Mopey beta

mathman · Mar 15, 2003

We have a new male beta in our 29 gal tank with mollies, a few guppies, and some unknown fry lol. Mr Beta will only eat the beta food (Wardleys) occasionally but since I don't have anything else he mopes around and likes to lay against everything and hide. Is he ok or just sulky? I have had to spook him of of the filter intake a couple times....Help!

wuvmybetta · Mar 15, 2003

Doubt this will help much but my betta is going thru a pouty period too. He was the 1st one in the tank when it was new and I slowly added more fish over time.He was fine when their were about 9 fish in there because he could keep tabs on everybody and bully them around but now....as the population grew he started acting strange and withdrawn.
He still comes up to the top of the tank so I can handfeed him and pet him with my pinky but he has an annoying group of "followers"( 2 balas, 4 guppies & 2 platties) who assume there is going to be food when they see him heading towards me and they're all over him and I think he's just annoyed. Maybe your betta is just going thru culture shock after being a loner ( I'm assuming you bought him in one of those little cups they house them in for sale) Surely he'll adjust and forget all about how great it is to be alone, or he could be just searching for his own little private territory

Give him some time (and some special attention & treats so he feels special) My betta practically jumps out of the water for blood worms :wub:

But he's my favorite in the tank , and he knows it

LiquidLife · Mar 15, 2003

If he's not ill then he's just terrified (hope you quarantined him before putting him in the communal tank). A betta is a small, territorial fish so his instinct when placed in a brand new situation is to hide while checking out to see if there are any betta-eating fish around; if not, he'll slowly stake a claim on some territory of his own (if no one chases them away) which will often contain a hiding place. But this takes time depending on how aggressive your fish is. As he gets used to his new environment and determines the pecking order in the tank, he'll come out.

Also, I would not suggest "petting" your fish. As tactially nice as that sounds, every time you touch your fish (with finger or net), you wipe off some of his natural protective slime coat.

mathman · Mar 17, 2003

Thank you both.
I did not quarantine him as I had no way to do so but wish I could have. He is coming out more now and, I think, has found his place in the pecking order. He did have a comfy spot but a few of my smaller mollies wanted to play too often so he dicided to go wandering and found they just like to play. He now acts like a mollie, well.... as much as a betta can! :fun: