My new Betta is not eating and stays in his little house all the time

Hi,

I’m starting to get worried about our new fish....I bought our little friend 5+ days ago from our local Pet Store. When my daughter chose him I was a little worried to see most of their GloFish Bettas all at the bottom of tiny cups, not swimming or anything. They looked so sad in those cups! I was told that it was normal for them to be at the bottom since they had nothing to do there in such a small cup but that they would be more active once he transitioned to his new home! I told the store person that I hadn’t had a fish in decades and that I wanted to do it right this time. So I bought him a 5.5 filtered water tank, I conditioned the tap water for 24 hours with the heater On and everything before adding him to his new home. My daughter chose a little cute house, a cave, some silk plants, and it looks really awesome! While we were waiting for the water to be conditioned I noticed that he was so scared and sad in the cup he came in. The store person told me to feed him that night since there hadn’t fed him that day. So I gave him maybe 4-5 tiny pellets but he was so scared in that cup that he never went up to eat and then they all sunk to the bottom. I don’t think he ate any of them.

Once the tank water was at the right temperature and we had waited more than 24 hours conditioning the water we transitioned him to his new place by putting the cup he came in for 15-20 minutes in the tank and then I scooped him out and he went in to his new home. As soon as he went in he swam to a hiding spot. I noticed he was very afraid of us so we left him alone but still watched him from the living room. I noticed that he explored his new home for about 30-60 minutes and then he went inside his little house to hide.

Since then I haven’t seen him come out. he doesn’t eat when I feed him. He just hides and I can’t see him unless I take the little house out or move it. I’m not even sure he knows I’m dropping the food. Since it just ends up sinking to the bottom of the tank.

I bought the API master water test kit and measured everything
Ammonia is 0. Nitrite is 0, Nitrate is 0, pH is between 7.4 and 7.6 (I get the highest reading with the pH solution and the lowest reading with the high range pH bottle). So it’s around 7.5. The temperature is 78-80 F.

I went back to the pet store seeking advice and they suggested a 25% water change. The water change made him come out because of the movement in the water, he was scared but since it was the first time I had seen him outside since we got him I tried feeding him freeze dried bloodworms (per the store suggestion). He didn’t eat any. As soon as I finished the water change he went back to his hiding spot and I haven’t seen him since (almost 2 days!).

I don’t know what else to do! Should I remove the house and little cave so he can only hide in the fake plants? At least this would allow me to see if he’s even alive! Any suggestions? Shouldn’t he be swimming every once in a while? Is this normal? He hasn’t eaten since we got him! I don’t know if there is something we are doing wrong!!! PLEASE HELP. I’m afraid that at this rate he won’t make it if he doesn’t eat!

I'm also including the only pictures we were able to get when we moved him to his new home. Btw we don’t keep those lights on for more than a couple of hours a day. Most of the day he just get natural light from the windows

thanks!

 

Its because you didnt cycle the tank for a good month so there's no good BB to eat up the ammonia, nitrite , nitrate . The water is burning him basically.

Nitrate should not be 0! That's the sign you didnt cycle your tank.

Please look into the Nitrogen Cycle and the proper care for bettas or he will not last at all

 

He might just need some time to adjust to his new home. I would leave the house in though. He needs a safe place he can hide till he gets more comfortable,.

 

He might just need some time to adjust to his new home. I would leave the house in though. He needs a safe place he can hide till he gets more comfortable,.

Please stop . No.... she didnt cycle the tank . It's very important to Cycle a tank weeks prior before adding a fish!! You need to cycle the tank to build up Beneficial Bacteria, the BB then eats up all the bad bacteria like ammonia and nitrites in the tank without you having to do so.

I got a new betta last week in a cycled tank . He isn't hiding at all because the tank is cycled. So her betta is freaking out .

Plus you didnt acclimate him either !

 

Its because you didnt cycle the tank for a good month so there's no good BB to eat up the ammonia, nitrite , nitrate . The water is burning him basically.

Please look into the Nitrogen Cycle and the proper care for bettas

Thank you for the quick reply. So if I’m reading your reply right, you’re basically saying that the pet store gave me bad advice by telling me to only wait 24 hours for the water to be conditioned before putting him in? The water conditioning bottle and the tank instructions also said 24 hours! Are they just misinforming people? Also, if the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings are coming back as zero how is the water burning him?

 

I would highly recommend a bio booster at this point. Petco has apI stresszyme (not the water conditioner stress coat), fluval bio booster is at petsmart I think (I don’t trust top fin).
Also something like stability from Seachem and stressguard from Seachem (sold at petco or online usually).

Some aquarium salt and tannins might not hurt either. But start with the first options. The tank isn’t fully comfortable for him. And he’s come from a cold cup in a busy store. It takes time.

 

Thank you for the quick reply. So if I’m reading your reply right, you’re basically saying that the pet store gave me bad advice by telling me to only wait 24 hours for the water to be conditioned before putting him in? The water conditioning bottle and the tank instructions also said 24 hours! Are they just misinforming people? Also, if the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings are coming back as zero how is the water burning him?

Yes never ever ever listen to pet store employees. They don't know anything , they just need a job and money and will say anything to sell you something!!! They will hire anyone who doesn't know s*** about fish .

The water will burn him eventually, as he uses the bathroom, ammonia will build up and since you didnt cycle , there's no good bacteria to eat away the ammonia for you. Nitrate is also the good bacteria you need and you don't have ! That itself isn't good . He is bascially in shock being thrown in a tank. Theres a lot more to fish than people think

 

Thank you for the quick reply. So if I’m reading your reply right, you’re basically saying that the pet store gave me bad advice by telling me to only wait 24 hours for the water to be conditioned before putting him in? The water conditioning bottle and the tank instructions also said 24 hours! Are they just misinforming people? Also, if the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings are coming back as zero how is the water burning him?

Yes pretty much, the cycle can take up to 6 weeks although usually doesn’t take this long.
The water won’t be burning him, although ammonia will if it builds up. A good start would be to do a 50% water change and read up on the Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle.
Everyone makes mistakes at the start, it’s part of the hobby.

 

I didn't cycle my tank for a month I only did it for 24 hours (googles instructions) and he was perfectly happy in his new tank, but due to my intense anxiety about him dying I acclimated him for about 45 minutes adding more water every 10-15 mins., now he's perfectly happy. Please listen to the people above (and below soon I guess..? ^^; ) because I am a noobie too. I'm pretty uneducated with the whole nitrate and pH and stuff but my guess is it's what they said up there^ and that you didn't acclimate him. Best of luck! Also would one of those marimo balls work help with cleaning up the tank or purifying the water? been meaning to ask about those and if they're worth it.

 

Please stop . No.... she didnt cycle the tank . It's very important to Cycle a tank weeks prior before adding a fish!! You need to cycle the tank to build up Beneficial Bacteria, the BB then eats up all the bad bacteria like ammonia and nitrites in the tank without you having to do so.

I got a new betta last week in a cycled tank . He isn't hiding at all because the tank is cycled. So her betta is freaking out .

Plus you didnt acclimate him either !

To acclimate him I followed the instructions the seller gave me. Which was to float the cup he came in for 20 minutes in the tank after adding the water conditioning and waiting 24 hours running the filter and heater. Was there something else I was supposed to do?

Also, the pre-conditioned water I used for the suggested water change says that it “allows for immediate introduction of fish (same day)” And that it’s for new aquariums.

 

Oh! Sorry about that I thought you didn't acclimate him. Then I'm not sure what to tell you, listen to the people above me like I said before, another reason he's like that is because he may be shy. Griffin always eats when I feed him, not always when my family members do it though. Maybe try spending some time by his tank drawing or writing or have someone else try to feed him. I'm not the best advice giver but I'm trying! Good luck!

 

Yes pretty much, the cycle can take up to 6 weeks although usually doesn’t take this long.
The water won’t be burning him, although ammonia will if it builds up. A good start would be to do a 50% water change and read up on the Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle.
Everyone makes mistakes at the start, it’s part of the hobby.

Thank you so much for the suggestion.

 

No problem!

 

To acclimate him I followed the instructions the seller gave me. Which was to float the cup he came in for 20 minutes in the tank after adding the water conditioning and waiting 24 hours running the filter and heater. Was there something else I was supposed to do?

Also, the pre-conditioned water I used for the suggested water change says that it “allows for immediate introduction of fish (same day)” And that it’s for new aquariums.

No that's not how you do it .. you do a drip acclimation where you slowly drip the new tank waterinto ththe bag he is in so slowly he can get used to the water temp, ph , and parameters.if younjust put him in , he is in all new water with different parameters and bacteria which will shock him. Just floating the cup in the tank does nothing .

 

I think this link should be able to provide you with the correct information regarding the nitrogen cycle: Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle . You can do a fish in cycle, it isn't impossible and if you're careful and research how to properly care for him your betta should be fine. As for right now, read up on the nitrogen cycle and do a water change, I'd say 50%. I'm glad you're taking the time to ask others for help and that you're trying to provide him with proper care. Many people simply don't bother to learn, or don't care.

 

Typically with any new additions I’ve gotten I’ll float the bag or cup for 15-30m, at which point I’ll slowly add in the tank water at intervals of about 10-15m and maybe 20% ratio.
However I’ve had a couple of fish that were in water so bad (filthy pet store cups with 1.5 ammonia) that speeding up the cycle was ideal. However I still floated and added small amounts of water.
The drip method is ideal but many fish are simply dumped from cup to tank and it’s a Russian roulette if they’ll adjust in a way. But taking care of the water now should help him.

 

No that's not how you do it .. you do a drip acclimation where you slowly drip the new tank waterinto ththe bag he is in so slowly he can get used to the water temp, ph , and parameters.if younjust put him in , he is in all new water with different parameters and bacteria which will shock him. Just floating the cup in the tank does nothing .

If they bought the fish from a store near their home, it's likely their tap water is the same water the store used to house the betta in the first place. Not guaranteed, but likely. You are correct, that is a typical method used for acclimating and an important part of introducing a fish to new water, but floating the cup and acclimating for temperature is also important. OP is trying their best, and your info is very helpful, but don't be hard on them if you can avoid it, we've all been new at one point.

 

Its because you didnt cycle the tank for a good month so there's no good BB to eat up the ammonia, nitrite , nitrate . The water is burning him basically.

Nitrate should not be 0! That's the sign you didnt cycle your tank.

Please look into the Nitrogen Cycle and the proper care for bettas or he will not last at all

Please stop . No.... she didnt cycle the tank . It's very important to Cycle a tank weeks prior before adding a fish!! You need to cycle the tank to build up Beneficial Bacteria, the BB then eats up all the bad bacteria like ammonia and nitrites in the tank without you having to do so.

I got a new betta last week in a cycled tank . He isn't hiding at all because the tank is cycled. So her betta is freaking out .

Plus you didnt acclimate him either !

No that's not how you do it .. you do a drip acclimation where you slowly drip the new tank waterinto ththe bag he is in so slowly he can get used to the water temp, ph , and parameters.if younjust put him in , he is in all new water with different parameters and bacteria which will shock him. Just floating the cup in the tank does nothing .

once again I am telling you to just stop and calm down.
the op did acclimate the fish. 0 nitrates is not bad, unless you are trying to grow plants.
you do not have to do drip acclimation, fish adjust fine to your temp water by just floating the bag, and unless it’s a sensitive fish, drip acclimation is not neCesary.
the ammonia is not burning him because there is none.
the betta is not hiding because then tank isn’t cycled, just because your betta didn’t hide in a cycled tank does not mean that it will hide in an uncycled tank.
and I think you should read up on the nitrogen cycle because there is something called a fish in cycle.
you need to think before you type and double check your info.

to the op: read up on a fish in cycle, monitor your water daily and do water changes until you grow enough bacteria. Your betta is probably just adjusting to his new home.

 

I think this link should be able to provide you with the correct information regarding the nitrogen cycle: Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle . You can do a fish in cycle, it isn't impossible and if you're careful and research how to properly care for him your betta should be fine. As for right now, read up on the nitrogen cycle and do a water change, I'd say 50%. I'm glad you're taking the time to ask others for help and that you're trying to provide him with proper care. Many people simply don't bother to learn, or don't care.

Thank you for the information. Yes, it is a learning process and I’m thankful I have people here to ask as I was getting nowhere with the pet store people. I’m very much surprised that decades ago when I was in high school and I thought it was ok having a Betta in a tiny fishbowl, it survived for a couple of years. I admit now that that was incredibly cruel and here I am giving trying to do better this time...but I guess this shows you that there’s still lots to learn! ☺️

 

once again I am telling you to just stop and calm down.
the op did acclimate the fish. 0 nitrates is not bad, unless you are trying to grow plants.
you do not have to do drip acclimation, fish adjust fine to your temp water by just floating the bag, and unless it’s a sensitive fish, drip acclimation is not neCesary.
the ammonia is not burning him because there is none.
the betta is not hiding because then tank isn’t cycled, just because your betta didn’t hide in a cycled tank does not mean that it will hide in an uncycled tank.
and I think you should read up on the nitrogen cycle because there is something called a fish in cycle.
you need to think before you type and double check your info.

to the op: read up on a fish in cycle, monitor your water daily and do water changes until you grow enough bacteria. Your betta is probably just adjusting to his new home.

Thank for the information. I have been reading more about the fish in cycle and I'm learning. Do you know if the pH of 7.5 is ok since it's not exactly neutral? Also, this may seem like a dumb question but as I stated before I was naive in trusting the employees that sold me the fish when they told me to introduce him to a brand new tank after 24 hours of conditioning the water: When you are doing the nitrogen cycle to prepare your tank for future fish (assuming there is no fish yet), you don't do water changes, right? Just monitor the water chemistry for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels after "feeding" the empty tank during the cycle?

Also, when it comes to water changes with the fish in the tank. I have seen some confusing information. Are you supposed to do the water changes once a week or every other week? Do I have to also do the vacuum of the poop/uneaten food from the bottom of the tank with every water change? I have seen people online doing just the water change every one of two weeks but only vacuuming the bottom of the tank once every couple of months. Other people do it more often. Is there a set rule?

I apologize for all the questions. I'm just learning how to take care of him.

 

Thank for the information. I have been reading more about the fish in cycle and I'm learning. Do you know if the pH of 7.5 is ok since it's not exactly neutral? Also, this may seem like a dumb question but as I stated before I was naive in trusting the employees that sold me the fish when they told me to introduce him to a brand new tank after 24 hours of conditioning the water: When you are doing the nitrogen cycle to prepare your tank for future fish (assuming there is no fish yet), you don't do water changes, right? Just monitor the water chemistry for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels after "feeding" the empty tank during the cycle?

Also, when it comes to water changes with the fish in the tank. I have seen some confusing information. Are you supposed to do the water changes once a week or every other week? Do I have to also do the vacuum of the poop/uneaten food from the bottom of the tank with every water change? I have seen people online doing just the water change every one of two weeks but only vacuuming the bottom of the tank once every couple of months. Other people do it more often. Is there a set rule?

I apologize for all the questions. I'm just learning how to take care of him.

Do a 50% water change once a week, vac the gravel/ sand. In a FISHLESS cycle changing the water is not a must, but you are doing A FISH IN cycle so monitor your water closely, and a ph of 7.5 is great! Mine is 8.4

 

Ph of 7.5 is fine for Bettas (and most fish store fish, though double checking is always good).

Vacuuming the poop and uneaten food is important but if you don’t get every single bit in one water change it’s ok. But the more that builds up, especially in a new tank, the more likely you’ll see crazy spikes starting with toxic ammonia.

Awesome you’re wanting to learn more! There’s always something new to learn.

 

Do a 50% water change once a week, vac the gravel/ sand. In a FISHLESS cycle changing the water is not a must, but you are doing A FISH IN cycle so monitor your water closely, and a ph of 7.5 is great! Mine is 8.4

Thanks again. Since in my case it’s a fish in cycle do you advise doing the water changes using the pre-treated aquarium water they sell at the store? Some of that water comes with the required bacteria (apparently). I also bought the bio booster someone recommended in this thread.

 

Thanks again. Since in my case it’s a fish in cycle do you advise doing the water changes using the pre-treated aquarium water they sell at the store? Some of that water comes with the required bacteria (apparently). I also bought the bio booster someone recommended in this thread.

Just to make sure the water you‘re buying is actually ammonia free and nitrite free, you could perform a water test on it. In the long run, it will save you money to just use a water conditioner yourself, in tap water. A really good water conditioner is Seachem Prime, is the one I use and i’s pretty cheap at Amazon (pet stores always over charge for it). You can definitely do a fish in cycle, it will just take dedication do monitor your water parameters every day. Ammonia and nitrites should be at 0, and nitrates no higher than 20 ppm, if you don‘t have real plants. If either ammonia or nitrates levels go up, you should do a water change of at least 50%.

If you decide to use a water conditioner at home, you don’t have to wait 24 hours to let the water be conditioned. Put the necessary amount of water in a bucket that has never been used with cleaning products or other chemical, add the necessary amount of water conditioner (per the bottle label), making sure the temperature of the new water is the same as the one in the aquarium and you’re good to go.

 

Thanks again. Since in my case it’s a fish in cycle do you advise doing the water changes using the pre-treated aquarium water they sell at the store? Some of that water comes with the required bacteria (apparently). I also bought the bio booster someone recommended in this thread.

I personally find it a waste of money to purchase preconditioned water. Buy conditioner and just use your tap water, provided of course that your tap water doesn't contain crazy amounts of ammonia. If it's beneficial bacteria you're looking for that bio boost or something like API Quick start, Tetra Safestart, etc. will do the trick. Those products will give you a boost but the cycle will still take at least 2 weeks. I wouldn't put faith in the preconditioned water that supposedly has beneficial bacteria in it. BB don't live in the water column, so I think you'll find the store-bought water won't do much at all.

 

Update and question:

I did a 50% water change yesterday and added the bacteria and enzyme boost that people suggested. The water chemistry is still reading everything at 0 and a pH of 7.4. Our fish has been out swimming around and I saw him eating for the first time since we got him!! he seems way more active! But since this turned out to be a fish in cycle situation and I just added the bio and enzyme boost, how often do you recommend doing the water changes and the evaluation of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate leves? I’m assuming that the water chemistry check has to be done more often while the nitrogen cycle is established but does anyone have any suggestions on this?

Also, I have seen misleading information on feeding frequency for my Betta. Is once a day too much? Too little? All the bottles of food I have seen say 2-3 a day which seems excessive to me. I have been doing once/day.

 

Update and question:

I did a 50% water change yesterday and added the bacteria and enzyme boost that people suggested. The water chemistry is still reading everything at 0 and a pH of 7.4. Our fish has been out swimming around and I saw him eating for the first time since we got him!! he seems way more active! But since this turned out to be a fish in cycle situation and I just added the bio and enzyme boost, how often do you recommend doing the water changes and the evaluation of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate leves? I’m assuming that the water chemistry check has to be done more often while the nitrogen cycle is established but does anyone have any suggestions on this?

Also, I have seen misleading information on feeding frequency for my Betta. Is once a day too much? Too little? All the bottles of food I have seen say 2-3 a day which seems excessive to me. I have been doing once/day.

Update and question:

I did a 50% water change yesterday and added the bacteria and enzyme boost that people suggested. The water chemistry is still reading everything at 0 and a pH of 7.4. Our fish has been out swimming around and I saw him eating for the first time since we got him!! he seems way more active! But since this turned out to be a fish in cycle situation and I just added the bio and enzyme boost, how often do you recommend doing the water changes and the evaluation of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate leves? I’m assuming that the water chemistry check has to be done more often while the nitrogen cycle is established but does anyone have any suggestions on this?

Also, I have seen misleading information on feeding frequency for my Betta. Is once a day too much? Too little? All the bottles of food I have seen say 2-3 a day which seems excessive to me. I have been doing once/day.

Great! I think he just had to worm up to his new home. If you have the resources to test everyday then go for it, but you can test every other day. You want ammonia and nitrite to be below 1 ppm. Get some seachem prime so you can detoxify your nitrites and ammonia, you will want to do a 50% water change every time the ammonia or nitrite get above .75 ppm. You can get some tera test strips and cut them in half, thye are very cheap!

 

Great! I think he just had to worm up to his new home. If you have the resources to test everyday then go for it, but you can test every other day. You want ammonia and nitrite to be below 1 ppm. Get some seachem prime so you can detoxify your nitrites and ammonia, you will want to do a 50% water change every time the ammonia or nitrite get above .75 ppm. You can get some tera test strips and cut them in half, thye are very cheap!

Thank you so much for all the help! You guys have been life savers! My 4 year old has been talking to Hershey Kiss Fruit Loops (she couldn’t have chosen a longer name!) everyday and he doesn’t seem scared anymore and actually just stares at her while she sings to him.

 

Update and question:

I did a 50% water change yesterday and added the bacteria and enzyme boost that people suggested. The water chemistry is still reading everything at 0 and a pH of 7.4. Our fish has been out swimming around and I saw him eating for the first time since we got him!! he seems way more active! But since this turned out to be a fish in cycle situation and I just added the bio and enzyme boost, how often do you recommend doing the water changes and the evaluation of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate leves? I’m assuming that the water chemistry check has to be done more often while the nitrogen cycle is established but does anyone have any suggestions on this?

Also, I have seen misleading information on feeding frequency for my Betta. Is once a day too much? Too little? All the bottles of food I have seen say 2-3 a day which seems excessive to me. I have been doing once/day.

As far as feeding is concerned, it depends on what you're feeding. Overfeeding bettas is a really common problem, a rule of thumb for how much to feed is "a betta's stomach is roughly the size of their eye," so don't give them any more than that at any given time. I feed my betta twice a day, 6 days a week. One day each week I fast him. If feeding flake food, pellets, or dehydrated foods, soak them in a little bit of tank water for 5 min before feeding. Those foods expand in water, so it may look like you're not feeding him very much, but then they get bigger in the stomach and cause bloating, which can lead to other problems. This could mean you only feed your betta one pellet each feed. Or two or three. Entirely dependant on the size of the food.
I would also suggest variety in what you feed him, although pellet and flake foods can work as a comprehensive diet, frozen foods like bloodworms or live foods like brine shrimp can enrich a betta's life and bring out some beautiful colour in your fish. Keep in mind that bettas are carnivores, well, technically insectivores. There are some brands that are better quality than others, I would recommend Bug Bites Betta formula. Typically New Life Spectrum is also a good brand, and I personally like Omega One flake foods.

 

Update and question:

Also, I have seen misleading information on feeding frequency for my Betta. Is once a day too much? Too little? All the bottles of food I have seen say 2-3 a day which seems excessive to me. I have been doing once/day.

Feeding: This was something I initially struggled with as well. I turned it into spending quality time with my betta.

I ended up going with Northfin 1mm betta pellets. The betta fish really likes these-- he prefers these to any other type of food other than live brine shrimp.

Anyway, really do soak the pellets for five minutes or so in the tank water and then feed them to the fish one by one. Having an oral medication syringe (available from the pharmacy- ask for exactly that), and it's usually free) is super handy! You'll see it's stomach start to expand which will give you a good indication when to stop.

For my four month old fish, I usually feed four soaked Northfin pellets in the morning and then one in the afternoon (if I am home) and one at night. He seems pretty happy with that. Ever two days I feed him frozen food (well, once it's been soaked and brought to room temperature), but he much prefers the pellets. I fast him every Tuesday.