hi! my 20 gallon freshwater tank FINALLY cycled. i reluctantly put in my BETTA and he seems to be fine, EXCEPT?

They sell betta hammocks or suggest you get broadleafed plants for bettas to lounge on. Maybe its worth a try

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ExXIvjjkPM

It is gonna take him time to build some muscle mass, develope energy for swimming, get used to being in a heated tank. Get over being netted, "Did you add some stress coat product to replenish his slime coat?" He will be much better off just be patient, please do not keep any fish in a bowl!

I have loaches and they sleep ontheir sides and stuff like that all the time, It took me years to get used to seeing them sleeping on their sides on the gravel, half upside down in plants, or just sitting motionless on the slate rocks. And no their mouths and gills dont move, they still trick me somtimes, It takes getting used too, but its best not to startle fish awake.

I would put him back in a small bowl. Betraying fish have to swim to the top of the tank every so often for air and it could be taking quite a bit of work for him to swim all that way up. In the wild they stay in shalow water. That's y all of the betta fish tanks aren't very deep. I had a betta fish that I put in a 15 gallon tank and he ended up dying after about a week. I just keep mine by themselves in a smaller bowl and they are happy and healthy.

He's just stressed out from such a big move. Especially from a bowl to tank that large. Don't bother him or you'll stress him out even more. He'll come around in a week or two. Don't put him back in the bowl either.

No, as quickly as you place him in a house pass away him there. do not shop moving him around. i've got on no account in my view had a betta fish myself yet i've got heard an excellent form of circumstances that while they are new in a house they are sluggish and oftentimes do not eat. supply up dropping food in considering you will pollute your water, supply him a pair of days to settle in and he would be high quality. do not pass him into his bowl some circumstances a week, it relatively is totally annoying for fish.

I don't see how he can play dead.

You can always see fish breathing.

They open and close their mouths.

Their gills flap open and close.

He's confused by the new apartment. Give him up to 1 week to get use to it.

Its just stress from moving tanks