Betta fish are the most beautiful freshwater fish that every aquarist love to keep in their nano tank. They are hardy fish but require proper care to ensure their health and longevity.
Betta fish being inactive is a sign of something wrong with them. Therefore, it is necessary to find the exact reason behind betta fish behaviour and treat it at its early stages. So, Why is my betta fish not active? Let us find out.
The primary reason betta fish are inactive is poor water conditions and inadequate water parameters. Other causes include stress, illness, and improper feeding. Ensure stable water parameters, clean and toxic-free water conditions, and regular feeding to prevent such issues.
This article will discuss why my betta fish are inactive and how to prevent our betta fish from such issues. So, let us get into it.
Contents
My betta fish is not active.
There can be numerous reasons behind your betta fish being inactive, of which the primary reasons are poor water conditions and inadequate water parameters.
Poor water conditions and inadequate water parameters result in betta fish losing their appetite and becoming weak.
Weak betta fish will become prone to various diseases and parasites.
They will become sick and less interested in moving, being inactive.
You will usually find them at the bottom of the tank.
More reasons for your betta fish being inactive include inadequate feeding, stress, and a poorly set up tank.
What are the reasons behind my betta fish not active?
All these are the reasons behind your betta fish being inactive:
- Your betta fish is living in an inadequate water temperature.
- The water quality of your betta fish tank is poor.
- Your betta fish is not getting their food adequately.
- The tank setup of your betta fish is not proper.
- Your betta fish is suffering from illness.
- Old age is the factor.
Inadequate water temperature
Inadequate water temperature can make your betta fish inactive.
Too high or too low a water temperature will cause them to feel sluggish and lethargic.
Too warm water temperature lacks dissolved oxygen, which your betta fish require to breathe.
Lack of oxygen will make your betta fish stay at the bottom at one spot to preserve energy.
Cold water results in a dip in your betta fish metabolism.
They take more time to digest their food than regular, which makes them inactive and sluggish.
Poor water conditions
Contaminated water conditions will also make your betta fish inactive.
Dirty water will cause ammonia spikes and oxygen deficiency in the tank, making your betta fish suffer from issues like ammonia burns and gasping for air.
Sick betta will not be interested in moving much and will become inactive.
You must know that even a slight amount of ammonia and nitrite can harm your betta fish.
Inadequate feeding
Food plays a vital role in keeping your betta fish active and healthy.
When you feed your betta fish inadequately and with poor-quality food, they don’t get all the required nutrients for their growth and development.
Poor feeding will make your betta fish sick, and they will become inactive and prone to diseases.
Also read: Why Is My Betta Fish Not Eating?
Improper tank setup
Betta fish are freshwater fish and prefer to live in a tank full of live aquatic plants and hiding places.
If your betta tank is not having plenty of live plants, lightning, and hiding places, your betta fish can act lethargic.
Poor lighting can also make your betta fish asleep and inactive.
If your tank is poorly lighted, your betta fish will think it’s not daytime, fall asleep, and become inactive.
Illness
If your betta fish is always inactive, illness can be the reason behind such issues.
Poor water quality, inadequate water parameters, and lack of filtration and aeration can make your betta fish prone to numerous diseases and parasites.
Stress is also the primary cause of illness in your betta fish.
Sick betta fish will lose their appetite and become weak.
Weak fish will be inactive all the time.
Maintaining good water conditions and adequate water parameters will treat most of the issues.
Some illnesses will require medical attention, so find the issue your betta fish is going through and treat them accordingly.
Old age
Old age can also be the factor behind your betta fish being inactive.
If you have betta fish 2-3 years old, and you notice them being inactive and lazy, old age is the reason.
Check for water conditions and parameters; if everything is correct, old age is why your fish is inactive.
How to prevent such issues in my betta fish?
Ensure all these things to prevent your betta fish from such issues:
- Provide your betta fish with good water conditions
- Ensure adequate and stable water parameters of your betta fish tank.
- Provide your betta fish with a stress-free environment
- Feed your betta fish adequately with high-quality food.
- Keep your betta fish in a proper setup tank.
Good water conditions
Providing your betta fish with good water conditions will eliminate most of the causes behind their inactivity.
To ensure good water conditions, perform a weekly water change of at least 30% of your betta fish tank.
Make sure to treat the tap water when performing a water change with a water conditioner to dechlorinate it.
We recommend using the API water conditioner to treat the water.
The API water conditioner will help you eliminate chlorine, chloramine, nitrite, ammonia, and heavy metals from the water.Â
| Particular | Betta Fish Requirement |
|---|---|
| Water condition | Clean water condition |
| Ammonia | 0ppm |
| Nitrite | 0ppm |
| Nitrate | Between 10-20ppm. |
Regularly check ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate and maintain ammonia and nitrite at 0ppm, whereas nitrate should be below 20ppm.
We recommend using the API freshwater master kit to keep a check on the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH of your betta fish tank, as it shows accurate results.
Add a good filtration system with biofilter media to keep the water clean and protected from harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrite.
Adequate and stable water parameters
Adequate and stable water parameters will prevent your betta fish from such issues.
| Particular | Betta Fish Requirement |
|---|---|
| Water temperature | 75-80 °F |
| Water pH level | Between 6.5 and 8 |
| Water TDS level | 250-280 |
| Water hardness | 90-100ppm GH |
Maintain the water temperature between 75-80 °F.
Provide the water pH level between 6.5-8.
Ensure the water TDS level is between 250-280.
With adequate water parameters, it is also necessary to maintain a stable water temperature.
Consider adding a heater to your betta fish tank to ensure stable water temperature.
Also, add a digital thermometer to keep a regular check on the water temperature of your betta fish tank.
Provide stress-free environment
Stressed fish will become inactive and remain at the downside of the tank most of the time.
Providing your betta fish with a stress-free environment will prevent your betta fish with such issues.
Ensure good water conditions and adequate and stable water parameters, and avoid overcrowding and overfeeding your betta fish to prevent stress.
Consider keeping your betta fish in at least a 5-gallon tank instead of a bowl.
Feed adequately and high-quality food.
Food is vital in keeping your betta fish healthy and ensuring their longer lifespan.
Bettas are carnivore fish and require high protein meat-based food daily.
Feed your betta fish with betta pellets, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, bloodworms, and tubifex worms.
Bettas’ stomachs are the same as the size of their eyes, and they can’t eat much at a time.
Feed them 2-3 pellets at a time for 1-2 times a day to avoid overfeeding and ensure adequate feeding.
Also read: Can Betta Fish Eat Mosquito?
Proper setup tank
Providing your betta fish with a properly set tank will prevent lethargy and sluggishness.
Bettas are tropical freshwater fish and require a well-heated tank to thrive.
Keep them in a tank with plenty of live aquatic plants and hiding spots to mimic their natural habitat.
Also, the right amount of lighting is important to keep your betta fish active.
So, add artificial light to your betta’s tank and keep it on for at least 8-10 hours during the daytime.
Conclusion:
There are various reasons for your betta fish being inactive, of which the primary reasons are inadequate water parameters and poor water conditions.
Other reasons are stress, illness, old age, and poor feeding.
Providing your betta fish with good water conditions and adequate and stable water parameters will prevent them from such issues.
Add artificial light to your betta fish tank and keep it on for at least 8-10 hours to prevent sluggishness in your betta fish.
Keep a regular check on water conditions and ensure maintain ammonia and nitrite at 0 ppm, whereas nitrate should be below 20 ppm.
Reference: ResearchGate, Vetmed, Wikipedia