New To Fish Lore Need Betta Help

Hey there guys I am new here and new to having a betta at least new to having one and doing it the right way by trying to learn all this extensive knowledge about him!
We got Rosco about two weeks ago at a pet store he was a pricy betta, $17 for a “premium butterfly betta” but he looked so sad I needed to save him! He has a 5 gallon tank with gravel substrate 6 faux plants, a marimo moss ball, a few aquarium ornaments and a house. He likes to chill all over the place sitting on plants or chilling towards the bottom in or on or by the faux plants down there. He has a filter but I’m not sure what I should set it on it doesn’t seem to be doing a good job because there’s an oily film on top of the water and food all over the bottom of the tank. We have a thermometer and we are trying to get a heater because it seems like our tank temp varies too much. He eats pellets for the most part he’s picky about how he eats them and if he doesn’t get to them before they hit the bottom he won’t eat them, if they sit on the top of the water he won’t eat them. We tried fish flakes he spit most of those out and they created a mess. I have to pop the pellets into the water one at a time and he wastes some and eats the rest. I’ve been started giving him a couple blood worms a day but I’m not sure if that’s too much on top of the pellets? We don’t have a test kit we need to get one. I’ve been told he has fin rot so I’ve been putting bettafix in his water. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Also curious to know if he has anything more than fin rot!

Some up close pictures of Rosco for reference.

 

HI there, welcome to fishlore! I've noticed a couple things wrong. Before I mention the negatives, I commend you for putting him in a 5 gallon rather than a bowl or a super small tank. Now, I see that you do not know of the nitrogen cycle. Click on the blue text of the words to read about it. As a short summary: the nitrogen cycle is a natural process performed by bacteria that converts ammonia and nitrite into nitrate. Ammonia is produced by your fish when it breathes and produces waste. It can also come from left over food. Ammonia is highly toxic to the fish and when ppm gets too high, it is most certainly fatal. Nitrite is also highly toxic. In the cycle, one strand of bacteria converts ammonia to nitrite and another converts nitrite into nitrate. Nitrates are less toxic and levels are kept down with live plants and waterchanges. Since you now have to perform a fish in cycle, I recommend you get beneficial bacteria in a bottle, such as Tetra Safe Start and follow the instructions on the bottle to speed up the cycle. Also, get the water conditioner Seachem Prime. Prime detoxes ammonia and nitrite so it is less harmful for the fish, as well as removing chlorine, chloramine, and heavy metals from tap water before adding it to the tank. You said you were to purchase a test kit, the one that is the best imo and I am sure many can agree is the API liquid test kit.

Plastic plants generally aren't recommended for bettas because they can cut their fins. I suggest silk faux plants or live ones. Plants like amazon sword can work well. As for if he has fin rot, to me it looks more like he is recovering from fin rot but doesn't currently have it. Imo you don't need the bettafix. Just make sure the water is nice and clean, free of ammonia, nitrite, etc. As for food, you can also try feeding brine shrimp or daphnia on some days and pellets on others. If you have any questions please feel free to ask

Also, you mentioned your filter. Do you know what kind it is?

 

We actually did do the declorinator we got the 5 gallon as a starter kit and it came with Aquasafe conditioner which we added and let the tank run for half a day before we added everything.
About the plants I actually did the pantyhose test on them and they’re all okay they were actually betta specific plants!
We have a whisper filter it came with the kit
Thank you so much for all the information!!!!

 

Prime isn't any old conditioner, aquasafe only dechlorinates, prime dechlorinates as well as detoxing ammonia. Prime is important for a fish in cycle. It'll keep your fish safe while keeping the bacteria fed. Since you did that test, then your plants should be fine. Just keep an eye out. Whisper filters are good for bettas, just make sure the flow isn't too strong and knocking him around.

For now I say the most important thing is getting that cycle going, so I would get the TSS, prime, and a test kit. For now, hold off on the bettafix and focus on your cycle. Keep feeding Rosco the pellets and occasionally blood worms. Also, as I mentioned, Daphnia and brine shrimp are also good. May I ask what pellet you use? Rosco is beautiful by the way!

 

Oh and also, just to explain why I think he is recovering from fin rot is because the white around the edges of the fins are him regrowing tissue.

 

I will definitely get on all of that then thank you so much
We use Omega One Betta Buffet Pellets and Omega One Betta Treat Bloodworms they are feeeze dried!
Thank you he knows it too he loves showing off! I’m also thinking he’s trying to start a bubble nest but I’m not sure if it’s that or just oxygen getting trapped under whatever the stuff on the water surface is.
I got him to flare the other day and gave him a bloodworm as a treat after I’ve heard you can train bettas to flare on request? I don’t want to stress him out though so I haven’t tried it again.

 

This is what I mean by oily stuff on the surface and there’s a bunch of bubbles all over the place

 

Ok good on the food. I personally use omega one myself. I haven't heard of training a betta so I am not sure on that aspect. As for the oily film, it can indicate you have dirty water. You stated you have issues with sinking food, the decay of this food can be a factor of the film. I would do a 50% water change while simultaneously doing a gravel vac. How often do you change your water?

 

Yay!!! Glad to know I’m doing something right!!!
Thank you! That’s most likely what is it there’s still decaying food at the bottom of the tank I couldn’t get out.
We haven’t done a tank change yet we were told not to change the water for a month after starting it to let the bacteria cycles and the fishes waste and the food waste and everything in the tank balance itself so we could know how often to clean but I’m assuming that was very wrong information. He said fish don’t like it when there’s often tank cleanings something about destroying all the good bacteria and stressing them out?

 

He doesn't look like he has anything wrong with him. The white is just part of his natural colouring because new fin growth is clear and colourless. You should get a siphon to make water changes easier and to suck up any debris at the bottom of the tank. The film is probably a protein film due to the lack of surface agitation and you feeding bloodworms, it's harmless.

Do the fish-in cycle, you should be doing partial water changes during this because the ammonia and nitrites can poison your fish to death or have other side effects. Prime will help protect your fish during this, so it's recommended.

 

Thank you!!!! It’s good to know there isn’t anything wrong with him my anxiety has been making me assume the worst
We actually do have a siphon!! Good to know that’s something we need!!
So even though we have a filter there’s not enough agitation? The cycling will help with that then I’m assuming?
We will definitely invest in the prime and start the cycling process ASAP

 

Yeah there's not enough agitation, but it's harmless. Even with a cycled tank, you may still get a protein/fat film because the fat and protein from foods float to the surface and bacteria feeds on it. You need surface agitation to break it up, again it's harmless. You can try raising the filter higher to create more bubbles.

 

He said fish don’t like it when there’s often tank cleanings something about destroying all the good bacteria and stressing them out?

The good bacteria is the bacteria that forms when cycling. The bacteria lives in your filter so water changes don't do any harm to it. Water changes are important for water quality. I would recommend a 25% change every week, but with TSS I believe you cannot change the water for 2 weeks. I have never used TSS so don't quote me on that, just see what the bottle says.

 

Thank you both a ton!!! What about the bubble nest? Is that possibly what he’s trying to do if so can I help him build it all in one place instead of everywhere? Lol

 

Also I have noticed that he tries to eat the food that was wasted at the bottom of the tank even the gross looking stuff that’s been in there a while is that okay for him to do? Is that him saying he’s hungry?

 

Just let him build a nest wherever he feels like it. You can encourage him to build it in one place by floating a silk leaf in a still movement corner so he has a foundation to start on. Bettas are pigs and will eat whatever, he's just scavenging for leftover food. Probably not good for him and try to clean out the big pieces that he'll go after. Hungry? No. They're just piggies that stuff themself with whatever food.

 

Also I have noticed that he tries to eat the food that was wasted at the bottom of the tank even the gross looking stuff that’s been in there a while is that okay for him to do? Is that him saying he’s hungry?

That's fine. Fish don't generally know when to stop eating

 

Hope I’m not repeating anything here but for feeding give one pellet at a time (up to three in succession) and make sure he eats it before adding the next. Some of my bettas will only eat food if I point to it almost touching it. One will only eat if I let her jump a bit to eat it off my finger (pellet stuck to damp finger). If I sprinkle it in it will just sink and not get eaten. One at a time means no food waste though!

 

Definitely not repeating anything that was super helpful!! I wondered why he was so picky about the way he eats I’m glad to know the proper way now! How many bloodworms could I give him on top of the pellets? He’s a good guy I like to give him treats but I don’t wanna over do it

 

Once in a while but don’t overdo it. I try to give live food sometimes (wingless fruit flies or mosquito larvae) but early on I once found some standing rainwater full of mosquito larvae -and they love them - so I put a large number into my very small betta’s tank. He ate himself literally to death in less than an hour. I was so mad at myself. They have no satiation switch in their brain so they are easy to overfeed and always will say they are still starving. Fasting sometimes on weekends is also a good idea.

 

I have never seen someone refer to their fish as a "good guy". Honestly you don't know how happy I felt reading that

 

Correction honestly* he’s the BEST guy he’s honestly such a diva, loves attention and coming up by us when we come up to the tank and showing off! he’ll wiggle his pretty fins at me and I’m just like oh yes you know you are handsome
Thank you so much for the feeding info I definitely have been overdoing it but I will take everything you guys have told me and become a better fish momma thanks again all of you

 

AWWW I LOVE HOW MUCH YOU LOVE HIM! Reminds me of and my Goldie lol. You're already a very good fish mama for seeking advice for the best conditions for Rosco!

 

I love him so much <3 thank you I’m so glad I found this place! I follow the Instagram page too lots of great photos!