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My friend just bought a new betta about a week ago yesterday, named Cornelius. Cornelius was extremely hyper, flaring all day and racing around his one gallon tank. He was feeding him Petcetera brand betta pellets, but Cornelius would not eat them. I made sure he scooped out the uneaten food after about 15 miuntes. Knowing how picky some bettas could be, I advised him to wait a few days. After the fourth day I brought down some FD brine shrimp, and Cornelius gobbled it up. Now, after his 100% water change yesterday, Cornelius is neither active or eating, although still flaring. The water quality is excellnet. Water conditioned with Prime. During the water change we made sure that the water was exactly the same temperature. The fish has no external symptoms, like gasping, flashing, clamped fins, spots, fungus, or red areas. He is just lethargic, and not eating. any ideas?

when was his last water change?

its boubnd to be a water issue, its too coincidental, but i doubt its anything you have done. If its a different water conditioner or its been a while since the last change, it can throw them into a sort of shock.

give him a day or 2, he should come round.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Is the tank heated? It might be the temperature.

Is he being fed too much? When changing his water, was he traumatized with a net? Can you find anything different? Was his bowl moved to a new location?


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If at first you DO succeed, try not to look astonished.

Hi Everybody! I'm Guppy's friend with the weird fish First of all, thank you all for your suggestions. Now, to answer your questions. Guppy came with me when I bought the fish, and I had no water conditioner. She had some left over aqua plus that we used to fill up their tanks and put them in. Whne a week had passed and it was time to do another water change, we went to the pet store and bought some Seachem Prime, which we used for the water change. It was immediately after the water change that we noticed the change in Cornelius. We waited a few days to see if he was just being stubborn, but he wouldn't eat the PetCetera pellets. Guppy brought down some brine shrimp, and they gobbled that up. But after the water change, Cornelius wasn't even eating that! We scooped up the uneaten food. Today we put some in, and after about 15 miuntes he ate the brine shrimp. He is back to his usual zippy self now.

My other fish Nathaniel is showing some weird behavior now too! They each have their own tanks, Cornelius in a 1 gal and Nathaniel in a 2 gal. Nathaniel can't eat the pellets! He tries, but his mouth is too small! Anyone ever heard of that?

my fish are both acting strange now. Cornelius isn't eating at all, everything from hikari bio-gold, HBH betta bites, and FD brine shrimp, and Nathaniel eats one or two pieces, but keeps spitting it out before he finally chokes it down Still no outward symptoms, both fish are still flaring, and bubblenesting. Guppy thought maybe flukes from the spitting out the food, but they have no other symptoms of flukes so we are not medicating. The tanks are not heated, but room temp never dips below 74... Any ideas, guys?

I am completely asleep now, hopefully someone will see this and help you, but if not, i'll write up a list of suggestions tomorrow when i can actually read what you wrote
*toddles off to bed and crosses her fingers for Corny*

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

OK, i think the temp is too low to start with, and i think that corny has a problem with pellets (probably used to bloodworms or similar)

rehydrate any FD stuff you give him first.

and consider a heater, as its only going to get worse over winter.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett