new tank shyness and split ends?

tthymee

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hello, i recently put my betta (iggy) into a 3.5 gallon tank. he used to be in a 2 gallon one. hes always been very shy and not very active so id hoped that putting him in a bigger tank would make him feel better. ive had him for a few months now and hes never really come out of his shell. hes still eating and his water is all good. heated and filtered. hes just been hiding behind the filter and heater and not moving very much. he only moves when i feed him, he darts out as fast as possible and goes back into hiding in the blink of an eye. im wondering if there is some way i can get him to come out more? i dont want him to be so scared. also, his fins are splitting apart and a few of them are shriveled. it looks like what happens to hair when its heat damaged, when a piece of hair shrivels to a flame or when all the ends are split apart. i have no idea what it is, it started when the ends of his fins turned white and now they are separating. from what i can tell they arent falling off theyre just becoming very thin. help? sorry the pictures arent very good i had to entice him with food to come out of hiding :/
 

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Did you cycle the new tank?

What are your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels?

How often do you do a water change and how much water do you change each time?

It sounds like fin rot or fungus. Do a 75% water change every day for 2 weeks. Be sure to dechlorinate the water before adding it to the tank
 
Did you cycle the new tank?

What are your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels?

How often do you do a water change and how much water do you change each time?

It sounds like fin rot or fungus. Do a 75% water change every day for 2 weeks. Be sure to dechlorinate the water before adding it to the tank
i used my last test strip yesterday and everything was in the safe zones, i just got this new tank 2 days ago so i havent changed the water yet but in his old one i did 75% change weekly. and oh no fin rot ):
 
Honestly, in that last image I see a gorgeous red crown tail. Maybe I'm way off.

Anyway,
He may be keeping warm near the heater if your house is cold.

Does he struggle or look stuck?

He also has plenty of fins, can you manage a 5g?

That looks like an Enchant 3.5.
Depending on your water level the filter may be agitating the water so much as to cause him to seek shelter under the filter unit.
If this is the case you can baffle that intake tube with a Fluval filter replacement part made for their Chi model. It's about 3 dollars.

Can you post a picture of the whole tank?
 
Honestly, in that last image I see a gorgeous red crown tail. Maybe I'm way off.

Anyway,
He may be keeping warm near the heater if your house is cold.

Does he struggle or look stuck?

He also has plenty of fins, can you manage a 5g?

That looks like an Enchant 3.5.
Depending on your water level the filter may be agitating the water so much as to cause him to seek shelter under the filter unit.
If this is the case you can baffle that intake tube with a Fluval filter replacement part made for their Chi model. It's about 3 dollars.

Can you post a picture of the whole tank?
well i dont really want a 5 gallon because i just spent a lot on this tank and rocks and new plants :/ its a lot bigger than his last . and he never looks stuck really, but the current is pretty strong. ive seen him go near it and it pushed him down. but thats the filter from his old tank because the one that came with the tank is insanely loud. could you send a link to the filter replacement? would this thing work? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002LL32RY/?tag=ff0d01-20
 

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Nice looking tank and fish, I do agree with @vanalisa the current may be the issue. Bettas like to be able to sit in one spot and hover without being pushed around by the current. In the future when you can afford a larger tank please consider it. Betta are like all fish, they do like having room to swim. I kept mine in mostly 10 gallon tanks with a snail or two.
 
Nice looking tank and fish, I do agree with @vanalisa the current may be the issue. Bettas like to be able to sit in one spot and hover without being pushed around by the current. In the future when you can afford a larger tank please consider it. Betta are like all fish, they do like having room to swim. I kept mine in mostly 10 gallon tanks with a snail or two.
alright ill try and get something for the current. the shipping prices on the pre filter sponge are ridiculous and i cant really go to a store for it because of current events. :/
 
alright ill try and get something for the current. the shipping prices on the pre filter sponge are ridiculous and i cant really go to a store for it because of current events. :/
 

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alright ill try and get something for the current. the shipping prices on the pre filter sponge are ridiculous and i cant really go to a store for it because of current events. :/
Look online at YouTube videos for DYI
Nylon panty hose, quilt filling, ? Do you have any pothos ivy?

Also, although the tank is very pretty, removing the larger decor may help.
 
alright ill try and get something for the current. the shipping prices on the pre filter sponge are ridiculous and i cant really go to a store for it because of current events. :/
I apologize, I didn't notice you already found it and put the link up.

I'm glad he is in a bigger tank. :)
I just want to acknowledge that. Sometimes it can be overwhelming with w everyone telling you what to do!
Find a solution to the current. And, consider opening up the space so he has more space to swim.
 
Look online at YouTube videos for DYI
Nylon panty hose, quilt filling, ? Do you have any pothos ivy?

Also, although the tank is very pretty, removing the larger decor may help.
dont have any of that sadly, and the curve of the tank makes it seem quite full but from the side it looks quite sparse because all the plants are in the back, his big green plant is his fav and hes been exploring a bit more. ill try and get a sponge asap. would turning off his filter sometimes cause any issues?
 
dont have any of that sadly, and the curve of the tank makes it seem quite full but from the side it looks quite sparse because all the plants are in the back, his big green plant is his fav and hes been exploring a bit more. ill try and get a sponge asap. would turning off his filter sometimes cause any issues?
Good question!
I dont know what others think, so I welcome more responses. Aside from the larger tank issue being the best solution, if I were in your situation, I would do that.
You should also remember you will have to be vigilant with water quality.
I would only keep the filter off half of the time.
(I would also remove stone decor. ;), too).
 
Good question!
I dont know what others think, so I welcome more responses. Aside from the larger tank issue being the best solution, if I were in your situation, I would do that.
You should also remember you will have to be vigilant with water quality.
I would only keep the filter off half of the time.
(I would also remove stone decor. ;), too).
alrighty thank you
 

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