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My betta is floating sideways and won't eat. What else can I do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Fish | Unknown - Fish | Female | 0 lbs

My female betta is floating on its side and can't swim to the bottom. It also won't eat. I've tried feeding it a pea, doing a water change and adding salt. Is there something else I can do?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on March 2nd, 2018

Check the water chemistry and water temperature. Aim for 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates 30 ppm or below. Water temp should be between 78 F and 80 F. Add only plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt). Add no more than 1 teaspoon per gallon and treat for 10-14 days. Lower the water level by half to make it easier for her to reach the surface. Bettas can breathe room air if necessary. Soak pellets in some garlic juice to stimulate her appetite.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Published on April 9th, 2020
Check the water temperature. Bettas are tropical fish and do best between 78 F and 80 F. Cold water can affect activity and appetite. Since you recently performed a complete water change, check water chemistry again. Use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for an absence (0 ppm) of ammonia AND nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less. Perform a partial water change, no more than 30%, to stabilize chemistry and/or to improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock.
Consider using plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt) as a general tonic to reduce stress, increase gill function, treat minor infection and aid in recovery. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water in a cup or two of tank water and gently pour it into the tank.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Published on June 3rd, 2018
Check the water chemistry first. Use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for an absence (0 ppm) of ammonia and nitrites with a nitrate level of 20 ppm or less. Increased levels of any of these can be toxic to fish. If indicated, perform a partial water change to stabilize chemistry or improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. Bettas are tropical fish and do best between 78 F and 80 F. Low temps can affect appetite and activity in fish. Use a small, submersible heater if necessary.
Fast him for 2-3 days, then feed small bits of cooked and shelled green peas. If he is constipated or has swim bladder issues, this should help. Feed peas until he is swimming and defecating normally. You can soak peas and pellets in some garlic juice to stimulate his appetite and provide an immune system boost.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My fish is swimming upside down and won't eat. Is it swim bladder?

He may be dealing with some swim bladder issues. The swim bladder is what keeps a fish upright and controls buoyancy. Infection, poor water quality or constipation can affect the swim bladder. Perform a water change. Use aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. My choice for conditioners are AmQuel and NovAqua. You can purchase them in most pet stores or fish stores. Bettas are warm water fish and do best between 78 F and 80 F. Anything below 75 F will be stressful. A small tank heater may be necessary to maintain proper temperature. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt) per gallon of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it in. This will act as a general tonic reducing stress, improving gill function and treating minor infection. Change the water daily to maintain quality and dissolve just enough salt to treat the water being replaced. Fast him for 3 days, then offer small bits of cooked, shelled green peas until defecation and swimming are normal. You can soak the bits in some garlic juice to stimulate his appetite and boost the immune system. Transition to a quality pelleted diet and fast for one day each week to maintain GI health.

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My Betta fish isn't eating. What's wrong and how can I help?

Check the water temperature first. Bettas are tropical fish and do best between 78 F and 80 F. Next, check water quality. This can be done by using a home test kit or by submitting a water sample for testing. The local pet store may do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for an absence ( 0 ppm) of ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less. Perform partial water changes if necessary. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Offer an appropriate diet as well. Bettas are carnivorous, so make sure the flake or pellet is not mainly vegetable matter. Hikari makes a great Betta diet in pellet form. You can also offer blood worms, shrimp or Daphnia to add variety to the diet.

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Why is my betta struggling to swim with a curved spine and gasping?

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My fish is on its side, struggling to swim. What should I do?

Check water chemistry first. Use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. Aim for an absence (0 ppm) of ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less. Perform a partial water change to stabilize water chemistry and/or to improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. Bettas do best between 78 F and 80 F. By your description, the issue may be swim bladder disease. This can be caused by infection (bacterial or parasites) or constipation. Maintain water quality as described above. Fast the fish for 3 days then resume feeding bits of cooked and shelled green peas. This will help with constipation. If this doesn't help. you can get a broad spectrum antibiotic from the local pet store. Look in the aquarium section. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment.

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My betta is wiggling, not eating, and seems sick. What's wrong?

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Why is my fish floating with a curved spine? Is it swim bladder?

Confirm proper water temp. Bettas do best between 78 F and 80 F. Low temps may lead to stress and illness. You can also try a small amount of plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt). Salt can aid healing and acts as a general tonic. Use 1/2-1 teaspoon per gallon of water. Driftwood or Indian Almond Leaf can also be used to condition water.

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My betta is floating, bloated, has black gills and fin rot. Help!

By your description, there may be seversl issues here. Check the water chemistry and quality. Use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. Ideally, you want the following parameters: 0 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm nitrites, 20 ppm or less nitrates, pH around 7, water temperature between 78 F and 80 F. Perform partial water changes to stabilize chemistry and/or to improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. Decrease the water level to make it easier for your fish to surface. Fast him for 2-3 days then feed bits of cooked and shelled green peas until swimming and defecation are normal. If he remains bloated, prepare a bowl of water at the proper temperature and dissolve 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt for each gallon. Allow for a 15-30 minute swim once or twice daily. In the main tank, use an antibiotic, such ad Kanaplex or Maracyn, to treat infection/fin rot. A conditioner such as StressCoat can also help fins. These products can be found in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

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