# Nose diving into gravel



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

Why does my betta keep nose diving straight into gravel at night(only)? I have noticed he only does it at night and especially more so if I am sitting close to this tank. 

I got him about 2 weeks ago. He is in a 5 gallon heated, filtered Fluval Chi and looks happy. He has plants, a cave, a leaf hammock; he is usually fine during day time. He used to glass surf a lot but after getting advice on this forum, I planted more live plants in there and that has reduced a lot.

I don't switch on the lights in his tank at night and there is a lamp next to his tank, this is the side where he can be found nose diving after dark. I don't know if it's the lamp or me sitting there. He doesn't look sick. He was actually losing his grey color and becoming a brighter blue finally, so I don't think he's sick but figured I'd ask here to make sure.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

Oh, and I am currently doing two 50% water changes every week.


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

It sounds strange, but I'm not sure. Is he swimming funny...?

My young betta, Knight, sometimes will go down to the bottom and curl up with his nose in the rocks, but I've never seen a healthy fish diving down to hurt themself.


----------



## vermax (Feb 8, 2012)

Is he just swimming blindly into the gravel or is he using his mouth to dig in the gravel? If it's the latter, I have some experience with that. If it's the former... then you might have a problem.

The fact that he is brightening up means that he is adjusting to his new home and is happy and healthy!  All good signs that nothing is wrong with him.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

It is closer to the former. I wouldn't say he swims blindly into the gravel. He kinda does this thing where he darts towards the bottom and half the time turns around right before he hits the gravel and the other half turn around right when he just about touches it. Oh man, is there some sort of infection that only bothers betta fish at night?


----------



## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Could he possibly be diving after food that fell down? When my boys were getting used to eating New Life Spectrum they often missed a few pellets. I would often see them trying to get the pellets out of the gravel later on that night. I've also seen my guys go after my ramshorn snails before.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

CarmanDirda said:


> It sounds strange, but I'm not sure. Is he swimming funny...?
> 
> My young betta, Knight, sometimes will go down to the bottom and curl up with his nose in the rocks, but I've never seen a healthy fish diving down to hurt themself.


He is swimming fine as far as I can tell.

I think I am going to try and get a video.


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

By the sound of your last post, he may just be a little dumb, or have problems seeing in the dark. xD


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

thekoimaiden said:


> Could he possibly be diving after food that fell down? When my boys were getting used to eating New Life Spectrum they often missed a few pellets. I would often see them trying to get the pellets out of the gravel later on that night. I've also seen my guys go after my ramshorn snails before.


I have only seen him not eat one pellet but it actually did fall down in the general area of where he is doing this. Could he be doing it for ONE uneaten pellet though?


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

The video will definately help. I'll watch for it.


----------



## vermax (Feb 8, 2012)

thekoimaiden said:


> Could he possibly be diving after food that fell down? When my boys were getting used to eating New Life Spectrum they often missed a few pellets. I would often see them trying to get the pellets out of the gravel later on that night. I've also seen my guys go after my ramshorn snails before.


My boys do that with NLS as well. They're still not used to the pellets being so prone to sinking, where Omega One floats forever.

Maybe he has a vision problem...?


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

Eiksaa said:


> I have only seen him not eat one pellet but it actually did fall down in the general area of where he is doing this. Could he be doing it for ONE uneaten pellet though?


My personal opinion on this is he may be looking for food or making up some game like a child, in a way. It's probably just a fun cure for boredom. My fish do weird stuff all the time to cure boredom, and he may just accidentally be hitting the bottom sometimes.


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

vermax said:


> Maybe he has a vision problem...?


It's quite possible. Especially if he's from a store. Many commercial breeders only get rid of severly deformed fish, as far as I know. They don't tend to care for the fish's quality of life.


----------



## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Is that lamp on at night?

That is really weird though if the lamp is not on. He may just be playing a game or something like said early.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHgpt1ROSl0

Here it is. Good thing I took the video when I did because he has since stopped doing it and is now just chilling in the other corner.


----------



## vermax (Feb 8, 2012)

My cellophane girl seems to have a slight vision problem herself. She often leaps at food when it hits the water and misses. Then she looks so confused... She always takes a little longer than my other fish to react to... well anything. At first I thought she was just a little less intelligent than the others, but I've started to realize that she's just a little blind. Poor girl.


----------



## vermax (Feb 8, 2012)

I just watched the video... One of my boys does that when he wants food, but he never gets so close to the bottom, nor does he move so fast. Your betta looks kinda panicked when he gets closer to the bottom. Like he either didn't see it coming or he hit something that freaked him out. Could he be bumping into that object behind him? (sorry I couldn't tell how close it was to him)


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

vermax said:


> My cellophane girl seems to have a slight vision problem herself. She often leaps at food when it hits the water and misses. Then she looks so confused... She always takes a little longer than my other fish to react to... well anything. At first I thought she was just a little less intelligent than the others, but I've started to realize that she's just a little blind. Poor girl.


It's a sad but true bit of proof of how well commercial breeders care for animals.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

I just realized something while watching the video. He always does it when he's (presumably) looking at his reflection. He is always facing that glass like that. Could there be a reflection at all if his tank lights are off?


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

Now, with the video up, I can tell you it's not a problem in the least. Many fish do that - especially when put in a new or reorganized tank - or even after a tank is cleaned.

He probably sees something interesting or his reflection and is trying to get to it. I've had and have bettas who do that regularly. He may also flare or do "dominance dances". It's all normal.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

vermax said:


> I just watched the video... One of my boys does that when he wants food, but he never gets so close to the bottom, nor does he move so fast. Your betta looks kinda panicked when he gets closer to the bottom. Like he either didn't see it coming or he hit something that freaked him out. Could he be bumping into that object behind him? (sorry I couldn't tell how close it was to him)


It's a moss ball. He follows the moss ball around and swims around it whenever it creates a tight corner(with the other moss ball/with his cave/the glass). He loves to swim through tight corners. Worries me, but he likes it.


----------



## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

He may see something that interests him or something. Maybe try to put something interesting on the other side that is brightly colored and see what he does. It is normal though, mine do it all the time.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

CarmanDirda said:


> Now, with the video up, I can tell you it's not a problem in the least. Many fish do that - especially when put in a new or reorganized tank - or even after a tank is cleaned.
> 
> He probably sees something interesting or his reflection and is trying to get to it. I've had and have bettas who do that regularly. He may also flare or do "dominance dances". It's all normal.


Phew! Thank you so much. I was getting really, really worried. The new mommy syndrome, I guess.


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

No problem. I see some other members have clarified it as well. It sounded weirder described than it actually was. 

If you have any questions in the future, feel free to message me.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

Thank you! And also thank you to everyone who took the time to reply to this.


----------



## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

I do have one last comment. He looked like he was fighting the filter a lot. His behaviour is very similar to what I have observed in my long-finned goldfish when they fight the current. I noticed that it was moving the plants, so maybe that is bothering him.


----------



## vermax (Feb 8, 2012)

Eiksaa said:


> It's a moss ball. He follows the moss ball around and swims around it whenever it creates a tight corner(with the other moss ball/with his cave/the glass). He loves to swim through tight corners. Worries me, but he likes it.


Never mind then! All's well! I just couldn't tell what that was! Explains the fast movement as well... My bettas love going into the tightest spaces they can find. I don't think you could find a betta who doesn't! 

Glad to see he's fine! It's never fun to worry about our bettas, but we do it anyway XD


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

Going back to watch it, I noticed it too. Try putting a new, unused sponge (attached with a clean band) over the filter to slow the outflow. Bettas are happier in slow water with minimum movement.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

thekoimaiden said:


> I do have one last comment. He looked like he was fighting the filter a lot. His behaviour is very similar to what I have observed in my long-finned goldfish when they fight the current. I noticed that it was moving the plants, so maybe that is bothering him.


Interesting. I didn't consider that. It's a Fluval Chi so the water falls from the top. Easy fix, I can just tilt the filter a little bit so it doesn't fall onto this side. I usually do fix it so it only falls on the back(where I hope the plants baffle the current, just a theory) but it is something I need to do often. Thank you!


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

I have often wondered about the filter issue. Since this is like a waterfall, I am not sure if there's a real way to baffle the current. However, if I make sure it only falls on one side of the cube, would the betta be smart enough to go swim in the other three sides of the tank if he was bothered by the current? I read somewhere that betta might kill themselves trying to swim against the current so I don't know!

This is not my tank but a picture I found online of the Chi.


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

They may stress so much over the current the could possibley die, especially if it hinders their breathing.

Just try something to slow the outflow.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

That's....not good. Ok, now google searching 'baffle Fluval Chi'.


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

Like I said before, banding a clean, unused sponge over the outflow can help. It may not be very pretty, but you can always put it in the water where the outflow lands and hide it with plants.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

CarmanDirda said:


> Like I said before, banding a clean, unused sponge over the outflow can help. It may not be very pretty, but you can always put it in the water where the outflow lands and hide it with plants.


I think I don't understand how this will work. Since the current is being created by water falling down about 4-5 inches, should I just let the sponge float where the water is landing? Is that what you mean?


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

Eiksaa said:


> I think I don't understand how this will work. Since the current is being created by water falling down about 4-5 inches, should I just let the sponge float where the water is landing? Is that what you mean?


As long as you have a way to keep it held in place, it should work. It'll block the outflow from shoving his water around so much and fan out the water falling down. It'll also trap some things the filter may not have caught, and hold good bacteria.

You don't have to change the sponge often, either. Just change it if the fish has gotten sick, or if it seems to be getting dirty.


----------



## vermax (Feb 8, 2012)

In my experience, putting a sponge around the intake also slows the flow. That way, less water is taken into the filter to begin with, so less comes out. Thus, less powerful flow.


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

vermax said:


> In my experience, putting a sponge around the intake also slows the flow. That way, less water is taken into the filter to begin with, so less comes out. Thus, less powerful flow.


 
This may work just as well. Just do whatever works best.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

Ok, I will try both those things to see what works.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

This is going to sound like a really stupid question but I just moved to the US so I have no idea where I can buy a sponge. Is it something grocery stores would have? Should I go to target? Pet store? Is it a special kind of sponge?


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

Eiksaa said:


> This is going to sound like a really stupid question but I just moved to the US so I have no idea where I can buy a sponge. Is it something grocery stores would have? Should I go to target? Pet store? Is it a special kind of sponge?


You can buy them at most any local store in the cleaning or kitchen section. You don't have to get a sponge specifically for fish. Just a clean one.


----------



## Rosso1011 (Nov 13, 2011)

I recently had my boy take a nose dive in the gravel and I had to dig him out. Talk about scary. I was checking him for missing scales and eyes. Hopefully, it will be a lesson learned for him.


----------



## CarmanDirda (Feb 20, 2012)

Rosso1011 said:


> I recently had my boy take a nose dive in the gravel and I had to dig him out. Talk about scary. I was checking him for missing scales and eyes. Hopefully, it will be a lesson learned for him.


I surely hope so. That's quite a dive!


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

Rosso1011 said:


> I recently had my boy take a nose dive in the gravel and I had to dig him out. Talk about scary. I was checking him for missing scales and eyes. Hopefully, it will be a lesson learned for him.


Oh man, that's scary. Makes me wish I could get little fish armor for Sake.


----------



## Eiksaa (Feb 12, 2012)

Just wanted to update everyone who helped, thank you so much for your suggestions. I baffled the filter and he is doing even better than before. He is making bubble nests now that the surface of the water is still. Also, not sure if it was related but I haven't noticed any nose diving lately.


----------



## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

Maybe he was trying to get away from the filter. Glad he's doing better


----------



## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Not uncommon for them to dig into the substrate- I have one that does it so much that he had to go barebottom.. and he has no filter 

Bettas, in the wild, will dig into the ground every year when dry season comes.. they hide underground until the water fills back up.. so digging isn't something they will shy away from if they feel the need to, for whatever reason hehe.


----------

