today im going to have to borrow money to buy alternative food, something to cover the mirror in my tank and dependent on your advice, some medicine for my betta.

He moved tanks two days ago because he was stressing out and chasing the gourami. he is now in a 5g on his own.

26 degrees, 0 am, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate, pH7.8 (cant get that down as tap is 8!)

I only have tropical fish flakes, so what else should I get today?

He hasnt eaten much, if anything for three days now.

Could it just be stress?

I need to cover the mirrored back in the tank as hes flaring at himself a lot now...


His fins look fine... he occasionally sorta gasps at the bottom.

Is he ill or stressed or both?

and what do i do to fix it?

Food wise, get some Hikari Betta pellets, a pack is about £2. You get millions in it, although it doesn't look much at first!

Hi
Firstly i woud lower the water level a bit so it is easier for him to get to the surface, as you say he sometimes gasps on the bottom. Then i would slowly increase the temp upto around 28/29.
It could very well be stress related, but stressed fish can result in infections.

Its difficult to say whether there is any illness and therefore not a good idea to recommend any meds as the wrong meds can make things worse. Maybe adding AQUARIUM salt as a general tonic, but IMO if he is gasping a lot i would wait a bit.

If you cant lower the water level, pop him in a breeding trap.

Keep monitoring him. Look out for changes in colour (body/fins), stringy poo, or any other external symptoms.

Keep us informed



This post has been edited by bronzecat: Jun 25 2008, 09:37 AM

most bettas dont eat flakes, mine was the same so i bought hikari betta pellets and he loves them with the occassional bloodworm or bits of prawn as a treat.

You could also try with some fresh brine shrimp (or sea monkeys as we used to call them) - Bettas normally love these. I get them for about £1 a pack (live ones - loads of them in there swimming about!). You just empty the whole lot into your aquarium net (I'd do it over the sink with the plug in!) and then quickly add them to your Betta tank. He will eat them as and when he wants them, the rest will live in the tank with him until he decides to gobble them up also! (Makes me laugh how my daughter was conned as years ago, spending all that pocket money on sea monkey kits and was lucky if one sea monkey survived - when you can go buy a whole load of them for £1 in the aquatic centre )

They also love blood worms and daphnia (I use frozen).

My Bettas refuse to eat flake food. Maybe yours is on a hunger strike until you give him some tasty delicacies. Hope it's nothing seriously wrong with him.

Athena

I hope so too!!! I need to find something suitable to cover the mirrored back.

he looks just how he did when I got him, only sadder.

try making a java moss wall, i think there is a thread on how to make on at the top,