New fish behavior....

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Sep 27, 2004
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Hi,

Yesterday I brought home my new Beta. I acclimated him for about 5 hours, and put him in the tank. I already had 4 Cardinal Tetras in the the tank. At first they seemed to be getting along fine, so I went to bed. When I woke up this morning everyone is kind of hovering in seperate corners. A couple of the Tetras were together at the bottom, the other two were in opposite top corners, and the Beta was hangin around the bottom. I did notice at one point when the Beta went up for air that it kind of charged one of the Tetras (I think it was in his way). Is this behavior normal? Are my fish getting over stressed?

Tank specs:
10g tall
Temp - 75
PH - 7.5
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 20-40ppm
Ammonia - 0

My tank is moderately planted, and I think there are enough hiding spots. Are the fish just getting used to their new tank mate or is there something to worry about here?
 
It could be they were still "sleeping", the temp in the tank is a bit low for both species though. Raise the temp up to around 78-80. Your Nitrates a tad on the high side so I'd suggest doing a 30-40% water change which should be done there after on a weekly basis. The betta (pronounced bet-ah, sorry just a pet peve of mine that fish stores seem to fluently mispronounce the name of this fish) will naturally go to the surface for air because thats how they get oxygen to survive, as far as the cardinal being charged by the betta, it was most likely just in the same place the betta decided to go up for air.
 
I thought the temp was a tad on the low side, so I turned the heater up last night. By the time I get home today the temp should be up around 78. I do a 25% water change once a week. I haven't tested yet, but I think there may be nitrates in my tap water.

Hopefully when I get home today, all will be well.
 
they are probably just getting used to the new tankmate, they should be bahaving normally in a few days. when i introduce a newb it always takes a bout four days to a week for them to get comfortable again. (except my cories- they dont seem to mind who comes or goes)
 
Ok, just making sure as this is my first tank and my second round of fish. I originally added 6 Cardinal Tetras. After the first two days two had died, but the other four are doing very well. Took about 4 or 5 days for them to get settled. I guess putting the Beta in last night shook things up a bit.
 
they could very well be reacting from your nitrites. do some water changes, and keep an eye on them. The beta could be stressing them as well, they do that sometimes. I tried a beta in a 10g with tetras once, removed him in a matter of minutes because all he did was flare up and chase his tankmates around.

what did you do for a cycle?
 
Sorry, I dont mean to go against your suggestions Lauren, but the nitrites are fine it his nitrates that are high and they really dont generally cause much of a problem unles they are really high 40-50 or higher is when I generally find them to become a problem. Any ways Bettas are quite territorial and will chase any fish around and be grumpy for the first few days that just the way it is, they will calm down in a few days once they have established their place in the tank and then they should be totally fine together.
 
labont865 said:
Sorry, I dont mean to go against your suggestions Lauren, but the nitrites are fine it his nitrates that are high and they really dont generally cause much of a problem unles they are really high 40-50 or higher is when I generally find them to become a problem. Any ways Bettas are quite territorial and will chase any fish around and be grumpy for the first few days that just the way it is, they will calm down in a few days once they have established their place in the tank and then they should be totally fine together.
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we are out of coffee, I read wrong. my bad. :p
 
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