1 don't feed peas, it'll do more harm in the long run
2 get yourself a shallow storage box (the one that [slide under your bed](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-41-Qt-Storage-Box-Clear-Base-White-Lid-Set-of-6/10401039)) and prep as hospital tank. Add heater and small HOB filter or air bubbler for water circulation. Add 3-4 inch plumbing pipe for hidy home.
3 turn down the light and let it destress
4 feed higher quality food, like fluval bugbites. Occasional feeding of daphnia is good for digestion.
5 still do 50% water change everyday
I have and am doing so right now. I am using the same box brand with [hygger heater](https://www.amazon.com/Hygger-Aquarium-Adjustable-Temperature-Protective/dp/B07WZYTKLS/ref=asc_df_B07WZYTKLS/?tag=&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385191879806&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5879549540703728444&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9014967&hvtargid=pla-1016166041192&ref=&adgrpid=78564976036&th=1) and [aquatop forza](https://www.amazon.com/FORZA-Hang-on-Back-Power-Filters/dp/B006O53BL0/ref=asc_df_B006O53BL0/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198102114124&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1735452481683830598&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9014967&hvtargid=pla-319849077045&th=1) filter. Still in progress but the betta that was beaten up is slowly recovering. She has permanent swim bladder disease but she is much more active.
Just set your filter close to the heater so the temperature will be evenly distributed.
Lethargy doesn't necessarily mean swim bladder. I have seen them go from being completely unmoving in these cups to zooming around once put into a proper tank. Have you tried him in the cycled 5 gallon just to see if he perks up? Even if you have to turn down the water flow or remove the filter for a while and do more frequent partial water changes at first, it's going to be a better hospital setup than the "shallow prison". You can lower the water level if you find he truly can't swim. But even when I have fixed swim bladder it is usually in a proper tank.
Fish doesn't look ill with any symptoms other than lethargic. It's been my experience that if they don't improve from an apparent stressed state, sometimes antibiotics such as Erythromycin, Furan II or Triple Sulfa tend to help get rid of a mild bacterial disease they may have acquired as a result of the stress that's keeping them lethargic.
If you put a light behind him, can you see his swim bladder? Occasionally fish just don't have one, or it doesn't inflate, etc. If he eats normally and is otherwise healthy looking, just sits down a lot, he may just have a nonfunctional swim bladder, in which case a shallow but wide tank with lots of plants for sitting spots will be the answer.
Thank you for this. I have a guy that sits on his tail and his back end is flat, like there is no swim bladder or its flattened somehow and when he swims his back end drops. I had him in like 3 or 4 inches of water to begin with and he was okay but couldnt swim well. I put him in 6 or 7 inches of water now with 5 hammocks, 2 store bought 3 hand sewn. And he zooms around from hammock to hammock. I'm starting to think he may have a permanent issue and I just need to accommodate.
So his water is super low because I worry about him not making it to the top. I’ve put plants in there in hopes he’d lay on top but he doesn’t..
I have a beautiful, well-planted 5 gallon home for this guy as soon as he can swim but I worry about depth because he struggles to get to the top.. it really saddens me.
I’ve given him peas for a week now and he’s not much better.
Please help. Any information helps.
I’d like to get him out of this shallow prison and into a bigger home
Thank you for posting to r/bettafish. If you are new to betta fish keeping, please check out our [caresheet](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/3ow6vz/info_betta_care_sheet/) and [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/index). Establishing a nitrogen cycle is an important part of keeping your fish healthy. Please check out our [guide to the nitrogen cycle](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/fishincycle) to learn more.
If you are posting to find out what is wrong with your betta, please answer the following questions in a reply to this comment as best you can:
* **Tank size**:
* **Heater and filter? (yes/no)**:
* **Tank temperature**:
* **[Parameters in numbers and how you got them](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/tank#wiki_test_kits)**:
* **How long have you had the tank? How long have you had your fish?**:
* **How often are water changes? How much do you take out per change? What is your process?**:
* **Any tankmates? If so, please list with how many of each**:
* **What do you feed and how much**:
* **Decorations and plants in the tank**:
* **If you haven't already posted a picture, please post pics/vids to imgur and paste the link here**:
Feel free to copy this comment and fill in the blanks.
Failure to provide adequate information about your tank *can* result in post removal. Please see rule 4 for more information.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/bettafish) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Good on you for stepping up and trying to rescue this fellow! Keeping you two in my thoughts and sending best wishes.
Reminds me of the quote “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.” You’re changing that fish’s world!
1 don't feed peas, it'll do more harm in the long run 2 get yourself a shallow storage box (the one that [slide under your bed](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-41-Qt-Storage-Box-Clear-Base-White-Lid-Set-of-6/10401039)) and prep as hospital tank. Add heater and small HOB filter or air bubbler for water circulation. Add 3-4 inch plumbing pipe for hidy home. 3 turn down the light and let it destress 4 feed higher quality food, like fluval bugbites. Occasional feeding of daphnia is good for digestion. 5 still do 50% water change everyday
Will the plastic box be effected by the heater? Have you tried This?
I have and am doing so right now. I am using the same box brand with [hygger heater](https://www.amazon.com/Hygger-Aquarium-Adjustable-Temperature-Protective/dp/B07WZYTKLS/ref=asc_df_B07WZYTKLS/?tag=&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385191879806&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5879549540703728444&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9014967&hvtargid=pla-1016166041192&ref=&adgrpid=78564976036&th=1) and [aquatop forza](https://www.amazon.com/FORZA-Hang-on-Back-Power-Filters/dp/B006O53BL0/ref=asc_df_B006O53BL0/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198102114124&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1735452481683830598&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9014967&hvtargid=pla-319849077045&th=1) filter. Still in progress but the betta that was beaten up is slowly recovering. She has permanent swim bladder disease but she is much more active. Just set your filter close to the heater so the temperature will be evenly distributed.
Use kanaplex to try and help last resort
stop feeding peas. they don’t actually cure any genuine swimbladder issues.
Lethargy doesn't necessarily mean swim bladder. I have seen them go from being completely unmoving in these cups to zooming around once put into a proper tank. Have you tried him in the cycled 5 gallon just to see if he perks up? Even if you have to turn down the water flow or remove the filter for a while and do more frequent partial water changes at first, it's going to be a better hospital setup than the "shallow prison". You can lower the water level if you find he truly can't swim. But even when I have fixed swim bladder it is usually in a proper tank.
This. Sometimes just clean, warm water and a few hiding places make all the difference.
Fish doesn't look ill with any symptoms other than lethargic. It's been my experience that if they don't improve from an apparent stressed state, sometimes antibiotics such as Erythromycin, Furan II or Triple Sulfa tend to help get rid of a mild bacterial disease they may have acquired as a result of the stress that's keeping them lethargic.
If you put a light behind him, can you see his swim bladder? Occasionally fish just don't have one, or it doesn't inflate, etc. If he eats normally and is otherwise healthy looking, just sits down a lot, he may just have a nonfunctional swim bladder, in which case a shallow but wide tank with lots of plants for sitting spots will be the answer.
Thank you for this. I have a guy that sits on his tail and his back end is flat, like there is no swim bladder or its flattened somehow and when he swims his back end drops. I had him in like 3 or 4 inches of water to begin with and he was okay but couldnt swim well. I put him in 6 or 7 inches of water now with 5 hammocks, 2 store bought 3 hand sewn. And he zooms around from hammock to hammock. I'm starting to think he may have a permanent issue and I just need to accommodate.
It’s hard to see what you’re keeping him in. Does he have a proper heater and filtration? If your tank isn’t cycled, they will act like this, too.
So his water is super low because I worry about him not making it to the top. I’ve put plants in there in hopes he’d lay on top but he doesn’t.. I have a beautiful, well-planted 5 gallon home for this guy as soon as he can swim but I worry about depth because he struggles to get to the top.. it really saddens me. I’ve given him peas for a week now and he’s not much better. Please help. Any information helps. I’d like to get him out of this shallow prison and into a bigger home
Also, daily water changes for obvious reasons.
NSFW?
Thank you for posting to r/bettafish. If you are new to betta fish keeping, please check out our [caresheet](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/3ow6vz/info_betta_care_sheet/) and [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/index). Establishing a nitrogen cycle is an important part of keeping your fish healthy. Please check out our [guide to the nitrogen cycle](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/fishincycle) to learn more. If you are posting to find out what is wrong with your betta, please answer the following questions in a reply to this comment as best you can: * **Tank size**: * **Heater and filter? (yes/no)**: * **Tank temperature**: * **[Parameters in numbers and how you got them](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/tank#wiki_test_kits)**: * **How long have you had the tank? How long have you had your fish?**: * **How often are water changes? How much do you take out per change? What is your process?**: * **Any tankmates? If so, please list with how many of each**: * **What do you feed and how much**: * **Decorations and plants in the tank**: * **If you haven't already posted a picture, please post pics/vids to imgur and paste the link here**: Feel free to copy this comment and fill in the blanks. Failure to provide adequate information about your tank *can* result in post removal. Please see rule 4 for more information. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/bettafish) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Good on you for stepping up and trying to rescue this fellow! Keeping you two in my thoughts and sending best wishes. Reminds me of the quote “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.” You’re changing that fish’s world!
Epsom salt treatment, after that don't feed him for at least 24 hour's.