SOS My Betta is not eating

[Princesa_Nap]

Please,
Can anybody give me advice? I just got a Beta from the pet shop like 2 Sundays ago to be exact. He ate the first day and everything was ok. But he has not eaten ever since that's like two weeks. He still swims around and is active. Also the tank is filled with bubbles, is that bad? He lives in a 1/2 gallon, is this enough space for him? What about the water temperature, is getting cold in NY am afraid his water temperature has change and this will affect him?

 

[infant340]

is he losing his color?

 

[twoluvcats]

yes, you should be worried about water temperature. Bettas are happiest at 76-80 with only a 2 degree variance. You need to find a way to keep his tank warmer.

A 1/2 gallon tank is pasable. But really he'd be happier in a bigger tank. I don't like to keep my bettas permanently in anything smaller than 2 gallons.

Sounds like the bubbles are from him building bubble nests...that's normal.

What are you feeding him?

 

[infant340]

try using live foods if u currently arent using it now. my bettas loved blackworms and ABS

 

[Iggy]

Try freeze dried blood worms, if he will not eat that, then he is definately sick.

You cannot heat anything smaller than a 5 gallon tank effectively. The cost difference between a 5 gallon and a 3 gallon is usually less than $10.00 - well worth the larger tank size. A small 50w heater on a 5 gallon set at 78F would keep him happy and healthy.

When bettas get cold, they are more prone to health issues. In a 1/2 gallon tank, you should change the water every 3 days.

Bubble nests are natural behaviours for males, they build nests in hopes of finding a mate to breed with. Its a generally good sign.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Actually, I bought a really picky betta quite a while ago. He refused all food for about 15 days. Then he decided he did, in fact, like bloodworms. I had tried them before, but he spit them back out. Now he eats fine.

Although a heated tank is more ideal, you shouldn't have a problem with him getting too cold. Bettas can do fine in an unheated bowl, as long as it is in a room that doesn't get insanely cold. If the room is comfortable for you, a heater isn't absolutely necessary.

 

[DarkElf_Mairead]

My betta eats Freeze Dried blood worms and a brine shrimp or two every day or so. He's a bit picky too. Since I started feeding blood worms to my dwarf frogs (which eventually died ), my betta now almost refuses to eat Betta min flakes. He keeps spitting them back out. Some fish are just like that like people.

 

[twoluvcats]

You cannot heat anything smaller than a 5 gallon tank effectively.

Yes, actually you can. Hagen makes a 25w submersible heater that will heat 1 gallon tanks and up spot on. I have one in my 2.5 gallon betta tank and my 2 gallon hospital tank. And I know 2 breeders that use them in multiple 1 gallon tanks and swear by them. Whatever I set the temp to, it stays...no overheating, no underheating. Its perfectly possible.

Bettas can do fine in an unheated bowl, as long as it is in a room that doesn't get insanely cold.

Capslock- I totally dissagree...you will find that your betta will have many more health problems and a shorter life in a tank >75 degrees. And a tank can vary up to 10 degrees off of room temperature depending on shape and size. I don't know where you live, but I don't keep my house heated to warmer than 72 degress...so if i turn a heater off the temp drops to 69 or lower in the tank. and that's just too cold. Take a visit to healthybetta.com and get some betta specific information.