Menidia wrote:PeachFuzz wrote:How many gallons is your tank?: 10g
Number and Type of fish in tank: Betta and four guppies
How long has it been running?: about three years
Did you cycle it?: Yes
If possible what are the ammonia nitrite and nitrate levels?: ammonia 0, nitrites 0
What is the issue or question?: within the last couple days I've noticed that the betta doesn't swim around much anymore. He sits in his cave or between the plants and only swims for food or if I'm moving something in the tank or doing a water change. He looks the same, no other signs of illness.
Any other information?: I got him in March, so I don't think it's old age...
Everything seems in place.
I would ask about the temperature. I like to keep my bettas at no less than 78 degrees F (25.5 C). 80 degrees is a lot better in my experience. Colder temperatures reduces the metabolism of fish, and even 75 degrees which is perfect for guppies is actually fairly cold to some bettas. Each betta seems to have a different threshold for low temperatures, some lasting for years in unheated water and some withering after a week or so.
However the fact that he eats is good and means his metabolism should be fine. He may be stressed by the activity of guppies (male guppies can confuse bettas sometimes, females may intimidate them through activity).
Also, he may just be his temperament. A friend of mine has a healthy fish that usually rests in a raised tunnel ornament, but is always hungry and interacts well when stimulated. Some are just lazy, and for the first few months he was busy checking things out but is now maybe bored or just understimulated, perhaps? Try feeding him different things too, like frozen blood worms and live brine shrimp if you can find it.
Thank you for the response!
The tank is heated to 78 F.
I feed him frozen blood worms once every three days.
I think I may have figured out the problem! I went to take out the filter cartridge and rinse it off (as I do once a month) and I noticed the filter didn't seem to be running very well. I was worried the motor was broken (happened in my ACF tank) but then I saw that the tube was clogged with plant leaves! I cleaned it out, plugged the filter back in, and presto! Running as smoothly as ever. He seems more active now, swimming all around the tank c:
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I got another guppy x3 I told myself no more, but then I saw a poor girl at Petco who was being beaten up by the other fish and I just felt so bad! Her tail has a huge rip in it, but I'm hoping it will heal fast.
When I was getting the guppy, I told the guy which one I wanted and he tried to catch her with the net. She was zipping and darting away (good sign imo) and he got really annoyed. After about five minutes of trying to catch her he called another guy over and asked him to do it. I know the second guy pretty well as he's usually the one on fish duty when I go there and he's always super nice!
He reached the net into the tank and had the guppy caught in about two seconds! He told me the other guy was new and that's probably why he couldn't catch the fish. I like this guy because he never gets pissed off and he doesn't look at me like I'm stupid for wanting a specific guppy. ~
