# Newbie, my first Betta



## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

Hey all! So I recently took this little guy in, previous "owner" was a 4 year old who has owned this Betta for 2-3 years. They were moving and the mother of the kid didn't want to bother with moving the fish and his little half-gallon bowl. (The water was all yellow, no plants/decor/gravel and pieces of human food floating around, apparently this was his home for those 2-3 years they had him)
I've been cycling a 10 gallon tank the past few weeks, and I just moved him in. So far so good, he loves his food (Aqueon Betta Food) and he's very curious/active! :-D
Few questions, I hope this is the right place to post.

How long do Bettas live? (Lol this fish seems/looks old to me)
Can I place Java Moss/Fern in there now?
The 10 gallon tank is pretty darn clean, I was thinking of buying 2 Mystery Snails and/or 5+ Ghost Shrimp, should I wait a couple weeks before doing so or can I put them in now? (I know they eat scraps/algae, etc and well it being a new set-up..)
Difference between Mystery Snails and Ghost Shrimp? 
Lastly, is a heater necessary? It's almost summer, it gets pretty hot here (90+ Fahrenheit) and the aquarium is by a window.


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

Not sure why the pictures are upside down, sorry about that.


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

Well, as for the heater... Do you keep your house at 90? 
I would get a thermometer, you might be surprised how cool the water is. 

I would actually avoid both those tank mates... bettas (as I'm sure you know) are pretty aggressive, and can terrorize both mysteries and shrimp. Nerite snails are very well protected, and are VERY good algae cleaners, which might be a huge bonus if it's near a window. 

I would definitely get the fern/moss in there, can't harm anything!

2 small concerns - I can't tell if all the plants are silk, plastic is notorious for ripping fins. I've never had an issue with it, but many people have. Also, I would consider switching to a higher quality food. If you look at the label, you might be shocked by how full of crud it is. Personally I use New Life Spectrum, many people here recommend Omega One pellets.


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## sainthogan (Sep 27, 2012)

How long do Bettas live? Healthy fish can live 3 -5 years, yours, given his previous conditions, is probably close to the end.

Can I place Java Moss/Fern in there now? Yes, you can.

The 10 gallon tank is pretty darn clean, I was thinking of buying 2 Mystery Snails and/or 5+ Ghost Shrimp, should I wait a couple weeks before doing so or can I put them in now? (I know they eat scraps/algae, etc and well it being a new set-up..) You can put them in, but consider that the shrimp could become a good meal for your fish, you may want to see what his personality is like. If he's very aggressive, the shrimp may not be a good idea.

Difference between Mystery Snails and Ghost Shrimp? Mystery snails can get pretty large, ghost shrimp can be large, but they are sometimes vulnerable to attack from a Betta fish. Mystery snails will generally eat algae, but they aren't the best at cleaning it up. Ghost shrimp eat all sorts of things, but are also not the best for cleaning up the tank. You will still need to do probably 2 tank cleans a week.

Lastly, is a heater necessary? It's almost summer, it gets pretty hot here (90+ Fahrenheit) and the aquarium is by a window. Yes a heater is necessary to keep the temperature stable, imagine if the temperature at night drops very low one night, then it can be very stressful for your fish. Betta fish do best in stable warm temperatures (not hot), frequent temperature fluctuations can be extremely stressful for a Betta, and can bring on illness (a consistent temp of 65 is better than one that is constantly going up and down, even if it's only by a few degrees. Also, you may want to consider not having him close to the window. Direct sunlight is bad for Betta fish, and if it's very hot outside, it could get very hot inside the tank. 90 degrees is MUCH too hot for a Betta. They thrive best in stable temps between 76 and 82.


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

It's been a busy past few days for me! I read everything as soon as you guys posted, so I went ahead and placed orders for a couple live plants (java Moss, java fern and anubias) and a 100 watt adjustable heater. 
I'm also looking into getting some higher quality food for the little guy. 

Couple more questions, how can I tell of he's aggressive or not? I stuck my hand/arm to adjust a plant, he swam circles around my hand? Lol
When I buy the Ghost Shrimp (decided against snails) can I just put them in or should I put them in another cycled tank I have? (3gal where I had the Betta while the 10gal cycled)

Thanks for all the help!


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

It's generally considered good practice to quarantine ANY tank mates first, for several weeks. 

It's hard to tell if they're aggressive with you... You're the food monster! Even my most aggressive boy will beg like a little puppy if I put my hands in the tank. If you have a mirror, you can always gauge his reaction to that. It's normal for them to flare, although it's not an issue if they don't. One of my boys (poor Merraxes) would just stare at me, he only flared ONCE. On the flip side, my most aggressive boy will jump out of the water to grab the edge of the mirror...


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

Oh my gosh, the little guy totally went after the mirror and he stayed 'flared' for a good 5 seconds after I took the mirror out! First time i've actually seen the little guy flare lol! (You know what, i'm just going to go ahead and name him Little Guy)
I stuck the tip of my finger in the tank after putting the mirror in, and he managed to nip at me, he's never done that, not sure if he was still feeling feisty or he was curious.

I don't mean to be so blunt, but this makes him aggressive, right? Would it be cruel to test out a couple shrimp with him? (after they've been quarantined and if they seem healthy)

On another topic, i've been browsing the forums (learned so much already lol) and I noticed my betta doesn't have long flowy fins that most other males do, is this normal? He's been like that since I got him.


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

I don't think it's cruel at all, but I'm pretty mother nature-ey about stuff like that. I'd live feed snakes if I had em, let my dog catch rabbits n stuff... It's your call on it. 

He was prolly still a bit feisty after his 'fight' but my guys always nibble my fingers. They think it means food. I encourage it :3 so coot.

His fins do look a little messed up in that last picture, any change to get a few more?


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

I've always wanted shrimp so i'll go ahead it with it, maybe they'll make tasty treats? Or at least that's what i'm telling myself to not feel bad.  I'll definitely make sure to add more caves/grass type plants for cover.
I really hope he's not near the end, I really like him. Compared to the tropical fish I used to have, Little Guy has quite a personality.

For some reason it is taking forever to try to upload the picture I just took, i'll try again later! I was able to get a really clear shot though.


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

Got it!


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

Yikes yeah that is fin rot. Not surprising given the care he had before... Shame on that mother, it was solely up to her to care for the pet, and she COMPLETELY failed. *dismounts high horse*

To treat fin rot (and this is almost advanced to body rot on that bottom/anal fin) you will want to add aquarium salt, gradually increasing the salinity to 1tsp/gallon. I mix some up in some heated aq water, so I'd try to get 2 or 3 cups heated up, and add mix 10 tsp of aquarium salt into that. Then add maybe 1/4 of a cup at a time, giving 30 mins in between for him to get used to it. 
That will purge the infection from his fins. If it continues to advance, you can increase to 2 tsp/gal, but do not leave the salt in for more than 10 days, it's pretty hard on their kidneys. I imagine with that and the clean/warm water, he'll heal up pretty quickly


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

Oh no. 
Can I treat him in a 1 gal tank? Will I need to do a 100% water change daily? And lastly, can I use the water from his current 10 gal?


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

I would leave him in the 10G, as long as it is properly cycled. The water is gonna be 'cleaner,' although you might want to up the partials. Usually it's recommended to clean about a third of the water, plus cleaning substrate. I'd up that to about half maybe. 

You could treat him in 1G, I'd do daily changes


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

Well thank you for the help, I really appreciate it. I'll do some more research and get the aquarium salt ASAP.
If it's not too late, can his fins potentially grow back completely? I thought he was just old, I'm really kicking myself for not looking into it sooner.


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

They will very definitely grow back. No worries there.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

You may want to take a more aggressive treatment and treat with actual meds if that is indeed fin rot, since its so close to the body - something like API's Furan 2 would work. Stress coat at 2X the dosage will help fins regrow once the rot is treated. However they might look a little funky once they do.


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## XxxXnoodleXxxX (Dec 1, 2012)

Tikibirds said:


> You may want to take a more aggressive treatment and treat with actual meds if that is indeed fin rot, since its so close to the body - something like API's Furan 2 would work. Stress coat at 2X the dosage will help fins regrow once the rot is treated. However they might look a little funky once they do.


This. That's close to the body, and could cause some serious problems. I'd give him a 30 minute dip each day in a 1 gallon "hospital tank" with Furan 2 (yes, I know it's super hard to measure the amount for 1 gallon), and then put him back in his big tank again when the dip is all done. And make sure to acclimatize him! (float him in a cup or bag for a while before putting him in either tank so the temperature doesn't shock him) After that, stress coat at the higher dosage in his big tank will help essentially replace the lost slime coat and help him heal up, stay calm, etc.


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

I'm able to order Furan 2, but that'll probably take about a week+ to get here (if I can't find it locally, near me there is only PetSmart and Walmart).

Is there another treatment I can use that I may be able to find at those places? If not what can I do until the Furan 2 gets here, just treat with aquarium salt? I'm asking in advance because even PetSmart/Walmart is 40 minutes away I want to know what to keep an eye out for.


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

This thread is my go to guide for medication, I'm super clueless about it too: 
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=73332

From that thread: 
"Medication: If Conservative treatment is ineffective use API Tetracycline, API Fungus Cure, API Triple Sulfa, OR API Erythromycin. Also add Stress Coat to help regrowth. Continue until fins/tail stop receding and start showing some new growth."

Taking daily pictures is a huge aid in tracking progress/regrowth


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## Mando (Mar 19, 2014)

you're little guy seems to either have severe fin rot or he bites his fins off. you might want to contact the previous owner if it had long fins at one point if it didn't it is probably a girl and then that would still make it fin rot or fin nipping but less severe. but they should grow back if it had long fins before because of how well your keeping him or her. keep it up.


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

Thank you for the link, haveyouhadyourteayet! I hope all goes well, I really want to help Little Guy, so fingers crossed! I'll take daily pictures, too.
Mando, apparently he used to have 'long flowy blue fins' so he's definitely a male.


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

He's too big to be a female anyways XD

What meds did you end up getting, if any? How's he responding to them?


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

I got API Tetracycline and Fungus Cure. If i'm not mistaken (or too hopeful) i'm almost 100% certain I see regrowth/improvement.
I took the best picture I could just now i'll go ahead and post that.

On another note, are betta's normally like very active? I think today marks a week that he's been in his 10 gallon, he is literally all over the place! It seems like every once in a while he purposely swims under the filter's waterfall flow thingy and it pretty much takes him down lol. He'll very slowly approach it with his little fins all perked up and then speed up and go right under. (i baffled it with a waterbottle but it's still pretty strong, looking for a sponge) In addition to that the Java Moss I ordered got here yesterday and I spread it along the log he has, he nipped at it several times and then he Literally rolled in it, and spread it/took it off the log. I even took short video of him doing it. 
One last thing (sorry i'm totally babbling, it's just so exciting to watch him lol) he tries to nip at me through the glass (even without my hands anywhere in sight)? And if I stick my hand in it seems pretty aggressive the way he comes after me. As soon as my hand hovers over the water, even just to feed him, he jumps out of the water (not much if barely) to try to get me. Is this normal?

All in all he seems very happy.


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

Not sure why his top fin looks black/brown, but to me it does not look sickly looking, it's actually completely blue. I'm uploading the short video of him in the Java Moss and you can see his bright blue fin.  
I'll post the link as soon as it's up!


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF897O9BlP4&feature=youtu.be


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

That does look a lot better!! Clean, warm water can work miracles!!
I'd mostly seen the nastiest looking rot on his anal (bottom) fin, and I'm still seeing a little nastyness, but it's a lot less dead looking. He's on the mend!!
Sounds like he's a very happy fishy!! He might actually slow down some one his fins come back, shorter tailed bettas tend to be a little zippier. And as his tail grows in, the flow of the filter may start bothering him, as his whole backside will be a giant sail. 
It's very normal to try to get to the 'food monster', my fish will come beg at the edge of the glass, and follow my finger around the top, or if my hands are in there, they nibble at them. So cute. 
The moss video is super cute!! Just keep an eye out if he's rubbing of 'flashing' against anything else, it can be a sign of parasites, they're itchy and make fish scratch on things. Looks like he's just playing here though :3
Cannot WAIT to see how he grows back!! He's very lucky to have you!


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

I'm glad you think he's lucky to have me! I thought I would fail miserably at treating him (knock on wood). 
He doesn't appear to scratch against anything, the whole playing in it has only happened when I barely put the moss in, but i'll keep an eye out for any more scratching just in case.
Anal fin? Are they the two little pointy fins right under his face/head? I just went through the pictures i've posted and realized you can't see them soooo.. I took 1 more! Lol 

By the way, does he look fat? I'm feeding him Omega One now, he likes it just as much as Aqueon Pellets thankfully.


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=232570 Helpful fish map 

The anal fin should be about as long as his other fins, and it's soooo short, probably had the worst of the rot cause he was laying in gunk  sad but true. 

So are you doing salt or meds or what?


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

Oh wow, his fins are seriously short. 

I'm treating him in the 1 gallon aquarium I have, using some water from his 10 gal. I'm measuring out the appropriate treatment amounts of both the Tetracycline and Fungus cure, no salt. Yesterday and today i've left him in the 1 gal for about 30 minutes before moving him back to his 10 gal (i'm sort of confused as to how long I should leave him in it, I don't want to over-do/over dose him). And i'm doing 100% water changes in the 1 gal.

I hope what i'm doing is about right?


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

Most meds are leave in, not 'dip' which is what you're currently doing 

I would treat the big tank, and leave him in there, he seems happy with all the room.


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

Ok, after treating it, am I supposed to do any water changes, or be treating it daily, etc? I can't seem to find that information anywhere I look.


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

On the fungus cure, just make sure to take the carbon out of the filter, and retreat after 48 hrs. I'm not positive if you change the water in between, I did, but in a much much smaller tank without a filter.


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

Just go with the packaging :3


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

I finally have time to post! And i've stopped 'dip' treating him lol. 

My 10 gallon started leaking (the glue was not on well), luckily I was able to return it. So now i'm cycling another 10 gallon I just purchased yesterday. :|

Little Guy is being treated in his 1 gallon, he's is doing absolutely great. I've caught him doing what I call a 'flare' dance, he'll flare slightly and wiggle in place? As for his fins, I see a clear/light bright blue outline on all of them, is that good/progress?

Picture updates!

*** LOL not sure why the pictures keep posting upside down, i'll rotate them next time!


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## KafkaDream (Dec 30, 2013)

I've been creeping around on this thread for a few days now XD and I'm so glad to see him already doing better! Its amazing, what some good ol' TLC can do.


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

Tons of regrowth when compared to that first picture!! Lookit his stubby little ventrals comin in!!
Kudos to you for making this guy's life SO MUCH BETTER!!!
*warm fuzzies*

Sorry your tank broke  they do that sometimes, sadly


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## aselvarial (Feb 21, 2014)

oh wow, his fins look SO much better! I can't believe the mother let her 4 year olds fish get this bad (btw I have a 4 year old who ALSO has a betta, and while it is my "sons betta", 4 year olds can't even properly care for themselves yet, much less a fish!) Also, I have a betta that likes to swim the current in his filter just like yours! I'm so glad this little fish's luck finally turned around and he is getting the good life now!


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

How's the little guy doing?!


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

I'm SO glad to see him getting better, too! 

He's doing just fine (in general+with the treatments), haven't been able to get at least a halfway decent picture though lol. Not as easy to get a body shot in the little 1 gallon, especially since he goes crazy if he sees me. The auto-focus on my iPhone takes a while and when it finally adjusts, he's on the move again!

Don't worry, i'll be keeping you all up-dated! 

I ordered several more live plants that should be arriving soon- can't wait to put Little Guy back into a 10 gallon and watch him explore.


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

yay!!!

Whenever you can get him to chill, I'm dying to see a picture!!!


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

I came up with such a brilliant idea after snapping probably hundreds of pictures and not getting a perfect shot.. I took another video! :b You can see he won't stay put, and most importantly you can see his fins! Yay!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UjSmmsxpdw&feature=youtu.be


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

Ugh this back woods internet is KILLING ME!!


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

awwww lookit him go!!! He looks great!! His fins are going to be stunning!!


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

*UPDATE!

Pretty major/visible fin regrowth! It almost happened over night!  
Sorry for the picture quality, his light bulb went out and I used flash.


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## LurkerMom (Sep 9, 2013)

yay!


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

*clappity* yaaaaaaay!!


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## KafkaDream (Dec 30, 2013)

Woop woop! That's AMAZING fin regrowth! *happy dances*


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## Rueka (Feb 11, 2014)

Read this entire thread and looked at all the pictures and I just wanted to say congrats on the turn around, I'm glad that he's doing much better!!!


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## rpadgett37 (Jan 1, 2014)

What a great thread this has been for me. I learned a great deal here about both fin rot and how to treat it. A real education.

I am bookmarking this thread for future reference. Thanks to one and all.


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

*pestering for an update*


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## Cari (Jan 8, 2014)

What amazing progress from page 1 to now...you saved this little guy's life! How could those previous owners not notice his fins disappearing and think that something might be wrong? ;_; Some people just shouldn't have pets.


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

Or children...


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

So! I'm very excited to update you all(thank you haveyouhadyourteayet lol), everything's going great, still awesome progress with Little Guy!

His soon to be home, 10 gallon, is officially stocked with about 25 live plants! His current home (5 gallon- debating wether or not to keep him there permanently) is about 50/50 with live & artificial plants.

I shall upload some pictures now, Little Guy even posed.  (Again, please excuse the flash, his 5 gallon tank lighting doesn't do him justice)

***ALSO, for those who have found this thread helpful (REALLY glad this thread helped you guys! ), i'd like to say I only treated him for the first 3 days, afterwards I used only aquarium salt with appropriate water changes.


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

It's really depressing knowing there's pets out there that are not cared for... I want to save more bettas lol, I'm getting addicted to having aquariums.


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## aselvarial (Feb 21, 2014)

wow, his bottom fins look TONS better! wow!


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

I'm heavily invested in your fish Fethre XD Good luck just keeping one betta...

Just a note, if it's been more than 10 days with the AQ salt, I'd give him about a week off. At this point, the infection should be purged, and the salt can mess up his little kidneys. 
API Stresscoat and adding tannins to the water can encourage growth.


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

Noted, i'll give him a week off the AQ salt! 

I just discovered Aquabid, there are some very gorgeous Betta's out there. Ebay too! I'm tempted, but i'm waiting until Little Guy makes a full recovery.

Is there a difference between slimecoat and stresscoat? I'm using Seachem Prime water conditioner, the bottle says it provides a slimecoat too. As for adding tannins, it sounds interesting, i'll look into it!


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## Cari (Jan 8, 2014)

Comparing the color of the new regrowth to the scales on his body & the fins prior to the treatment...wow, this poor guy went through hell on earth.

Anyone know if his scales & the fins prior to treatment will ever go back to their normal color, like the regrown fins? Poor guy looks like a burn victim...

Fethre, do you mind if I share that first picture in your most recent post with some of my friends?


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## KatNDog292 (Apr 10, 2014)

His fins should grow back in just like new. My female bettas apparently fought each other and ruined their fins but you'd never know it  Does anyone know if scales grow in like the old ones?


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

He's a pretty old fish as it is, I think he might just be a little scarred up  He might make a full recovery though!

Slimecoat is their natural little well... slime coat. It keeps em moist if they make a great escape, and protects them from crud. Stresscoat is a water conditioner that helps relieve stress to some degree, and encourages slimecoat growth with Aloe Vera. Prime helps with the slimecoat, but in a different way. I think it's a mineral additive.


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

Cari, go ahead!

I thought it was pretty strange too, how his fin regrowth is completely different than well, him/his fins. Sucks that he's already pretty old, but i'm trying my best to keep him healthy and happy. 
Also now that you all are mentioning it, I think it's the lighting/camera that make his body/scales look so off. If you look at the pictures of him on page 1,3,4 or simply watch the video on page 5, you can see he's just brown with some blue and red scales lol. I hope his whole little body is alright!

haveyouhadyourteayet, i'll get some stresscoat, can't hurt anything (even Aloe Vera works miracles for me lol)!  Thank you SO much for all the help!


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

It can't hurt  

He may end up shedding his scales or something, I'm not sure how he'll heal up, since he was in such heinous conditions.


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## KatNDog292 (Apr 10, 2014)

Poor guy  hope he gets better!


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

More progress, quick update.


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## AudaxViator (Feb 5, 2014)

WOW what an improvement! That's amazing to see, keep up the good work! So glad he found a home with you


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## Goldbetta98 (Apr 17, 2014)

Wow, what a transformation. I'm glad he is getting better.


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

Looks like his little body is getting a little more vibrant? Or is that just the lighting?


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

Almost there!


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## Fethre (Mar 14, 2014)

<3


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## Pocketmew (Mar 25, 2014)

HE LOOKS SO MUCH BETTER!!!! ahhhhh I'm so happy that he found you for a home <3333


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## CindyLouWho (Apr 29, 2014)

OMG I just read this whole thread and kudos to you for saving him!! He doesn't even look like the same fish! :yourock:

some people I swear. How do you think that his origional condition is even close to "OK"?! and for a 4 year old. REALLY?? They cant remember to brush their own teeth, much less care for another being. *end rant*

Ok, sorry for my little moment! You did a fabulous job!!


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## aselvarial (Feb 21, 2014)

oh wow! look at all that fin re-growth! WOW! he's just gorgeous! and so happy looking!


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## haveyouhadyourteayet (Jan 14, 2014)

^_^ Dem fins!!!


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