BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Fish HELP! what is wrong with my betta?

Ok, I have 2 betta fish, the second one i bought I put into a larger bowl last night. The water was treated, had set and was the same temp as his other bowl. At first, he seemed to really like his surroundings, swimming around and interacting with things. But totday, he is really acting weird. He seems to be either trying to escape or commit suicide. I don't know. He keeps pecking at the edges of his tank and sometimes he slams into the rocks or statue that is in with him. He does this every few minutes. Right before he slams into something he starts swimming around in a zig zag motion.
What do i do? I don't want him to hurt himself!

update, I did a 30% water change and he seemed to calm down...
I'm still watching him closely...
If it was the water, what could have caused that? I treated the water the same as in the other bettas tank and the other one wasn't acting like that.

sounds like something got in the water somehow. you mentioned you put him in a bigger bowl, i assume you had new decorations and gravel...were these rinsed very well? there can sometimes be residues on decorations, for example someone puts on lotion as they're walking into the store, then picks up the decoration to admire it, and puts it back down. also, this is very basic and im sure you know it, but i will say it anyway, lol. NEVER EVER EVER under ANY circumstances use soap on anything you put in the tank or use to clean it. it's very hard to get all the soap out or off and it can cause them sever burns. hope your fish keeps doing better. also, just fyi, a 2.5 gallon tank is big enough for a heater and a filter, both of which bettas benefit from. if your bowl is big enough, i can give suggestions for both. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

He is still doing it once in a while...
I don't know what to do.
Yes I washed everything very well.
I"m going to upgrade to larger tanks for both of them, but for now, i think they are in a one gallon, or slightly less.
Another thing I noticed is that, in his other tank, there were no decorations other than gravel and he basically occupied himself with making a bubble nest.
Now in his other tank, there is No bubble nest making, and he just swins around and occasionally knocks into the ground...

operastarlet,

How is your Betta doing? Have you tested for ammonia? With such a small tank, rotten food and waste can cause ammonia levels to rise quickly.

Our Betta was zig zagging around and bumping into things as well. He was in a small tank then (not quite 2 gal's).

Do you notice a BAD smell to the water or ornaments when you change the water? We did. We're pretty sure it was ammonia. We fried his fins <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> and, like I said, he zig zagged and swam crazily around when he did move which wasn't often at all. Mostly he just sat at the surface of the water barely moving and not making bubbles.

The 'knocking into the ground' thing you mentioned...is he still doing that?

Our Betta is doing much better now. Hope yours is.

This Betta seems to be doing well. I am thinking he either catches his reflection or just likes zigging around. everything in the water is fine. tested and all is good.
He started on a new bubble nest, which he must only work on when i'm not here because its gets bigger whenever i get back from work...
Anyway, he is doing well and I've named him "Ziggy" in honor of his penchant for zig zag swimming patterns.

Aww, I'm happy Ziggy has improved! Making a bubblenest is great sign. Cute name...earned, indeed <g>

((operastarlet))