liistless betta...

peace_frog21

So, I moved one of my bettas into a new tank a week or so ago because he wasn't doing too well with the African Dwarf frogs he was with. Anyway, the water is clean and stays clean, the parameters are fine, the temp is near 78 all the time, he isn't bloated, he eats immediately when feed, but the rest of the time he just kind of lays on top of a plant until i turn his light on or tap on the glass, then he swims around for a bit and goes back to just laying around. Any ideas on what it could be since everything else is fine? My other three bettas are fine. He was more alive in his small 1/2 gal holding tank than in the 2.5 heated one he's in now! It's beginning to worry me.

Thanks.

Ashley

Cody

Hmm. How long have you had him? How long has he been in this new tank? It sounds like he may have a bit of shock in this new tank, or he just wants to rest.

Are you running a filter? If so, what is it?

Can you describe what you have in your tank, decoration-wise?

peace_frog21

i'd say i've had him 6 weeks, maybe longer....he's been in this tank for a week or so....maybe closer to two weeks....(the days run together for me anymore)

there's gravel, a silk plant, and i recently added a castle hidey hole decoration. there's not a filter. The tank came with a 2.5 gallon Whisper filter, which I actually use in my 10 gal tank and the betta in the 10 gal still runs from the 2.5 gal filter even on low, so I hadn't tried the filter in the actual 2.5 gal tanks, my other bettas are doing fine without it.

Should I maybe try out the filter in it for a few days?

Ashley

Cody

Possibly. What are your exact water parameters?

Flashygrrl

Did the tank get a chance to cycle first?

okiemavis

Are you using test strips or liquid tests? You could have some water quality issues and be getting a false reading if you're using test strips.

peace_frog21

Sorry it took a bit to get back...

The parameters are

pH -- 7.0

Ammonia -- 0

Nitrate -- 0

Nitrite -- 0

And liquid test kits.

I wasn't doing a fishless cylce, I had to get him out of a tank with the African Dwarf Frogs so I was cycling with fish like we did our other 3 aquariums and they've been fine.

The water also has a funny smell to it and a murky film on the top.

peace_frog21

So....

I got pretty worried a couple of days ago about the condition of the water, I had done 25-50% water changes a couple days in a row and it was still murky and had this horrible stench to it. So I took Escher out of the tank and put him in a holding tank. I had continued to do water tests and the parameters had been fine and didn't know what else to do so I today stared the tank over completely. Thoroughly rinsing everything in hot hot hot water until it didn't smell anymore. I didn't really know what else to do. I'd tried treating it with a couple of things and the water cleared up some but it still was murky on top and smelled horrible. So now I'm waiting. I've treated the water with API Stress Coat and Stress Zyme and added a couple pellets and I'm going to wait a few days to reintroduce Escher. He's doing a lot better in his holding tank than he was in the other tank. I hope it works out this time.

Flashygrrl

Odd, except for there being no ammonia at all it sounds like your tank would been cycling and that being what was bugging him. Let your tap water sit out for a could days and see what happens...it could be something in there.