I got my Betta fish last June. He started out in a very small tank because he was an impulse buy and I was still learning but I have had him in a 2.5-gallon tank for around 7 or 8 months now. In the 11 months that I have had him, he has been a pretty active fish, however, I have been rather lazy and short on time lately and unintentionally went a month without cleaning his tank. I cleaned it immediately after realizing my mistake and have since cleaned it once a week but I have noticed he likes to lay - on his side- on the bottom of his tank until I reach my hand in or move something inside the tank. He has only recently started doing this and it's beginning to really worry me. Does anyone know why this is happening?
Betta lethargic but eating regularly
- Thread starter AlexPaige
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- fin rot sick betta
Can you please answer the following questions.
How big is the tank?
Has it got a heater? What is it set to?
Has it got a filter?
How strong is the current?
Is it cycled?
How often do you change water?
How much water do you change?
Do you vacuum the substrate?
What additives or chemicals do you use? Eg De Chlorinator?
Do you use tap or bottled water? If bottled water please give us the brand.
Do you have a water test kit?
Can you tell us the readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?
When you clean the tank can you tell us exactly what you do.
What do you feed him? how much? how often?
Any tank mates? What sort how many?
How long have you had the Betta?
Has he got a history of illness?
Any plants or decorations? Please give details?
Can you provide a close up photo of the fish?
Can you provide a photo of the tank?
How big is the tank?
Has it got a heater? What is it set to?
Has it got a filter?
How strong is the current?
Is it cycled?
How often do you change water?
How much water do you change?
Do you vacuum the substrate?
What additives or chemicals do you use? Eg De Chlorinator?
Do you use tap or bottled water? If bottled water please give us the brand.
Do you have a water test kit?
Can you tell us the readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?
When you clean the tank can you tell us exactly what you do.
What do you feed him? how much? how often?
Any tank mates? What sort how many?
How long have you had the Betta?
Has he got a history of illness?
Any plants or decorations? Please give details?
Can you provide a close up photo of the fish?
Can you provide a photo of the tank?
Oftentimes if a betta is lethargic, it's because the water isn't an appropriate temperature (no heater). However, since you went an entire month without doing maintenance on a 2.5 gallon tank, it's possible he's suffering from ammonia poisoning. With such a small tank, you really *need* to be changing the water twice a week, maybe more, even when the betta is healthy.
Do large water changes (of at least 60% of the water in the tank) every day until he's been acting better for two weeks, then reduce to twice weekly. Treat the water in advance with a dechlorinator. When you change his water, make a batch for tomorrow. Then when you change his water tomorrow, make a batch for the next day. You can't change his water too often, especially in such a small tank, especially with him acting sick.
I don't know exactly for sure what the problem with your betta is. Nick's check-list of questions will help us narrow down the exact nature of the problem. Photos are always welcome, not just because we love fish photos, but because they really help us identify problems that maybe you don't see. But in any case, fresh, clean water is the best cure-all for betta fish. Any time your betta is acting "off", a water change is in order.
Do large water changes (of at least 60% of the water in the tank) every day until he's been acting better for two weeks, then reduce to twice weekly. Treat the water in advance with a dechlorinator. When you change his water, make a batch for tomorrow. Then when you change his water tomorrow, make a batch for the next day. You can't change his water too often, especially in such a small tank, especially with him acting sick.
I don't know exactly for sure what the problem with your betta is. Nick's check-list of questions will help us narrow down the exact nature of the problem. Photos are always welcome, not just because we love fish photos, but because they really help us identify problems that maybe you don't see. But in any case, fresh, clean water is the best cure-all for betta fish. Any time your betta is acting "off", a water change is in order.
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Okay so like I said before, I’m new to this. Everything I know about my fish and how I care for him is what I was told to do by a friend so if I’m doing something wrong or could be doing something better please let me know.
I have a 2.5 gallon tank.
It does have a heater but I’m not sure about the temperature, I got it at chewy.com and it was listed as a mini aquarium heater.
It doesn’t have a filter, I tried putting one in a while back that was supposed to have a very mild current but even it was too much for him to swim against.
I usually change the water once every 2 to 3 weeks.
When I do change it out, I change all of the water but I saw where some people will change only 50% or 75% so what is reccomended for this tank?
I don’t, when I clean the tank I’ll swish hot water around with my hands several times to clean it as best as I can. Where can I find a vacuum?
I use a fish and water conditioner from Walmart to make tap water safe for him.
I don’t have a water test kit but I’ll go and either buy or order one tomorrow.
I still have the small cup he came in when I got him from the pet store so I’ll fill it with water from his tank and put him in it. Then I’ll take the aquarium to the kitchen and start the water, with lukewarm water, I’ll ronse off the marimo ball then I’ll make the water as hot as I can stand for all the decorative items, all the items I have are safe for a Betta.
I feed him fish flakes, I tried switching him to pellets when I learned flakes are bad for them but he won’t touch the pellets. I give him a pinch of food a day.
He doesn’t have any tank mates, I honestly didn’t even know Betta’s could be put with other fish, I thought the just went after everything.
I’ve had him for 11 months with no prior trouble.
I have a marimo ball, a fabric/silicone plant that was just for betta’s, a blue “moon rock” for him to hide in, and rock and silicone anoeme.
I have a 2.5 gallon tank.
It does have a heater but I’m not sure about the temperature, I got it at chewy.com and it was listed as a mini aquarium heater.
It doesn’t have a filter, I tried putting one in a while back that was supposed to have a very mild current but even it was too much for him to swim against.
I usually change the water once every 2 to 3 weeks.
When I do change it out, I change all of the water but I saw where some people will change only 50% or 75% so what is reccomended for this tank?
I don’t, when I clean the tank I’ll swish hot water around with my hands several times to clean it as best as I can. Where can I find a vacuum?
I use a fish and water conditioner from Walmart to make tap water safe for him.
I don’t have a water test kit but I’ll go and either buy or order one tomorrow.
I still have the small cup he came in when I got him from the pet store so I’ll fill it with water from his tank and put him in it. Then I’ll take the aquarium to the kitchen and start the water, with lukewarm water, I’ll ronse off the marimo ball then I’ll make the water as hot as I can stand for all the decorative items, all the items I have are safe for a Betta.
I feed him fish flakes, I tried switching him to pellets when I learned flakes are bad for them but he won’t touch the pellets. I give him a pinch of food a day.
He doesn’t have any tank mates, I honestly didn’t even know Betta’s could be put with other fish, I thought the just went after everything.
I’ve had him for 11 months with no prior trouble.
I have a marimo ball, a fabric/silicone plant that was just for betta’s, a blue “moon rock” for him to hide in, and rock and silicone anoeme.
okay
Attachments
What sort of filter is it?
Please post a pic of the filter if your not sure what type it is.
Most filters have some way to reduce the flow and any filtration is better than none. So if you can get the filter back onto the tank that would help. Filters need to be run all day, every day (24/7). The filter will develop several colonies of good bacteria that convert ammonia into nitrite, and nitrite into nitrate. This bacteria takes around 4-5 weeks to develop but can sometimes take longer.
If the filter is producing too much current when on the side of the tank, try putting it on the back or having the outlet facing an object in the tank so it breaks up the current. Depending on the filter you can put a sponge over the intake tube and that can reduce the current too.
When you have a filter running on an aquarium your should clean the filter at least once a month, To do this you take any sponges or filter materials out of the filter and squeeze them out in a bucket of aquarium water. Once they are clean, squeeze them out in another bucket of aquarium water. Then put the filter materials in the tank. However, do not clean a new filter until it has been running for a week after it has developed the beneficial bacteria.
You can tell when a filter is established by having the water tested for ammonia, nitrite & nitrate. You can buy test kits and monitor this yourself, or take a glass full of tank water to the local petshop and have them test it. Some shops charge a small fee for water testing, this is to cover the cost of the test kits they use.
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Because you don't have an established filter on the tank I would suggest you only feed the fish once every second day and do a 75% water change about 4 hours after you feed him. You can leave the fish in the tank when you do this.
Get yourself a gravel cleaner like the one in the following link. You use the gravel cleaner to syphon water out of the tank into a bucket. While water is draining out, you push the clear tube into the gravel and lift it up. The gravel circulates in the tube and drops back down, while the gunk in the gravel gets drawn out with the water. Use the gravel cleaner each time you do a water change.
You can buy gravel cleaners from any pet shop or online. You just want a basic model like the one in the link below.
http://www.about-goldfish.com/aquarium-cleaning.html
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.
The easiest way to make up water is to get a couple of new buckets and use a permanent marker to write "FISH ONLY" on them. Then use the buckets for the fish and nothing else. Fill a bucket with tap water and add dechlorinator (water conditioner). Aerate the mixture for about 30 minutes and then add the water to the tank.
Aerating the mixture for 30 minutes allows the dechlorinator to come in contact with all the chlorine/ chloramine in the water, and it allows the gases in the water to get to normal levels.
Make sure you turn the aquarium heater off before doing the water change, and turn it back on after the tank has been refilled
------------------------
Don't bother washing the marimo ball
------------------------
Get a floating glass thermometer from a petshop and put it in the tank. Have the temperature around 24-26C (75-79F).
------------------------
re: fish food. Flakes & pellets are the same food, just one is a flake and the other is rolled into a ball. The floating pellets are easier to feed because they don't sink and you can see if there is any uneaten pellets floating around. You want to feed the fish as much as they can eat in a couple of minutes, and then remove any uneaten food and throw it in the bin.
If the water quality is not good, then the fish will be less inclined to eating.
------------------------
In the wild male Betta splendens set up small territories about 2 feet in diameter. They chase other males away and try to lure females into their area to breed with them. In a small aquarium the male will consider the entire tank as his territory so you need to be careful about adding tank mates. In addition to this, because you don't have an established filter, you should avoid adding any fish to the tank until you get an established filter on it, and the fish you currently have is feeling better.
Please post a pic of the filter if your not sure what type it is.
Most filters have some way to reduce the flow and any filtration is better than none. So if you can get the filter back onto the tank that would help. Filters need to be run all day, every day (24/7). The filter will develop several colonies of good bacteria that convert ammonia into nitrite, and nitrite into nitrate. This bacteria takes around 4-5 weeks to develop but can sometimes take longer.
If the filter is producing too much current when on the side of the tank, try putting it on the back or having the outlet facing an object in the tank so it breaks up the current. Depending on the filter you can put a sponge over the intake tube and that can reduce the current too.
When you have a filter running on an aquarium your should clean the filter at least once a month, To do this you take any sponges or filter materials out of the filter and squeeze them out in a bucket of aquarium water. Once they are clean, squeeze them out in another bucket of aquarium water. Then put the filter materials in the tank. However, do not clean a new filter until it has been running for a week after it has developed the beneficial bacteria.
You can tell when a filter is established by having the water tested for ammonia, nitrite & nitrate. You can buy test kits and monitor this yourself, or take a glass full of tank water to the local petshop and have them test it. Some shops charge a small fee for water testing, this is to cover the cost of the test kits they use.
------------------------
Because you don't have an established filter on the tank I would suggest you only feed the fish once every second day and do a 75% water change about 4 hours after you feed him. You can leave the fish in the tank when you do this.
Get yourself a gravel cleaner like the one in the following link. You use the gravel cleaner to syphon water out of the tank into a bucket. While water is draining out, you push the clear tube into the gravel and lift it up. The gravel circulates in the tube and drops back down, while the gunk in the gravel gets drawn out with the water. Use the gravel cleaner each time you do a water change.
You can buy gravel cleaners from any pet shop or online. You just want a basic model like the one in the link below.
http://www.about-goldfish.com/aquarium-cleaning.html
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.
The easiest way to make up water is to get a couple of new buckets and use a permanent marker to write "FISH ONLY" on them. Then use the buckets for the fish and nothing else. Fill a bucket with tap water and add dechlorinator (water conditioner). Aerate the mixture for about 30 minutes and then add the water to the tank.
Aerating the mixture for 30 minutes allows the dechlorinator to come in contact with all the chlorine/ chloramine in the water, and it allows the gases in the water to get to normal levels.
Make sure you turn the aquarium heater off before doing the water change, and turn it back on after the tank has been refilled
------------------------
Don't bother washing the marimo ball
------------------------
Get a floating glass thermometer from a petshop and put it in the tank. Have the temperature around 24-26C (75-79F).
------------------------
re: fish food. Flakes & pellets are the same food, just one is a flake and the other is rolled into a ball. The floating pellets are easier to feed because they don't sink and you can see if there is any uneaten pellets floating around. You want to feed the fish as much as they can eat in a couple of minutes, and then remove any uneaten food and throw it in the bin.
If the water quality is not good, then the fish will be less inclined to eating.
------------------------
In the wild male Betta splendens set up small territories about 2 feet in diameter. They chase other males away and try to lure females into their area to breed with them. In a small aquarium the male will consider the entire tank as his territory so you need to be careful about adding tank mates. In addition to this, because you don't have an established filter, you should avoid adding any fish to the tank until you get an established filter on it, and the fish you currently have is feeling better.
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Regarding the filter creating too heavy of a flow for that 2.5 gallon tank, I understand that. Generally, having filtered water is more important than having the right flow, but in some cases the filter can cause problems for a betta.
Look online for sponge filters. The ones at this link are perfect for 2.5 gallon tanks. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N0W3VQZ/?tag=ff0d01-20 I have a 2.5 gallon tank I use as a hospital tank, and it has one of those sponge filters in it. Sponge filters are different than a hang-on-back filter, and much much safer for bettas. The pet stores generally don't sell them, but they are soooooo worth the online order. You will also need an air pump and some airline tubing to power the sponge. The most expensive part will be the air pump at around $20 US. You can get the airline tubing and the air pump online as well, or from your pet store, as the pet stores do carry those items, just not the sponge filter itself.
Look online for sponge filters. The ones at this link are perfect for 2.5 gallon tanks. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N0W3VQZ/?tag=ff0d01-20 I have a 2.5 gallon tank I use as a hospital tank, and it has one of those sponge filters in it. Sponge filters are different than a hang-on-back filter, and much much safer for bettas. The pet stores generally don't sell them, but they are soooooo worth the online order. You will also need an air pump and some airline tubing to power the sponge. The most expensive part will be the air pump at around $20 US. You can get the airline tubing and the air pump online as well, or from your pet store, as the pet stores do carry those items, just not the sponge filter itself.
NO no no, A full grown male Betta needs no more than 4 to 6 pellets a day, in a couple of minutes a betta could easily eat 20 pellets.
Over feeding is one of the leading causes of Betta deaths.
please elaborate on this
I agree that too much food can cause obesity and fouled water but feeding a varied diet should not cause constipation or swim bladder problems. Good filtration and regular water changes should help keep the water cleaner and prevent fouling. I will give you points on the fat fish issue because I haven't seen any fishy treadmills or exercise bikes for them, and there are lots of obese fish in people's home aquariums.
Fish fed a lot of dry floating food can have problems with their buoyancy for a few hours after feeding and this is caused by air in the food, and the fish ingesting air when it takes the food from the surface. The air works its way through the intestine and can cause the fish to float until it's released at the other end (fish farts).
I have never had a Betta with constipation but I never fed them a lot of dry food. I used mainly frozen or live foods. Dry foods could cause this but if you feed a variety of foods then the fish should not get constipated.
Fish fed a lot of dry floating food can have problems with their buoyancy for a few hours after feeding and this is caused by air in the food, and the fish ingesting air when it takes the food from the surface. The air works its way through the intestine and can cause the fish to float until it's released at the other end (fish farts).
I have never had a Betta with constipation but I never fed them a lot of dry food. I used mainly frozen or live foods. Dry foods could cause this but if you feed a variety of foods then the fish should not get constipated.
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