New Betta!

[injektion]

I thought I'd pat myself in the back for saving a betta from the wretched care (can I even use this word?) of Petcetera (google it if you don't know this place, it's just like any generic pet store).

anyway the reason I'm making a topic is because he seems to lulling around at the bottom of the tank. he also seems to be flaring and chasing a lot at other fish. I have 6 cories, 1 black convict, and 1 jack dempsey (who honestly does not look like one but it's still young). they (the cichlids) are about 2 inches each. the betta has a coconut shell to hide in but he doesn't even glance at it. aside from flaring and chasing, all he does is stay at the bottom and come up to get air. they're all in a 75 gal tank so there should be ample room for claiming territory, and if anything the cichlids should be chasing him because I've had the cichlids in there for 2 weeks now and the betta is new .

also the fins on the betta are all torn up looking. should i be concerned? he was bought like this so I'm guessing it was just stressed out at the store right?

and one last question. is my betta a CT or VT? the pet store just said male betta (go figure).

Thanks in advance!
and sorry for all the questions!

 

[Carl the Crimson Wonder]

Fiirst off congratz on getting a betta, he is definatley a VT betta. as far as the whole way he is acting part of it of course is the stress of a new enviroment. I would suggest maybe keeping the lights off that seems to help fish settle in. Also even though you have a large tank, with betta fish it's a crapshoot if they will accept living with other fish. You might want to think about getting him a seperate tank that would be the best route. His fins don't look bad at all, from the pictures it looks just as they should. But if he contiues to flare at other fish and he may start attacking them, I would def. move him to his own tank. That just avoids a lot of problems all togeather. But he does look healthy, I would just keep an eye on him and see how he interacts with the other fish and go from there.

 

[LauraFrog]

You might need to move him sooner rather than later, as you won't be able to keep him with those cichlids longterm. A bit of melafix will help his fins - it might be a fight injury, but it's not fin biting. The fins are split between the rays, which is odd, but heals well, faster if melafix is in the water.

Glad I'm not the only rescuer around Sounds like he's had a pretty crap life, it's great to see him in the hands of somebody who will take care of him properly.

 

[wilsonnw8]

You might need to move him sooner rather than later, as you won't be able to keep him with those cichlids longterm. A bit of melafix will help his fins - it might be a fight injury, but it's not fin biting. The fins are split between the rays, which is odd, but heals well, faster if melafix is in the water.

Glad I'm not the only rescuer around Sounds like he's had a pretty crap life, it's great to see him in the hands of somebody who will take care of him properly.

Yes please get him out of there and put him in his own tank, a convict cichlid is not a good pairing and he's most likely laying low and hiding from them I always say you cant really keep a betta with tetra, guppies etc but with a convict seriously no, good on you for rescuing him but really he will need his own tank

 

[LionMom]

".....with a convict seriously no, good on you for rescuing him but really he will need his own tank "

Not to mention the Jack Dempsey!!!!!

Yup - he NEEDS his own tank and ASAP, IMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[injektion]

hmm ok i'll move him into my 3 gal for now then.
he doesn't seem to be the least bit scared of any of them though. he's more of the antagonizer in the tank.

anyway any good suggestions for top dwellers then? i was hoping the betta would be good but i guess not.

 

[lilfishie]

does the tank have a lot of filtation? this could be why he's hanging out by the substrate, bettas prefer slower moving water