Red1313

I'm beginning to believe that Ray is getting bored. He seems to lay under his plant unless I move around the room. What's a good source of betta amusement?

angelfish220

My bettas love bubbles and pingpong balls...

Lucy

You can re-arrange his 'furniture'

Red1313

I'm paranoid about adding anything into his tank because he rips his fins so easily.

pinkfloydpuffer

Ping pong balls?!? Never thought of that before! Must try it!

Rearranging helps, and if you can find anything glass to put in there, cause that won't rip fins.

Shawnie

my boys LOVE these

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...4&pcatid=12084

and you can buy them pretty small and twist them to all different ways to keep them thinking its something new

and some of my boys / girls love these http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...3&pcatid=14613 just the tubes tho not the balls

Red1313

Thanks guys!

Alessa

What about a female neighbor?

Red1313

The location of his tank would make finding a spot for a neighbour tricky.
Most of the surfaces in my room only have enough space/strength for one tank. However I'll keep it in mind.

pamelakt

How do the bubble wands work? You have to buy a seperate air pump? I'm not sure I have enough plug sockets left!! The look really cool tho, altho I can't seem to find them on any UK pages.

Maybe he can have one for Christmas

Red1313

If you've already got one air pump then you just need a splitter and you can power more then one air driven device.

Allie

Just pay more attention to him and he won't be bored.

pamelakt

So do most people have an air pump and a filter? I've only got a filter...

Red1313

It depends. I have a couple of air driven filters so they have air pumps. Air pumps are an extra for the most part though.

Shawnie

I could stand on my head all day with my boys (nice visual there) and my boys still would be bored without their bubbles to play in

Allie

Really? I guess I spend too much time with mine.

Red1313

I try to give all my gang attention. (Though ember could usually care less ) However Ray is just acting less active and sitting under his plant. When he sees me looking he comes out then goes back under. He doesn't spend much time checking his tank out. Even Nighthawk in his little 2.5 cruises around more then Ray lately. It could be that his fins are finally starting to grow back, but he just looks mostly bored.

pamelakt

So if they're still it doesn't necessaryily mean they're ill just bored?

How can you tell an ill one in a shop from a bored one?

Shawnie

because bored ones in our care we know are well taken care of with water changes, and a good diet...you can almost garuntee its not that way in their death cups

pamd

Lethargy could be caused by illness or boredom. It could also be caused by too low a temperature, ammonia, nitrite or high nitrate, bad shipping with rough handling and temperature fluctuations, poor diet or not eating ...

Since you're probably asking on behalf of your betta-to-be, I'd suggest avoiding any fish that seems lethargic. Get an active one, one who looks at you, maybe even flares at you, and begs you to take him home.

Shawnie

I so agree with pam!!!!! although Im the type of betta mum that "has to have the sickest ones to cure them " and its alot of work but so worth it...

pamelakt

Yeah I'll be looking for an active one, I'm a beginner so I want to try avoid all problems if I can!

Beeker

Charlie was like that.

You know how dogs do that "Please buy me" pout? Charlie looked right at me and gave me that "Take me home or I'll kill you" look. It was love at first sight. What a great betta he was.

pamd

Red, it's all good advice in this thread to help perk him up. You're pretty sure he's not sick, right? He's eating, his color looks good, no bloating, no unusual spots or signs of fungus on him? You haven't moved him to a new tank or made any other recent changes and his water parameters all look fine? But the fin rips you mention could be an indication that he's ill. How do his fins look as they are healing?

If he is just bored and if your schedule permits, one additional idea is to give him smaller and more frequent feedings per day. You know, besides attention from you, feeding time is the next best highlight of the day!

Red1313

I don't think he's ill he comes of and dances around for me and then he just goes back to sitting under plant. His water parameters are good, and he's one of my best eaters. He's just not acting like the rest of my Betta's and checking everything out.

I'll try to get a pic of him in his "spot", I don't think that the filter is causing too much water movement and he's had it for awhile now. Since his fins have started (finally) to get some good growth on he just doesn't seem as interested in exploring his tank. I could just be that they're heavier then he's used to. I don't know.

Matt

A femalel always makes a lonely man happy

Hope He Gets Better

From Matt

isis

My Jacky had that bored thing a while ago... so I put 3 albino cories in his tank... they still amuse him... so cute
Some times just changing the angle of the filer will change the current of the flow... that will make him swim 'differently'... that some times helps.
And YES a girlfriend always does the trick

Red1313

no room in a 3 gal for roomies.

isis

Haha! so true Red! LOL! How about 1 neon> LOL! Just kidding!

Red1313

msybe a picture of one