Shy Betta

K

kanvas

AC Members
May 12, 2009
162
0
0
Portland, Oregon
I got a new crowntail betta but I don't want to keep him alone in a small tank so I put him in with my community (tetras, angels, SEA, and guppies). Then he acts really shy, hiding in bottom corners between the rocks and plants, not coming up to eat. I tried coaxing him with brineshrimp but he just ignored everything. He does flare up at his own reflection from time to time but otherwise inactive.

So after 3 days I took him out ang put him in a betta bowl and he just became happy and ate alot of his betta gold food, even right out of my hand.

I don't think the current is too strong. Water parameter is basicall close to 0 for everything. Temp is 78-79F. It's the conventional 55g so there're about 1.5 ft tall of water? is that too deep for betta?

I want him in my community, anyone has a suggestion for him to get over his shyness?
 
My only guess would be to start rearrange the tank then move evryone in to bags re introduce him then all the other fish
 
Some bettas just don't like other fish at all. They're all different. If he has his own little territory to claim to himself, he probably won't be shy at all. Maybe you should give him some more time in there?
 
fish can go longer than 3 days without eating, provided they are not juveniles. and i bet the betta is eating, you just are not seeing it. my bettas would eat what i like to call 'aquarium lint' off surfaces of filters, plants, etc. basically it is the small organisms that attach themselves to surfaces within the tank. tiny baby fish and inverts dine on this all the time.

there are some bettas out there that just prefer a small environment, albeit these bettas are few and far between. it would be safe to say that most bettas are 'happier' and more active in a larger tank, with tankmates (if possible, some bettas are just too grumpy, lol).

i'd put him back in the 55 not long after he's fed in the smaller tank/bowl you have him in. that way if he does take a few days or more to get used to everything in the larger tank, he's not doing it on a completely empty belly. give him time, he'll come around.
 
i don't know about him being shy and whatnot, but i wouldn't keep bettas with angels or guppies.
 
really, but when the guppy and angels come near him. He didn't react at all, totally uninterested.

But he seems to prefer to be alone, he just started building a bubble nest in the bowl just this afternoon
 
so how about getting him at least a 5 gallon tank with filter and heater to call his own? a 10 gallon would be even better. much healthier set up than a bowl. you can use a small sponge filter with an air pump so that there isn't a huge amount of water flow to annoy mr betta.

tip: if the flow, even from a sponge filter, is causing too much surface disruption for him to make his nests n feel good, lol, use one of those floating feeding rings that suctions to the side of the tank on a hinged arm. makes a calm spot on the surface for him to nest it up.
 
I'm trying to, just need to find a place to put it...my place is way too packed as it is right now LOL.

Now if i can have some magic to fit a 10 gallon tank in the space of the bowl on my dinner table it'll be great! :D
 
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