RackinRocky
Aquarium Advice Addict
I bought a little betta two weeks ago. It's about an inch and a half long. Not one of those TINY ones you see that Petco sells, bigger than that but obviously a baby. People here seemed to think it might be a male. The fins haven't started to lengthen yet.
He/she has been hiding since I put him/her in my 55 gallon tank. I've never had one hide this long. I don't know if it's just shy or scared of the bigger fish. I have Rainbows that are rowdy and fast, and the little one disappears within the tall, very thick, soft plant in there, and that's where he/she stays. Only comes out only at feeding time, morning and night, and only stays out long enough to grab a few bites and then retreats again. I rarely see him/her between feedings, but I don't see any abnormalities that are obvious.
So this is where I need help--he/she is VERY thin. I noticed just HOW thin today when I looked at him/her from above. OMG, he/she's a RAIL! He/she has absolutely nothing to fall back on. I've given him/her a variety of foods (while keeping the Rainbows in the other end of the tank as much as possible) and he/she is apparently not gaining, and even looks like there might have been a little weight LOST.
Should I leave him/her in the 55 and hope for the best, target feeding him/her, or should I uproot the poor thing and put it in another tank? (I have a 20 and a 10 with other fish). I'm scared to do it because I fear the stress will be too much for her/him, and I'll lose him/her. But.. it would be easier to see that he/she eats. In the 10 gallon I have Harlequin Rasboras. In the 20 is a Peacock Gudgeon, some molly babies, a Sparkling Gourami, and some cories. What would you do? I really don't want to lose this little cutie.
The temperature in the 55 gallon is 78, (I would have it at 80 but for the Dojo loaches), PH 7.6, medium/hard, Ammonia 0 Nitrites 0 and Nitrates stay around 10. Weekly water changes and siphoning.
He/she has been hiding since I put him/her in my 55 gallon tank. I've never had one hide this long. I don't know if it's just shy or scared of the bigger fish. I have Rainbows that are rowdy and fast, and the little one disappears within the tall, very thick, soft plant in there, and that's where he/she stays. Only comes out only at feeding time, morning and night, and only stays out long enough to grab a few bites and then retreats again. I rarely see him/her between feedings, but I don't see any abnormalities that are obvious.
So this is where I need help--he/she is VERY thin. I noticed just HOW thin today when I looked at him/her from above. OMG, he/she's a RAIL! He/she has absolutely nothing to fall back on. I've given him/her a variety of foods (while keeping the Rainbows in the other end of the tank as much as possible) and he/she is apparently not gaining, and even looks like there might have been a little weight LOST.
Should I leave him/her in the 55 and hope for the best, target feeding him/her, or should I uproot the poor thing and put it in another tank? (I have a 20 and a 10 with other fish). I'm scared to do it because I fear the stress will be too much for her/him, and I'll lose him/her. But.. it would be easier to see that he/she eats. In the 10 gallon I have Harlequin Rasboras. In the 20 is a Peacock Gudgeon, some molly babies, a Sparkling Gourami, and some cories. What would you do? I really don't want to lose this little cutie.
The temperature in the 55 gallon is 78, (I would have it at 80 but for the Dojo loaches), PH 7.6, medium/hard, Ammonia 0 Nitrites 0 and Nitrates stay around 10. Weekly water changes and siphoning.
