help, my betta has been inactive for 2 days

[dervin]

I got this betta from my usual shop yesterday. He was active and seemed healthy in the shop - responded to my finger in the water and all. But after bringing him home and putting him in my 70L tank, well planted with lots of hiding spots, he just stayed in the top corner behind the filter at the back of the tank. I reduced the filter force to the minimum, even tried turning it off, but he didn't budge. He'd occasionally come to the front of the tank, but stay at the top and not move - really lethargic.

He was very inactive, staying at the top, and didn't eat any pellets or peas. My tank's well cycled, with a pair of calm female rainbowfish and a friendly shubunkin goldfish - the ammonia and nitrates are under control, and the temp's around 24c. I even isolated the rainbowfish and koi to another tank to rule out any bullying.

He was all alone in the 70L tank, well planted, with no other fish to scare him. So, is this normal?

UPDATE:: He sadly passed away yesterday.

[daisymay]

When you mention ammonia and nitrates are under control, I'm curious to know the actual readings you're seeing. What about your nitrite levels, are those in check as well? I've also been thinking that 24 degrees might be a bit on the cooler side for a betta - I've read they tend to thrive in warmer temperatures, around 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit.

[dervin]

When you mention ammonia and nitrates are under control, I'm curious to know the actual readings you're seeing. What about your nitrite levels, are those in check as well? I've also been thinking that 24 degrees might be a bit on the cooler side for a betta - I've read they tend to thrive in warmer temperatures, around 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hi there...i live in a tropical country, so no heater needed here...current room temperature is around 26c, so i'm assuming the water's temp to be slightly lower...

76 Fahrenheit is indeed around 24c, so i guess my tank's temp is fine for now...

To answer your question, my water parameters are as follows: nitrites 0ppm, ammonia 0 ppm, nitrate 20ppm, pH 7.2, and TDS 110...

My tank's got some java ferns, amazon sword, and a money plant, and one more plant that i just can't seem to remember the name of...

[daisymay]

I got this betta from my usual shop yesterday. He was active and seemed healthy in the shop - responded to my finger in the water and all. But after bringing him home and putting him in my 70L tank, well planted with lots of hiding spots, he just stayed in the top corner behind the filter at the back of the tank. I reduced the filter force to the minimum, even tried turning it off, but he didn't budge. He'd occasionally come to the front of the tank, but stay at the top and not move - really lethargic.

He was very inactive, staying at the top, and didn't eat any pellets or peas. My tank's well cycled, with a pair of calm female rainbowfish and a friendly shubunkin goldfish - the ammonia and nitrates are under control, and the temp's around 24c. I even isolated the rainbowfish and koi to another tank to rule out any bullying.

He was all alone in the 70L tank, well planted, with no other fish to scare him. So, is this normal?

UPDATE:: He sadly passed away yesterday.

I've done a quick search online and it seems that the ideal temperature for betta fish is up to 26.5 degrees Celsius. I'm still learning, but it made me think about the difference between room and water temperature - I'm not entirely sure how that works out in practice.

I also wanted to mention that, in my opinion, betta fish are usually best kept alone. This is a topic that often sparks debate, and I'm not experienced enough to offer any concrete advice on the mix of fish you have. However, I do know that goldfish typically prefer cold water, which made me wonder about the combination of fish in your tank - no offense intended.

Hopefully, someone with more experience will chime in soon and offer some helpful advice.

[dervin]

When you mention ammonia and nitrates are under control, I'm curious to know the actual readings you're seeing. What about your nitrite levels, are those in check as well? I've also been thinking that 24 degrees might be a bit on the cooler side for a betta - I've read they tend to thrive in warmer temperatures, around 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Thanks for the info.

The shop owner, who's apparently a vet, told me that bettas can live with shubunkins and rainbows, so I thought it'd be fine. I tried calling him to ask about my betta's behavior, but couldn't reach him.

My betta wasn't aggressive, and neither were the other fish. My shubunkin actually tried to approach the betta, but he just ignored him - no aggression or nipping. The shubunkin's a friendly fish, doesn't nip, but he did get nipped by danios in the past (I don't have danios now). Maybe he was trying to be friends or something, coz whenever I introduce a new fish, the shubunkin goes and stays with them for a while, observing them.

[happyone]

Hi there, welcome to the forum. I'd like to offer some thoughts on your situation.

Do you actually have a thermometer to check the tank temperature? I'm just thinking, since you don't have a heater, the tank temperature should be pretty close to the room temperature after it's been set up for a while.

[burglar_4]

I've had bettas before, and to be honest, they seem to do better on their own. I think the transition might have been a bit too much for him, and he's just taking some time to adjust. Give it a couple of days, and he might perk up. In the meantime, regular water changes and a good cleaning of the substrate and filters wouldn't hurt. Have you tried different foods? Some bettas can be pretty picky, and a higher quality or even live food might make a difference.

[happyone]

I got this betta from my usual shop yesterday. He was active and seemed healthy in the shop - responded to my finger in the water and all. But after bringing him home and putting him in my 70L tank, well planted with lots of hiding spots, he just stayed in the top corner behind the filter at the back of the tank. I reduced the filter force to the minimum, even tried turning it off, but he didn't budge. He'd occasionally come to the front of the tank, but stay at the top and not move - really lethargic.

He was very inactive, staying at the top, and didn't eat any pellets or peas. My tank's well cycled, with a pair of calm female rainbowfish and a friendly shubunkin goldfish - the ammonia and nitrates are under control, and the temp's around 24c. I even isolated the rainbowfish and koi to another tank to rule out any bullying.

He was all alone in the 70L tank, well planted, with no other fish to scare him. So, is this normal?

UPDATE:: He sadly passed away yesterday.

It's worth considering that our fish can behave differently when the lights are out and we're not watching, you know. I mean, after lights-out, there's just no way to know for sure what's going on in that tank.

[happyone]

I think bettas are best off in their own tank, it's just what they seem to thrive in from what I've learned so far.

[dawnstar]

I got this betta from my usual shop yesterday. He was active and seemed healthy in the shop - responded to my finger in the water and all. But after bringing him home and putting him in my 70L tank, well planted with lots of hiding spots, he just stayed in the top corner behind the filter at the back of the tank. I reduced the filter force to the minimum, even tried turning it off, but he didn't budge. He'd occasionally come to the front of the tank, but stay at the top and not move - really lethargic.

He was very inactive, staying at the top, and didn't eat any pellets or peas. My tank's well cycled, with a pair of calm female rainbowfish and a friendly shubunkin goldfish - the ammonia and nitrates are under control, and the temp's around 24c. I even isolated the rainbowfish and koi to another tank to rule out any bullying.

He was all alone in the 70L tank, well planted, with no other fish to scare him. So, is this normal?

UPDATE:: He sadly passed away yesterday.

I think your tank temperature is a bit too low, I've always kept my betta tanks at around 27c. I've read that if the temperature drops too low, your betta can even slip into a coma, which is really serious. In that state, their body functions slow down so much that they're not getting enough oxygen to their brain, so they can't function properly. It's crucial to not mistake this for death, as you'd need to act really fast to save them.