Changing color

[DracosMomma]

My new male betta of 3 days has changed color. He was a solid dark blue when I bought him, but now he has a really light blue body and fins and a dark reddish face. Is he sick? What should I do?

I should add that he ate his breakfast this morning and seems active (swimming around, doesn't seem lethargic).

Draco's Momma

[Meatpuppet]

bettas are know to change color like that. i myself had a betta i swore was solid blue like yours when i bought it, but started to get white/yellowish some months afterwards. maybe its like old people getting grey hair. I dont know. i think it is perflecly normal.

[1077]

what size of a tank do you have it in? how long has tank been up and running? what do your water tests indicate? what is temp. in your tank? Very little info. to go on .

[JMeenen]

I too have a color changing Betta..He was purple with white fins and now his body stayed the same but his fins are a pale red/pink color...? He seems happy because he's blowing bubbles.

[Dtld9]

Fish have a tendancy to change color under when they are stressed out, kinda like people get red in the face. It just may be that he is much happpier then when he was in his cup, but it could also be the other way around. Like 1077 said we would need to know some stuff to tell you which situation your in.

[DracosMomma]

I don't know the exact size of his tank, but I would guess it's about 1 gallon or so. Maybe 1.5. I don't know the water temperature, but he has no heater, so I'd guess it's too cool for him. The tank has been running for 3 days. He has an air flow, bubble-making thing, but no filter.

I know he doesn't have everything that he needs (I'm new at this), but I'm going to upgrade him to a bigger tank with a heater and filter hopefully tonight. I'm worried about stressing him out too much though, so I don't know if tonight is too soon. I just bought him and put him in the tank he's in now a few days ago.

[Meatpuppet]

thats great that your buying the proper betta equipment.
i wouldnt worry too much if he is acting happy/healthy
but it would of been better to have your tank cycled before throwing in the fish. make sure the new tank will get cycled

[DracosMomma]

What is "cycled" and how do I do that?

[Meatpuppet]

http://www.fishforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=3738
now cycling- you need time for your tank to acquire some beneficial bacteria, this takes a few weeks. if you are patient, then you will have a much smoother success and your fish will be healthier. rushing the process will kill your fish. there is a sticky on the forum about cycling methods. Basically, you need something to start the bacterial process. the ammonia levels will rise over a few days-week, then fall to zero. at the same time the nitrite level will rise, and then fall to zero.

you do need a Liquid test kit to test your water and know when cycling is done