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About Lynda
Expertise
I can help you with cichlids, african cichlids, betta fish. I have bred most of them, including the Discus, and Angel Fish, and Rams. I have also bred many african cichlids. I have bred bettas too...well I am a fish nut! I can help you with most diseases, and have experience in setting up a tank. I can tell you tricks on keeping your water alkaline without products. I also speak and write french. I have experience with salt water fish, but would rather not get into that field. Please when writing to me, give me detailed information. The size of your tank, your water chemistry, etc. The more I know, the more I can help you. I cannot guess at what you have, so please give me information and I will do my outmost to help you with any question you ask me. Please do not ask me questions on Goldfish, mollies, platies, and guppies. Lynda

Experience
I have worked in Petshops in the fish department...was Manager in two...and alot of my experience came from my home where I had 26 aquariums from 20 gallons to 200 gallons.

Publications
I have a MSN group but it has nothing to do with fish

Education/Credentials
I have finished high school, and went to college, in accounting

Past/Present Clients
Too many to mention

You are here: Experts > Animals/Pets > Pet Fish > Fish > Unhappy Betta

Fish - Unhappy Betta

Expert: Lynda - 11/2/2009

Question
Hello,

I have a male crowntail betta. I have had my share of bettas in the past, and all seemed to be fairly happy. Little Fighter is in a 5 gallon tank with a heater and filter. He has two plastic plants, one of which has big leaves on which he could rest on. There are also two mini caves in his tank. One which he sleeps in. I have gravel as the substrate. He also has two African dwarf frogs as his tankmates, I've read that they usually get along. There are also about 10 mini snails in his tank. I feed him about 2-3 betta pellets a day. He gets a mixture of gourmet betta food, color enhancing betta food, and tetra betta food. He also gets blood worms every few days because of the frogs.

Fighter just doesn't do anything. He just lays around or hangs out at the top of the tank. The only time that I really see him swimming is when I feed him. When I first got him, I would put the mirror up against his tank so that he could have some fun and "defend" his territory. But he doesn't even care anymore. I honestly don't know what it is that is making him unhappy. I have searched for hours and nothing that I have read sounds different then what I am doing. I'm really attached to this little guy and would really like to make him happy enough to make a bubble nest. Do you have any tips?

Also, he has this blue-ish dot on his left eye, I'm not sure what it is. Is it maybe a parasite of some sort? If so would Melafix work? I also have a community tank that just got over a parasite...this stuff seems to work pretty good. Could this maybe be the cause to his misery?

Thanks soo much for your time! I would really appreciate any help at all!! All I really want is for him to get better, I want him to be one of the few bettas that actually lead a happy, healthy
life!

Cheyenne

Answer
Hi Cheyenne,
I would first check the water to make sure he has no ammonia, or nitrites. Ammonia, and nitrites are the number one killer of fish. Never use melafix for Bettas unless you use half the dosage. Melafix is much too strong for Bettas, and may kill him if used full dose. I would use coppersafe incase it is some kind of a parasite. It could be just a growth. Bettas sometimes have growths, lumps, or bumps. These growths are tumors, and nothing can be done. Bettas live a long time with growths. Sometimes it is a boil, and it will come to a head on it's own, much like the ones we have. Never squeeze it, just let it be, as squeezing it would be painful, and kill your betta.
Check your water to be sure the chemistry is right, and add coppersafe.
Feed him 2-3 times a day in small amounts. Two pellets or two flakes is enough for one meal. His tummy is the size of his eye, so it is better to feed them little meals. He should also have a cooked frozen pea with the outer layer removed, and cut into tiny pieces once a week. On the day you feed him the pea, feed him nothing else. This is so he can clean out his system, and avoid Swim Bladder Disease to which Bettas are prone.
I hope this will help.
Lynda

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