first time betta mom

[cxjtc]

Due to health concerns, I am out of work and alone most days. I wanted a companion that was quiet, friendly, and easy to care for. Ive had small animals in the past, and I went to Petco to check them out and wound up buying my fish. The betta display caught my eye, and when I saw that they had babies, I just had to take one home and raise it. It was so tiny and I knew it would not survive long in the store. I also liked the idea of being surprised by how it turns out.

I put Shark in a .5 gallon tank to grow. One month later it has doubled in size but still so much smaller than the fish they sell in the stores. I cant tell yet what colors or tail it will have, or if it is male or female. Im seeing some red and blue in the fins.

Today I bought a 3 gallon tank and when I made the switch Shark lost all color and seemed unhappy for a while. Then it kept bumping into the walls on purpose, but I dont know if it was seeing its reflection. Now it is swimming around the tank but not as energetically as before. The color has not returned. It didnt eat lunch either.

Is Shark just acclimating to its new home? Can anyone tell what type it is or the gender?

Image 1: Shark's first day
Image 2: Shark today, 30 days later
Image 3: Shark in the new tank

[Irishdancer]

It's hard to tell gender in a young fish. I've had my baby for more than a month (although he looked younger when I got him than it looks like Shark was), and I'm still not 100% that he's a boy. But I think Shark is a Crowntail, because of the way the tip of his/her tail is serrated in the most recent picture.

Losing color can be a sign of stress. Is it possible that the tank is too cold? A 3 gallon would be harder to warm than a half gallon. If you haven't already, it would be good to buy a heater. Shark also looks bloated, so you might be feeding him a bit much.

[Bluewind]

Awww! Congrads on the new baby!

YES! Heater! That should be priority number 1. Then, he needs somewhere safe to hide. It will make him feel more secure. Also, fresh plants are a good aditions to help such up amonia and keep Shark healthy.

And he DOES look a bit bloated! What are you feeding him and how much?
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[cxjtc]

I feed him 5 aqueon betta pellets 3x day. What temperature should the tank be?

[MSG]

Also what exactly are you feeding it? Brand & type of food? Just saw your post.

Don't feed sharkie for 3-5 days. When you resume feeding next week. 1 pellet in the morning & 1 @ night.

How long is Sharkie in cm?

Juvies usually need to be kept in warmer waters & will be stressed when they get moved from 64oz container to a 3 gallon one, 78-80 degrees.

Take you time & pick out a decent heater. There's a lot of very bad small heaters available at your local petstore.

Do some research & pick one up over the weekend.

Sharkie looks like it's got plenty of food in it's belly to keep it warm for a while.

[Bluewind]

You are overfeeding him hun. Gus is full grown and super active and he eats 7 pellets a day and THAT is more than most bettas eat.

3 to 5 pellets 3x a day adds up to 9-15 pellets per day! He needs to not eat for a few days to shrink that belly and then give him 2 pellets, 6 days a week. If he gets a bit slim, add a pellet. A plant added to the tank is also good for the ocasional snack for him if he gets hungry. Self service snack bar
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[Oldfishlady]

Welcome to the forum and to the wonderful world of Betta keeping...

Nice to meet you...