# Unhappy Bettas?



## FishyBets (Jan 4, 2016)

I have two bettas in two seperate tanks. I'm concerend about my first betta, Tsuki. He is a marble crowntail. He seems bored/lonely. He is constantly glass surfing, and the only time he really stops is A) he gets tired, B) its feeding time, or C) I put the sponge filter on. What could I put in his 2.5G tank to keep him occupied? Im worried that he will turn to fin nipping, since his fins are really super long. He has a sponge filter, and i'm fairly certain that the tank is cycled (no test kit, so i cant prove or disprove that).

My second betta, Kona, is a veiltail. How do they look when putting on new fin growth? All of his seems to have gone all spiky; and his caudal fin has a nip out of it. He's on the kitchen table, and loves all the attention he can get. Very wiggly, and is pretty affectinate- during water changes, he constantly darts along my hands. He has a small bubble nest. Does that mean he's ready to breed? I wont in the tank he's in (im not stupid), but my parents have endless questions about Bettas, and I'm trying to provide them with the best information possible.

He's currently in a 1G (going to upgrade after moving), and I do 100% water changes once a week. I have him an airstone, and the sponge filter just came in (woot!).

Any tips? I'm paranoid about these two. I want to keep them healthy, upgrade tanks for both of them, and maybe breed them in the future. :smile2:


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## carrohason (Aug 23, 2013)

There is no way to know the tank is cycled without a test kit. They are pricey (I know from experience, I bought one today from my LFS: $35!). I've used test strips and they worked fine for me, but other people on the forum don't think they're very reliable. 

There isn't much you can put in the 2.5 in the way of tankmates. You can really only have shrimp or snails, and shrimp have to be in an established tank that has been cycled for a couple months. You could rearrange his tank regularly to give him more to explore, but that's about it. (I wouldn't do tankmates in anything less than a 3-4gal).

New growth comes in white and turns the color of the rest of the fins in a few days/a week.

Even with a filter, you would need to up the water changes in the 1gal. Once a week is not nearly enough. It is suggested on here that a 1gal gets changed daily/every 2-3 days.


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## trahana (Dec 28, 2015)

You should show us some pictures! We might be able to spot a problem with the tank that you didn't even know existed. Glass surfing is caused by many different things, boredom is only one. 

Bubble nests are a sign the betta is happy. They won't make a nest when stressed. Breeding is not something you should do without knowing for sure you can take care of 300+ baby bettas who will each need a separate tank when a few weeks/months old. Never breed any type of animal just because he or you want babies, overpopulation is terrible and breeding for fun can cause many bad qualities in the offspring. 

You won't be able to have tank mates without having a five gallon or more tank, and very heavily planted.


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

Can we see a photo of the tanks?
Adding tank mates will do NOTHING to stop glass surfing, in fact it could increase it because it stresses the betta.


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## FishyBets (Jan 4, 2016)

Thank you for all the replies.

I was not going to breed them without getting extensive knowledge on it, which I know almost nothing about. Do not fear; I am somewhat responsible 

I thought that bubble nests were a sign they were ready to breed, and the 'happy' thing was a kid-friendly version. Of course, it can certainly mean both.

I looked into shrimp, and decided no. Too much work on water quality. I want to start with plants first (Of course, all the stores are always out of anacharis -_-). Snails are still being debated on- i really dont have enough knowledge yet.

Photos will come next. Please wait a few minutes.


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## FishyBets (Jan 4, 2016)

These are Tsuki



















And this critter is Kona.


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## FishyBets (Jan 4, 2016)

I was just screwing with lighting. I love photography~


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

Well theres part of the problem at least, the tank is to bare, you need way more plants live ones including floating ones. I also see no heaters.


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## FishyBets (Jan 4, 2016)

I want live plants, its just that i can never find them  Not even anacharis.

I dont have heaters because I live in a very hot area, and live close to sea level. According to my thermometers, i dont need heaters, and i check them twice a day.

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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

Lots of plants on ebay.
freshwater aquarium plants | eBay


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## FishyBets (Jan 4, 2016)

Ah, and now to research pricing and what are good for bettas and will not negatively impact my water...

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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

JDAquatics is a member. Probably 99% of my plants come from him.

Heaters aren't to keep the tank warm; they're to keep the temperature at a stable 78-80. Adjustables will turn off when they reach the desired temperatures. Also, filters should run 24/7 and not be turned on and off. If you don't leave the filter on there's little chance a tank will successfully cycle.

As far as parameter testing goes you can buy a liquid Ammonia test kit and the API 5-in-1 test strips if you can't budget in the API Master Test Kit. Some claim the strips aren't as accurate as liquid tests but when I test the same water with both there's no appreciable difference in the readings. However, I always recommend liquid Ammonia over strips because you get far more tests for the dollar and Ammonia testing will be done more frequently than the others.


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

No live plant will not negatively impact water quite the opposite in fact, Live plants help with water quality.

What plants are better? Floating plants are more important that substrate plants, Floating plants provide shade and cover for your fish making him feel more secure and give him a place to sleep, they also grow faster thus using up more nutrients in the water its a win win. IMO.


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## FishyBets (Jan 4, 2016)

Then my tanks will never, ever be cycled. The power doesnt stay on 24/7 here.
That successfully negates the need for a test kit, by my rekoning, since it will never be cycled. Right?

...Would it really be stable in a natural environment? Sorry; reality check. 

I just read a big post about how peat moss could be detrimental to water params and fish health. 

I will look into floating plants, then.

I don't mean to sound obstinate ; i just want to be realistic about this. Also, i have a very limited budget to do this on...

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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> I don't mean to sound obstinate ; i just want to be realistic about this. Also, i have a very limited budget to do this on...


I dont think you sound obstinate, and I understand the limited budget.



> The power doesnt stay on 24/7 here.


Live plants will be of extra benefit then as they not only help keep water clean they also add oxygen to the water. 



> since it will never be cycled. Right?


Here is a great article by Byron Hoskins ( who I have learned a lot from )
Bacteria in the Freshwater Aquarium


> *Substrate Bacteria*
> 
> The greatest population of bacteria in a healthy balanced aquarium occurs in the substrate, not the filter. The floc or humic compost that collects in the substrate is the host for the biofilms; this is why the substrate in planted tanks should never be disturbed, and many aquarists apply this to non-planted tanks as well.
> 
> In very general terms, aerobic nitrification takes place in the top 1-2 inches of the substrate; anaerobic de-nitrification takes place approximately 2-4 inches down, and anaerobic bacteria producing hydrogen sulfide occurs in substrates deeper than 3-4 inches. In all three cases, it will be deeper in coarse substrates (like pea gravel) and more shallow in finer substrates such as sand. These generalities will also vary with the presence of live plant roots and substrate “diggers” such as snails and worms, since these factors result in more oxygen being made available in the substrate, reducing anaerobic bacteria activity. An oxygen level in the substrate of as little as 1 ppm promotes nitrogen reduction rather than sulfur reduction (hydrogen sulfide). [6]


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## FishyBets (Jan 4, 2016)

My pebbel substrates don't even reach an inch... I was going to get sand, but I can never find any that I like. Kona especially would like it; he loves digging. I actually had to replace his substrate in the first week because his fin tore on the sharp gravel. Healed up with no issues, thank heavens. 

Most of the uneaten food and waste from the fish is in the substrate though. Isnt that why you clean the tank in the fist place, in addition to giving the fish new water?

Hmmm... Maybe it would be fun to have a completely planted tank, no fish. That would certainly be educational... After research, of course. Idk a lot about aquatics, even after so much reading in this site.

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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> Hmmm... Maybe it would be fun to have a completely planted tank, no fish.


You actually need a fish or some critters in a planted tank, They provide a source of ammonia for the plants, Without it you need to use expensive fertilizers and such.

This is my 2 foot Betta tank, All I do is change 50% of the water once a week, I do not use fertilizers or CO2 or anything like that, I do not vacuum the substrate. I call it my no tech jungle


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## FishyBets (Jan 4, 2016)

That is one nice tank. Certainly a jungle, haha. How many gallons is that?

Well, I could probably do some neons in a 5G plastic tank. Idk where I would put it, though. Maybe on my desk...

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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

Its 18 US gallons.



> Certainly a jungle, haha.


That tank was pruned about 3 weeks ago its Usually way more full of plants. 

This is my 6 foot tank, I treat it the same as my 2 foot tank above.










Don't be afraid to try live plants, Get things like Blue Stricta Anubias, Crypts, Valis, for floating plants Water sprite is great, none of these plants need special care, They grow like mad.


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