Help...i Just Don't Understand Flash Right Now

[Beth_Laubenthal]

I am having issues with my favorite fish, my betta. I know, we should not have favorites, but if you read my intro... Plus, when he sees me, he wiggles his body like a little puppy dog. He is the sweetest fish I've ever seen and he has TONS of personality (his nickname: Mr. Personality).

Anyways, I have a 10 gallon tank. Temp is 78-80 degrees. Two bubblers. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate are 0. Hardness and PH are normal. No heavy metal detected.

It's stocked with 2 ottos, 2 mollies, 2 plattys. Plus 8 eight day old molly fry (which, in the next 3 weeks, 7 of them will be adopted out).

Been doing a 25 percent water change every 3-4 days because of the fry. Flash started showing stress stripes, which I am thinking might be psychological stress. He went from being almost the only fish to having 4 more fish who could care less about him in the tank with him. It started when Charlie, the black molly, started seeking attention from me, about 4 days ago (which is also the time I moved the 10 gallon tank from the kitchen to the living room so that we can enjoy and interact with the fish more. Kept about 75 percent of the original water in the tank). Flash started showing a stress stripe, so I set up the 3 gallon vase/tank for him next to the 10 gallon tank. I put a bubbler (on low because he sometimes likes to swim in the bubbles) and I put a heater in there. Temp never got past 78 degrees. He was okay with it for a day or two. Then he quit eating. Last meal he had was yesterday morning. Fasted him the night before. He has been hiding behind the heater for 3 days now.

Today, I moved him back to the 10 gallon tank. He's swimming around more, but he is flaring at Charlie! He flares at Charlie and goes right back to minding his own business. The mollies and platties are not bothering him. They are not interested in him. They actually get out of Flash's way when he's around. They respect him. Flash has not attacked them either. I just don't get Flash right now. It's like he is a toddler throwing a tantrum over something. Physically, Flash looks great. Has great coloring, great fins, great body condition. I just don't get it. Ideas?

--Beth

My question is: is it even possible that Flash is jealous of Charlie and feels threatened by him?

 

[Man of fish]

What color is the Molly? He may think it's another male betta.

 

[Cazgar]

Is your tank properly cycled? You're showing no nitrates which suggests it may not be.
What tests are you using, the strips can be inaccurate

 

[Beth_Laubenthal]

What color is the Molly? He may think it's another male betta.

He's black and half the size of Flash. He swims away from flash, keeps his fin down around Flash, and likes to hang out with the other molly (white with black spots) and the two plattys.

Is your tank properly cycled? You're showing no nitrates which suggests it may not be.
What tests are you using, the strips can be inaccurate

Wow. No. I should have not put Nitrates. Time for a bit more coffee. Just habit typing those three out. So sorry! I cannot test for them just yet. I had to take a water sample in to test for that. Getting a better testing kit tomorrow (API test kit). I forgot what the measurement was. All I know is that it was safe to put the fish back in it.

Man of Fish, good possibility. I'll see how they react to each other again during feeding time. I would really hate to take Flash back out of the tank. He likes it much better in there. I just really don't know what I'm going to do.

 

[Man of fish]

Hmm not sure but it's still a possibility. Yes strips can be inaccurate and liquid tests are much better.

 

[Beth_Laubenthal]

Hmm not sure but it's still a possibility. Yes strips can be inaccurate and liquid tests are much better.

I was using a liquid test kit (after I bought the test strips and it read a high nitrate reading on my first test--biggest waste of money EVER). The liquid test kit that I had tested for PH, hardness, ammonia and nitrites. To test for nitrates, I had to go the local aquarium store and have them test it with their test kits.

Tomorrow after I take the husband to the doctor, I'm going to get this:
http/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754034&lmdn=Water+Conditioners

I am debating if I should get the whole kit or only the parts for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate as my ph and hardness have yet to change.

Anyways, I'll know for sure what the Nitrates are tomorrow.

 

[Cazgar]

It could be that your Betta feels threatened.
In a tank that small with 6 other fish & the fry, that could be stressing him.
Of my two, the one on his own with just a few shrimp for company seems to be the happiest.
He makes bubble nests all the time & always interacts with me.
The other who has endlers & shrimp for company never makes bubble nests & can take me or leave me.

 

[Beth_Laubenthal]

It could be that your Betta feels threatened.
In a tank that small with 6 other fish & the fry, that could be stressing him.
Of my two, the one on his own with just a few shrimp for company seems to be the happiest.
He makes bubble nests all the time & always interacts with me.
The other who has endlers & shrimp for company never makes bubble nests & can take me or leave me.

Thanks. I think I have an idea. He's going to go back in the 3 gallon, minus the bubbler. And I am moving him away from the 10 gallon and putting him back in the kitchen. See how he does for a few days.

 

[Whisper]

It could be his personality. From your description of how he interacts with you it sounds like he has formed a strong bond with you and indeed loves you very much and the attention you give him. If perhaps you are giving him slightly less attention maybe because of the excitement of the new baby fry he could very well be jealous of that and I have had several Bettas who indeed throw tantrums and hissy fits like a little kid when you don't give them the attention they are used to getting.

He probably stopped eating from the stress of demoting him to the little hospital tank. I will say that your tank does sound a bit overstocked and with the little fry running all around he may be stressed from having to try to see where all the fish in the tank are at all times. Bettas like to know that. I would give him several days of good quality time with him so he will know he is still your favorite and he just may snap out of it.

But it does sound like you have manage to form a very close bond with him and thats always a great thing because that really helps to bring out their playful personality. I doubt he is sick. They normally get pale in color and inactive when they are sick or stressed and wouldn't have the energy to throw a hissy fit. Hissy fit activities usually indicates you or something in the tank has managed to #101## him off.

 

[Beth_Laubenthal]

It could be his personality. From your description of how he interacts with you it sounds like he has formed a strong bond with you and indeed loves you very much and the attention you give him. If perhaps you are giving him slightly less attention maybe because of the excitement of the new baby fry he could very well be jealous of that and I have had several Bettas who indeed throw tantrums and hissy fits like a little kid when you don't give them the attention they are used to getting.

He probably stopped eating from the stress of demoting him to the little hospital tank. I will say that your tank does sound a bit overstocked and with the little fry running all around he may be stressed from having to try to see where all the fish in the tank are at all times. Bettas like to know that. I would give him several days of good quality time with him so he will know he is still your favorite and he just may snap out of it.

But it does sound like you have manage to form a very close bond with him and thats always a great thing because that really helps to bring out their playful personality. I doubt he is sick. They normally get pale in color and inactive when they are sick or stressed and wouldn't have the energy to throw a hissy fit. Hissy fit activities usually indicates you or something in the tank has managed to #101## him off.

I moved his tank over to the kitchen, away from the community tank. He's in a 3 gallon tank right now. As soon as I get a job, his tank is going to be upgrade. Got him to eat using Tubifex worms. He is now eating brine shrimp on his own. Tomorrow, he gets mysis shrimp. I think it was the combination of him wanting me to himself and the black molly also wanting attention. He's much better now. He's wiggling his body now. He's back to his normal self. Charlie, my black molly, is also bonding with me. He gives me "kisses" on my finger a couple of times a day. So, I think it was a jealousy issue between Charlie and Flash. Same issue I'm having between my two cats: Phantom and Mooch. Some days I just feel so loved!

Never, in a million years, did I think I would ever bond with a fish. But, Flash is my favorite. Charlie is a close second! I do love all of my "kids," with fur and with fins!

 

[Beth_Laubenthal]

Okay, Spot and Sunrise are starting to "kiss" my finger too. LOL! Definitely feel the love!

 

[Man of fish]

All my mollys and plates give me kisses, except sunburst one of my platys. It makes you feel so loved doesn't it lol