My Betta is not eating.

[Andy Sager]

Tanks for your reply. Now with this being said how often do I need to do a water change in my 6.5 gallon tank, with the fish and, the cory fish. Can I use tap water, or spring water? Tanks for your reply.
I checked my ammonia today in the tank and it reads 0. It's been 3 days without a wc. I still i have to get my fish on the 30th of this month.

You're going to get answers from everybody that differ between NEED to change water and SHOULD change water. Some people only use nitrate levels to determine when to change water. Some people will tell you that you SHOULD change water only when the fish do not look good. I don't like to push my fish into getting sick or not feeling well. Here's what I know to be true: when you get into the habit of changing water on a routine, regardless of what the water tests say, your fish benefit from it. New water has things in it that the fish use. When you get into a routine and stay with the routine, the fish know it's coming and do not freak out when it happens because they get used to the routine. Me, I routinely change water, once a week, EVERY week ( unless I'm away) because I like to keep my fish well fed. Fish just look and act better when they are properly fed. I generally change 25%-30% of the water volume. I also feed at approximately the same time daily and they know it's coming and are waiting. I've even had fish stop spawning because it was feeding time, eat, then go right back to spawning because they are used to the time. In my grow out tanks, I have water automatically being changed 4 times a day. Small amounts at each change equaling roughly 30% of volume by the end of the day. My fish grow faster in the tanks with the auto water change than the ones without it. Proof that changing water helps the fish.


For the time being, I would stick with spring water for at least the next month or so while your biological filter increases in size from the new fish. After that, you can try mixing 1/2 spring water with your tap water for the water change and see if you get an ammonia reading. If you do, that's your clue you need to stick with Spring water or water that has no chloramine in it. If you don't get an ammonia reading, try all tap water next time and see if you get an ammonia reading. If you do, that tells you that you need to not use your tap water in your betta tanks.
That's how I would do things.

 

[pettygil]

You're going to get answers from everybody that differ between NEED to change water and SHOULD change water. Some people only use nitrate levels to determine when to change water. Some people will tell you that you SHOULD change water only when the fish do not look good. I don't like to push my fish into getting sick or not feeling well. Here's what I know to be true: when you get into the habit of changing water on a routine, regardless of what the water tests say, your fish benefit from it. New water has things in it that the fish use. When you get into a routine and stay with the routine, the fish know it's coming and do not freak out when it happens because they get used to the routine. Me, I routinely change water, once a week, EVERY week ( unless I'm away) because I like to keep my fish well fed. Fish just look and act better when they are properly fed. I generally change 25%-30% of the water volume. I also feed at approximately the same time daily and they know it's coming and are waiting. I've even had fish stop spawning because it was feeding time, eat, then go right back to spawning because they are used to the time. In my grow out tanks, I have water automatically being changed 4 times a day. Small amounts at each change equaling roughly 30% of volume by the end of the day. My fish grow faster in the tanks with the auto water change than the ones without it. Proof that changing water helps the fish.


For the time being, I would stick with spring water for at least the next month or so while your biological filter increases in size from the new fish. After that, you can try mixing 1/2 spring water with your tap water for the water change and see if you get an ammonia reading. If you do, that's your clue you need to stick with Spring water or water that has no chloramine in it. If you don't get an ammonia reading, try all tap water next time and see if you get an ammonia reading. If you do, that tells you that you need to not use your tap water in your betta tanks.
That's how I would do things.

I did not know, that I need to get into a weekly wc routine with my fish. Or even a feeding routine. I just feed my fish once every few days. I will now feed everyday, and see how that goes. In my 40 gallon I normally feed once every few days. I do not want my fish to starve, so i will feed once a day. I also have cory's at the bottom on 40 gallon and I have pellets that sink down to the bottom of the tank. I will try spring water for a month, and then after I will try half tap water, with spring water and see what that reads. Thanks for your help.

 

[Andy Sager]

I did not know, that I need to get into a weekly wc routine with my fish. Or even a feeding routine. I just feed my fish once every few days. I will now feed everyday, and see how that goes. In my 40 gallon I normally feed once every few days. I do not want my fish to starve, so i will feed once a day. I also have cory's at the bottom on 40 gallon and I have pellets that sink down to the bottom of the tank. I will try spring water for a month, and then after I will try half tap water, with spring water and see what that reads. Thanks for your help.

Feed only as much as the fish will eat in 1-2 minutes. No more. Pelleted foods for the cories can sit in the tank for 30 minutes than any uneaten pellets should be removed. 1 or 2 pellets ( depending on the size) for the Betta is all you need to feed it.

 

[pettygil]

Feed only as much as the fish will eat in 1-2 minutes. No more. Pelleted foods for the cories can sit in the tank for 30 minutes than any uneaten pellets should be removed. 1 or 2 pellets ( depending on the size) for the Betta is all you need to feed it.

I just feed once a day for my 40 gallon. yes I feed as much as they can eat, then I stop feeding my fish. Oh another glo fish died in my 40 gallon. Now I have 6 glo fish. There is no ammonia and 0 nitrates. He was swimming weird always at the top of the tank. I added some aquarium salt and melafix
He might have had swim blatter issues. The other fish look and swim fine.
one of the glo fish has a dark spot on his body, that is why I added aquarium salt. The tank is cycled with 0 ammonia and 0 Nitrates. I have had the tank for 6 or7 months.
I order my fish online, maybe that is the problem. They look fine when the fish come to me though.

 

[pettygil]

My red eyed tetras look fine, all of them do, Maybe I should stick with that kind of fish. I did order a few more betta fish, along with the pygmy cory fish. Are pygmy cories, are they hardy fish? Cause I am beginner and I need a real hardy fish. I'll see if my betta lives, if not, then I am done buying bettas. Well from now. I have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrates in the betta tanks. I do not know why my bettas keep dying, the water is fine. I will feed once a day. I mean twice a day a few pellets.

 

[pettygil]

Some one said that I needed to feed my bettas more, so will do. I hope there is not other problems. As my tank water is fine.
Can anyone suggest a real hardy fish for a beginner like me.
I think I am doing ok, then a fish dies on me. I want a fish that is easy to take care of, and a hardy fish, thanks.

I read on goggle that the Black Neon Tetra. Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi. This underrated fish is one of our absolute favorites to recommend to both beginners and seasoned aquarists because they are so hardy and practically bulletproof.
I'll have to buy this tetra if it's bullet proof. lol.

 

[Andy Sager]

Wow, so many questions.
Part of your problem may be where you are getting your fish from. There's no way of telling tho if you don't try fish from elsewhere. A single fish having an issue is not a sign of a problem with the tank as much as it is a problem with the individual fish. Because these Glo-fish are manufactured, there can be all kinds of issues with individual fish that you have no control over.

Feeding fish: There's a lot of debate as to how much food to feed a fish. Personally, I believe that feeding the fish more frequently is better than overfeeding them at one sitting. Think of the amount of food you feed as a pizza. If you feed the fish once a day, you feed them the whole pizza. If you feed 2 times a day, you feed 1/2 of the pizza at each feeding. If you feed 3 times a day, you only feed 1/3 of the pizza at each feeding. By the end of the day, you have only fed 1 whole pizza, not more than one pizza. Small fish do not have large stomachs so they fill rather quickly so if there is more food available, they may take it and hold it in their throats or mouths until they digest what's in their stomachs. Leftover food decays in the tank causing ammonia which eventually turn into nitrates. This is why feeding more often is better since there is no leftovers that way.

As for the Tetras, the Red Eyes are natural and the Glo ones are not. This may be why you don't have issues with them while you do with the Glo ones. Personally, I would not replace any glo ones that die and eventually, you will have none and more space in the tank for more natural fish types.

Yes, the pigmy cories are generally hardy but they need food and good water to live so you are better off feeding them a pelleted catfish food made specifically for catfish. How much to feed them will depend on what type and size of pellet you give them. Start with 1 pellet and see how long it takes for them to finish it. If they don't finish it in 30 minutes, remove the remaining pellet and possibly break the pellets into a smaller size for future feedings so that they finish it in under 30 minutes.

As I mentioned before, Bettas are not a long lived fish( 2-5 years )but you don't know how old they are when you are buying them. They don't get their really full finnage until they are almost a year old so the odds of you getting a young fish that has beautiful finnage is remote. You can get Baby Bettas as I mentioned before but even then you do not know if these are just baby Bettas or runts that didn't grow. It's a chance you'd have to take unless you know a breeder.

Black neons are a good fish but not for mixing with a Betta. If you do not have the Betta, you can put 4-5 in your 6.5 gallon tank. If you want to see more fish than that, there are other smaller fish that would be better in a 6.5 gallon tank. A couple of male Guppies or Endler's Livebearers( males only) would add color. There are smaller Rasboras that will also go into the tank okay. The issue is that a 6.5 gallon tank is a small tank so it cannot hold a lot of fish so you are better off (imo) getting a couple of larger colorful fish like Guppies than more smaller fish like Neons.


As for "I think I am doing ok, then a fish dies on me." Fish die. Sometimes they are sick. Sometimes they are old. Sometimes it's from what you are doing. Sometimes you had nothing to do with the death. That's just part of fish keeping. The problem is when a lot of fish die at one time. There's a reason for that and it's the environment or disease. But as I've said before, routines are a fish keepers best friend. It prevents a lot of problems.

And speaking of sick fish, it's usually better to treat fish in a separate aquarium than the main one. Sick fish can be picked on by the healthy fish in the tank ( which is a natural thing to have happen) so you want to give a sick fish a stress free environment to get better in.

I think I covered it all.

 

[pettygil]

Thank you

Wow, so many questions.
Part of your problem may be where you are getting your fish from. There's no way of telling tho if you don't try fish from elsewhere. A single fish having an issue is not a sign of a problem with the tank as much as it is a problem with the individual fish. Because these Glo-fish are manufactured, there can be all kinds of issues with individual fish that you have no control over.

Feeding fish: There's a lot of debate as to how much food to feed a fish. Personally, I believe that feeding the fish more frequently is better than overfeeding them at one sitting. Think of the amount of food you feed as a pizza. If you feed the fish once a day, you feed them the whole pizza. If you feed 2 times a day, you feed 1/2 of the pizza at each feeding. If you feed 3 times a day, you only feed 1/3 of the pizza at each feeding. By the end of the day, you have only fed 1 whole pizza, not more than one pizza. Small fish do not have large stomachs so they fill rather quickly so if there is more food available, they may take it and hold it in their throats or mouths until they digest what's in their stomachs. Leftover food decays in the tank causing ammonia which eventually turn into nitrates. This is why feeding more often is better since there is no leftovers that way.

As for the Tetras, the Red Eyes are natural and the Glo ones are not. This may be why you don't have issues with them while you do with the Glo ones. Personally, I would not replace any glo ones that die and eventually, you will have none and more space in the tank for more natural fish types.

Yes, the pigmy cories are generally hardy but they need food and good water to live so you are better off feeding them a pelleted catfish food made specifically for catfish. How much to feed them will depend on what type and size of pellet you give them. Start with 1 pellet and see how long it takes for them to finish it. If they don't finish it in 30 minutes, remove the remaining pellet and possibly break the pellets into a smaller size for future feedings so that they finish it in under 30 minutes.

As I mentioned before, Bettas are not a long lived fish( 2-5 years )but you don't know how old they are when you are buying them. They don't get their really full finnage until they are almost a year old so the odds of you getting a young fish that has beautiful finnage is remote. You can get Baby Bettas as I mentioned before but even then you do not know if these are just baby Bettas or runts that didn't grow. It's a chance you'd have to take unless you know a breeder.

Black neons are a good fish but not for mixing with a Betta. If you do not have the Betta, you can put 4-5 in your 6.5 gallon tank. If you want to see more fish than that, there are other smaller fish that would be better in a 6.5 gallon tank. A couple of male Guppies or Endler's Livebearers( males only) would add color. There are smaller Rasboras that will also go into the tank okay. The issue is that a 6.5 gallon tank is a small tank so it cannot hold a lot of fish so you are better off (imo) getting a couple of larger colorful fish like Guppies than more smaller fish like Neons.


As for "I think I am doing ok, then a fish dies on me." Fish die. Sometimes they are sick. Sometimes they are old. Sometimes it's from what you are doing. Sometimes you had nothing to do with the death. That's just part of fish keeping. The problem is when a lot of fish die at one time. There's a reason for that and it's the environment or disease. But as I've said before, routines are a fish keepers best friend. It prevents a lot of problems.

And speaking of sick fish, it's usually better to treat fish in a separate aquarium than the main one. Sick fish can be picked on by the healthy fish in the tank ( which is a natural thing to have happen) so you want to give a sick fish a stress free environment to get better in.

I think I covered it all.

Yes that covered all my questions, thank you for your reply. I will feed my fish 3 times a day. I will check to see what the fish are eating. I do not have another tank to put sick fish in, do I need to by another fish tank, and if so how big? I did take a look online for hardy fish. I will not buy anymore glo fish.
That way there is enough room for my neon terta's. or black tetras. I do have one glo tetra with stripes he looks cool. I call him tigger. heheh.
I would try guppies but they keep dying on me. My tank was not cycled at the time, so I would try one more time in my cycled tank. Guppies are beautiful fish. I can't put anymore fish in my tank for now, so I wait and see what happens. Tanks again for all your help.

 

[Andy Sager]

Yes that covered all my questions, thank you for your reply. I will feed my fish 3 times a day. I will check to see what the fish are eating. I do not have another tank to put sick fish in, do I need to by another fish tank, and if so how big? I did take a look online for hardy fish. I will not buy anymore glo fish.
That way there is enough room for my neon terta's. or black tetras. I do have one glo tetra with stripes he looks cool. I call him tigger. heheh.
I would try guppies but they keep dying on me. My tank was not cycled at the time, so I would try one more time in my cycled tank. Guppies are beautiful fish. I can't put anymore fish in my tank for now, so I wait and see what happens. Tanks again for all your help.

Try getting Guppies or Endlers from a reputable dealer and not just anyone online. That may be your problem.

Just remember with the feeding, only as much as they eat in 1 -2 minutes no matter how hungry they look or act. Just like you don't eat Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner all at one sitting, neither should your fish.

 

[pettygil]

Try getting Guppies or Endlers from a reputable dealer and not just anyone online. That may be your problem.

Just remember with the feeding, only as much as they eat in 1 -2 minutes no matter how hungry they look or act. Just like you don't eat Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner all at one sitting, neither should your fish.

How many guppies can I put in a 6,5 gallon tank? Right now I cant with the bettas i just bought. I hope they live, but if the bettas dies and I buy
along with, pigmy cories I bought. How many can I fit in the 6.5 gallon tank?
And can the black tetra go in the same tank with pigmy cories?

 

[Andy Sager]

How many guppies can I put in a 6,5 gallon tank? Right now I cant with the bettas i just bought. I hope they live, but if the bettas dies and I buy
along with, pigmy cories I bought. How many can I fit in the 6.5 gallon tank?
And can the black tetra go in the same tank with pigmy cories?

Not Black Tetras, Black NEON Tetras ( they are different fish). I wouldn't do more than 3 or 4 male Guppies or 4-6 male Endlers ( they are smaller than Guppies). Yes, the Black neons can go with the pigmy cories.

 

[pettygil]

Not Black Tetras, Black NEON Tetras ( they are different fish). I wouldn't do more than 3 or 4 male Guppies or 4-6 male Endlers ( they are smaller than Guppies). Yes, the Black neons can go with the pigmy cories.

Thank you, will do. I hope my bettas do not die, but maybe, I will get lucky, and my betta will live a few years.

 

[pettygil]

here are a few pictures of the fish I bought off of ebay. The red and white and blue tetra I names independence and the blue and white tetra I named heavenly. The fish look good and healthy.

 

[pettygil]

Here is a photo I took from my phone.

Here is a video of my fish that I took from my phone.

I did give 1 pellet to my betta fish, but that is all. I do this because the fish were shipped, which means they are prob stressed and therefore not want to eat a whole lot.
Impendence ate one pellet, though he keep spitting it out, the pellet is very tiny. Heavenly ate one pellet.

 

[Andy Sager]

Nice looking fish. Not surprising the fish didn't eat the pellet as if it just came in, they may not always eat. You want to give the fish a day to settle down before feeding so don't be too concerned. If the fish still doesn't eat the pellet the next day, it may not be to it's liking so another food needs to be offered.

 

[pettygil]

Nice looking fish. Not surprising the fish didn't eat the pellet as if it just came in, they may not always eat. You want to give the fish a day to settle down before feeding so don't be too concerned. If the fish still doesn't eat the pellet the next day, it may not be to it's liking so another food needs to be offered.

I would of gotten a baby betta but there are no pets store near me, also online I could not find baby betta. My betta had the pellet in his mouth, then he spit it out, then he tried eating it again, then spit it out. I have some shrimp, see if he eats that tomorrow, when I feed little fishy fishy.

 

[pettygil]

One of my newer Bettas is not eating. I tried dried blood worms, flakes, and pellets. My other betta is eating. A fish that does not want to eat, worries me.
Is there a way to get betta to eat? Or do I just wait to see what happens.
I just got betta not too long ago, i say about 3 or 4 weeks, so it not because the betta is new. I just did a WC, so I will try again is a few hours. I read that might be because I just did a WC.

 

[Andy Sager]

One of my newer Bettas is not eating. I tried dried blood worms, flakes, and pellets. My other betta is eating. A fish that does not want to eat, worries me.
Is there a way to get betta to eat? Or do I just wait to see what happens.
I just got betta not too long ago, i say about 3 or 4 weeks, so it not because the betta is new. I just did a WC, so I will try again is a few hours. I read that might be because I just did a WC.

It might be that it doesn't like dried foods or it may be that the fish is sick or too cold. 1) Check the temp of the tank, 2) pay a visit to your local fish store and get some frozen brine shrimp or frozen blood worms. ( If you can get live brine shrimp, even better. If a fish refuses live food , they are most likely sick.)
Has this fish eaten at all since you got him?

 

[pettygil]

It might be that it doesn't like dried foods or it may be that the fish is sick or too cold. 1) Check the temp of the tank, 2) pay a visit to your local fish store and get some frozen brine shrimp or frozen blood worms. ( If you can get live brine shrimp, even better. If a fish refuses live food , they are most likely sick.)
Has this fish eaten at all since you got him?

The temp is 80 degrees. Yes my fish was eating, but I noticed today the fish swimming, past the food. I did a wC, so maybe that is why. I try to get to the pet store. I also wounder if amazon would have live food. I'll have to look and see.

Amazon has Ultra Fresh Betta Fish Food, Betta Pro Shrimp Patties, 50% Sword Prawns + Akiami Paste Shrimps, All Natural Protein, Rich in Calcium, for Betta's Healthy Development and Cleaner Water, 0.7 oz

I take another look see what they have for betta fish, if they have any live foods. I also found this on Amazon
San Francisco Bay Brand Freeze-Dried Brine Shrimp
I am not sure if any of those would work, or not.

 

[pettygil]

I have fish sticks

I have fish sticks, This is going to sound funny, but can I feed my betta fish, fish sticks, cut up into tiny pieces, see if betta eats.