# New betta not settling in?



## LizzyP (Jun 21, 2012)

Housing 
What size is your tank? 1 gallon
What temperature is your tank? 80F
Does your tank have a filter? No
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? No
Is your tank heated? Yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Omega One Betta Buffet Pellets
How often do you feed your betta fish? 3 pellets 2 times per day. He only ate 3 pellets once yesterday

Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change? He's a new fish, but I did a complete water change yesterday. Water looked cloudy? But I will do 1 50% and 1 100%
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? See above ^
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Jungle Water conditioner but when I first brought Casper home I used Top Fin water conditioner

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters? Brand new water, and my testing kit isn't here.

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity: 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Clamped. He's cellophane, so I can't really tell about color change, except he had a green mint tint to his tail, now it's kinda pinkish.
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? He just sits on a plant, on his log, on the thermometer, on the bottom not moving. I hardly notice his gills moving. He does come up for air though.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? Yesterday
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Just warm water, no lights
Does your fish have any history of being ill? Not that I know of
How old is your fish (approximately)? No idea

I am not at my regular home. I'm housesitting for my parents while they are away on vacation. I do have a water testing kit at my normal house, but was not prepared to bring home another betta fish.

I got Casper Thursday night. He seemed fine in his cup, not clamped or anything. I put him in the tank and he was fine for a little while. Friday morning I got up and he looked not so hot. Sitting at the bottom not moving, his gills hardly move. At first I thought he was dead so I was going to scoop him up and take him back to Petsmart but then he moved. I thought it was stress at first so I just kinda left him alone in dimly light area. Then I peeked into his tank and the water looked cloudy? So I thought maybe the water conditioner was faulty. It's TopFin but in a very small bottle and it told me 48 drops (maybe 46 I can't remember) for 1 gallon so maybe I miscounted or something. Did a 100% Change and rinsed everything with hot water and started fresh. Fast forward to this morning, he's kinda suspended in the middle of the tank. Then I looked at him and he's back in his silk plant. So he can swim, he is alive. I don't really know what to do...He just sits there, very unlike my other betta. I have a video of what he does, but I'm not sure if it's helpful or not. Just let me know if you'd like to see it.

Lizzy


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

> 48 drops (maybe 46 I can't remember) for 1 gallon


o.o

Are you sure it's 48? And not like, 4-8? I have never seen a water conditioner that needs 48 drops per gallon!!

But maybe that's just because I'm new-ish to fishkeeping and only use Prime. 

Some fish take a long time to settle in and get used to new water, especially if the water is very different in source or chemistry to what they're used to. Give him a few more days of dark and quiet, maybe a little Stress Guard or something. He just might have been a tad shocked with the new conditions.


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## LizzyP (Jun 21, 2012)

Yep, just double checked to be sure. It's TopFin Betta Water Conditioner. Like I said, I wasn't prepared and I do have all these things at home and I didn't want to spend a super fortune on something I already had. Plus, TopFin seems like a pretty reliable brand.

EDIT: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3295900


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## LittleWatty (May 13, 2012)

Two out of my four betta's have done the same thing, where as the other two seem perfectly fine. I'm curious to see what happens here, hoping I can apply it to my own fish that seem to not be adapting well.


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## LizzyP (Jun 21, 2012)

It's really worrying me. I'm not worried about him eating, he'll eat eventually. I'm just worried about the lack of movement/activity. What also concerns me is the move back home from here, hopefully he gets better....Maybe I'll ask what OFL thinks.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

How did you first acclimate him to the new tank.....

I wouldn't make any 100% water changes at this point.....too stressful.....every other day partials for now and turn the light off for the next 24h...If he is struggling to swim- lower the water level if you haven't already....


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## Bettanewbie60 (Jun 26, 2012)

Aus said:


> o.o
> 
> Are you sure it's 48? And not like, 4-8? I have never seen a water conditioner that needs 48 drops per gallon!!
> 
> ...


Yeah, sounds like misread on the water conditioner...mine is 7 drops per gallon.


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## LizzyP (Jun 21, 2012)

> How did you first acclimate him to the new tank.....


I floated him in his cup and slowly added little bits of water to his cup every 5-10 minutes over 1 hour.

And, it isn't a misreading. I have a picture of the bottle right here.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Is that for both chlorine and chloramine....some products recommend double dose when you have both in the source water......

It sounds like you properly acclimated him...so that rules out osmotic shock...

He may have been sick to start with.....decrease stress level and if you have any tannins...either IAL or dried Oak leaf...add that to the tank....


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## Bettanewbie60 (Jun 26, 2012)

LizzyP said:


> I floated him in his cup and slowly added little bits of water to his cup every 5-10 minutes over 1 hour.
> 
> And, it isn't a misreading. I have a picture of the bottle right here.


Wow, that IS a lot of drops lol...sorry, just sounded strange. I hope he is doing better soon!


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## Bettanewbie60 (Jun 26, 2012)

Sorry Lizzy, no offense intended..just sounded like a lot.


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## LizzyP (Jun 21, 2012)

It's very frustrating. Especially when people doubt the information that's given. I guess he just needs time...I hope he's not too stressed. I don't have an tannins especially not dry ones with all the rain I've had in the past 2 days.


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## MSG (May 8, 2012)

WOW, I've never seen a water conditioner that recommends 48 drops! 

The ones I use are like 2-3 drops/per gallon I think. 

I'll check mine tomorrow. 

Nevermind, the one I'm using right now is Jungle - Start Right

It's in a crystal formulation. 1 tsp for every 5 gallons of water.



BTW, since you posted a picture of the conditioner instructions, could you post a picture of the tank your betta is currently housed in? 

I housed mine in 1/2 gallon maybe smaller, and they were fine. They ate like crazy. 

Now they're in a sorority tank together.


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## mursey (May 9, 2012)

Bettanewbie60 said:


> Sorry Lizzy, no offense intended..just sounded like a lot.


Yeah- before I saw the photo I couldn't believe that either! Prime is like 1 drop, and before I had that, I had Novaquel/Amquel and even those were something like 10 drops per gallon.

Wowzers! 48.


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## LizzyP (Jun 21, 2012)

I just left for church but I will get one today sometime. But I can explain it. It's a 1 gallon Tetra with a Top Fin heater rated for 5 gallons, green gravel, a red silk plant, and a log.


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## Bettanewbie60 (Jun 26, 2012)

LizzyP said:


> It's very frustrating. Especially when people doubt the information that's given. I guess he just needs time...I hope he's not too stressed. I don't have an tannins especially not dry ones with all the rain I've had in the past 2 days.


I understand. I honestly didn't mean to doubt you. I had just never heard of that many drops. I hope he is doing better today.


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## LizzyP (Jun 21, 2012)

He really isn't. Still sitting at the top, unresponsive. I don't know what to do.


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## Bettanewbie60 (Jun 26, 2012)

LizzyP said:


> He really isn't. Still sitting at the top, unresponsive. I don't know what to do.


I'm sorry to hear that Lizzy...I wish I knew more about them and could help.:-(


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

Sometimes it can take a while for a betta to settle in.

It took one of my males a few months before he would stop hiding from me when I so much as looked at him.

Keep wherever he is dark to help him out and make sure it's in a quiet place. sound produces vibration, so he'll feel those if a sound in pretty loud.

Give him a few more days before expecting him to be all over the place.


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## LizzyP (Jun 21, 2012)

Well. He died. So I guess it doesn't matter. Thanks, though.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Dang, sorry for your loss.....but I really feel he may have been sick from the start and nothing you did or could have done to prevent his death...

Don't give up.....look forward in seeing and hearing about your new Betta...


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## LizzyP (Jun 21, 2012)

I want to go back to Petsmart and see if they will give me a new betta since this one died in 3 days. Anyone know the return policy for live fish?


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Usually you could return in 1 week. Mine's 2 weeks so I don't know about yours.


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

I think it's either 1-2 weeks with the body present.


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## LizzyP (Jun 21, 2012)

Oh it's present all right. I have no idea what to put him in, or where to put him. So I just kinda left him in the tank until I can get to the store. Maybe tomorrow I'll do that....


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