My Betta fish is only active when entertained?

[mandy2936]

Hello,
I have a male Delta Tail Betta in a 5 gallon tank. He is the only inhabitant in there. Before adding the Betta, I did a fishless cycle with frozen shrimp. Once the parameters were perfect, I put him in the tank the next day.

At first, he was quite active, exploring his new, MUCH larger environment. He could finally stretch his beautiful fins after being cramped in those cups for so long. He would swim back and forth happily, and found interest in the decor. He liked to swim under the little arch in the driftwood and such.

HOWEVER.... Now, he seems really bored. He doesn't find interest in the tank anymore. He's healthy, but just sits on a plant the whole day until he sees me approaching. When it's feeding time, he'll make the effort to move to the food, but that's pretty much the point in his day where he the most active.

So, I tried to interest him by placing a bright orange ping pong ball on the surface of the tank to float around. For a few weeks, he liked this, and pushed it around with his mouth. Now, he doesn't care for it much anymore. He's bored once again. When I do a water change, and have the siphon going around the tank, he starts swimming around again, because something "interesting" is happening for him. Then, I had another idea, and began placing a hairtie in front of his food so he has to "swim through hoops" to get it. But, I'm still looking for more suggestions to interact with my Betta, to keep him as stimulated and active as possible.
Thanks guys!

P.S. My parameters are: Ammonia- 0, Nitrite- 0, Nitrate- 15
Oh and I'd like to mention one last thing. Some people say that Bettas are just generally lazy fish. However, I feel that this just depends on their personality. Once I had a Betta who was extremely active. He was ALWAYS swimming around- he NEVER stopped! And, I never had interacted with him like I try to now with my current Betta.

So, if he just has a lazy personality, so be it, but I'd like to do as much as possible to keep him moving around. Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks so much!

 

[Corbo]

Sounds like your betta is just one of those who gets bored easily. They're all so unique with their different personalities... They do know how to be social if they have to though! Haha. My little guy has his one spot in the tank where he just swims back and forth for hours on end... Odd.

 

[darby]

Maybe get him some tank mates. I have four other fish in a 10g, and he swims around with them all the time.

 

[MABJ]

I think you should get him some tank mates. Start with a few juvenile corydoras or ghost shrimp.. If he reacts poorly to that.. He doesn't want tank mates. If he likes them, in a few days get a few calm tetras. Like 3-6 serape tetras!

 

[mandy2936]

3-6 Serpae Tetras! This Betta is in a 5 gallon! The only tank mate that could fit in there would be a snail! I would love to add a shoal of Cories, but I don't have the room for them, either.

 

[darby]

Maybe 2 or 3 platys?

 

[Homedog98]

2 ADF's maybe?

 

[mandy2936]

Platies?! They get 2-3 inches and are very active fish. I wouldn't want to cramp them like that.

I love ADFs, and that seems like the perfect tank mate. However, I've actually tried this before with a female Betta and it ended bloodily. (Delia RIP)
Now I'm too afraid to try anything like the again!

I've also thought of Ottos, but honesty they're so sensitive that I fear they need larger, stable tanks.

Thanks guys for the suggestions, though. I appreciate it!

 

[MABJ]

Mandy, I know so many who say fish need x gallons per inch and all that, but truth is fish who stay together don't need as much room, and you can divide the tank into 3 sections. Top, bottom, middle. You can fit several fish per section. Tetras being middle dwellers take that section up. Bottom feeders don't even count on the inch per tank rule. Bettas are top dwellers. They do however tend to have an area to themselves that other fish are keen to avoid.

 

[mandy2936]

MABJ-
Um.. I don't follow that inch-per-gallon rule. It's ridiculous.

As far as Tetras go, they are very active fish and should never be housed in anything less than a 10 gallon! Also, they need to be in schools. It's just unfair to cramp them in a 5 gallon.

Actually, Cories do count when stocking a tank. They have a bioload just like any other fish. Just because the fish swim in a separate water column and are not running into eachother, doesn't mean they "fit" in the tank. You can't put 4 Cories in a 5 gallon... it's just too small!

On another note, I went around my house and found some brightly colored interestingly shaped objects that float. I gave them a rinse and popped them into the tank. What a change in Enrique's behavior! He really liked these new additions. After a while I took them out, not wanting him to get "used" to them. While they were in the tank, he was flaring and swimming around a LOT. He fanned out his fins for once and they looked beautiful! He usually has them all cramped up but not today! It was really cool seeing how he reacted differently with certain objects.

 

[MABJ]

MABJ-
Um.. I don't follow that inch-per-gallon rule. It's ridiculous.

As far as Tetras go, they are very active fish and should never be housed in anything less than a 10 gallon! Also, they need to be in schools. It's just unfair to cramp them in a 5 gallon.

Actually, Cories do count when stocking a tank. They have a bioload just like any other fish. Just because the fish swim in a separate water column and are not running into eachother, doesn't mean they "fit" in the tank. You can't put 4 Cories in a 5 gallon... it's just too small!

Every fish is diffirent just as every keeper is. My fish are more than happy. I'd say 3 corys would easily fit. And if you have a mechanical filter, no, they do not count.. While they help the filter clean, their own excrement is removed. As for serape tetras, no matter what tank they're in, they move less than say red finned tetras. 3 would be very happy.

Take what you can, don't knock the rest.

 

[mandy2936]

I still don't believe the fish you have listed should be in such a small tank. It's not very fair, really. Cories don't clean fish tanks. They eat some food leftover on the bottom of the tank, but just like any other fish they create waste. In a Betta tank, there is no leftover food to be picked up off the bottom, therefore the Cories would just be creating extra waste, no cleaning to be done there.
So MABJ, I think we should just agree to disagree.

So, I think I'll stick with the little stimulation routine I've discovered now, and add a Zebra Nerite further down the road. Thanks to all

 

[Dylan5359]

Don't buy another tank mate that'll just play with your bio load. "Don't fix what isn't broken"
I say if your willing try that R2 fish school! That'll not only keep him busy but mentally stimulate him as well. It's also very entertaining to do!

 

[RamCichlidLover]

Don't buy another tank mate that'll just play with your bio load. "Don't fix what isn't broken"
I say if your willing try that R2 fish school! That'll not only keep him busy but mentally stimulate him as well. It's also very entertaining to do!

i was JUST about to recommend getting an R2 fish school until i saw your post! lol. and yes. training him would be perfect! one of the tricks is basketball which involves pushing an orange floating ball over to a hoop! coincidence?

 

[RamCichlidLover]

ALSO. when you train your betta, he wont get used to the equipment because you are supposed to take out the equipment when not training

 

[siva]

Tetras in a 5 gal? Cories? I have to say I strongly disagree. IMHO, a betta is the only fish that is appropriate at mature size in a 5 gal tank and a 5 gal certainly wouldn't give him enough room with other fish in there as well! If you're brave enough you could try ADF's. Ghost shrimp would be fine but most males eat them. I keep a small snail with my males and that's IT. A 30-40% weekly partial water change keeps the water perfect (that's because it is an appropriate bio-load for the tank size). 3 cories in a 5 gal tank?? That's just wrong.

 

[James_in_MN]

Every fish is diffirent just as every keeper is. My fish are more than happy. I'd say 3 corys would easily fit. And if you have a mechanical filter, no, they do not count.. While they help the filter clean, their own excrement is removed. As for serape tetras, no matter what tank they're in, they move less than say red finned tetras. 3 would be very happy.

Take what you can, don't knock the rest.

I looked at your profile, and now understand why you think 3 cory cats in a 5g is OK.

My Tanks
2.5 gallon
1 male betta
2 red finned tetras
2 green corys

Firstly, I wouldn't put a betta in anything smaller than a 5g tank. And there couldn't possibly be enough ground space in that tank for a pair of cory cats to forage.

Secondly, your tank is WAY overstocked! That many fish in a 2.5g tank is terrible for them.

Thirdly, tetras are a schooling fish that should be in a group no smaller than 6, and cory cats are a shoaling fish that should be in a group no smaller than 4.

Finally, yes, the cory cats do count against bio-load in a tank. Bio-load is based on fish size (body mass, not length in inches), activity level, and amount of waste produced. Cory cats are a very active fish, and take a dump in the tank the same as any other fish. They forage for food, not fish poop.

 

[Homedog98]

I looked at your profile, and now understand why you think 3 cory cats in a 5g is OK.

My Tanks
2.5 gallon
1 male betta
2 red finned tetras
2 green corys

Firstly, I wouldn't put a betta in anything smaller than a 5g tank. And there couldn't possibly be enough ground space in that tank for a pair of cory cats to forage.

Secondly, your tank is WAY overstocked! That many fish in a 2.5g tank is terrible for them.

Thirdly, tetras are a schooling fish that should be in a group no smaller than 6, and cory cats are a shoaling fish that should be in a group no smaller than 4.

Finally, yes, the cory cats do count against bio-load in a tank. Bio-load is based on fish size (body mass, not length in inches), activity level, and amount of waste produced. Cory cats are a very active fish, and take a dump in the tank the same as any other fish. They forage for food, not fish poop.

+3

 

[MABJ]

I looked at your profile, and now understand why you think 3 cory cats in a 5g is OK.

My Tanks
2.5 gallon
1 male betta
2 red finned tetras
2 green corys

Firstly, I wouldn't put a betta in anything smaller than a 5g tank. And there couldn't possibly be enough ground space in that tank for a pair of cory cats to forage.

Secondly, your tank is WAY overstocked! That many fish in a 2.5g tank is terrible for them.

Thirdly, tetras are a schooling fish that should be in a group no smaller than 6, and cory cats are a shoaling fish that should be in a group no smaller than 4.

Finally, yes, the cory cats do count against bio-load in a tank. Bio-load is based on fish size (body mass, not length in inches), activity level, and amount of waste produced. Cory cats are a very active fish, and take a dump in the tank the same as any other fish. They forage for food, not fish poop.

No, I agree. The tetras have been gone a very long time. The corys are fine and happy. Literally days after I posted that I moved them. But the corys are fine. They don't particularly mind a smaller tank. Keep in mind my betta is fully grown at 1.5 inches.

 

[siva]

No, I agree. The tetras have been gone a very long time. The corys are fine and happy. Literally days after I posted that I moved them. But the corys are fine. They don't particularly mind a smaller tank. Keep in mind my betta is fully grown at 1.5 inches.

Really, did they tell you that?

I'm sorry but it's not right to keep them in there. Maybe you don't have experience with them in a larger tank. Keep some in a bigger tank and you'll see why it's wrong to keep them in a tank that small. I keep them in my 29 and after seeing their natural behaviors in a bigger tank I think they are best suited to a 20+ tank...most definitely no smaller than a 10..they are just too busy and active. I'm all but begging you to listen to the advise on this thread...we are not talking out of our butts.