If your Betta fish is not eating or moving at all, you may be wondering what is wrong. This is an understandable concern. A Betta is very responsive to interaction, so it is easy to worry if he is not responding to you. But it does not mean that your fish is in danger. In fact, Bettas are actually much better at sleeping than you think.
Contents
Dropsy
A Dropsy betta fish is a sign that it is suffering from the disease. The disease is often caused by aggressive tank mates, poor nutrition, and long-term transport. This disease can be reversed with treatment, but treatment may take days or even weeks.
Dropsy can cause your betta to lose appetite and barely move. It can also cause its scales to flare out. You can recognize a dropsy betta by looking down at its body from above. The scales will be protruding in the sideways direction, giving your betta a pinecone appearance. Other signs include a lowered appetite and color loss. To treat dropsy, change the water in its tank regularly. Make sure the water temperature is 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, use an air stone to oxygenate the water in the tank.
Fortunately, Dropsy in betta fish is not contagious. It usually occurs when a fish is exposed to poor water conditions. Water that contains a high concentration of ammonia is often the cause.
Lack of appetite
Lack of appetite in betta fish is a common problem that can be caused by a number of things. Firstly, your betta may have poor water quality. A lack of PH in the water can lead to a lack of appetite. Secondly, your betta’s body may be rejecting the food that you’re feeding it. A simple water change should fix the problem.
Another cause of lack of appetite in betta fish is disease. Many diseases can affect bettas. If your betta shows symptoms of white patches on its body, it could be suffering from a fungal infection. Moreover, if its fins or tail are rotting, it may have tail rot.
If your betta fish does not eat, the first thing to do is check the food it is eating. If the fish is hungry, it will move around less than when it is not. If it is still moving around, it might be a sign that it’s ill.
Stress
If you notice that your betta fish don’t eat and barely move, there’s a high probability that they’re under stress. This could be due to poor water quality or a lack of nutrition. In such cases, you should feed them frequently and try to keep them comfortable in their new home. However, you should not give up just yet. It is important to feed your betta fish regularly in order to help them adjust to their new environment. In addition to food, they need water changes weekly or monthly to avoid the buildup of waste in their tanks.
When you notice your betta fish isn’t eating, it’s important to take action. If it’s been a while since it ate, try giving it some time to get used to the food and its water. Overfeeding can also cause stress.
High ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels can poison your betta
If your betta fish is losing appetite, you may want to look for underlying causes. It may be due to depression or stress. It could also be due to a variety of conditions including constipation and swim bladder disease. Ammonia poisoning can also lead to lethargy.
When high levels of these three compounds are present in your betta’s water, your fish may show signs of illness. It will lose appetite, appear lethargy, lie on the substrate, and eventually curl inward. You may also notice that the color of its fins changes. They may appear purple or red and be bleeding.
In such cases, the best solution is a 50% water change. This process may need to be repeated every few days until the ammonia level is zero. Aside from changing the water, you should also ensure that the temperature is the same as before and limit the amount of food fed to your betta.
