Who Gives A Fish Forums

My male betta's been looking pretty rough lately in his two-gallon filtered tank. His fins are all stringy and shrunken, and the colors aren't as vibrant as they used to be. He's been pretty sluggish too, not really swimming around like he used to. When I feed him, he takes his time coming over. I've attached a picture - should I be worried about this? Is there something I can do to help him out?

No photo, huh.

Hey, to help with your betta's issue, I've got a few questions.

Is the tank cycled, and if so, how did you cycle it?
Does it have a filter - you mentioned it's filtered, but just to confirm.
Is there a heater in the tank, and what's the temperature set to?
How often do you change the water, and how much do you change each time?
What water conditioner are you using?
Apart from the betta, what's in the tank - fake plants, live plants, or anything else?
Have you added anything new to the tank recently, apart from the betta?
What's his diet like - what do you feed him, and how much?
How often do you feed him?

Honestly, 2 gallons just isn't enough for a betta. I'd recommend doing at least 50% daily water changes with dechlorinated water, but given the tank's size, I'd personally do 80% until your betta's health improves. Also, make sure the temp of the replacement water matches the tank's temp.

If you're serious about your betta's health, you'll need to consider upgrading to a larger tank. Continuing to keep him in such a small space will only lead to further health issues.

Hi,

To better understand the situation with your betta, could you please provide some more information?

- Is the tank cycled, and if so, what method did you use?
- Does it have a filter, and is it functioning properly?
- Is there a heater in the tank, and what temperature is it set to?
- How often do you change the water, and how much do you replace each time?
- What type of water conditioner are you using?
- Are there any decorations or plants in the tank, and are they live or artificial?
- Have you added any new items to the tank recently, apart from the betta?
- What's your feeding schedule like - what do you feed your betta, and how often?

Hi, I'll do my best to answer your questions.

The tank is filtered, but it doesn't have a heater at the moment. I'm actually worried about adding one because I don't want the water to overheat or my betta to get burned. Do you have any suggestions for a good heater for a small tank like mine?

I change about half of the water once a week. I've been using AQUEON Betta Bowl Plus as my water conditioner.

As for decorations, I have a marimo moss ball, a live leafy plant from Petsmart, and some rocks in the tank. Nothing new has been added recently, and I've had my betta for about two months now.

For food, I've been giving him AQUEON Betta Food pellets - 3 pellets, twice a day. I'm still learning, so any advice or help is really appreciated.

I have a betta in a bigger setup and she's thriving. I think you should consider upgrading to a larger tank, at least 5 gallons - bettas need space to swim around. I've had mine for a few months now and she's doing great. One thing I've learned is that they do need a heater, as they're tropical fish and prefer warmer temps, around 75 degrees, unless your house is consistently warm. I'd recommend trying to feed your betta some live or frozen foods like brine shrimp or bloodworms, see if that makes a difference.