Deprssed Betta??

[KatelynsGuppiesAndBettas]

Okay so my friend has betta in a one gallon tank with glass pebbles and a plant and she treats the water when she cleans it (once a week) and everything is good and perfect for a Betta. But hes all depressed and does not move or anything...what should she do? also he is a red/brown color...how can she enhance the color??

[lilyrazen]

Probably a bigger tank would be the most effective if you want him to be happier. I don't know much else you could do to make his color better besides cleaning it more or getting a bigger tank.

[Romad]

The water is probably too cold. They get pretty pale and lethargic unless they're kept in water between 76-82F. She should upgrade to a larger tank with a heater.

Ideally she should keep him in a 2.5 gal. tank. Once that is cycled, water would need to be changed only once a week. Otherwise, she's going to have to change the water every other day with 1 gallon bc ammonia and toxins will build up pretty quickly in a bowl or tank that small.

[DragonFish]

Probably what your friend is experiencing is a lethargic betta due to cold temperatures. Bettas are tropical fish that require a steady temp of 78-82 degrees F to be happy and healthy, and therefore your friend will need to purchase a heater unless she has a room in her house that stays a steady 78-82 degrees.

With that said, there really is no way to heat a 1 gallon without cooking the poor guy, so your friend would need to upgrade to a 2.5 gallon or larger....5 gallons+ is recommended for beginners. The larger the tank=less maintenance because ammonia(which is harmful and even deadly product of fish waste and uneaten food)will not build up as quick in a larger volume of water.

If she really wants her fish to be more active and start showing more color, she will need to upgrade to at least a 2.5 gallon(again, 5 gallon+ is better)and at least get him a heater. A filter is not necessary, though without one that means more water changes. In a 1 gallon, she should be changing all of the water every other day at least, like suggested, to keep the ammonia in check.

To add my view on the subject: Many will say that a 1 gallon is fine for a betta, but I honestly believe that using something so small for anything more then temp housing or a hospital tank just isn't right....They are very active and intelligent creatures, and need more room then that to really be able to stretch their beautiful finage and be active to their full potential.

Hope this helps some ;)

[1fish2fish]

IMO... the best things to get the optimum color are:
-Clean water.. a 1 gallon needs to be cleaned EVERY DAY
-Warm temps.. at least 76* but 80* is better imo
-Good and varied food... feeding a high quality pellet and also adding in live or frozen brine shrimp and blood worms, or mosquito larvae, etc will give the betta then nutrients to make his fins and scales healthy and colorful