hi - i have my two (now separated) bettas, one male, one female, in a 3.5 gallon tank, so they get about 1.5 gallons each. however, they don't move(!). they just sit at the surface and breathe every now and again. if i come close to the tank then they swim down and look at me, and if i keep moving then they'll interact with me a bit...but other than that, nothing. the divider i have is opaque - should i get a transparent one so they can see each other and therefore not get bored? each side of the tank has gravel, and a plant and fake bogwood thing, so there's plenty for them to 'play' in. i don't have a heater (i know...i know...) but each side has a light shining on the water to try and keep it a bit warmer, and the room it's in is pretty warm too. any ideas? thank you

How warm exactly is the water? Betta are tropicals, and therefore are much different than goldies. You wouldnt believe what miracles a heater can do!
Otherwise, when was the last time they got fresh water? Thats the only other thing I could think of, but my first guess would be trying the heater....
Good luck, and tell us how it turns out!

thanks for the advice - i went out and got a suitable heater, so the water is now at a steady 78. however, i came in from work this evening to find the male had given up the fight and was floating, trapped in the plant he had lost a lot of his colour and shine, and his fins were all ragged and fungus covered, despite my attempts to cure them...

i am a bad fish mum

the female is great, swimming around, flaring if i put a mirror near the tank, eating like a horse...if only i'd known you can't keep male and female together unseparated, then none of this would have happened <sigh> ....

make shure u do a water change and add salt to the water so that she dosnt get sick. wut typ of filter do u have?

Dividers are one of the wost
tank for a betta it's not only
stressing for the fish from flaring
but it's alot easier for the fish to get sick

My fnew betta does the same thing but
it's when you came close to the tank
he hides but when your pretty far away his

sming around being a happy betta

you should maby get another tank
because dividers arn't good for bettas

bye