My dearest swim shady
I have a 5 gallon tank with a heater and sponge filter, and the temperature stays around 80°F. The tank has been cycling for about a week without fish, and I just added my betta tonight. I’ve had the fish for a little over a year. My current parameters using the API Freshwater Master Test Kit are pH 8.0, ammonia 0 ppm, nitrite 0.25 ppm, and nitrate 20 ppm.
I just completed a 30% water change after noticing the nitrite level, now it’s 0 ppm. There are no tankmates. I feed flakes 4 days a week, bloodworms 2 days a week, and do 1 fasting day each week. I’m also getting some floating plants later this week.
Right now he’s sitting at the bottom of the tank a lot and seems to be sinking. Pictures are attached. I’m worried because this behavior started before being moved into the new tank tonight (he was in a 1 gal for a year, yeah ik, problem kind of solved), and I’m trying to figure out if this is stress from the move/cycling process and/ or being in the 1 gal, or if something else could be going on. Any advice would be appreciated.