BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Fish Hiding Betta

OK I'll try this again...I typed this once and my 8 month old decided to help out and deleted the entire message.

I have a new betta and she was doing quite well in her little 1/2 gallon bowl. She was getting accustomed to the family and would swim to the top for food.

Saturday, I moved her to a 5 gallon tank with a whisper quiet filter and a big castle in it. He really didn't like the filter. The current was too much for him. So he decided to hide in the castle. I rigged the filter to slow down the current, Heated the water up to about 80, Turned the light off for a while, turned the filter off for a while...nothing worked. He simply wouldn't come out of the castle. I couln't tell if he was lethargic or if he was having any other problems...because he simply would NEVER come out of the castle. I picked up the castle on the second day, just to make sure he was still alive and well. After day 4, I have put him back in the 1/2 gallon bowl. Where he is now swimming around happily and has also already eaten....

Did I move him out of the big tank too soon?
Could he actually prefer the BOWL?!?!?!
I don't know what to do now..wait a week or so and try again?

I'm currently cycling a 10 gallon tank that will be a community tank with tank mates that are betta friendly. I'm wondering if I should even attempt to put him under that kind of stress.

Gayle

Bettas hate change. So he was probably happier in the bowl, as strange as it seems to you! If he's happy there, I would be inclined to say just leave him how he is. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hello Gayle, LOL on your daughter...I too have typed out whole responses only to have them disapear into cyberspace..very frustrating !

About your betta, he probably just needed lots of time to adjust. Most likely he's used to little spaces and all the room made him a bit insecure. I think he would eventually settle in and get used to it if you want to give it another go. I wouldn't put him in a community tank with other fish to start with..since he is so insecure...until he gets his bearings.