Aren't beta fighting fish supposed to be frisky in some ways? I can't figure mine out at all; he just sits at the top at the water and sleeps all the time. He only moves sometimes and that is mainly when I feed him. What can I do to make him happier and more energetic? I have no idea what do to.........he is alive but lifeless. Any kind of tips would help.

I think they may only be energetic when other betas are present. Every one i have seen just sits and looks pretty. My sisters only moved if you scared it, which wasnt the nicest thing to do, but we had to on a few occasions because she thought it was dead. This is just my expeirence however. We put a mirror next to the tank on the dresser one time, not for this purpose, but the fish seen its reflection and puffed up and got reletivley active for a few minutes. I doubt this would be recommended though. I hope you find a way to perk it up.

My bettas always get excited when they see me and start swimming around. My girlie betta goes crazy, especially when I feed her.

hmm..do you keep your betta in an unheated aquarium perchance? also, what size aquarium/bowl/container do you have him in?

oftentimes bettas act lethergic when they're in room-temperature water (they are tropicals after all)..and will perk up when given a heater and an aquarium or bowl that contains at least a gallon or two of water

My bettas are kept in room-temperature bowls, and they are plenty active! They respond to me just like my goldfish do: the feed me dance! When I'm not paying attention to them, though, they just kind of lazily patrol their tank or catch a snooze.

What size of container is your betta in? They are usually pretty inactive if kept in anything less than a gallon, I find. You could try to vary the scenery a bit: move their decorations out of their usual places, etc. Also, what do you feed them? I try to vary their diet a bit: they eat 2 different kinds of foods, and I feed them twice a day. I feed them peas once a week, and fast them for 2 meals a week as well.

How often do you do water changes? Poor water quality often leads to lethargic fish. Also, a bit of excercise is good for them. Using a mirror a few times a week so that they flare is good for them, but don't let it go on for any longer than about 10 minutes. One of my bettas doesn't even need a mirror, his favourite thing to flare at is a 9-volt Duracell!

hmmmm. the only time that I have ever seen an unactive betta is when they are in bowls that are very small--such as the stores where they are sold.... So I agree with squeeker.

I had a betta once in a very large bowl with a bowl filter at room temp, and he just swam his little heart out--he looks like he was dancing--his fins just fluttered merrily.....

The betta that I have now has a home in a five gallon tank, and he does the same. Maybe yours would perk up in a larger home?

Its just sad, you know, seeing them in stores like that. just sitting there, when one knows the life that they have in them--if only they had the room.

I know your new... but we do have a betta section that you could post this in...

My bettas get all excited when i go close to there tanks, they love watching me do stuff around the house ... there always ready to get feed.

How big is your tank ?
How long have you had him/her?

My bettas are not lethargic but they are not all that active either. They swim slowly about their enviroments. The female gets really excited and starts doing the feed me dance when I come near, the male doesn't get too excited.

Put a mirror beside his bowl/tank so he can see in the mirror. ;o)


Jessica

When I first got a betta, I kept him in a 1/2 gallon bowl. He was "boring" as you say. I eventually put him in a 2.5 gallon, heated, filtered tank with plants and a hidey cave and he was a whole new betta. Bettas really do need more than everyone thinks to be happy. Bettas also really love live food. Maybe buy him some live brine shrimp and give him a little at a time. The mirror trick may work too. But I bet your guy is just in a cruddy, cold, bowl...not ideal conditions no matter what your pet store tells you.

Hope he perks up a little!

I have all my boys in a gallon each, and they are super active and lively! try giving him some hidey holes.... terra cotta planters broken in half make awsome cheap fish homes!!

My guess would also be too small of a tank and/or temperature. My bettas have always been kept in community tanks and have been very active. The one I have right now spends all his time "sleeping" but he's very very old for a betta, going on 3 or so years now .

On the whole, fish will be more active if they feel secure.

Heating the tank will probably help, but making sure he has some hidey holes is really important. A couple of plants, a cave of some sort, and maybe a background on the back of the tank will all contribute to feeling safe

My betta currently only has a plant pot to hide in, and he skulks in there, but I think he will be livelier once I add some plants etc.

some of my bettas have been very "lazy" and "boring" when they were alone in a tank with no interaction but once i put a few of them in divided tanks and they could see another betta they were SO much more active and spent the whole day flaring at each other thru the dividers and for another betta i put 2 cory cats and 2 lemon tetras in his tank and he seemed alot happier and more active with some buddies in the tank lol

The main reason for a betta to be "sleeping" all the time is
(A) Too cool of water-----move the tank somke place warmer/ get a heater for the tank(only if its 5 gallons+)
(B) Poor water quality-----Do a water change more often, if your bettas dorcil fin is not perked up at all times the water needs to be changed.
© To big or to small of a tank, bettas need one to 7 gallons five gallon tanks are the best IMO for a betta
(D) too strong od a current eather fron a filter or air filter.

so thats the check list for your betta if you fix thoughs things you will have a happy halthy betta at all times.

Ditto what squeeker said.

I just got my bettas but when they got into the bag to come home they started swimming around alot simply cuz they had the room. And right now they share a 20 gallon. I know it sounds big but its being conditioned for convicts. (oh, and they switch back and forth between the main tank and a breeder). My purple one loves to flare at anything and my white one loves to tease the purple one when hes in the main tank. Its really fun to watch them because once in a while they get this burst of energy and race fron one end of the tank to the other. I'm thinking of getting a female for them for actaul company.

Convicts and bettas? That's a recipe for disaster. Not only do they prefer entirely different water conditions, convicts are NOTRORIOUS for being VICIOUS!

And males and females do NOT make good companions. They're not called fighting fishes for nothing.

I think you need to do more research on the species you intend to be in charge of's care before you invest not just your money, but lives...

*shakes head in wonder....*

My thoughts exactly Bethany......Aren't convicts more Brackish type water? And right now,you're really lucky that those two males haven't done serious bodily harm to one another.They may still be intimidated by their new surroundings-hopefully they don't get comfortable & finally realize just who is sharing their tank! Not trying to be mean here ,believe me-just worried about the safety of your fish. And by the way, I once saw a convict kill an 8 inch Pleco, and it wasn't pretty. This is the same convict that had previously killed a piranah that it was housed with. So when you do get your convicts,don't keep them with your betta's please.....

Sorry for not being more specific but they ARE not in the same tank. Also they will not be sharing the tank with the convicts. They will have a ten gallon with a divider(and if you are also worried about them seeing each other the divider will not be see-though). I have had bettas before and they have lived past two years every time. I am not about to put my fish in ANY danger, nomatter how inexperienced I am compared to you. Also I have kept females and males together before, nothing bad happened. They mostly ignored each other. If something were to happen I would NOT let them stay in the same tank. Please ask questions before making assumptions. I don't appriciate it. Many people think I shouldn't own animals simply because I crate-train and use prong-collars on certain dogs. And these are the only reasons. I have never shoved a dogs nose in "it", kept a betta in a "Betta Condo", or not studied before purchasing. Trust me when I say I would never hurt my bettas(or any of my other pets).