BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Fish A sad day for my Betta

First, I would like to say sorry for not being here in such a long time. I have been really busy, but I had to write today.

Last night, I was in my kitchen and I looked out in to my living room to see the TV. There is a little cut out hole from my kitchen to my living room where Zeta and Alphie sit (Zeta was the sick Betta I saved). Anyway, I noticed Alphie's tank was extremely cloudy. I had just cleaned it so I instantly knew something was wrong. When I got closer, I saw him floating at the top. His day had come. I am okay with this, as he lived 3 or more years so I know I gave him a full happy life. He was a very good pet.

But now I have a couple questions. His water was very cloudy and gooky. Sunday is the day I do not feed them, but sometimes give a snack, but he was fine on Saturday, so a full day at the most is how long he was in there. When I emptied the bowl, the smell was awful. The gravel (little smooth plastic looking crystals) and little plant reek. I have them soaking right now, but here is my questions to you. This bowl is much bigger than what Zeta is in, and I would like to move him to this bowl. But everything smells so bad. It is a glass bowl, so can I put it in the dishwasher to clean it? Also, do you recomemend I get rid of the gravel and plant and just throw it out? I plan on using the gravel and plant currently with Zeta, so that is not a problem, but I was thinking of getting a new Betta that I could use the other stuff with. Problem is, it smells so bad. Can someone please give me some suggestions? Either trash them, or is there a good way to clean them without using something that could spoil water and harm the fish in the future. And is it safe to put the glass bowl in the dishwasher?

Thankls for all your help!!

If you put the bowl in the dishwasher, be sure to completely rinse it out afterward. As for the plant and gravel, we left ours sitting out in the sun for several days, and it seemed to clean it. We had this silk flower plant, and it was gray from the gunk in the tank, really nasty looking. After a few days, it was white and pink again.

Nan

Okay, so it is safe to put in the dishwasher, just rinse it out. Thje gravel in the sun is interesting, but there is no gook on it, it just smells terrible and makes me gag when I get near it. Is this normal? Do Betta's let off something after they die? You would think he was in there for weeks rotting away, but he was fine on Saturday and not on Sunday. One day doesn't seem like enough time to make it smell so terrible.

Anything that dies starts to decompose right away. The water being cloudy most likely was from poor Alphie...as well as the smell.

I don't think I would put the bowl in the dishwasher. Most likely no matter how well you rinse it you wouldn't get all the soap residue off. You could soak the bowl in HOT water with a bit of bleach...rinse it out very well and then let it sit in the sun for a day. The sunlight gets rid of the bleach that might be left after rinsing. YOu could do the same with all the stuff that was in there with him, including the gravel. That would get rid of any bad bacterias or whatever that may be lingering....which are causing that awful smell.

Thanks. Funny you should say that, as my Mom told me to use a little bleach when I called to tell her he died, and I thought she was nuts. I would just hate to use something and then move Zeta to the bowl only to kill him. I would feel terrible. I think I might let it sit with bleach though and put it outside in the sun. Does it matter if it is cold outside though? Does that make any difference? I am in new jersey.

It might be easier just to buy some new gravel, it's not terribly expensive. How big is the bowl? You could even get a new color and redecorate <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

It is a nice size bowl, more than a gallon. I am not that worried abuot the gravel, as you said, I could easily get more, but I do not want to get rid of this bowl. It is a thick glass with little fish and bones on it (they are indents in the glass so it is all clear) and there is this porcelen type cat that came with it that sits on the top of the bowl (like a lid so my cats can't get in, but there is planty of air as well) and the cats tail hangs in the bowl with a fish swimming through it. It is really neat and Alphie seemed to really enjoy it. My brother got it for me as a fish bowl, but don't know where. It seems the smell is more in the gravel than the actual bowl itself though, so it shouldn't be to hard to clean the bowl.

Thanks for all your help. I will miss Alphie, but he lived a long happy, healthy life and had become the biggest Betta I ever saw. I just wish he would have made it to Christmas, as I am getting a digital camera and wanted to take pictures to show all of you.

Dang Rn....too bad about the pics..I would have loved to see them...and..that sounds like a way cool bowl! Send us a pic of that with your new little bud in it when you get that camera. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I will!!! It is a really neat looking bowl. Perfect for a Betta. As soon as I get my camera, it will be the first thing I do, of course, I may need some help learning how to post the picture and all since I will be new at this.

Easy as pie Rn...you'll have no probs I'm sure. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />