Betta Issue

[BettaGal]

I treated my betta for velvet and left all the stuff in for another day before putting the cartridge back into the filter. He's been a little sluggish lately after that, but I've been told that's normal. However, today, he's in a skull cave he's got and I have yet to see him come out. He's moved a little inside the cave, I saw him come out of his secret spot and swim a little inside it. He will not come out. I've shined a flashlight into the cave, I've turned the lamp on, and he hates bright lights. Any ideas to get him out? He hasn't eaten today, and he usually eats twice a day. After his treatment, he would only eat once a day, by his own choosing. He was a very social little guy, but has been slower and kinda shy after his treatment until today, when he will not come out. Help??

 

[Calypso77]

Can you not remove the cave?

 

[BettaGal]

I can remove it, but I didn't know if that would just stress him out or if that would do more harm than good. Is it okay to remove his mancave, or would that just make him worse?

 

[Calypso77]

Hard to really say if it would do any harm or not really. Do you have plants he can hide in or behind?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Have you checked the water conditions today?
I would leave him alone. The more you keep messing with the tank (shining lights, moving things, etc) the more you are going to stress him out. Stress will prolong his recovery. If it where me, assuming the water conditions don't call for a water change, I would leave him and the tank alone for a couple of days. He's not going to starve if he doesn't eat for a few days or even a week.

 

[BettaGal]

I have two caves, his mancave that has a skull and looks kinda like coral with a starfish, and then a moonrock glowing cave that he occasionally goes into, but the snail does more. The snail does everything everyone said they don't. That's it, unless you count behind the filter, which he does also go to. That's all that would comfortably fit in the tank. The airstone takes up one corner, the mancave in the middle, and the moonrock cave toward the other corner under the filter somewhat.

 

[BettaGal]

I'm gonna do a small water change, just because he's left some food from another meal around again. Probably more hidden in a new secret hiding spot. Apparently he came out and got brave last night. The snail has one feeler. It's either that, or the ghost of my last betta came in the night and had his fun. (My last betta was an evil little bugger.) Lol.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Does the air stone disturb the surface of the water a lot? Bettas don't need or like air stones. They prefer a still waters surface because they need to take air from it.

 

[BettaGal]

The airstone is turned fairly low and he loves that thing. It's one of his toys. He hates the lamp, but loves the color-changing LED light that's in the middle of the airstone. For my betta, pretty much, everything you know about bettas, you might as well toss out. He loves to play in the lights, play with the airstone, play with the filter, is about as placid as a sleeping cat, a little shy but loves to play with my finger, not a tough guy or aggressive hardly at all. Only aggressive at lights, which is why I tried getting him to come out with a light. He usually jumps and tries to attack them. Kinda stupid question. Do bettas also have the ability to breathe in water if the need comes? I'm dead serious when I say he has NOT come out of his mancave. Either he's watching betta football, or something ain't right.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

They have gills like any other fish. The ability to breathe from the surface came from living in still water. He will come out and breathe at the surface as he needs it.

 

[BettaGal]

Alright. It just has me kinda worried. He used to literally pose for the camera. It was hilarious. He isn't as fluent in English as my last one, who was about as snobbish as it could get for a fish, but he's quite vocal. I'll try leaving him alone for the night. At least I found the wannabe Houdini's secret hideout.