# Is my betta fish okay? (Please read!)



## Joaquin (Mar 24, 2012)

Hi!

I have some questions concerning my betta fish's behavior after changing his tank for the first time today:

I am extremely worried about my betta fish. So, I got him last week, and he is a very happy/active fish. Today, I changed his tank for the first time. I put him in the cup he came in (with water from the tank I was cleaning), and then I washed his tank (without soap), and filled it with tap water. I then put the AquaSafe liquid that dechlorinates and conditions the tap water, and after a minute or two, I put my betta back in there.

Here is some additional information that I think could be useful in determining what might be wrong and if he'll be okay:
1). I do not have a thermometer yet. I estimated the temperature with my finger. (Do you have any suggestions on what thermometer to buy?)
2). I changed one of the decorations in this tank (there was an orange plant, and I changed it to a blue one).
3). The water wasn't high enough, so I added more water in it (I put AquaSafe in it, but maybe I should've mixed it more or waited before I put it in?)
4). He is currently in a 1 gallon tank (I plan to buy him a 2.5 gallon tank with a filter as soon as I can).

So, I may be overthinking it or freaking out, but my betta fish is swimming to the top of the tank, and he sometimes goes down to a corner, and then he goes back up....He does hang around the middle, sometimes, though. I guess he's overall swimming all over the tank. Actually, now that I am typing all this, he seems to be calming down, but I will continue to write. He keeps swimming down to the gravel where the new plant decoration is and hangs out, and then he swims to the top. He's not swimming like crazy, but sometimes he goes towards the glass, and it almost looks as if he wants to get out. I got close to the tank right now, and he just squiggled when he wants food. I don't know. 

Is this just normal behavior for a betta fish? Or is something bugging him?

By the way, he seems to be just swimming around now. He's swimming at a normal pace, but he does keep poking his head towards the top of the water.

Please let me know any tips and/or suggestions and if anything is wrong with my betta fish?

Thank you very much!

P.S. I am new to this forum (well, I've lurked around a lot, but now I've finally made an account, so...HI!  )


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## Bethydan (Mar 22, 2012)

It sounds like a little stress, which can easily happen with transfers in-and-out of tanks. I just moved my new little one out of the quarantine tank into his permanent residence, and it took him about a day to adjust and start swimming around and begging for food. Just depends on the individual fish. It's awesome that you're upgrading to a filtered tank. I highly recommend keeping him in the larger filtered tank 24/7 without removal. To clean, you can just get a mini gravel vacuum that will remove waste and siphon out water. Then you can replace with treated water when you're done. You can totally do it while your fish is in the tank. Actually, mine think that water change time is the best day of the week. They 'help' me out quite a bit. 

Also, do you test your water? I would get a testing kit to check the levels of ammonia in particular. The nitrogen/bacteria cycle in tanks is essential to making sure that their water isn't toxic from waste build up. You can google it for more info.  Sometimes water changes can cause ammonia issues, which will stress them until the tank balances itself back out through the cycling process.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Hi, and welcome to the forum! 



Joaquin said:


> Hi!
> 
> I have some questions concerning my betta fish's behavior after changing his tank for the first time today:
> 
> ...


I hope this eases your worries a little.


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Get a floating thermometer which will help you regulate the temps better. I test mine to the touch usually and then test it with the therms to make sure. You get used to it after a while. The therm check, that is. 
Also, if you're only going to get a 2.5 g DONT bother getting a filter. Invest in a heater first. A filter for tanks under 5 gallons don't really do anything. Filters are more for a cycled tank and keeping a 2.5 cycled will be difficult.


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## Joaquin (Mar 24, 2012)

Thank you SO much for replying, everyone! It helped a lot and helped me calm down (I was probably stressing more than my betta).

Your advice is highly appreciated and helpful for my betta fish. 

(I'm also glad to hear that the water will balance itself out if anything is stressing out my betta. He keeps poking his mouth at the top of the water...but I guess that is normal. )

Thanks, again!


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## Joaquin (Mar 24, 2012)

By the way, if anyone still happens to read by this post, how many pellets do you recommend I feed my betta? I have the Aqueon Betta Food pellets, and I have read that you should give them 4 pellets a day, but other sites say 6 or even 8 a day, but I am not sure what kind of pellets they are using. 

So, for Aqueon Betta Food pellets, how many would you recommend I feed my betta? I am currently giving him 4-5 a day. (He's a pig by the way. As in, he will eat a Big Mac if I put one in his tank.)


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

I would recommend 3-4 per meal, twice a day for those.. 

I agree with Bom- It sounds as if he is just exploring his home- one thing to remember with bettas, is that they are very curious and like to explore, have mental stimulation, and see people or other fish. They will act/react to everything.. a small cave would probably be loved by him when you get a larger tank.. and some more plants. 
The tank doesn't have to be 2.5 gallons, nor does it need a filter- but those are definitely good. He sounds as if he is an active fish, so you will want lots for him to explore! 
If you have to be within a budget, as I know those 2.5 tanks can get pricey- I suggest a large Kritter Keeper from PetCo (roughly 2.75 gallons), as they are about $12, and then you will want a heater.. keep in mind if you go the filter route you will want to baffle it, as a lot of filters for smaller tanks are too strong for a long finned male.


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## Joaquin (Mar 24, 2012)

Thank you, Myates!

I think my fish really was exploring his tank. He is fine, now!  I am also feeding him twice a day, now (3-4 pellets per serving). Thanks for the help and tips!


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## Sheldon31 (Mar 21, 2012)

Joaquin said:


> Thank you SO much for replying, everyone! It helped a lot and helped me calm down (I was probably stressing more than my betta).
> 
> Your advice is highly appreciated and helpful for my betta fish.
> 
> ...


The poking head out of water is him breathing  make sure you have enough air at the top of the tank for him to breath air. I have mine with about an inches gap.


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