# Is my betta old?



## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

I just got my betta about a month ago and have been having alot of troubles like fin rot and ich, also the colour is starting to fade on its fins, on the top of my cup that I bought it in it said it was three months old, but when my cousin kbjunior came over he said that my betta looked very old. Do you think he may be old?


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## Willow (Mar 20, 2005)

He might be older----the Betta breeders will sometimes use a male Betta for one or two breedings before selling him to the pet store, so a lot of male Bettas in pet stores are over a year old. But Bettas can live to be 3-5 years old, so he shouldn't be at the end of his life cycle yet. Fin rot, ich, and faded coloring are more likely caused by poor water conditions. It could be a reaction to the conditions he was kept in before you got him, or it could be that your tank conditions now aren't too great. How long have you had him? How big is his tank? How much do you feed him, and what kind of food? How often do you change his water?


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

I have had him for a month now, my water conditions shouldn't be bad, or at least on my opinion, I change his water one a week but now I have a five gallon so i'll change 25% every 2-3 weeks and I feed him Hikari betta bio-gold baby pellets, i feed him 3-4 pellets in the morning and same at night, he seems to be happy but my cousin poured in some food (when i say some i mean like 7 pellets) and my betta didn't eat any so i have to get a gravel vacuum tomorrow and I will take out all the food and then I am going to buy some more ornaments. Also since I got him he's had that fade but I didn't think it was a bad sign but then my cousin came over and told me my betta was discolored so i got worried if you need anymore info just tell me


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

The fade may just be an attempt to hide in a bare tank. Try setting it on a black piece of paper and see if he darkens.


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

okay I will try that but do i keep my light on? Also do I keep black on the bottom or on the side of the tank?


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

I covered the bakc and sides with black and really dark blue is that okay?


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

my betta isn't getting any darker, do you think it may just be old?


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## Willow (Mar 20, 2005)

It might just be his natural coloring. Is that your current set-up in your avatar? If so, you might want to add some gravel and silk aquarium plants. Bettas like to hide in plants, and gravel can help the cycling process by giving the bacteria places to live. A few more ornaments might be a good idea, but I think the plants are more important.


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

Okay, so for the silk plants I will definitely need gravel because i need something to hold it down right? When you say gravel do you mean plastic gravel or actual rocks? Also how do I use a gravel vacuum because I am thinking of picking one up soon, or when it is time to change my water. And final thing is, will it be okay if while I am setting up my ornaments and plants I keep my betta in a .5 G bowl and my tetras in a .4 G bowl, just for maybe 20 minutes or something?


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Yes, that would be fine.
Do NOT leave the light on all the time.

Most bettas in shops are already middle-aged.


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

When you say mid aged do you mean that they will probably die in a year or two?


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

also, why not leave the light on? I leave the light on for about 8-10 hours a day is that okay?


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## gemjunkie (Jan 20, 2005)

I hate to tell ya, but if you got your betta from a pet store, your fish is likely WELL over a year old. Most pet store bettas are never bred, they are raised for pure profit. 

You have to pay attention to how the fish acts in the cup. If they are onery in the cup, that's good, if not, unless you want heart ache leave it and pick another....


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

I liked the colour of the betta at the store so I bought it didn't even check if it was moving much, but the water was pretty clean and also when I came home i noticed the fade but I wasn't too worried about it also it is normal for a betta to be discolored in the front like under his face right?


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

i got a picture of him with the perfect colour but i can't upload it so here is the link to the picture http://s231.photobucket.com/albums/ee6/ikermalli/?action=view&current=PICT0389.jpg


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

Also I put a plant that has 4 or 5 parts in and floated and it spread out and my betta loves it also I wedged a plant between a rock and my betta likes that too, so do you think the colour of it will come back since the tank isn't so bare any more? Or is he just old?


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## neilfishguy (Oct 7, 2007)

he looks pretty colorful to me! i would add some gravel to that tank and 2-3 silk plants one orinament so it looks the best


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

he's actually much lighter than that now and there are small dark blue spots on his fins and two very small holes, do you think it is coming to the end of his life cycle?


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

Hi, how long do you guys think my betta has? He doesn't move around much anymore kinda just stays in one place or goes to one side then back.


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

Also if I leave the light in my tank on for a long time does it make my betta lose color?


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## kbjunior8 (Sep 3, 2007)

maybe the light is starting to disturb him or something in the tank because my betta faded at one point too, i made some changes and he was back to his colourful self in 2 days


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

okay, what changes do you think I should make also does anybgody know where to get those glass dividers for your aquarium because I have a 5G I am thinking of getting another betta and splitting the tank


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## Guest (Oct 19, 2007)

Betta splendens usually only live for 2 years or so. I've had some live for that long, and others, who could have possibly been older when I got them, live for a year.

As for changes to your tank, I'd suggest adding a substrate (gravel or sand). You could leave it bare-bottom though. You could add some more fake plants. That may help him feel more at home.

Your betta looks fairly colourful to me. Your tank is still cycling, correct? That may have something to do with his color lightening up. Your light should be on no longer than actual day light hours (fish do sleep). Since you don't have live plants, I'd suggest leaving the light on for 8 hours if you must.

I didn't notice if anyone had commented on your water changes. It's a larger tank than he had, but that doesn't mean less frequent water changes. I'd suggest 20% water changes weekly, instead of 2-3 weeks, which I think you said.

I'm curious about the spots and holes you mentioned appearing on his fins. Could you post a picture of that?


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

I will post the pictures soon but for now my camera is gone, into the depths of my sisters purse, I will definitely get more plants and gravel. Also I don't keep the light on at night because somebody said they don't have eyelids. I took out the tetras from his tank and turned off the light all day and he seems alot more active right now, do you think I could make my tank into a double, as in putting a divider down the middle? Also if you think I can could you tell me where to buy those? His colour seemed to darken up a little bit, maybe it doesn't like too much but when I put it in the light his colour didn't seem to darken quite that much


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## Guest (Oct 19, 2007)

It's possible to divide his tank. I'd personally have just one betta in that size of a tank, but others would probably tell you it's fine. 2.5g is small, but ok. You could probably get a divider at a local pet store or fish store. 

I wouldn't recommend getting the divider and another betta until you're tank is fully cycled and you're sure this one is healthy.


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

how do I know when my tank is fully cycled?


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2007)

You need to get a water test kit. You can get one at a pet store or fish store. The kit should measure ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels in your tank. When your tank is cycled, there should be no ammonia or nitrite. Your nitrate levels should be under 40ppm to be safe for your fish.

This usually happens within about 2 weeks in freshwater tanks, given the right things happen.


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## ikermalli (Sep 23, 2007)

okay, thanks I will definitely get a water test kit


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