Beta not eating

[Thunda]

Hi everyone!

i have a male beta since November of last year.

he has been eating very well, until the past week. since then, he has been refusing to eat.

I feed him dried bloodworm which he would eat with gusto.

his tank gets cleaned on a very frequent basis. it;'s just a 1 gal tank.

Any thoughts as to why he stopped eating?

I am assuming he's dying from old age. even though I have no clue how long they are suppose to live.

[exv152]

Is there anything else unusual about his behavriour?  Such as hiding out in a dark corner of the tank, breathing heavily, different colouration, appearance etc???

[dan2x38]

Bettas when the LFS get them are already in their adult life. They have their best colour then. On average 1.5 years is good for a betta especially ion a bowl or small system under filtered. Do not over feed ever and make sure you are removing the uneaten food. You could try small pieces of uncooked shelled shrimp. Tie to chop sticks together at the top and in the middle. Then place the shrimp between the sticks on the untied end and put in tank try to get him to eat that.

Good Luck...

[Thunda]

not really. he just sits at teh bottom of his tank.

I am wondering if the AC is making his water to cold? I don't over feed him, & i scoop out the uneaten food with a spoon.

I have been using tap water since I got him, & not the RO/Di that we use for our salt water tanks. 

He hasn't pooped in a week as well.

His breathing seems fine, but he's getting awfully skinny for my liking.

His coloring seems to be good. he's still the same dark blue.

[washefuzzy]

My Beta did the same thing before he died. He was about 2 1/2 years old.

[exv152]

Unfortunately bettas only have a life span of 2-3 years, and as they get older they tend to be less active and hide a lot more.  I have a betta in a 75 gallon with a ton of other fish and he's always hiding, and eats very infrequently so I really don't worry too much about him, he actually loves hiding in the java moss.  When you say you use tap water, I assume you treat it with a dechorinator and do weekly water changes?

[Laura]

The AC could be too cool for him - they are tropical.

I would try keeping him in a warmer location - don't cook him in a sunny window though - and tempt him with some frozen food like brine or blood worms after he's warmed up a bit.

[dan2x38]

+1  Agreed on the heat... I use to use one of those heating pads preset at 78*. I think BA sells them around $12. It work great I just hid it under a little substrate his tank was always at 78*. I also used one of those Red Sea Deco Mini HOB filters from BA for $14 he was happy has could be... this was all in 5.5g tank.

[Thunda]

heating pad that works under water? i'll have to check that out.

the fish died 2 days ago. poor thing.   

the only place where it's warm is upstares where the boys sleep. & I can't have it in 1 boys room, since all the others will complain that they don't have a fish, & why does one boy get to have it, & not them... you know, typical teenage complaints.

-Lisa

[dan2x38]

Here is one that Big Al's carries:

http://www.bigalsonline.ca/Fish_Temperature-Control_Heaters_Mini-Aquarium-Heater_9630977_102.html?tc=default

[washefuzzy]

Sorry he didn't make it. I always get attached to my bettas.