Upgraded Tank Size For Betta..but Is He Happy?

A month ago I upgraded my beautiful Betta (Sebastian) from a 5 to 10 Gallon tank. He seemed happier in the 5 gallon making bubble nests regularly and spent time 'talking' to me at the front of his tank. Now he spends more time in his Betta Log and at the foot of his BonzaI tree or under his bridge and has only made a couple bubble nests since I moved him. I'm wondering if I should move him back to his 5 gallon? Maybe he was happier there? He's beautiful and doesn't have any physical changes. Is he depressed? Hmmm...

 

My guess is the filter might be too strong. Is he a long finned boy or a plakat and does he have a hard time swimming against the current?

Either that are he may want some more cover. I've never known my bettas to care much for hard decor but they love their plants more than anything. Can you checked the water's temp as well as ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Poor water quality may not be seen but it can cause a fish to act slow and lethargic.

 

My guess is the filter might be too strong. Is he a long finned boy or a plakat and does he have a hard time swimming against the current?

Either that are he may want some more cover. I've never known my bettas to care much for hard decor but they love their plants more than anything. Can you checked the water's temp as well as ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Poor water quality may not be seen but it can cause a fish to act slow and lethargic.

Everything is good! I took a water sample to my guy and everything is great. He has live and fake plants but his BonzaI trees are his favorite. He likes lying on top of them. He's a long finned gorgeous boy! He just doesn't seem as happy in the 10gal as he did the 5gal. I thought I was doing a good thing because he loves (LOVES!) to show me how beautiful he is and opens his fins up for me, etc. But now he seems almost bored to tears in the bigger tank.


Filter is good too! That's the first thing I took care of when I got the tank.

 

Do you have a pic of the tank you could share? They really do love a ton of heavy cover, so you'll see him out and about more the more places he has to hide.

 

if you didnt add plants when you doubled the tank size he’s probably just stressed about the open space. He just suddenly has less cover and is in an unfamiliar place. Adding a plant or 2 could be all it takes

 

Here are requested pics. I've also included him in his log (which he LOVES!) and on his leaf (LOVES that too!). I just did a water change so please forgive the 'foggy' water.

 

The tank looks beautiful, and wowowow what a pretty fish! I would definitely suggest adding some more plants, whether fake or real. Open space is not so much what they want - he'll be happy to wiggle his way among a ton of plants. And of course, the obligatory: Make sure the fake plants you have can't tear his fins.

Live plants are really super, and if you want to try some easy ones for free, I'd be happy to mail you some watersprite and/or anacharis.

 

Thank you so much! I would LOVE that! I asked for those plants here locally but in a small desert town you get what you get! I managed the moss balls as well as the 2 live plants..can't recall their names but YES I would love to take you up on the plants! I actually took a couple peacock ferns and let them float in my Rasbora tank. They love hiding in them!

if you didnt add plants when you doubled the tank size he’s probably just stressed about the open space. He just suddenly has less cover and is in an unfamiliar place. Adding a plant or 2 could be all it takes

Thank you! I'm on it! More plants it is! I want him happy!!!

 

Thank you so much! I would LOVE that! I asked for those plants here locally but in a small desert town you get what you get! I managed the moss balls as well as the 2 live plants..can't recall their names but YES I would love to take you up on the plants! I actually took a couple peacock ferns and let them float in my Rasbora tank. They love hiding in them!

Super! I don't know that we can message each other on here to exchange info, or if me posting a place you can contact me is allowed. does anyone on this thread know? Jayda97 Demeter ?

 

Super! I don't know that we can message each other on here to exchange info, or if me posting a place you can contact me is allowed. does anyone on this thread know? Jayda97 Demeter ?

You can private message other members and participate in the "buy/trade/sell" section so long as both parties have 50 posts. You just hit 51 so you can message others now.

 

Thank you so much! I would LOVE that! I asked for those plants here locally but in a small desert town you get what you get! I managed the moss balls as well as the 2 live plants..can't recall their names but YES I would love to take you up on the plants! I actually took a couple peacock ferns and let them float in my Rasbora tank. They love hiding in them!

I stopped buying moss balls because I could never keep them alive. They would always eventually rot or smell like ammonia after a while of having them. So, I would keep an eye on smelling it each time you squeeze it to clean it whenever you do. However, seeing you having them makes me want to try them again. I like your bonsaI trees too.

 

I stopped buying moss balls because I could never keep them alive. They would always eventually rot or smell like ammonia after a while of having them. So, I would keep an eye on smelling it each time you squeeze it to clean it whenever you do. However, seeing you having them makes me want to try them again. I like your bonsaI trees too.

Moss balls does better in cooler water and they don't do well in bright light.

 

He could also just be tired from swimming in all the extra space Give him time to get use to it and I completely agree with more decorations!

 

I stopped buying moss balls because I could never keep them alive. They would always eventually rot or smell like ammonia after a while of having them. So, I would keep an eye on smelling it each time you squeeze it to clean it whenever you do. However, seeing you having them makes me want to try them again. I like your bonsaI trees too.

Thank you! Both my Bettas LOVE them! Often times I find them sleeping on them. One more than the other. I've had the moss balls for a year this month and so far, so good! Give them another go

He could also just be tired from swimming in all the extra space Give him time to get use to it and I completely agree with more decorations!

Thank you so much for the feedback! I knew he'd love wiggling into some soft plants so I had a few in there. Then I read somewhere else (website info not a forum) that more space was better so I took out all but 2 of the live plants and put them in my Rasbora's tank. They love them so I'm not going to remove them from their tank. I'll put more in and see what happens

if you didnt add plants when you doubled the tank size he’s probably just stressed about the open space. He just suddenly has less cover and is in an unfamiliar place. Adding a plant or 2 could be all it takes

Thank you for taking time to reply to me. I'm going to pick up a couple plants today..if I can find them. I live in a small town so finding the 'right' plants isn't easy. They're either sold out or don't carry what I want. All my animals are spoiled..even my fish! Ha!

He could also just be tired from swimming in all the extra space Give him time to get use to it and I completely agree with more decorations!

Thank you so much for getting back to me. I actually put in more gravel to create a small hill to raise one of the BonsaI trees towards the surface because he loved lying on top of it in his 5 gallon..my lazy boy liked it because he would just lift his head up for air..smart cookie! When I moved him to the 10 gallon I added a 2nd BonsaI where his Betta Log rests. I'll try to find more plants today. I want him happy and thriving!

You can private message other members and participate in the "buy/trade/sell" section so long as both parties have 50 posts. You just hit 51 so you can message others now.

I'll have to work on my posts since I just joined yesterday!

 

Get busy on the forums and send me a message when you can!

 

Get busy on the forums and send me a message when you can!

I am! I am!

Alright y'all! I ran to PetSmart and picked up a couple more plants. He seems content. Even swam around with his worm 'cigar' for a bit..then went into his large Betta Log and enjoyed his feast!
Worm Cigar you ask? He'll take his worm and swim around like a gentleman with a cigar. Love it!

 

HI y'all! I'm back! To catch anyone up, this is Sebastian my amazing Betta. I moved him from a 5 gallon tank to his new Marineland 10 gallon BioWheel aquarium. He's only attempted one bubble nest since I put him in there a few months ago. The waterflow is pretty strong so I put a filter sponge in front of it to slow it down and today I rigged it with his trees and a big Betta Log so that there is now barely a ripple on the surface. I'm seriously considering putting him back in his 5 gallon tank. He seemed so much happier in there. He loved swimming and showing off in there and made bubble nests ALL the time and I'm just not seeing it in this big tank. Any Betta experts out there have an opinion about this? I want him to have a long happy life and in his smaller tank, he sincerely appeared happy..in this one he just seems to exist and isn't as playful and again, no bubble nests.