BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Fish Fish Journal - BETTAS ONLY

What on earth is this little dude doing in his tank?? I swear, he is finding ways to tear his fins on the water! It's not fin rot I don't think, just torn fins, because the ends are showing regrowth, and they aren't deteriorating at all...I'll bet it's the gravel. It isn't rough, but it's got enough edges that with the way he swims around it probably catches his fins...ho hum. Perhaps I shall invest in some marbles over winter break...what a funny fish

On an unrelated note, my friend has this gorgeous crowntail blue and purple betta fish, one of the three she has, and I feel so bad for it because she keeps in in one of those little hexagon tanks! It's so beautiful and it's stuck in the little closet of a tank <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> . Everytime I go over I just want to give it a home! But she cleans the bowls and the hexagon several times a week, so at least he gets good water. I've been trying to get her to spring for something bigger, but she's not seeing the light yet...However the fish look quite happy anyway.

Elise

Another sidenote: He is now angry at my pencap, hahahahaha! I set it down by his tank and he started flaring up at it, so I moved it around and he followed it. What a fish, LOL!

Lol Elise...funny fish..

My bettas also tear up thier fins somehow...and I have very smooth stones and live plants in thier tanks..they still get torn up. I finally got so discusted that I have put 3 of my males in 1 gallon aquascene tanks with NOTHING in them but a thermometer. I do regular water changes 2 or 3 times a week..and so far thier fins are healing up nicely with no new tearing. I do hope I don't have to keep them in those plain boring tanks all the time...but I will if I have to..I'm sick of dealing with torn and tattered fins and worrying about finrot.

About your friends fish...you know, if he's healthy and happy in that little cup/tank...perhaps she should just leave him in it...lol...because the day she changes him to a nicer one will be the day she starts having problems...that just seems to be the way with these fish.. :rolleyes: However, if she does get him one of those double hex little tanks...and lets him have it all to himself, it's similar enough that it might work out...and he will have more room to swim around. Those tanks aren't too bad expense wise..usually about 4-5 dollars...maybe you could get her one as a gift...christmas and all.. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Well, her other two are in tiny bowls too, so I'd have to buy three containers...but it's funny that the one I think is the prettiest has the smallest container with a plastic plant with points that could easily tear his fins...it's like watching a baby sitting next to a box of knives or something! Buuuuuuut they are happy so who am I to change that...

Lol Elise...I know the pointy plants you're talking about..they come with those tanks and they're awful !! and Yes, it is just like sitting a baby next to a box of knives..lol..good analogy!

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL !! O<{}:-)

Well, I am not sure of the rules on cross-posting in here seeing as I am new, but I am really concerned about my new betta named "Squishy" I got him as an early Christmas present tuesday night. His little tank is I believe maybe a 3 gallon. I filled his new home with water, added some stress coat, let it sit for about three hours, set his bag in it for 15 minutes, added him in, then fed him freeze dried bloodworms. He seemed to be happy. (I did all of this because this is typically what my boyfriend who bought me the fish does with his fish, although they are cichlids in a 30 gallon <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> )

I have just a few questions.

1) How often should I be feeding him? I fed him tuesday night, wed. at noon, wed. around 10:00pm, and thuursday at around 3:30 pm. I was trying to go with twice a day; morning and night. Typically it will be around 8:30-9:00 am and 10:00pm-ish. Some say to feed them twice a day, some say once. Has anyone found that one is better than the other?

2)Should I vary the food I give him? All I have right now is freeze-dried bloodworms. I am going to go pick up some brine shrimp. I was thinking about varying it with each feeding, maybe adding live food once or twice a week. My boyfriend feeds his fish frozen bloodworms (only once a week) but I feel that the cubes are too big, he IS only one fish after all.

3)How often should I change his water? I already did around an 80% water change this morning because my little sister fed him WAY too much yesterday and I couldn't fish it all out.

4) Should I get a little heater to regulate the temperature? I know I need a thermometer.

5)Should I use pH buffers to maintain the pH, and if so, is a 7.0 pH accurate? One website said to keep it slightly acidic.

6)How long should I wait before adding a female to mate them? I am also going to get a second little tank to keep her in after they mate. He is blue, should I get a blue female or any color?

I am going shopping most likely today or sunday, seeing as it is Christmas Eve. I am going to get all of the necessities, as well as possibly a female. I really appriciate all of your help, my limited knowledge comes from my boyfriend and his Cichlid tank.

Hello hello! I am also a newbie here. I have two beautiful bettas, a blue/turqoise male named William Wallace (Willy I usually call him) and a beautiful pink female named Isabella.

I have had Willy since September '04 and I got Isabella exactly 1 week ago when I ran into a friend going home for college that said she was going to flush her fish instead of bring them home. I know, I know, TERRIBLE! So, my neighbor and I each took one of her bettas (she had two), and gave them new homes. She's already looking MUCH better and full of life.

I do have a question though. I have kept both in 1/2 gallon bowls, and two days ago I bought Willy a new gallon AquaView Plus from Wal-Mart. Think of it sort of like a christmas present .. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

My question is this: I have the underground filter on, but how often do you suggest I change the water? I usually do the 1/2 gallon tanks 1-2 times per week depending on how it looks.

I just want to make Willy as comfortable as possible in his new home! Thanks!

Hey Boo! I hate those little plants too. maybe you can chuck them when your friend isn't looking. Get her some nice soft plants instead. they have these nice little silk ones with a weighted stone on the bottom at walmart, and they are pretty cheap. those pointy things are horrid and i agree about the knives - ouch!

if your friend's fish are fine in the little hexes, yup, just leave em. the key is clean water, stable temps and a lack of too much stressful change in their lives.

have your friend join the forum!

Hi April. good for you on saving those fish. your friend was going to FLUSH them??? I think all of us are cringing here. bettas are not plants or decorations - they are loving little pets! I'm so glad they have a better home.

You wrote: "I do have a question though. I have kept both in 1/2 gallon bowls, and two days ago I bought Willy a new gallon AquaView Plus from Wal-Mart. Think of it sort of like a christmas present .. my question is this: I have the underground filter on, but how often do you suggest I change the water? I usually do the 1/2 gallon tanks 1-2 times per week depending on how it looks. "

the aquaview plus is a perfect betta tank, good choice. you can run the filter or not. but you need to choose how you are going to handle the tank. with bettas, it's easier to not run the filter and just change the water often. Each week just take all the water out, or do two 50% changes, and you are done.

If you want to run the UGF filter (undergravel filter), then you are going to be establishing a biological filtration system. it takes amonth to get that going to the point where the bacteria builds up to the point of converting all the ammonia to nitrite to nitrate.

Some of us do one way or the other and some of us do both. I will let everyone else add their thoughts on this. we've done alot of experiementing.

bettagirl - twice a day is fine. once a day is fine too. I actually fast them one day a week. Go with what is most comfortable for you.

just don't over feed, and clean out uneaten food from the gravel with a turkey baster to keep their home from getting nasty.

I'll let Emg handle the live food question - she's our expert.

Change the water each week. read around the posts in this forum, there's some great advice. come up with a routine that is good for both of you. my addendum - you can never change water too much with bettas. if you feel the urge, do it! Your fish will be healthier for the attention.

get a thermometer and then decide if you need a heater. you want temps in the 70s. you will know he's too cold if he is all clamped at the bottom...and maybe ick...if it's too hot, he'll get endless bouts of fin rot. we have tons on info on this site about heating experiments. I have a link to that stuff in the 'table of contents' thread at the top of the forum.

Don't do the pH thing. it's more trouble than it's worth. your betta will adapt to your water.

and....okay, you won't want to put a female in with your male. she would need her own tank. if you want a mating, that is A LOT of WORK and you need to know quite a bit first. I will let Emg speak on this as well, or Nan, or mel or Glo, or the others, since my fingers are getting tired of typing!!! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

oh, one last thing - merry christmas everybody! <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />