Betta Likes Swimming In Circles?

Tank size: 2.5 gallons
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0
Temp: 79F
Sponge filter and heater
Aquarium gravel, betta log to hide in (but he doesn’t really use it)
Four plants and one marimo moss ball
No other fish

Use seachem prime, tetra aquasafe, and little aquarium salt to help with fin tear injury from non-sponge filter (was too strong) that came with the tank, was using melafix before when tears were bigger but stopped.

I bought my betta a month and a half ago and I’ve noticed that he swims in circles near the tanks wall a lot. I got plants to cover some of the walls so he doesn’t see his reflection but he just does it at the front wall now. I can’t cover that since I do wanna be able to check on him and see him through it.

His water parameters, temperature and feeding schedule have been constant and he’s been eating well. The fin tears are slowly getting better. Not sure if he’s stressed or just likes swimming in circles?

 

When he's swimming in circles does he bump/brush up against the glass or just go past it? If you look at him are his fins tight against his body or just sort of flowing around a bit? Does he appear to have 2 horizontal stripes on his body? Are these small, fast circles or more wide, slow circles?

My initial thought is stress. It's possible he still hasn't settled into his tank yet. It is also possible that he is just swimming around naturally and due to the size of the tank going in circles near the walls just happens to offer the most space.

 

His fins are flowing around a bit and sometimes he does brush up against the walls. He doesn’t have any stripes on his body. The circles are mostly slow/wide but sometimes it changes and he’ll swim in a small circle with little more speed for about two or three times around then returns to the slow wide circles.

 

I'm not a betta expert but that doesn't sound like normal behavior based on any betta I've ever seen.

Your test readings indicate your tank is not cycled. A cycled tank will have zero ammonia, zero nitrites, and a nitrate reading. If there's no nitrate reading, it means the cycle is not complete. The only exception I know of is if the tank is heavily planted.

My first reaction to anything unusual in my tanks is partial water changes. Unfortunately, the smaller your tank is, the more difficult it is to keep your water parameters consistent. Your tank is small. It can be maintained, but you have to be really careful and watch the test readings closely.

It looks like you're putting in a lot of additives. Prime or other water conditioner is mandatory. Other than that, I don't add anything to my tanks unless I'm treating for something specific. Fresh water is first. If water changes are not on the top of your list to treat this situation, that's likely your problem.

Edit: It's a common mistake not to do the nitrate test correctly. The instructions say to shake the Nitrate #2 bottle for 30 seconds before adding to the test tube. Then shake the test tube for 60 seconds and wait five minutes to take the reading. If you haven't been doing that, you're probably get a nitrate reading if you do.

 

I'm not a betta expert but that doesn't sound like normal behavior based on any betta I've ever seen.

Your test readings indicate your tank is not cycled. A cycled tank will have zero ammonia, zero nitrites, and a nitrate reading. If there's no nitrate reading, it means the cycle is not complete. The only exception I know of is if the tank is heavily planted.

My first reaction to anything unusual in my tanks is partial water changes. Unfortunately, the smaller your tank is, the more difficult it is to keep your water parameters consistent. Your tank is small. It can be maintained, but you have to be really careful and watch the test readings closely.

It looks like you're putting in a lot of additives. Prime or other water conditioner is mandatory. Other than that, I don't add anything to my tanks unless I'm treating for something specific. Fresh water is first. If water changes are not on the top of your list to treat this situation, that's likely your problem.

Edit: It's a common mistake not to do the nitrate test correctly. The instructions say to shake the Nitrate #2 bottle for 30 seconds before adding to the test tube. Then shake the test tube for 60 seconds and wait five minutes to take the reading. If you haven't been doing that, you're probably get a nitrate reading if you do.

Is there anything else I can do to the tank to help cycle so nitrates increase without adding anything? The only additives I’ve been using now is aquarium salt since his fins are still torn. With every water test and water change the results for everything are still zero, should I be worried?

 

Can you post a few pictures of your betta? Has he done this since you bought him? Swimming in tight circles is often how long finned males bite their own fins. A video of the behavior would help too but pictures should work well enough.

Also, you don’t necessarily want nitrates, you don’t want any of the readings to be positive if things were perfect. Nitrates are just the end product of the nitrogen cycle, so without nitrates present it is hard to be sure the tank has cycled. But with live plants they will also be using the nitrates so a low or negative reading is possible.

 

How long has the tank been set up?

 

What kind of shape is his tail in? Is he a Halfmoon? Demeter has the right idea. Sounds like the start of tail biting to me. I had one do this exact thing. It wasn’t long before he started taking chunks out of his tail.

 

Mine also do that and it doesn't bother me, for what I guess he's just enjoying his tank I'll be worried if his lying, floating or doesn't move.

Above comments might be right if his fins are too long he might be irritated by them and wants to nip them.