# PLEASE HELP Cant keep my bettas alive



## mamasitta05 (Aug 25, 2011)

HElp i can not keep my bettas alive i have had 2 in the last week and im very upset my 2 year old loves them very much and they keep dying and i don't want to spend more money till i know what is going on with my tank if there is any. first one died due to to muck alega cleaner in tank i think i was putting some in and my 2 year old squeezed the bottle and put to much in. Then i got another one and 3 days later after putting clean water in tank he died last night PLEASE SOMEONE HELP


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

I had the same problem at first till i figured out how not to kill them. I had a water chemistry issue and they were dying of either ammonia or nitrate poisining.

I need more info then what you provided so, answer as many as you can

1) how big is the tank
2) do you use water conditioner
3) when you added the fish to the tank did you just put it in the tank or did you slowly get it used to the new water tempature?


Was the fish lethargic? did it just lay on the bottom or float at the top of the tank?
were the fins open or did they look squished together, all clamped looking?
rapid breating/gill movement??

also it is quite possible the ones you bought were already sick. petstores really suck at betta care.


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## mamasitta05 (Aug 25, 2011)

my tank is 3.5 gallons 
yes use water conditioner
i just put him in the tank

first fish was on bottom of tank with white over eyes and then when i moved himhe floated to the top 
2nd fish he was at bottom and wasn't moving at all. tried to see what was wrong and he didn't move at all nothing no gills or nothing just stayed at bottom of tank i got them at wal mart i the second one didn't look right but he was pretty and when i got him in tank he was s lively and swam around and was having fun i think i over feed him




Tikibirds said:


> I had the same problem at first till i figured out how not to kill them. I had a water chemistry issue and they were dying of either ammonia or nitrate poisining.
> 
> I need more info then what you provided so, answer as many as you can
> 
> ...


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Maybe it's just me but aren't algae killer liquids not necessary in a small betta tank?? The smaller the tank the more frequent water changes it needs so there's no chance of algae growing anyway. I, and many here I noticed, have Japanese moss balls (aka Marimo) they compete with the bad algae for food. And they look really neat! 

Anytime you add a new fish or do a water change the fish needs to float in a baggie of the water it's used to in the tank of water its not used to. I keep Lakitu floating for 10 minutes each time. It helps them acclimate to the new temperature so there's not too much shock on the body. A change in even a degree or two can harm your fish. 

And from now on, do not let your little boy "help" with cleaning or adding chemicals. Children do not know the difference and, as you experienced, he can easily add a lethal dose!!


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I think since it's your first betta you should probably try and find the most lively looking fish there is.. instead of Walmart try Petsmart, or a local fish store instead, they may have more lively bettas. I would take a small bright coloured object (pen cap) or a tiny mirror, and see how they respond. If he puffs up his gills that will usually mean he's in better shape I believe. If none of the fish look very good where you are, just ask an employee when a new shipment is coming in, and be sure to arrive that day since they're usually doing better. Look at him closely, make sure there's no white specks, fluff, anything that looks like it could be a disease.

I would recommend, after finding the liveliest fish that you;
1. Put his cup/bag in the tank for 10-15 minutes before letting him out so he can adjust to the water temperature in the tank. Dumping them in can give them shock.
2. Buy a thermometer, they need 76-83F, if it's too low that could explain why your second betta just stayed at the bottom, you should buy a small heater (researching different heaters is useful as many small ones are quite inefficient)
3. Don't overfeed the fish, don't listen to what the fish food says, they almost always suggest too much (think that they want you to use more product so you buy more sooner..) 

Your first fish was clearly sick before you got him, the second one probably was too. I agree not to let your little boy help with the cleaning, you can let him feed the fish, but make sure you hand him the food pieces as kids tend to grab too much. Also teach him not to tap on the tank if he doesn't know already, that could stress the fish a lot.

I hope it works out for you soon, I hate when kids get upset over a pet dying it is really sad :-( Be sure to post back when you get your new guy with how he's doing


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

If you decide to get another fish

Look for one that is active and alert in its little cup. Most my fish came from walmart and non were very healthy when I got them. 

When you add the new fish, float her in the cup first then slowly add water from the tank into the cup. Just a little bit every few minutes. If the temp change is too drastic, it can cause the fish to go into shock and kill the fish.

add the right amount of water conditioner. I use stress coat by API. Alot of people use PRIME. You want one that will detoxify heavy metals, clorine, cloramites (sp?) and ammonia. 

you dont need a filter but do frequent water changes. when you change the water you need to reacculamate the fish to the new water jsut as you do when you first bring him home

dont overfeed it. 3-4 pellets a day is all they need. 

They like to have a place to hide as well, a little cave or even a coffee mug works. 

good luck


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## mamasitta05 (Aug 25, 2011)

thank you for the advice everyone i have a heater for the tank all ready and i cleaned the assoceries yeasterday and i have been letting it run all day and all day today. i think i will let it run all day today and then go tomorrow and get a new fish at petsmart. 

hopefully he will be a good one 
i will keep everyone posted with pictures when i get one


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## Princess Penny (Aug 26, 2011)

Sorry about your bettas  Sounds like you are doing everything right, I hope it goes better for you this time!


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## kumi (Apr 23, 2011)

mamasitta05 said:


> thank you for the advice everyone i have a heater for the tank all ready and i cleaned the assoceries yeasterday and i have been letting it run all day and all day today. i think i will let it run all day today and then go tomorrow and get a new fish at petsmart.
> 
> hopefully he will be a good one
> i will keep everyone posted with pictures when i get one


You are getting great advise. Here, the local PetCo has the best bettas of the chain stores, but it varies by locality. Check around and see where they look the healthiest. 

How did you clean the accessories? I'm just checking to be sure that you know to not use any type of soap. If you did use soap, they need to be rinsed very well repeatedly with a strong vinegar solution and then rinsed in plain water.

I hope it all goes better with the next one!

Kumi


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