Strange betta behaviour

Question
QUESTION: Hello,

I have two male bettas in two separate tanks. The tanks are rather small with about half an inch of gravel at the bottom. Temperature conditions are fine.

In the first tank, the betta is eating and blowing bubbles just like he should, but he has developed this weird habit of diving at the ground or walls of his tank with great speed and strength. He only started doing this after his first water change, which was rather distressing for him (he was unable to get out of the net that I scooped him out with for quite awhile.)

In the other tank, the water is inexplicably cloudy. A water change didn't help; in fact, it might have made it worse. I really don't know why. The betta in this tank doesn't swim around very much; he doesn't dart about like the other betta does. He eats very little (still eats, but much less than the other fish) and hardly blows any bubbles.

Is my betta sick/excessively stressed? Why, and how can I remedy it? (I don't mind doing frequent water changes, but I would rather not buy a filter.)

Hope you can help; thanks.
ANSWER: Hi Amanda
What color is the cloudy water?
How big are the tanks?  
And how often are you changing the water and how much water are you changing?  
The water temp is at least 78F?  
Are you using a dechlorinator when adding the new water-if it's tap water?

Try to find a smaller cup, and use that to "net" the betta out with.  I do that with my more sensitive fish when I can, and my female betta who has to live in a bowl.  It's so much easier and much less stressful for them.  

For the cloudy water, that's why I asked the above questions, but did you rinse the gravel well before putting it in?  You said the one eats very little, is the extra food settling to the bottom of the tank then or do you net it out?

Christy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Christy,

The cloudy water is white. It's not green, so I don't think it's an algae problem.

The tanks are about half a gallon in size.

I did a 75% change the day before yesterday and a 50% change yesterday, just to try to and fix the cloudy water problem. Once I get rid of the cloudiness I probably won't be changing the water so often though.

Yes, the water temperature is fine as I live in a tropical country.

I don't use a dechlorinator, but I do let the water sit at least 24 hours before using it.

Regarding the smaller cup - I've considered that, but I worry that my betta might jump out of the bowl when I scoop it out.

Yes, I have rinsed the gravel well. I noticed the extra food settling to the bottom of the tank a couple of days ago, so during yesterday's water change I netted most of i out, but the situation doesn't seem to have improved.

Thanks for your help.
-Amanda
ANSWER: Hi Amanda
White cloudy water is usually a sign of a bacterial bloom.  Usually this happens in tanks with filters, while they're going through the cycle process.  

Ok, here's what I'm thinking, and jump in if I'm wrong on anything here so we can figure this out.  I take it you're not using a gravel vac/syphon to clean out the gravel.  You're just removing part of the water?  If that's the case, uneaten food will settle down in between and underneath the gravel.  This will cause ammonia build up, and bacteria.  So if you just change out the top layer of water, and not get in and clean under the gravel, the bacteria is still there.  If there's ammonia in the tank, this would also explain the betta's behavior.  

Maybe consider removing the gravel, and just leaving the tank bare bottom.  Since there's no filter, and you'll need to do more frequent water changes, the tank won't need to cycle. I'd remove the gravel, and keep about 25% of the water, add the new water to the tank, and be sure to let the betta adjust to the ph and temperature before adding him to the tank.

As for the small cup to net him with, what I do is put it in near the betta, then dip it in the water and it acts like a vacuum and sucks up some of the water and the betta with it.  Don't fill the cup all the way, and just cover the top with your hand until you set it down.  I'd keep an eye on it, to make sure he doesn't jump out.    

See if that helps, and let me know either way.  

Christy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Christy,

Thanks for the advice. I'll try what you suggested about removing the gravel. However, when should I do this? I've already done two water changes in the last three days and I don't want to overly stress my fish. Is it something I can leave for a couple of days, or should I do it immediately before my betta gets sick?

My other betta is still behaving strangely, by the way...it has a tendency to dive into the gravel. I've read this is a symptom of sickness. Other than that, though, it seems fine; eating and blowing bubbles happily.

Anyway, I bought some treatment that's supposed to solve the cloudy water problem. Hope it works...

Thanks again.

Answer
Hi Amanda
I would do it now, because if it is ammonia causing that, that's toxic to the fish.  Avoid using the chemicals for cloudy water, that stuff usually doesn't work.  I think the water change will be fine for the betta, just be sure to acclimate him to the new tank water slowly.  With bettas in smaller tanks and such, the water needs to be changed frequently anyway.  

As for the other betta, sorry, I missed that.  Usually darting in a tank is a sign of external parasites, like ich or velvet.  You can try adding a little aquarium salt to the tank and see if that helps.  

You said you set the water out overnight before using it, do you know if your water supply uses chlorine or chloramine for the tap water?  Chlorine will dissipate in 24 hours when kept in a large surface area container.  But it's my understanding that chloramines aren't that easily removed.  If there's still some left in the water during water changes, that might be stressing him as well.  A dechlorinator would help that, if that's the problem.

Just keep an eye on the fish, and watch for changes in behavior or eating.  As for the other one, hopefully the cloudy water will clear up.  
Good luck!

Christy