Who Gives A Fish Forums

orchestraConductor wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 7:37 am I've had my betta for about six months now, and he's living his best life in a 5-gal tank with a black nerite snail as his only roommate. Ever since the big move from his old 10-gal tank, he's turned into the laziest betta I've ever seen. He's found this one spot that's basically his happy place – the filter intake. Anytime he's done swimming, he'll swim up to it and just...stop. It's like the tank is empty most of the time, 'cause he's just chillin' against that intake.

He can swim just fine, don't get me wrong – he'll do laps around the tank every now and then, or swim up to say hi when I walk into the room. But if he's not attached to that filter, he's probably flopped against one of the flat rocks in the tank, being his usual dramatic self. I mean, the little guy knows he's a diva.

Is this normal for a betta, though? In his old tank, he was always swimming around in the middle, but now he's just obsessed with that intake. I've got a 5-gal tank with a hidden filter in the back, and the temp's usually around 76-77°F (oops, got the numbers mixed up earlier). I feed him a few pellets a day, and all his water tests come back perfect – we use the advanced kits, so I'm pretty sure it's not a water quality issue. He's got plenty of hiding spots, which he loves, so I'm stumped. Is he just being lazy, or is there something going on that I'm missing?

duskys wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 9:25 am

orchestraConductor wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 7:37 am I've had my betta for about six months now, and he's living his best life in a 5-gal tank with a black nerite snail as his only roommate. Ever since the big move from his old 10-gal tank, he's turned into the laziest betta I've ever seen. He's found this one spot that's basically his happy place – the filter intake. Anytime he's done swimming, he'll swim up to it and just...stop. It's like the tank is empty most of the time, 'cause he's just chillin' against that intake.

He can swim just fine, don't get me wrong – he'll do laps around the tank every now and then, or swim up to say hi when I walk into the room. But if he's not attached to that filter, he's probably flopped against one of the flat rocks in the tank, being his usual dramatic self. I mean, the little guy knows he's a diva.

Is this normal for a betta, though? In his old tank, he was always swimming around in the middle, but now he's just obsessed with that intake. I've got a 5-gal tank with a hidden filter in the back, and the temp's usually around 76-77°F (oops, got the numbers mixed up earlier). I feed him a few pellets a day, and all his water tests come back perfect – we use the advanced kits, so I'm pretty sure it's not a water quality issue. He's got plenty of hiding spots, which he loves, so I'm stumped. Is he just being lazy, or is there something going on that I'm missing?

I think the ideal temperature for a betta is between 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit, so you might want to consider adjusting that. I've also found that adding plants to the tank can make a big difference - my betta loves swimming through the leaves, just be sure to choose something that won't damage his fins or tail. If your betta doesn't have any white or silvery spots or complications, he might just be lazy or still getting used to the new tank.

happyone wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 10:37 am I've been doing some research and it seems like bettas really thrive in warmer waters, like 78-80 degrees Fahrenheit.

I'm curious, did you properly cycle the tank before moving your betta in? It's a crucial step to ensure the tank is safe for him.

Also, what kind of test kit are you using? I've been using the advanced testing kits and I'd love to compare notes - what are your readings for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate?

fin_tank wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 12:29 pm I'm still thinking that the filter might be a bit too powerful for your betta. They're not exactly known for being strong swimmers, and they can get tired pretty easily. In the wild, they're used to really sluggish water with hardly any flow. So, when I hear that your betta is flopping against the rock or sticking to the intake, it sounds like he's getting exhausted from fighting the flow. Now that the tank is smaller, the flow might be too much for him. Have you thought about dropping the flow a bit to see if that makes a difference? You could even try turning the filter off for a bit, just to see how that affects his behavior. I'm willing to bet he'll start swimming around a lot more.

orchestraConductor wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 7:37 am I've had my betta for about six months now, and he's living his best life in a 5-gal tank with a black nerite snail as his only roommate. Ever since the big move from his old 10-gal tank, he's turned into the laziest betta I've ever seen. He's found this one spot that's basically his happy place – the filter intake. Anytime he's done swimming, he'll swim up to it and just...stop. It's like the tank is empty most of the time, 'cause he's just chillin' against that intake.

He can swim just fine, don't get me wrong – he'll do laps around the tank every now and then, or swim up to say hi when I walk into the room. But if he's not attached to that filter, he's probably flopped against one of the flat rocks in the tank, being his usual dramatic self. I mean, the little guy knows he's a diva.

Is this normal for a betta, though? In his old tank, he was always swimming around in the middle, but now he's just obsessed with that intake. I've got a 5-gal tank with a hidden filter in the back, and the temp's usually around 76-77°F (oops, got the numbers mixed up earlier). I feed him a few pellets a day, and all his water tests come back perfect – we use the advanced kits, so I'm pretty sure it's not a water quality issue. He's got plenty of hiding spots, which he loves, so I'm stumped. Is he just being lazy, or is there something going on that I'm missing?

flamex wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 4:24 pm

orchestraConductor wrote: ↑Sun Feb 09, 2025 7:37 am I've had my betta for about six months now, and he's living his best life in a 5-gal tank with a black nerite snail as his only roommate. Ever since the big move from his old 10-gal tank, he's turned into the laziest betta I've ever seen. He's found this one spot that's basically his happy place – the filter intake. Anytime he's done swimming, he'll swim up to it and just...stop. It's like the tank is empty most of the time, 'cause he's just chillin' against that intake.

He can swim just fine, don't get me wrong – he'll do laps around the tank every now and then, or swim up to say hi when I walk into the room. But if he's not attached to that filter, he's probably flopped against one of the flat rocks in the tank, being his usual dramatic self. I mean, the little guy knows he's a diva.

Is this normal for a betta, though? In his old tank, he was always swimming around in the middle, but now he's just obsessed with that intake. I've got a 5-gal tank with a hidden filter in the back, and the temp's usually around 76-77°F (oops, got the numbers mixed up earlier). I feed him a few pellets a day, and all his water tests come back perfect – we use the advanced kits, so I'm pretty sure it's not a water quality issue. He's got plenty of hiding spots, which he loves, so I'm stumped. Is he just being lazy, or is there something going on that I'm missing?

I've noticed that if the water flow is too strong, it can cause my betta to rest or lodge somewhere. My betta does this too, but only for a short while before going back to patrolling the tank. I think it's possible that too much water flow could be the cause, or maybe your betta is just bored or getting old. Adding some new decorations might help keep him engaged and interested in exploring his surroundings. I've found that having other fish in the tank can really bring out the best in a betta, but I'm guessing your tank might be a bit too small for that. As for the water temperature, I've always been a bit skeptical about the whole 'warm water' thing. I mean, in the wild, betta fish live in ponds that can get as low as 10c in winter and over 40c in summer, so I'm not convinced that temperature is the main issue here. Maybe it's just a factor with domesticated betta fish, I don't know.