Is Something Wrong With My New Betta?

[wdicwg]

I had never owned fish before but decided to get a betta as a pet. I live in a dorm so we can only have fish and I thought the bettas were the most beautiful.

I bought a new betta at the pet store last night. I had been to the store about a week ago and bought a 2.5 gallon tank (the largest my campus will allow), the tank came with a small filter, and has a hood light. I also bough a small heater, thermometer, gravel, a small plant, and water conditioner. I set up the tank and started the filter and heater three days ago.

When I brought the betta home last night I let the cup sit in the tank for 30 mins and then netted him out and into the tank. He seemed to stay in one corner last night and I figured it was just because he was in a new place.

Today he is staying at the top of the tank it looks like he tries to swim down but floats back up before he gets all of the way down. He also appeas to be moving his fins constantly but not moving anywhere. I fed him some of the betta pellets and he ate them all, which seems like a good sign but I was concerned so I searched the internet.

Everywhere seemed to say to test the water so I bought a kit and everything was normal. Is something wrong with my betta or is he just not used to the tank yet? What can I do? Please help!

 

[kelly528]

I'd give him a week to settle in. A lot of bettas are in pretty rough shape straight out ot the fish store because of those timy cups they come in.

What kind of filter does the tank have?

 

[GuppyGoddess]

He may not be use to the tank yet. I posted a similar post the other day about this. It took a few days before my Betta started swimming around. He wouldn't eat either. He's more timid than my other Bettas, but now eats and swims.

I also have another betta who I had moved from a 1-gallon bowl to a 3-gallon filtered aquarium. The fish had been my bud, watching and hanging out with me all the time. After I moved him, he flared at me and then ignored me for a few days before ackledging my existance again.

One question is did you buy a 2.5 gallon tank and set it up, or did you buy a kit (and if so, which one)? The filter current isn't too strong for your Betta, is it? With the 3-gallon eclipse I bought, I had to put filter media on the intake/outtake portions to keep the current down.

 

[squiremaster]

It took my two Bettas a while to get used to their environment. so I would give him a while

 

[wdicwg]

I don't know exactly what kind of filter it is, it came as a kit. The Aqueon MiniBow desktop kit, if that helps anyone know what kind it is. It kinda comes down off of the filter like a waterfall (about 1 inch down to the water). I dont think it created much of a current but i dont know for sure.

 

[kelly528]

I don't know exactly what kind of filter it is, it came as a kit. The Aqueon MiniBow desktop kit, if that helps anyone know what kind it is. It kinda comes down off of the filter like a waterfall (about 1 inch down to the water). I dont think it created much of a current but i dont know for sure.

Good choice for an aquarium kit! Also, the filter you have is called an HOB (Hang-on-back) filter. You can baffle the flow by tying a nylon around the intake or making a baffle out of a water bottle (you'll have to look that one up. I've never attempted). But the current probably won't be ridiculously strong to begin with. You'll know if it is-- He'll get blown around the tnak like a leaf. Let him settle in and keep us posted!

 

[Gustavo]

My Betta loves the water temp at a steady 80F. He moves around a lot, and likes to flare at his reflection all the time. Mine also likes the current from the filter, go figure!

 

[loraxchick]

hi there and welcome to the ever so addictive world of betta keeping.
well done for you for getting him a properly filtered and heated tank and not a bowl.
heres a few things that might help him out
new bettas are notorious for sulking upon introduction to new surroundings. his lethargy might be due to getting used to things. also as someone mentioned the filter might be blowing him around a bit so using pantyhose, filter sponge or even the toe of an old sock or piece of tshirt tied over the intake might be a good idea if you think this might be the case.
you said this is your first fish, right. have a read on cycling a filter. if its confusing or you have questions feel free to ask here for advice or clarification. but basically with a brand new filter it will only remove solid particles from the water. as the filter "ages" bacteria will establish itself that is able to convert ammonia (which is in rotting food/fish waste/ and anything that can decompose, really) into nitrite and then into nitrate. ammonia and nitrite are harmful to fish in fairly small quaninties, so UNTIL the filter "cycles" (As we keepers call it) you will have to do about 40-50% water changes every/other day to keep the ammonia levels in a safe zone for your fish (stores often do not give this advice and that is why time and time again we see lots of posts with- just set up my tank and all my fish died within a week, etc...) it is also important to not feed them much during this time, so once every other day should be fine until it cycles (less food=less waste=less ammonia) unless you have a test kit (and if you plan to buy one get a good liquid kit, not strips as they often give false results) then keep up this water changing routine for 1 month and then get your water tested by a fish store and see if the ammonia nad nitrite readings are at 0 (they should be)
what troubels me is the balance issue with the fish. if he is having troube maintaining balance when he swims he probably has a swimbaldder disorder. this can usually be corrected fairly easily by feeding some cooked deshelled chopped up pea- so keep your eye out for peas in the dining hall and bring some back to the dorm to feed the fish...in a pinch you can also use the tiny green tips of broccoli for the same effect. bettas are prone to bloating and it is good practive to feed some sort of fiber (veggies, esp. peas or brine shrimp are usually used) to help clean them out. after you feed him the veggie, starve him for the next day. many times doing this, coupled with keeping the water nice and clean via water changes()make sure to dechlorinate the water or at least let it sit out over night so the chlirine can evaporate) will help with the balance issues you are seeing.

i hope that helped a little. just some info for keeping a nice healthy betta. excus ethe typos as its early and im running late so cant correct (my typing is not so accurate, neither is my spelling
any more questions feel free to ask.
cheers

 

[wdicwg]

I tied some old pantyhose around the filter and now he seems to be moving around more, but not much. I also changed about half of his water today.

He still seems to "float" back up before he gets to the surface, is this "unbalanced." I can not tell if he is bloated or not, because he darts away and hides in his plant when I get close to the tank. If I do feed him some pea or broccoli and it is not swim bladder will it hurt him?

 

[GuppyGoddess]

You can try feeding him a tiny bit of a frozen pea that's been cooked and removed from the skin. Keep in mind, if he doesn't eat it, the pea will sink to the bottom and you'll have to syphon it out! One of my bettas went crazy after the pea bit I gave her and another one ignored it. I wouldn't give pea bits more than once a week.

The only product I could find to keep the water current stable has been a strip of filter media that I put over the outtake valve. I used duct tape to keep it in place.

It is really easy to train Bettas to eat from your fingers and this, to me, is the best way to be sure your fish is eating the small amount you're giving him rather than it sinking and increasing the ammonia levels. Once your fish gets past the shy phase, private mail me (because I have a hard time keeping up with all the posts I resond to) and I'll tell you how to train him. The shy one I have just finally has begun to eat from my fingers. The other two did it w/in a few days. The only downside to training them, is every time you put your fingers in the water to tend to things, the fish to perk up and swim right up and will peck at your fingers given the chance!

 

[jasminekiddell]

Also i would like to say I'm glad you got a filtered,heated tank that isnt a bowl as said up there somewhere, you'd be suprised how many people come on here saying their bettas are ill and there keeping them in vases and bowls etc, works for some people but not a personal choice for myself. Caring for bettas is wonderful, there the best fish ive kept. Your male just needs time to settle in some bettas settle in straight away, for others it can take weeks/months. Feed some deshelled pea thats bite size and hopefully your males bloated body will loosen up. I hope things work out for you, dont be scared to post any worries etc we've all been there lol! Can you get a picture of your tank? Everything is new to your betta so he needs to adjust.

 

[llamalord305]

This may be swimbladder. How much are you feeding him?

This isnt related, but is the tank cycled? Just making sure....

 

[loraxchick]

to answer some questions
no, feeding him peas or even broccoli flowers(the tiny round green balls on top) will in NO way hurt him. it is actually good betta practice to feed this to them once a week or so and starve a day afterward to prevent swimbaldder issues and bloating (they are quite prone to bloat as are easily overfed...theyll eat until they are stuffed!) so feed him a pea or broccoli and starve him for a day.
as you just got him, the filter will not be cycled yet. have you found the pinned article on that yet? if not ill find it and link it to you in the next message (or someone else feel free to do so). so after the pea/broccoli treatment followed by a starve day, see if that helps with his ballance. if not you can repeat the pea treatment. if it does, then feed him every other day for a few weeks only a little ammonunt. like, 3 pellets at a feed. will cut down on waste in the water until the filter can deal with it (,eaning chemical filtration, not mechanical-removing gunk).
good that you changed his water. you will need to do about 30-40% waterchanges every/other day unitl the filter cycles. then you will do them once a week. lots more work initially until the filter establishes itself.
and yay for slowing the current for him.
you are doing a good job so far with him. keep it up peas and clean water will most likely help him if it is due to bloat.
all the best and keep us posted.
cheers

 

[wdicwg]

Thank you everyone for all of your help. Yesterday, I fed storm (what I decided to name him) half of a pea and today he seems to be able to swim to the bottom and around without difficulty. He is even into most areas of the tank. He still isn't used to me yet though.

I am keeping up with the water changes and the only question I have about cycling the tank, is how will I know when it is cycled. I know it will be roughly a month, but in a month how will I tell?

I know someone asked about pics, I was able to get to one but it they it is not a very good quality picture.

THANKS FOR THE HELP!!!

 

[Rezatii]

ooh, looks like a pretty crowntail Glad to hear he's feeling better


-Rezz