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My fish is not swimming and when he does swim he swims upside down. He seems to swim up then let his body swim down? im pretty sure he is going to die tomorrow he doesn't want to eat, he is not bloated he looks just the way I got him, healthy, he doesn't look happy. What wrong with him?

My fish is not swimming and when he does swim he swims upside down. He seems to swim up then let his body swim down? im pretty sure he is going to die tomorrow he doesn't want to eat, he is not bloated he looks just the way I got him, healthy, he doesn't look happy. What wrong with him?

Updated On November 10th, 2017

Pet's info: Fish | Unknown - Fish | Male | 7 months and 9 days old | 0.00440925 lbs

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Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

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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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