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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?

foldon wrote: ↑Wed May 28, 2025 5:32 am 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.

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.

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?

ocean_1 wrote: ↑Wed May 28, 2025 8:36 am 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.

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.

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

florap wrote: ↑Wed May 28, 2025 10:59 am 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.

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

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