# Fish having trouble swimming



## GypsyV (Nov 28, 2010)

Hello, I got a male betta at petsmart about a week ago. I noticed he stayed at the top of the cup,with his back fin touching the surface, I thought maybe it was because the cup is small. Now he is in his vase and still stays at the top. When he tries to swim to the bottom he looks like he is struggling. He swims around for a few seconds and then stops swimming and just floats back to the top.
Could it be a swim bladder issue, gas, or maybe his muscles aren't devolped enough to swim properly from being in the cup so long?

Thanks


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## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

This is very common behavior with Male Bettas. I have one in my 55G and one in my 20G tanks. They always stay at the top where the floating plants are. Male Bettas have a hard time swimiing because they have such long fins. Guess who bred these long fins into them? Females do a lot better at swiming and will usually explore their tank more.

Happy New Year!


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## GypsyV (Nov 28, 2010)

As he swims more will he get better? He does have interesting fins, my sister looks at all kinds of betta breed pics and said she hadn't seen fins like his, they are kinda curly. I will post a pic of him tomorrow when I have better lighting.

Thanks and Happy New Year


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Can you get a picture of him?It sounds like swimbladder issues to me.Does he look bloated?What size tank is he in,is it heated,filtered?What do you feed him,how much and how often?


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## inkmaker (Jun 10, 2009)

GypsyV said:


> Hello, I got a male betta at petsmart about a week ago. I noticed he stayed at the top of the cup,with his back fin touching the surface, I thought maybe it was because the cup is small. Now he is in his vase and still stays at the top. When he tries to swim to the bottom he looks like he is struggling. He swims around for a few seconds and then stops swimming and just floats back to the top.
> Could it be a swim bladder issue, gas, or maybe his muscles aren't devolped enough to swim properly from being in the cup so long?
> 
> Thanks


Take the fish back. It's got a swim bladder problem and you don't need to be stuck with the time and expense of trying to cure. it.


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## GypsyV (Nov 28, 2010)

He is in a betta vase, so I guess its 1 gallon. Its not heated or filtered except for the bamboo I put in there. I know they should have heated and filtered water. I just moved him from the cup to this yesterday. He swims fine on the surface and he's swimming around more today. He's not bloated. I feed him about 5 pellets every other day, is this to much or to little? He also displays and gets frisky and swims all the way from top to bottom when the female is where he can see her. He is also making bubbles.

close up pic


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## GypsyV (Nov 28, 2010)

Update, he is swimming aound all through the tank top and bottom now. He much more active than he was. I am thinking he had just been in that tiny cup to long.


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