New Fish

[Sadie555]

*sigh* So I just got a new fish a few days ago, and she's really not very happy. I had the lights off for the first day or two, and she was hiding. Now the lights are on, and she still hides and hangs out around the bottom of the tank most of the time. I just want to know if I should try a salt treatment, and if so, how I should go about doing it.

Housing
What size is your tank? 3 gallon
What temperature is your tank? 78 to 80 F
Does your tank have a filter? No (It can though)
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? yes, on low right now.
Is your tank heated? yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? none

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Aqueon betta pellets (I have to ground them up because she is too small to eat them whole)
How often do you feed your betta fish? 2 in the am 2 in the pm

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? Haven't yet
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? Not sure yet
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Seachem Prime

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Not sure
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? Gills are moving fast, and she's hiding a LOT. Almost always on the bottom of the tank.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? When I got her.
Have you started treating your fish? No If so, how?
Does your fish have any history of being ill? n/a
How old is your fish (approximately)? a few days since I got her

[lelei]

If she is eating normally, and responsive to you, when you call her name, or following your finger, I would say..just give her some time to come around, she will come out of hiding soon..let her see you a lot, and spend some time talking to her, and getting to hear your voice..she has to get used to you, and after that..she will become very energetic..as long as she is eating well..she'll be fine..if you notice other symptoms..and she is not eating well..I would then opt for a 3-4 day salt treatment..but not now..does she have plants, and a hiding cave?

[Xiuhcoati]

Judging by the rapid gill movement it does sound like she's feeling a bit stressed. You mentioned she's too small to eat pellets. Is she a baby do you know?

[Oldfishlady]

How did you acclimate her to the new tank when you first got her...

Right now I would recommend that you make a 50% water change-now and again in 24h-Dose the dechlorinated for the full volume of the tank-turn off the light for another 24h-Offer good quality varied diet-if you have access to live mosquito larva-offer several rinsed for 1 meal a day.

Can you post a pic....

[Sadie555]

Sorry guys. I've lost yet another fish. I'm going to take a break from fish care for a while. 3 fish this summer is not a good track record for me.