jittery betta

[EditingPro]

So, my beloved Betta passed on :sad: a few weeks ago after nearly two years with me. I worked nights, and when I arrived home in the wee hours of the a.m., he would come to the side of tank and watch me unload my lunch box. Then he'd go to the other side of his tank and watch me as I washed out my cup, bowl, etc. at the sink. If he could only talk! He knew all about my co-workers because there is no one else to vent to at 4 a.m.! He was always watching me, and when I opened the top of his tank to feed him, he came up to the top. However, my son and husband bought me a new Betta to replace him. It's been about a month, and this guy (R.J.) is still very jittery. I turn on a light when I get home at night, and he zooms around his 2.5 gallon tank like he's running from an attacker (there are two small fake plants in there and an archway that my other fish would do laps around.) I sit near him, he zooms around the tank, making jerking motions and hiding behind the archway. I feed him, he waits till I'm out of sight to eat and then zooms back into hiding. Is there any hope of making him feel more at home or is he just hyper?

[kill_a_watt]

ive never keeped betta before but i think he just needs to adjust more and get use to the place more dont worry he wont do that forever and im very sorry for your betta :(

[Hannys_Papa]

Sorry to hear about your loss.
Bettas "personalities" seem to vary greatly from fish to fish so you might just have one thats on the shy and cautious side. Maybe he'll get better - but if its been a month that might just be the way he is.

[kyle3]

my guess is he'll loosen up- you feed him he'll grow to love you- he might always be like that for other people tho

[mduros]

Hi,
I'm sorry for your loss. I wrote this on another thread, but I had a betta who I think said good bye to me before he died. He jumped out of the water brushing against my finger then nestled himself into floating plants and I stroked him a little. He was dead an hour later. One poster commented that I probably made his death quick from the shock of me petting him. Could be... :( But my fish are so used to my voice, and being hand fed, and the betta always has to help me with the water changes by brushing against my hand when I syphon the water... :)

When it was time for me to get another betta after Shadow's passing, he was very shy and skittish, too. But Ghost is very human interactive now. Over the past few months I have talked to him always using his name, when I feed them I always call his name and don't put food in until he's right there, and I gently tap on the aquarium and say his name and he comes over to me. He is now every bit as responsive and friendly as Shadow was. Though he hasn't blown me bubble nests yet like Shadow did. ;)

The same with yours, he will always have his own unique personality and quirks, but I think he'll come out of his shell in time.
Take care,
Mary.

[Roan Art]

Hi,
I'm sorry for your loss. I wrote this on another thread, but I had a betta who I think said good bye to me before he died. He jumped out of the water brushing against my finger then nestled himself into floating plants and I stroked him a little. He was dead an hour later. One poster commented that I probably made his death quick from the shock of me petting him. Could be... :( But my fish are so used to my voice, and being hand fed, and the betta always has to help me with the water changes by brushing against my hand when I syphon the water... :) Mary,

I read that and seriously, ignore that person. It's irrelevant to your friend's death and IMO was an unnecessary, and to some degree, a cruel thing to say.

It was time and it doesn't matter what made him pass at that point. You were with him and that's all that matters.

I'm sorry for your loss. I lost my Jakers a month ago and I miss him a lot, too. Bettas have such a great personality that you can't help but feel they are more friends than fish.

Hugs,
Roan

[Ms.Bubbles]

EditingPro: so sorry about your betta. I'm sure with time your new one will come to trust you--perhaps his last home was distressing in some way and he just needs a safe place until he feels secure with you. As long as the water current isn't too high and he's got a few hiding places, I'm sure he'll come around...even my own crazy hyper betta has his cuddly mellow moments now.

Before I got my betta I never thought I'd have feelings for a fish! But there's something about these little guys/gals...they're kind of like kids you know? Each one seems to have a unique personality--and even if yours doesn't chill out you'll probably come to love his quirky ways.

RoanArt: also sorry about Jakers...I've heard so much about him I almost feel like I knew him.

[Hannys_Papa]

...I lost my Jakers a month ago and I miss him a lot, too....

Wow i didnt know that happened - of course i dont know if you mentioned it somewhere and i didnt read that particular post. What happened ? Was it the ick ?
I dont mean to take away from this thread - just asking because as you saw by Mrs. Bubbles post he was known on this board.

[Roan Art]

Jakers passed on January 22. I didn't say anything because I feel like I failed him.

He just never really recovered, y'know? Oh, the ich was gone, his color was back and his fins were regrowing, he was eating fine, but he was never the same again. He lost his betta sparkle that all bettas have. He stopped hunting for things in the gravel, bugging the oto, staring at me while I sat at my desk. All he did was hover in the riccia.

I tested the water. Nothing. I changed and changed the water to the point where I was doing it daily, but it didn't matter. He just wasn't interested in anything.

Eventually he got paler and paler and wouldn't eat as much. I tried Mela, Pima, parasite meds, salt, you name it. Nothing changed him.

He seemed to just lose interest in living.

Sigh. He's gone now and I won't be getting another betta. I can't replace that guy and I don't want to.

Roan

[kyle3]

i'm so sorry Roan! I know how much you must miss him! i hope the office isn't too lonely these days. http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/traurig/g045.gif

[Roan Art]

i'm so sorry Roan! I know how much you must miss him! i hope the office isn't too lonely these days. http://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/traurig/g045.gif
Thanks. My office is my house, so that sorta makes it worse since I'm always here. I've ghost shrimp feeders in his tank now and totally redid it. They're not as cool to watch, but they'll do for now.

Roan

[graphicdesign_r]

Probably a good question for Roan or MQP...

I'm unfamiliar with owning a Betta, but is it possible that there were pheromones or similar signs or traces of the deceased Betta in the tank that are making your new fish ill at ease?

[Hannys_Papa]

Jakers passed on January 22. I didn't say anything because I feel like I failed him.....Sigh. He's gone now and I won't be getting another betta. I can't replace that guy and I don't want to.

Roan

I would like to say i am sorry to hear what happened and apologize incase my question about what happened was being too nosy or inquisitive (sp?).
You might remember when my betta has this very odd case of holes appearing in his fins and his whole appearance was deteriorating - something i still havent found a reason or explanation for - and i believe he came very close to not makeing it.

2 years ago i would've never believed if someone had told me i could get attached to a fish.

Again - i am sorry. :sad:

[Roan Art]

Probably a good question for Roan or MQP...

I'm unfamiliar with owning a Betta, but is it possible that there were pheromones or similar signs or traces of the deceased Betta in the tank that are making your new fish ill at ease?
That's a good question and to be honest, I don't know of any studies that would support that theory.

My personaly belief is that yes, it is possible that a dying betta -- or any fish -- will leave pheromones behind that may make new fish of the same genus uneasy. I don't see why they wouldn't.

I also believe that schooling and grouping fish that are hospitalized away from their school or family have a less chance of survival than those that are hospitalized with some friends. The stress of being alone being the primary reason. No data to support that as yet, just a theory.

Roan

[Roan Art]

I would like to say i am sorry to hear what happened and apologize incase my question about what happened was being too nosy or inquisitive (sp?).No worries.

You might remember when my betta has this very odd case of holes appearing in his fins and his whole appearance was deteriorating - something i still havent found a reason or explanation for - and i believe he came very close to not makeing it.I don't know if you remember, but I posted that Jakers had a few blown rays as well. They healed up, but then came back only much worse. He didn't have fin rot or anything like that -- his tail started turning black from the furthest edge and it slowly crept up until his entire tail was black, then it moved and started turning his body black. I treated him for internal parasites, but that didn't work.

It's possible he had TB, his spine was a little curved near the end, but with a betta it's kinda hard to tell.

Evenutally, he could barely swim. He was paralyzed through his tail and rear end. At that point I euthanized him. There was no point in continuing treatments.

THAT was a very difficult thing to do.


2 years ago i would've never believed if someone had told me i could get attached to a fish.

Again - i am sorry. :sad:S'kay. I never thought I would get attached to a fish either, but I did :(

Roan