Hi everyone,
My betta is around 2.5 to 3 years old and I can really tell heās entering his senior stage. Heās my first betta and my first fish to reach this age, so I just want to make sure Iām doing right by him.
Over the past few months his energy has really declined. He mostly lays in his favorite hide and doesnāt swim around much anymore. Heāll come out once in a while, but not often.
Hereās what Iām noticing:
ā¢ He doesnāt greet me at the glass anymore. He used to, but now he really only reacts to food.
ā¢ His eyesight and agility seem worse. He often misses when striking at food.
ā¢ He has a small slow-growing bump on his head that might be a tumor.
ā¢ A dent has slowly formed along his back.
ā¢ His fins donāt look great, but it doesnāt look like active fin rot and it isnāt getting worse.
Tank info:
ā¢ 15 gallon peaceful community tank (shrimp & ember tetras)
ā¢ Running for about 4 years, very stable
ā¢ 78Ā°F
ā¢ 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate (it is cycled just heavily planted)
ā¢ pH 7.6 stable
Iāve been wondering if setting up a 5 gallon āretirement tankā would make him more comfortable, but I worry about stability since my 15 gallon is so established and never has parameter swings.
For those of you whoāve had senior bettas:
ā¢ Does this sound like typical aging?
ā¢ Did you move yours to a smaller tank or keep them where they were?
ā¢ Any tips to improve comfort or quality of life at this stage?
Heās still eating and can right himself, just much slower and less active than he used to be.
I just want to make his senior years as comfortable as possible.
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1r87hsx
Posted by Ungratefulpickle
4 Comments
Iām just commenting for when someone has an actual answer, Iād like to be prepared when mine reach this point as well. Good luck OP I hope someone will help you!
usually around 2.5 years of ownership is when my bettas start slowing down. i notice after a while they just sit there all day and try to find something to rest on. it appears to take a lot of energy to get a breath of air for them if they don’t have somewhere to sit. my retirement homes are small. i used my 3 gallon for my 4 year old betta and my other little guy who had a tumor. 2.5 would be acceptable imo. they’re old, have a hard time getting around, a small tank is perfectly justified. i think a 15 gallon is way too big for a senior betta because of the lack of energy and difficulty swimming especially for long finned bettas. their fins seem to be heavy and hard to deal with when they’re older. just provide lots of places for him to rest near the surface to make it easier for him. my 2 year old betta is starting to slow down and he loves his floating log. i have the leaf hammock for my bettas always. definitely downgrade the tank. maybe provide live plants to reduce ammonia/nitrate. get a little sponge filter and let it sit in your 15 for a few days – week, maybe even squeeze some filter media out from your 15 into the sponge filter to add bacteria. this can help get some cycle going for the retirement tank. weight loss is common in my experience. i just give them as much food as they will take without overdoing it. sometimes i’ll feed them smaller meals three times in a day if they get really skinny. aging bettas is sad to watch but there is a lot you can do to make the rest of their lives comfortable
OP, I think you’re already doing a fantastic job. He has places to rest and knows his home well (I wouldn’t move him as he knows this tank layout despite losing his sight) plus has a fish parent who is assisting to his needs as a senior.
Wanted to call it out as deserves praise.
This sounds like very classic aging! A few things I wanted to comment on (as somebody who has has a lot of senior bettas):
– The dent in his back is likely loss of fat storage. You may see further weight loss around his head area as he continues to age. Think of it the same way as how elderly humans sometimes get thin and withered; elderly creatures of many species are simply on the decline and don’t stay bulky, plump, or “fresh” looking anymore. It’s normal.
– The appearance of fins will change. As he grows older and his immune system starts to slow down (not shut down, just slow down) his fins will appear more ragged. It’s typically nothing to be concerned about, it’s like how old people’s hair often thins out with old age.
– It should be fine to keep him in the same tank as long as he isn’t bothered by the tank mates. As he continues to slow down, they may pick on him. Since you have great water quality, a partition might be a good idea.
– As betta enter their senior years, their gills start to function less (it’s normal). This may cause them to rely more on their labyrinth organ. He will need to have clear and ready access to the surface to breath and maintain a healthy oxygen intake.
– Tumors are normal
– Trouble eating is normal, I used to feed mine with a toothpick or soft plastic tweezers. If his vision starts to decline, I’d recommend tapping (with a toothpick) on the surface of the water so he canove towards the food based on the surface vibration.