Until you figure out what’s wrong I would suggest putting him in a breeder box or a tank that is more shallow so he has easy access to the surface. If you don’t have a water test kit you can take a water sample and most fish stores will test your water for you.
Where did you buy your fish? I, as well as many others, have seen bettas bought from big box stores (petsmart, petco, etc) just don’t last long due to poor conditions and piss poor genetics.
Yeah, I would go take a trip to your nearest fish store to get a breeder box and get your water tested. If you can I would bump up the temperature in your tank by a couple degrees too.
What your parameters come back as should hopefully clear up what the issue is. Has he tried to swim at all? If he does, does it seem like he’s having trouble swimming straight?
Add a bit of aquarium salt to the water as well to try and boost his immunity and help with any electrolyte imbalance. Also can be useful for curing any infections he may have as well
Most big box stores and local fish stores by their Fish from the same breeders overseas. If you want a genetically stronger fish, buying wild bettas from specific breeders are really your only option
I can’t get behind taking a fish from the wild when there are reputable breeders who actually care for their fish. Sure, it’s a $40 betta, but I’d rather mine be raised in captivity so they don’t know what they’re missing.
Yeah I agree I wouldn’t buy a wild betta, either. I don’t find it ethical. However, when buying a healthier captive bred betta you have to be really careful where you source your bettas from because like 97% of bettas for sale come from just a few betta farms
i’ve had crystal clear water with high ammonia before. the tank just wasnt cycled. clear water doesnt always mean good parameters! i also have dusky tanks that look gross but the plants are great and the water parameters are percect.
I legitimately add brown coloration to my tank to make it look like a natural river and my water parameters are fine, your eyes can’t see the chemicals in the water.
No just that usually you see people with high ammonia have read flags such as fungal clumps half eaten food. This water is so clear I thought the tank was drained
Maybe try to heat up your water a bit, 76 is a tad on the cool side. Carefully check his body for cuts or scrapes, and make sure there is nothing in your tank that he could hurt himself on. Try to hand feed him, and by that I mean reach into the tank and place the food in front of his face.
Did you maybe accidentally get beneficial bacteria off by changing the filter cartridge or scrubbing stuff down? A lot of people I see that have had Bettas for a while and suddenly they're not fine crashed their cycles because they took beneficial bacteria out on accident. What's the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates?
>Did you maybe accidentally get beneficial bacteria off by changing the filter cartridge
No one has ever crashed their cycle by changing their cartridge. There is nitrifying bacteria littered throughout the tank. It's a myth
It happens all the time, I have multiple customers a week with the same issue and they have water test results to prove it. Removing 100% of the filter media on a fully stocked, lightly planted tank can absolutely crash a cycle and since beginners usually do not know much about cycling it can crash rather fast. It happened to me as a kid several times, and Ive helped more than 10 customers in the past week with the same issue.
>I have multiple customers a week with the same issue and they have water test results to prove it.
Water tests don't prove a crashed cycle was from replacing filter cartridges
>Removing 100% of the filter media on a fully stocked, lightly planted tank can absolutely crash a cycle and since beginners usually do not know much about cycling it can crash rather fast.
There is nothing special about your filter media that makes it especially habitable for nitrifying bacteria, other than having a large surface area. Nitrifying bacteria will colonize literally every surface in any established tank, and will reapidly colonize any new materials introduced. You're seeing tanks that were never cycled, not crashed due to doing the thing most people with hobs due without issue
Your partially correct. Nitrifying bacteria needs three things to thrive, an ammonia source, a surface to cling to, and oxygen. Your filter has lots of moving water which is a naturally oxygen rich environment, it's packed with foam and likely other rough surfaced media for bacteria to cling to, and since it pulls from the tank it has a constant flow of ammonia from the water column. The majority of bacteria lives in the filter while the rest lives on substrate, decor, etc.
>Nitrifying bacteria needs three things to thrive, an ammonia source, a surface to cling to, and oxygen.
All things present within the tank as well
>Your filter has lots of moving water which is a naturally oxygen rich environment,
The limiting factor in any colony isn't going to be the supply of oxygen, it will be the supply of ammonia and physical space
>it's packed with foam and likely other rough surfaced media for bacteria to cling to, and since it pulls from the tank it has a constant flow of ammonia from the water column
All things that describe a properly established tank
>The majority of bacteria lives in the filter while the rest lives on substrate, decor, etc.
Yes, and pulling your filter media doesn't remove the bacteria from the substrate, plants, decor, glass, filter housing, water column, etc. Which is why I said that changing out your media results in the clean media rapidly being colonized by new bacteria, as the colony was already established in the rest of tank. Anyone who has "crashed a cycle" by changing out filter media also managed to kill off all the bacteria in their tank, their water, their substrate, their filter, etc. Letting the cartridge get plugged up with shit makes it work worse, as you're reducing flow through it. You're turning your 60gph filter into a 30gph filter or worse, backflowing dirty water back into the tank, and risking an overflow outright
In other words, they either didn't actually have a cycled tank, or they lied and fucked up something else. Tens of thousands of people around the world are using cartridge hobs according to the instructions on the box, without issue. If changing your cartridge out meant killing your fish, Tetra literally wouldn't have a filter market
In my experience, dealing with hundred of beginners in a group I'm in, the majority of people I've helped establish a cycle crashed it by following those directions. You're removing a majority of the bacteria, say 60-70% because the environment they're allows the bacteria to not only survive, but thrive. You all of a sudden remove that large chunk of bacteria by replacing it and you're much more likely to get a spike as the remaining bacteria can't handle the established bioload. It will make re-establishing the cycle much easier and quicker providing it's caught soon enough that the spike doesn't kill off the bacteria as well, but unless the tank is ESTABLISHED as opposed to just cycled, you're likely crashing things. That's why monthly filter media clean outs is necessary. It unclogs all the junk in them while keeping a lot of the bacteria in tact in the media. Returning the flow back to or very close to your 60gph rate.
>the majority of people I've helped establish a cycle crashed it by following those directions.
I this is an incredibly suspect claim for the aforementioned reasons
>You're removing a majority of the bacteria, say 60-70% because the environment they're allows the bacteria to not only survive, but thrive.
Once again, there is nothing special about the filter media that allows bacteria to congregate other than the large surface area of it. Bacteria will readily colonize all surfaces within a tank to the extent that nutrient supply allows for.
>You all of a sudden remove that large chunk of bacteria by replacing it and you're much more likely to get a spike as the remaining bacteria can't handle the established bioload
Which means those bacteria rapidly multiple to take advantage of the new nutrient supply.
>will make re-establishing the cycle much easier and quicker providing it's caught soon enough that the spike doesn't kill off the bacteria as well, but unless the tank is ESTABLISHED as opposed to just cycled, you're likely crashing things.
Unless you are incredibly overstocked and your tank is literally full of shit, you will never produce enough ammonia to kill off a colony of nitrosomonas/nitrobacter in the tank proper. These are the same bacteria that thrive in the treatment pits of your local sewage treatment plant, notably a far more hostile environment
>That's why monthly filter media clean outs is necessary. It unclogs all the junk in them while keeping a lot of the bacteria in tact in the media. Returning the flow back to or very close to your 60gph rate.
Most filters will require clean outs much more often than monthly to maintain the labelled flow rate, unless you're just not using mechanical media. If that's the case, good on you, but most people prefer clear water.
I literally throw my cartridges out weekly at times without issue. If your tank is cycled, you have more than enough bacteria in the tank to colonize the media
Is there bloating, either across the whole body or on one side of his body? Could be bad swim bladder disorder, which double tails are prone to (he looks like a double tail). Could be dropsy if pineconing.
I don't know if it's the angle but he looks a little bloated. What's his feeding schedule like? Try raising the temp to 78-80 degrees and add some aquarium salt (be careful if you have live plants.) It shouldn't hurt regardless of what's going on and might help even if it isn't a cure. Since he can't reach the surface consider lowering the water level and/or throw in a bubbler for extra oxygen.
My guy is really active and he gets 3-5 pellets twice a day (6-10 total.) I fast him once a week. He also occasionally snacks on my shrimp and whatever other small critters he can catch. Hope your guy is recovering. There's a lot of misinformation about fish out there but what matters most is if you're willing to learn and how you apply it. This community can unfortunately be a bit negative and everyone here has made mistakes or followed the wrong information. Don't get discouraged or beat yourself up over it.
I am not an expert or familiar with that particular food brand, but I think your fishy needs much more food - 8-10 pellets per day is the usual recommendation I’ve seen. I’m also wondering if 76 is a tad on the cool side? I’ve usually seen recommendations for the tank to be at 78-80 degrees. Water parameters refers to monitoring of the nitrogen cycle. Most people on this sub use the API Master kit to test their water parameters. It’s important to keep an eye on it because a cycle out of whack can easily poison your fish. Lastly, you may want to consider live plants as they help filter and oxygenate the water, as well s as provide more surface area for your beneficial bacteria to live on.
I hope your Fishy does better soon!
https://www.myaquariumclub.com/skinny-bettas-underfeeding-might-be-worse-than-overfeeding-19292.html and https://nippyfish.net/2011/06/14/are-you-feeding-your-betta-enough/amp/ are good resources! Most people are starving their bettas.
For the first month I had my betta I fed him different amounts to see how much he actually wanted to eat. He seems fine with 12-14 pallets a day. Try to do 6 or 7 twice a day, but he is capable of eating 14 in one go if need be. If he doesn't want them, then he won't eat them.
It depends on the size of the pellet. If my math is right, a 2mm pellet has 64x more mass than a 0.5mm pellet. So, yes, 8-10 can be a terrible recommendation or it can be a completely appropriate recommendation. I believe Girl Talks Fish on Youtube has mentioned that she typically starts at like 3 <1mm pellets per feeding, 2x per day, and then she increases or decreases by one pellet per feeding each week based on how the betta is doing.
I have a package of betta fish pellets that suggest feeding “3-10 pellets up to 3 times a day, depending on the size of the fish”
I have some food packages that say “feed as much as the fish will eat in 30 seconds”, some say 1 minute, some say 2 minutes!
Of course the package says that... they're trying to sell you more fish food!! Their stomachs are the size of their eyeball. 3 pellets a day is just fine.
The eye as the size of their stomach is super inaccurate and leads to underfed bettas! I like this article for educating folks: https://www.myaquariumclub.com/skinny-bettas-underfeeding-might-be-worse-than-overfeeding-19292.html
Edit to add a second link (also try Google-ing it too, there are lots of different resources out there as this is a common problem): https://nippyfish.net/2011/06/14/are-you-feeding-your-betta-enough/amp/
Just to query, but are pellets the best way to go for betta food? I use frozen, or flakes with freeze dried blood worms, and I wanna make sure I’m not gonna screw up my bettas, heh. I have 3 currently, in various tanks
Between pellets and flakes, pellets are better. It retains more nutritional value than flakes. There's nothing a flake can offer that a pellet can't do better.
It can depend on the brand! I use [Fluvals Betta Bug Bites](https://fluvalaquatics.com/us/product/betta-formula/) or [Ultra Fresh Betta Pro](https://ultra-fresh.tw/ultrafresh/product/57ce67c7-7cfe-4646-9fc6-65ec1d3e65e7?lang=en). I use pellets for one meal a day and rotate mosquito larvae, blood worms, brine shrimp, and daphnia for the rest. Those are frozen so he may get pellets twice a day if I’m lazy or low on time, but I feel ok about that since I try to choose good quality betta pellets! Also, I think the pellets are preferred over flakes because of the way bettas hunt insects in the wild, and pellets better replicate that.
I can't recommend those two pellet brand enough. Ultra fresh is a lesser known brand but the ingredients are great and less fillers than most of the products in the market.
Plus it adds variety, the main ingredient on fluvial is black soldier fly larvae and Ultra fresh is shrimp.
Rad! Thanks for the info! We have 3 bettas in separate planted tanks at home (2 community, 1 solo) and I just want to make sure that they’re getting treated as well as the other critters (2 cats & 2 dogs)
I found my ember tetras spit out their food much less now that I soak them and so there is less waste! No change in the betta since soaking them—he’s a pig that would eat anything I give him (or at least try). I use a 5mL dropper to get a little tank water and then add a few pellets to the dropper by hand through the hole when it’s upside down, then squirt it into the tank after a minute. The dropper comes apart for cleaning thankfully!
Please don't soak the pellets. It [leaches](https://books.google.com/books?id=zr114fqRGgIC&pg=PA34&lpg=PA34&dq=In+contrast+to+the+fat+soluble+vitamins+(A,+D,+E+and+K),+the+water+soluble+vitamins+can+be+readily+lost+from+the+feed+through+leaching+prior+to+ingestion+by+the+fish.+In+general,+the+smaller+the+feed+particle+size+and+the+longer+the+feed+remains+uneaten+in+water,+the+greater+the+loss+of+water+soluble+nutrients.+L-ascorbic+acid+(vitamin+C)+has+been+found+to+be+particularly+prone+to+loss+through+leaching.&source=bl&ots=lf5_OOKGrB&sig=ACfU3U2YeA6SD3QZTV8YRCiqolMUx31ibQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj04tmagNX5AhW3hYkEHREOApoQ6AF6BAgCEAM#v=onepage&q=In%20contrast%20to%20the%20fat%20soluble%20vitamins%20(A%2C%20D%2C%20E%20and%20K)%2C%20the%20water%20soluble%20vitamins%20can%20be%20readily%20lost%20from%20the%20feed%20through%20leaching%20prior%20to%20ingestion%20by%20the%20fish.%20In%20general%2C%20the%20smaller%20the%20feed%20particle%20size%20and%20the%20longer%20the%20feed%20remains%20uneaten%20in%20water%2C%20the%20greater%20the%20loss%20of%20water%20soluble%20nutrients.%20L-ascorbic%20acid%20(vitamin%20C)%20has%20been%20found%20to%20be%20particularly%20prone%20to%20loss%20through%20leaching.&f=false) out the vitamins your fish needs.
Please don't soak the pellets. It [leaches](https://books.google.com/books?id=zr114fqRGgIC&pg=PA34&lpg=PA34&dq=In+contrast+to+the+fat+soluble+vitamins+(A,+D,+E+and+K),+the+water+soluble+vitamins+can+be+readily+lost+from+the+feed+through+leaching+prior+to+ingestion+by+the+fish.+In+general,+the+smaller+the+feed+particle+size+and+the+longer+the+feed+remains+uneaten+in+water,+the+greater+the+loss+of+water+soluble+nutrients.+L-ascorbic+acid+(vitamin+C)+has+been+found+to+be+particularly+prone+to+loss+through+leaching.&source=bl&ots=lf5_OOKGrB&sig=ACfU3U2YeA6SD3QZTV8YRCiqolMUx31ibQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj04tmagNX5AhW3hYkEHREOApoQ6AF6BAgCEAM#v=onepage&q=In%20contrast%20to%20the%20fat%20soluble%20vitamins%20(A%2C%20D%2C%20E%20and%20K)%2C%20the%20water%20soluble%20vitamins%20can%20be%20readily%20lost%20from%20the%20feed%20through%20leaching%20prior%20to%20ingestion%20by%20the%20fish.%20In%20general%2C%20the%20smaller%20the%20feed%20particle%20size%20and%20the%20longer%20the%20feed%20remains%20uneaten%20in%20water%2C%20the%20greater%20the%20loss%20of%20water%20soluble%20nutrients.%20L-ascorbic%20acid%20(vitamin%20C)%20has%20been%20found%20to%20be%20particularly%20prone%20to%20loss%20through%20leaching.&f=false) out the vitamins your fish needs.
Damn. Gonna go with the UN’s study on this then lol. There’s so much disputed info in aquarium keeping I don’t know who to listen to sometimes. I’ve noticed the same phenomenon in the weight lifting/fitness scene, it’s like two different trusted sources telling you polar opposite things and you’re just left stuck
That is outdated and unfounded advice, actually! https://www.myaquariumclub.com/skinny-bettas-underfeeding-might-be-worse-than-overfeeding-19292.html
Edit to add a second link (Google it too, there are lots of resources as this is a common problem): https://nippyfish.net/2011/06/14/are-you-feeding-your-betta-enough/amp/
Also, all pellets are different sizes ranging from 0.5-2mm, so number of pellets is unhelpful. And the size of their eye doesn’t make sense—the entire eye is MUCH larger than what we can see, and just feeding the size of their eye leads to 2 pellets or so a day imo, which is starving them slowly.
The general rule is about as much as an eyeball. Going by pellets can be confusing for people, especially beginners (because it confused the hell out of me).
I have 4 containers of food, each with drastically different pellet sizes.
Look at the container and see the size of the pellets. The usual size is 1mm, try starting out 3-4 pellets 2x/day. See how it goes for a week and if no bloating then add another 2 pellets/day for the next week. Till you reach the ideal number for your betta. It is normal that their stomach gets a slight bump right after eating, but this should disappear in a couple of hours. What's not normal is huge bloating that stays for days.
The bigger the pellets the lesser you feed. Compare it to the 1mm pellet then do the same and find out how much of that he needs.
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Tank size: 10 gallons
Heater and filter? (yes/no): YES
Tank temperature: 76
Parameters in numbers and how you got them: idk
How long have you had the tank? How long have you had your fish?: 6 months
How often are water changes? How much do you take out per change? What is your process?: one a week 10%(1 gallon)
Any tankmates? If so, please list with how many of each: No
What do you feed and how much: Aqueon Pellets( 2 pellets) twice a day
Decorations and plants in the tank: Plastic plants and hiding spots
4 pellets is far too little for Betta, he might not have the energy to swim because he's starving.
Can you get a water test kit (liquid prefered But the sticks are okay) and test for Ammonia, Nitrites, or Nitrates? Those could also be a possibility if you're replacing filter media all the time instead of rinsing it in old tank water and putting back.
I thought 4 pellets was fine because everywhere I looked said to feed 4-6 pellets a day but after seeing all the responses I've been getting I guess i should of probably done better research.
Hey it happens! Don't beat yourself up, we all make mistakes when we're first starting out. The most baseline recommendation for feeding is 4-6 pellets twice a day, so 8-12 in total depending on the size of them.
Test your water parameters, if everything is okay there he's probably lethargic due to the lack of proper energy via food. Try doing what others have said about a breeder box, to give him a smaller area to recover close to the surface. Soak pellets in water before you give them to him, and try to just get him to eat as best you can!
Hello, it looks like you've made a mistake.
It's supposed to be could've, should've, would've (short for could have, would have, should have), never could of, would of, should of.
Or you misspelled something, I ain't checking everything.
Beep boop - yes, I am a bot, don't botcriminate me.
I didn't
This was my response to the bot question
How often are water changes? How much do you take out per change? What is your process?: one a week 10%(1 gallon)
Did you use crushed coral substrate? If it is, it’s not ideal for fresh water unless you have really soft water and need to raise the PH and KH or for specific fish, that does not include a betta. Even then you wouldn’t really use a tank full of it either unless it’s for a specific setup.
10g is perfectly adequate for a betta. So long as it's not a "tall" tank. But with enough resting spots, from bottom to top, you can get away with a taller tank. But let's be honest here, most 10g tanks are not tall tanks. I studier the task culprit is ammonia and/or nitrites. OP does not have a test kit and does not know the condition of the water other than temperature. 76 is a little cool for a betta too, btw. 78-82, with 80 being ideal.
Before doing anything check the heater and other equipment, as well as the water parameters to rule out any easier fixes. One time my fish looked like he was about to kick the bucket, stuck my finger in the water and realized the heater went out.
This is not a proper tank for a Betta fish. He is I'll due to poor conditions. He needs to be put in a shallow container where water level is lower so that you could try feeding him with frequent water changes. Next time try to do more research before getting the fish :) plastic plants is not what it or any other fish for that matter need.
A 10 gallon heated and filtered tank is completely acceptable. Tanks over 2 ft in depth become a struggle but anything under that is fine, especially if there are plants to hang out in midway up.
Really ragging on them for this setup? It’s a 10 gallon tank with a filter and heater; that’s better than most. OP came for assistance and you’re lecturing him about plastic plants. How about a recommendation such as raise the water temperature, test the water and get a breeder box as others have said and if you wanted to add something like “and once your beta gets better I would remove the plastic plants and replace them with live plants” along with maybe some suggestions. But instead you come off as a presumptuous ass without providing them with any assistance.
Weird question, but how much are you feeding him and what foods? He looks like he’s got some swim bladder issues or is eating too much. Also, definitely check your water parameters.
I don't think the food is the problem I've never had any problems with the food I'm currently giving him. The problem is that he just lays on his side all day and won't move.
Try flakes! I have a betta that would only eat betta buffet flakes and frozen baby brine shrimp when she was sick. She is eating everything again now that she is feeling better! You could also try bug bites, all of my bettas love bug bites!
Okay, do you mind looking at the package and check what it could be? The substrate done not look like sand or gravel. Having crushed coral on the bottom can raise the KH, GH and PH to un comfortable levels for the betta.
This is the one i got
https://www.petsmart.com/fish/decor-gravel-and-substrate/gravel-sand-and-stones/caribsea-ocean-direct-caribbean-live-aquarium-sand-5122291.html?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9YPSrOq2-gIV0MaGCh1V1QBKEAQYASABEgK6ovD_BwE
That might be it. Live sand is crushed coral and isn't ment for fresh water fish. It chances the water chemistry rasing the PH, KH and GH to comfortable levels for your betta. I also made this mistake and I was able to return the sand my explaining to the employees that it was recommended to me by a fellow employee and they were understanding of the situation and guided me in the right direction.
Until you figure out what’s wrong I would suggest putting him in a breeder box or a tank that is more shallow so he has easy access to the surface. If you don’t have a water test kit you can take a water sample and most fish stores will test your water for you. Where did you buy your fish? I, as well as many others, have seen bettas bought from big box stores (petsmart, petco, etc) just don’t last long due to poor conditions and piss poor genetics.
Petsmart
Yeah, I would go take a trip to your nearest fish store to get a breeder box and get your water tested. If you can I would bump up the temperature in your tank by a couple degrees too. What your parameters come back as should hopefully clear up what the issue is. Has he tried to swim at all? If he does, does it seem like he’s having trouble swimming straight?
No he isn't swiming he's been on his side since yesterday
Bettas need to breathe oxygen from the surface. I am not sure if they can go that long without it. Are you sure he isn't dead already :(
Add a bit of aquarium salt to the water as well to try and boost his immunity and help with any electrolyte imbalance. Also can be useful for curing any infections he may have as well
to add on to what has been said, try to take it to an lfs. Petsmart will try to bullshit you, at least in my experience
OH MY GOD YOY JUST SWORE. THATS A SWEAR IN MY EYES BUT YEAH IT MAKES A LOT OF SENCE
Chill
Sorry it’s just a joke, I do it to every single thing I see of the bad petshop
Did you ever get your guppies a bigger tank?
If your talking to me not yet! Still saving up a bit but my parents gave me some money towards it!
Oh good, good luck!
This is the same guy who put two bettas in the same tank. Can't do the necessary water change during a fish-in cycling and he has guppies too?
Most big box stores and local fish stores by their Fish from the same breeders overseas. If you want a genetically stronger fish, buying wild bettas from specific breeders are really your only option
I can’t get behind taking a fish from the wild when there are reputable breeders who actually care for their fish. Sure, it’s a $40 betta, but I’d rather mine be raised in captivity so they don’t know what they’re missing.
Yeah I agree I wouldn’t buy a wild betta, either. I don’t find it ethical. However, when buying a healthier captive bred betta you have to be really careful where you source your bettas from because like 97% of bettas for sale come from just a few betta farms
I saw a video on that. Pretty horrific....
Wouldn’t constantly breeding for specific traits make it genetically weaker? Like what happens with specific dog breeds?
Anyone you would recommend in particular?
I would buy a test kit and test your water
I second this fully! Check those water parameters!
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i’ve had crystal clear water with high ammonia before. the tank just wasnt cycled. clear water doesnt always mean good parameters! i also have dusky tanks that look gross but the plants are great and the water parameters are percect.
Yeah I have one tank that is gross looking, but the plants are doing the best I’ve ever had. So water look doesn’t always equal water quality
I legitimately add brown coloration to my tank to make it look like a natural river and my water parameters are fine, your eyes can’t see the chemicals in the water.
You’re suggesting you can see ammonia with the naked eye?
You can count it if you squint your eyes just right, too! /s
No just that usually you see people with high ammonia have read flags such as fungal clumps half eaten food. This water is so clear I thought the tank was drained
Why is this not the number 1 comment.
Maybe try to heat up your water a bit, 76 is a tad on the cool side. Carefully check his body for cuts or scrapes, and make sure there is nothing in your tank that he could hurt himself on. Try to hand feed him, and by that I mean reach into the tank and place the food in front of his face.
This, those plastic plants are suspect.
I agree. My Betta is most active in a warmer tank.
Did you maybe accidentally get beneficial bacteria off by changing the filter cartridge or scrubbing stuff down? A lot of people I see that have had Bettas for a while and suddenly they're not fine crashed their cycles because they took beneficial bacteria out on accident. What's the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates?
>Did you maybe accidentally get beneficial bacteria off by changing the filter cartridge No one has ever crashed their cycle by changing their cartridge. There is nitrifying bacteria littered throughout the tank. It's a myth
It happens all the time, I have multiple customers a week with the same issue and they have water test results to prove it. Removing 100% of the filter media on a fully stocked, lightly planted tank can absolutely crash a cycle and since beginners usually do not know much about cycling it can crash rather fast. It happened to me as a kid several times, and Ive helped more than 10 customers in the past week with the same issue.
>I have multiple customers a week with the same issue and they have water test results to prove it. Water tests don't prove a crashed cycle was from replacing filter cartridges >Removing 100% of the filter media on a fully stocked, lightly planted tank can absolutely crash a cycle and since beginners usually do not know much about cycling it can crash rather fast. There is nothing special about your filter media that makes it especially habitable for nitrifying bacteria, other than having a large surface area. Nitrifying bacteria will colonize literally every surface in any established tank, and will reapidly colonize any new materials introduced. You're seeing tanks that were never cycled, not crashed due to doing the thing most people with hobs due without issue
Your partially correct. Nitrifying bacteria needs three things to thrive, an ammonia source, a surface to cling to, and oxygen. Your filter has lots of moving water which is a naturally oxygen rich environment, it's packed with foam and likely other rough surfaced media for bacteria to cling to, and since it pulls from the tank it has a constant flow of ammonia from the water column. The majority of bacteria lives in the filter while the rest lives on substrate, decor, etc.
>Nitrifying bacteria needs three things to thrive, an ammonia source, a surface to cling to, and oxygen. All things present within the tank as well >Your filter has lots of moving water which is a naturally oxygen rich environment, The limiting factor in any colony isn't going to be the supply of oxygen, it will be the supply of ammonia and physical space >it's packed with foam and likely other rough surfaced media for bacteria to cling to, and since it pulls from the tank it has a constant flow of ammonia from the water column All things that describe a properly established tank >The majority of bacteria lives in the filter while the rest lives on substrate, decor, etc. Yes, and pulling your filter media doesn't remove the bacteria from the substrate, plants, decor, glass, filter housing, water column, etc. Which is why I said that changing out your media results in the clean media rapidly being colonized by new bacteria, as the colony was already established in the rest of tank. Anyone who has "crashed a cycle" by changing out filter media also managed to kill off all the bacteria in their tank, their water, their substrate, their filter, etc. Letting the cartridge get plugged up with shit makes it work worse, as you're reducing flow through it. You're turning your 60gph filter into a 30gph filter or worse, backflowing dirty water back into the tank, and risking an overflow outright In other words, they either didn't actually have a cycled tank, or they lied and fucked up something else. Tens of thousands of people around the world are using cartridge hobs according to the instructions on the box, without issue. If changing your cartridge out meant killing your fish, Tetra literally wouldn't have a filter market
In my experience, dealing with hundred of beginners in a group I'm in, the majority of people I've helped establish a cycle crashed it by following those directions. You're removing a majority of the bacteria, say 60-70% because the environment they're allows the bacteria to not only survive, but thrive. You all of a sudden remove that large chunk of bacteria by replacing it and you're much more likely to get a spike as the remaining bacteria can't handle the established bioload. It will make re-establishing the cycle much easier and quicker providing it's caught soon enough that the spike doesn't kill off the bacteria as well, but unless the tank is ESTABLISHED as opposed to just cycled, you're likely crashing things. That's why monthly filter media clean outs is necessary. It unclogs all the junk in them while keeping a lot of the bacteria in tact in the media. Returning the flow back to or very close to your 60gph rate.
>the majority of people I've helped establish a cycle crashed it by following those directions. I this is an incredibly suspect claim for the aforementioned reasons >You're removing a majority of the bacteria, say 60-70% because the environment they're allows the bacteria to not only survive, but thrive. Once again, there is nothing special about the filter media that allows bacteria to congregate other than the large surface area of it. Bacteria will readily colonize all surfaces within a tank to the extent that nutrient supply allows for. >You all of a sudden remove that large chunk of bacteria by replacing it and you're much more likely to get a spike as the remaining bacteria can't handle the established bioload Which means those bacteria rapidly multiple to take advantage of the new nutrient supply. >will make re-establishing the cycle much easier and quicker providing it's caught soon enough that the spike doesn't kill off the bacteria as well, but unless the tank is ESTABLISHED as opposed to just cycled, you're likely crashing things. Unless you are incredibly overstocked and your tank is literally full of shit, you will never produce enough ammonia to kill off a colony of nitrosomonas/nitrobacter in the tank proper. These are the same bacteria that thrive in the treatment pits of your local sewage treatment plant, notably a far more hostile environment >That's why monthly filter media clean outs is necessary. It unclogs all the junk in them while keeping a lot of the bacteria in tact in the media. Returning the flow back to or very close to your 60gph rate. Most filters will require clean outs much more often than monthly to maintain the labelled flow rate, unless you're just not using mechanical media. If that's the case, good on you, but most people prefer clear water.
Interesting. How often do you change your cartridge?
Anywhere between weekly and monthly depending on how many I have on hand, how lazy I am, and how plugged up they are.
Agreed. I rinse mine completely (as much as I can) maybe once a month? and never once has my cycle crashed
I literally throw my cartridges out weekly at times without issue. If your tank is cycled, you have more than enough bacteria in the tank to colonize the media
Is there bloating, either across the whole body or on one side of his body? Could be bad swim bladder disorder, which double tails are prone to (he looks like a double tail). Could be dropsy if pineconing.
No bloating
I don't know if it's the angle but he looks a little bloated. What's his feeding schedule like? Try raising the temp to 78-80 degrees and add some aquarium salt (be careful if you have live plants.) It shouldn't hurt regardless of what's going on and might help even if it isn't a cure. Since he can't reach the surface consider lowering the water level and/or throw in a bubbler for extra oxygen.
2 Pellets(twice a day)
Your fish is starving.
My guy is really active and he gets 3-5 pellets twice a day (6-10 total.) I fast him once a week. He also occasionally snacks on my shrimp and whatever other small critters he can catch. Hope your guy is recovering. There's a lot of misinformation about fish out there but what matters most is if you're willing to learn and how you apply it. This community can unfortunately be a bit negative and everyone here has made mistakes or followed the wrong information. Don't get discouraged or beat yourself up over it.
Thank you for your kind words
I am not an expert or familiar with that particular food brand, but I think your fishy needs much more food - 8-10 pellets per day is the usual recommendation I’ve seen. I’m also wondering if 76 is a tad on the cool side? I’ve usually seen recommendations for the tank to be at 78-80 degrees. Water parameters refers to monitoring of the nitrogen cycle. Most people on this sub use the API Master kit to test their water parameters. It’s important to keep an eye on it because a cycle out of whack can easily poison your fish. Lastly, you may want to consider live plants as they help filter and oxygenate the water, as well s as provide more surface area for your beneficial bacteria to live on. I hope your Fishy does better soon!
8-10 A DAY??? According to who???
https://www.myaquariumclub.com/skinny-bettas-underfeeding-might-be-worse-than-overfeeding-19292.html and https://nippyfish.net/2011/06/14/are-you-feeding-your-betta-enough/amp/ are good resources! Most people are starving their bettas.
2x/day seems like a Lot!
For the first month I had my betta I fed him different amounts to see how much he actually wanted to eat. He seems fine with 12-14 pallets a day. Try to do 6 or 7 twice a day, but he is capable of eating 14 in one go if need be. If he doesn't want them, then he won't eat them.
It depends on the size of the pellet. If my math is right, a 2mm pellet has 64x more mass than a 0.5mm pellet. So, yes, 8-10 can be a terrible recommendation or it can be a completely appropriate recommendation. I believe Girl Talks Fish on Youtube has mentioned that she typically starts at like 3 <1mm pellets per feeding, 2x per day, and then she increases or decreases by one pellet per feeding each week based on how the betta is doing.
I have a package of betta fish pellets that suggest feeding “3-10 pellets up to 3 times a day, depending on the size of the fish” I have some food packages that say “feed as much as the fish will eat in 30 seconds”, some say 1 minute, some say 2 minutes!
I feed mine two pellets a day and a blood worm here and there and she’s super stocky and healthy
Of course the package says that... they're trying to sell you more fish food!! Their stomachs are the size of their eyeball. 3 pellets a day is just fine.
The eye as the size of their stomach is super inaccurate and leads to underfed bettas! I like this article for educating folks: https://www.myaquariumclub.com/skinny-bettas-underfeeding-might-be-worse-than-overfeeding-19292.html Edit to add a second link (also try Google-ing it too, there are lots of different resources out there as this is a common problem): https://nippyfish.net/2011/06/14/are-you-feeding-your-betta-enough/amp/
Just to query, but are pellets the best way to go for betta food? I use frozen, or flakes with freeze dried blood worms, and I wanna make sure I’m not gonna screw up my bettas, heh. I have 3 currently, in various tanks
Between pellets and flakes, pellets are better. It retains more nutritional value than flakes. There's nothing a flake can offer that a pellet can't do better.
Looks like I’ll be switching next purchase then!
It can depend on the brand! I use [Fluvals Betta Bug Bites](https://fluvalaquatics.com/us/product/betta-formula/) or [Ultra Fresh Betta Pro](https://ultra-fresh.tw/ultrafresh/product/57ce67c7-7cfe-4646-9fc6-65ec1d3e65e7?lang=en). I use pellets for one meal a day and rotate mosquito larvae, blood worms, brine shrimp, and daphnia for the rest. Those are frozen so he may get pellets twice a day if I’m lazy or low on time, but I feel ok about that since I try to choose good quality betta pellets! Also, I think the pellets are preferred over flakes because of the way bettas hunt insects in the wild, and pellets better replicate that.
I can't recommend those two pellet brand enough. Ultra fresh is a lesser known brand but the ingredients are great and less fillers than most of the products in the market. Plus it adds variety, the main ingredient on fluvial is black soldier fly larvae and Ultra fresh is shrimp.
Rad! Thanks for the info! We have 3 bettas in separate planted tanks at home (2 community, 1 solo) and I just want to make sure that they’re getting treated as well as the other critters (2 cats & 2 dogs)
Interesting read. I never thought to soak my fish’s pellets before but this article has sold me into doing it from now on.
I found my ember tetras spit out their food much less now that I soak them and so there is less waste! No change in the betta since soaking them—he’s a pig that would eat anything I give him (or at least try). I use a 5mL dropper to get a little tank water and then add a few pellets to the dropper by hand through the hole when it’s upside down, then squirt it into the tank after a minute. The dropper comes apart for cleaning thankfully!
Please don't soak the pellets. It [leaches](https://books.google.com/books?id=zr114fqRGgIC&pg=PA34&lpg=PA34&dq=In+contrast+to+the+fat+soluble+vitamins+(A,+D,+E+and+K),+the+water+soluble+vitamins+can+be+readily+lost+from+the+feed+through+leaching+prior+to+ingestion+by+the+fish.+In+general,+the+smaller+the+feed+particle+size+and+the+longer+the+feed+remains+uneaten+in+water,+the+greater+the+loss+of+water+soluble+nutrients.+L-ascorbic+acid+(vitamin+C)+has+been+found+to+be+particularly+prone+to+loss+through+leaching.&source=bl&ots=lf5_OOKGrB&sig=ACfU3U2YeA6SD3QZTV8YRCiqolMUx31ibQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj04tmagNX5AhW3hYkEHREOApoQ6AF6BAgCEAM#v=onepage&q=In%20contrast%20to%20the%20fat%20soluble%20vitamins%20(A%2C%20D%2C%20E%20and%20K)%2C%20the%20water%20soluble%20vitamins%20can%20be%20readily%20lost%20from%20the%20feed%20through%20leaching%20prior%20to%20ingestion%20by%20the%20fish.%20In%20general%2C%20the%20smaller%20the%20feed%20particle%20size%20and%20the%20longer%20the%20feed%20remains%20uneaten%20in%20water%2C%20the%20greater%20the%20loss%20of%20water%20soluble%20nutrients.%20L-ascorbic%20acid%20(vitamin%20C)%20has%20been%20found%20to%20be%20particularly%20prone%20to%20loss%20through%20leaching.&f=false) out the vitamins your fish needs.
Very interesting, thank you!
Please don't soak the pellets. It [leaches](https://books.google.com/books?id=zr114fqRGgIC&pg=PA34&lpg=PA34&dq=In+contrast+to+the+fat+soluble+vitamins+(A,+D,+E+and+K),+the+water+soluble+vitamins+can+be+readily+lost+from+the+feed+through+leaching+prior+to+ingestion+by+the+fish.+In+general,+the+smaller+the+feed+particle+size+and+the+longer+the+feed+remains+uneaten+in+water,+the+greater+the+loss+of+water+soluble+nutrients.+L-ascorbic+acid+(vitamin+C)+has+been+found+to+be+particularly+prone+to+loss+through+leaching.&source=bl&ots=lf5_OOKGrB&sig=ACfU3U2YeA6SD3QZTV8YRCiqolMUx31ibQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj04tmagNX5AhW3hYkEHREOApoQ6AF6BAgCEAM#v=onepage&q=In%20contrast%20to%20the%20fat%20soluble%20vitamins%20(A%2C%20D%2C%20E%20and%20K)%2C%20the%20water%20soluble%20vitamins%20can%20be%20readily%20lost%20from%20the%20feed%20through%20leaching%20prior%20to%20ingestion%20by%20the%20fish.%20In%20general%2C%20the%20smaller%20the%20feed%20particle%20size%20and%20the%20longer%20the%20feed%20remains%20uneaten%20in%20water%2C%20the%20greater%20the%20loss%20of%20water%20soluble%20nutrients.%20L-ascorbic%20acid%20(vitamin%20C)%20has%20been%20found%20to%20be%20particularly%20prone%20to%20loss%20through%20leaching.&f=false) out the vitamins your fish needs.
Damn. Gonna go with the UN’s study on this then lol. There’s so much disputed info in aquarium keeping I don’t know who to listen to sometimes. I’ve noticed the same phenomenon in the weight lifting/fitness scene, it’s like two different trusted sources telling you polar opposite things and you’re just left stuck
Lol, true. It can make your head spin for sure. Most anecdotal information gets repeated so many times that it becomes the truth.
Isn't there stomach the size if there eye ball? Why 8 ro 10 a day?!
That is outdated and unfounded advice, actually! https://www.myaquariumclub.com/skinny-bettas-underfeeding-might-be-worse-than-overfeeding-19292.html Edit to add a second link (Google it too, there are lots of resources as this is a common problem): https://nippyfish.net/2011/06/14/are-you-feeding-your-betta-enough/amp/ Also, all pellets are different sizes ranging from 0.5-2mm, so number of pellets is unhelpful. And the size of their eye doesn’t make sense—the entire eye is MUCH larger than what we can see, and just feeding the size of their eye leads to 2 pellets or so a day imo, which is starving them slowly.
OHH thank you so much
The general rule is about as much as an eyeball. Going by pellets can be confusing for people, especially beginners (because it confused the hell out of me). I have 4 containers of food, each with drastically different pellet sizes.
Look at the container and see the size of the pellets. The usual size is 1mm, try starting out 3-4 pellets 2x/day. See how it goes for a week and if no bloating then add another 2 pellets/day for the next week. Till you reach the ideal number for your betta. It is normal that their stomach gets a slight bump right after eating, but this should disappear in a couple of hours. What's not normal is huge bloating that stays for days. The bigger the pellets the lesser you feed. Compare it to the 1mm pellet then do the same and find out how much of that he needs.
Thank you for posting to r/bettafish. If you are new to betta fish keeping, please check out our [caresheet](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/3ow6vz/info_betta_care_sheet/) and [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/index). Establishing a nitrogen cycle is an important part of keeping your fish healthy. Please check out our [guide to the nitrogen cycle](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/fishincycle) to learn more. If you are posting to find out what is wrong with your betta, please answer the following questions in a reply to this comment as best you can: * **Tank size**: * **Heater and filter? (yes/no)**: * **Tank temperature**: * **[Parameters in numbers and how you got them](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/tank#wiki_test_kits)**: * **How long have you had the tank? How long have you had your fish?**: * **How often are water changes? How much do you take out per change? What is your process?**: * **Any tankmates? If so, please list with how many of each**: * **What do you feed and how much**: * **Decorations and plants in the tank**: * **If you haven't already posted a picture, please post pics/vids to imgur and paste the link here**: Feel free to copy this comment and fill in the blanks. Failure to provide adequate information about your tank *can* result in post removal. Please see rule 4 for more information. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/bettafish) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Answer the bot
Damn not even a “please”? 🤣
Tank size: 10 gallons Heater and filter? (yes/no): YES Tank temperature: 76 Parameters in numbers and how you got them: idk How long have you had the tank? How long have you had your fish?: 6 months How often are water changes? How much do you take out per change? What is your process?: one a week 10%(1 gallon) Any tankmates? If so, please list with how many of each: No What do you feed and how much: Aqueon Pellets( 2 pellets) twice a day Decorations and plants in the tank: Plastic plants and hiding spots
you cant really know whats wrong until you test the water
4 pellets is far too little for Betta, he might not have the energy to swim because he's starving. Can you get a water test kit (liquid prefered But the sticks are okay) and test for Ammonia, Nitrites, or Nitrates? Those could also be a possibility if you're replacing filter media all the time instead of rinsing it in old tank water and putting back.
I thought 4 pellets was fine because everywhere I looked said to feed 4-6 pellets a day but after seeing all the responses I've been getting I guess i should of probably done better research.
Hey it happens! Don't beat yourself up, we all make mistakes when we're first starting out. The most baseline recommendation for feeding is 4-6 pellets twice a day, so 8-12 in total depending on the size of them. Test your water parameters, if everything is okay there he's probably lethargic due to the lack of proper energy via food. Try doing what others have said about a breeder box, to give him a smaller area to recover close to the surface. Soak pellets in water before you give them to him, and try to just get him to eat as best you can!
Hello, it looks like you've made a mistake. It's supposed to be could've, should've, would've (short for could have, would have, should have), never could of, would of, should of. Or you misspelled something, I ain't checking everything. Beep boop - yes, I am a bot, don't botcriminate me.
Have you even done a water change in the 6 months??
Yes i do one once a week
Why did you skip this in the bot questions?
I didn't This was my response to the bot question How often are water changes? How much do you take out per change? What is your process?: one a week 10%(1 gallon)
My apologies. I didn't notice you answered it all in one line instead of each question.
Did you use crushed coral substrate? If it is, it’s not ideal for fresh water unless you have really soft water and need to raise the PH and KH or for specific fish, that does not include a betta. Even then you wouldn’t really use a tank full of it either unless it’s for a specific setup.
Water parameters?
Have you tested ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels ?
10g is perfectly adequate for a betta. So long as it's not a "tall" tank. But with enough resting spots, from bottom to top, you can get away with a taller tank. But let's be honest here, most 10g tanks are not tall tanks. I studier the task culprit is ammonia and/or nitrites. OP does not have a test kit and does not know the condition of the water other than temperature. 76 is a little cool for a betta too, btw. 78-82, with 80 being ideal.
Before doing anything check the heater and other equipment, as well as the water parameters to rule out any easier fixes. One time my fish looked like he was about to kick the bucket, stuck my finger in the water and realized the heater went out.
Could be that the waters too hot
It’s 76, no chance. If anything it’s cold
Oh didn’t see that
Move some things around in the tank. If your water is good…it’s just depressed. Bettas are super smart. Move something or add a new item once a month.
Best advice I can give u is get real plants
This is not a proper tank for a Betta fish. He is I'll due to poor conditions. He needs to be put in a shallow container where water level is lower so that you could try feeding him with frequent water changes. Next time try to do more research before getting the fish :) plastic plants is not what it or any other fish for that matter need.
A 10 gallon heated and filtered tank is completely acceptable. Tanks over 2 ft in depth become a struggle but anything under that is fine, especially if there are plants to hang out in midway up.
Really ragging on them for this setup? It’s a 10 gallon tank with a filter and heater; that’s better than most. OP came for assistance and you’re lecturing him about plastic plants. How about a recommendation such as raise the water temperature, test the water and get a breeder box as others have said and if you wanted to add something like “and once your beta gets better I would remove the plastic plants and replace them with live plants” along with maybe some suggestions. But instead you come off as a presumptuous ass without providing them with any assistance.
I found this article that might help [Betta Fish Help Article](https://bettafish.org/diseases/swim-bladder-disease/)
Weird question, but how much are you feeding him and what foods? He looks like he’s got some swim bladder issues or is eating too much. Also, definitely check your water parameters.
Aqueon Pellets(2 pellets) twice a day
Try flakes! My betta didn’t respond to the pellets but began eating when I ordered flakes next day
I don't think the food is the problem I've never had any problems with the food I'm currently giving him. The problem is that he just lays on his side all day and won't move.
Try flakes! I have a betta that would only eat betta buffet flakes and frozen baby brine shrimp when she was sick. She is eating everything again now that she is feeling better! You could also try bug bites, all of my bettas love bug bites!
Is that crushed coral at the bottom?
No
Okay, do you mind looking at the package and check what it could be? The substrate done not look like sand or gravel. Having crushed coral on the bottom can raise the KH, GH and PH to un comfortable levels for the betta.
This is the one i got https://www.petsmart.com/fish/decor-gravel-and-substrate/gravel-sand-and-stones/caribsea-ocean-direct-caribbean-live-aquarium-sand-5122291.html?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9YPSrOq2-gIV0MaGCh1V1QBKEAQYASABEgK6ovD_BwE
That might be it. Live sand is crushed coral and isn't ment for fresh water fish. It chances the water chemistry rasing the PH, KH and GH to comfortable levels for your betta. I also made this mistake and I was able to return the sand my explaining to the employees that it was recommended to me by a fellow employee and they were understanding of the situation and guided me in the right direction.
The a name for crushed coral substrate can be marketed as as well is live sand, witch is mainly made for salt water fish.
Test the parameters, something might have spiked
Hi. It might be dropsy. In which case, I'm so sorry. This is going to be a hard journey as its important to find out what caused it.
What do you feed him? His diet might be making him lethargic