Finicky Eater

[tttnjfttt]

I've had this betta since Febuary (I think) and i very rarely see this fish eat. I have offered him some pellets that are speciffically for bettas as well as the flakes the rest of my fish eat, but he just won't take it. The only thing I have ever seen him eat was half a pea that I offered him as a treat. Does anyone have any suggestions? He is also pretty small and thin.

He is also VERY lethargic, and i usually find him sleeping on the bottom of the tank. When I tried putting him into my 5 gallon, he would lay limply in the plants. The two times I tried to put him in the tank, within a few hours I thought I was going to have a fishy funeral.

Any ideas?

Nicole

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

What size tank is he currently in and does he have any tank mates? what are your recent water stats like ammonia, nitrates and nitrites and tank cleaning regime on a general basis and how often? Does his poo look white and/or stringy?

 

[Kiarra]

Try getting him some frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp from your lfs's freezer. If he's just finicky and doesn't like his pellets, he should take those readily.

 

[tttnjfttt]

HE ATE I got some frozen bloodworms, and ate everything that I put into his tank, so i even gave him seconds I did see him spit back out some of his food a few minutes after he ate, but he quickly ate it again, is that normal? After he ate, he was swimming all over his small tank and flaring(?) like crazy. I'm so happy!!!!

On the flip side, I checked the water, and ammonia is .75, nitrites is .25 I admit, I have been bad on his water changes, so last week i was vacuming out his gravel and it was discusting, so I emptied it then vacumed it two or three times. I'll do it again this weekend. Anything else that I should do?

Thankyou!!!!
Nicole

 

[Bettabelieveit]

How big is the tank? I'd do water changes weekly unless its in a 10 or something close, or bigger. congrats on finding some food that he enjoys

 

[tttnjfttt]

He's currently living in a 1 gal tank. I know, i need to do more frequent water changes. Here are a few of his pix

I seriously have NEVER seen him eat like he has tonight! I'm stoked!!!

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

In a 1gal tank its better off to just do 100% water changes every 3 days, does the tank have a filter in it? Are you using dechlorinator?

 

[tttnjfttt]

I would like to try to get this tank cycled, should I gently clean the gravel while using the vacume? Or perhaps just change the water, but leave the gravel alone?

Nicole

 

[3fsh]

Do you have any kind of filter in with him? You can get a small sponge/carbon filter and just leave it in there indefinitely... that should cycle after a while. Gently vacuuming the gravel will not kill the beneficial bacteria living inside.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

You need a filter and dechlorinator to cycle a tank, you cannot do it without both of these.

 

[tttnjfttt]

I'm pretty sure there is an underground (gravel) filter...It has an elevated plate beneath the gravel, a tube comming out of that plate which reaches almost to the top, then an air bubbler is in the tube, and the bacteria is to grow in the gravel. I was told this by a decent LFS when i was living in a different state, is this correct? If not, I could probably cut a piece of the spounge from my old tank (being used to cycle my new 20 gal, 5 gal is empty).

I also ALWAYS use dechlorinator, so that isn't an issue.

Nicole

 

[eudielynn]

From what you describe, you do have an undergravel filter. Once the tank is cycled you won't have to do your water changes as often, but you will have to do them regularly to keep the amonia down. This should actually be taken care of when you vacuum the gravel.

Since I have never figured out a good way to vacuum my 1 gal. I'm curious as to what you use to vacuum it with?

 

[BettaMomma]

A couple of things - I have 1 gallon tanks and I don't cycle them - I give them 100% water changes 2 - 3 times a week. BUT... I know people who have. If I had the time and patience here at work to vacuum the gravel, I'd get a tiny little sponge filter and get that little thing cycled.

ANYHOW - I also have a fish that won't touch anything but *gourmet* frozen bloodworms and peas. She's such a little snot. She, too, is very tiny and has not grown much, if at all, in the several months I have had her. She's very sassy and pushes around girls in her tank that are 3 times her size. I don't know if she's completely healthy on the inside, but she looks and acts healthy on the outside, so there's not much more I can do for her I guess. I would just keep giving your little guy worms followed up by peas - they need the vegetation to keep things moving on thru - the worms are pretty meaty.

I have seen teeny little mini gravel vacuums at the lfs. The opening of the part that sucks stuff up is probably 1" wide or smaller - it's perfect for little 1 gallon tanks. You could get one of those. Is he in an aquaview tank, by chance? If so - I'd ditch the UGF that comes with it and go for a smaller sponge filter.

I bet he is in his glory now that his mom has figured out what he likes to eat.

 

[Prizm]

I kept my first betta in an aquaview with the filter on and he wasn't able to eat much either, but I learned this was because the water movement caused by the filter didn't allow his food to stay afloat long enough. After I removed the filter all together (I know nothing about cycling, but do fully change the water twice a week) and he hasn't had any problems...He likes to "stalk" his fish flakes, at attack from beneith Anyway, I'm glad you found a food your bettababy likes! But if you want him to take to flakes or pellets, you could keep my story in mind and see if your betta preffers calmer water.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Thanks for all the great advice! I do have a small vacume (the 1" diameter one). I just changed his water, and i saw as much junk in it as i normally do when i would do it every three weeks, and its been five days...I guess that is a good sign, he's pooping.

I have no clue what type of tank I have, I got a cheap one to give to my grandma, and she had alot of trouble with bettas, so she gave up and gave it to me. Before I put this betta in, i cleaned it with boiling water, and also put like 10x's the recomended dose of fish meds in there, with no fish in the tank.

I seriously think this fish is just one VERY finicky betta. I tried feeding him pellets again with the filter off. He put it in his mouth and spit it back out . I guess he is just going to be beyond spoiled . Since finding some food he will eat, he is so active, and when he sees me near his tank, he goes right to where the food comes in.

Nicole