Betta just getting old?

[Retired_AF]

I have a betta that I have had for over a year. This past weekend I saw him close to the top of the water lying on his side on top of some floating plastic plants. I thought he was dead but when I went to the tank he started swimming around normally, flaring and looking for food.

I put food into his tank and he ate aggressively like he usually does. Later that day, I saw him again, lying on his side up against the plants again. This morning, the same thing. When I looked into the tank he was lying on his side on top of the plants. He didnt move until I reached in and touched him. He started swimming and turned, just watching me to see if I was going to feed him again.

I know the bettas from the LFS's are usually pretty old when you buy them. I am just concerned, hoping he isnt sick or something like that. I know they dont last forever but I would hate to think he was suffering from something and I didnt catch it.

His water parameters are good. 0.25 Amm, 0 Nitrites, 0 Nitrates. I did a PWC (he was due for one anyway). He doesnt look bad overall. No ich, no fin rot, his coloring appears normal although it's a little hard to tell since he is cream colored with a tinge of orange. He just seems lethargic, if anything.

Is he just getting old? I have never seen this type of behavior before.

 

[blert]

Hate to say it but... Those water parameters don't look good. 0.25 ammonia is not good. I think you need to do a PWC. Since you also have zero nitrate I looks like you tank is not cycled unless it is heavily planted.

What size tank is it? How long has the tank been set up? Have you cycled the tank?

If the tank is not cycled you will want to keep your buckets on hand as you will need to be doing a lot of PWCs for a 'fish in cycle'.

 

[Retired_AF]

The tank is a 2.5 gallon, set up six months ago. There are no live plants in these, only plastic. I try to do PWC's weekly on Sundays, usually 50% in his tank since it's so small. If I miss a weekend, I make sure to do it by midweek at the latest.

I would think that it has cycled since it has been set up so long. I have 2 other tanks, same size, with 'newer' bettas and their water tests the same except one had a trace of Nitrates. I use the API Master kit, not the strips, and have good dates on the bottles.

The test reading I reported was before I did the last PWC. I didnt test afterwards.

 

[LyndaB]

Is this tank filtered? If not, you'd have to do daily water changes.

I do agree that any ammonia reading is not healthy and equals an immediate water change.

Even though the bettas are usually adults by the time the stores offer them for sale, a betta can still live a few years.

 

[Retired_AF]

Yeah, I have one of them crappy little filters that use air to drive it. It uses the little filters about 1-1/2 inches wide and 3 inches long. The air line forces the water up through a tube into the filter. I havent changed it, but I have rinsed it with old aquarium water.

 

[LyndaB]

Sponge filters?

 

[Retired_AF]

Nah... It's a fiber material covering the little plastic grid that holds the carbon... (I know, I dont need the carbon, but they glued that fiber on REALLY good)

edit - This one: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752355&lmdn=Fish+Filtration+%26amp%3B+Circulation

 

[LyndaB]

Perhaps it's not enough to handle your betta's waste, if you're only doing water changes once per week. Ideally, you want to have a filter that overcompensates for the size of the tank when you have a fish, like a betta, with a decent bioload.

It is definitely true that it's harder to maintain a small tank than it is a large one. Maybe you should consider upgrading your tanks to at least 5 gallons per betta.

 

[Retired_AF]

... Maybe you should consider upgrading your tanks to at least 5 gallons per betta.

My wife freaked when I brought home a FREE 10 gallon tank... Cant wait to see her face when I tell her this...

(Guess I should tell you, I have 7 aquariums total not counting the free 10 gallon or the broken hex.... )

 

[LyndaB]

ahhhhh, you've come over to the dark side......

 

[CatmanDru]

I've read from a few sources that a betta that is well cared for and housed in a heated (80-82 F), filtered 5 gallon, 10 gallon or bigger can live 7 - 9 years.

So a betta owned for 1 year is a youngster, equivalent to a 20 year old or younger human.

 

[LyndaB]

I would imagine that that lifespan theory is based on a betta that comes from a reputable breeder and shipped direct to the end user.

 

[blert]

Since the carbon is practically useless after a week or so, and some folks say it can be dangerous if left in too long... Is there a way you can remove the carbon and fill that part of the filter with some small bio-beads or maybe some poly-fill? That would give you a better bio-filter to handle the betta's waste. Other than that, LyndaB has covered all the other bases.

 

[CatmanDru]

Yeah, I have one of them crappy little filters that use air to drive it. It uses the little filters about 1-1/2 inches wide and 3 inches long. The air line forces the water up through a tube into the filter. I havent changed it, but I have rinsed it with old aquarium water.

Nah... It's a fiber material covering the little plastic grid that holds the carbon... (I know, I dont need the carbon, but they glued that fiber on REALLY good)

edit - This one: Tetra Whisper 3i In-Tank Filter - Fish - Sale - PetSmart

You have a Tetra Whisper 3i In-Tank Filter. I have the same filter in a 10 gallon with one betta and a 1" Nerite snail and it's worked ok as a very low volume filter, sometimes with a small amount of some film on top of the water. With some anarcharis/elodia plants the water tests at Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, and Nitrate barely detectable, something above 0. But of course that's in a 10 gallon with lots of water to disperse and dilute the toxins and give the filter enough time to detoxify the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

Regarding filter cleaning, I just rinse it out in removed tank water and gently rub the fabric part with my hand. I've been doing that for 5 months.

Maybe you should adjust the air valve on the filter tube to increase the flow through the filter. Or clean the filter cartridge in removed tank water.

 

[CatmanDru]

Perhaps it's not enough to handle your betta's waste, if you're only doing water changes once per week. Ideally, you want to have a filter that overcompensates for the size of the tank when you have a fish, like a betta, with a decent bioload.

It is definitely true that it's harder to maintain a small tank than it is a large one. Maybe you should consider upgrading your tanks to at least 5 gallons per betta.

My wife freaked when I brought home a FREE 10 gallon tank... Cant wait to see her face when I tell her this...

My tip is to get something she considers pretty and attractive. I bought the standard 10 gallon tank for the betta, but after two weeks my girlfriend grumbled that it was "too big" and wanted a 3 or 5 gallon. So off we went to Petsmart to get another tank. I went with her to steer her toward as big a tank as she would tolerate. It turns out she fell in love with a tall half moon tank that just happened to be 10 gallons also. It's about 18 inches tall by 18 inches "long". It actually looks bigger than a standard 10 gallon.

This is the 10 g Marineland Half Moon: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11164159

When I got a 15 Gallon (about 19H x 20 L) she wanted it -- even when reminded that it was bigger than the betta's current 10 gallon. So it turns out she just doesn't like the short boxy look of a standard 10 gallon. She likes the look of a Tall tank or Extra Tall tank.

So maybe your wife might be ok with a Tall tank, or a tall hex tank, or a tall cylinder/collumn. By the way, a Tall tank or a tall hex is a great way of increasing tank volume without increasing the square footage the tank occupies on furniture or the floor.

And our betta uses the full height of the tall tank, except maybe the bottom two inches. It's fun to watch him enthusiastically dive and surface.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I don't have anything else to add except 1-2 years old isn't old for a Betta. I have one that is 5+ and still going strong!

 

[Retired_AF]

Well, the general consensus seems to be I need something a bit larger... I'm good with that... I just need to convince the wife...

BTW... The betta seems to be doing better the past couple of days... He is swimming normally and as active as ever... Whatever the issue was, apparently it has been remedied... I did another 50% PWC, maybe that was the problem all along... I will try to remove the carbon as suggested...

Thanks for the comments... Thats why I love you guys!