Fish Question : Betta Splendens
 

Anyone have fish out there? I have two beautiful siamese fighting fish (betta splendens). Their tanks seem in good order, but one of them has become a little lethargic in the last couple of days. He's usually racing around like crazy.

He's recently made a bubble nest so I figured maybe he was a bit crazy because he was wanting to mate. Anyhow, that's finished but he's taken to sleeping more on the bottom of his tank. He gets moving though and is happy to eat, and keeps popping up and around the top for his air etc., just seems a little lethargic to me. Anyone have one or more of these fish and find it's a "normal" behaviour?

I checked a few places online already and got differing opinions.

I know nothing about fish but you made me go look...*grin

They are beautiful!
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I'll try to take a photo of them. Might have to take them outside though.

They're really pretty. Daughter gave them to me recently. One is purple colour and other is a teal. He's the one acting up. (the teal)


EDITED later: I took out the two other photos and took two more and I hope they come out better.


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Lara, I'm partial to the purple colored one. They are lovely...how is he acting today?

We haven't had any fish since the kids were little and then it seemed we were either constantly after them to clean the aquarium or we were having to flush them. And they were the boring gold ones although once, Michael had a black angel fish with a pretty tail. *grin

We have had Bet's many times. Never put 2 in the same bowl. So I don't know if that makes a difference.

Some haven't lasted long. Even with giving them Ick medicine.

I do know you can get sold an old one, and it won't live long.

Having interent problems...so bb latter.

And I don't know a thing about betas. LOL it bothers me that they have to live alone. :o Let us know what you find out! :hug:

The pretty ones are the male. The females are just plain. Pale, no long fins.

Lara, you have 2 males.

I had one live for almost 3 years. His name was Princess Jasmine. :D My BF at the time had Beta's for his sons. Their fish were all named after the guys in Alladin.

We got one for Lil'Monkey. She was just a tot. Jasmine was a transvestite in a red dress.:wink: He sure was a pretty fish. :D

Ours never liked change. They liked to stay in the same spot. I'm not sure, but it might have to do with the water temp.

I hope he perks up. :hug:

Hey, thanks for replies. :D

He's looking chirpier today. Maybe he was just resting. :rolleyes:

They're in a split tank, side by side. They mirror each other's movements.

I'm also thinking it's a water temperature problem although I see the blue/teal one is making more bubbles so maybe he's just annoyed that he couldn't mate (or something). No chance of that with a male in the other side of the tank and no females in sight.

I changed 1/3 of the water yesterday and cleaned the pebbles and so I'll just wait and see.

If they didn't live alone they'd kill each other I think, Doody. LOL :eek:

Bettas
 

Lara..I kept Bettas for quite a while. I know of a good web site called Fish Lore.com Bettas like to have their water at 78-80 deg. There are many details that if followed will extend a Bettas life span. Check out the Betta section on that site..tons of info!

Whoo Hoo! You have brought me back memories!
 

Of when I was a mere child/teen who raised, and got babies from the betas and mollies and tetras...we were a three/four tank family?
Go out to a specialty store and find each of these guys a Girl or two! Then get all the trappings, the nest thing-where the babies once out are dropped down to a safe place to live [these guys can be carnivorous?- think it's called a trap?] and plan on another tank for the babies to grow up in.... They can be sooo neat! Watching little ones who are pale and non-descript grow and become beautiful is a pleasure.
They are beautiful graceful creatures in their own way, appreciate them for just what they are! - j

Thankyou, just drea. Yes, they're probably a little warm really. Hard to do much about it in my climate. It's been a few hot weeks. I might move them to an area that has less actual light (I don't mean sun, just light). Air temp is around 30C which would be about 86F.

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out indeed.

dahlek,
As tempting as it is, for the moment I'm over watching them raising babies right now. LOL Thanks for the idea though! I would have done that when my children were young. My daughter particularly loved all the fish we kept.

They sure are beautiful and I've always loved having fish. There's that constant fluid movement going on which I find very relaxing.

well, off to check out the new fish site and I'll see if there's anything different on that one. I just think it's too hot but they're from a tropical climate, so would have thought they'd be ok. I'll move them to a cooler spot if I can find one for a while. I just don't like changing too many things at once.

thanks everyone.

I love how we have members who know Betas!

They are so beautiful!

Hee. I know they have to live alone but it still makes me feel lonely looking at them. :D

They're not lonely, Doody.

They have me! :)

just drea, that was an excellent site, thankyou very much. It gave me all sorts of general information and there were a number of people with fish doing the same thing as mine.

I'm pleased to say that my fish is pretty much back to his usual behaviour now. One thing I did was to put a book up against the glass on the side where the light was brighter. Someone on that site suggested the fish may be stressed from seeing his own reflection. Well, no idea if that's what's helped but he seems fine and is eating and also swimming around the whole tank more and not hiding down in the pebbles.

I saw the most beautiful bright red betta. Glorious colour.
hmmnnn, maybe I need to get more... lol :eek: