Betta behaviour advice/reassurance needed!

So I did my first water change with him, nothing too big, probably maximum 30%. I cleaned a whole load of debris off his sand which accumulated because of Nerite snail poop but also my filter had gotten quite dirty and was spraying muck around.

I’ve owned him a week and whenever I see him asleep he’s usually floating, but tonight I’ve seen him swimming slowly around on the sand bed. am I overthinking this?

He has been swimming in other areas of the tank too but He seems slower/more lethargic than usual. I feel this could be a result of-
I usually turn his light off much much earlier than I did today, and so it’s already quite past his bedtime so he could just be tired?

Also, this I think is the cleanest the sand has looked since I bought him, so maybe he prefers to sleep somewhere shaded on the soft sand?

I’ve turned all lights off now (I usually have it touch black at least an hour before I did today) but I’m still very worried and stressed over this.

I didn’t see any stress lines/gasping for air etc.

Should I be worried? Should I just let him settle down after the water change/moving ornaments around etc?

Any advice will be appreciated!

update-He’s awake and swimming normally, should I feel reassured now?

 

If the water going into the tank was a lot cooler it may have slowed him down a bit.

 

If the water going into the tank was a lot cooler it may have slowed him down a bit.

I heated the water up to the same temp, or maybe 1/2 degrees less. I think it may have stressed him out seeing a slightly different layout since he’s only a week into the tank

 

He sounds healthy enough. He could also just be getting used to the tank still.

 

He sounds healthy enough. He could also just be getting used to the tank still.

Thank you, I hope he’s okay the poor guy

 

So I did my first water change with him, nothing too big, probably maximum 30%. I cleaned a whole load of debris off his sand which accumulated because of Nerite snail poop but also my filter had gotten quite dirty and was spraying muck around.

I’ve owned him a week and whenever I see him asleep he’s usually floating, but tonight I’ve seen him swimming slowly around on the sand bed. am I overthinking this?

He has been swimming in other areas of the tank too but He seems slower/more lethargic than usual. I feel this could be a result of-
I usually turn his light off much much earlier than I did today, and so it’s already quite past his bedtime so he could just be tired?

Also, this I think is the cleanest the sand has looked since I bought him, so maybe he prefers to sleep somewhere shaded on the soft sand?

I’ve turned all lights off now (I usually have it touch black at least an hour before I did today) but I’m still very worried and stressed over this.

I didn’t see any stress lines/gasping for air etc.

Should I be worried? Should I just let him settle down after the water change/moving ornaments around etc?

Any advice will be appreciated!

update-He’s awake and swimming normally, should I feel reassured now?

Honestly, I wouldn't worry so much about this. I've had my betta for two and a half weeks now. He has slept on the betta hammock; head down in the gravel; curled up like a 'C'; and on the tops of the java fern plants. Also at times, he just paces around like there is nowhere to go or no place left to explore.

I keep having to remind myself that these fish are full of personality and may be just happy doing things we'd consider weird. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

Honestly, I wouldn't worry so much about this. I've had my betta for two and a half weeks now. He has slept on the betta hammock; head down in the gravel; curled up like a 'C'; and on the tops of the java fern plants. Also at times, he just paces around like there is nowhere to go or no place left to explore.

I keep having to remind myself that these fish are full of personality and may be just happy doing things we'd consider weird. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Cheers buddy, honestly I didn’t think my first water change with him would stress him out more than it would stress me out! I hope he’s a bit more settled than when I saw him earlier, I’m trying to give him the best life I can!

 

Cheers buddy, honestly I didn’t think my first water change with him would stress him out more than it would stress me out! I hope he’s a bit more settled than when I saw him earlier, I’m trying to give him the best life I can!

I certainly understand you! And to come to find out with mine, he absolutely loves water changes, especially when he can see things going up through the siphon. When I add the new water in from my bucket (about a gallon's worth, since I have a 5.5 US gallon tank), if I do it very slowly, he tries to catch the bubbles and/or swim up the stream like a salmon!

 

I certainly understand you! And to come to find out with mine, he absolutely loves water changes, especially when he can see things going up through the siphon. When I add the new water in from my bucket (about a gallon's worth, since I have a 5.5 US gallon tank), if I do it very slowly, he tries to catch the bubbles and/or swim up the stream like a salmon!

Sounds great! Mine tends to stay away from the siphon, but then again he’s still shy with me! I@‘ hoping to get him to open up more

 

You could test your water just in case, but I think he's fine, like others already mentioned he's probably still getting used to the tank
My betta hates water changes lol. Especially when I'm putting in new water. He's currently in a small tank, so I have to realllllly gently put in half a cup of water at once or else he becomes really dramatic lol

 

You could test your water just in case, but I think he's fine, like others already mentioned he's probably still getting used to the tank
My betta hates water changes lol. Especially when I'm putting in new water. He's currently in a small tank, so I have to realllllly gently put in half a cup of water at once or else he becomes really dramatic lol

Haha he made the night so I think he’s fine!