I just don't know...

[FirstTimeBetta]

Two days ago i bought both my kids each thier own Betta fish. They are both in the same size tank and i have cared for them both exactly the same. Although one of them seems to be active the other one just chills at the bottom of the tank for long periods of time. Is this normal? Is there something wrong? If so, what can I do to help him to be more active?

[dr2b]

Welcome to FishForum! What size tanks do you have the bettas in and what are the temperatures? Do you have a heater? Many bettas are lethargic in cooler waters. The water temperature should be 76 to 82 degrees. It could just be your betta is adjusting to its new home and needs some time to acclimate.

[CodeRed]

It could just be their different personalities, though it may be other things, too. Bettas tend to get lethargic when their water is cold, so do you know how cold the water is? How big is their tank? Is it heated at all? Do they have caves and plants to hide/play in? You could try some things to get your betta to interact, or to interest him. You could try place some brightly colored markers around his tank for him to inspect. You could try to float a ping pong on the top of his water. You could try to get him to follow your finger, in a little game.

[FirstTimeBetta]

The box i bought the tanks in does not say what size it is. It just says Large Betta Keeper. I used bottled water that is at room temperature. They had a little plastic plant which i took out because it kept floating to the top. They have no heater and my room temperature is somewhere in between 76 and 82. i live in Los Angeles so not too cold here. I like the ping pong idea. I'm going to try that. I'll also try adding more things for him to inspect. I hope he is ok. My daughter was devastated when her gold fish died. I dont wanna see her hurting again.

[dramaqueen]

Hello and welcome to FishForum. Are you using water conditioner?

[FirstTimeBetta]

No i am not. The lady at PetSmart said as long as i use bottled water i didnt need conditioner.

[Yuuki]

Never trust pet store employees when it comes to fish, especially betta fish. You need water conditioner for any water you're going to put the fish in. There are certain metals in the water we drink that, while not harmful to us, can easily poison and kill our fish. A good water conditioner will get rid of these metals.

A heater is a needed thing for a betta, especially since the nights are getting cooler. Fish don't like their temperature swinging more than a degree or two during the day and night, it will stress them and make them sick. However, it's not really safe to use a heater in a tank smaller than about 2-3 gallons.


Pet store employees are taught all wrong about betta fish. Unless you happen across an employee that did their own research, they're completely useless when it comes to advice. I'd suggest running around the Internet for awhile and reading some detailed articles on caring for your little fishies. :)

[dr2b]

Originally Posted by FirstTimeBetta

The box i bought the tanks in does not say what size it is. It just says Large Betta Keeper. I used bottled water that is at room temperature. They had a little plastic plant which i took out because it kept floating to the top. They have no heater and my room temperature is somewhere in between 76 and 82. i live in Los Angeles so not too cold here. I like the ping pong idea. I'm going to try that. I'll also try adding more things for him to inspect. I hope he is ok. My daughter was devastated when her gold fish died. I dont wanna see her hurting again.

How big are the bottles of water you are putting in the tank? Is it using the whole bottle or what? I think I might know which tank you are using...

[FirstTimeBetta]

im using the 2.5 gallon of water with the little tab at the bottom for convenience. The one where u have to poke a little hole at the top to get it flowing. Its just a little tank. One of them is the one my son got his goldfish in that he won at the fair. What kind of water conditioner do and use and how do i use it? Living in Los Angeles it doesnt get too cold out here so i dont think cold water is the issue. I may have just been freaking out because after i posted my first post the fish started becoming active again. I put the two betta fish tanks together and they started to interact with each other. I loved they way they flare out to make themselves look big and macho. Im a first time betta owner and i was just concerned, i dont think i could take another day of soothing my crying hurting child.

[dramaqueen]

I would recommend Prime or Aquasafe water conditioner.