Betta is Scared Of Me After a Whole Year

[onefieshcedrick]

So I've had my betta for a little less than a year, and a few months after I got him he warmed up to me significantly- he would follow my finger around his tank and I've been doing my best to take care of him. But lately, he's been acting scared of my finger. I'll hold up a finger to the tank and he'll immediately dart away or back off. I haven't touched him or anything, but I'm thinking it could be my holographic nail polish (Sally Hansen's "Let's Get Digital"), as it's pretty shiny. He's also started tail biting, and it's wrecking his fins, and he's even started changing colors (he was a deep blue when I got him and now he looks turquoise-ish). Any suggestions as to what I could be doing wrong? I change the water in his tank once a week, but I do not have the money to purchase water testers.

 

[JuiceBox52]

What sized tank is this?

 

[onefieshcedrick]

What sized tank is this?

I have him in a 2 gallon tank as of right now but I'm saving up for a 10 gallon tank

 

[Colin_T]

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for 2 weeks and see if it helps.

Poor water quality, dirty tank or chemicals (perfume, deodorants, fumes from nail polish, etc) can build up in tanks and get to a point where they start to stress and poison the fish. The big daily water changes should dilute anything in the tank and might help.

 

[Retired Viking]

It does not take much to affect the water in a tank that small. Residue on your hands can even have an affect. A 10 gallon will differently help and more water will help reduce the concentration of any chemicals that get into the water.

 

[onefieshcedrick]

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for 2 weeks and see if it helps.

Poor water quality, dirty tank or chemicals (perfume, deodorants, fumes from nail polish, etc) can build up in tanks and get to a point where they start to stress and poison the fish. The big daily water changes should dilute anything in the tank and might help.

Thank you! I'll get on that right away. I appreciate the advice.

 

[onefieshcedrick]

It does not take much to affect the water in a tank that small. Residue on your hands can even have an affect. A 10 gallon will differently help and more water will help reduce the concentration of any chemicals that get into the water.

Noted. When they sold him to me at the PetSmart, the employee recommended a 2 gallon. It wasn't until later that I found out bettas need a lot of space to thrive.

 

[Retired Viking]

Noted. When they sold him to me at the PetSmart, the employee recommended a 2 gallon. It wasn't until later that I found out bettas need a lot of space to thrive.

Totally understand, one thing just about everyone here agrees on is to never believe the LFS employees, they do not know what they are talking about most of the time or do not care. We all have been burned by them at one time.