New Betta? Please Help?

[sjefferson704]

Hello everyone!

I just bought a new female betta yesterday. I have treated the water, and I bought a heater. The betta seemed alert when I bought her. I set up the tank and had everything ready for her. After I had let her sit in her cup in the water to get used to the temperature I put her in the tank.

However, she looked around for maybe a minute at the most and then settled right into the corner of the bottom of the tank. I let her be for a while, but when I came back I seriously thought she was dead! I'll put my hand near the tank and she just won't move. I was nervous there must be somethng wrong with her so I put her back in the cup to be sure that she could get up and get some air. When she's in the cup she will swim around for a while and then stop.

What is going on with her? Should I be concerned? I don't know if I should just keep her in her tank because she literally stays at the bottom and won't move?

I've had two other bettas in the past (both male) normally when I put them in my tank they're so excited they swim around and check everyhting out.

Thanks for your help..

 

[lilfishie]

Hi and Welcome.

Can you describe your setup a little more? any plants/caves/filter? size?

Did you just add the water and then her?

Is her breathing fast/slow?

Any details no matter how small they may be

 

[sjefferson704]

Hello,

I let the water filter and heat over night. I'm not sure of the size, but it is a under gravel filtration system. I have gravel in there and a plastic rock cave. Also I have a tall plastic plant. She checked out the plant and went inside the rock cave but then just went to the corner and didn't really leave after that.

She doesn't appear to be in any stress. I don't notice any abnormally fast breathing.

I tried feeding her, the pellets seemed to large for her as she would spit them out again. I crushed them up a little more and she ate a couple of pieces last night.

 

[KittyKat]

Edit: did you add gravel from a mature set up with an undergravel filter? Or is everything brand new?

 

[sjefferson704]

Everything is brand new. I washed the gravel with hot water before putting it in the tank though. New filter stone, piping, etc, all washed with just hot water.

 

[lilfishie]

it sounds like your tank isn't cycled, if you just left it over night then it won't be, there is no good bacteria in your tank which breaks down harmful ammonia (fish waste/rotting food etc) this can be fatal to fish, you will need to read through and follow instrutions HERE

 

[sjefferson704]

Is there anything I can do for her while I'm cycling the tank??

Should I keep her out in the cup? I feel so bad!

 

[KittyKat]

No, keep her in the tank, just get a good set of liquid tests (especially ammonia and nitrite) and keep those readings below 0.25 ppm with water changes.. feeding very little will also help.

 

[Randomitity]

I first thought you were having my problem I have but my tank cycled for 4 weeks. Had to go back to the same store to trade back one of my girls just one and I always buy a group just to be sure it isn't my tank, I have had one die because of mishandling by the store when they were netting it and when I traded it back and the new one died but all my other girls are happy alert and always waiting for me to come by.

I tested the water and the ph is 7.6, Ammonia was 0, nitrite was 0, and nitrate was 0...

 

[sjefferson704]

I first thought you were having my problem I have but my tank cycled for 4 weeks. Had to go back to the same store to trade back one of my girls just one and I always buy a group just to be sure it isn't my tank, I have had one die because of mishandling by the store when they were netting it and when I traded it back and the new one died but all my other girls are happy alert and always waiting for me to come by.

I tested the water and the ph is 7.6, Ammonia was 0, nitrite was 0, and nitrate was 0...

What happened with your girl? What I'm confused about is that she acts totally normal when she's in the cup, its just when she's in the tank, its almost like she doesn't know what to do with herself or something? I'm just concerned she won't come up for air...

 

[Randomitity]

What happened with your girl? What I'm confused about is that she acts totally normal when she's in the cup, its just when she's in the tank, its almost like she doesn't know what to do with herself or something? I'm just concerned she won't come up for air...

They would act fine put them in the tank would explore and then do what you said swim to a corner at the surface and just stay there then come in the next day and be floating but if it is staying on the bottom it is most likely resting since mine all sleep on the bottom or on the roots I have