Strange Betta Behavior

3177 Views 12 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Noahma, Nov 28, 2010

Noahma

Discussion Starter · Nov 27, 2010

My betta is acting a little different, and it has me concerned. She is resting on plants much more than usual, when she needs a breath, she will go to the surface, take a gulp and then go right back to where she was, but she does it quickly. When moving around the tank, she is doing it faster than normal, and when she gets to where she is going, she goes to rest on the first plant she sees. I tried feeding her this eve, she looked interested, but only ate one of the pellets when I dropped them in the water. She also had a couple of white streaks on her forehead when I came home this eve, they were not there just a few hours ago, leaving me to believe that she got stuck somewhere and scraped her head to get out. They are not raised, so I do not think it is a fungus. She looks as if she is not buoyant with the way she is rushing from one plant to another.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
78.6* water
10 gal tank.
Nothing except the addition to some quarantined Chili Rasboras in the past few weeks.
She gets a few NLS Betta formula pellets
once a week freeze dried tubiflex worms
once per week freeze dried hikari daphnia
both soaked for 15 min in tank water before serving the tank.
I also put a small pinch of flake food for the other inhabitants, she usually does not go for these.

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Eden Marel

· #2 · Nov 27, 2010

Well I'm not sure about what's wrong with her, but my sister's Double Tailed Betta died. He wasn't acting normal either and had hard time swimming so she made him a bed with half a styrofoam cup and some aquarium marbles to help weigh it down so he can sleep near the surface of tank and easier to breath. She wasn't able to cure him unfortunately, so he passed away.

I aadopted a betta last year from my classmate who didn't want to keep her betta, and he laid on his side a lot and had trouble swimming too because her fiancee put the tank on the windowsill and it fell over so the rocks and the little tank feel on top of him. So I took him in a nursed him back to helth, well how I did is frequent water change some tablespoons of aquarium salt and lowered the water level to 1/3 of the tank. Unfortunately I had to keep him in the little platic tank that was maybe 1/3 a gallon??? cuz I didn't have extra tank, and I had to use an incadescent lamp to heat the water. Well, he is doing great still. Can swim like a normal betta and has a voracious appetitle. I gave him to my sister so she can have a betta friend.

So you might have to take her out and quarentine maybe. Maybe make a little bed for her with half a styro cup so she can rest easy.

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Noahma

Discussion Starter · #3 · Nov 27, 2010

I wonder if she may be shocked from whatever happened to her this eve. She was out and acting very normal this morning. For all I know I am just thinking something is wrong. But I would rather be safe than sorry, so I posted here, and on ultimatebetta.com

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sampster5000

· #4 · Nov 27, 2010

It is possible that the betta is just old. When they are getting ready pass on they can always be seen resting on the substrate or ornaments. If you are worried about the betta being sick make sure to keep up on your water changes. I do 50% weekly water changes on my 10 gallon which holds my male betta. I think he is old because he is pretty big and is always resting on the substrate. Nothing we can do but care for them the best as possible.

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Noahma

Discussion Starter · #5 · Nov 27, 2010

sampster5000 said:
It is possible that the betta is just old. When they are getting ready pass on they can always be seen resting on the substrate or ornaments. If you are worried about the betta being sick make sure to keep up on your water changes. I do 50% weekly water changes on my 10 gallon which holds my male betta. I think he is old because he is pretty big and is always resting on the substrate. Nothing we can do but care for them the best as possible.

I got her about a year ago, so I do not think she is very old. I do 35-40% water changes weekly in my 10 gal for her.

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Eden Marel

· #6 · Nov 27, 2010

Maybe who knows, hard to tell from pet shop betta. Most of the time bettas are about 1 year old by the time they are at the pet store. So she might be 2 years old by now. I know some people have had their bettas for more than 3 years.

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mistergreen

· #7 · Nov 27, 2010

Is your tank covered?
Try bumping the temp to 80+F, covered and feed exclusively frozen brine shrimp and or bloodworms. Of course, don't feed too much at once.

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Noahma

Discussion Starter · #8 · Nov 27, 2010

mistergreen said:
Is your tank covered?
Try bumping the temp to 80+F, covered and feed exclusively frozen brine shrimp and or bloodworms. Of course, don't feed too much at once.

The tank is uncovered due to the floating plants I have, I did however bump the temp to 79* (I have other species in there I do not want to forget about) I am going to petsmart for an unrelated cat problem this afternoon and will pick up some frozen foods, I have been wanting to do this anyway. I am also going to pick up some peas to try to feed her this afternoon too, if she will take it.

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Franco

· #9 · Nov 27, 2010

She is probably old. Most bettas are at least a year old when they get to the store unless they are bred locally. The SE Asian betta breeders just don't feed them very much, so they don't grow, thats why you can buy a 2 year old betta that is half the size of a 6 month old betta.
I have had my own bettas live 5 or 6 years but my oldest store bought one was maybe 3 years.

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LilGreenPuffer

· #10 · Nov 27, 2010

She might just be a little freaked out from hurting her head earlier. I'd say give her a little time and report back. Try turning out the lights, or at least decreasing the photoperiod, to soothe her.

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Noahma

Discussion Starter · #11 · Nov 27, 2010

She is still sitting on the plants. Not moving too much, I did get some frozen foods with brine, and some vegetable matter, although I am going to give her some pea tonight during feeding and see if I can get anything that my be plugged up in her to loosen. We will see what she does.

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LilGreenPuffer

· #12 · Nov 28, 2010

I wouldn't treat for constipation if she isn't obviously constipated. She's not bloated or having swim bladder trouble, so she doesn't need it. Extra veggies aren't good for bettas' digestive systems.

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Noahma

Discussion Starter · #13 · Nov 28, 2010

LilGreenPuffer said:
I wouldn't treat for constipation if she isn't obviously constipated. She's not bloated or having swim bladder trouble, so she doesn't need it. Extra veggies aren't good for bettas' digestive systems.

actually, she is quite fat. and she was having problems keeping buoyant (last sentence from my original post. )

She is doing better tonight, she came to the front for feeding time, and stayed for a bit watching me move around the tank. She is now resting in some plants, but will come to the front if I go to the tank. I did give her a tiny bit of pea, she took some in, but obviously did not like it lol. she quickly moved to the bottom of the tank, spit it out and sat there staring at me until she saw the usual blue lik bottle come out, then came to the top again. I did a frozen cube of brine shrimp with spirilina mixed in (throughly thawed.) she took a bit of the spirlina, and a couple of the brine in (the rest went into my 36 gal where my rainbows went absolutely NUTS over them) ohh, and the white streaks are gone, I think she might have been in shock from getting stuck somewhere in the tank.

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