A question about my betta's care

[folio]

I'm really hopeful that all the changes I've made will make a big difference for Prim. We've added a bunch of silk plants, a rock, and some other hiding spots, as well as a floating hidey log, so I think the tank is looking pretty great now. I actually spoke to a vet earlier and they suggested just taking Prim back for a refund or a new fish, but I'm not interested in that - I want to find a way to make my fish happy and comfortable, not just get a replacement. I've got the tank right next to my bed, so I'm keeping a close eye on things. Fingers crossed that all this will work out and Prim will start to thrive.

[coltin]

Don't stress too much about Prim not eating just yet. Fish are different from other animals, they don't need food to stay warm, they take their temperature from the water around them. This means the food they eat is mainly for growth and movement. They can go without food for weeks or even months without starving, so a few days of not eating isn't the end of the world.

You might want to try live brine shrimp, they usually get fish interested in eating. Some pet shops also sell live Daphnia, which can stimulate their appetite. If you have mozzie larvae in containers of water outside, you can rinse them under tap water and feed them to Prim.

I do think the vet might have a point, though. If Prim wasn't well before you got her, you might be facing an uphill battle.

[kingrise]

I just got a male betta a few days ago and it's been acting really weird in its 1.8-gallon tank. I set up the tank with bottled water, and it seemed fine the first night, but the next day I noticed it just sits behind the filter a lot, sometimes vertically with its face up or down. It's not stuck, it can move in and out, but if I tap on the glass, it swims around normally for a bit before going back to its weird behavior.

I've had a lot of bettas before, and this isn't normal. I got a water test done, and the only issue was high pH, so I added a pH-lowering treatment and a water conditioner 24+ hours ago, but it hasn't made a difference. When it swims, it looks normal, no distress or gasping for air, but it just lays on the gravel or stays behind the filter, and that vertical sitting thing is really weird. I even added a tiny heater yesterday in case it was just too cold, but that hasn't helped either.

I don't see anything wrong with it visually, and I'm really stumped. It hasn't shown much interest in food since I got it on Monday night. It only swims when I tap on the glass, and even then, it's just for a minute or so before it goes back to its weird behavior. I've tried feeding it different things, but it's just not interested. I've tried to give it some hiding places, but it only goes behind the filter, so I don't think it's a security thing.

I've never dealt with a listless fish like this before, and I'm really worried. I wish I could add videos, but here are some photos of its weird posturing. It can swim and sit normally, but this is just really strange. Please, if anyone has any ideas, help me out! I'd really appreciate it.

We've got a bunch of silk plants, a rock, and some hiding spots now, along with one of those floating hidey logs - really hoping this all works out. I spoke to a vet earlier and their advice was to take Prim back for a refund or a new fish, but that's not what I want - I want to find a solution for my fish and make it comfortable and happy, not get a replacement. Tank is right next to my bed so I'm keeping a close eye on things. Fingers crossed.