Lethargic betta?

[FroFro]

I know betta are not known to be crazy swimmers due to their long fins, but my little Bartholomew is not himself. He hasn't rested on his floating leaf in a week, he hides a LOT more, and his belly seems slightly pale, but he isn't swollen or showing signs of raised scales. He's eating fine and my water tests are coming back at 0 for ammonia, nitrate, and nitrites. He'll swim when I greet him but then goes back to hide in his cave unless being fed. I've increased his partial water changes to three times a week as well as adding a small airstone, but I've bent the tubing so that the bubbles don't cause a current that stresses him. His tank is cycled and established. I'm at a loss here as he seems OK, but he isn't himself. Am I worrying over nothing?

Tank size: 5 gallon
Temp: Constant 80 degrees Fahrenheit
Water changes: Done usually twice of week of 30-40%. Have increased to three times a week at the same quantity.
Food: Aqueon betta pellets, Blood worms (only as a treat), and recently freeze dried daphnia (my LFS started selling it recently). I pre-soak all the food and feed strict quantities once every two days as he is prone to constipation when fed once every day.

 

[NickAu]

can you post a photo of your tank.

 

[FroFro]

Sure can! Please excuse the lack of well... anything in his tank as I figured out his tank decor was causing the slime buildup so I had to remove them.

That's him down by his cave, he's been laying inside or near it for the entire time he's been this way

 

[Kyrenora]

His belly seems pale? Is he bloated at all? Have you changed his feeding routine recently, or do you feed treats like blood worms?

 

[FroFro]

His belly seems pale? Is he bloated at all? Have you changed his feeding routine recently, or do you feed treats like blood worms?

If you read up top you'd see I described his symptoms. His belly isn't swollen but it is pale. His scales are not raised but he is lethargic and his breathing is much slower. He shows little interest in anything other than laying where he is or food. I very rarely feed him blood worms. He gets maybe one once a week and a half at most. The rest of his diet is solely the betta pellets which I feed only one of as 2 is too much for him. He get's very easily constipated if slightly overfed or fed too often, so I limit him to one feeding every 48 hours. I did recently start offering him daphnia as part of every other meal now and again, as I've been told by a lot of people its a great betta food but shouldn't be his only source of food.

 

[Kyrenora]

I've often seen a belly go pale before bloating begins. One more question - any stress stripes, or is it just the paleness? I take it the change of color is limited to his belly?

 

[FroFro]

I've often seen a belly go pale before bloating begins. One more question - any stress stripes, or is it just the paleness? I take it the change of color is limited to his belly?

He is originally a dark blue color so I'm not sure if he has stripes. I examine him every hour when I'm home and not asleep/out at work. I'm not noticing any discoloration except on his tummy.

 

[NickAu]

Sorry to say that tank is totally unsuitable for a Betta no wonder he is hiding.

Is he laying on his side? If so I do not like the sound of that something is not right.

I would get a bunch of live plants for his tank including floating ones

 

[FroFro]

Sorry to say that tank is totally unsuitable for a Betta no wonder he is hiding.

Is he laying on his side? If so I do not like the sound of that something is not right.

I would get a bunch of live plants for his tank including floating ones

He did have a lot more silk plants and the like to hide in. His tank is not as small as you may think it is, its actually a 5 gallon minibow like this https://www.amazon.com/aqueon-17776-mini-desktop-aquarium/dp/b002ltfi00&tag=ff0d01-20

The reason its so bare, as I've stated, is that I found out that his old silk plants and decor were causing a bad slime buildup that was depriving the water of oxygen and making everything dirty. I bought more plants but I haven't replaced anything inside his tank except his cave because he started showing signs of lethargy and I didn't want to stress him more by removing him from the tank just to rearrange everything and put him back in. His filter is at the lowest setting with barely any current, his heater keeps a steady 80 degrees and the airstone I was forced to slide underneath the actual lid because stuffing it between the chords for the filter and heater makes it stick out right in the middle where he likes to lay, thus the bubbles cause a current and force him to move when I know he's not feeling well. I'm only using the airstone right now because I know due to how tired he is he may not get the oxygen he requires and I don't want to force him to exert himself to go up for air more than necessary.

I know I may be sounding overly careful, but the last thing I want is to cause him anymore stress. Scooping him out with a net and tearing his tank apart and then plopping him back in is not my idea of a relaxing time.

I do have live plants that I can place in his tank, several small anubias and some amazon swords that I wanted to use but I'm so scared of stressing him. Bartholomew is, to me, a very great betta who has more spunk than most animals I've known. I'm not sure what to get for floating plants so if you have suggestions I am open. If you think he will be alright enough for me to place the plants in his tank then I'll do it, I'm probably being overly cautious. Also, he's not lying on his side, but flat on his tummy.

 

[FroFro]

Sorry to say that tank is totally unsuitable for a Betta no wonder he is hiding.

Is he laying on his side? If so I do not like the sound of that something is not right.

I would get a bunch of live plants for his tank including floating ones

I also have medicine, epsom salt, and aquarium salt on hand I purchased from the store last night, so If you think treatment is necessary I am prepared and ready for instruction

 

[flchamp89]

Is he still eating ? Try a pea

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[NickAu]

I also have medicine, epsom salt, and aquarium salt on hand I purchased from the store last night, so If you think treatment is necessary I am prepared and ready for instruction

Without knowing whats wrong I wont suggest any course of treatment as it could cause more harm than good.

Is he still eating ? Try a pea

Danphnia is a much Betta natural laxative, some fish just wont touch pea, I feed my BN pleco that lives with 6 Bettas shelled pea, The Bettas don't even look at the pea

The reason its so bare, as I've stated, is that I found out that his old silk plants and decor were causing a bad slime

I do understand.

This is one of the reasons I am not a fan of silk plants.

Heres my advice on the plant situation.

Get the following easy to keep live plants. You dont have to get them all at once if you cant afford it, I would start with a bunch of Blue Stricta.
Blue Stricta. ( Hygrophila corymbosa “Stricta” Name: Common: Blue stricta. Scientific: Hygrophila corymbosa. AKA: Temple plant/ . ) You only need 1 bunch, and its cheap about $7

Crypts, ( Cryptocoryne wendtii ) 2 or 3 pots should be fine. about $7 a pot.

Anubias, any type

And for floating plants some Water sprite aka Indian Fern, again you only need a small bit as it grows fast.

The reason I suggest the above live plants is because they are easy to care for, Require no fertilizer, The light you have is fine, You fish will love them.

 

[FroFro]

Without knowing whats wrong I wont suggest any course of treatment as it could cause more harm than good.



Danphnia is a much Betta natural laxative, some fish just wont touch pea, I feed my BN pleco that lives with 6 Bettas shelled pea, The Bettas don't even look at the pea




I do understand.

This is one of the reasons I am not a fan of silk plants.

Heres my advice on the plant situation.

Get the following easy to keep live plants. You dont have to get them all at once if you cant afford it, I would start with a bunch of Blue Stricta.
Blue Stricta. ( Hygrophila corymbosa “Stricta” Name: Common: Blue stricta. Scientific: Hygrophila corymbosa. AKA: Temple plant/ . ) You only need 1 bunch, and its cheap about $7

Crypts, ( Cryptocoryne wendtii ) 2 or 3 pots should be fine. about $7 a pot.

Anubias, any type

And for floating plants some Water sprite aka Indian Fern, again you only need a small bit as it grows fast.

The reason I suggest the above live plants is because they are easy to care for, Require no fertilizer, The light you have is fine, You fish will love them.

I have anubias, water wisteria, amazon swords, and I bought some Cryptocoryne Undulata after my last post, but they were out of the wendtii.

None of my local lfs sell the water sprite in safe tanks, I always see snails and weird looking things crawling along the leaves so I never buy from their tanks.

He's come out of hiding but his condition is the same. I don't know if I should put the plants in now or wait or even if I should try to feed him again.

 

[GobyMaster11276]

I would put the plants in. It may cause temporary stress, but in the long run I believe he will come out more and not be as timid (so he will act like he used to).