Redoing my 6 gallon

[Lcc86]

I feel like this boy will be the death of me, this selection of pics is just a few of his resting positions that I found him in over the past hour or so. He's active in between rests and has a great appetite so I know he's ok but he loves scaring me by looking dead!

 

[Abaddon]

I've definitely seen bettas do this, although maybe not quite that often They like to "browse" and stop every once in a while to look for food & things on the bottom, and when they do this their fins can weigh them down, making them look lopsided. But it's nothing to worry about as long as the fish isn't struggling or showing other symptoms.
On a side note, he's really turning into one handsome fish!

 

[Lcc86]

I've definitely seen bettas do this, although maybe not quite that often They like to "browse" and stop every once in a while to look for food & things on the bottom, and when they do this their fins can weigh them down, making them look lopsided. But it's nothing to worry about as long as the fish isn't struggling or showing other symptoms.
On a side note, he's really turning into one handsome fish!

Thank you, he is a very handsome boy! Not too aggressive either (not that I'm getting him any friends lol). I do feel bad as it's probably the length of his fins making him tired, but whenever I've put a nest/log in he ignores it and prefers to rest inn the roots of my water lettuce so I just leave him to it!

 

[AJ356]

He's active in between rests

Sounds a bit like my work performance right now

 

[Lcc86]

Probably the best picture I've been able to get of Dave since I got him. I know someone previously mentioned he may jave the dragonscale gene, I noticed the eye you can see in this pic looks different to his other eye, not sure if this might be the start of eye problems, but currently it's not bothering him whatsoever so we'll just monitor it and see how he goes. Excuse the reflection of my hand!

 

[Lcc86]

Managed to get this pic today of him resting on a lotus leaf after his lunch, made me laugh.

 

[AJ356]

Managed to get this pic today of him resting on a lotus leaf after his lunch, made me laugh.

I've heard about Bettas needing resting places, but is it normal for them do this? As in your picture? It's very adorable if it's normal/healthy

 

[Lcc86]

I've heard about Bettas needing resting places, but is it normal for them do this? As in your picture? It's very adorable if it's normal/healthy

Can't speak for all of them but this is normal for him! Have to admit when I first got him and he rested like this I thought there was something wrong with him but this is just what he does. He does have very long fins so I think he gets tired more than a shorter-finned betta would, so I keep the tank heavily planted so he can rest wherever he needs to.

 

[Lcc86]

I think my water lettuce is getting out of hand

 

[MattW34 150]

Just a little

 

[Lcc86]

Just a little

Feels like I trim it every week and it makes no difference

 

[Lcc86]

Little update on my boy. I'm convinced he's not a very happy fish when I first got him he was out and about quite a lot, and would rest on leaves/the floor/in the roots of my floating plants. Now all he seems to do is hide. He spends all his time resting and I barely ever see him swimming about. He still eats, but if he's resting on the bottom he won't come up for pellets, I have to use tweezers to bring them to wherever he is. I feed a mix of pellets, frozen and live food. He especially likes the live food still which is good. His weight is also stable so I know he is eating enough, but he is just less and less active.

I did post here a month or so ago that I thought he had fin rot and that I'd treated with kanaplex, the feedback I got disagreed, but there's definitely something "off" with him that I can't put my finger on. His colour has changed slightly, he's lost some of his metallic shine. Sometimes when he's resting he seems to be breathing quite heavily as well.

Could it be age? I've only had him 6 months and I've no idea how old he was when I got him. Or could it be he's tired due to having to drag those long fins around all the time?

Parameters- ammonia - 0; nitrite - 0; nitrate - 5; pH - 7. 50% change weekly with RO water. Tank is blackwater as well so full of tannins.

 

[Lcc86]

He’s probably just stressed

Maybe he is, but I haven't changed anything in his tank since I got him so I don't know why? The only thing I do is weekly water changes and trimming his plants, nothing else. No tank mates, nothing I can immediately point to that might be causing stress. I'm a little stumped.

 

[MattW34 150]

Can’t remember if I mentioned this before so sorry if a repeat. When my female plakat Betta got older before the tumour. She started to not be as active. She made use of the broad leaf Hygrophilia that reached the surface. She used its leafs as a resting point so the swim to the surface was not as cumbersome. I would try and add a platform or tall broad plant near the surface and see if he makes use of it. You could try one of those Betta leafs. Not the most aesthetically pleasing but it does the job.

 

[Lcc86]

Can’t remember if I mentioned this before so sorry if a repeat. When my female plakat Betta got older before the tumour. She started to not be as active. She made use of the broad leaf Hygrophilia that reached the surface. She used its leafs as a resting point so the swim to the surface was not as cumbersome. I would try and add a platform or tall broad plant near the surface and see if he makes use of it. You could try one of those Betta leafs. Not the most aesthetically pleasing but it does the job.

Thanks, I put in a little resting spot which he worked out how to use bless him. My water lettuce roots are really long and he rests in them as well. I can't see any lumps or bumps but I suppose we never know what's going on internally. I know it's "only" a fish but I don't like the thought of him not being happy.