Who Gives A Fish Forums

I've noticed my betta seems stressed lately, hiding more and not eating as much. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Tank is 5 gallons, heated to 78, sponge filter. Any ideas what's up?

Could be the lighting. Bettas can get weird vibes from bright lights. Try dimming it or adding floating plants. Also, how often do you do water changes? Even with good params, fresh water can help.

Check for reflections. My betta used to flare at his own reflection all day, got super stressed. I covered the back and sides with dark paper, fixed it fast.

Yep, reflections are sketchy. Also, any tankmates? Even snails can stress some bettas. Mine hated his nerite, had to move it out.

Mine did the same thing last month. Turned out the filter flow was too strong. I baffled it with a sponge, and he chilled out in a couple days.

florah wrote: ↑Wed Aug 13, 2025 8:48 am Check for reflections. My betta used to flare at his own reflection all day, got super stressed. I covered the back and sides with dark paper, fixed it fast.

This. Also, bettas are drama queens. Sometimes they just need time to adjust. Mine sulked for a week after I moved his tank.

How's the decor? Sharp edges can stress them out. Sand down any rough spots or swap for silk plants. And yeah, flow matters. They hate swimming against currents.

Stress can mess with their immune system. If it keeps up, try Indian almond leaves. They're like a natural chill pill for bettas. Just don't overdo it, water will tint.

jaxon9 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 13, 2025 7:01 am Could be the lighting. Bettas can get weird vibes from bright lights. Try dimming it or adding floating plants. Also, how often do you do water changes? Even with good params, fresh water can help.

Totally agree. My guy perked up after I added frogbit. Plus, weekly 20% changes keep him happy.

Any recent changes? Even moving decor can freak them out. Bettas are creatures of habit. If you did something new, give it time. They usually bounce back.