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

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Fish | Betta | Male

My fish is laying on his side at the bottom of aquarium from 2 days, finding difficult to swim and rolling upside down in aquarium... Am unable to understand this strange behavior.... What is the necessary action to be taken to make him normal....

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on November 3rd, 2019

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.

4Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Published on December 30th, 2016
It is possible papyrus is experiencing swim bladder issues. Swim bladder disease is commonly caused by poor water quality, overfeeding or bacterial infection. Submit a water sample for testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or a nominal fee. Correct any imbalances. Do a 3/4 water change and change the filter media if you use a filter. Fast Papyrus for 2 days then resume feeding fresh, shelled green peas. Mash them and feed bits by hand. The peas can help if he is constipated which, in turn, can affect the swim bladder. A broad spectrum antibiotic can be added to the tank if the previous steps do not work. Tetratcycline can be used to treat most infections in Bettas. You can buy it at most pet stores in the aquatics section. Use according to label directions. Pick up some BettaFix as well.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Published on November 4th, 2019
Maintain pristine water quality via filtration and regular partial water changes. Water temp should range between 78 F and 80 F. Fast him for 3 days, then resume feeding bits of cooked and shelled green peas until swimming and defecation are normal. An all in one product to treat illness can be used if the fasting and green peas have no effect. Find one, such as LifeGuard by Tetra, in the aquarium section of the local Petco.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Published on October 28th, 2018
It may have swim bladder issues. The swim bladder is crucial to maintain buoyancy. It can be affected by parasites, infection or constipation.
Confirm proper water quality and chemistry. You may need to perform partial water changes to stabilize chemistry and/or to improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock.
You can fast the fish for 2-3 days, then resume feeding bits of cooked and shelled green peas. This will aid in relieving constipation. A broad spectrum dewormer can be found in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully. If either do not help, you can try a broad spectrum antibiotic to treat infection.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

Food & Nutrition

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My betta fish has swim bladder. What's the best way to treat it?

Swim bladder issues can be caused by bacterial infection or constipation. These reasons can be compounded by poor water quality. Use a home test kit or submit a sample of water for testing to confirm 0ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less. Most pet stores will do this for free or for a small fee. Partial water changes can be done to stabilize chemistry and maintain or improve water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Bettas do best between 78F and 80F. Once you have pristine water quality, fast him for 3 days. Resume feeding bits of cooked and shelled green peas until defecation and swimming are normal again. If this doesn't help, consider a broad spectrum antibiotic. You can find one in the aquarium section of the local pet store. Look for Furan, Maracyn 1 and 2 or Kanaplex. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

Why is my fish upside down and bloated? Is it swim bladder disease?

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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

Recheck water chemistry to confirm 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less. A pH of 7 is fine and they can adjust to more acidic water as long as the change is gradual. Temperature should range between 78 F and 80 F. Plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt or epsom salt) can be used as a general tonic to reduce stress, improve 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. Perform partial water changes every couple of days to maintain water quality. Treat only the volume of water being replaced. Treat with aquarium salt for no more than 14 days then reassess the condition. An antibiotic, such as kanamycin or erythromycin, can be found in the aquarium section of the local Petco if the salt treatment doesn't help. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why are my fish floating up and have red rashes? Are they sick?

Check water quality using a home test kit if you have one. If not, bring a water sample to the local pet or fish store. Either may test water for free or for a nominal fee. Confirm 0 ppm (parts per million) ammonia and nitrites. Nitrates should be 40 ppm or less. Partial water changes using aged or conditioned water can be done to improve water quality. Many times poor water quality can lead to stress or infection. The symptoms described may point to swim bladder disease. This can be caused by infection, constipation, stress or parasites. The red rash may indicate infection. Fast your fish for 3 days then offer bits of cooked, shelled green peas until they are swimming and defecating normally. A product such as Maracyn or Kanaplex may treat infection. You can purchase either (or generic antibiotics such as tetracycline amoxicillin or erythromycin) in the aquarium section of the local pet or fish store. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert if indicated during treatment. Make sure water temperature is between 78 F and 80 F, this is the optimal range for bettas.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

Why is my betta fish at the bottom, barely moving, and breathing hard?

The first thing that needs to be done is a water quality analysis. If you don't have a test kit, most pet stores sell a basic test kit that measures pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. If any of those are amiss, correct that problem. Laying on the bottom of the tank is often a sign of swim bladder disease. This could be an infection, fluid accumulation or a mass pressing on the swim bladder. All of these create a situation where the swim bladder can not contain air, that allows them to control their buoyancy in the water column. The best treatment for this is seek assistance at a veterinary clinic with experience with fish, and have systemic antibiotics prescribed. A radiographs would be helpful in diagnosis. A good fish veterinarian would probably be able to aspirate the swim bladder and collect a sample for diagnosis. The majority of antibiotics available for fish over-the-counter are not good for internal infections and could possibly make things worse. Good luck.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

Why is my Betta fish lying on its side, has foggy eyes, and can't swim?

He is "old" for a Betta. Check the water chemistry and temperature. 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. Perform partial water changes to stabilize chemistry and/or to improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Bettas do best between 78 F and 80 F. The cloudy eyes may be due to infection. Maintaining pristine water quality will help, but you may need a broad spectrum antibiotic as well. Look in the aquarium section of the local Petco for medication. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated. Even with treatment, there may be permanent damage to the eyes if the condition has been chronic. The "laying down" is sometimes seen even in healthy fish. They may choose to lay on gravel or the broad leaf of a plant. It may also indicate infection or injury though. If hebisbhavibg difficulty reaching the surface, decrease the water level to make it easier. Bettas need to surface occasionally to get some air.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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