[OMGemily]

I just got my betta yesterday. Hes a blue crown tail and i named him St. Jimmy I brought him home, filled up his one gallon tank with tap water, followed the instructions on the betta specific water conditioner bottle and poured him out of his tiny petsmart cup. i then turned on the tank light and the aerator thing and he was like that for an hour or two until i had to move him to my other home. which i hadnt thought about. i scooped him back up into his original cup and put the rest of his water in a milk jug. (we had used it to fill up his tank and our other 10 gal tank so i think it was rinsed out enough) he was in my car for about half an hour. when i got home i poured the water back in his tank and poured him back in as well. i read that they dont actually need aerated water since they breathe on the surface so i turned the aerator thing off. i fed him once the first time i put him in the tank and he ate a couple pellets. but now ive fed him twice today and he just ignores it. he doesnt look like he has any discoloration or sickness of any kind but hes kind of lazy unless i put my hand close to the glass, then he darts away. i put a mirror up to his tank and he slowly flared up but just kind of stared... i dont know if this is because my tank isnt heated, i have too small of a tank, not enough oxygen, the new environment, he might be sick... im not sure whats wrong. can anyone help me with this?

 

[Myates]

You used water from another tank to fill it up? I would be very careful doing that, as you may not know the chemistry of that tank, nor what is in the water itself- bacteria, etc.

Ideally, just tap water and water conditioner is all that is needed.. he may just be stressed out from the move- it's not uncommon for most bettas to not eat healthy (or even at all) for a week or more after first arriving home. Just continue to offer food to him... eventually he will accept it. They can go a month with no food, and starvation doesn't tend to start affecting them until the 2 week mark- for a healthy betta. He won't let himself starve to death.

 

[OMGemily]

i used tap water to fill his tank and conditioner but i had to transfer the tank so i put it in a clean container and then put it back in his tank. i think maybe hes just hocked from all the moving. but im getting a bigger tank and a heater tomoro and ill have to move him again... any suggestions to not freak him out?

 

[kfish]

I agree with Myates... he may just be a little stressed. Just keep trying, remove the food he doesn't eat.

Not much you can do to not freak him out. If you keep the lights out in his new tank for a bit after you move him, it might help.

 

[catlantic]

My newest fish didn't eat for a couple days after i got him. I would watch carefully for disease but i wouldn't worry to much.

 

[OMGemily]

i turned the bubble thing back on (i think it adds oxygen to the water?) and he seems to be moving around a little more so maybe that was part of it... and thanks for all the suggestions

 

[mzxeternal]

i turned the bubble thing back on (i think it adds oxygen to the water?) and he seems to be moving around a little more so maybe that was part of it... and thanks for all the suggestions

You shouldn't need a bubbler with bettas, in fact they prefer slower moving water and get their air from the surface like we do. In fact the bubbler might be stressing him out more.

Since you just got the guy, I wouldn't worry for now. If after a few days he still wont eat, try offering him some different foods. I have 3 females in my tank, some prefer betta pellets, others prefer tropical flakes with freeze dried bloodworm, and one even nibbles a bit at times at the bottom feeders algae wafers (though this is not something a betta should eat all the time).

Some bettas prefer some foods over others, try different types until you find what he likes.

 

[Bombalurina]

I agree with the others - it is most likely stress - but I suspect a lot of it is him being too cold. When you get a heater for him you will notice an increase in his activity levels.

 

[iceyrose]

all though not all bettas are the same...maby try betta bio gold they seem to like those prolly all the changes stressen him out a little bit. Some bettas can be very lathargic to cooler temps...don't forget ur themometer.

 

[OMGemily]

he started eating yesterday but he just spit his pellets back out. so i tried flakes and he did the same thing. but he eats big peices and spits out little bits so i think hes at least getting some food. i put him in a heated 5.5 gal tank today with some plants to hide in so hopefully he will calm down a bit. i was taking pictures of him again and he flared his fins like normal but he puffed his gills out too this time which hes never done. so i think hes starting to feel better thanks everyone for the advice! Ive had him for 3 days and love him already haha so i hope he lives long

 

[mzxeternal]

he started eating yesterday but he just spit his pellets back out. so i tried flakes and he did the same thing. but he eats big peices and spits out little bits so i think hes at least getting some food. i put him in a heated 5.5 gal tank today with some plants to hide in so hopefully he will calm down a bit. i was taking pictures of him again and he flared his fins like normal but he puffed his gills out too this time which hes never done. so i think hes starting to feel better thanks everyone for the advice! Ive had him for 3 days and love him already haha so i hope he lives long

I think that's normal, my bettas spit out some of their food at times, but you can tell they eat some of it.

With the pellets, try breaking them into smaller pieces. My females can't swallow them at all at full size. The flakes are fine, but since the bettas are omnivores i'd recommend supplementing some freze dried bloodworm into the mix a few days a week.

 

[kfish]

he started eating yesterday but he just spit his pellets back out. so i tried flakes and he did the same thing. but he eats big peices and spits out little bits so i think hes at least getting some food. i put him in a heated 5.5 gal tank today with some plants to hide in so hopefully he will calm down a bit. i was taking pictures of him again and he flared his fins like normal but he puffed his gills out too this time which hes never done. so i think hes starting to feel better thanks everyone for the advice! Ive had him for 3 days and love him already haha so i hope he lives long

You can also try soaking the pellets in some tank water to soften them up. I'm glad he's doing better!

 

[OMGemily]

mzxeternal: im starting to think its normal as well. he looks like he takes in a lot more than he spits out lol

kfish: thanks i am too