Stressed Fish

[cpageplay]

Oh no one on this forum have been rude, but plenty from others have. But when you feel like a novice at something, it probably is a hurtful feeling when you may ask a question and you get an answer like" duh you should have done your research!" And I research the net more than anyone i know, especially if an animal is at my mercy. But I've tried to upload a pic of my mystery fish but the resolution is too high to post. So I haven't taken the time to figure how to upload this fish pic, but I have probably 10 pics of him on my phone. And now my betta just sits at the bottom of the tank, never swims. I hate that I don't know what's wrong with him, I don't think he's suffering , but he makes me sad everytime I look at my tank. Aquariums are supposed to be enjoyable right? Not so sad and worrisome.
To fishalcoholic, that does make since that my betta is getting tired of swimming up a long distance for a breath, it would get on my nerves too! He does like to straddle my heater from time to time , but he looks so depressed. Wish I could make him happy, I bought I silk leaf and attached it to the top part of the tank, but he doesn't seem to like it, I also bought him a log to hide in but hate it now cause he hides all the time

 

[Ninjouzata]

You should be able to use your phone to e-mail the picture to yourself, then upload the picture onto a photo-sharing website such as photobucket, and link it here

 
I'm sorry if it's been mentioned already, I did skim back through this but didn't see it.
Do you have a test kit? If so, what are the readings? What's the temperature of the tank?

 

[cpageplay]

Oh yes I do have a test kit and the readings read normal on all the chemicals, I haven't tested the water in about three weeks and I've done 4 water changes so maybe ur right and I should test the water. I have the heater a little higher than normal cause I read bettas like the water warmer. 79.5 degrees. But that doesn't correspond with my heater setting which is 75.?
I must add that I am from Kentucky and aquatics is not something here my friends are experts as. If I was on a forum regarding horses or tobacco and bourbon I would be a genius.

 

[cpageplay]

its sideways but I totally did what u said and it worked! ur a computer forum genius! And I thought I was computer savvy, no way

 

Can we a see a pic of the mystery fish?

ditto ... you've spiked my curiousity
 

 

Can we a see a pic of the mystery fish?

 

Rectangular, long tanks are really nice tanks. They have a lot of surface for oxygenation of the water, more than a tall tank (the water surface is like the lungs of the tank), and the length of the tank is great for most fish since they love swimming. Tetras and rasboras, danios, they all would love a long tank. 
 
Tall tanks are good for big bodied fish, like angel fish for example.
 
Betta Splendens can get tired "patrolling" a long tank, especially if they have large finnage. They also may find it tiring in a tall tank having to swim up to the surface to breathe surface air, especially as they get older and less energetic, or if they are sick.
 
Once you know what kind of fish you'd like to keep you will know what kind of tank you will need!

 

[Ninjouzata]

Uh, any chance of a better pic?
Someone else may be able to ID from that but I certainly can't  
 
79 is fine for a betta, the minimum you'd want is 78.
Not sure why he's acting the way he is. I wish I could be of more help.

 

[SarahR]

Hi again! Wow, you got a pic of the mystery fish uploaded. I can't tell what it is, but it doesn't look like any sort of tetra or tiny schooling species, so you are probably right not to worry much about it having friends. It almost looks like it has a lyre tail, does it? A molly perhaps?

 

[cpageplay]

Uh, any chance of a better pic?

Someone else may be able to ID from that but I certainly can't

 
79 is fine for a betta, the minimum you'd want is 78.

Not sure why he's acting the way he is. I wish I could be of more help.

I know the
 

Uh, any chance of a better pic?

Someone else may be able to ID from that but I certainly can't

 
79 is fine for a betta, the minimum you'd want is 78.

Not sure why he's acting the way he is. I wish I could be of more help.

I know the pic is somewhat pathetic, but now since you told me how to email myself a pic, maybe I can get a better shot, hes pretty fast so with my four year old and two dogs trying to help I may need to take a picture around 4 am. 

 

[SarahR]

I see your Betta is giving you concern. If I have a Betta with nondescript blahs, I sometimes give it a salt bath for a few days. You should post on the Betta category for specifics and perhaps even better advice though. Bettas folks are dedicated and happy to help.
Is the fish eating normally? What kind of food? Bettas seem to get food related troubles more often than most fish. Probably because humans have altered them in other ways when breeding for color and finnage- what's happening on the inside can get ignored/neglected. Similar to purebred dogs and cats. I love and admire purebreds, but there are unfortunate side effects to man-made creatures. If your betta is having issues, there's every chance it's unrelated to anything you did or didn't do. Along with all the normal fish ailments all that beauty can bring with it other issues. Seriously, what other fish sleeps in a hammock and bites it's own tail?
If he's eating and shows no outward symptoms, he may be fine. Hiding out isn't unusual, unless he doesn't respond to the dinner bell. If the tank light is bright, try shading part of the tank, they prefer dim lighting.
Also, a couple little pieces of a peeled blanched pea once or twice a week never hurts, especially if he eats mostly pelleted or other processed dry foods. Fasting bettas for at least a day or two once in a while is also a good idea.

Anyway, you worry too much. You are supposed to enjoy an aquarium of fish, not have a nervous breakdown over them! You can only do so much, and even when you do everything right down to every last detail, fish still die. They are still mortal.

 

[Baccus]

Even though the picture was hard to see clearly it has the look about it of a danio, possibly a long finned leopard danio. Danios are often sold a beginner or cycle fish, they do school/ shoal and are pretty active.
 

 

[SarahR]

I think Baccus has nailed it. Sharpen up the pic and that looks like it- right down to the slight blush at the gills and the sort of lyre shaped tail.

 

[cpageplay]

My fish is totally a danio, I have no doubt. Now to research what he likes. As for my betta, today is the first day he hasn't wanted to eat I've been home all day and haven't seen him go up top for air, very bad I know. He has moved from his betta log to under another rock tunnel but that's it. I was thinking of doing another water change and I will turn off the light. It's a fluval tank so the lights are very bright LED lights. I don't like to watch something suffer.

 

[Baccus]

If the light is very bright and your worried about the betta not liking the brightness (or that it could be harming him) there are a couple of possible options. One would be Amazon Frogbit which is a floating plant but you may need to have the water level a bit lower for your style of tank.
Another option is a large artificial leaf with a wire stem. I used to have one in my fighters tank and he liked sleeping on the bits of the leaf that went under the water or hanging out under the leaf. Where it arched over the water surface.
 

 

[cpageplay]

If the light is very bright and your worried about the betta not liking the brightness (or that it could be harming him) there are a couple of possible options. One would be Amazon Frogbit which is a floating plant but you may need to have the water level a bit lower for your style of tank.
Another option is a large artificial leaf with a wire stem. I used to have one in my fighters tank and he liked sleeping on the bits of the leaf that went under the water or hanging out under the leaf. Where it arched over the water surface.
 

That is super cool, I will totally buy that.  I've turned the light off and my betta is totally hanging out on top now.  He likes to straddle my heater, he doesn't really like the leaf suction cup on the side of the tank.  I had read about the floating plant so Ill get one of those too.  Bettas remind me of a cat with fins love to sleep.  Ill get anything to make him happy, hes so beautiful I would hate to loose him before its time.

 

[Baccus]

They are a pretty special fish and intelligent too, they remind me of a cross between a dog and a cat, because they can be aloof but also usually openly begging for food.

 

[cpageplay]

I just wanted to thank you guys for all the wonderful advice.  I no longer come home and walk to my tank and worry I have killed a fish.  Both my fish seem to be doing ok, even though I believe they would be happier in a more natural habitat, at least they are in a home that really cares about them.  Although after these pass, I'm not sure if I will get more? It seems to me I don't have time to pay attention to them with a young child who takes every minute of my life.  I mean you cant pet a fish, or play with a fish to show you care about their well being.  And when I do approach the tank, my betta swims down and hides as if hes saying, " please don't let this human kill me, and will she ever figure out what I really like to eat"? But I am so less stressed, and its because of you guys.