Betta Swimming Not Active? Is This Normal

[2EZY]

hi guys i got a betta on sat now i have never had a betta so im not sure how their actions are my betta isnt swimming much yesterday he would swim to the top to take a breath then would go back down lay down to looks like takeing rest today his swimming a bit more for about say 5 secs go up down his tank then go back down and rest at the bottom then give him a min he would go up again swim for 5 sec again then lay down again whats wrong? im not shaw if his scared or because his in a new tank what do you guys thin? his eattting and i have tested him see if he can flare he would flare so im worried or is this normal for a betta not to swim like that

 

[wilsonnw8]

hi guys i got a betta on sat now i have never had a betta so im not sure how their actions are my betta isnt swimming much yesterday he would swim to the top to take a breath then would go back down lay down to looks like takeing rest today his swimming a bit more for about say 5 secs go up down his tank then go back down and rest at the bottom then give him a min he would go up again swim for 5 sec again then lay down again whats wrong? im not shaw if his scared or because his in a new tank what do you guys thin? his eattting and i have tested him see if he can flare he would flare so im worried or is this normal for a betta not to swim like that

Ok was your tank cylced before you got him?
Do you have a powerful filter?
are any of his fins edged in black?
How long has he been in his tank?

Just to get you started!

 

[pammy172]

Welcome - might also be helpful to know if he has any tanks mates or is on his own? What's the size of the tank?

Someone is also bound to ask for the water details if you have them, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate etc.

lol

Hope your boy is OK though - they are lovely characterful chappies.

 

[2EZY]

his in a 2 gallon tank no filter i his got some black on his caudal fin but im not sure if thats his colour shade or not his been in his tank since sat its monday here

no the tank wasnt cycled i just added live bacteria fish n some stress coat n stuff just to settle him in he is eating

 

[fishman3]

his in a 2 gallon tank no filter i his got some black on his caudal fin but im not sure if thats his colour shade or not his been in his tank since sat its monday here

no the tank wasnt cycled i just added live bacteria fish n some stress coat n stuff just to settle him in he is eating

Having no filter is not receommended and will require a lot of water changes in order for your betta to be happy. Have you tested the water to see if you have levels of ammonia and nitrItes? an API master test kit (liquid) will give you all the results you need.

You will have to do water changes in order to keep ammonia and nitrItes down to less than 0.25ppm.

also how often are you feeding him?

 

[pammy172]

Ooh that sounds rather small to me, only around 9 litres, especially with no filtration and no cycling. More experienced members will advise though.

Have a look on the new to hobby section at cycling. You're going to be in the "fish in" cycle territory I'm afraid unless you can take him back to the lfs for them to look after until you get your set up ready for him.

Are you based in the UK? Have you checked your water perameters with a test kit? If you haven't and/or don't have a test kit then take a sample of the water to your local fish store and ask them to test it and write the values down.

I think you should also look to do a water change to dilute any ammonia that you have built up - which would happen quite quickly in such a small amount of water.

 

[fishman3]

Ooh that sounds rather small to me, only around 9 litres, especially with no filtration and no cycling. More experienced members will advise though.

Have a look on the new to hobby section at cycling. You're going to be in the "fish in" cycle territory I'm afraid unless you can take him back to the lfs for them to look after until you get your set up ready for him.

Are you based in the UK? Have you checked your water perameters with a test kit? If you haven't and/or don't have a test kit then take a sample of the water to your local fish store and ask them to test it and write the values down.

I think you should also look to do a water change to dilute any ammonia that you have built up - which would happen quite quickly in such a small amount of water.

agree entirely with pammy however you wont be able to do a fish in cycle (in fact any kind of cycle) without some filtration media on which to grow colonies of bacteria to process ammonia and nitrites.

it is possible to keep him in your tank but it will require daily (at least) water changes (with dechlorinator- stress coat) in order to remove the contaminants in his tank.

It is more aadvisable to buy a pump/filter and start cycling your tank ASAP so that the removal of the contaminents is done more successfully.

As pammy suggests you need to read up on these boards about fish in cycles !

good luck

Phil

 

[2EZY]

guys the shop goes do a change once a week with water i have i moved him in my room and i got the room light on his moveing a alot more now

 

[pammy172]

But the shop will have all their tanks filtered. You can't keep him in an unfiltered/uncycled tank . It will make him ill and potentially kill him . Sorry to be harsh, but your fish needs the proper conditions if he is to live and be happy as well as healthy.

Please do read the sections on setting up a tank and also think about getting him a bigger tank to live in.

 

[fishman3]

guys the shop goes do a change once a week with water i have i moved him in my room and i got the room light on his moveing a alot more now

I'm no expert betta keeper ZEZY but essentially the fish's main concerns are ammonia and nitrites. If you are feeding him every couple of days or so and your 9 litre tank doesn't produce ammonia and nitrites over 0.25ppm per week then maybe this would be ok. However, it sounds like a case of bad avice from your fish shop, they should have told you to get a filter/pump even if your keeping a gold fish!

Essentially the little fella is swimming, eating and breathing in his own waste. Would you live like that?

Get a filter / pump ASAP and start a fish in cycle. Even if he shows no immediate signs of a problem ammonia levels in the water will vastly reduce this guys life span.

Think about his needs.

 

[wilsonnw8]

Ok these guys are right in short here is what you need:

A filter, your betta is struggling in overtly clean (bacterialess), potentially chlorinated water

Its no good saying he's more active now so alls well, it wont be

You could ask your LFS for a bag of their water to help ease the process, that way you will be adding some mature water with good bacteria, when i worked in an aquatic store I would happily do this for customers so its worth an ask

The black on him may be fin rot, this is common with LFS bettas and will make him more ill if not treated, There are fin rot treatments available, I would buy the meds and treat him AFTER adding cycled water or when he's a bit more settled

I am sorry that the pet store guy didnt inform you of all you needed but the fact is a lot of non specialist fish stores are naive about the needs of bettas partially due to a lot of misguided information out there. He will need to be on his own in his tank with a heater,filter and potentially a light.

 

[2EZY]

dw guys ill pull out my 22 L tank its got a heater filter setup just needs new filters pads eyy guys i have had dead fish in that tank whats the best way to kill of the parsites in the tank and gravel and heater so its safe for my betta to put in