Lethargic Fighting Fish

wrote in
ups.com:

Thanks for the input here, folks. I know my fish appreciates it.

1) If you possibly can, swap him into a tank just a bit larger
(actually, as large as you can reasonably accomodate, up to say 10
gallons).

Alas, he's a cubicle companion here at work. Even the 1 gallon tank
is a bit of a stretch in some folks' minds. :/


Gotcha... understood.

If you just cannot increase the
size of his accomodations, I'd add two cardinals to his tank, and a
small amount live floating plants which are good in low light
conditions (water sprite). Increase your water changes to twice
weekly if you add fish to that one-gallon tank.

I like the idea of him having some company. I know fighting fish are
reportedly solitary beings, but to live your entire life alone? Would
a pair of Cardinal tetras be better company than a female of his own
kind?


An emphatic YES. To have male and female bettas, you need _at least_
three females to one male (in a ten-gallon tank), both to establish a
female hierarchy, and to prevent the male from harassing one female over-
much when spawning time comes. If you did have only one female, and she
happened to spawn with your male, the male would probably kill her if you
didn't remove her shortly after, as he would instinctually be trying to
protect his bubble nest. Also, two cardinal tetras will produce less
fish waste than a female betta (a big issue in such a little tank).

Good Luck!
DaveZ