Betta color fading

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Rava

Betta Babe
Dec 26, 2002
223
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CA
Help with betta fish-loses color?

I bought a male betta fish Dec. 18th, and he seemed to be doing pretty good. However, several times a day he loses his color, and goes from red to almost white, or just very pale. Other than this he seems fine! Is there something wrong? Maybe his diet or the water or something? Any help is appreciated! Thank you!

-Kalena :confused:
 

Rava

Betta Babe
Dec 26, 2002
223
0
16
CA
Ahh! That would make sense! He's in a bowl actually, no tankmates. When I bought him he was flaring at the other bettas around him, so I wonder if that could be the case... Thank you very much for your reply! Anyone else have any other reason for this? I want to be sure he's not ill or anything! Thanks! :)
 

pinballqueen

Roleplayer
Aug 4, 2002
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Sevierville, TN
www.hostultra.com
Welcome to AC, by the way...

It might also be that you are wearing a color that sets him off... if he's in a round bowl, everything around him would be distorted, and anything that is "betta-colored" might give him the impression that there's another male around; a red napkin near the bowl, a shiny piece of jewelry.... of course, he might just be getting mad about something or "practicing" his mating/aggression display or something like that....

I used to have a gourami that did the same thing. Sometimes you'd look in the tank and he'd be washed-out blue-gray, and the next time you'd look he'd be in full display with black and blue iridescent spots....with no apparent provocation to cause it.

BTW, what size bowl are we talking? I'm not a big fan of keeping any fish in a confined space, including bettas. Their lifespan seems to be shorter if they are in a gallon or less. Just my opinion, there are others out there...
 

bettaman

AC Members
Nov 27, 2002
101
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NY
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Everyone has brought up good points. I noticed that my betta will change color as well throughout the day. However most of the time he is a very deep blue/purplish color. He looks better than he did at the LFS. None of his fins are ragged anymore, when he flares they are full. I attribute alot of this to his diet of Betta BioGold and bloodworms. I suggest you try these out, hope it helps.
 

goldfries

AC Members
Oct 11, 2001
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Malaysia
www.briancyc.com
bettas have no requirement of tank mates. they'll do just fine alone, being solitary fish.

it's ok to put tank mates too, as long as
1. the betta doesn't see it as a threat.
2. the tankmate doesn't see the betta as a threat.

as for the colors, it's like an oscar. they lose color when they're stressed or bored. try putting a mirror in front and give him a better tank and he'll be fine.

you should put ur betta in a 1 gal tank at least, mine's about 14x6x7 (tank size) with filter, gravel and plants. try doing it to your betta and you'll be rewarded with cute betta behaviour. they'll swim around and about everywhere, busy exploring and all other stuff.
 

wetmanNY

AC Members
Quite a small container is just fine for a Paradisefish, or a betta, but my feeling is that it should be dense with plants. The plants are the filter, keeping ammonia at zero. Having no filter keeps the water still (I drag a paper towel across the top once a week or so).

The salad bowl at my elbow has a Paradisefish in it, with many nooks and crannies among baby plants tossed in there to get growing and a layer of gravel and crushed coral that hardly covers the bottom, to keep up a buffer in my soft water.

He defends his territory by jumping and splashing as well as flaring. Of course he's keeping up appearances for the female next door...
 

Rava

Betta Babe
Dec 26, 2002
223
0
16
CA
Thank you everyone! I'll take all that you said into consideration. :) Thanks for your time and help, I really appreciate it! :)
 
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