welshalien

After seeing the difference a heated, filter tank made in my Raymond, my son's girlfriend brought her betta, Pepper, to my house and we got him set up in a 5g hex tank. At first, Pepper had a problem with the reflections when the light was on in his tank but off in the room. He seemed to get used to it after a day -- either that or the plants I put in the problem corners distracted him from himself!

Now, he's just laying on the bottom. He doesn't look bloated and his color is fine -- he's a bright red all over with no spots or anything else that seems abnormal.

I've got Prime, vita chem and garlic guard in the water. Ammonia is 0, nitrites are 0, temp is 81. Don't know the nitrates (I need to buy a new kit today) but I just did a 25% water change last evening so I don't think they could be too high. The only time he has shown any life is when I dripped the garlic guard into the water -- he came running like he was hungry but turned his nose up at the pea I put in for him and went back to the bottom.

I am just sick that poor Pepper could die -- I would feel like it was my fault 'cause he was fine until he went in this tank. Any suggestions of anything else I should try?

shellbell4ever

It might just be he's getting used to the new tank,
Is the tank cycled?Did you acclimate him slowly?Have you got a pic?I'm sure someone with more experience will be along shortly...Best wishes

Fishies-for-me

I put Blue in a 5 gal hex last night ..upgrade from a 1 1/2 gal hex. He to is very quiet today but looks ok otherwise. I think maybe he is overwhelmed by the room and maybe feeling a little exposed.

COBettaCouple

Hmm.. does he have a cave or something like that to feel safe inside? He sounds like he has internal parasites maybe, if he was acclimated slowly.

welshalien

just an update -- whatever was wrong with Pepper seems to be a thing of the past! I did another water change yesterday and rearranged his "furniture" and moved his tank from one spot in the kitchen to another. And he's like a whole different fishy -- swimming all around and eating normally. In fact, this morning when I opened the lid to his tank to see if he would take a bloodworm for breakfast, almost the entire water surface was covered with bubbles!!! There was no place to put his breakfast without destroying some of his nest. He was very proud of himself and I made over him like crazy. I'll have to talk to his Mom to see, but I'm pretty sure this is his first bubble nest!

capekate

I am so glad that Pepper is doing much better! He must have been stressed in his new environment ... and moving the tank and covering those reflections sure helped as well. I hear so often that the 5 g 'HEX' tanks are not good for Betta fish..

Lucy

Yippee for Pepper building his first bubble nest, he sure is a happy little boy!

They sure know how to tell us when they don't like something, in Pepper's case it sounds like he didn't like the arrangement of his tank lol! Finicky betta!

Martinismommy

I'm happy to hear Pepper is feeling better!

chickadee

Pepper was just adjusting and now sounds like one happy little boy. See you worried for nothing. He sounds like he is doing fine and loves his new digs. Congratulations.

I know there are several who do not care for the 5 gallon hex tanks but the first 2 years I had bettas that is what they all lived in except for a brief period of time when I had a large vase with a heater and filter and a 3 gallon Eclipse tank. They did fine and in some ways acted happier than they do sometimes in their 12 gallon Eclipse tanks. So I see nothing really wrong with them and they far surpass the small cups they are in at the store so do not let anyone tell you that you have done anything wrong.

And besides, Pepper seems to like where he is at now...witness the bubblenest. And after all is not that the thing that really matters? Congratulations to you and to Pepper. You both sound smashing!

Rose

COBettaCouple

I'm glad to hear that he is fine and there's no need to treat him after all.