# What does it mean when their color appears to fade?



## Hankbetta (Aug 11, 2009)

For instance, my bettas body looks like the color has faded, he looks like a pale red more than a bright one. he also seems to rest a lot lately on the plants. It's still a new tank, so I'm not sure what might be wrong. He still also swims a lot and still eats.


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## Hankbetta (Aug 11, 2009)

Also sometimes he swims with his body vertically but he's just swimming around the tank so his body should normally be positioned horizontally, right?


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

Betta will swim at weird angles some times. He may be battling a swim bladder issue though. Getting pale is from stress, probably do to the new home. That should come back in a few days or so.

What do you feed him and how often? It would not hurt to fast him a day.


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## Hankbetta (Aug 11, 2009)

Ugh, so it seems he's gotten bloated. Which has just come about as of today, I hadn't fed him yet, just got home a little bit ago actually. So I remedy this by just not feeding him for a day? I've been keeping his diet varied... frozen blood worms and frozen brine shrimp, he doesn't seem to go for the flakes or freeze dried blood shrimp. Is there anything else I can do to make him less stressed and more comfortable?


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## Hankbetta (Aug 11, 2009)

neenjar said:


> What do you feed him and how often? It would not hurt to fast him a day.


Once a day. I cut a little sliver off of the frozen cubes.

Edit: Frozen blood worms and brine shrimp, I swap them every other day.


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

I'd fast him a day or two and keep an eye on him. Maybe give him a salt bath to bolster his immune system some.

Also what is your water temp?


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## Hankbetta (Aug 11, 2009)

Alrighty, thanks!  I was thinking I would go to petsmart to a: have his water tested and b: get some of the special salt.


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## Hankbetta (Aug 11, 2009)

neenjar said:


> Also what is your water temp?


I don't know  This tank doesn't have a thermometer or a heater... but a thermometer is on my list of things to get at petsmart this evening.


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## Hankbetta (Aug 11, 2009)

Ok, so got a thermometer, his tank water is at about 72 degrees. Gave him a salt bath too, he did well! Now I'm going to do a 20% water change in hopes that it will help as well.


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## dr2b (May 31, 2009)

You should probably feed him pellets instead of frozen brineshrimp and bloodworms. Those are more of a once a week (or so) treat. His water is a little cool also, they usually like it 76-82 degrees.


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## Hankbetta (Aug 11, 2009)

dr2b said:


> You should probably feed him pellets instead of frozen brineshrimp and bloodworms. Those are more of a once a week (or so) treat. His water is a little cool also, they usually like it 76-82 degrees.


Ok, wasn't sure... I thought you could feed those sorts of things like every day. But good to know. What pellets should I get? Also, I just got a tank heater, which I had been meaning to get, just hadn't had the funds yet.


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## dr2b (May 31, 2009)

Um, I know a lot of betta owners here use Hikari Bio-gold or Wardley's pellets. Both are good, I actually use both for Flair.


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## Hankbetta (Aug 11, 2009)

dr2b said:


> Um, I know a lot of betta owners here use Hikari Bio-gold or Wardley's pellets. Both are good, I actually use both for Flair.


Oooh ok. So those once a day then, and then the frozen stuff once to twice a week?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

You can feed the pellets twice a day, 2-3 pellets each time and the frozen stuff once or twice a week.


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## dr2b (May 31, 2009)

Yup what dramaqueen said.


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## Hankbetta (Aug 11, 2009)

Ok, awesome, thanks guys!! I shall try that after this ordeal then. How long should I fast Ollie for?


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## dr2b (May 31, 2009)

I'd fast for a day or two...


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## Hankbetta (Aug 11, 2009)

dr2b said:


> I'd fast for a day or two...


Ok, awesome. Thank you guys so much!! I'm obviously new to the Betta owning experience.


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

Hankbetta said:


> Ok, awesome. Thank you guys so much!! I'm obviously new to the Betta owning experience.


Then you came to a good place to get information!

A varied diet is good. Mine only get freeze dried foods and pellets, also one fasting day a week is part of a healthy diet for them.


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## Hankbetta (Aug 11, 2009)

Thanks, I'm definitely going to get some pellets after tomorrow since tomorrow will be his second day of fasting. His belly already doesn't look as bloated. He still just seems really tired. It seems he'll swim a little bit then rest, then swim then rest against the wall or on the thermometer or on the heater holder. I just hope other than the being bloated, that he's not sick as well.


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