water temperature is key. BPs can hold their breath under water, they can dive, and believe it or not, they are excellent swimmers. they swim much faster than they can move on land. but the right temperature for them will feel rather cold to you, and when the water is too warm they panic. if you have one of these infrared temp guns, just measure the water bowl and aim for that temperature, or maybe a little bit warmer.

i agree with JLC but i disagree with FireStorm. africa import hatchlings get stored in water-filled tubs, often for days, before they get shipped, and that water is deep. its not unlikely that your ghana ball, as a hatchling, has been swimming for 4 days before you got it. what causes people to panic is that when they did their breathing, they may submerge themselves and may stay at the bottom for periods of time that seem utterly impossible for a human.

another legitimate reason you hopefully never come across: to drown mites. and yes, make sure the water is clean and pure.

does anyone have the picture of the BP hiding in a fish bowl? ive seen it once, and whenever i see a thread like this i regret not saving it. its a BP that escaped, hiding submerged at the bottom of a fish bowl, watching a goldfish from below.