[Jlbfish]

I switched my betta to a nice 10 gallon yesterday but he has spent all yesterday and this morning flaring at the background, and his reflection. Not sure he is happy. I don't have a lot of plants in it yet. But what worries me is he hasn't stopped stressing! He was in a 3.5 gallon and liked his cave and slept in his log I'm wondering if it is too big :/ He has 2 caves in it and his log.

what would you do? wait? put him back in his cozy 3.5 gallon?

I know he needs adjustment time but I don't wan tho stress him out.

Oops I should say I moved everything from his old tank over. Filter/gravel/cave/plant/and log. I only added a new cave and 6.5 gallons of water.
Thanks
Jana

 

[Jlbfish]

Sorry not sure how border collie got into the subject. LOL

 

[EmilyN]

I'd give him more time to settle in. Once he gets used to the new surroundings, he'll hopefully relax.

 

[SweetNightmare]

It's been several days with my betta, and he still flares at the side occasionally, to keep his 'evil twin' in check. But once he's done showing his colors, he swims around and explores his tank, and is quite happy. Just keep an eye out for stress lines. Remember, they are kept side by side with other bettas often, and if you notice in stores, they eventually get used to their 'neighbors'. Eventually your fish will realize his evil twin is not a threat to his territory and calm down. Marginally. On the bright side, all of the 'competition' will allow his colors to show more beautifully. Something about the hormones.

 

[jasonh]

I switched my betta to a nice 10 gallon yesterday but he has spent all yesterday and this morning flaring at the background, and his reflection. Not sure he is happy. I don't have a lot of plants in it yet. But what worries me is he hasn't stopped stressing! He was in a 3.5 gallon and liked his cave and slept in his log I'm wondering if it is too big :/ He has 2 caves in it and his log.

what would you do? wait? put him back in his cozy 3.5 gallon?

I know he needs adjustment time but I don't wan tho stress him out.

Oops I should say I moved everything from his old tank over. Filter/gravel/cave/plant/and log. I only added a new cave and 6.5 gallons of water.
Thanks
Jana

take the bordercollie out of the tank. there's nothing worse than the smell of wet dog.


leave the fish in the tank. he'll get used to it. they all freak out when you move them into a different tank.

 

[Jlbfish]

LOL he is acting like a bored crazy border collie. I removed the back drop he has never liked them. I added some plants but he is still swimming (obsessively) back and forth like a pacing dog.

I'm still tempted to move him back but will practice some patience. His other tank was definitely cozier.

 

[Olympia]

Maybe the wide open spaces make him insecure. Try adding some more plants of silk or live variety that will cover the top section of the tank.

 

[Jlbfish]

I'm really second guessing the 10 gallon I can go get more plants n stuff but if it doesn't work out it is quite the investment on a chance. He was making bubble nests in his tank on my desk. I had to move him into the kitchen because I thought he possibly had fin rot. Since the kitchen no bubble nests and more flaring. I can't move the 10 gallon on my desk until it is leveled. If he was making bubble nests and not flaring in the 3.5 gallon maybe I should put him back. It wouldn't be hard to move him. Not sure how stressful it might be though.

Jana

 

[Olympia]

I'd give him two weeks.
If it doesn't work you should cycle it and put some different fish or another betta in, so it wouldn't be as much of a waste.

 

[jasonh]

I'm really second guessing the 10 gallon I can go get more plants n stuff but if it doesn't work out it is quite the investment on a chance. He was making bubble nests in his tank on my desk. I had to move him into the kitchen because I thought he possibly had fin rot. Since the kitchen no bubble nests and more flaring. I can't move the 10 gallon on my desk until it is leveled. If he was making bubble nests and not flaring in the 3.5 gallon maybe I should put him back. It wouldn't be hard to move him. Not sure how stressful it might be though.

Jana

nah, leave him there. he'll love it in time.
mine swims back and forth, but he went right from the store jar to the 10gal. my other one was in a 1gal until i got him a 5gal and he is a big baby and freaked out for a week or so.

get some rocks and make some places for him to hide.
http://i.imgur.com/B3LqB.jpg

 

[SweetNightmare]

I recently moved my guy into a ten gallon and he flares at the side a lot as well(plus at the mirror; he's next to my sink in my 'vanity' type area) but less so with each day, and he seems to be quite comfortable, resting on leaves, exploring all levels, and blowing a few bubbles even, though he's only just settling. Just give him time to adjust.

 

[Jlbfish]

See that might be sort of a problem It all started with a 2 gallon crabitat and a 3.5 gallon fish tank. Then the crabs needed a bigger one so I bought a 10 gallon and heat lamps and salt water bath extra shells etc and had to run out to set the 2 gallon up as an ISO tank so there is more money.

Then I decided I wanted a tank so we got a 28 gallon and stand off of craiglist.
Then my son who had his betta was wanting more fish (since his brother had more crabs) so we got him a 20 gallon and paid to get that all setup.

THEN I decided Picky (the betta) deserved to be spoiled and with all the fish coming into the house his 3.5 gallon would make a good hospital tank. etc...

I think my husband will have a heart attack if I go much further and I might have to call fish keepers anonymous.

 

[Olympia]

Well if he never gets used to it, try putting a divider, 5 gallons for him and 5 for another betta
Of course he still needs time.

 

[Mo]

Typically most Bettas have what I like to call specifically an adjustmeant period. In which bettas adjust to there new habitat and try to get used to the new surroundings. Most likely you are gong to encounter more seviere cases in which the habitats changes in a very pronounced way, such as as large amount of plants to a small amount of plants or a tiny to a substantially large aquarium, such as a 2.5 to a 30 gallon long when these types of changes occur, the bettas behaviour changes negatively. Sometimes resulting in a lower immune system which is the main factors of fateful diseases such as ich, fin rot, and fungal diseases.

My recommendation for treating this "side effect" which has no true treatment but has a few ways that can easily eradicate all symptoms of stress due to moving. Usually adding many hiding places along with plants will have a good, impact in it. Heating the water a bit higher, keeping the flow minimal, and keeping the water pristine. Along with closely representing the previous home as best as you have the ability to do.

Though sometimes you don't need to take any precautionary steps to emilinwting the side affects, and leaving the Betta for maybe a small amount of a time span along the lines of around 1-2 weeks can be a typical period to expect when it should go away

 

[Jlbfish]

Ok I'll wait. I was thinking bout the divider and 2 betas in the 10 gallon. Putting plants around the dividers. I read that they could jump the dividers and I'm still a newb so I shied away from it

I'll see how he is doing when he is back on my desk etc...

Thanks for the help.

 

[Jlbfish]

I tried to just put his old stuff in but going from a 3.5 gallon bow to a 10 gallon was like moving from a closet to a warehouse. I added new plants and will see. I don't mind moving him back if he loved it. I miss his bubble nests and didn't mean to upset him. I probably should have listened to hubby and just left him alone.

 

[Jlbfish]

Ok I couldn't stand it anymore. Patience has never been my strong point and it looked ike he was getting some sort of stripes on his body. He hadn't settled down this am so I got him a marine land 5 gallon bow and he has been peacefully swimming since I put it in. He is also back where he used to be. I don't think he liked the kitchen at all. Thanks for the advice! The 10 gallon is going back.

But I now have a 3.5 gallon 'hospital tank'

 

[jasonh]

Ok I couldn't stand it anymore. Patience has never been my strong point and it looked ike he was getting some sort of stripes on his body. He hadn't settled down this am so I got him a marine land 5 gallon bow and he has been peacefully swimming since I put it in. He is also back where he used to be. I don't think he liked the kitchen at all. Thanks for the advice! The 10 gallon is going back.

But I now have a 3.5 gallon 'hospital tank'

okay maybe he's a bit high strung. you should have waited though! maybe save the 10gal and introduce a new betta directly to it. it should adjust a lot faster.

 

[Bombalurina]

I know this is a bit late, but I have found that most bettas only freak out in larger spaces because they are open. With dense planting and decoration (and I mean really dense) they will adjust to the new space no problem. As they get more confident, you can gradually thin out the decor.