Does your Betta play dead?

[PetLover]

Johnny Five is freaking me out. I checked on my two boys at home as soon as I got home from work last night just like always. Everything seemed fine, they came to greet me smiling and waving

Later in the evening I passed by their tanks and Johnny Five was laying on his side at the top of the tank supported by a silk plant. The way he looked I was sure he was dead so I turned out his light. I wasn't ready to remove him from the tank. I was still trying to figure out what went wrong. I turned my back and when I looked at the tank again there he was swimming around. When I went in to "put the boys to bed" by turning off their lights I noticed that Johnny Five was "napping" on the plant again.

This morning everyone was swimming and happy. I fed them like normal and Johnny Five ate just fine. I went home for lunch today and he was "napping" again. I mean he really looks dead when he does this. I took the lid off the tank and was just about to touch him when he jumped up and started swimming again.

Other than that he seems to be fine. His color is good and he's eating. I'm planning on changing his water tonight just in case it's something in the tank.

Has anyone had a betta that's done this?

Is Johnny Five sick and I'm missing something?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Dawn

[Jenny]

Many of our bettas do this when they are sleeping. It can be scary but is really nothing to worry about. Some just sleep sounder than others. Just last night my boyfriend saw my female asleep on a plant partway out of the water and went to tell me that she had died. Then when he went to look closer he startled her and she darted around the tank for awhile, then went back to sleep.

[PetLover]

Thanks for the quick reply

I forgot to mention that his head was out of the water too.

I'm glad to know that some bettas do this. Just thought it was strange. I've had him for 1 1/2 months and it's the first time I'd seen him do that.

Guess he's getting comfy in his home

Thanks again.

Hugs,
Dawn

[ACKislander]

you probably already know that bettas need to breath from the atmosphere which is why they often take trips to the surface. (but if not, then now it's said.)

Tall plants are great because they give Betta a chance to rest near the top. It's common for them to leave all the work up to the plant. They just sit there and come up for air when they need to. I've never had mine keep his head out of the water, but it might just be because of the way your plant sits in the tank.

Betta should be pretty active though. If you find that he's lethargic and resting a lot, it may be signs of another problem. Just keep an eye on him.

[PetLover]

I cleaned Johnny Five's tank last night and he seems to be fine :) The plant didn't go back in the tank quite the same way so it will be a while before he figures out how to do it again.

It was funny to watch him head right to the area the plant was and then come to the front of the tank and look at me. Like he was asking me where his flower went :P

Thanks for the replies. This is Johnny Five napping :)

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Hugs,
Dawn#nosmileys#nosmileys#nosmileys