Something wrong with my Betta

[RobiLee]

I have lost two of my Betta boys and now just have my original one, Homer. Homer has always been very active and happy. Lately I have noticed that he seems to be swimming kind of funny. Kind of on his side. He mostly just lays along one of the plant leaves in his tank now. He seems to be eating just fine. I keep wondering if something has happened to one of his fins. I swear something looks different about the top one. I keep wondering if when I removed him from his tank to clean it up if I maybe damaged his fin some how. I hate that I am probably going to lose another fish. I don't think I'll be getting any more. I'm just not good with them. :(

[Roxyluvsme13]

Ohhh! Swimming on the side..umm..I know what that is...I just can't think of it..Hold On I'll look it up.
It sounds a teeny bit like swim bladder?? I'm no betta expert, so don't take my word for it :p.
DISEASE: SWIM BLADDER DISORDER
uGENERAL INFO:

This is also a common betta problem. It is not contagious. It comes from overfeeding. It is especially common in very young bettas (30 to 60 days old) and can affect some Double Tail bettas when overfed or stressed..

uSYMPTOMS:
Bettas with a swim bladder disorder will have difficulty swimming, because their swim bladder (located alongside the spine between the belly and the tail) is either too short (causing them to not be able to swim horizontally) or it is swollen (causing them to float on one side). Double Tail bettas, because they have a shorter body, are especially prone to the “floaters” problem. In the case of a short swim bladder, the bettas will not be able to maneuver and swimming becomes so difficult, they prefer to just lay at the bottom, sliding on their bellies, which is why they are called “belly sliders”. And they do look like a pathetic bunch, at that point. :)

uTREATMENT:
Bettas may recover on their own, but since overfeeding induces swimbladder disorders in most cases, the first thing to do is feed a lot less. Brine shrimp and too much of it is the biggest culprit, so if your bettas are bellysliding, stop the brine shrimp for a while and thereafter learn to have a more balanced diet, alternating brine shrimp with microworms or worms (depending on how old your bettas are). Do not kill a betta with a swimbladder disorder. It may recover on its own at any time, and is not suffering. Further more, the ailment is NOT contagious. To help the fish if it cannot eat, lower the water level. Adding some BettaZing to the water for a few weeks may not hurt either ;).

[binka_nugget]

Sounds like it might be swim bladder.. here's a site with lots of info on it: http://bettas.fishjunkies.com/Disorders/sbd.php

[cloverfdx]

How is he doing Robin? poor little man.

[lute]

poor thing! :( the swim bladder disorder sounds like what yer lil guy has.

[IRescue452]

How's the nitrites in the water? It could be nitrite poisoning.

[flamepony12]

Aww. It sure does sound like SBD. How is he today? :(