BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Fish Community Tank Journal

Ok all I need help deciding on whether to move my pete back to his bowl. He looks so happy in the aquarium and he gets along great with the other fish.

I have been watching him for like 30 minutes. He swims up to the top and then swims to the little ornamental cave I have in the center of the aquarium. Then will swim back to the surface and it looks like he is taking a breath of air over and over again. Could he possibly be making a bubble nest inside of the ornament? He keeps trying to make one on the surface and it keeps floating away with the current from the filter.

He still doesn't eat. I am not sure what to do about this. I have tried distracting the other fish, but Pete just swims to the bottom of aquarium everytime I feed him, so the other fish eat his food.

So I am having a dilemma about all of this.He is trying his best to make a bubble nest which is usually what I associate with happiness. Any suggestions, ideas, or help of any kind would be appreciated. I am starting to feel like the worry wart of this forum lol.

Believe me logic, you aren't the only worry wart! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

It almost sounds like you might have to compartmentalize part of the surface... a little are just for him that current can't get into. Might be tough. I can't think right now of how you might do it. Another idea.... .I've seen a lot of ideas about betta breeding traps... they're just big enough for the betta to get in, and some bettas make them permanent homes. I don't think breeding traps is the right term. Might be? Anyway... that might work for him - he could buuild his bubble nest in style. For the life of me I can't find where I saw it. But whoever had created this little betta penthouse had set up a couple of plastic boxes, with a plastic tube connecting them, so it was actually two rooms. She had java moss in one "room", where betta was making his nest, and the other "room" the betta just like to lounge in. He had full access to leave his "rooms" and explore the rest of the tank as well, but apparently he liked the penthouse a lot as well. I wish I could find a link for you. Emg might have a better idea.

Emg... your ich issue... check your pm... sending a link on ich, lifecycle, how to get rid of it. For sure. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Oh... and an update on my betta's fin rot... maracyn 2 looks like it's doing it's thing. He's not getting any worse, anyway. And he's still eating a lot (as usual!!), flaring a lot, and generally loving the 10gallon acreage <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thanks JP...got it. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

logic,
I don't know a whole lot about bettas, but I do remember reading a post a while back I think was in an adf thread. (Sorry I don't remember whose idea it was.) It pertained to adf's I think, but may work for your betta. Anyway, this person used two straws taped together to shoot food to the bottom of her tank. If you use pellets for Pete I think it could work to feed him too. Try to relax, you'll figure it out... that much I do know lol. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Another one of my Danios is dying I think. A Zebra this time. I have taken him out and isolated him. I found him laying on his side at the bottom of the aquarium. He has never really grown very big out of all the others. The others have definately grown.

Is it possible that the Betta has attacked him? He is laying on his side in the bottom of the small cup I have put him in. I thought maybe if I isolated him for a bit he might be ok. He is swimming upside down and and kinda sideways. I have tried to feed him and he won't eat.

Any ideas? Should I take my Betta out in case there is something wrong with the water again?

I got another stupid question. Why is it that everytime you add water all this nasty debris comes up? Is this something I can take care of, or is it normal? This is from my Betta's Bowl not from the aquarium. I am just curious though. I read something about getting some sort of vacuum cleaner for the gravel.

Logic, do you have a test kit ? I would test the water if you can to find out if anything is amiss. You might need to put an airstone in that cup for your danio, if he lasts long enough..he'll need some air in there as danios don't breathe air from the surface like a betta can.

I don't know that the betta is responsible Logic..I know my danios are very fast and a betta doesn't have a chance keeping up with one of those..if it's healthy that is. If your betta did get to him I would greatly imagine that he was sick to begin with. I think if there was something wrong with the water...the betta would be showing signs of it too...

What is the water temp? I do know that bettas like warmer water than danios. If you have the temp up over 80..I imagine that may affect the danio but not the betta, as they like those warmer temps.

I don't know what to tell you Logic...I guess as long as the betta seems fine, I would leave him in the larger tank, but keep a very good eye on him to watch for signs of stress or illness. Try to get the water checked out with a test kit if you can..to be sure. And it certainly wouldn't hurt to do a 25% water change too.

Ok I have lost my dying fish. I put him back in the aquarium cause I was afraid of leaving him in cup until I got the air stone you were talking about Emg. Well now he has gone somewhere in the aquarium and I can't find him. I have the airstone and everything else I need to see if I can save him, but he has vanished =0(.

I have removed the Betta until I get something for him to be in cause it had been a week since he has eaten. Now he is moping, but eating. So I guess that is better then nothing. I couldn't find anything on what jp was talking about, but I am planning on buying a couple of those isolation boxes and making my own Betta home. Till then he will just have to live with his bowl.

Any suggestions on where I might be able to find a pre-constructed thing like Jparnell was talking about? If not then any ideas on how to find a dead or possibly just sick fish that has found himself a place to hide? I know I can just move stuff, but moving stuff at this stage usually leads to stirring up a bunch of gunk, and I just did a water change.

lol Logic...I know what you mean about moving stuff...do you have a cory cat in there? The cory would definitly find that fish for you if it is demised...take care of it too...lol

no both my cories died =0(

I'm sorry about your coris Logic. I was at a mega fish store today and saw some panda cories..for only about 6$ and change...cuties..would have liked to pick a couple up but...amazingly enough....I don't have a tank to put them in right now....LOL !!

It would be neat to do a Chinese Giant panda theme aquarium..you know, with bamboo and chinese type plantings....and put some panda corys in...hhmmm...something for a later date..lol

Anyway, I found out that I have 3 female rams !! Dang, was hoping at least one of them was a male....I sent pictures to a breeder and he confirmed it for me...so...I went and bought ANOTHER ram...which I really really think is a male this time..from all the info that ZMan gave me about how to know...sent him a pic and he said it could very well be a male but that time would tell for sure. It's body is a bit longer shaped than the others and the fins have more red in them and there are NO blue spots in his black side patch.

I had to cage up the boss female though..put her in one of those netted breeder cages...she was being a bully and no one could have any kind of social life with each other while she was around. So, she's not happy but the others are starting to mingle more. We'll see what happens..