BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Fish Sid's new house

Hi Jilly, My betta's name is Sid II (no, Sid the first didn't die ... had to give him to a friend). Sid II currently lives in a 1/2 gal square vase in the bathroom which is the warmest place in my apartment, and is safe from "the boys" (my cats). I'd like to take him to work so he gets more attention ... he gets very excited whenever he sees me, and I'm sure he'd enjoy more company.

I have two questions.
I believe Sid has had Ich or fungus for a long time now, but he seems very healthy. However, he's got whitish/greyish spots on his gills, and the tank always clouds up really fast with whitish floaty stuff. I've started using aqua salt but it's not totally taking care of it.
So I know I need to use a medication, but I'm wondering if I should do a water change first, and then use the medicine?

I also want to give him a new house and I've been looking at the following tank from PetSmart. I believe it would take care of all my concerns, but I'd like to get your opinion. I want to make sure he's warm enough and has enough air - I'm not sure if the 15 watt lamp will heat the water enough (and not the fish), or if the filter will provide enough aeration. Could you please let me know what you think? Here's the tank description:

"The Eclipse Hexagon 5 is the only aquarium of its kind with total 3-stage filtration, including the unsurpassed biological filtration of the patented BIO wheel. All filtration media is inside the hood, so there are no hoses, filter boxes or noisy air pumps. This system silently aerates and filters the water 7 times an hour, to keep it sparkling clean and clear. The unique hexagonal acrylic tank offers leak proof durability and a panoramic 360 degrees of prime viewing area. A contoured light hood houses a 15 watt incandescent lamp and has a flip-top feeding port. Additional Eclipse Filter Cartridges are also available (sold separately)."

Thanks so much! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hi Mermaid! Sid seems to have a fungus, either a mouth fungus, or a velvet.

I would not do a water change first, since that will stress your betta. You can do a small one, like a ten percent change, but leave eveything else as is. Also, try to raise the temps of your tank up to 80 F. Get yourself some BettaFix Remedy, and keep adding the salt as a tonic.

Don't stop treating if he looks better, follow the entire seven days of medication, and keep a journal of Sid's progress. If he is not better in a week, start a second round of treatment (ie - another week).

I think your new house idea is fine! 15-watt incandescent shoud be fine, but get a cheap aquarium thermometer and find out. The temps should be 78-82. I have a 25 watt over my 2.5 gallon, which keeps Boromir very comfy. You might need to move up to a 25 watt for your 5 gallon then!

The filter should be nice and quiet, which is good for the betta. They don't like a lot of motion or movement.

When you move him to the new tank, it will stress him out, so why don't you use some of the previous tanks's water in the new one.

Remember, fish stress leads to ich and fungus and other bad fish things! I am here to help you keephis stress down when it is time for him to move, so let me know how it's going! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the reply, Jill. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I got started on remedies while I was waiting for your comments, and unfortunately, I did do a full water change. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> But it shouldn't stress out Sid anymore than all my previous full water changes! After reading more of your wonderful fish info, I've realized I'm def your classic beginner ... thinking lots of fresh water is better! So I know better now, and have been treating Sid with RidIch+ which also takes care of fungus. RidIch requires 25% water changes each day of treatment ... that's ok, right?

I've been treating Sid for 6 days now and the cottony floaty stuff in the water has def reduced, but there's still a lot of little bits hanging around. I'm also wondering if the spots on Sid's face are actually fungus ... he's mostly red all over except for a grey/whitish colour under the front half of his body which has been there since day 1 ... perhaps the spots are part of his colouring? How will I know when he's better if the water never gets completely clean and the spots don't go away? I certainly don't him want to pollute his new tank when I get it.

I also can't get the temperature above 76F. I've got a 25 watt light over the bowl now which brought it up 2 degrees. Any suggestions?

I still want to get a 2-5 gal tank for Sid, but the type I was interested in may not be warm enough. An employee at PetsMart told me that all the acrylic tanks don't come with heaters cause it would harm the plastic. He said I'd have to go with glass, and they didn't have anything less than 10 gals in glass. I really like the acrylic ones but I'm concerned that the water won't be much over 72-74 degrees. Do you know if what the employee said is true? (I don't trust him because he kept saying betta's don't really need a large tank, heater, or filtration etc. ... typical!) Do you think it's possible to put a heater in an acrylic tank?

Sorry for all the questions ... will hopefully slow down soon. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Thanks again!

Hello Mermaid,

I too am looking for a satisfactory tank for my bettas. I haven't been too satisfied with what I find at the petstores. The 2 1/2 to 5 gallon tanks are usually tall and narrow. I'm looking for something that isn't quite so tall so that I could divide it up for more than one betta and they could have a bit more room to roam besides just up and down. I also would like something with a filter and heater arrangement that would move the water enough to keep the heat circulating throughout the tank but not move it more than the bettas would like. Gee, maybe I should try and design something myself and see if I could sell it to "TopFin" ??? (need a smiley here with question marks and a SMILE) <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I really would like something that is not super expensive and yet satisfies my urge to be creative with my tank.

Jilly, what do you think ?

Emg2 :rolling:

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Inland Mermaid:
[QB]

" Here's the tank description:
"The Eclipse Hexagon 5 is the only aquarium of its kind with total 3-stage filtration, including the unsurpassed biological filtration of the patented BIO wheel."

I just bought a Marineland Eclipse 3 (fluorescent light)and my betta loves it! I ordered it online from Petsmart. I also got a Jr. heater from Walmart and it's keeping him at a perfect temperature. The first couple of hours he had a harm time with the current (he came from a one gal. tank with no filter), but he quickly adjusted.

If anyone knows of a bottom dweller I can keep with him to help keep the bottom of the tank clean, please let me know.

Thanks!

Nina

Hi Emg ... the 3 and 6 gal Eclipse tanks at PetsMart I've been looking at are horizontal, rather than tall. Take a look at their online site - www.petsmart.com, under "small tanks". The only thing they don't come with is a heater. And the filters are good cause they don't move the water too much, just aerate it. I also just read your note to Jilly re: the junior mini heater ... that sounds great! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Where'd you find it?

Nina ... thanks for your note re: the Eclipse 3! It certainly helps to get a personal referral! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> And thanks for the tip on the mini heater from Walmart ... I'll def be checking that out. How do you have the heater attached? My concern is the heater would be too hot next to the acrylic ... but I haven't really looked closely at heaters yet. Just going by a not-too-helpful petsmart employee's comment.

This is exciting ... i'm getting closer and closer to my new fish tank! <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Hello mermaid !

Welcome to the world of fish mania! :rolling:

That mini heater I found at Walmart just today in fact...(along with a new green female betta I have been looking for for a long time...post about her in the "bettas-collect them all" topic.) They had quite a few of those heaters on the shelf and I only paid just under $7.00 for it. Much better than the almost $20.00 it would have cost if I had ordered it online.

The mini heater is a fully submersable heater and attaches to the side of the tank with suction cups.

I have been waiting for an answer to your question about heaters in acrylic tanks myself...I only have one 1 gallon glass tank which is rectangular (an old hand-blown thing I picked up somewhere) the rest of my tanks are all small 1 gallon acrylic things. Would be nice to be able to heat them somehow. I have 6 bettas now...would get expensive to go out and buy them all their own 2 1/2 gallon tank with all the fixins !

Wish you lots of creative fun with your new hobby ! I'm just starting out myself, Though I can see I better keep a close eye on my wallet...could empty out real fast if I keep this up !

Emg2 <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Mermaid, to bring the temps up, I think Emg's semi-enclosed fish sick bay is a fantastic idea. That should create a mini-environment of warmth.

If you are really bitten by the fish bug, you will want to do what all true addicts do, and create a fish room, where the temps are high in the ambient air around it. You can Use this to your advantage and make it also a part plant nursery and greenhouse! Orchids, for one, would LOVE the humid warm air a fish room creates.

If you are interested, we can talk more. Otherwise, take a look at Emg's model sick bay at the Rate A Fish area at bella. I have al ink to it in this forum, under the topic Rate A Fish. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Emg, as far as heating acrylic, your set-up is superior. Keep your eyes open, as I do, for used glass fish tanks at Goodwill and at garage sales. I just got a 10-gallon glass for 2 dollars at Goodwill - very specious for a betta and a few catfish to keep the gravel clean. Then you can have a heater, of course.

There are a lot of imperfect items on the market for fish. Small acrylic tanks which are marketed for goldfish - a terrible idea, and so on.

The best things are those 2.5 gallon glass tanks. $10 at PetsMart and Wal-mart. Then add a junior heater and a simple airstone. Mask the current by silk plants or decorations, and it's the most superior set-up for bettas. Yes, all this gets expensive. Fish are the cheap part! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

YES! Emg, let's design the perfect betta tank and go into business!!!! <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />