# my mom gave me a betta for my bday, now what?!?



## Scandalicious (Apr 4, 2011)

Hi,
I am new to the forum but could use some advice. I received a female betta for my bday named Lulu, but she doesn't seem happy. I read the FAQs on here but I am not sure exactly what I am doing wrong or if I am over reacting.

Lulu looks healthy but she doesn't eat. I must have brought 3 different types of food and the only thing i've witnessed her eat was the dried blood worms i brought from petco and that was one time. she could be eating when i walk away to get the net to clean the left overs out but i highly doubt that.

I've only had her about 2 1/2 weeks and so far she has gotten a live plant in her tank, rocks that promote healthy bacteria, I use the betta conditioner water drops, her water is changed weekly (this week it was a 75% water change), no food is left to rot in the tank, the water is warm enough but she still doesn't do much of anything.

some days she swims around and seems ok. Ive caught her "relaxing" under the leaves of the plant in her tank. Other days she just stays at the bottom of the tank, just swimming around enough to get air and then return to the bottom of the tank (like today).

I tried Googling some pics of sick bettas to see if I am missing something but I don't see anything on her that would cause alarm, but then again I am new to betta ownership. 

When I went to petco to read their guide they said bettas only need to be fed 3xs a week and made it seem that her non activeness was ok, but on sites like this her non-activeness is a red flag. 

I am going to post a pic of her to see if someone can spot illness, but I am lost at what to do.

Thanks for your help!


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## CrowntailxKing (Mar 18, 2011)

Did you try crushing the pellets/flakes? The food could be hard for her to swallow. I haven't tried this myself, but I read on here plenty of times that pre-soaking the pellets in garlic juice was good for them. I would see how she does with the bloodworms and then sneak real food on her one day. Betta fish sure can be picky!! Also, how big of a tank is she in?


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## Pekemom (Jan 27, 2011)

Her mouth is very very tiny - my betta eats the 'Micropellets' from Hikari. Lots of good luck with Lulu. The size of your tank will be helpful. Do you have a filter? Do you have a heater?


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

i've a female named Lulu, too! x3

pictures of her will be helpful. what temp is the water? sometimes, colder water can make them not want to do much. hope your Lulu feels better!


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

I know my boy will spit out the pellets, even crushed up, and his flakes have to be crumbled, so he might just be a fussy eater.
You didn't mention if her tank was heated, I know my boy is so much happier with his, a thermometer will tell you if his temperature is okay


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## Scandalicious (Apr 4, 2011)

Thanks for the quick replies....

The tank is about 1 gallon if I remember correctly (it came with Lulu). According to the thermometer the water is within the range that is good for them, and because the water temp seems fine I didn't bother getting a heater. I do not have a filter yet, but I figured since the tank was a gallon she should be fine with weekly water changes but maybe that's not correct. Again I keep getting conflicted info on that from petco and online websites.

I do use the micropellets by Hikari. She doesn't seem interested. I have broken up the blood worms into smaller pieces but still haven't seen her eat much.

I tried taking pics with my BB last night and I wasn't getting the best shot, so when I went to get my camera she had retreated behind a leaf. Can't say I blame her on that. I will get some pics tonight when I return home.

She doesn't always lay on the rocks, some days shes mid level in the water under a leaf, another day i caught her near the surface under a leaf and this morning she was kind of hanging out with her tail near the gravel but her body facing upward at an angle. 

When I go to the tank she will look at me or swim towards me, but again based on the descriptions on this board she isn't happy or she is sick. 

Thanks for all your help and I will post the pics tonight.


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

Petco gives out terrible info! You should feed her 6-7 days a week, around 2 pellets twice a day. What exact is the temp? Bettas need a stable temperature in the 77-82 range. In a 1 gallon, you need to be doing two or three 50% changes and one 100% change per week because ammonia builds up quickly in such a small tank.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Definitely more water changes. I like to do 100% water changes though. I would do 100% water changes about every 3 days.

But i think he might have some kind of infection. If he lying or hiding most of the time and not eating.

I think he needs to be treated with Aquarium salt and 100% water changes every day or be treated with antibacterial gram positive and gram negative medications

I think after 2 1/2 wk they already adapted to the new environment and to the water temperature.


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## Scandalicious (Apr 4, 2011)

LolaQuigs said:


> Petco gives out terrible info! You should feed her 6-7 days a week, around 2 pellets twice a day. What exact is the temp? Bettas need a stable temperature in the 77-82 range. In a 1 gallon, you need to be doing two or three 50% changes and one 100% change per week because ammonia builds up quickly in such a small tank.


i drop the food in daily although petco says not to. the water is about 77 according to the thermometer.


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## Scandalicious (Apr 4, 2011)

ANHEL123 said:


> Definitely more water changes. I like to do 100% water changes though. I would do 100% water changes about every 3 days.
> 
> But i think he might have some kind of infection. If he lying or hiding most of the time and not eating.
> 
> ...


i'm going to petco to get a filter and some meds for her. hopefully that will help. 

i have a meeting at work so i'll report back with answers and pics later today. 

thanks again for your help.


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## Bettaluver4evr (Jan 21, 2011)

I'm sorry about Lulu! Well, this forum is very helpful, I second everything listed. One thing you could do, does this tank have a light, or do you have a warm lamp? That could heat the water up a little more, which might make her happier.  Best of luck, waiting for pics.


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## PewPewPew (Nov 26, 2010)

ANHEL123 said:


> Definitely more water changes. I like to do 100% water changes though. I would do 100% water changes about every 3 days.
> 
> But i think he might have some kind of infection. If he lying or hiding most of the time and not eating.
> 
> ...


No, why would you treat something you dont know with such intense medications? Thats like you or I taking penecillin for a cold. Chances are, youre just going to over medicate... 

Not everything strange that a betta does implies infection, anhel. :/

Op, water changes, a proper temperature, and (maybe) a dosing of aquarium salt 1tsp/gallon with 100% daily water changes and a redosing of the salt (for no more than 10 days) is all you need for now. Nothing but the lethargy points to infection, and even that is a stretch.


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## Scandalicious (Apr 4, 2011)

this is the best pic i could snap of lulu

she seems to be doing a bit better today, she was more active but other than that still not eating and not doing much swimming


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## bahamut285 (Dec 10, 2010)

I'm honestly going to put it out there that you should get a heater, and/or maybe a bigger tank.

When I first had my girl in her spacious quarantine tank, I had the temperature set to a 78 degrees. She also acted similarly...not doing much, being picky about food, lazing around. When I put her into her *slightly* bigger permanent tank, and put in the adjustable heater to 80F she became very sprightly, eating like a pig, exploring everything.

Oh I also noticed that you only have a plant...if you have the space, I suggest putting in a little cave for her to hide in, it makes them more comfortable 

She's very cute by the way, I love that face!


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

Okay, here are the basics. If your tank doesn't match these (roughly), then don't get meds. First make sure she's in a suitable habitat before you rule out just bad living conditions as a cause. If you need anything cheaply, just ask, there are a bajillion ways to find decent quality but proper sized equipment for less than you would think 

Tank: IMO, 2 gallons minimum.
Temp: 78-80* F
Water changes: in a 2 gallon: 50% twice a week and 100% once a week.
In your current 1 gallon: 100% every other day.
Feeding: high quality pellets (40% protien with first 3 ingredients as some form of meat)


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## sjones (Apr 28, 2010)

Wow she is so cute.

I really think the most important thing you can do for your betta's health is more frequent water changes. In a 1 gallon bowl she should be getting water changes every other day at 100%.
Did you read the part of the care sheet about ammonia build up? Ammonia constantly comes out of your fish (I believe when they breath and also process waste) It is clear and invisible and toxic to your fish.
If you don't do the water changes it will build up over time and hurt your fish, that is why you have to do 100% changes because even a little ammonia will build up.
When you do a water changes make sure the new water is the same temperature as the old water you took out of the tank.
I put my betta in a cup and fill his tank with the new water, I have a thermometer that's glass witha little suction cup that adheres to the inside of the bowl ($2 Walmart) I run water from my tap to the same temperature and put it in the bowl. Then I add dechlorinator (very important).
If it's only 1 gallon and you don't have a heater you could fill a gallon water jug and let it sit for 24 hours and them it should be the same temp as the old water you are replacing.

Do not depend on a lamp for heat! I t could heat the water way to high and kill your fish and also the temperature fluctuations when you turn the lamp off are not good for your fish.

The temperature of your tank is always colder than the temperature of your room, so get an interior thermometer if you don't already have one (you could even use a meat thermometer in the water as long as it is clean and doesn't have any soap on it-just stick it in to get the temp-don't leave it in as metal is not good to be in your fish tank)

Does she swim like a normal betta fish? I am asking because she seems hunched up the photo which may indicated swim bladder disease or a spinal deformity. If this is the case it would explain the hard time swimming. There are many things you can do to make life easier for a fish with swim bladder disease so don't worry if so.. If you could get a picture of how she normally swims that might help. My new bettas have gone off food for weeks at a time and it doesnt mean they will starve..sometimes it just takes time for them to adjust.

Good luck!


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## Scandalicious (Apr 4, 2011)

she does swim normally, she just hutches up at times, like last night.

There is a lot of good info in here, I just have to figure out where to start.

Assuming all these problems are environment related, would getting a cover for the tank help with temperature problems or do I really need to get a heater? 

If i get a heater how do I find one that is for small tanks? Are there certain specs to look for?


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## Scandalicious (Apr 4, 2011)

i just came back to update this thread.

yesterday i decided to buy a bigger tank with a filter because to be honest my schedule is so crazy i don't even think i can make time to do that many water changes to meet lulu's needs and it would be mean not to take care of her like she deserves

so i set up the bigger tank last night and monitored the tank this morning before i put her in. i was debating back and forth as to whether i am over reacting or not, but then i decided since i already brought the stuff i might as well use it.

so this morning i put her in and she was checking out her new digs as i was getting ready to leave. she seemed to like the new home for the limited time i could monitor her (which was 15mins), but one thing i did notice was that the current seemed too powerful for her little body. every time she went near the filter she looked like she was having trouble swimming by. (geez if its not one thing its another)

the tank is a tall hexagon shape, that holds 2 gallons of water. 
here is the pic and specs
http://www.petco.com/product/113933/PETCO-Hex-Freshwater-Aquarium.aspx

it could be she needs time to get used to the new additions in her tank. i will check on her when i get home, but i'm just trying to get this stuff right.

the tank isn't that big but she has 1 live plant and 2 plastic plants. i thought about getting her a little cave or something to hide in but the tank is tall, not wide so i'm not sure how to work that out so she will have enough room to "explore" 

the tank has a light, a top and so on.

anyway any other advice you can give would be great


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

That's awesome . She should be a good bit happier with the extra space and better water quality.

Yes, you do need a heater, because at night the temps do drop. You can buy a little submersible heating pad from walmart, but make sure to monitor the temperatures, sometimes they can be a bit sketchy. 

You can try to baffle the flow by lifting the filter a bit out of the water, and if that doesn't work, get some filter sponge media (2 dollars or so at petsmart or petco), and then rubberband it infront of the outflow.

In there, you'll be doing 2 50% and 1 100% a week. If you have a siphon, the water changes will go extremely quickly . And if you find that the water conditioner doesn't last as long as you'd like, prime is wonderful and will last a while since you only need 2 drops per gallon.


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## Scandalicious (Apr 4, 2011)

JKfish said:


> That's awesome . She should be a good bit happier with the extra space and better water quality.
> 
> Yes, you do need a heater, because at night the temps do drop. You can buy a little submersible heating pad from walmart, but make sure to monitor the temperatures, sometimes they can be a bit sketchy.
> 
> ...


thanks for the info. can you elaborate on the bolded? i'm not sure i am completely clear on what you are saying


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## gmd1800 (Feb 19, 2011)

^ What JKfish means is that you take out 50% of the water twice a week, and replace it with fresh, conditioned water (did anyone mention that yet? You need water conditioner if you're using tap water to eliminate chemicals in the water that could kill your fish or make her very sick). 

For the 100%, you'll need to put your fish in a cup with some old tank water, pour out all the water in your tank, and refill with clean, conditioned water, and then acclimate her to the new water. 

I hope that made some sense!


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## Scandalicious (Apr 4, 2011)

gmd1800 said:


> ^ What JKfish means is that you take out 50% of the water twice a week, and replace it with fresh, conditioned water (did anyone mention that yet? You need water conditioner if you're using tap water to eliminate chemicals in the water that could kill your fish or make her very sick).
> 
> For the 100%, you'll need to put your fish in a cup with some old tank water, pour out all the water in your tank, and refill with clean, conditioned water, and then acclimate her to the new water.
> 
> I hope that made some sense!


ah ok...gotcha....you need to do all this even with a filter? how often do i have to change the filter sponge? i was under the impression that a filter would lessen the water changes.

also lets say that Lulu keeps getting stuck to the filter and i take the filter out. how often would i have to change the water then?

i do have water conditioning drops and have been using them, so no worries there ;-)


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## gmd1800 (Feb 19, 2011)

Yes - the filter helps to remove ammonia and nitrites in the water as well as aerate the water. It helps clean the water of suspended particles. 

If by filter sponge, you mean the cartilage, most manufacturers say to replace it every two weeks or a month. Members on this board are known to not replace it for a year or more because of the helpful bacteria that develop on the cartilage. The only reason you should replace it is when it starts falling apart. Some members have had the same cartilage in their filter for over a year. 

The filter does help clean the water, but not completely, so you'll need to take out the old water to avoid buildup of harmful chemicals.


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## Kiena (Feb 17, 2011)

I would be careful with plastic plants-- they can rip her fins up if they have sharp edges. Bettas have very delicate fins.


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## JaspersANGEL (Oct 12, 2009)

The manufacturer's are right on how often to change the filter cartridge if it's a cartridge with carbon.

The filter cartridge's gmd is talking about are sponge cartridge's, a big handful of the member's on this site change their carbon cartridge's for sponge one's...those are more natural and I think more healthy for ur fish.
U can still use the carbon's one's once in a while to filter out the water properly, but the carbon one's are good for a month I think.

Does ur new tank have a heater?
Betta's are tropical fish and sometimes they do need hotter water then u would imagine.

O and even with the salt treatment's others recommended, u need to take ur carbon filter out and switch it to foam...as I mentioned before carbon filter's water so it will suck up all ur fishy's med's!


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## Scandalicious (Apr 4, 2011)

well unfortunately Lulu died sometime today when I was out. I came home and found her stuck between the live plant and gravel.  poor thing. i feel really bad.

my dad wasn't that sympathetic. "just get another fish then" 

i will be back at petco (for the 20x time in the past 2 weeks) to get a heater and some other stuff. 

i'm gonna try and get another one but it won't be moved into the larger tank for awhile. i'm not completely sure if she got stuck or if something was wrong with the tank. i guess i should have waited until i had time to monitor her progress. the last 2 weeks have been insane here, so i wrongly assumed she would be fine in her new home. poor thing. SMH

but i now know what to do when i get a betta. thanks everyone for all the help.


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## Arashi Takamine (Mar 3, 2011)

I'm sorry about Lulu. You did everything you could...Maybe she was just sick already? It seems you tried your best. I'd get a different filter if the current was too strong and clean out the tank with hot water and vinegar.


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## Scandalicious (Apr 4, 2011)

^Thanks. I'm not sure if Lulu was sick or drowned. she was found wedged between the live plant and some rocks. the live plant has since been tossed. 

I went and got another fish (i feel like such a traitor) and he is doing well in his temporary home ( .5 gallon glass bowl) until he gets to the new home. I did spring for a heater, the only thing i didn't find was a internal thermometer. (the one i have is an external one) Petco is all out of those so i have no idea if the water in the new home is warm enough or not. I think petco is the only pet store here. Can i get a tank thermometer from anywhere else?

the only good thing i can think to say is now i am doing everything by the book (filter, heater, ph strips, etc) lol.


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## Tisia (Mar 15, 2011)

I got one from wal mart for under $2


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## Bettaluver4evr (Jan 21, 2011)

Don't feel like a traitor! It's fine. Can't wait to see your pretty new betta.


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## Scandalicious (Apr 4, 2011)

Tisia said:


> I got one from wal mart for under $2


figures...unfortunately for me walmart is really far from where i live. *groan*

the new fish seems to be doing fine...i haven't thought of a name for him, yet but i was thinking of barry but i'm not 100% yet. he is very active and already tried to attact my finger when i pressed it against the bowl. i tried to feed him and he didn't eat...but he is doing a lot more than lulu ever did the whole 2 1/2 weeks i had her. :shock:

he's blue and very pretty, as for the type of fish i can't recall at this second and i place the container he came in somewhere and can't find it. (today is soooo not my day!) i think he is a double tail fish. he looks alot like the DTVT pic you have on here.

i will have pics up hopefully tomorrow. thanks everyone for your help again. i appreciate it!


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## Scandalicious (Apr 4, 2011)

on a side note "barry's" temp home is next to the permanent one and he keeps going over and staring at it. he either knows he is supposed to be in the big tank with all the fancy housing or thinks its a threat of some sort. very amusing


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## JKfish (Apr 8, 2010)

congrats on the new betta~ if you have a meat thermometer, you can use that to quickly take the temperature of the water


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## BettasForever (Jan 18, 2011)

Yup- I used to do that. :3


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