# Kipper's Journal



## Kipperbubbletea (Oct 22, 2017)

Heya, I'm Kipper! I own 3 bettas currently, Alejandro, Ula, and Axelia (pictures coming soon) I'll use this journal to post little updates about how they are doing and such.

Current Updates:

I've decided to not do a sorority. It seems kind of daunting to take on a task like that since I've only owned bettas for a short amount of time. I'll be ordering two 3 gallon tanks soon (or more, it depends)

Alejandro got a heater in his tank. My sister thought he was sick since he was hiding and laying on the ground of his tank more than usual, but I suggested that she get a heater and see if that helps, and sure enough, it did. He's more active, he's flaring his fins instead of clumping them, and his color is coming back.

That's all for now ^^


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## Kipperbubbletea (Oct 22, 2017)

Updates: 
I moved Axelia and Ula into a two gallon with a heater. However, I will soon move them into their own separate tanks, however it'll be a while because I don't want them to get too stressed.

On a side note, I got 4 ghost shrimp (in the old 1 gal) and...two are carrying eggs. I have no clue what to do.


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## ilovepinggg (Oct 9, 2017)

I have 4 ghost shrimp!! I keep them with my (other) fish though, but you might be in luck to have some baby shrimps swimming around in a little while. They are hardy fellows.


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## Kipperbubbletea (Oct 22, 2017)

Well, this is awkward.

So this morning I woke up to find one of my ghost shrimp...well, dead. And I'm fully aware it was my fault. The tank had a filter, however the shrimp were not eating at ALL (at least that I am aware of)

I can't test for ammonia. My parents don't think testing in necessary (obviously I don't believe them) so they never get the tests, and I don't have any money.

I don't think I'll continue keeping tropical fish.

Including bettas.

As in, Ula, Axelia and Alejandro will be my last ones.

My reasoning...

1. While I do live in the south, it gets so hot here that I always have to have fans on at full power, making "room temperature of 75+ degrees" nearly impossible. I could always put a heater in (which I am going to do) but heaters are...pricey...and one for each tank is way too much. 

2. Tanks. Are. EXPENSIVE. For instance, the simply bottom size (3 gal tank) can reach upwards of 30$ without filters. Honestly...I can't do that. While used tanks are always an option, I'd rather not get my fish sick if there are diseases in the tank. 

3. Water changes...ohhhboy. While yes, waste/ammonia builds up fast in smaller tanks...I don't think I could bring myself to do 3 water changes in a week, especially with school and the fact that my family travels a lot. And its also really difficult to change water in a tank full of animals that require fully on water to survive.

4. Acclimation and transportation. Fish stress way too easily. When I try to move them to a new tank, they can stress out so fast that they will die. I..personally don't want that happening.

5. Tropical fish require so much precise care that I don't think this hobby would last long for me, or the aquarium hobby in general.

So... that's the end of my rant I guess.


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## Kipperbubbletea (Oct 22, 2017)

*Ahaha*

Well, I lied. Mostly, at least.
Definatly never, ever, EVER keeping fragile fish. Ever. 

However, I have decided that once I get my stuff together with tanks I'll get a new male betta. Or female. It's a game of fates. Depends what fish I fall in love with or see sitting lonely on the shelves of a Wal-mart.

Speaking of Wal-mart, I have an interesting story!

One day, we were wandering around wal-mart. My mom was getting something and I was browsing isles. I stepped into the pet supply isle, and behold: 2 veil tails. They looked sick, were lethargic, and their water was discusting. I found my mom and we went home with two bettas, two tanks, and two bottles of betta water. I named one Dominic and my sister named the other Alejandro. Unfortunately, Dominic's horrible condition of what I could only believe was severe fin rot and ammonia poisoning quickly declined and he passed within a few days of him coming home. Alejandro, the survivor, recovered and was moved to a 2-gallon. (No worries, he's in his own 5 gal now.)


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## Kipperbubbletea (Oct 22, 2017)

Heya all!

I'm back with another update.

Good news! Axelia has started eating properly. We moved her to a two gallon with Ula (divided again) Eventually we will move Ula to her own 2 gal as well. I hope it will balance things out. Their new 2 gal is heated and filtered (temperature is 80 degrees now)


My ghost shrimp are doing great. I had to do a 100% water change (their tank was f i l t h y) Also, are glass decorations safe for fish if they have been thoroughly washed and is egg yolk (hard boiled) a good protein addition/diet for ghost shrimp?


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## Kipperbubbletea (Oct 22, 2017)

Okay, I'm back.

I still can't get over the fact that Alejandro's gone. My sister has yet to take down his tank (it was in her room)

My sister contacted Petsmart. Petsmart contacted Topfin. The whole decor incident should be resolved.

I still hate that waterfall. It used to shift all the time and he would go behind it. 

Now that I'm less freaked out about it, here's what happened.


The waterfall Alejandro had in his tank wasn't anchored properly (it had no suction cups or anything, and couldn't be dug into the ground because of the way they positioned the bubbler.) and it shifted while he was behind it, trapping him and basically crushing him to death. He swam around for a bit and the last thing he did was look up at my sister and happily flap his fin at her. 

The waterfall had no specifications, no warnings (like "may trap small fish" or "may begin to float around the tank")


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## Kipperbubbletea (Oct 22, 2017)

Our new betta is settling in quite nicely. He flared his fins and his "beard" for a few minutes before settling down and resting. His tank is heating up right now (which is great)


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## Kipperbubbletea (Oct 22, 2017)

Great news! I'm getting 2 3.5 gallon tanks that come with filters soon! I need to get heaters for them though lol


My shrimp will move to the 2-gallon tank since I won't have another use for it, and I'll continue using the heater there as well.

Also, random note, I went to feed my shrimp and my most skittish one grabbed onto my finger. He didn't let go for a good 5 minutes...and Ula continues to bite my finger whenever I hand feed her 

The boy is doing good, though he's developed a split in his tail that needs treatment. Any tips? It's not quite an emergency (no signs of rot, no blood, etc) it just looks like it hurts for him a bit. He still loves to flare though, and he's VERY active and alert. Looks like he needs a snail tankmate lol


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