Betta Won'T Stop Displaying

[Trollfest]

Just got my first Betta and for the past 2 hours now he's just stayed in one corner, where he can see his reflection I think, with his fins sticking out! I'm concerned he's gonna get stressed out and exhaust himself. Is there anything I can/should do or will he eventually get bored and realise there's not really another one in there?

 

[Trollfest]

Oh good, was getting a little concerned. He looked so chilled out and peaceful in the shop I thought we might have broken him!

 

[Loops]

Mine does this when the other tank light goes off. He goes mad!!

Don't worry too much, he should calm down

 

[Rezatii]

Yeah, he should calm down, give him a couple of days he should sort himself out

-Rezz

 

[jasminekiddell]

Yeah, some can be like that when first bought.
There just a little stressed, should calm down soon
(Btw,Loops,Lotus is stunning in your sig)

 

[Trollfest]

I maybe should also have mentioned that he is with 5 neon tetras in a 63l tank. I didn't think it was a good idea to keep them together but the lady in the shop said it was fine and they all looked happy enough together in the tank in the shop. I'm now thinking I've made a mistake and that I should get him his own tank. I think I ignored all that I'd read here in the forum just cos he was so pretty and I wanted him. Do you think I need to give hime his own space or is too soon to tell?

 

[jasminekiddell]

You missed out a vital peice of info there! Tetras and bettas do not get on. Hes gunna need his own tank atleast 15l.
Tetras will most likely nip the betta, and the betta will nip them. Once you betta gets so annoyed at the tetras he'll lash out at them.
Not a good idea. Seperate them as soon as you can.
Some people keep them together, but i wouldnt risk it.
Also, pet shop workers just give you whatever info they want just so you buy more out of there store.
Its a vicous circle.

 

[Loops]

Yeah, some can be like that when first bought.
There just a little stressed, should calm down soon
(Btw,Loops,Lotus is stunning in your sig)

Awwww thanks very much He is such a show off!!

 

[Trollfest]

You missed out a vital peice of info there! Tetras and bettas do not get on. Hes gunna need his own tank atleast 15l.
Tetras will most likely nip the betta, and the betta will nip them. Once you betta gets so annoyed at the tetras he'll lash out at them.
Not a good idea. Seperate them as soon as you can.
Some people keep them together, but i wouldnt risk it.
Also, pet shop workers just give you whatever info they want just so you buy more out of there store.
Its a vicous circle.

Thanks for that. I let my heart rule my head and now he's gonna suffer, I feel suitably ashamed. I've already identified a 28l tank with undergravel filter that I think would be ideal as I now know they don't like much of a current (I did research before starting out, honest ). Is that ok if he's on his own, as far as filtration requirements go?

 

[jasminekiddell]

Sorry didnt try to make you sound like a bad person. The pet shop just gave you faulty advice, no worries a mistake we all make sometimes!
Sorry if i came on a little hard lol.
Undergravel filter is perfect, i always use stingrays which are undegravel, he wont suffer if you move him soon.
Until then you could put him in a breeding trap until his new homes set up.

 

[Trollfest]

Ha ha, no you didn't come on to hard. Just confirmed what I knew. I'll order the new tank tomorrow, once I've persuaded my boyfriend it's a must! Will I have to cycle it first or can I get away with putting some gravel from my old tank in the new one? I know bettas breathe air but are they still affected by ammonia, nitrates etc? Gosh, I feel like such a numpty. I thought I knew what I was doing!

 

[jasminekiddell]

Do you have any cycled filter media in any other tanks? If so you could cut some of that out of a cycled filter and pop into your new filter, then it will be cycled already. No, just moving gravel over wont cycle it, because the gravel has all the stuff stored in it if you move it all the stuff in the gravel will just move.
You'll have to cycle the tank if you dont have cycled media, which could take upto 6 weeks.
Sand is alot better to use in betta tanks as its easier to clean. I use it in my tank, and when you get dirt on top of it you can get a thin airline tube and suck it up with that.
If you dont know how to cycle a tank then read up on it on the internet. How is your betta?
Do you have a breeding trap to put him in? You could also just make your own sort of breeding net, by getting a thin plastic tub thats been used to store peaches when bought or something like that etc lol , put a few tiny holes in it each side.
Also yes, they do get affected by nitrates etc, all fish do. Can you buy yourself a test kit? If your cycling a tank this is essential, because you need to read test results to find out if and when is cyced.

 

[aly_starh]

Have you not already got a filter? if so you can put that in the new tank.
Other wise, with just the betta only and no filter you will have to do daily water changes of 50%-75%.

Putting gravel in the new tank, wont help with cycling.

EDIT: Jasmine, your too fast!!!! lol

agree with Jasmine!

 

[Trollfest]

I've got a filter in the 63l but that also has 5 neon tetras in it so I couldn't remove it. The smaller 28l for the betta on his own comes with an undergravel filter. Hmm, still need to cycle it eh. It took over a month to get the 63l ready

Don't know what to do for the best. Leave the betta for a while whilst cycling the new tank or move him straight away and have mammoth water changes for however long...

 

[aly_starh]

Are the tetras nippy at all? if so, then yes its exteremly important for the betta to be moved asap, a rip in its fins can result in a horrible bacterial infection

If they ain't then a few more weeks wont hurt. Are you going to do a Fish-In or Fish-Less cycle?