Advanced Betta care tips

[foldon]

My betta's been acting sketchy lately, fins clamped and not eating much. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate. Tank's a 5-gallon with a sponge filter, heated to 78. Any ideas?

[CasCat]

My betta's been acting sketchy lately, fins clamped and not eating much. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate. Tank's a 5-gallon with a sponge filter, heated to 78. Any ideas?

Could be stress from lighting or flow. Bettas prefer dim light and calm water. Try baffling the filter output with a sponge or lowering the light duration. Also, check for tankmates bothering them.

[Pierce]

Yep, flow's a biggie. My guy was stressed till I cut the flow with a pre-filter sponge. Also, what's your water change routine? Even with good params, fresh water can perk 'em up.

[ocean_1]

Mine did the same when I had too much light. Reduced it to 6 hours and added floating plants. He's way more active now. Maybe try that?

[kaleto]

Mine did the same when I had too much light. Reduced it to 6 hours and added floating plants. He's way more active now. Maybe try that?

Floating plants are a game-changer. They diffuse light and give bettas hiding spots. Salvinia or duckweed work great.

[florap]

How often do you feed? Overfeeding can mess with their digestion, leading to lethargy. I stick to 4-5 pellets a day, skipping one day a week.

[blazefox]

Gonna echo the flow thing. My betta hated the default filter flow. Added a sponge and he's way happier now.

[hikers_22]

How often do you feed? Overfeeding can mess with their digestion, leading to lethargy. I stick to 4-5 pellets a day, skipping one day a week.

Same here. Also, variety helps. I alternate between pellets, frozen brine shrimp, and daphnia. Keeps 'em interested.

[Sitelike]

Check for sharp decor too. Fins can get nicked, leading to stress. Sand down any rough edges or swap for silk plants.

[florem]

Mine was like that till I added almond leaves. The tannins seem to chill 'em out. Plus, it gives the water a natural vibe.