help, my betta is missing a scale.

[brightNight]

I just got my betta yesterday and I'm really happy about it. He's so active, eats a lot, but this morning I saw something weird. There's one scale missing near his tail, I'm not sure if it's normal or not. And there are these two live plants in my tank, he keeps swimming around one of them like he's trying to rub himself on it. Is that normal or is something wrong? I'm sending his pics, plz help, thank you. (Sorry for my english, I'm not from an english speaking country)

[SeaBidder]

I'd keep an eye on him for a day or two, see how he does. He's probably just getting used to the tank and a bit stressed. Losing a scale isn't a big deal, it happens to lots of fish. He might've rubbed it off on the plant. If he's scratching though, that could be a problem - parasites maybe. Do you see any white spots on him, like tiny grains of salt? That could be ich. If so, raising the water temp to 87F for 10 days should sort it out. Adding aquarium salt can help too, but it's not necessary. Only do that if you see the spots, and it can be just one or lots of them. For other parasites, there's medication you can get that's safe for bettas. Prazipro or API Geneflake Cure usually work. Keep us updated, good luck!

[brightNight]

deanasue, thanks for ur advice, it really made me feel better. i checked Ned again and didnt find any white spots, so thats a relief. but then i spent like 2.5 hours watching my tank and i found these tiny worms or insects in that plant i mentioned, they were super small. Ned was eating them the whole time, i think thats why he was swimming around it so much. i removed the plant just in case, i dont know if its safe for him or not. can u pls tell me if this will affect him later on? thnx

[brightNight]

Ned doesnt eat pellets at all.i tried 3 diff types of pellets but tht doesnt work.sun dried baby shrimps r the only thing tht he eats.is it ok to give him shrimps daily.i m worried if its healthy for him or not.

[SeaBidder]

I think the worms are probably detritus worms, they're harmless to your fish and actually live in most tanks, you just don't usually see them unless you're overfeeding. You might want to try feeding Ned some frozen blood worms, he'll probably love 'em. Sun dried shrimp are okay, but make sure to soak 'em first, and I wouldn't make 'em his main staple. There are some great gel foods you can mix up quickly and easily, Repashy's one you might want to check out. I was a bit hesitant to try 'em at first, but they're actually really easy to work with.

[brightNight]

Ned loves blood worms more than shrimps.now i was wondering is it ok to leave him without food for two days.i heard betta can go 14 days without food.but my ned is still new to the tank so i dont know if its safe for him to be left alone for two days.

[SeaBidder]

You should feed him well for a few days before you go, and do a water change before you leave, that way he'll be all set.