My betta doesn't seem up to par..

[crowntaillove]

Last week I got a halfmoon at Petsmart. I fell in love with him the instant I saw him. I got him home and put him in his 10 gallon tank. He immediately started showing off his fins. He swims around almost always with his fins in full stretch and even swims over to me when I'm sitting there watching him. He reminds me of a dog in the sense that he seems to "wag" his tail when I'm about to feed him. He's wonderful.

Then yesterday, I went back to Petsmart and found a crowntail with a beautiful turquoise coloring, so I had to have him. I put him in his own 10 gallon and sat and watched him like I did with my halfmoon. He never stretches out his fins though, he mostly justs sits at the bottom of his tank, hardly ever swimming around, and when I walk over to his tank, he gets scared and goes to hide. Basically, he seems a lot less energetic than my halfmoon. What could be wrong?

[aokashi]

many things :)
You just have to remember that each betta is different ^___^
some adjust easily, others like your crown tail... may not.
he may also not be in the best of health. or simply weak from being stranded in a pint if water for a long period of time. give some time and see how he goes!

[crowntaillove]

okay, thank you. :]

[marshamore]

it's all a matter of personality. ^^

sometimes they warm up to you immediately.
other times? it may take up to a week~

it depends on how often they see you, too.
i recommend keeping them somewhere you're often around. like me? i keep them near my computer. they're not skittish around me, but one of them, frequently hides from my in-laws. <3

[PaulO]

I've read that some people think their bettas like smaller tanks but I think thats just because they haven't given them time. You also have to factor in stress, I know petco's and petsmart's recieve new shipments of fish every wednesday. Basically what could have happened is you got one stressed out fish. The poor guy (or girl) would have had to deal with days if not weeks of being knocked around in a tiny container than all of the sudden when he was finally getting ready to submit to his cup o' imprisonment he/she gets put into heaven (in this case your 10 gallons of happiness, he could have "I don't believe this is true" syndrome. :P) Give him a few days to warm up to the improved lifestyle and he will eventually start coming out of hiding and getting curious. It is up to you if you want to do that or give him a few more plants to feel more secure or so he at least has an escape plan. Anyway after a while you mioght find his colors start to pop or get stronger (petsmart sometimes add this blue disease preventive which dulls betta's color) and he developes a whole new interesting personality. Clean warm water (77-80) will help as well. Good Luck

[aokashi]

they actually get shipped in a bag with barely enough water to fill a shot glass :P

[PaulO]

And there we have it the true luxury in which these bettas travel...