I have a male betta. He recently underwent a bit of stress, moving from a 10 gallon tank to a bowl to a 5 gallon tank. (The bowl was while he was in transition). He is very active in his new tank but seems to be fanning his gills a lot. Also, there are a lot of bubbles gathered on top of the water. I've read that betta sometimes make bubblenests but I thought it was only when they are breeding. So is it a bubblenest or do bettas just always leave air bubbles? And is he just fanning because of the stress of moving of could something be wrong?
2007-06-09 18:01:37 · 7 answers · asked by Michi L 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
It is a bubblenest. Male Betta's sometimes make nests in times of stress or when they want to breed. In regards to the constant fanning : is his new tank in a different location than the last? A nearby object that he is unfamiliar with could be agitating him. Hope this helps.
2007-06-09 18:07:26 · answer #1 · answered by robotetoj 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
How long ago did you move him? If it was just in the last few hours, it may not be a bubblenest, but bubbles cause by your water conditioner and a filter or airstone if there's one in the tank. New water has dissolved air in it and as it sits in the tank for a bit, the air condenses and can form bubbles on the glass (or acrylic), plants, rocks, driftwood, etc. The filer can be loosening these bubbles and your water conditioner can create a film that doesn't let the bubbles "pop" immediately. These bubbles will be spread out throughout the tank.
If the tank's more than a day with new water, and the bubbles are all in one area only, it's probably a bubble nest as everyone says.
The new water chemistry and new environment will make the betta fan. Mine does this at every water change. Sometimes I think when they get put into the tank (a new one or just after being removed temporarily) they have to "act tough" just in case there's another bigger, badder fish they don't see. Consider it a combination of nervousness and bluff.
2007-06-10 01:21:00 · answer #2 · answered by copperhead 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know about the gills, but I've never kept a male betta that DIDN'T make a bubble nest. If he's thinking about mating, chances are good that he's pretty much ok :-)
2007-06-10 01:06:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Male bettas builb bubble nest all the time. I think your fish is just getting used to it's new surrounding.
2007-06-13 18:23:53 · answer #4 · answered by Chris 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the bubles mean his trying 2 find a mate 2 mate with and the fanning could be from his water tempurture 2 stress be you cant always tell hope that helps
2007-06-10 01:12:41 · answer #5 · answered by elmolover.com 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my guess is its the new tank -- if he had filtration in the old tank and the water none now he would start nesting. if he is alone and flaring he is probably seeing himself in the sides of the tank more than in a ten gallon. watch him and more than likely he is watching himself in the sides of the tank. you can break up his line of vision with plants along the outside walls but he should calm down soon.
2007-06-10 02:41:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
the more bubble nest they make the happier they are.
2007-06-10 01:09:46 · answer #7 · answered by sidekick 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋