new betta

[gemini610]

hello everyone! im new to this forum and bought my first betta on monday! he has been bla; all week. he doesn't move much and i haven't seen him eat. any advise? his tank is about 2 liters and only contains gravel and him.

[Flashygrrl]

1. He needs a much bigger tank, try at least 2.5 gallons with a mini-heater and filter. I don't care what the LFS guy told you. See if you can return the half-gallon after you get the new one cycled.

2. He needs decorations and a hiding spot. Use silk plants.

3. You might as well invest in a liquid test kit to check your water. Don't bother with the stupid test strips, we'll just end up having to tell you over and over again to buy the liquid kit. Besides, inevitably everyone buys more tanks and more fish so you might as well have it now

Welcome to the FishForum!

[SST]

He may be cold. Betta's are tropical fish and need warmer temperatures. Do you know what the temp. of the water is? Can you move him to a warmer place in the house?

The water may need to be changed. In such small bowls, the ammonia builds up rather quickly and needs to be changed more often, hence the advice in the previous post to upgrade to a larger tank if you can. Are you using a water conditioner? If not, you definitely need one.

He may not like the food. Betta's are picky eaters. What type/brand of food are you feeding him? He may just be stressed from the move and being cold. You can try freeze dried bloodworms or frozen bloodworms (defrosted first). They are a treat for bettas and should only be given once or twice a week. Or try a different brand of food. Keep trying. Use a turkey baster to suction out any uneaten food and poop to help keep the water cleaner.

Definitely invest in a silk plant. It will help him to feel secure.

Keep us posted.

Also, keep an eye on Craigslist.com or your local freecycle group or even the local thrift stores for tanks. Sometimes you can get some really good ones very inexpensively.

[paws]

Get a 5 or a 2.5 gallon tank ASAP! And get a heater!! He must be sooooo cold. Imagine living in room tempature water in a 2 liter bowl with nothing to do but stare at rocks for the rest of your life! Not much fun. Add some plants to your shopping list to. I actually have heard live plants are nice too they add oxygen to your tank. Don't forget about hide outs. I have not yet gotten my betta. ( I am getting mine after the summer) but after doing my reasearch I have learned a lot over a couple of years. So I am not lecturing you. I just telling you.

[Oldman47]

I noticed that you said you had a 2 liter tank. The advice about so many gallons amounts to suggestions of 10 to 20 liters. I must agree with the basic advice of a larger tank and a heat source. Your betta will do best around 27C so in most places a heater is needed for them.