Ok I have a very established 55 gal and also a very established 10 gal my daughter has been obsessed with the fish so I decided to get her a .5gal betta bowl this darn fish wont eat at all its been almost 7 days now any ideas!! Sorry I know it sounds silly but very true!
betta
- Thread starter medic747
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first off the betta should atleast have a one gallon tank. even better if you could get a filter, but if you dont have a filter do water changes every-other-day. here are some good tanks with filters:
- Aqueon Mini Bow Desktop Aquarium Kit - Sale - Fish - PetSmart
- Tetra Water Wonders Aquarium Cube - 1.5 Gallons - New Year Sale - Holiday Sales - PetSmart
- Top Fin® Aqua Scene Desktop Aquariums - Sale - Fish - PetSmart (could get 1 gallon but the two gallon is the one i have with a betta in it.)
all these i found quickly off of petsmart, you could even look at petco.com
about your betta, its probably acting like that because its still getting used to the tank and because the tank is so small.
- Aqueon Mini Bow Desktop Aquarium Kit - Sale - Fish - PetSmart
- Tetra Water Wonders Aquarium Cube - 1.5 Gallons - New Year Sale - Holiday Sales - PetSmart
- Top Fin® Aqua Scene Desktop Aquariums - Sale - Fish - PetSmart (could get 1 gallon but the two gallon is the one i have with a betta in it.)
all these i found quickly off of petsmart, you could even look at petco.com
about your betta, its probably acting like that because its still getting used to the tank and because the tank is so small.
tyspot1000
Aquarium Advice Addict
The bowl is actually quite big, bigger than a 1 gallon tank though. Bettas need at least 2.5 gallons preferably 5 gallons, not 1.
If you dont want to go out and buy a new tank (I highly recommend though), the bowl will be acceptable, but with this following exception: You will need to do 1 PWC a day to keep the ammonia and nitrite from building up. You might also want to get a light so the fish isn't swimming blindly.
Does the betta look sickly? Was it sick when you got it?
If you dont want to go out and buy a new tank (I highly recommend though), the bowl will be acceptable, but with this following exception: You will need to do 1 PWC a day to keep the ammonia and nitrite from building up. You might also want to get a light so the fish isn't swimming blindly.
Does the betta look sickly? Was it sick when you got it?
aquabeast
Aquarium Advice FINatic
he might be unhappy with the food youre feeding him.. they really enjoy bloodworms, of my experience.. they can be very picky and wont hesitate to tell you they wont eat it.. yea, but bettas really do good in a 5 gallon tank and filter..
My betta wouldn't eat flake food at all, so I got some betta pellets for him. He chases them when they start to sink and loves it! I tried giving him treats of brine shimp and he won't even look at those, but he sure does love the betta food.
A 0.5 Gallon betta bowl is not too small.
I have kept my Betta in a .5 gallon betta bowl for 6+ months.
I change the water 100% once a week.
The water tends to get pretty dirty later in the week, but Betta's in the wild oftentimes live in mud puddles and rice paddies so don't let anyone make you feel bad for keeping your betta.
As far as eating, the betta may still be adjusting to its new home. I'm sure its eating when you are not watching or it would not have made it this long.
BigJim
Aquarium Advice Addict
I don't like to keep bettas in anything smaller than a 5g and I prefer larger tanks for them. Bettas are much happier and more interesting when they're in a big tank.
subliminalanarchy
Aquarium Advice Activist
Bettas can go a week without eating. I've seen it a million times especially in bowls. Bettas actually are warm water fish and do best at 80F. The colder water slows down their metabolism so they eat less and don't move around as much. Alot of bettas die where I live because people put them in bowls and their house gets too cold. I also think a .5 gallon tank is too small for any fish.
dkpate
Aquarium Advice Addict
You have had a betta for 6 months? I have had bettas for over a year and am friends with a breeder, but we are not experts and neither are you. Please don't come on here and tell someone how to take care of something that you don't have alot of experience in. You can suggest things, but if you don't know, it's better to say nothing. I wouldn't go on a car forum and tell someone how to change their transmission even though I have one in my car.
Changing the water 100% is not good, and I am pretty sure in that small bowl you don't have a heater OR a filter.
We used to live in caves too, but we are not comfortable in them, just like the bettas that you get from the store would not be comfortable in rice paddies, it has been bred out of them.
I would hope the betta is not eating when you aren't looking, since you should never leave old food in the tank.
dkpate
Aquarium Advice Addict
Bettas can go up to a month without eating, so one week is no problem.
I like Hikari Betta Bio-Gold pellets, and I always soak them 10 minutes before feeding. I also have frozen bloodworms and peas that they get fed once a week. Pellets should be their staple, since brine shrimp and bloodworms don't have all the nutrients that bettas need, and anything freeze dried and any flakes tend to bloat them.
EDIT: +1 on the 5 gallon. I have all my boys in split 10 gallon tanks, each with their own filter, and a heater in the middle.
I like Hikari Betta Bio-Gold pellets, and I always soak them 10 minutes before feeding. I also have frozen bloodworms and peas that they get fed once a week. Pellets should be their staple, since brine shrimp and bloodworms don't have all the nutrients that bettas need, and anything freeze dried and any flakes tend to bloat them.
EDIT: +1 on the 5 gallon. I have all my boys in split 10 gallon tanks, each with their own filter, and a heater in the middle.
DK thanks for the info ill switch everything over to a 5 gal and use tank water from my 55 gal guess trying to it cheap wasn't the way to go she will love a bigger tank on her dresser anyway! You have been a great help!
dkpate
Aquarium Advice Addict
If you can skip the water part and use some of your filter media, gravel or decorations that would be better. Water doesn't have much bacteria in it, so it would just be using dirty water.
When I got my first betta, I bought one of those crappy one gallon plastic things with the under gravel filter, but quickly switched over!
Good luck with your new betta, and I can't wait to see pics!
When I got my first betta, I bought one of those crappy one gallon plastic things with the under gravel filter, but quickly switched over!
Good luck with your new betta, and I can't wait to see pics!
Bettababe1011
Aquarium Advice Addict
My Betta doesn't eat when I'm in the room. But I'll come back later and the pellet has been eaten. His belly stays the well fed round, so I'm not worried about him.
Edit: after seeing the post about leaving old food in tank. I only leave it in for so long, if it is not eaten, then I take it out. That is not a problem for me that I need to be lectured on.
Edit: after seeing the post about leaving old food in tank. I only leave it in for so long, if it is not eaten, then I take it out. That is not a problem for me that I need to be lectured on.
Bettababe1011
Aquarium Advice Addict
I completely agree with joyler! We all are here to learn and help others learn. How can we do that if there are arguments? Thank you for trying to keep the peace, joyler!
Bettababe1011
Aquarium Advice Addict
Definitely
I wouldn't be into aquariums if not for this. I got MTS from here. If not for AA, I would forever have a single Betta, no other tanks. Well, I don't have the tank yet, but I'm saving for a twenty gallon. I don't remember if I said that. I've mentioned it so many times on other posts that I'm losing track of it!!
I wouldn't be into aquariums if not for this. I got MTS from here. If not for AA, I would forever have a single Betta, no other tanks. Well, I don't have the tank yet, but I'm saving for a twenty gallon. I don't remember if I said that. I've mentioned it so many times on other posts that I'm losing track of it!!
