Health Questions >update

[Jozlyn]

I rescued my Betta from the local garden nursery about two months ago, he was in a tiny, dirty jar of water and looked like he'd had half his tail cut off with a pair of scissors! (see picture below)

His tail is starting to grow back now it's sort of clear/white, will it colour up like the rest of his tail or stay like that?

He never blows any bubbles ever, is this normal?

He spends a fair bit of time in the far corner of the tank, sort of folded in half, looks very odd, is this normal?

I've never seen him flare, except when I put him in the tank for the first time, which is when I took the picture in my avatar of him. Is this normal?

When I feed him, I have to tap on the top of the tank to get his attention and feed him one Betta Bit at a time until he is full, if I just drop some in the top of the tank without tapping, when he finally finds them he'll sometimes eat one then ignore the rest, is this normal? I always drop the Bits in the place at every feeding.

Is Laurence ok, or is there something I don't know about up with him?

He's in a 10lt tank with mostly fake plants and one live one, (the tank has no light so the live plants tend to die within a few days), with gravel on the bottom. I have an external filter. I keep the water around 25 - 26 C, all the water tests are perfect. He has no other tank mates.

Any help would be really appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Jozlyn]

Anyone............?

 

[fishlette]

most of what yousay sounds a little suspect. they can often sit at the bottom of the tank and sometimes need a little prodding to tell them their food is there but this shouldnt be happening all the time. maybe you could get him some melafix. there is also another product we use at work called ketapang. its a leaf extract from a plant found where they originate. this acts is an amazing medicine and we use it at work whenever there are fin/health issues with our boys. does your filter provide a current in the tank? they really hate any water movement. i tend to keep male bettas without current and do regular water changes. what do you feed him? sometimes if they are a little listless when eating so some live food will wake them up in a hurry.

all in all it sounds like he had a hard slog coming from where he did. i suggest at this point some meds would be advantagious (??Spelling) hang in there and do what you can for him

p.s. take the live plants out as when they are dying they can make the water yucky. if anything put some elodea in there. this tends to survive a likttle longer than normal.

 

[Jozlyn]

Thanks fishlette.

I have a small external filter and I have the outflow back into the tank turned down as low as it goes. I also keep the water level as high as possible to reduce the current. I don't "think" that it's bothering him as he swims backward and forward through it, surely if it was annoying him, he'd stay away from it? If I were to take it out now often would I need to do water changes and how much at a time? At the moment I do around 30% per week via gravel vac.

I have a piece of Elodea in the tank, but I'm thinking on just giving up on the live plants in his tank altogether. Unless I can find a suitable light for the tank next time I go to Melbourne, but that's likely to be months away yet.

I feed him Betta food, comes in a blue jar from the LFS, I think it's called Betta Bits or similar. Unfortunately I can't get any live food where I live, I have tried giving him some defrosted blood worms a couple of times but he just ignores them.

I'm guessing I'm going to have problems getting the Ketapang.

Thanks for the help

 

[shadow16]

Bettafix is just a watered-down version of Melafix

 

[Jaded12]

I rescued my Betta from the local garden nursery about two months ago, he was in a tiny, dirty jar of water and looked like he'd had half his tail cut off with a pair of scissors! (see picture below)

Good on you for rescuing him

His tail is starting to grow back now it's sort of clear/white, will it colour up like the rest of his tail or stay like that?

Yupp it'll start growing back clear, and then get its coloration later on

He never blows any bubbles ever, is this normal?

What temp is his tank? How often do you do water changes? Most bettas will bubble when they're in the right conditions (i.e. they like the temp, water quality etc.) but there are also some bettas who just don't bubblenest ever, no matter what, I've had a few of them in my life.

He spends a fair bit of time in the far corner of the tank, sort of folded in half, looks very odd, is this normal?

Any idea how old he may be? I assume not since you got him from a garden center. Though he's probably AT LEAST a year old. Bettas get less active with age, I have 2 1/2 year old male who spends most of his time sleeping on his leaf. Also do you have anything in his tank to entertain him besides plants? i.e hidey holes, little figurienes, marbles etc. Does he swim normally? how long ago did he start doing this?

I've never seen him flare, except when I put him in the tank for the first time, which is when I took the picture in my avatar of him. Is this normal?

Does he have anything to flare at? Some males need to physically see another male in order for them to feel the need to flare. Have you ever tried showing him a mirror?

When I feed him, I have to tap on the top of the tank to get his attention and feed him one Betta Bit at a time until he is full, if I just drop some in the top of the tank without tapping, when he finally finds them he'll sometimes eat one then ignore the rest, is this normal? I always drop the Bits in the place at every feeding.

I have a male like this, he doesn't see very well, maybe your boy has poor vision, and unless you put the food right in front of him he doesn't realize its there.

 

[fishlette]

Thanks fishlette.

I have a small external filter and I have the outflow back into the tank turned down as low as it goes. I also keep the water level as high as possible to reduce the current. I don't "think" that it's bothering him as he swims backward and forward through it, surely if it was annoying him, he'd stay away from it? If I were to take it out now often would I need to do water changes and how much at a time? At the moment I do around 30% per week via gravel vac.

I have a piece of Elodea in the tank, but I'm thinking on just giving up on the live plants in his tank altogether. Unless I can find a suitable light for the tank next time I go to Melbourne, but that's likely to be months away yet.

I feed him Betta food, comes in a blue jar from the LFS, I think it's called Betta Bits or similar. Unfortunately I can't get any live food where I live, I have tried giving him some defrosted blood worms a couple of times but he just ignores them.

I'm guessing I'm going to have problems getting the Ketapang.

Thanks for the help

if you were going to go for the no filter option you would do about 50% a week. someone else might have different ideas on this but thats how i do it and have no probs

i can always send you some ketapang if you wanted me too

 

[tophat665]

I just got my first betta in 25 years the other day. He's in a 5.5 gallon (that's got to be 22 litres) planted. When I brought him home (He'd been in his cup at the LFS for 5 days - They ordered a halfmoon special for me, and events kept me from getting there for a week while they tried to sell him at a higher price to the rest of the clientel) he snuggled at the bottom of the tank between the ludwegia thicket and the side and stayed there for a good long time, and, when I put some betta bits at the top, he ate one and ignored the rest. Today, I fed him one bit at a time, and he had six in the morning and eight for dinner. I think he just likes the attention. He won't go for one unless it is right where he can see it. Rice paddies must be target rich environments for bettas if they can eat like that and survive.

Looks like he'll be a pretty one when his tail grows back out and he's feeling less put upon.

So my best guess is that once he takes a shine to you, he'll be more active. If you could get him in a bigger tank, 20 to 40 litres, he'd prob'ly be more active still. He's just feeling shakey - like you would if you were locked in a broken WC for a month, and got let out into a cottage.

 

[Jozlyn]

Thanks fishlette.

I have a small external filter and I have the outflow back into the tank turned down as low as it goes. I also keep the water level as high as possible to reduce the current. I don't "think" that it's bothering him as he swims backward and forward through it, surely if it was annoying him, he'd stay away from it? If I were to take it out now often would I need to do water changes and how much at a time? At the moment I do around 30% per week via gravel vac.

I have a piece of Elodea in the tank, but I'm thinking on just giving up on the live plants in his tank altogether. Unless I can find a suitable light for the tank next time I go to Melbourne, but that's likely to be months away yet.

I feed him Betta food, comes in a blue jar from the LFS, I think it's called Betta Bits or similar. Unfortunately I can't get any live food where I live, I have tried giving him some defrosted blood worms a couple of times but he just ignores them.

I'm guessing I'm going to have problems getting the Ketapang.

Thanks for the help

if you were going to go for the no filter option you would do about 50% a week. someone else might have different ideas on this but thats how i do it and have no probs

i can always send you some ketapang if you wanted me too

Oh you're in Australia! I didn't realise, that would be fantastic, how much is it and the postage?

 

[fishlette]

Thanks fishlette.

I have a small external filter and I have the outflow back into the tank turned down as low as it goes. I also keep the water level as high as possible to reduce the current. I don't "think" that it's bothering him as he swims backward and forward through it, surely if it was annoying him, he'd stay away from it? If I were to take it out now often would I need to do water changes and how much at a time? At the moment I do around 30% per week via gravel vac.

I have a piece of Elodea in the tank, but I'm thinking on just giving up on the live plants in his tank altogether. Unless I can find a suitable light for the tank next time I go to Melbourne, but that's likely to be months away yet.

I feed him Betta food, comes in a blue jar from the LFS, I think it's called Betta Bits or similar. Unfortunately I can't get any live food where I live, I have tried giving him some defrosted blood worms a couple of times but he just ignores them.

I'm guessing I'm going to have problems getting the Ketapang.

Thanks for the help

if you were going to go for the no filter option you would do about 50% a week. someone else might have different ideas on this but thats how i do it and have no probs

i can always send you some ketapang if you wanted me too

Oh you're in Australia! I didn't realise, that would be fantastic, how much is it and the postage?

yup in brissie i will get a price from work tomorrow. we have bigger bottles which are about $14.00 but there are snaller ones we can order that are less. i will find it all our for you tomorrow and let you know

 

[Jozlyn]

His tail is starting to grow back now it's sort of clear/white, will it colour up like the rest of his tail or stay like that?
Yupp it'll start growing back clear, and then get its coloration later on

Fantastic, I was a little worried about that.

He never blows any bubbles ever, is this normal?

What temp is his tank?

Between 25 & 26 C

How often do you do water changes?

Weekly, around 30% via gravel vac

Most bettas will bubble when they're in the right conditions (i.e. they like the temp, water quality etc.) but there are also some bettas who just don't bubblenest ever, no matter what, I've had a few of them in my life.

Hmmm was kind of hoping to breed him in the future, once I learn more, but if doesn't build a nest I'm not going to be able.

He spends a fair bit of time in the far corner of the tank, sort of folded in half, looks very odd, is this normal? Any idea how old he may be? I assume not since you got him from a garden center. Though he's probably AT LEAST a year old. Bettas get less active with age, I have 2 1/2 year old male who spends most of his time sleeping on his leaf.

No, no idea how old he is

Also do you have anything in his tank to entertain him besides plants? i.e hidey holes, little figurienes, marbles etc.
No, I had no idea he needed anything like that! He has three fake plants, 1 piece of live elodea and a sort of small asian looking bridge thing, which I don't really like, but I wanted to fill in the space! (It came with my big tank) So what should I add? I have a small terracotta pot left, I've put the rest in the main tank for the fish in there to use as caves.

Does he swim normally? How long ago did he start doing this?

Yes, he swims normally as well, he's done everything since day 1.

I've never seen him flare, except when I put him in the tank for the first time, which is when I took the picture in my avatar of him. Is this normal?

Does he have anything to flare at? Some males need to physically see another male in order for them to feel the need to flare. Have you ever tried showing him a mirror?

Nope, should I leave it there all the time? For an hour a day.....?

When I feed him, I have to tap on the top of the tank to get his attention and feed him one Betta Bit at a time until he is full, if I just drop some in the top of the tank without tapping, when he finally finds them he'll sometimes eat one then ignore the rest, is this normal? I always drop the Bits in the same place at every feeding.

I have a male like this, he doesn't see very well, maybe your boy has poor vision, and unless you put the food right in front of him he doesn't realize its there.

Hmmm thought that might be the case! I've read a lot of stuff on Betta's since I got him and one thing I did notice is that they mention that they can have eye sight issues.


Thank you sooooooooooo much for your help, I appreciate it no end

 

[Jozlyn]

FANTASTIC Fishlette! Let me know how much and I'll send you a cheque or do a direct deposit or something. If it keeps for a long time I'll have a big bottle as I have every intention of getting some more Betta's, I'm hooked! Or as my husband says, obsessed!

 

[fishlette]

FANTASTIC Fishlette! Let me know how much and I'll send you a cheque or do a direct deposit or something. If it keeps for a long time I'll have a big bottle as I have every intention of getting some more Betta's, I'm hooked! Or as my husband says, obsessed!

lol no worries ill let ya know. it keeps pretty well as its natural but will find out everything you need to know tomorrow. if there isonly one bottle left i will get it for you. can send it saturday morning as post office is open til twelve. i dont expect any money until you get it so you know i havent done you over hehe i cant imagine it would cost more than $20.00. will pm you tomorrow night with all details

bettas do get ya hooked dont they

 

[Jozlyn]

Boy don't they!

I put a mirror next to Laurance's tank las night .... and well, I don't think there's too much wrong with his eye sight after all! He was giving off the most magnificent flares, he looked beautiful. I only left it there for a few minutes as he started puffing, I think he's a bit out of shape.

I took the oriental bridge ornament thing out and put a terra cotta pot in instead, he didn't look at it last night. It might not be big enough, the label says 2 3/4", which is odd as Australia is a metric country!

 

[fishlette]

hi there

sorry to post in the thread but i pm'd you last night and got no reply. are yuou still interested in the ketapang?