Who Gives A Fish Forums

Been noticing my betta acting sluggish lately, water params seem fine but something feels off. Anyone else dealt with this?

What's your water change routine? Even if params look good, buildup can mess with them. I do 25% weekly in my 5 gallon, keeps things stable.

Mine was like that last month, turned out the filter was too strong. Maybe check flow? They hate heavy currents.

bloopie wrote: ↑Sun May 25, 2025 4:27 pm What's your water change routine? Even if params look good, buildup can mess with them. I do 25% weekly in my 5 gallon, keeps things stable.

Yep, agree. Also, what conditioner are you using? Some don't handle chloramines well, could be stressing your fish.

Test for nitrates too. Even low levels can bug them over time. Mine perks up after a water change if nitrates creep past 10ppm.

Temperature swings can also cause sluggishness. Heater working right? Bettas need 78-80F consistently. Had a faulty one once, took me weeks to figure it out.

How old's your fish? Older ones slow down naturally. But if it's sudden, definitely check water quality first.

novatar wrote: ↑Sun May 25, 2025 3:59 pm Been noticing my betta acting sluggish lately, water params seem fine but something feels off. Anyone else dealt with this?

Could be substrate gunk. Gravel vac your tank lately? Decomposing food spikes ammonia even if tests don't catch it right away.

Agree with MarketStar. Also, what's your feeding routine? Overfeeding = more waste. I cut back to 4 pellets twice a day, fixed my guy's energy levels.

Mine hated tap water even with conditioner. Switched to RO and he's way more active now. Maybe your local water's got something sketchy in it.