Why is my fish floating on its side and struggling to swim?

This is a classic sign of swim bladder disorder. Check water quality and chemistry. 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 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less. pH should hover around 7 and water temp should range between 65 F and 72F. Perform a partial water change is necessary to stabilize chemistry and improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Pristine water quality is the foundation for recovery and healing. Next, fast her for 3 days. Resume feeding bits of cooked, shelled green peas until she is swimming and defecating normally. You can fast her one day a week in the future and offer green peas to maintain regularity. If symptoms persist, consider a broad spectrum dewormer and a broad spectrum antibiotic. You can find both in the aquarium section at Petco. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment in indicated.

If you are feeding flakes, the fish may be swallowing air while feeding. This may account for the signs you are seeing. After a period of time, the fish may expel the air and right themselves. Try feeding a pelleted or stick diet that sinks to prevent gulping air at mealtimes.

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.

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.

Check the water chemistry and quality. You can 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 20ppm or less. Elevated ammonia or nitrite levels can be toxic and could drive the fish to the surface. Water that is too warm may also do the same since it holds less dissolved oxygen. This can happen if water temp is above 82 F. Perform a partial water change, if necessary, to stabilize chemistry and/or to improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. To treat the swim bladder issue, fast her for 3 days, then feed bits of cooked and shelled green peas until swimming and defecation are normal. Constipation is a common cause of swim bladder disease. You can also consider a broad spectrum dewormer since parasites may also be the cause. Find one in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

Thanks for reaching out about Elliot and including photos. Concerns would include over-inflation of the swim bladder, causing positive buoyancy. This is possibly caused by an infection of the physostomatic duct which connects the swim bladder to the intestinal tract. If that duct is blocked, air can not escape the swim bladder and becomes over distended, thereby floating more. Antibiotics are needed to treat, and a veterinary visit is recommended. good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Wolfy. Floating upside down is a serious concern, possibly involving the swim bladder or intestinal tract. Typically additives to the water are not absorbed systemically but the salt might help decrease osmotic imbalances in the body. A radiograph could help determine if fluid is filling the swim bladder, and then systemic antibiotics could be administered, probably vi injections. Good luck.