Fishies-for-me

I may have to downgrade my betta Little Boy Blue back into his 1 1/2 gallon tank. He is currently in a 5 gallon and my female Crystal is in the 1 1/2 gal. He was more active and happy looking in the smaller tank. In the bigger one he seems sad. He has a very large tail , he was listed as a delta but I think he is a halfmoon. Whichever he is the tail is so heavy that it is an effort to drag it around with him and so he just sits around. The smaller tank seemed to be easier for him to get up for a breath and he just looked happier in it. I could switch him and Crystal who is a very small female about 1 inch to 1 1/4 inch long. Does anyone have any better ideas? Thanks

Lucy

Maybe you could rearrange his tank a little, add some fun things to swim through and around, maybe some bubbles for him to play with?
1.5g isn't really big enough for a betta, does it have a heater and filter? It's hard to keep a consistant temerature in that small of a tank. I hope you consider getting another tank for Crystal.

Maybe get a 10g and divide it?

Fishies-for-me

It is filtered and heated both yes. I got Blue a cave and plants... and I put an airstone in his tank on very low ( I have been trying different amounts of bubbles to see ) and he hates it...lol Thinks to swim in/threw don't work as he does not like to swim. He looks good and is healthy but when he swims his tail pulls him down so he just settles down in one place. I bought him the new 5 gal as an upgrade from the 1 1/2 and Crystal is in it cuz she was an unexpected rescue from Wally world and I don't have the funds for a new tank yet.But she is very tiny and it is cycled heated and filtered...she is very healthy looking and seems very happy in the little tank. ( I found her in a foul cup of smelly water and you could hardly see there was a fish in there...what could I do ..a clean warm 1 1/2 gal is better that that ) Blue seemed happy when he was in that tank and I hate to see him look unhappy.

COBettaCouple

Is that tank a hex tank? If so, you might want to look at the 6.6g bookshelf tanks or 2.5g minibow tanks. Also silk plants with broad leaves and a floating piece of hamster tube would give him resting spots at different levels.

Martinismommy

I moved Patron into a 3 gallon for the same reason....I think the filter in the hex was too strong for him...He seems to be happier in the smaller tank....All the others are fine in the larger tanks but I think you are right about the big heavy tails...

I'd say give it a try and see how he acts...

Fishies-for-me

Not sure what to do...lol. I want to make him happy and if that is a smaller tank I may have to do that. I do keep it heated and the room stays a steady temp in the winter which will help keep the tank temp stable. I test the water every week before water changes and can test evey couple of days if need be. If I see that I am having trouble keeping the parameters stable I can rethink things...right now I want HIM to be happy. I may try a shelf or something first and see if I can make him happy in that tank.

COBettaCouple

We had 3 bettas in 2.5g minibow tanks and 2 bettas in 5g hex tanks. With every one of them, there was a noticeable increase in the personality they showed and they all seemed happier going to a bookshelf tank.

They love the long run to swim and they love the betta toys the tank allows room for. It's easy to give them varied arrangements of their decor every week by moving things around.

Martinismommy

I wish I had bought the bookshelf tanks now.....O'well live and learn....The other boys are fine in the hex tanks so I may just go ahead and get a bookshelf for Patron once he is recovered..

COBettaCouple

He'll be even more spoiled .. but then we love that in them.