Betta fish

[lizmunn]

Iv had my betta fish for just over a week and as from yesterday hes just sat infront of the filter not moving very much at all anybody have a suggestions in anything i can do is it normal?

Thanks

Liz

 

[Mifsud]

Sometimes bettas just lay around, nothing to be worried about.

It is good to become accustomed with their habits so you may identify changes in behavior as possible precursors to serious problems.

 

[bettaowner]

Bettas aren't very active. I wouldn't be too worried.

 

[fishenthusiast]

If you would want to make your Betta a little more active, put a mirror up against a side of the tank. The Betta will see its reflection and will get in its "fighting mode". This will help brighten up its colors too

 

[emilygupps]

Could the filter be annoying him? What does he do if you turn it off? I don't think my betta much enjoys his filter. He hides in his moss ball cave any time I turn it on. So I will have to do lots of water changes and I try to at least run the filter a few hours a day but turn it off at feeding times and at night to give him a break.

 

[Mebbid]

How large of a tank is he in? What are the parameters?

 

[Skibum3]

Do a water change if you are keeping him in a little bowl

 

[Fishinfreak]

If you would want to make your Betta a little more active, put a mirror up against a side of the tank. The Betta will see its reflection and will get in its "fighting mode". This will help brighten up its colors too

If you do a mirror, do leave it there for more than a few minutes each day, as when the fish sees its reflection, it thinks it is another male betta, and gets very stressed trying to attack it

 

[dcutl002]

If you would want to make your Betta a little more active, put a mirror up against a side of the tank. The Betta will see its reflection and will get in its "fighting mode". This will help brighten up its colors too

please do not do this because it will stress him out.

How large of a tank is he in? What are the parameters?

I actually have the same question. In addition, what type of filtration?

 

[NiaCas]

Same question about tank size and parameters. Bettas can be much more active than people give them credit for if they're in a good size tank. My brother picked up a betta and stuck him in a 1 gallon tank and then complained to me that it wasn't doing anything. I'm sorry, but where's he gonna go?! What's he gonna do?! lol - I moved some fish around and gave my brother an established 10 gallon with a few tetras and a couple snails. My betta's in a 15 gallon and sometimes he likes to just lounge, but he also likes to explore, swim around plants and weave through stuff. They like a change of scenery now and then, and my betta also likes swimming through little hoops I put in the tank and knocking little balls around the surface. Bettas are interesting AND gorgeous

Now if he does have enough room to be active, but still isn't, then I would consider food. Is he eating? How much is he eating? What is he eating?. He could be bloated or constipated or something. Sometimes freeze dried bloodworms can cause constipation as well as pellets because they expand in the fish's stomach if they're not presoaked. Also, sometimes people feed their bettas too much and they get bloated which can also result in lethargy.

Did you change anything in the tank around the time he started lying on the bottom? Depending on the change, it may have caused a ph swing which would also cause this. For example, sometimes a change in substrate might cause ph to jump and shock the betta.

More info is needed though to figure out what might be wrong, if anything

 

[NiaCas]

please do not do this because it will stress him out.

^ I agree - no mirror

 

[fishenthusiast]

You can leave a mirror by the betta's tank. I just forgot to mention that it shouldn't be left there all day. Leave it there for 10 minutes or so, and then take it away.

 

[hennaartist]

Also a heated tank (76 to 78 degrees) makes a betta happier and more active.