pathetic male

[Pointy_kitty]

i recently bought a male betta and have heard simular cases to mine with them being lathargic from being in cups
my male is very slow and i have never seen him eat for the 3 weeks i've had him
he doesn't look sick at all and his colours are beautiful but he has no energy or will to swim unless i force him to
he's in a bowl right now for quaranteen and i usually leave them in there up to a month before putting them in my tank due to the fact that the bettas around my place are of poor health 50% of the time
i still don't want him in my tank until i know he's healthy
is there any was to make him perk up and eat?
possibly larger bowl
i can't tell 100% if he's healthy or not till he is energetic

PLEASE HELP!

 

[staredecisis]

What is the water temperature in the bowl? If it's semi-cold, bettas can get kinda lethargic. Maybe try and get the water up around 80 degrees or so by putting the bowl on a heating pad, or put him into a small 3 gallon tank with a mini-heater ($5 at wal-mart). Also, how does he react to mirrors? Or being placed next to another betta? Does he flare? And I know you have not seen him eat, but has he?

I think putting them in competitive conditions (mirror, or in partitioned tank) tends to liven them up. They become more concerned with food because they think it might get eaten by their neighbor.

That's really all I know to d for lethargy in bettas, though. Perhaps he is really old? (does he have very long flowing fins?)

 

[bittersweet]

Did you treat him with any kinds of meds at all? if you havent I suggest putting in some methylene blue for a few days, that is what I did to all the fish that I have had that are lethargic and dont eat, and it has worked. How warm is his water too? if its too cold this could be another reason he isnt moving much or eating. Also how big is the bowl he is in? I would suggest keeping him in atleast a gallon tank and treat him in there, so he can have some room.

 

[Pointy_kitty]

What is the water temperature in the bowl? If it's semi-cold, bettas can get kinda lethargic. Maybe try and get the water up around 80 degrees or so by putting the bowl on a heating pad, or put him into a small 3 gallon tank with a mini-heater ($5 at wal-mart). Also, how does he react to mirrors? Or being placed next to another betta? Does he flare? And I know you have not seen him eat, but has he?

I think putting them in competitive conditions (mirror, or in partitioned tank) tends to liven them up. They become more concerned with food because they think it might get eaten by their neighbor.

That's really all I know to d for lethargy in bettas, though. Perhaps he is really old? (does he have very long flowing fins?)

to answer you question on the temp it has been pretty cold lately, i need a new space heater for my zoo (animal room)

also i must say OMG!!!!
you can get 3 gallons with mini heaters for $5?
over here that would be at least $14 on sale and cheaply made of plastic!!!!!!!!


oh yeah and i would put him in the tank but i am super parinoid that he'll have early stages of fungus that i missed and contaminate my entire tank!!!!!!!!!

lastly he has really long finnage so yeah he might very well be old..
its too bad i can't speak fish and just ask him whats wrong
that would be so neat!

hehehe i know this is off topic but Pickles my budgie is trying to type to you right now but he's too light to push the keys

 

[Pointy_kitty]

Did you treat him with any kinds of meds at all? if you havent I suggest putting in some methylene blue for a few days, that is what I did to all the fish that I have had that are lethargic and dont eat, and it has worked. How warm is his water too? if its too cold this could be another reason he isnt moving much or eating. Also how big is the bowl he is in? I would suggest keeping him in atleast a gallon tank and treat him in there, so he can have some room.

his bowl is a 2 gallon i think and i haven't treated him with any meds

although the store treated him with methalane blue for 2 days before i got him