Betta with growing problem?

Question

I've had my Betta for a few months now. He's in my community tank which is kept at 78 degrees. I feed him Betta food every day and I also see him nibbling at the goldfish pellets that fall to the bottom of the tank after feeding.

My problem: He hasnt grown at all since I bought him. Im only wondering about this because I've seen bigger Bettas in those little cups at Walmart (which is ridiculous) so I'm just wondering why mine isnt as big. Hes a fairly healthy Betta, recognizes me when I stand by the tank and he openly lets me know when he's hungry. Any suggestions? Oh and his body (without tail) measures 1 inch and a quarter.

Here's a picture of him:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b125/anorexorcist99/DSCF5660.jpg

Answer 1

Nice looking betta! 1.25" or so is well within the normal adult size range for bettas. Just like people, some are larger and some are smaller. As long as he's healthy I wouldn;t worry about it at all.

MM

Answer 2

First of all - your betta is NOT healthy. His tail has been badly nipped and is half the size it should be. He is a Veil tail and I would expect him to have some regrowth showing. His anal fin looks newly nipped in that pic as well.

Does he ever show with horizontal stripes? Those are a sign of immediate stress.

Check your tank for possible tank mates that could be biting at him, marbles that are catching his fins or sharpe plastic plants.

Add salt (aquarium) to his water if your other fish will allow it (only a few pinches) and don't worry about his body growth - he is not stunted, his fins are the issue.

Keep an eye on those fins or you'll end up with finrot.

Answer 3

Well for one, It is important to remember that while most of these recommended tankmates may work fine with most bettas, some bettas do not tolerate any moving creatures in their tanks, and therefore caution should be exercised when adding any new creature into a betta tank.

The following are considered possible tankmates for a betta (male or female):
White Cloud Mountain Minnows
African Dwarf Frogs (NOT Clawed Frogs)
Large Snails (large enough so betta can not eat them)

The following are NOT recommended as possible tankmates for a betta:
Guppies, Mollies, Tetras, Gouramis, Platies, Neon Tetras, African Clawed Frogs, Barbs, or any other brightly colored fish that a betta might mistake as another betta.

Bettas need room to GROW, how big is your tank? There shuold be a gallon of water for every inch of betta. If you have bigger fish, even more room is nessicary, also LOTS of hidey spots and plants work well.

Bettas love/need a variety of food..
Pellets:
HBH Betta Bites, Hikari Betta Bio-Gold
Flakes :
Should be specifically designed for bettas – high in proteins
NOTE: For young or very small bettas, flakes OR crushed pellets are a safer option – to avoid choking.
Frozen foods :
Adult Brine Shrimp, Blood Worms, Black Worms, Krill, Mosquito Larvae, Peas (*great for relieving constipation – see below)
Live foods:
Any of the above mentioned frozen foods can be fed live to bettas, but do run the risk of carrying parasites. Other live foods such as crickets, beetles, moths, etc. CAN be fed to bettas, however you must be 100% positive that the bugs have not been exposed to any pesticides, which can harm or kill your betta.

*Frozen pea preparation – place a small amount of dechlorinated water into microwaveable dish. Place a few peas (usually one pea is plenty for one betta) into the dish. Microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave, cool, remove shell, chop. Feed very small pieces to betta. Usually 2 - 3 pieces is plenty. Avoid feeding other foods to betta for 2 – 3 days. This should get things moving pretty quickly.

Please check out this thread on a forum I go to..

Betta Nutrition 101
http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php?showtopic=6655

ALSO: 78-80* is PERFECT for bettas.

Answer 4

he looks healthy and Betta's max size is usually between 2-3 in (with tail fin) but don't worry about size as long as he's healthy that's what matters. maybe he is young or a midget either way he is a beautiful Betta and sould be a good pet. But if you want to make him bigger us a bio- wheel filter I used it in my other tank and in 3months the fish had grown an inch each.

Answer 5

There are different sizes of Bettas. He looks pretty good. Make sure you have plenty of plants. Also make sure the tank is not too deep. They have to go to the top to breathe.

Answer 6

Ur water is too hot 78 degrees maybe u meant Fahrenheit