a vet answered
Betta fish floating on his side for five days after a full round of treatment, water tests normal
What they asked
I have a beta fish floating on his side for the past 5 days, I have been fasting him and has had his full round of api fin and body cure. All water perimeter are normal and he is getting 25% water changes every day in his 1 gallon hospital tank
Sorry to hear about your betta. The timeline and curved appearance of the fish is very concerning. I would provide any food and see if there is an appetite. Was the curved or scrunched appearance there before 5 days ago? This likely requires a vet evaluation and prescription medication.
Have a question about your own pet?
Ask Dylan a questionAnswered from your description alone, without examining your pet. That makes this general information, not a diagnosis, treatment plan, or prescription, and it is not intended to establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. There is only so much anyone can tell from a message. For guidance specific to your pet, book an appointment so a vet can examine them properly.
Veterinarians on PawsRx are independent professionals, not PawsRx employees. Each is solely responsible for their own advice and clinical decisions. PawsRx does not review, endorse, recommend, or guarantee anything a vet or any other user posts, and does not practice veterinary medicine.
If you want your pet seen in person
Clinics near you
Enter your ZIP. Send a clinic a request and they confirm a time with you.
Listings, not recommendations.
- Pet mouse making little beeping sounds for half an hour, like he's struggling to breathe: what should I do?
- Hermann's tortoise with pink tissue coming out of the cloaca that goes back in: normal, or a prolapse?
- Veiled chameleon's eye closed with a swollen bump above it: could it be an abscess?
- Male guinea pig with poop stuck around his bottom, sore when cleaned and not himself: what should I do?
- Green-cheek conure's eyes watering for two months with swollen eye rings: sinusitis or vitamin A deficiency?
- Five-year-old female guinea pig's private area swollen with brown crusty buildup: what should I do?
- Pet mouse breathing fast with clicking and wheezing sounds and sitting still: how urgent is it?
- Female betta's belly swelling for a year, now faster, with scales starting to stick out: dropsy or a mass?
Verified means we confirmed a veterinary license exists and is active in the state shown. It is not a review of anyone's skill, judgment, or disciplinary record, and it is not an endorsement or recommendation by PawsRx. In an emergency, contact an emergency clinic rather than waiting on an answer here. Have your own question? Ask a vet.