help peeb (my betta)

[lewbee]

Hi Im so worried about my betta. I have been looking up all night what could be wrong with him but Im not sure.

He has been erratically swimming like mad for 2 whole days. He swims back and forwards back and forwards for like ever unless he wants some air then he pops up and gets back to swimming. But its just worrying me because he is swimming like a nutter. He is also constantly flaring his long front fins it kinda loojy like he is sometimes twitching because he stretches all his fins but not his face gills so Im not sure if he is flaring.

He has a heater and is at about 25 degrees celcius and he is in a five gallon fluval tank. But i did rescue Him from the tiny bowl my friend had him in. So Im not sure if he is happy or sick

 

[dancersmama79]

could be getting used to being in all that space?? have u checked the parameters in his water does he have any plants he could hide behind or any hiding places in the tank i know they like that esp in new tanks... when i put mine in his new tank from a 1 gal to a 5 gal he hid behind his filter for 2 days then he came around... but he still hides in the bottom under his plants from the light cause i dont have any floating plants... im really no expert on bettas but ive been doing alot of reading and research of my own since getting my own 2 months ago so i know how frustrating it can be... just trying to help.... the backwards and forwards swimming sounds like hes going stir crazy for lack of space but 5 gal is plenty esp going from a bowl...does he have a filter?? maybe the current is too strong for him?? did you use dechlorinator or water conditioner in the water before putting him in it? spreading his fins is what bettas do to show off.... flaring his face gills is something they do on occasion or when they feel threatened hence the nickname siamese fighting fish...... hope i have helped.... im sure u will have more experienced replies.... i hope Peeb calms down and gets better

 

[lewbee]

Ye he has plants plenty hiding space and a filter.. Its a fluval chi tank so the filter isn't reli strong and he has no problems getting up for air. I used nutrafin aqua plus and cycle before he went in. So not sure if this is just how his personality is lol. I was reading about amonia poisoning Abd that says they turn lethargic and he defo the opposite.

 

[ocminpin]

I'd say you never know your bettas true personality until they are in a tank with adequate space.
Before I knew anything about betta care I had my female in a .94g cube... Granted I knew she had personality because she would follow my finger and watch my every movement, but until I moved her into my big tank I didn't know she had long flowing fins, nor would her vibrant purple coloring have come thru. She grew a full 1/2 inch within 3 weeks. She rewards me every day with her wind sprints across the tank to greet me.

Your boy is probably just so very enthusiastic about the space he's been given. My betta is quite a comedian... It sounds like yours is too.

I also keep my betta at around 80 deg F... If I did math correct yours is around 77...?
Also, what are your parameters? Have you tested your water lately?

 

[Hholly]

Mine swims back and forth a lot too. But not frantically. I bet your guy is just happy to have room to swim. As long as he's active and eating, I wouldn't worry. Do you know how to cycle the tank?

 

[lewbee]

Well the store said to do nutrafin cycle for 3 days then its safe for fish. I wish i never listened. Im trying to figure out how exactly to cycle the tank but dont have my test kit yet as it has not arrived. as far as ive gathered i measure and when the amonia goes away and the nitrates turn into nitrites then its cycled? Is this right? I also will do 25% water change weekly but until then Im doin a partial water change every 3 days as Im worried for poor peeb. I do hope this is just his personality as its driving me mad as i keep thinking something is very wrong with the poor soul.

 

[lewbee]

Also when bettas eat is it normal for them to take in a bit then spit it out? Is he actually eating? Ive heard their belly Is the size of their eye so maybe he's eating a little and spitting out the rest.

 

[lee1983]

had a few bettas over the years some feisty and some placid. if he can see his reflection in the glass (if the glass is backed it will cause a mirror effect inside) he may be defending his territory which will evetually stress him to death if he feels hes spending every waking moment chasing off rivals, also strong colors and too much movement and flickery lights near the tank can annoy some of them i had one that didn't like the colors blue or yellow. if not toxic water and ick can sometimes make them dart about. hope he settles for you soon

 

[Hholly]

Hey lewbee, check out these articles. They might clear up some confusion.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...-to-Starting-a-Freshwater-Aquarium/Page1.html

It's normal for them to spit their food when it's something they're not used to. Definitely don't over feed.
Good luck!

 

[ocminpin]

Well the store said to do nutrafin cycle for 3 days then its safe for fish. I wish i never listened. Im trying to figure out how exactly to cycle the tank but dont have my test kit yet as it has not arrived. as far as ive gathered i measure and when the amonia goes away and the nitrates turn into nitrites then its cycled? Is this right? I also will do 25% water change weekly but until then Im doin a partial water change every 3 days as Im worried for poor peeb. I do hope this is just his personality as its driving me mad as i keep thinking something is very wrong with the poor soul.

Ammonia > NitrITES > NitrATES


I hope it's his personality too!

 

[lewbee]

Thanks so much everyone for helping i now totally understand the nitrogen cycle. Hope my test kit hurries up and gets here so i can know for sure Peeb is ok. Until then i will continue to do a little water change every day/couple of days. As long as this doesn't stop the cycling, but as ive read these bacteria are on substrate, rocks and in my filter so i think it will be ok

 

[Hholly]

Yep. Water changes won't hurt the cycle. Just remember to use dechlorinator/water conditioner.