10 Gallon Tank Betta reduced activity

[Dippiedee]

Prince has started spending all day and all night sat behind/ontop of his filter. He doesn't come out to the front begging for food when I approach the tank anymore. He used to be extremely active; exploring every inch of the tank. He looks like he might have some fin deterioration but its hard to tell because he's a crowntail. I change 60% of the water, sometimes more, every week. Its a 12 gallon. He doesn't have any tankmates (except some bladder snails). Ppms are 0 ammonia 0 nirite and around 20ppm nitrates at the point of water change. He eats when I drop food infront of him. I treated him for callamanus worms maybe a month ago but other than that he hasn't had any illnesses since I've had it (got him august 1st as an adult) I have no clue what the problem might be.

I can't get a picture of his fins because of where he is and he isn't spreading them out like he used to

Edit: I feed him a small pinch of food once a day and hand feed a few bloodworms sometimes

 

[Demeter]

I’d check the filter flow and see if it’s too strong. Turn the filter off and see how he responds for the next little while. Long finned bettas really hate a strong flow.

It sounds to me he chose the stillest place to rest meaning the other areas are too strong for him to swim normally. He doesn’t look particularly ill and if he’s eating then that’s good.

 

[Dippiedee]

Okay I've (albeit creatively) reduced the flow. I didn't really think of that since the flow rate has been the same since I first got him.
This is him now;


This is him a month ago:


He's definitely not looking great

 

[Fishstery]

What is the temperature?

 

[Demeter]

He certainly does look in worse shape than his original photos. I think he also looks on the thin side, not terrible but could use a bit more food IMO. I'd start feeding twice a day.

Is he acting better now that you've baffled the filter? As for his fins, they aren't looking too bad yet but I think some Methylene blue baths and tannins in the main tank may help him. Try doing daily 15min M. blue baths (if possible) and add some Indian Almond leaves. Bettas naturally come from tannin rich waters and those tannins just so happen to aid in healing, almost like an antibacterial/antifungal.

 

[Fishstery]

He certainly does look in worse shape than his original photos. I think he also looks on the thin side, not terrible but could use a bit more food IMO. I'd start feeding twice a day.

Is he acting better now that you've baffled the filter? As for his fins, they aren't looking too bad yet but I think some Methylene blue baths and tannins in the main tank may help him. Try doing daily 15min M. blue baths (if possible) and add some Indian Almond leaves. Bettas naturally come from tannin rich waters and those tannins just so happen to aid in healing, almost like an antibacterial/antifungal.

His fins do look diminished and is skinny. Demeter, is it just me or does his eyes look a bit big to you? Much like a stunted angel or discus. Perhaps this guy is a runt and that's why he is smaller and skinny?

 

[Demeter]

His fins do look diminished and is skinny. Demeter, is it just me or does his eyes look a bit big to you? Much like a stunted angel or discus. Perhaps this guy is a runt and that's why he is smaller and skinny?

It's possible he's a runty fish but CT bettas always seem to look a little bug eyed to me. If the eyes are clear and the same size I don't think it is anything to worry about. Either way, poor breeding (let's not forget the long importation time) is often a common cause for illness in pet store bettas.

 

[Dippiedee]

Temp is 26 degrees celcuis. Yes after I semi blocked the filter he started swimming around. Ill start feeding twice a day and arrange some tannins. He has been bug eyed since I got him, I've never kept a betta before him so I assumed it was normal. I don't have a spare tank to do the baths in, will a bucket work?

Will feeding live food like bloodworms every couple of days help fatten him up or should I just increase his regular food?

Edit: I've also ordered some alder cones for tannins

 

[Fishstery]

Temp is 26 degrees celcuis. Yes after I semi blocked the filter he started swimming around. Ill start feeding twice a day and arrange some tannins. He has been bug eyed since I got him, I've never kept a betta before him so I assumed it was normal. I don't have a spare tank to do the baths in, will a bucket work?

Will feeding live food like bloodworms every couple of days help fatten him up or should I just increase his regular food?

Temperature is perfect, so I think adding tannins may help his fins. As for the feeding, I would not feed more than once a day. Too much food, especially in flake form, can cause bloating. Bloodworms are a great protein boost. I would just feed 1 or 2 bloodworms once daily 5 days a week for a little while until he gets bigger. Then feed flake or pellet the other 2 days to balance the diet. Monday-tuesday feed worms, Wednesday flake, Thursday Friday Saturday worms, Sunday flake or pellet OR if he seems like he's still fat, skip feeding that day. Some people, like myself, fast one day a week. I especially do this with my pea puffers since they eat strictly bloodworms and the occasional snail. Then just keep an eye on the water parameters, keep up on water changes, and start vacuuming the gravel to accommodate the waste from a high protein diet.

 

[Dippiedee]

I had already done a second feeding before coming back here but he didn't eat anything the second time food was offered. He looked at it then looked away. I think ill just switch him onto bloodworms instead of flaked food 5 days a week as suggested.

 

[Fishstery]

I had already done a second feeding before coming back here but he didn't eat anything the second time food was offered. He looked at it then looked away. I think ill just switch him onto bloodworms instead of flaked food 5 days a week as suggested.

If you feed twice daily I would do it mid morning and then mid-late evening. But I think once a day bloodworms are a better idea for bulking

 

[Demeter]

Don't feed too much blood worms too often. Their skins are harder to digest and their nutrient content may not have all the essentials. I'd suggest brine shrimp as a better option along side the dry foods. Feeding twice a day is perfectly fine for most bettas, especially if you are wanting to fatten them up a bit. You just need to keep in mind the portions. Getting a couple smaller feedings through out the day is better than a single large feeding, remember that wild fish normally eat bits and pieces throughout the day so it is perfectly natural for them. If you feel his belly is still full when you go to feed him the second time then skip it or reduce the amount. As for fasting, I do it 1-2 time a week depending on how many lazy days I feel the need for. If you are worried he is looking bloated try getting him to flare at a mirror, this usually makes them poop.

A bucket works perfectly fine for treatments, I often use plastic food containers for baths. You can float them in the main tank to maintain the temp too.

 

[Dippiedee]

Ok I'll feed Brine shrimp instead, I've never fed brine shrimp to him before because I can't get them on the tweezers and I didn't like to just drop them in because if he doesn't catch it before it sinks he won't eat it

The filter keeps unplugging I might switch him to a sponge filter as I think that'll be less flow than the internal?

 

[Demeter]

Sponge filters are perfect for bettas. To seed the sponge filter I'd put it in a bucket and turn it on, then swish the older filter media in the bucket and let the sponge clear up the water, it should catch all sorts of bacteria and whatnot.

 

[Dippiedee]

Ok there's something wrong with him today. He's blown up like a balloon and hes not swimming around at all

 

[Dippiedee]

His sponge filter arrived today so I've switched his internal for the sponge. It has a section for media so I've just put the media from the internal intonthe sponge

 

[BigManAquatics]

Ok there's something wrong with him today. He's blown up like a balloon and hes not swimming around at all
View attachment 755215

Wow...it has to be pretty obvious for me to be able to see it in a picture, too. I would start out by fasting for 3 days. Then try and feed some daphnia or a pea to act as a laxative to start.

 

[Dippiedee]

Aghh he was skinny so I started feeding him extra now he's bloated and needs fasting? He's a such a princess lol

 

[BigManAquatics]

Aghh he was skinny so I started feeding him extra now he's bloated and needs fasting? He's a such a princess lol

Thats usually a first step when bloated. Maybe try the laxative first. A good poo can do wonders, after all

 

[Dippiedee]

What did I do wrong to make him bloat? I was feeding his normal flake food in the morning and live food in the afternoon; should I stop the flake feed and just feed live once a day instead?

Edit: once his bloat goes down that is

 

[BigManAquatics]

What did I do wrong to make him bloat? I was feeding his normal flake food in the morning and live food in the afternoon; should I stop the flake feed and just feed live once a day instead?

Edit: once his bloat goes down that is

Might have to play around with that for awhile til you find something that works. I don't feed flakes to my bettas very often because it is harder to give them an amount you feel is enough without overfeeding. I know a lot of betta owners throw a fasting day every week too. I used to do that til one of my guys started biting his tail on days he didn't get fed.

 

[Demeter]

It’s pretty weird that ye bloated so fast, he may have underlying issues that caused it. Some bettas are just so sensitive it puts them at a disadvantage. See if he will flare at a mirror, that can help him poop.

It may be worth switching dry foods altogether. I never feed flakes so have little experice with them on bettas. My fish seem to really like Fluval bug bites so maybe switch to those.

 

[Dippiedee]

He never flares at his reflection in the side of the tank (or at anything tbh) but ill give it a go

I've seen that food mentioned a lot for bettas; ill get some


Edit: He definitely has fin rot; his fins are black in places. But how has this happened? I was under the impression fin rot is caused by bad water quality; but his water quality is fine I've done a bare minimun of 50% water changes every week without fail since setting the tank up

 

[Fishstery]

He never flares at his reflection in the side of the tank (or at anything tbh) but ill give it a go

I've seen that food mentioned a lot for bettas; ill get some


Edit: He definitely has fin rot; his fins are black in places. But how has this happened? I was under the impression fin rot is caused by bad water quality; but his water quality is fine I've done a bare minimun of 50% water changes every week without fail since setting the tank up

Out of curiosity you said you were feeding live food? Frozen and live are two different things, so im not sure if I am mistaken. What live food did you feed him? BTW some boiled deshelled peas ( just a piece) can be a good laxative. If hes not interested in a piece of blanched pea you can soak it in some garlic juice which will make it more appetizing for him. You could try some pea and then fast him for a day or two to see if he poops.

 

[jkkgron2]

Out of curiosity you said you were feeding live food? Frozen and live are two different things, so im not sure if I am mistaken. What live food did you feed him? BTW some boiled deshelled peas ( just a piece) can be a good laxative. If hes not interested in a piece of blanched pea you can soak it in some garlic juice which will make it more appetizing for him. You could try some pea and then fast him for a day or two to see if he poops.

IME daphnia is a healthier laxative for bettas, that’s also more effective. For most fish I would stick with daphnia instead of peas. Daphnia is also tastier, so the fish will be more likely to eat.

 

[Dippiedee]

Out of curiosity you said you were feeding live food? Frozen and live are two different things, so im not sure if I am mistaken. What live food did you feed him? BTW some boiled deshelled peas ( just a piece) can be a good laxative. If hes not interested in a piece of blanched pea you can soak it in some garlic juice which will make it more appetizing for him. You could try some pea and then fast him for a day or two to see if he poops.

Sorry I meant frozen. Hes had bloodworms the last 2 days.

IME daphnia is a healthier laxative for bettas, that’s also more effective. For most fish I would stick with daphnia instead of peas. Daphnia is also tastier, so the fish will be more likely to eat.

I haven't fed him today because of the bloat. Should I feed him daphnia tomorrow regardless of whether the bloat has gone down or not?

 

[jkkgron2]

Sorry I meant frozen. Hes had bloodworms the last 2 days.



I haven't fed him today because of the bloat. Should I feed him daphnia tomorrow regardless of whether the bloat has gone down or not?

I would try feeding him a small amount of daphnia tomorrow.

 

[Fisch]

He certainly does look in worse shape than his original photos. I think he also looks on the thin side, not terrible but could use a bit more food IMO. I'd start feeding twice a day.

Is he acting better now that you've baffled the filter? As for his fins, they aren't looking too bad yet but I think some Methylene blue baths and tannins in the main tank may help him. Try doing daily 15min M. blue baths (if possible) and add some Indian Almond leaves. Bettas naturally come from tannin rich waters and those tannins just so happen to aid in healing, almost like an antibacterial/antifungal.

I agree with the underfed statement. After the worm treatment he may just run out of energy. Before really diving into additional meds, I would just keep up with the water changes, add some tannins, provide him with nice warm water, a hammock or a resting place close to the surface, and some energy rich food (frozen daphnia, bloodworms).

 

[StarGirl]

All of my fish went bonkers for the Daphnia, not so much the peas. The algae eaters liked them. You only need like a very small corner of the frozen Daphnia.

Your poor guy has had a heck of a week

 

[Dippiedee]

Alright ill feed daphnia tomorrow. Im hoping his alder cones will arrive soon for tannins i ordered from ebay instead of amazon which was a mistake; everything shipped from ebay takes ages to get to me where as his filter from amazon took like 2 days

I shall keep updating on his condition

 

[Dippiedee]

Alrighty so this morning his bloat has gone down a lot. He's still a little bloated but its not too noticeable. I've fed him some daphnia. He's swimming all around his tank again so I just need to tackle the fin rot. Any chance the rot was caused by stress because the current of his previous filter was too strong do we think?

 

[Dippiedee]

Visual update. Hes started greeting me everytime I go near the tank again

 

[BigManAquatics]

He looks way less bloated!

 

[Demeter]

He looks a lot better now I haven’t had any CT bettas in a long while but when I did I noticed they would appear bloated after feeding. They seem have a shorter body/organ cavity compared to other bettas so they can “bloat” more easily. So long as the bloating is only food/poop related I’d think it will resolve given time and some flaring exercise.


As for the fin issues, they could be filter related. Is it possible the fins got stuck to the filter intake?

 

[Dippiedee]

He had started spending 100% of his time next to the filter (until I switched it out for the sponge filter) so while I didn't see anything its definitely possible he ripped his fins on the intake. I think ill add a 25% mid week water change to his maintenance schedule until his fins are back to normal.