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New betta hasnt eating in weeks!

1K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  BETTACHKALOVE 
#1 ·
I purchased a new betta and originally he seemed stressed and would not eat, now it's been a month and he still wont eat. At first he acknowledged the food but would spit it out; I tried pellets, bloodworms and flakes. The bloodworms he attacked the most but never ate them, just spit them out. Now he doesnt go after any food, he just looks up at it and swims away or ignores it completely.
 
#2 ·
one of my bettas didnt eat for well over a month either, please fill this out so we know more :)
Housing
What size is your tank?
What temperature is your tank?
Does your tank have a filter?
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?
Is your tank heated?
What tank mates does your betta fish live with?

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish?
How often do you feed your betta fish?

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change?
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?

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?
How has your betta fish's behavior changed?
When did you start noticing the symptoms?
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
Does your fish have any history of being ill?
How old is your fish (approximately)?
 
#3 ·
What size is your tank? 2gal
What temperature is your tank? 75
Does your tank have a filter? no
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? no
Is your tank heated? no
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? NA

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? I've tried Tetra BettaMin, Tetra Betta plus and TopFin freeze-dried bloodworms.
How often do you feed your betta fish? Attempt every other day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? couple times a week
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 50%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? TopFin water conditioner

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

Have not tested

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Noticed today he is starting to lose color, could be malnutrition?
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? Seems fine
When did you start noticing the symptoms? since Day 1, never ate
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? More water changes
Does your fish have any history of being ill? NA
How old is your fish (approximately)? NA, Owned it for 4 weeks now
 
#4 ·
i had a betta like that, two things i reccomend that could help: get a heater, it will help regulate the temerature more and keep him more comfortable, it is a must even if you live in a warm place. try omega one betta buffet pellets, its the only thing one of my bettas will eat, ive fed him everything youve listed above and he wouldnt touch it or he would spit it out and swim away
 
#5 ·
Wow 1 month without eating?

The ones I have usually only hold out for 1 day before they start engulfing pellets.

You should try a live insect. If he hasn't eaten in a month, he's gonna die anyway.

Buy some bananas and leave them on the counter, catch a couple of the fruit flies and toss it in the water.
 
#6 ·
For 2 gall do 1-50% and 1-100% water changes a week.
Is there any visual symptoms on his body? Is he active or he just sitting on the bottom of the tank? Or hanging on the top in one spot?
I don't know i heard before betta don't eat for long time. I had a few new bettas before who started eating in 1 week but one month is really would bother me.
I saw someone wrote betta never started to eat and died.
So i would try to offer food if you can but always remove uneaten food. Try again flakes as many times as you can....
I am not sure what other people opinion but i would try to give him salt bath. It not going to hurt him. Small dose. And may be will boost his immune system. It also has antibacterial effect just in case he has any infections.
Let me know if you want instructions on aquarium salt treatment. And let’s wait what other people will suggest. But it long time....
 
#9 ·
If you are feeding the regular size pellets, most betta's do not like them, the best ones are New Life spectrum, or the Hakari, ones mentioned, or Omega One, these are micro tiny, and betta's are very picky..and I would suggest you try one of these, and you will see a difference..if it's been that long..do it fast..he needs to eat..
 
#10 ·
I think temperature is your problem. Water at 75F is a bit on the cold side for a betta. They do best at temperatures between 78F and 82F. This is the first thing I attempt to change when I see my bettas aren't eating. A fish that isn't hungry isn't a healthy fish.

A good heater for a tank that size is the Hydor Theo 25w. It's adjustable so you can make sure the temperature is just right.
 
#11 ·
I was also thinking that he might eating from the bottom after food sinking. I think no matter how you try to scoop it some of it still end up on the bottom of the tank.

Also i saw a lot of people recommending try frozen blood worms.If you cook shrimp for trhe dinner you can try to give him tiny piece (size of the pellet). The bad thing that shrimp sink to the bottom right away. You can use eye dropper to feed.
 
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