New Betta Won't Eat.

[Dmbandstef]

I just bought a betta on Sunday. He is in a 10 gallon tank. I do not have a heater yet, I plan on getting one soon. I read that they dont eat as much when they are in cooler water, but I do not think thats the problem at all. He seems to spend all his time flaring at his reflection! Like everytime I look at him he is in the same spot flaring up. He doesnt care about anything else. What the heck?

 

[Lillefishy]

He really needs a heater asap, when it's too cold he'll be lethargic & won't want to eat as his metabolism will have slowed down

 

[Dmbandstef]

I know I definitely plan on it.

 

[Chad]

Do you have a thermometer so you can at least know what temperature the water is? That way we can at least rule that out (or in) as the cause.

 

[Meeresstille]

What else is in the tank? Are there plants (live or silk) for him to hide in and make him feel secure? Any other decorations maybe? 
If you have the light on, you could try turning it off, a darker environment is more calming for fish.
 
What kind of food do you have for him? Bettas are carnivorous. There are some great Betta foods available, but you need to read the ingredients list to make sure. 
To make him more interested in the food you could try soaking it in garlic juice. It often helps entice finicky eaters. Garlic is also good for his immune-system that may be stressed at the moment, so it would be a win-win!
 
If you can, try placing the tank where it may get a bit of heat from somewhere or at least where there is no draft and the temperature can stay stable. I also urge you to get a heater for his tank, it is so much better for him!

 

[Dmbandstef]

Yes there is a thermometer. The water goes between 68 and 70. I know this is too cool please dont tell me about that. I do plan on getting a heater so it will not be like this permanently, however I definitely want to know if this is the problem. There are 2 java ferns and one of those squidwards house decorations. He is alone in the tank but plan on getting ghost shrimp in the near future. For food he has Tetra Betta mini pellets.
Here is the tank, yes I know it is very el cheapo at the moment!

 

[Meeresstille]

Hmmm, sometimes we have to go through the method of elimination to find out what the problem is. Bettas are tropical fish and need warm water. The water in your tank is way too cool for him, so it would be the first thing to fix to see if that changes his behaviour.
 
In the meantime you could treat the tank as you would during a long power outage. Wrapping the tank and floating some bags, or water bottles, of warm water in the tank could help. 
 
Looking at your photo I can't see a hood on your tank, is there a glass cover on it? Bettas are known to jump out of uncovered tanks. A cover would also help keep the heat in, and long term it helps reduce evaporation of the tank water.
 
Good news is that your Betta has a lot of swimming room and his tank has a filter. (if it is not cycled yet you need to be checking for ammonia levels, and later nitrite to make sure the water is not toxic for your Betta)

 

[Dmbandstef]

The media in the filter has been cycled already. No hood. Whats the matter with me? I know all the do's and don't but still made all the rookie mistakes! I guess i let my excitement get the best of me. ADD is a ***** lol. Poor guy. I will take care of him though please trust me on that!

 

[Meeresstille]

I think you are at the right place here, most of us will at the very least have been tempted to make rushed decisions. See if any of this helps and please let us know how he is doing.

 

[Dmbandstef]

I will update you guys when I get a heater. Thanks for your help.

 

[Dmbandstef]

Guys, do you think the betta would do ok in my 55 gallon? Its a heated tropical tank.

 

[Meeresstille]

That depends on a lot of things. Most Bettas prefer to have a territory all to themselves. Many will show aggression towards tank mates, some become stressed to the point that they get sick.
 
Some tank mates are better choices than others. Some tank mates can also nip the Betta's fins, which is quite bad and opens up the possibility for infections. Anything with long finnage and flashy colours may be seen as competition by the Betta...
 
Then there also is the height of the tank. Bettas swim up for surface air, and a 55 gallon may be a bit much? It's definitely something he's going to have to get used to!
So, if you are putting him in the bigger tank, you will have to watch how he is doing, and be prepared to fish him out again if there is any sign of aggression or problems.

 

[Dmbandstef]

The fish in the 55 gallon are the ones in my signature.

 

[Meeresstille]

Tetras can be nippy, corys could work but there is the potential that they may stress the Betta, not sure about the other two, but aren't rainbow sharks semi-aggressive? I don't know anything about Acara, sorry.

 

[Chad]

The water goes between 68 and 70. I know this is too cool please dont tell me about that.

Sorry, but we have to tell you about that because it's likely the heart of the matter. Your questions was about the fish not eating and my experience tells me that the low temperature is the reason.