won't eat food... doesn't look sick

[mlynna3]

Ok, so here is what's going on. I got back from a trip for just a few days (roommate was feeding him) and the living plant in his bowl had a few leaves looking bad and he would grab a pellet and then spit it out. So I tried blood worms and for the first few days he would eat them instead of the pellets. I changed the water and trimmed the bad looking leaves off the plant. Then he stopped eating anything a few days ago. Yesterday I did a 100% water change and got a new healthy plant. Still wouldn't eat. He goes up to the top like he's going to eat and then swims away... or now he just spit the blood worm I put right next to him out. This morning he was swimming around and active, but wouldn't eat anything.

Housing
I have a 1 gallon jar. I can't get a bigger one. I had a beta before in the same living conditions that lived for a long time, so I know it can work. I don't have a heater, but I want to get one. Any suggestions?

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Hikari pellets morning and night (when he eats...) and dried blood worms in place of pellets every once and awhile for a feeding.


Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? once a week (but now after reading some forums I'm going to make it more often
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 100% (sometimes I put in a little bit of the old water but not this time)
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? I was using just bottled but this last water change was mostly treated tap water.

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia: couldn't tell
Nitrite: between 0 & 20
Nitrate: 0
pH: 5
Hardness: 50
Alkalinity: 100
(best guess from the colors)

I've only had him a month or two... and I really want to keep him.

[c4talys7]

It could be that the water is look cold. I read a few places that is can cause them to eat less. If it's just a one gallon I would do more water changes just to keep the water quality better, but if you have a live plant that helps with the ammonia a lot. Do you use water conditioner?

[turtle10]

How much did your friend feed him when you were gone?

And he is probably too cold. It curbs their appetite, but also slows down their metabolism.

[turtle10]

Why can't you get a bigger container?

[Here Fishy Fishy Fishy]

mlynna3,

"Alkalinity: 100
(best guess from the colors)"

It sounds like your tank PH is really high. Has it always been this way?

How does you betta's belly look? Is he slim and trim, or a little (or a lot) bloated?

[mlynna3]

turtle10 - I don't know he probably fed him once a day like he did when I was gone over Christmas and my little guy was fine when I came back from that.

Do you have a heater suggestion? I found this one on Amazon and am thinking of getting it. Marineland Shatterproof 10-Watt Mini Heater

Here Fishy Fishy Fishy - I just started testing the water so I don't know if it's always been that way.

I keep looking him over and I don't see anything out of the ordinary with him other than he grabs the food and then spits it out. This morning I got him to try a pellet but he spit it out. I tried a blood worm and the same. I even tried to crush up the pellet but he wouldn't even look at it.

[bamsuddenimpact]

i just bought a Elite Submersible Preset Heater Mini 25W - Elite A748 and it is adjustable and has good reviews. am waiting for it to arrive to test it

[bamsuddenimpact]

and 5 ph is low. 6.5-7.5 is preferred, better even 6.8-7.2 :)

[turtle10]

Unfortunately containers that small are hard to heat and keep at a constant, there is a risk the heater could over heat it.

I can't make a suggestion on heaters, my smallest tank is 5.5 gallons so I am not sure about mini heaters.

[Here Fishy Fishy Fishy]

mlynna3,

"Marineland Shatterproof 10-Watt Mini Heater"

My new heater is a Marineland Shatterproof '30' (100watt, i think), and it works great in my 5 gallon tank.

I am not familiar with their mini heater - but I like their products in general.