Alessa

My mom was going to feed him this morning, I had left a weight holding a piece of lettuce for the snails, it fell and mom said it scared him. Then after that he just stayed in the bottom of the tank, inside the cave doing nothing, just resting in the bottom like he couldn't swim well....

Mom called me to see what was going on and we would tap on the glass with no results he wasn't moving. You could see the gill movement but he wasnt even laying straight. I reached in the tank to take him out in a cup but he wouldnt even swim away...

I got him in the cup and he was paranoid. Like every time we reached near the cup he would jump so fast that the cup made noise. Thats the only moment when with difficulty we got him to eat a pellet.

We moved him back in the tank and the same thing... going down to his cave, resting in the bottom... weird thing he comes up every once in a while he comes up and blows a bubble to his bubble nest, and is freaking out with everything... even his own shadow. He even sits in between the heater and the glass, motionless...


That is not my boy at all... I added vitachem, garlic guard, attisons betta spa and a tiny drop of stress coat.

I ran out of stress coat yesterday during a water change, so I used "betta safe" instead (tetra aqua safe)... I was freaking out thinking that I didnt add enough, and the water had chlorine in it. ( I dont trust it as much as I trust prime and SC).


I dont know whats going on.

Beeker

What kind of Betta is he?
I had a couple of those "Peaceful" Bettas and they were stressed over everything.

Alessa

Hes a fiesty red-finned veiltail... and that isnt his normal fishy-self... thats why I know something is wrong...

Btw, he isnt "adding on" to his bubble nest, he just destroyed it.

Lucy

My poor boy!!!

Is it possible it hit him? I bet he's just scared. Give him some quiet time, I'm sure he'll be fine.
The betta spa should soothe him.

Alessa

Mom said it didnt hit him, he just saw it and swam away as fast as he could... now hes destroying his bubble nest!

Either that, or he cant build it... the bubbles explode as soon as he blows them... that shouldnt happen with the betta spa.

Allie

Sorry he isn't feeling himself. Do you think he could be depressed? Which is why he reacted to oddly to the thingy falling?

Beeker

Hm, I'm sorry to hear that he isn't quite himself.
Maybe, if the weight fell and scared him, just needs some time to calm down.
Did he try to peck at some of the lettuce? Maybe it made him a little sick?
I can only say that, considering that we don't know what the problem is, you are doing all you can at this point.
I'm sorry I can only give you speculations, and I'm not much help.

Alessa

Hes was completely fine until yesterday... all fiesty and happy like always.

Im waiting until the new tank comes, so that I can have a female company every once in a while next to him (It should be boring being alone all the time).

I did see him picking at the lettuce yesterday... could that have gotten him sick?

Allie

I doubt it...do you feed him peas?

Alessa

I usually feed him daphinia for that matter... If I can get him to eat some, I'll try.

Beeker

I only mention the lettuce because we have had some problems with bad veggies here in the states. I know you washed it before putting it in, but remember the spinach problems last year, and the tomato problems this past summer? Of course, maybe he does, just need a female. He's been blowing his bubble nest, maybe he wants a good female so that he can be a daddy.

Lucy

It sounds like you're doing everything you can for him. I know he's in the best of hands.
Keep us up to date. I'll be checking up on him later.

Alessa

Now he acts as if he can't see me, I open the lid to feed him and he doesn't care at all...

Hes trying to build/destroy his bubble nest, but he can't.

He has never been depressed before, just this morning he began to act this way...


There was a point in which I even thought he had left me... when he was laying on his side motionless in the tank.

Thanks everyone, I'll keep you updated.

Lucy

Red1313

Oh! <hugs>
I hope you're boy starts to feel himself soon.

Alessa

Hes better now, at least he ate something a while ago... maybe hes really just getting depressed.

Im going to add (not now though) a baby apple snail to his tank... I know him enough now to know he wont try to eat it...

And I hope the new tank arrives soon, to get a female neighbor for him... so that they can "talk" every once in a while.

I also hope he just goes back to his old fishy-self completely later.

Thanks everyone!

Shawnie

im so glad hes better!!! and all my boys have to be beside one another or beside a girlie or they do the same thing your boy was doing...you watch the difference in him and especially his bubble nests when he has a companion...do you have extra media seeding so you can start right up when the tank comes? goodluck with him..cant wait for his update when his new girlie is next door

Alessa

Thanks Shawnie... I always keep some media seeding in the biowheel, but I really dont know if I'll do the fishless... Since i am getting a cup-girl, and they are already in the worst conditions.

I will share some pics of all my tanks soon. I am planting them and aquascaping them little by little so that they look great.

My poor boy, I never saw him so sick-sad before...

Lucy

I'm glad he ate something. I guess that weight really gave him a start.
I'm sure he'll be back to his old self soon.

Alessa

He is still weird though... I hope so Lucy.

He couldn't even do his bubble nest.

Red1313

I'm glad he's getting better!
Good Luck!

jdhef

Sorry to hear your guy isn't feeling well. But it sounds like he is on the way to recovery. Keep us updated on his condition.

COBettaCouple

I think it's possible you were experiencing a betta temper-tantrum. They can really get upset over something and reds seem more volatile than other Bettas. Angel once got upset that we didn't get her the attention she was used to when we were out most of a weekend and she played 'sick fishie' just lying around and not eating for about 3 days, then she went back to her normal self.

Alessa

Thanks everyone, hes doing better though...

He's still not the same fish. He is cold and mellow, not really the active sweet tempered fishy he always is. Let's hope the new neighbor-girl arrival will cheer him up.

pinkfloydpuffer

Good luck with your boy Alessa.

Alessa

Nothing new... the little one is still kinda cold, not his normal self. He is eating fine, swimming fine, but he is still acting weird towards me... Like a grumpy old man. So not my boy...

Matt

Is there a female with him atm

I reckon if there isnt you should get a female and put her in there. A good lady always makes a man happy

Hope That Helps.

From Matt

Alessa

Unfortunately, bettas cannot be kept in the same tank with another one of their same species, male or female... One day they will love each other and the next day one of them will end up dead.

But you are right matt! Is there anything better than a good lady to make a boy happy? what I am waiting for is my new tank to arrive, which I will place right next to his. Sometimes I will allow them to see each other, so that they dont get depressed, but most of the time I wont so that they dont get stressed out... which also happens lol

Matt

Lol Yer A Lady Does alot of good for a lonely boy. I would love to hope that they will end up breeding

Do you no anything about clownfish breeding

I am really excited for your other bettas aswell

From Matt

Alessa

I really dont plan on breeding them though, its a hard, long, painful proccess in which one of them can end up dead... and me with a bunch of babies who need each their own individual tank

They will just be neighbors... no visits paid to the "girl next door" lol