Hi everyone,
I need your help so I can actually get some sleep at night. I'm worried, so worried, about my baby boy Willie Nelson.
He's my only betta, my first betta, and a CT male.
I'll answer the questions in the recommended form and then will explain what I think is going on.
My tank is an Aqua One 9L tank. It's currently at 25.5C (heated by the included Aqua One heater, it is winter here in Aus after all), and is filtered (also included with the tank). Willie is the only inhabitant of the tank (grouchy and not a fan of any other fish...).
Willie has had previous issues with bloating and swim bladder stuff, so I don't feed him as much as other people I have read on here. (we figured out our system very much using a trial-and-error method) so he gets a few Aqua One Betta Pellets (the very small ones) ONCE a day (any more or any more frequently and swim bladder issues begin). Friday nights are fast nights.
I perform a 25% WC once a week, as well as a 50% once a week. (So 2 in total). I use a water conditioner with a stress coat in it when I change any water, and have used the product for the entirety of Willie's life with us (a year give or take a few days). I tested the water this morning and all levels and parameters are fine.
Okay. So on to what I see.
I have a feeling that the inclusion of a filter into Willie's tank has had an impact. A couple of weeks ago we upgraded to a new tank (from 8L to the current 9L one), and included were the heater and filter mentioned above. I've not ever used a filter with Willie prior to this, and have noticed that even though it is on it's lowest setting, and even though the tank and contents are marketed as a Betta Home and Contents, it may be too strong for my little guy.
It was so obvious the first few days that he was just getting tired, so I switched off the filter for a while and gave it an hour or so before bed, same next morning, and at night. This seemed to work better, he would swim around and even play with the bubbles and look to be enjoying himself.
The last few days though, he has been so lethargic and actually lays on rocks and seems to not be able to cope with the weight of his fins sometimes. I read on a post (can't find it now to link) that sometimes if they are too warm they will be lethargic, as they are with the cold. I lowered his temp 1C to 25C and it has seemed to help.
If I place my hand in front of him (not tapping on the glass) he will swim around for a bit and be moved around a little by the current of the water if the filter is on, but then will eventually rest on the bottom again. (I do understand they would get tired with their little fins, but this does make me worry).
He has also not been eating as much or at all some days since the tank change. He doesn't seem to have lost any weight, and his colour is far richer and he just looks healthier than before this tank...but I still don't know.
As I'm typing this I decided to turn the filter on again to see if that would motivate him to swim. It did! He swims around and then rests in the same bottom corner.... and then will swim again for a brief time (sometimes going to the top and getting a mouth of air, something he has done since the day we bought him) and then a lap of the tank and then back to the corner.
I guess I am just a worried mamma.
Should I be freaking out to the extent I am?
Would adding a silk plant help? So he could rest on/in it?
Should I keep switching off the filter or will the constant flow actually help him build a tolerance or better little swimming muscles?
Thankyou...!
I need your help so I can actually get some sleep at night. I'm worried, so worried, about my baby boy Willie Nelson.
He's my only betta, my first betta, and a CT male.
I'll answer the questions in the recommended form and then will explain what I think is going on.
My tank is an Aqua One 9L tank. It's currently at 25.5C (heated by the included Aqua One heater, it is winter here in Aus after all), and is filtered (also included with the tank). Willie is the only inhabitant of the tank (grouchy and not a fan of any other fish...).
Willie has had previous issues with bloating and swim bladder stuff, so I don't feed him as much as other people I have read on here. (we figured out our system very much using a trial-and-error method) so he gets a few Aqua One Betta Pellets (the very small ones) ONCE a day (any more or any more frequently and swim bladder issues begin). Friday nights are fast nights.
I perform a 25% WC once a week, as well as a 50% once a week. (So 2 in total). I use a water conditioner with a stress coat in it when I change any water, and have used the product for the entirety of Willie's life with us (a year give or take a few days). I tested the water this morning and all levels and parameters are fine.
Okay. So on to what I see.
I have a feeling that the inclusion of a filter into Willie's tank has had an impact. A couple of weeks ago we upgraded to a new tank (from 8L to the current 9L one), and included were the heater and filter mentioned above. I've not ever used a filter with Willie prior to this, and have noticed that even though it is on it's lowest setting, and even though the tank and contents are marketed as a Betta Home and Contents, it may be too strong for my little guy.
It was so obvious the first few days that he was just getting tired, so I switched off the filter for a while and gave it an hour or so before bed, same next morning, and at night. This seemed to work better, he would swim around and even play with the bubbles and look to be enjoying himself.
The last few days though, he has been so lethargic and actually lays on rocks and seems to not be able to cope with the weight of his fins sometimes. I read on a post (can't find it now to link) that sometimes if they are too warm they will be lethargic, as they are with the cold. I lowered his temp 1C to 25C and it has seemed to help.
If I place my hand in front of him (not tapping on the glass) he will swim around for a bit and be moved around a little by the current of the water if the filter is on, but then will eventually rest on the bottom again. (I do understand they would get tired with their little fins, but this does make me worry).
He has also not been eating as much or at all some days since the tank change. He doesn't seem to have lost any weight, and his colour is far richer and he just looks healthier than before this tank...but I still don't know.
As I'm typing this I decided to turn the filter on again to see if that would motivate him to swim. It did! He swims around and then rests in the same bottom corner.... and then will swim again for a brief time (sometimes going to the top and getting a mouth of air, something he has done since the day we bought him) and then a lap of the tank and then back to the corner.
I guess I am just a worried mamma.
Should I be freaking out to the extent I am?
Would adding a silk plant help? So he could rest on/in it?
Should I keep switching off the filter or will the constant flow actually help him build a tolerance or better little swimming muscles?
Thankyou...!