I brought home a betta Sunday night. Today is the 3rd day it's been with me. It lives in a 5 gallon tank. the water was conditioned and temp. is at 78 constant. I haven't cycled the water as i plan to change the water regularly. Today morning when I checked on it, it seemed to be fine and perky (I have been watching it closely). But about 20 minutes later, I noticed it would go to the bottom of the tank and rest on the pebbles for a minute or 2 and then rise up again. I watched it do this for about 3 - 4 times in a span of 20 odd minutes. Is this cause for worry? Anything I can do?
is my betta ill?
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Do you have a test kit for Ammonia (NH3), Nitrite (NO2?) and Nitrate (NO3?)? Since it sounds like you'll be doing a fishy cycle, my advice is to keep an eye on both your Ammonia and NitrIte levels as they are quite harmful to fish. I don't remember the exact threshhold for those numbers, but my suggestion is to keep your Ammonia and Nitrite down below 1ppm through water changes.
Anyway for betta behaviour, it took mine a couple weeks to get totally settled. He'd hide all the time, barely eat and would only come out of hiding to zip to the surface for a gulp of air. They are surface breathers (anabantids) so he'll be making regular trips to the surface for air.
Please please keep an eye on your Nitrites and Ammonia levels. Keeping them low will make your betta a lot more comfortable while you're cycling.
Anyway for betta behaviour, it took mine a couple weeks to get totally settled. He'd hide all the time, barely eat and would only come out of hiding to zip to the surface for a gulp of air. They are surface breathers (anabantids) so he'll be making regular trips to the surface for air.
Please please keep an eye on your Nitrites and Ammonia levels. Keeping them low will make your betta a lot more comfortable while you're cycling.
your fish is fine. bettas, even though "so inbred" are still hardy little guys. my guy did what yours is doing for a week before starting to swim around. (just think about it though, it would be quite a schock to be transferred from a tiny cup to a big 5 gal) just let him get used to it and he'll be active and colorful in no time 
*edit* they can also be lazy little guys. living in their native waters they would often sit for hours and just come up for air or food *edit*
*edit* they can also be lazy little guys. living in their native waters they would often sit for hours and just come up for air or food *edit*
i bought a red betta a few weeks ago and he was in such bad shape that i didn't think he would survive.for almost a week he hardly came to the surface.a couple of weeks later he is doing just great,swimming around in his 5 g.just give yours a little time and see him become more active.good luck
if he is eating he should be ok. do check nitrate and ammonia. watch for the bubble nest at the surface, that means they are happy. he's probably just adjusting. americanbettaforms.com and austrlaianbettaforms.com are also good resources.
lisa
lisa
This may be redundant, but make sure you neutralize the chlorine. It sounds like you may have, but one time i won some goldfish, and since I had no neutralizer, they sat in chlorinated water for an afternoon. As soon as I got some and fixed the water, they perked right up.