Help with a new Betta?

[BettaCavy]

Hi guys!

Okay so I've been looking into getting a Betta for awhile. I'm used to having pets around (had a dog, then a pair of adopted guinea pigs for six and a half years) but am currently living in a college dorm. From what I've seen (lurking on this forum included), Bettas seem to fish with a lot of 'personality', which is what I'm looking for.

I mentioned this to my parents, and they ended up getting me a Betta for my birthday as a surprise. They got him from PetSmart, and got the Betta starter kit as well--if you're unfamiliar with the setup, it comes with flake food, a little plastic plant, tank conditioner, and a half-gallon plastic tank. Both my house and dorm are very cold and my little Betta looked miserable in the little half-gallon tank, so I bought him a 2-gallon tank with a 10-watt heater and an air pump. Currently I'm not using the air pump because I'd read very mixed things on whether Bettas like them/need them or not.

However, Oscar the Betta still looks as miserable as he did in the first tank. As far as I can tell, he has not eaten anything except a little bit of freeze-dried brine shrimp on Wednesday. He lurks near the top of the tank, near the heater and doesn't move around very much for the most part. He was very lively when I put him into the new tank (on 12/30, after letting the new tank run for 24 hours) and while I was acclimating him, but since then, I haven't noticed him moving much at all. I think he's supposed to be blue/purple, but his fins are all crumpled and his head seems to be faded. He doesn't respond when I put a mirror up near him, and he doesn't seem to notice when I put food in his tank.

Sorry for the super long post, but I have no idea what's wrong with Oscar, except that he looks like he might die and I have no idea what to do! Please&Thanks for help :)

[fishman12]

He's probably just stressed from the multiple moves. Is your heater adjustable? Do you have a thermometer? And pellets are recomended for bettas. Plastic plants will tear up the bettas fins. You should get silk or live plants.

By the way, thank you very much for caring.

[BettaCavy]

Ooh I forgot to mention--I did pick up pellets for him (so I've tried to feed him with betta flakes, betta pellets, and freeze-dried brine shrimp) but he won't eat those either. Heater is not adjustable but is supposed to maintain tank temp at 78, but it doesn't seem to be working particularly well so I'm thinking about returning it when I go to pick up a thermometer (didn't buy a new one because I thought my Dad still had his from when we had a tropical tank but he gave it away) and getting a new one. Any brand suggestions?

I was figuring that he was just stressed from being moved so much until my dad mentioned this morning that Oscar had actually been sitting in the half-gallon tank in his office for a week before I got him, so now I don't know for sure when the last time he ate was so now I'm like O_O HE IS GOING TO STARVE TO DEATH.

[Oldfishlady]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Betta keeping and the forum...sorry you are having problems.....

Once you get the thermometer and check the water temp-I would try and keep the temp stable in the 76-80F range
When you moved him to the new 2gal did you use enough dechlorinator
Right now I would make a 50% water only changes every day for several days with like temp water and add a little extra dechlorinator
Don't worry about food right now...he will be fine and will eat once he settle in and adapts to his new environment and source water-wait a couple of days and then offer food-if he doesn't eat remove the food and try again later that day

Once he is stable and eating:
Without the filter I would make twice weekly water changes of: 1-50% and 1-100%
With the filter-twice weekly 50%-one include the gravel cleaning with a vacuum or stir and dip method

In 2gal tanks you don't have to have a filter-some Betta will not tolerate them and some can be hard on their fins if the water flow is too strong.

Keep us posted

[BettaCavy]

The instructions on the tank conditioner that came with the starter kit said that it should be ~5mL/2gal, so I just went ahead and put the 5mL in. I did the 50% water change and he's been a bit more active (swimming around) since then, although I'm thinking that's just because a giant hand reached down from the sky and scooped up his water ^^;

Thanks to everyone for helping!

[BettaCavy]

After 2 days with the 50% change and the extra dechlorinator, Oscar definitely has perked up. I went back to PetSmart and returned my old heater and got a new adjustable one with a thermometer, and the tank is sitting at ~71 right now (up from the 65-67 it was sitting at earlier). Since I put the heater in, Oscar's been swimming around pretty happily, and even investigating the little cave thing I put in. He's still pretty pale and his dorsal fin is still crumpled, but his colours have definitely become more vivid and his caudal and anal fins are much better looking.

2 questions though:

1. Oscar is spending time (maybe a few minutes) lurking at the bottom of the tank, then dashing up and swimming for awhile before doing it all over again. Is he just playing?

2. Oscar's stomach looks very round and somewhat bloated. Could this be why he's refusing food? (I didn't offer today but in the past week he has only refused)

Thanks again!

[Oldfishlady]

Can you post a pic and good to hear he is perking up for you...

I would get the temp up slowly to at least 76-78F(over the next 20-30min)

Sounds like he may be playing and checking things out

You want the tummy to look round but not too round...getting the temp up may help his metabolism some and maybe he will poop and start eating for you

If he is bloated and getting the temp up in the low normal range doesn't help-you may need to do a Epsom salt 1tsp/gal up to 3tsp/gal 7-10 day treatment-

[fredythefish]

1. I don't think he's playing.. He could just still be a little lethargic. It MAY just be from him getting used to his tank.. but i think you're water is still too cold but it sounds like you're getting the temp. up slowly, which is good :). But, after a month of having Fred (my betta) he started laying on the bottom of his tank and only coming up for air. Long story short, I QT him in a .5 g bowl with a treatment of 1 tsp/gal and in a couple days, he was all better and back in his 5 gallon.

So, if his problems persist, I would research ways to treat him (or ask me or others about the espom salt.)


2. He's probably bloated! And yep, that could be why he's refusing the food. Espom salt could help, but it will usually go away in a couple days if you continue not to feed him.

oh, and HI! haha

((Sorry for repeating you OFL :D))

[Sweeda88]

1.Yes, he's just playing.
2. That could be why. You shouldn't feed him until the bloat goes away. Bloat can kill Betta.

[BettaCavy]

:( Oscar just died

He seemed to be doing really well since I put the new heater in, floating around and exploring things and being more active than I'd seen him do, ever. He fully regained colour in his body and his fins stopped drooping and everything...and then I came upstairs from dinner and found his little dead body at the bottom of the tank.