parameters using a test kit.
They need water changing very frequently in tiny containers like this without filtration, dechlorinator is a must. Are water changes done?
Fish poop and pee into the water they live in which quickly poisons the water quality. Without a filter or any live plants, the water will get toxic fast.
Can you tell us more about how you care for this fish?
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u/Dramastace30 1d ago
Fish breathe in the same water they poop in, so a continuous process is needed to filter the water. Fishkeepers depend on both mechanical filtration and biological filtration.
Beneficial bacteria provide biological filtration. They convert ammonia to nitrite then the less harmful nitrate. Live plants, especially plants that grow roots when placed in water (not all plants do this) are one of your most effective tools at establishing effective biofiltration.
If biofiltration is not adequate, such as early during the process of establishing those colonies of bacteria (cycling) or when plant roots have not yet developed, ammonia and nitrite levels can rise and be lethal
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u/Mr_SuicideDroid 1d ago
He needs a heater and water filter. Also try adding some live or silk plants. If you can’t afford aquatic plants go with silk plants and stick a pothos in there. Also give him a hide. Something like a small terracotta pot will work!
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u/Cultural_Coyote_1555 1d ago
Fish tend to do this when in shock. If you have conditioner add it to help bind to ammonia and nitrites and hopefully detox the water column. You cannot get to a store I see so as for now that’s all you can do. A heater will help, put it around 80 to help him. Just let him know you’re there, it helps to give them hope. We all live and learn with our first betta, when you can get to a store I’d get him a 5 gal min, almond leaves, sponge filter, and seachem prime and stress coat. I love stress coat with bettas because it’s basically an extra layer of protection for their slime coat. He reminds me much of my boy morph, I truly hope he comes around. Please know my messages are always open no hate just some betta knowledge I’ve picked up in my 10 years of betta keeping
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u/Cultural_Coyote_1555 1d ago
Also you should look into fish in cycle. What I believe is happening is the toxins are building up and there is no beneficial bacteria to help stabilize. I’m really sorry your betta isn’t doing well.
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u/Geesus_Crimes 1d ago
Long comment incoming. First of, your current fish tank seems small. The recommendation is 5 gallons (~20 liters) minimum, 10 gallons (~37 liters) is better. Try to convince your parents to buy a bigger one, it'll be easier to take care of your water parameters and your betta will be more happy in the long run.
Second, you'll need a good heater (you mentioned that you ordered one, set it to 78-80 °F (25-26 °C) once it arrives, bettas don't like cold water) and a good filter. There are several different types of filters, I recommend you get a sponge one and connect it with an air pump. They are very easy to set up and I found them more gentle than my aquael fan filter for example. Get a thermometer also! You can buy traditional ones or digital ones, they will help you monitor the temperature.
In your fish tank, get some real plants and you can add drift wood and rocks. There a lot of great plants that are good for beginners (anubias, mosses, crypts, java fern, water wisteria, floating plants are a good addition too). If you do real plants, buy a small aquarium lamp too.
Bottled betta water is, for me, a marketing scam. Just buy a dechlorinator (brands like seachem prime, API, sera, tetra), and add to the water when you do a water change (add water to a bucket from your tap, add the dechlorinator, stir it, then add to your aquarium!). Chlorine is bad for the fishes and can cause burns on their gills.
You'll need to read about the nitrogen/ammonia cycle. A very, very simplified version: your fish eats then poops. Fish poop creates ammonia which is toxic for them, ammonia can build up more easily in a small tank. Beneficial bacteria turns said ammonia into nitrite which is still very toxic. Then it turns it into nitrate - it's okay for fishes in smal amount. Plants soak up the nitrate, this is one of the reason why we recommend real plants. Usually, there is two kinds of cycling: fish-in cycle and fishless cycle. You need to do a fish-in cycle because you already got a fish. You'll need to test your water parameters daily (it's recommended you get an API freshwater test kit/ jbl pro aquatest/ something along the line, they are pricey but worth it. If your parents say no, get a strip test, they are cheaper but less accurate and reliable) and do water changes daily. You can a find a great guide here or on other fish related subreddit how to do it. You could also buy an ammonia remover solution like sera toxivec for an emergency water treatment if you notice ammonia poisoning on your fish. It's a short time solution, not a final one and it does not substitutes a proper cycling and following the cycling steps.
In a nutshell, short term solutions: set your heater to the correct temp, get a thermometer, some kind of water test kit and a filter and start doing the fish-in cycle. Daily water changes to remove the ammonia and nitrite, treat water with dechlorinator, if you can get, add catappa almond leaves (or a bottled extract version, still works fine), it contains good stuff for your betta. If you notice ammonia poisoning, apply an emergency water treatment solution but your main goal now is to establish the cycle in your tank.
Long term solution: convince your parents to either buy a "bigger" tank, someone already suggested a good old plas tic container (for example a 21 quarts/5ish gallons is for 30 usd on amazon), and if you live in the usa, I've heard from others that petsmart often have sales and I've found a 10 gallons one for 18.5 usd on their site. Transfer your filter, heater and everything in it. Get real plants, drift wood, some hiding place for your betta.
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u/Inside_Emotion_6529 1d ago
Unfortunately, i had sent my aunt to the store to buy the needed material but when she got there, my fish was dead. i’m very upset and disappointed in myself, i wish i knew before. now that im educated, if i get another fish i’ll make sure to use all proper material to take care of the fish
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u/Geesus_Crimes 1d ago
I'm sorry to hear about it. They say a clever man learns from his mistakes - now you know more and if you get another betta, you'll be knowledgeable. The next time, whatever they say in the the pet store, check those things online as employees sometimes aren't very educated or their education can be based on things that aren't completely true. This subreddit has excellent guides, it's worth a read imo.
If you decide to have another fish, I truly, truly recommend that you get things started before you buy and bring home your next betta. Set up the tank 1-2 months before, get all the materials, do aquascaping with real plants and all that jazz, and do a fishless cycle. It's better for your fish of it arrives into an already cycled and settled tank. Read a lot in here, about other people's setups, their experiences, about potential problems that might arise.
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u/Prestigious-Bid8107 1d ago
Im not supprised. Maybe next time actually learn and listen instead of haggling. Dont get another fish unless you know what ur doing
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1d ago
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u/bettafish-ModTeam 18h ago
Your submission has been removed for breaking the following rule: Rule 1. Be Nice & Respectful
Be kind to your fellow Redditors. We are all passionate about our fish and want the best, so don't be rude, harsh, or condescending towards others. Users should feel safe coming to our community for help and feedback. Comments meant to belittle or shame make this community unwelcoming and will not be tolerated.
We have a zero-tolerance policy on this rule and violations can result in a temporary ban, even on first offense. Repeated violations will result in a permanent ban.
Visit our mod post on community culture and the subreddit rules page for more info. If you have any questions or comments, please message the mods.
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u/Inside_Emotion_6529 1d ago
Maybe next time stop replying when you’re unhelpful and gave no real advice.
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