How worried should I actually be

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EnchantingPoppet

Small Fish
#1
Dec 6, 2009
10
0
0
Minnesota
#1
My newest betta, Vulcan, a delta tail, seemed to be adjusting to his new surroundings just fine. (Got him Wednesday.) Yesterday, he seemed really lethargic and I moved his 3 liter bowl (most of my bettas are in two liters, please don't judge) away from the outside wall to the inner wall, which puts by my other household betta, Vader. (I thought they might like to keep each other company.) Vulcan was still lethargic, so I changed his water today, and while he seems a little more "peppy", instead of just laying on the bottom of his bowl, he's doing headstands, and just coming up for air.

Now, I know bettas have different personalities, and as I just got Vulcan, and just moved his bowl, he's probably under a little bit of stress. Is this just his way of adjusting or should I be concerned?

And one more question: Can anyone give me an idea on how much those heaters run?

Thank you for your advice.
 

RexyTexel

RexyTexel

Large Fish
#2
Apr 29, 2009
179
0
16
Maryland
#2
I wouldn't be too concerned. Bettas can go through mood swings when they're still adjusting to their surroundings. I usually give mine a good week and a half to two weeks to get fully used to everything.

I bought a cheap 1-5 gallon heater for about $15.99 but since your tanks are barely a gallon I really wouldn't get any heaters unless you plan on going to at least a gallon or more. A heater made for 1 gallon could easily over well your small tanks and heat the water too much. I would really suggest getting bigger tanks because fluctuating temperatures are harmful to bettas. Their immune systems can be weakened this way making them more susceptible to diseases like ich and fin/tail rot.
 

bassbonediva

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
#3
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
0
0
Northern Arizona
#3
I would say you just have a lazy boy. Most of my males are pretty lazy and will just chill on the bottom or near the top of the tank. It's probably also a bit of the stress he's been under since you got him (with being in new surroundings, moving his bowl, and being put next to a strange male, especially if they can see each other clearly). I have two of my males in 1gal bowls at the moment because I had to strip down their divided 10gal when the third male in the tank died unexpectedly. I don't want them catch whatever killed him, so I'm sterilizing everything and then setting it up again just divided in two instead of three. Anyway, both of them are just "laying" on the bottom and only coming up for air. But, mine are used to large amounts of space, so being in the smaller bowl pisses them off. :p

As for heaters...for what size tank? I know the smaller heaters cost around $15 or so at Petsmart. This is the one I'm getting for both my Hex5 and my divided 10gal once I can afford it.
Hydor Mini Aquarium Heaters - Heating - Fish - PetSmart

And I agree with RexyTexel, your bettas will be healthier and much happier in bigger tanks. I can't believe the difference in attitude between my boys that are in 2.5gal hex tanks and my crowntail male who is in a Hex5. Also, the small tanks can have HUGE fluctuations in temperature, which as Rexy said is not good for your bettas. Even my 2.5gals have pretty big temp swings, so I have to make sure they're near a heater vent and away from any windows or outside walls so that they don't get too cold. In contrast, my Hex5's temp barely fluctuates 5 degrees between day and night and it's on an outside wall.
 

Last edited:
Newman

Newman

Elite Fish
#4
Sep 22, 2009
4,668
0
0
Northern NJ
#4
my tip would be to just stop moving the tank or causing any more stress. that includes puttin a barrier between the other male so that they cant see eachother. you can remove that barrier in a few weeks once hes settled.

get a test kit to test your water for ammonia nitrite and nitrate. do a 25% treated water change to his tank every three days or so...
as for the heater which is a very important part, some can run you $30, while others can be $7. buy w/e you think will work with the tank best, and also get a thermometer.

You can expect bettas to be leathargic if their water temps are below 75F
 

bassbonediva

bassbonediva

Superstar Fish
#6
Oct 15, 2009
2,010
0
0
Northern Arizona
#6
Keep an eye out at places like Goodwill and thrift stores, as well as Craigslist, for a new, bigger tank for your bettas. Taking a 10gal and dividing it is a great way to house multiple bettas and they each get about 3gal (if you have three males, as I think you said you did), plus it's easier to keep warm and to clean than a tiny tank is. I've gotten all but two of my tanks at Goodwill, at a thrift store or off Craigslist. My Hex5 I bought new at Walmart (but I've seen them on CL) and my 45gal I got at a garage sale.

In fact, there's a neat little ~14gal bowfront at my Goodwill that I really want, but I can't afford it right now, even though it's only $14.
 

E

EnchantingPoppet

Small Fish
#10
Dec 6, 2009
10
0
0
Minnesota
#10
He's getting worse. This morning I swore he was dead. He keeps burying his head under rocks and under the plants, and I don't think he's eating. I will be changing his water again today and see if that helps. But mostly, he's acting like Neptune, my betta who died recently.

It makes me sad that I can't help him feel better.
 

Doomhed

Doomhed

Large Fish
#12
Feb 11, 2003
687
0
0
41
Rhode Island
Visit site
#12
Sounds like your bettas have gill flukes from the way you are describing their behavior. you need to get a gallon of distilled water from the store and treat it with both melafix and malachite green and then use that water to replace half the water in the tanks for them. after that dilute the malachite water with regular treated water, making it weaker and weaker until it isn't green any more. change half the water every 2 days. By the time the water in the gallon jug is tea colored they should be fine.

I used this method to cure 31 juvenile betta of gill flukes. I spent so much time changing water that week I only slept like 4 hours a night, but I only lost 1.

Good call on sterilizing the split tank, good thinking.
 

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