May 2012
71 posts
My betta has recently grown a little darker since buying him. I'm slightly worried that this may be because of a disease, but he hasn't shown any negative changes in activity or eating. Maybe it's because he's maturing more? He was almost a whitish-pink when I bough him and he had aqua-colored fins, but now he's gaining darker colored scales, his gills are darkening, and the tips of his fins as well....
Bettas will often color up as they hit their prime, and then slowly fade back a little lighter in old age. Good food and housing also helps to bring out color in fish. :) I’d say he’s perfectly healthy.
If the color change is really drastic it’s possible he carries the marble gene. Here’s a neat little article on that for you.
Just saw the question someone asked about the female jumping out of her tank. Coincidentally, this happened to me yesterday too. Except I was asleep when it happened and she died :/ I wouldn't have thought she could jump through such a small gap, or why she even jumped out in the first place o.O
Sorry for the belated response! You would be really surprised what fish can fit through as far as jumping goes. I keep some african ropefish and they’re absolute escape artists, I have to cover all of the itty bitty holes in my tank or they’ll be slithering across my floor.
To the person with the betta that jumped out, you can rig a covering for cheap with that plastic canvas in craft stores, the stuff that comes in sheets that people use yarn with the make crafts. ...Wow I am too tired to think of the actual name, fff sorry. Or is it actually called plastic canvas? /shrug But yeah, don't cover the openings entirely, they need to breathe air from the surface. :)
I went to feed my female this morning, but when I got there, I noticed a red thing on the table where her tank sat. I didn't think much of it until it actually moved. I then realized that the red thing was actually my fish and I scooped her up and set her back in her tank. I couldn't hang around, but when I left, she was swimming along as if nothing had happened. I covered the opening to her tank with a piece of paper, but what can I do to make sure it doesn't happen again when I'm not around?
Oh dear! Glad she’s okay, though. Usually covering any holes will solve the problem permanently, you can use some heavy card stock or a piece of cardboard and some strong tape to do a solid job. I have a crayfish that would climb up his heater and out the hole at the top, and since sealing it that way he hasn’t been roaming around my kitchen floor. :)
To the anon about the white spot on your betta's belly! I have had a few bettas, my current is a dark blue crowntail. He also had a spot like you describe, and I watched him like a hawk because my first betta died from ich. Turns out it was just his anus (quote of the week right there). As long as your betta doesn't get MORE white spots, he'll be ok. :)
More to think about!
Regarding the fish with a white bump on his stomach: Are you positive he's not a female (with the bump being her ovipositor)?
Hi there! I've been scouring the internet for an answer to this question but have yet to find anything. I went to the pet store the other day and stumbled on this beautiful male betta and felt inclined to rescue him. He looked healthy.. but after I got home i noticed a white bump under his belly. At first I thought it might be Ich.. however it isn't just a white spot.. it definitely protrudes. I hope it's not a tumor. I tried to include a picture but the site wouldn't allow it. Thank you !
A photo would certainly help a lot in this situation so I would see what he looked like… does he still eat and behave normally, or is he lethargic? Is it where his stomach is on his body? Fuzzy, or just a plain white bump?
I had a dream once that two of my boys, Charlie and Maximilien, got around their barrier and fought to the death. Now THAT was a scary dream e.e;
That sounds awful, I have dreams that I forgot to take the siphon out of the tank and all of the water is gone.
Ooohh, and I have a question! Do females flare in any way at all? I don't own any, and I was just curious~
They can, but they don’t have the beard beneath their gills like a male does. I had a female for a short period of time that would puff out her gills and get all antsy like a male would, but just had no beard.
I had a dream about a betta jumping from it's bowl and biting me on the finger, it was huge and it hurt haha. I blame your blog and my betta that I stare at before I sleep
:)
What do you say to bettas (or any other fish) being given away as prizes at a carnival? I'm asking because I recently got my baby boy Alex from one, and I want to know if there's anything to watch out for. I have fungal medication on hand if needed, and so far I've been keeping up with his water changes. (eeek. I need to get a tank.)
I think it’s awful for anyone to give a living animal away in that manner, because it sets people up to be stuck with animals they can’t properly care for. I see it a lot with people giving goldfish away, it’s awful.
As for your baby, as long as you keep his bowl clean he should be just fine. In regards to your second ask, keep up with the changes and they’ll be fine until you can get a better tank. :)
