Do bettas kept in tubs at the store still act cramped/stunted when you get them home & in a better tank?

Question

A male betta I bought yesterday is keeping his top fin very close to his body, or just letting it hang. (he's not acting sick in any other way, he's doing well). His fins are very very large; larger than any of the other bettas I saw, and the water in the container he was kept in at the store didn't look deep enough for his large fins. Do you think he'll eventually spread out/up and enjoy the roominess of the 3-gal I have him in now, or has he been stunted forever by the tiny tub?
Do you guys who have also bought bettas from petstores find that your bettas act like they're still in cramped conditions, or do they get over it? I feel like his top fin is a little broken or atrophied arm that he can't extend. =( He looks so sad!

People, people, I have extensively researched bettas and he's being extremely pampered. He was taken home from the petstore to a 3-gallon tank all just for him and is eating and exploring wonderfully. He's got a lid on his tank, and I let him play with a mirror occassionally. The cup they kept him in at the store was barely tall enough for his top fin; the water must have been 1.5 inches deep, it was sad. So I think he's not used to being able to extend his top fin upward and outward. That's why I asked for people's experiences with this.

Answer 1

Oh we'll definitely settle in soon. He's still a bit shy and nervous and maybe a little shocked and the big difference! He may not yet realize that he can stretch out as much as he wants without running into air or plastic.
He probably was not in the little cup at the store for too long. He came from a breeder and breeders usually get their bettas in 1/2 - 1 gallon jars. It's not great but it's bigger than those little cups. So no, he hasn't been stunted.
Do you have a heater? Bettas thrive in water that is 78-80F, so a small heater is worth the investment.

Until he settles give him lots of plants (real or silk) and he should settle in soon.

He won't "flare up" and give a big display unless you give him a mirror - then he'll think it's another male and he'll get all excited. You can do this for 10 minutes a day, it's good for them (don't leave the mirror there all the time).

Drew P: for someone who can't even spell Betta, you sure have an undeserved sense of profound betta knowledge. Bettas don't "like" tiny areas, they like to be able to move and swim! YOU need to do your research on proper betta not keeping, not just that 'put him in a 1 litre bowl' crappola. It is quite proven that bettas provided with more swimming room, filtration and heat live better and longer than bettas kept in small jar or 1 gallon tanks.

Answer 2

I breed bettas and although they were originally found in rice paddys and still are, these are native fish, not the veiltails found in pet stores. Since you say his fins are very large and clamped down, he is probably just an old fish. Bettas only live an average of 3 years and many sold in pet stores this large are mass producers ex-breeders. You can tell if he is older by looking at the top of his body, chances are it is a little rounded up where the dorsal fin starts. His sluggishness could just be from old age, or his personality. Also, if the water is colder, lower than 70 degrees your fish will be more sluggish. As for the other comments on the fish not flaring up on their own, they may not flare full out as they would for a female or a fight, however, they will spread their fins quite a bit when they become exited, my male will flare up and swim to the front of his tank when I come in the room. It just depends on the fish but he should be fine.

Answer 3

He's fine.

If you want a more active Betta you can encourage him by getting a water heater at the pet store and keeping his tank about 70 degrees. Betta do well in most any temperature, but are much move lively when its warm!

You can feed him live baby brine shrimp and bloodworms as well. They promote good health and you'll get to see him chasing the shrimp around, too.

The reason his fins are near to his body is basically because Betta don't really use them to swim. He uses those little ones by his side. The long fins are for show and have been bred for size during the last few decades.

You'll see him flare those fins when you startle him. He'll also puff his gills up realy big to make himself look larger.

And one more thing... Give him time to adjust. Betta are really tough, but he's just had a big move. Give him a little space.

EDIT - Betta do not like small areas, disregard those statements. Betta do well in tanks no smaller than one half gallon. The myth that Betta live in puddles in the wild is... Only half true. Betta in rice paddies will eventually die when it drys up. And wild Betta are not the same fish as those we call pets.

Do some research if you want to learn more about it for yourself. They are very interesting fish.

Answer 4

The tank with a clear out is for sure more desirable ideal. The filters shouldn't rigidity the betta... you could administration the flow in some filters. make constructive you've a heater for a sturdy temperature. With the betta in the tank, you do not ought to do on a daily basis water transformations and the clear out must be common to safeguard.

Answer 5

I ony have bettas from pet stores and walmart. I do betta rescues, lol and get ones with fin rot or really low water levels, ect...

he'll eventually enjoy his tank most likely, but he may just be a mellow betta. I've had a few that didn't swim around too much, or flare out at other bettas or anything. they sually kept the top fin close most of the time unless they were swimming aorund. I've also had a few that weren't mellow but never really unclamped their fins, it probably is because they ewre kept in tiny cups for so long they don't know how to spread them. give him time and plenty of TLC, he'll warm up to the new setting once he gets settled in. he might be stressed or sepressed at the moment. once he's settled in if he hasn't spread them try putting a mirror in front of hi 15mins a day, this will hellp him exercise and realize he has plenty of room to spread out and swim around.

try adding fresh water aquarium salt, this helps keep sicknesses at bay, which petstore betta seem to be super prone to, probably fro weak breeding. 1/2 a teaspoon per gallon, so 1 1/2 for your tank.

also, since you have a 3gallon I suggest a filter if you don't have one already. most people don't know Whisper filters make filters small enough for "1-3 gallon" tanks, this will help keep the water pristine for a healthy betta between water changes.

hope that helps!

Answer 6

Every Betta I've ever had acts like that at first. It'll figure out how much space it has. I'm sure you know they're fighter fish. When they see another male is when they puff up to make themselves look bigger. That is also when they look better. I put a mirror by its tank big enough for it to see himself. Thinking he sees another Betta keeps his fins on display.

Answer 7

Male bettas only really puff up to their full size when they're trying to fight or defend their territory... usually they just stay sleak I suppose when they're chilling in the tank. It's not a broken fin... if you had another betta tank next to him, not in the same tank.. and he sees the other fish... he probably will extend his fins. These fish are from Africa or something and basically live in mud and elelphant footprints. He's fine.

Answer 8

Male bettas don't display their colors unless they're feeling aggressive or frightened. If you want your betta to display its colors, you can put a mirror on the outside of the tank so it can see itself.

You can't put two bettas in a tank together, though. They'll attack. They're also called Siamese Fighting Fish. If you do want to get another betta, they have special containers/dividers you can put into your tank.

So. Your betta isn't sad. He's just feeling mellow!

Answer 9

You may want to do some research on Betas. Betas like small areas. They also don't extend their fins unless confronted by other Betas. Or you can hold a mirror up to the tank and they will extend their fins thinking that another fish is approaching.

Remember that these are fighting fish. Don't put another Beta into your tank unless you want one of them to die!

Answer 10

Bettas dont need much room and they don't move around much. thats why they are kept in smaller tanks..

ps just make sure you keep your tank covered because bettas are known to jump