Jumpy, Unhappy Betta.

[thelastbetta]

My male, Johnny was being treated for ich. He's now over it and in a 2.5g on his own, very fully planted, under gravel filter, heated, he's fed 4 bloodworms everyday and I change is water every 5 days. But he's extremely jumpy, if he touches a plant he'll speed off in the other direction, he won't even flare at my mirror. He's still eating and pooping normal, what could be wrong with him?

 

[soritan]

Uhn, that's a tough one. Where would his tank/bowl be situated in your home, and what is the typical activity level around him? How long has he been ick-less?

In my extremely limted experience, my bettas are slightly off for about two weeks after something disturbs them (I only own two, but I care for something along the lines of six, if you count the bettas I care for for my friends and coworkers... )

 

[thelastbetta]

He tank is on my dresser in my room. I walk by once or twice aday, but that's it. And he's been cured of ick for about a week or two.

 

[Bre_B]

after you treated him did you clean his water good? Sometimes my fish get like that when there are remnants of medication in there, or at least thats what i think is happening. Either way, i just clean the tank a bit, condition the water, and they generally return to normal.

 

[ral]

Maybe the Ich is coming back. My fish are usually jumpy when they are coming down with Ich or Velvet.

 

[thelastbetta]

I did a full tank change and clean two days ago, and I don't think the ich is coming back because his tank is heated and cleaned every 5 days, plus I can't see any flecks and 'dust' marks on him.

 

[lljdma06]

I did a full tank change and clean two days ago, and I don't think the ich is coming back because his tank is heated and cleaned every 5 days, plus I can't see any flecks and 'dust' marks on him.

How's the current on the undergravel. By current I mean the spray of bubbles. Here is my experience. I removed Fasolt to a similar tank situation because he was having trouble with the gas saturation in my planted tank. Well, then I noticed he started to bite his tail not long afterwards. I blocked him from seeing other bettas, I cleaned his water, I did everything I could, but still he kept biting his tail. Then, I lowered the airflow on my undergravel filter in his tank. I had the filter running because he was being treated for possible infection because of the tail-biting. Well, the reduced air-flow from the pump, I noticed a major behavioral change. He stopped biting his tail, and now I'm starting so see regrowth. If you have too many bubbles, that constant activity may be making your fish jittery. I have a valve to reduce the air flow, and hopefully Fasolt will be on the road to recovery.

It is impossible to know exactly what are fish want at any given time. We can't read their minds, we can only make estimates based on how they behave, and provide the best care we can provide for them. I wish I had noticed Fasolt's problem sooner, but at least I found it in time and can rectify it. Though your betta isn't biting his tail, maybe the decreased bubble flow will make him less jittery and nervous.

 

[thelastbetta]

Well the current on as low as I can put it, it's not very strong at all..