swimmingfins
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hey all,
I know it has been a while since I have been online, and I apologize for my absence, but I need to call upon your help once again.
On January 12th of this year I purchased from Walmart what was labeled as a "Male Crown Tail Beta". The poor guy was living in horrid conditions and was slouched sideways in his little cup. His fins were torn and folded, he was definitely in the worst shape of them all and I didn't want him to die in those ridiculous conditions. I paid around 6 dollars for him and brought him home. I slowly introduced him into my cycled 10 gallon tank. He was soon stuffing himself full of food and his red color began to take on a much fuller, brighter appeal, some blue and white has also showed up recently as well. This tank, while the box itself is old, DOES have a relatively new filter and heater equipped. I also have a thermometer affixed to the side where I can constantly monitor water temperature. I live in a dorm and have little control over room temp, so I have to regularly adjust the heater to keep up with the loss of heat from the surface area of the tank. I keep the tank between 76-80 F.
I keep the tank decently planted with fake logs, stumps, ships, (etc.) and fake plants of various sizes and colors providing many places to hide. Some weeks I have all plants, some weeks are just logs, or ships, or Sponge-Bob stuff, I know Betas like to explore and I try to fulfill that need.
Since his introduction to the tank though, my Beta has been doing some rather stupid things that have me concerned for his health. For example, he often runs (swims) headlong into the side or top of the logs and stumps I have in the tank. He consistently has cuts and scrapes on his head and is always missing scales as well. Picture cats when you trim their whiskers, they lose their perception and run into things, this is similar behavior. I have taken the decorations out as an experiment, and in response he sulks in the far corner of the tank.
Also, he LOVES the current of the filter! He OFTEN tries to swim "upstream" like he is a trout and the current is tearing his fins to shreds. I have a 10-15 gallon filter, but as another experiment I hooked up a 1-3 gallon filter and he still swims against the current like some sort of fish treadmill. I have plenty of room between the lid of the tank and the top of the water (about 1/2-1 inch) so I don't think he is trying to surface and use his labyrinth organ. I also thought it might be the plants, but even with all silk plants he still is showing growing rips in his fins.
Similarly, when I feed him he waits in the current for his food to come whizzing by him and then frantically swims around trying to catch it. I always place his food in the far side of the tank away from the filter, and he follows my hand when I have the food jar, so its not like his meals are a surprise.
Lastly, I notice my Beta is pissed off. Always. Every day. He flares up at the wall, the filter, me, if I place a water bottle to close to his tank (he lives on my desk), the heater, plants, the glass walls, absolutely everything he comes into contact with he gets angry at. Trying to clean his tank and put new decorations in is like dealing with a shark. He flares up at my hand and the siphon and nips at both, even jumping out of the water sometimes to get my fingers if they are to close to the surface. I know they are "fighting fish" but good lord he is out of his mind! Sometimes though, he swims towards me when I am working on my homework and just stares at me. A few times he has even come to my finger on the side of the tank without flaring. I cant figure him out, its like he has multiple personalities.
He has built 2 bubble nests thus far so I know he is at least semi happy with his surroundings, and he also eats like an absolute pig.
Just to re-cap about my tank:
10 gallon tank
10-15 gallon filter
heater (water is kept at 76-80 always)
Decently planted, and decorations change weekly (I know fish like to explore)
50% water change weekly by using a gravel/water siphon
PH is consistent at 7ish
I thought I was providing a good home for him, but surely something must be amiss that I am not thinking of, Betas cant all act like this! If you have any ideas why my Beta is so self destructive and overly aggressive I am all ears.
I know it has been a while since I have been online, and I apologize for my absence, but I need to call upon your help once again.
On January 12th of this year I purchased from Walmart what was labeled as a "Male Crown Tail Beta". The poor guy was living in horrid conditions and was slouched sideways in his little cup. His fins were torn and folded, he was definitely in the worst shape of them all and I didn't want him to die in those ridiculous conditions. I paid around 6 dollars for him and brought him home. I slowly introduced him into my cycled 10 gallon tank. He was soon stuffing himself full of food and his red color began to take on a much fuller, brighter appeal, some blue and white has also showed up recently as well. This tank, while the box itself is old, DOES have a relatively new filter and heater equipped. I also have a thermometer affixed to the side where I can constantly monitor water temperature. I live in a dorm and have little control over room temp, so I have to regularly adjust the heater to keep up with the loss of heat from the surface area of the tank. I keep the tank between 76-80 F.
I keep the tank decently planted with fake logs, stumps, ships, (etc.) and fake plants of various sizes and colors providing many places to hide. Some weeks I have all plants, some weeks are just logs, or ships, or Sponge-Bob stuff, I know Betas like to explore and I try to fulfill that need.
Since his introduction to the tank though, my Beta has been doing some rather stupid things that have me concerned for his health. For example, he often runs (swims) headlong into the side or top of the logs and stumps I have in the tank. He consistently has cuts and scrapes on his head and is always missing scales as well. Picture cats when you trim their whiskers, they lose their perception and run into things, this is similar behavior. I have taken the decorations out as an experiment, and in response he sulks in the far corner of the tank.
Also, he LOVES the current of the filter! He OFTEN tries to swim "upstream" like he is a trout and the current is tearing his fins to shreds. I have a 10-15 gallon filter, but as another experiment I hooked up a 1-3 gallon filter and he still swims against the current like some sort of fish treadmill. I have plenty of room between the lid of the tank and the top of the water (about 1/2-1 inch) so I don't think he is trying to surface and use his labyrinth organ. I also thought it might be the plants, but even with all silk plants he still is showing growing rips in his fins.
Similarly, when I feed him he waits in the current for his food to come whizzing by him and then frantically swims around trying to catch it. I always place his food in the far side of the tank away from the filter, and he follows my hand when I have the food jar, so its not like his meals are a surprise.
Lastly, I notice my Beta is pissed off. Always. Every day. He flares up at the wall, the filter, me, if I place a water bottle to close to his tank (he lives on my desk), the heater, plants, the glass walls, absolutely everything he comes into contact with he gets angry at. Trying to clean his tank and put new decorations in is like dealing with a shark. He flares up at my hand and the siphon and nips at both, even jumping out of the water sometimes to get my fingers if they are to close to the surface. I know they are "fighting fish" but good lord he is out of his mind! Sometimes though, he swims towards me when I am working on my homework and just stares at me. A few times he has even come to my finger on the side of the tank without flaring. I cant figure him out, its like he has multiple personalities.
He has built 2 bubble nests thus far so I know he is at least semi happy with his surroundings, and he also eats like an absolute pig.
Just to re-cap about my tank:
10 gallon tank
10-15 gallon filter
heater (water is kept at 76-80 always)
Decently planted, and decorations change weekly (I know fish like to explore)
50% water change weekly by using a gravel/water siphon
PH is consistent at 7ish
I thought I was providing a good home for him, but surely something must be amiss that I am not thinking of, Betas cant all act like this! If you have any ideas why my Beta is so self destructive and overly aggressive I am all ears.
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