I got my new betta! Is he healthy?

[banehardy5609]

Hey everyone,

I finally got my betta fish! He is a crowntail. :D I got him yesterday so I still haven't thought of a name, but I want to name him based off of his personality.

First of all, I just wanted to give a shoutout to user Teeneythebetta for all of her help, and I also want to thank anyone else who has answered my questions and helped me out. :)

My betta is really scared of me so I was hoping someone could give me tips on how to tame him.

I tried to give him the Omega One Pellets but they are so tiny so I don't think he saw them. But I think he ate them from the surface.

I fed him frozen bloodworms and he ate those. :)

I've noticed that he likes eating from the bottom of the tank more than the surface of the water.

I attached some pics of my betta and I just wanted to make sure if he looks healthy or not. It looks like he has a pale belly sticking out so I think he might be bloated? And it looks like he has a white spot on the top of his head. He's active though.

I checked the ammonia and nitrate lvls with the API test kit and they were both at 0ppm.

The PH looks like it's at 7.6. Is that too high? I read that they are fine at 7.5

The plant in there is a Java Fern.

Sorry if some of the pics are blurry, my camera sucks sometimes.

[teeneythebetta]

Originally Posted by banehardy5609

Hey everyone,

I finally got my betta fish! He is a crowntail. :D I got him yesterday so I still haven't thought of a name, but I want to name him based off of his personality.

First of all, I just wanted to give a shoutout to user Teeneythebetta for all of her help, and I also want to thank anyone else who has answered my questions and helped me out. :)

My betta is really scared of me so I was hoping someone could give me tips on how to tame him.

I tried to give him the Omega One Pellets but they are so tiny so I don't think he saw them. But I think he ate them from the surface.

I fed him frozen bloodworms and he ate those. :)

I've noticed that he likes eating from the bottom of the tank more than the surface of the water.

I attached some pics of my betta and I just wanted to make sure if he looks healthy or not. It looks like he has a pale belly sticking out so I think he might be bloated? And it looks like he has a white spot on the top of his head. He's active though.

I checked the ammonia and nitrate lvls with the API test kit and they were both at 0ppm.

The PH looks like it's at 7.6. Is that too high? I read that they are fine at 7.5

The plant in there is a Java Fern.

Sorry if some of the pics are blurry, my camera sucks sometimes.

What a gorgous boy you got there! Yes, he is a crowntail :) Your tank looks great!!
He does appear bloated, frozen daphnia will help with that. It is a natural laxative and will help him out :) From the pictures i dont see anything else. This white spot you mentioned- is it sticking out at all? Or fuzzy looking? Its hard to tell based on the pictures.. It could be just coloring.

Typically bettas like eating at the surface but there are a few that are bottom feeders, lol! Your PH is fine, anything between 6-8 is okay for a betta. Many bettas are shy when you first bring them home. Once they realize that youre the food source, they usually come out of their shell!

And just to be safe, look for any other signs, such are lethargary, scales pertruding like a pine cone, oversized eyes, color turning more pale, etc.

If you need any more help, dont be afraid to ask! ;)

[banehardy5609]

Thanks! :D Since I don't have frozen daphnia can I try the pea method?

Nope it's not fuzzy or sticking out. Ya I think it's probably just the coloring.

I hope he opens up to me soon. :)

[LebronTheBetta]

The pea method will do more harm than good but it won't hurt to use a little bit. And if he's acting healthy and alert, he should be healthy. ;)

[teeneythebetta]

Originally Posted by banehardy5609

Thanks! :D Since I don't have frozen daphnia can I try the pea method?

Nope it's not fuzzy or sticking out. Ya I think it's probably just the coloring.

I hope he opens up to me soon. :)

No, never use a pea. That is actually not good for them despite what many believe, bettas are carnivores and peas arent good for them at all.

If you cant get frozen daphnia, just dont feed him for a few days to give his digestive system a break. Look out for any poop, and see what color it is. If its red or brown, thats good. White poo is a sign of a problem.

[banehardy5609]

Oh ok. No peas it is. I'll have to do the not feeding thing.

Oh and frozen glass worms (white mosquito larvae) are good for them right?

I bought frozen brine shrimp, frozen blood worms, and white mosquito larvae for treats and a varied diet.

[teeneythebetta]

Originally Posted by banehardy5609

Oh ok. No peas it is. I'll have to do the not feeding thing.

Oh and frozen glass worms (white mosquito larvae) are good for them right?

I bought frozen brine shrimp, frozen blood worms, and white mosquito larvae for treats and a varied diet.

Hmm, I don't have experience with those other types of foods...
I wouldnt give bloodworms more than twice a week, bloodworms are just a treat...

Anyone else know anything about these?

[LebronTheBetta]

Those things you listed are treats. To have a secondary meal, I feed ONE big flake every other day instead of pellets. You don't want your Betta to get bored do you?

[banehardy5609]

Ya I plan on using the frozen food for treats only a couple times a week. I was also going to use 2 different kinds of pellets for normal everyday food. Omega One and Full Life Spectrum. I can try the flakes too. :)

Do you guys have any tips on how to interact with bettas without food? I'm going to have to fast him for a couple days due to the bloating, but I still want to be able to interact with him. The only ways I've found for interaction have been with food. :S

[LebronTheBetta]

You can try to make him follow your finger. Just put your finger above the surface and he'll follow. :D Lebron follows my finger and flares at it.