My betta stays at the bottom of his tank and won't eat :(

[BETTACHKALOVE]

i just messaged someone on this forum and ask if you can use stress coat as a water conditioner along. So i will let you know. I am pretty sure you can just use stress coat .

[BETTACHKALOVE]

Also if he still refusing pellets just keep trying, i know it annoying. Especially if he ate blood worms he will refuse pellets. I had betta like that. It took me 3-4 weeks make him eat pellets. I even fast him for 5 days. So keep trying sorry he eventually have to start eating it. When i had betta like that i tried so many times for 4 weeks and eventually he started with flakes and then finally ate pellets. So just keep trying and scoop food away ....
You know i also learned on the forum that you can feed with cooked shrimp. I tried it. It cute. You can boil shrimp and try to give him a few pieces (size of the pellet). I think he will eat it. It really fast sinking to the bottom though. So while you have him in his cup try it.

[RedRaz]

Okay gotcha. :) Well I tried the pellets and he would spit them out. So I thought perhaps the pellets are too big. I then smashed a few and fed him that way. Seems like he ate some of it but not much.

The filter I have I didn't think was too powerful but it does move his food around on top though. I would have to turn it off then try to feed him. I might just stop using the filter and see how that goes. Maybe he is scared or bothered by it *shrugs*.

The stress coat bottle says it removes chlorine and chloramines from tap water. I do have a trial size of betta bowl plus (water conditioner). I received it in my aquarium kit. The quick start says it starts the aquarium cycle.

Thanks again!

[RedRaz]

Oh that is good to hear that betta can be fickle. I thought maybe something was wrong with him. I will definitely keep trying. Oh really shrimp! lol! That's cute! Okay I will try a piece and see. He should like that. ;) I'm so thankful for this forum! I have received so much help. *hugs*

[BETTACHKALOVE]

i would think if he ate blood worms then he is fine and just being difficult lol
try if he is eating blood worms and shrimp then he is fine and just picky. Just need time.

[BETTACHKALOVE]

hey this was the answer about water conditioner:

Re: water conditioner question
Hi!

Since Quick Start is a bacteria additive, she doesn't necessarily need to use that. She can but she doesn't need to as it won't help with water conditioning. Instead, it adds bacteria to help keep the nitrifying bacteria population going. She can just use Stress Coat as her water conditioner. If she's going to add the water conditioner directly to the tank, then she doses for the full 2 gallons. If she adds it to the replacement water first, then she doses just for that amount. So if she is doing a 50% change, she'd add enough water conditioner to treat 1 gallon. With Stress Coat, it's a little harder to dose for smaller tanks. I usually just kind of eyeball it since it's hard to overdose Stress Coat.

Also if he ate smashed pellets i am pretty sure he will start eating them soon :)

And if you will do water changes like i wrote you don't need filter.

[RedRaz]

Thanks again for all that info. That was most helpful. Now I'm much more confident about doing the water changes. Well today Raz is back in his tank and is a very happy little guy. Nice to see him happy and healthy! Yay! I gave him two pellets to see how he does with eating. He went for one but then spit it out. UGH! So very Close! *sigh* Well I try again a little later. I will post a few new pics of Raz. ;)

[RedRaz]

I'm so happy he is feeling much better.