# The Quick Question Thread



## bloo97

I saw this on a different forum and I thought it might fit here! The questions to post here are not big enough to post as a new thread, so if it is just a 'Quick Question', you post it here.


Quick Question:
How long does it take before betta eggs hatch?


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## Alienbetta1

24 t0 30 hours is what I heard.

Will Buddy's little mouth grow bigger over time?Hes the regular size for a betta.


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## bloo97

Thanks.

It probably will, either that or he has a smaller mouth. I like the name Buddy; it is my dog's name.


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## Alienbetta1

Thanks!

Is there a small betta food you can buy and whats it called?


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## Campbell

Alienbetta1 said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Is there a small betta food you can buy and whats it called?


Hmm, do you mean like small pellets in size? Or a small amount of food at a time?


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## xswornxoffxjello

I use Hikari Bio Gold for the girls in my sorority, especially Zippity since she's so tiny. Kinda pricey in comparison with other pellets, but worth it. Also, Aqua-Culture Betta Pellets are pretty small.


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## Betta Slave

Hikari Micro-Pellets also are small. But Bio-Gold, I find, is the best. (Though pricey compared to other food.)


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## dramaqueen

I have used micro pellets for my smaller fish.


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## CodeRed

How much does a betta's color have to change in order to be considered a marble?


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## Josh12

How long can Betta's be without food before "problems" start?


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## 1fish2fish

Any of the attinson's products have small pellets. Also NLS betta pellets are small.

A fish is a marble if it changes color at all. There is red loss which is something different but on any color fish a marble is one that gains or loses color. Butterflies are also a form of marble that don't change color.

Two weeks is the farthest I'd recommed going with out food. Even then the betta's immune system starts to be lowered. Technically a healthy betta could go a month without food. (NOT RECOMMENDED)


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## Alienbetta1

Thanks guys!=D


And is this what you mean?http://cgi.ebay.com/Hikari-Betta-Bi...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415102ec91


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## JKfish

When my betta is swimming, he'll act normal, but then occasionally, he randomly spazzes and swims really quickly in a zig-zag, then returns to swimming normaly. Should I be worried?


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## vaygirl

Alien, yeah that's them. They're pretty small.


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## Narnian

Is it ok to stick my hands in the tank, to clean and such, while the heater is on and plugged in, or do I have to unplug it each time?


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## JKfish

It should be alright, 80* farenheit is not very hot, and won't hurt you if your hands are in the water


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## 1fish2fish

JK.. I wouldn't be worried.

Narnian. The only time you need to unplug the heater is while doing a water change.


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## Narnian

Thank you! Oh, and just to clarify - I wasn't worried about burning myself, only of electrocution.


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## JKfish

Narnian: the only time you could potentially electrocute yourself is if you were to touch the outlet where the heater was plugged in, with wet hands. 

1fish2fish: thanks.

If I used regular pea gravel a tank, would the gravel affect the water parameters?


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## Alienbetta1

How would I divide Buddy's tank in there with him is 3 platys?


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## bloo97

Probably in half, One betta on one side, the platies on the other.

What is Cycling?


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## JKfish

cycling is the introduction of the nitrogen cycle, and the establishment of good bacteria into the tank. Basically the ammonia becomed converted to nitrItes, then the nitrItes become converted to nitrAtes. Nitrates are less harmful in low, constant meters than ammonia or nitrites.

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm


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## BunniesLair

I have had my betta for a week and a half. I am a fish/betta noob. The top of his bowl has a mass of bubbles - what is it? Dirty Water? I just replaced 50% the other day.


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## bloo97

Does it look something like this? 








If so, it is a Bubblenest! This means your betta is ready to breed. You don't have to breed, but this is a sign that the betta fish has reached maturity.


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## BunniesLair

Yes! but not quite as big as that.. so this is a good thing? Not a bad thing! I am relieved! Thank you!!


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## bloo97

If you think that's big look at what My fish made, 
lol:








Sorry. I don't mean to brag, lol.


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## BunniesLair

Wow! That totally dwarfs Mr. T's lil bubbles! Your fish is very pretty too! I can not seem to get a good clear photo of mine yet either. >=\ My photo doesnt do him justice - he would be horrified.


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## JaspersANGEL

Yeah my new guy Jet the big dweeb that he is, hasn't gotten the hang of making bubble nest yet, instead he blows random bubbles all over his tank. It's funny


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## bloo97

Lol!!


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## bettalover2033

how do you cycle? and is it important?


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## RandomFish

JKfish said:


> If I used regular pea gravel a tank, would the gravel affect the water parameters?


If the gravel passes the vinegar test (i.e. does not fizz when soaked in vinegar), then properly disinfected with potassium permanganate, then rinsed very, very well...then no it wouldn't affect the water parameters.


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## JaspersANGEL

I have a question :
Ok I read somewhere on here that u could cut up a pair of panty hose and put it over the intake of the filter and it would keep ur betta's fin's from being sucked in.

well I just did my water changes and that's what I did I dug out a pair of panty hose socks I had and cut 'em up, 
yes it does slow the outflow too *youppi*
but does the panty hose over the intake keep the filter from doing it's job, from sucking out all the bacteria...
do u have to rinse it everytime u do a water change...


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## Jayy

Ok I also have a quick question. How do I get a avatar?? I don't understand the process. I don't have any pics so I was hoping to use one I saw on aquabid,google, betty splendens, or another fish website. So please help me out.


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## BunniesLair

Hi Jay,

I think I can actually help you on this one! In the User CP at the top of the screen, you will find an option under Setting Options: Edit Avatar. Click that.

A new screen will appear with a blank area that says "your current avatar", under that will be two options. 

If you want to use a photo from anther site - you need to make sure it is 200 pixels by 200 pixels or smaller - or it will not work. A thumbnail photo should work.

Once you have found a photo you like, that is the right size; right click on the photo and choose "copy image location". 

Then come back to user CP and paste that location into Option 1. and save.


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## Miss W

I'm new and trying to research before I buy a tank. I am a school teacher and my principal has given me the thumbs up to purchasing a tank, a betta, and necessary supplies (she said she'd even pay for it!). My question is about a filter. She said that whatever I get needs to be unplugged at night. Will that be a problem for the betta's health? I don't want to do anything to harm it.


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## 1fish2fish

Miss W said:


> I'm new and trying to research before I buy a tank. I am a school teacher and my principal has given me the thumbs up to purchasing a tank, a betta, and necessary supplies (she said she'd even pay for it!). My question is about a filter. She said that whatever I get needs to be unplugged at night. Will that be a problem for the betta's health? I don't want to do anything to harm it.


If your going to have to unplug the filter I just wouldn't get it. There's no reason to get a filter unless you plan to cycle the tank (create beneficial bacteria that reduce toxic waste) and you can't cycle unless you keep the filter plugged in 24/7. You don't really need a filter. 

The big problem your going to have is heating. A betta needs to be at 78-80* all the time and its going to be coldest at night (especially in winter), without a heater your fish will have a compromised immune system and shortened lifespan. Is there any way you could be allowed to just keep a heater plugged in at night?




JaspersANGEL said:


> I have a question :
> Ok I read somewhere on here that u could cut up a pair of panty hose and put it over the intake of the filter and it would keep ur betta's fin's from being sucked in.
> 
> well I just did my water changes and that's what I did I dug out a pair of panty hose socks I had and cut 'em up,
> yes it does slow the outflow too *youppi*
> but does the panty hose over the intake keep the filter from doing it's job, from sucking out all the bacteria...
> do u have to rinse it everytime u do a water change...


The filter doesn't really suck in the bacteria, it aerates the water and takes up some particles in the water. What I do is rinse the pantyhose out with every water change and leave them off for an hour after the change (when a lot of "dust" will float around before everything settles back down) then put the pantyhose back on.


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## bettalover2033

1fish2fish said:


> The filter doesn't really suck in the bacteria, it aerates the water and takes up some particles in the water. What I do is rinse the pantyhose out with every water change and leave them off for an hour after the change (when a lot of "dust" will float around before everything settles back down) then put the pantyhose back on.


i have never heard of this. i dont mean to sound childish but... (pantyhose) really??:shake::sarcastic: does it actually work?.

i dont think i would ever do this because some of us on here are male and apparently dont use pantyhose and are single lol.


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## JKfish

RandomFish said:


> If the gravel passes the vinegar test (i.e. does not fizz when soaked in vinegar), then properly disinfected with potassium permanganate, then rinsed very, very well...then no it wouldn't affect the water parameters.


Potassium permanganate? what's that?


------

I got two red plastic rice bowls for my tank I'm setting up, and it seems like the gold designs are painted on... I was able to scratch some gold residue off, and onto my fingernail when I was trying to figure out if the gold was paint or not. If I put those in the tank, would the paint flake off and kill my fish?


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## 1fish2fish

Pantyhose does work and I don't see how being male has anything to do with it. No one is saying wear them.. they are incredibly useful if you want to keep your fish's fins from getting sucked in and shredded by a filter.


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## bettalover2033

1fish2fish said:


> Pantyhose does work and I don't see how being male has anything to do with it. No one is saying wear them.. they are incredibly useful if you want to keep your fish's fins from getting sucked in and shredded by a filter.


yes your right but which male will ever go into a store and buy pantyhose? im sorry if i insulted someone but its a little more to it than that.


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## wallywestisthebest333

bettalover2033 said:


> i have never heard of this. i dont mean to sound childish but... (pantyhose) really??:shake::sarcastic: does it actually work?.
> 
> i dont think i would ever do this because some of us on here are male and apparently dont use pantyhose and are single lol.


Yes it does work

If you don't have pantyhose you could cut a piece of aquarium sponge about the size of your intake cage, stick it over or in the intake cage, and it'd have the same effect as the pantyhose because it'd keep your bettas fins from being sucked in.


My question: How often do you change your water when your tank is cycled? I notice lots of people do things differently. I've got a 5 gallon I was hoping to do weekly or biweekly 50-75% changes. =]


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## RandomFish

JKfish said:


> Potassium permanganate? what's that?


It's an oxidizing agent that you can get at Home Depot or some other hardware store with a gardening center.


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## bettalover2033

wallywestisthebest333 said:


> Yes it does work
> 
> If you don't have pantyhose you could cut a piece of aquarium sponge about the size of your intake cage, stick it over or in the intake cage, and it'd have the same effect as the pantyhose because it'd keep your bettas fins from being sucked in.
> 
> 
> My question: How often do you change your water when your tank is cycled? I notice lots of people do things differently. I've got a 5 gallon I was hoping to do weekly or biweekly changes. =]


i have a 1.5 gallon tank and i do water changes once every 1 1/2 week water change. and in your case if i were you i would do at least a once every 2 1/2 week water change.


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## wallywestisthebest333

bettalover2033 said:


> i have a 1.5 gallon tank and i do water changes once every 1 1/2 week water change. and in your case if i were you i would do at least a once every 2 1/2 week water change.


You really ought to be doing 100% daily or every other daily changes for a 1 gallon. trust me I know from experience. =]

I currently have a 2 gallon that I do daily 50% changes on because I've got a finrot healer.

Thank you though for helping. =] Good luck with your 1 gallon. =]

Btw cycled tank owners, the question still stands: How often do you do water changes each week? =]


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## wallywestisthebest333

bettalover2033 said:


> i have a 1.5 gallon tank and i do water changes once every 1 1/2 week water change. and in your case if i were you i would do at least a once every 2 1/2 week water change.


wait I think I might be reading it wrong. Are you doing daily 50%s too? Could you write it out for me? the numbers make it harder for me to read as I tend to read them backwards half the time... fractions are especially a problem for me. =[


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## bettalover2033

.....



wallywestisthebest333 said:


> wait I think I might be reading it wrong. Are you doing daily 50%s too? Could you write it out for me? the numbers make it harder for me to read as I tend to read them backwards half the time... fractions are especially a problem for me. =[


yes im doing 50% water changes almost every 1 and a half weeks.

understand?


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## Campbell

bettalover2033 said:


> yes im doing 50% water changes almost every 1 and a half weeks.
> 
> understand?


How often do you do 100% changes? In a 1.5 gallon tank ammonia would build up quickly... I have a 2.5 gallon and I need to do ALOT more water changes than that.


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## wallywestisthebest333

Ah. Yes that's much better! =] Thanks.

Sorry. I know it's annoying when people have to ask you to repost stuff. =[

So yeah I stick to my previous statement. I think you should be doing at least every other day 100% water changes. Sorry. =[

Unless you somehow cycled your 1 gallon?


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## bettalover2033

Campbell said:


> How often do you do 100% changes? In a 1.5 gallon tank ammonia would build up quickly... I have a 2.5 gallon and I need to do ALOT more water changes than that.


yes but i only do 100 % water changes 5 times a month because i have a whisper filter and it does a very good job with cleaning.


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## chrisbdaemon

*Second guessing my new betta*

Hello,

I just purchased a new Betta yesterday and now that I'm reading more, like finding out that I need to completely clean the fish bowl every day to keep him healthy and that I need to spend more money to buy a heater and bigger fish tank (tbh, i'm not sure what size my tank is, i bought it from walmart for around $7 and it didn't say anywhere but i think its 1-2g?) and possibly buy a filter and a bunch of stuff to start the cycling... its all beginning to be a bit overwhelming to be honest!

Once I get things sorted out and get a pattern down does everything get easier and smoother? If I use a 2-5g tank how much would it cost on average to get a filter and setup the cycle (I'm trying to decide if I want a filter or not).

When I first bought him I thought I would just feed him twice daily some cheap pellets and enjoy watching him swim around and enjoy having him but I'm learning its much more complicated and I'm second guessing my purchase.

Has anyone been in my situation recently that could give some advice?


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## bettalover2033

wallywestisthebest333 said:


> Ah. Yes that's much better! =] Thanks.
> 
> Sorry. I know it's annoying when people have to ask you to repost stuff. =[
> 
> So yeah I stick to my previous statement. I think you should be doing at least every other day 100% water changes. Sorry. =[
> 
> Unless you somehow cycled your 1 gallon?


IT IS NOT A 1 GALLON TANK!!!it is a 4 gallon tank but when i bought it the box said that it was a 1.5 gallon tank.1.5 gallons is half of 1 gals...

so that means i do less water changes than i would than if it was a half gallon or a 1 gallon.


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## Campbell

bettalover2033 said:


> 1.5 gallons is half of 1 gals...


What?

And I'm confused, are you saying your tank is 4 gallons but was incorrectly labeled as 1.5? If so why would you say it was a 1.5...


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## jeanclaudeasher

chrisbdaemon said:


> Hello,
> 
> I just purchased a new Betta yesterday and now that I'm reading more, like finding out that I need to completely clean the fish bowl every day to keep him healthy and that I need to spend more money to buy a heater and bigger fish tank (tbh, i'm not sure what size my tank is, i bought it from walmart for around $7 and it didn't say anywhere but i think its 1-2g?) and possibly buy a filter and a bunch of stuff to start the cycling... its all beginning to be a bit overwhelming to be honest!
> 
> Once I get things sorted out and get a pattern down does everything get easier and smoother? If I use a 2-5g tank how much would it cost on average to get a filter and setup the cycle (I'm trying to decide if I want a filter or not).
> 
> Has anyone been in my situation recently that could give some advice?


Alright as for the number of gallons your current tank actually is you can either fill a gallon milk jug all of the way and see how many it take to fill your tank (with the decorations and everything else removed from the tank), you can also use what I use when I am cleaning my tanks which is a gallon pitcher.
Yes as you figure out a pattern and the easiest way to to things it does get easier, at least I have found it easier.

As for how much a filter costs, that really depends on what kind of filter you want to get and how much your willing to spend. once the filter is purchased its fairly low maintenance, after I bought my first filter, the replacement carbon pouches averaged about $3 a month. Over all with a 10 gallon and two 2 gallon tanks I spent an average of maybe $6 a month between food, conditioner, and carbon replacements for the filter.

The size of your tank will determine how often you need to do water changes, the smaller the tank, the more frequent the water changes.

Yes it can be overwhelming I recently upgraded to a 29 gallon tank and found it slightly overwhelming simply because of the size.


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## jeanclaudeasher

Alright I have a question, I have a 29 gallon tank which has 1 betta, 3 neon tetras, 1 headlight tail light tetra, a bristlenose sucker fish and 2 glass catfish (thanks for incorrect information Petsmart).

My question is can I add more glass catfish to my tank without overcrowding the tank? If so how many more can I add?


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## Maryrox247

Sounds like you can 

DeadSunlight and I are breeding our bettas and we were wondering how you tell there are eggs in the bubblenest? About 50% of the bubbles are cloudy. (Like white)


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## bettalover2033

Campbell said:


> What?
> 
> And I'm confused, are you saying your tank is 4 gallons but was incorrectly labeled as 1.5? If so why would you say it was a 1.5...


i was saying it sarcastically lol its 4 gallons


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## jmtriro01

Question:

i'm planning to have a sorority, and i really want to have one. is it okay to put a partition to a 10gal tank (one part is around 3 gal and other is 7 gal), and place the sorority on the larger part and one male in the smaller one? im dying to buy females and i also want to get another male. im planning to get 4 females for this sorority...


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## Miss W

Can someone direct me to threads that can instruct me on how to set up a new tank properly, and introducing the new fish to it. I will be a 1st time fish owner and want to do it correctly. 
Thanks!


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## BunniesLair

Ditto on Miss w's request - I would love this information as well!


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## CayennePepper

Miss W, Bunnieslair, have you read the Betta Fish Care sticky up at the top of the forum? It has a lot of good information including tank equipment suggestions and dietary needs. In addition I would do a search on the forum for your specific questions (for example, do a search for minimum tank size, betta food, etc.). I also highly recommend checking this blog which I have found pretty helpful: http://nippyfish.blogspot.com/. I've found that the post from 12/23/2009 is particularly helpful.
As far as a specific thread that answers that question, I haven't found one myself, but I'm sure someone else here knows.
Miss W I'm really glad that you want to do this for your students (never was there an animal in any of my classes growing up). I think you're doing something awesome! Good luck.


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## Miss W

CayennePepper: Thanks for the information. I have read the sticky at the top. I actually have it printed and highlighted! I guess my question needs to be more specific. When I have the proper equipment, how do I set it up properly. Do I need to clean everything first? I've tried the search option, but I guess my search is too broad. I still continue searching. Thanks!


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## CayennePepper

1fish2fish said:


> A fish is a marble if it changes color at all. There is red loss which is something different but on any color fish a marble is one that gains or loses color.


What is "red loss"? Caye keeps changing colors from completely Lava to Rosewood with his head black and then back again to just Lava (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Shades_of_red). I don't suspect he is a marble since he is consistently red, since both colors are shades of red, but should I be concerned? I thought it might be stress but the changes seem too random... ;-)


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## 1fish2fish

wallywestisthebest333 said:


> My question: How often do you change your water when your tank is cycled? I notice lots of people do things differently. I've got a 5 gallon I was hoping to do weekly or biweekly 50-75% changes. =]


With one fish a cycled 5 gallon needs about one 50% change a week. If you had lots of live plants you might be able to do a change every two weeks but I wouldn't recommend it.



chrisbdaemon said:


> Once I get things sorted out and get a pattern down does everything get easier and smoother? If I use a 2-5g tank how much would it cost on average to get a filter and setup the cycle (I'm trying to decide if I want a filter or not).


Once you get the hang of things it will get easier. If you buy a 5 gallon kit at walmart you'll pay about $35 plus another $20 for the heater (you want a good heater). To cycle you can either use your fish or get pure ammonia to cycle (look into Fishless cycling vs Fish-in cycling)



> When I first bought him I thought I would just feed him twice daily some cheap pellets and enjoy watching him swim around and enjoy having him but I'm learning its much more complicated and I'm second guessing my purchase.
> 
> Has anyone been in my situation recently that could give some advice?


It seems complicated but its really not, once you get over the initial set up its nothing more than a water change or two a week and feeding him. 



jelmeraguirre said:


> Question:
> 
> i'm planning to have a sorority, and i really want to have one. is it okay to put a partition to a 10gal tank (one part is around 3 gal and other is 7 gal), and place the sorority on the larger part and one male in the smaller one? im dying to buy females and i also want to get another male. im planning to get 4 females for this sorority...


IMO the minimum space needed for a sorority is 10 full gallons. Remember that to work a sorority must be over stocked so you want these girls to have as much room to get away from each other as possible. I'd also recommend getting more than 4 females, with 4 females your likely to see a lot more aggression than you would if you had 6-10. Also make sure the tank is cycled prior to adding the fish.



CayennePepper said:


> What is "red loss"? Caye keeps changing colors from completely Lava to Rosewood with his head black and then back again to just Lava (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Shades_of_red). I don't suspect he is a marble since he is consistently red, since both colors are shades of red, but should I be concerned? I thought it might be stress but the changes seem too random... ;-)


Red loss is where a fish completely loses pigment over time. Here's a great article that talks about it (the Red Loss is towards the middle). It sounds to me that your fish is getting pale, then brightening up. Do you have a heater? Try to see if you notice any certain times or situations where is is brighter and duller.


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## Lion Mom

I have a question about fin rot. It is caused by bacteria, isn't it? If that is correct, why is it recommended to increase the temp in the tank when treating for fin rot since bacteria LOVES warmth???? Shouldn't the temp go DOWN a tad??? 

Just call me confused - LOL!


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## wallywestisthebest333

bettalover2033 said:


> i have a 1.5 gallon tank and i do water changes once every 1 1/2 week water change. and in your case if i were you i would do at least a once every 2 1/2 week water change.


I'm sorry. =[ In the post you said it was a 1.5 gallon that you were doing weekly changes on. I had no idea it was actually 4 gallons or if it's not actually 4 gallons that it was a filtered 1.5 gallon. 

If I'd known it was filtered or that it was 4 gallons I wouldn't have said you needed to clean it more often. I'm sorry to have upset you. =[ I had no intention of doing so.


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## wallywestisthebest333

1fish2fish said:


> With one fish a cycled 5 gallon needs about one 50% change a week. If you had lots of live plants you might be able to do a change every two weeks but I wouldn't recommend it.


Thanks! =]


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## 1fish2fish

Lion Mom said:


> I have a question about fin rot. It is caused by bacteria, isn't it? If that is correct, why is it recommended to increase the temp in the tank when treating for fin rot since bacteria LOVES warmth???? Shouldn't the temp go DOWN a tad???
> 
> Just call me confused - LOL!


Fin rot can be caused by a number of different things. In general you warm up the tank to speed up the processes of the fish and speed healing. Since fish are ectothermic a cold fish is going to heal a lot slower than a warm fish and have a harder time fighting off what ever is causing the fin rot.


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## RandomFish

Miss W said:


> CayennePepper: Thanks for the information. I have read the sticky at the top. I actually have it printed and highlighted! I guess my question needs to be more specific. When I have the proper equipment, how do I set it up properly. Do I need to clean everything first? I've tried the search option, but I guess my search is too broad. I still continue searching. Thanks!


Yes, it would be a good idea to rinse the tank, filter (if you end up getting one), heater, gravel, and decorations beforehand, to get rid of dust particles.

If you're getting a filter and will be doing the fishless cycle, then you will need to have the filter running in the tank without the fish for about a month. 

If you opt to add the fish right away, then you will need to acclimate him to the water by floating his cup in the tank while gradually replacing the water in the cup with the water from the tank (about every 15 minutes). After that, all he needs is a heater set to about 78 F, 3-4 pre-soaked pellets per day, and clean water (i.e. frequent 100% water changes for an uncycled tank). You don't need to feed him at all over the weekends.

If your principal won't allow the filter to be plugged in overnight and you would rather not have to do frequent 100% water changes, then you may want to consider setting up an "el natural" style planted tank, using potted soil as a substrate and filling half of the tank with low-maintenance plants such as java ferns, Amazon Swords, Anubias, and hornwort. Here's a step-by-step guide for a planted tank that someone did for her office:

http://thegab.org/Plants/step-by-step-setting-up-a-walstad-type-natural-planted-tank.html

^ I think this would be more educational and the fish would have more fun with real plants. 

I don't see a way around not having a heater plugged in overnight though. Insulating the tank overnight/weekends with a styrofoam box, newspapers and a heat pack might be an option but the heat packs would end up being costly. 

By the way, here is a link for the cheapest water testing kit:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit-Fish-Aquatic-Pets/3635493

Oh, and one last thing - I think you should advise the cleaning staff to not touch the aquarium. Not to change the water, feed the fish, and especially not to clean the aquarium with Windex.

Good luck to you! Your students are lucky... I once had a fun and effective teacher who let us keep tadpoles in the classroom and it was a great experience for a kid who wasn't allowed any pets at home.



wallywestisthebest333 said:


> I'm sorry. =[ In the post you said it was a 1.5 gallon that you were doing weekly changes on. I had no idea it was actually 4 gallons or if it's not actually 4 gallons that it was a filtered 1.5 gallon.
> 
> If I'd known it was filtered or that it was 4 gallons I wouldn't have said you needed to clean it more often. I'm sorry to have upset you. =[ I had no intention of doing so.


You are way too nice! Every single one of her posts on this thread confused the heck out of me. I had no idea her initial post was sarcastic either.


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## CayennePepper

1fish2fish said:


> Red loss is where a fish completely loses pigment over time. Here's a great article that talks about it (the Red Loss is towards the middle). It sounds to me that your fish is getting pale, then brightening up. Do you have a heater? Try to see if you notice any certain times or situations where is is brighter and duller.


Thanks for the suggestion, but I live in Florida and have not had the heater plugged in since the water is usually between 82 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. I know you guys are gonna say 86 is too hot, but honestly he seems fine those few times the water does get that hot and its usually really between 82 and 84 and rarely gets to 86. Anyways the only time that his change is consistent is at night. At night he gets much darker and starts flaring like crazy, at what I don't know (maybe he sees his reflection in the glass or is super excited because I'm awake and next to him).
Is there any reason why Bettas would pale and then brighten up?


----------



## Campbell

Quick question: Anyone know if Petsmart charges for water testing?


----------



## CayennePepper

Mine doesn't...


----------



## JKfish

I hate to push, but can someone answer my question? I'm actually setting up the tank right now, and I don't want to put the ricebowls in until someone can help me...



JKfish said:


> I got two red plastic rice bowls for my tank I'm setting up, and it seems like the gold designs are painted on... I was able to scratch some gold residue off, and onto my fingernail when I was trying to figure out if the gold was paint or not. If I put those in the tank, would the paint flake off and kill my fish?


thanks


----------



## wallywestisthebest333

RandomFish said:


> Yes, it would be a good idea to rinse the tank, filter (if you end up getting one), heater, gravel, and decorations beforehand, to get rid of dust particles.
> 
> If you're getting a filter and will be doing the fishless cycle, then you will need to have the filter running in the tank without the fish for about a month.
> 
> If you opt to add the fish right away, then you will need to acclimate him to the water by floating his cup in the tank while gradually replacing the water in the cup with the water from the tank (about every 15 minutes). After that, all he needs is a heater set to about 78 F, 3-4 pre-soaked pellets per day, and clean water (i.e. frequent 100% water changes for an uncycled tank). You don't need to feed him at all over the weekends.
> 
> If your principal won't allow the filter to be plugged in overnight and you would rather not have to do frequent 100% water changes, then you may want to consider setting up an "el natural" style planted tank, using potted soil as a substrate and filling half of the tank with low-maintenance plants such as java ferns, Amazon Swords, Anubias, and hornwort. Here's a step-by-step guide for a planted tank that someone did for her office:
> 
> http://thegab.org/Plants/step-by-step-setting-up-a-walstad-type-natural-planted-tank.html
> 
> ^ I think this would be more educational and the fish would have more fun with real plants.
> 
> I don't see a way around not having a heater plugged in overnight though. Insulating the tank overnight/weekends with a styrofoam box, newspapers and a heat pack might be an option but the heat packs would end up being costly.
> 
> By the way, here is a link for the cheapest water testing kit:
> 
> http://www.walmart.com/ip/Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit-Fish-Aquatic-Pets/3635493
> 
> Oh, and one last thing - I think you should advise the cleaning staff to not touch the aquarium. Not to change the water, feed the fish, and especially not to clean the aquarium with Windex.
> 
> Good luck to you! Your students are lucky... I once had a fun and effective teacher who let us keep tadpoles in the classroom and it was a great experience for a kid who wasn't allowed any pets at home.
> 
> 
> You are way too nice! Every single one of her posts on this thread confused the heck out of me. I had no idea her initial post was sarcastic either.


*blush* thanks! <="] People at work say that too. XD


----------



## wallywestisthebest333

JKfish said:


> I hate to push, but can someone answer my question? I'm actually setting up the tank right now, and I don't want to put the ricebowls in until someone can help me...
> 
> 
> 
> thanks


Yep that's actually a major test: the scratch test

if any paint scratches of it'll come off in the aquarium and might poison your fish.

I'd go with ceramic rice bowls as they're generally ok to use since they're usually glazed. =]


----------



## JKfish

Thanks WallyWest~

New question, Can I set a set fully submersible heater onto the gravel, and let lit lay there, or is suction-cupping it to the glass wall necessary?


----------



## 1fish2fish

You don't have to suction cup it but I've heard they don't work as well if they lie horizontally.


----------



## Lion Mom

1fish2fish said:


> You don't have to suction cup it but I've heard they don't work as well if they lie horizontally.



REALLY? I have never heard that. Most of mine are placed in a horizontal position & I've never had any problems.


----------



## 1fish2fish

Its something about even distribution of the heat. Not the heater itself but how well it actually gets the job done. If its on the bottom you'll get colder spots at the top I'm guessing. Though, if you put it horizontally on the bottom directly under a filter in-take then I guess the heat would be somewhat more evenly distributed.

The easiest way to get an even heat distribution would be to put the heater vertically in the center of the tank.

That's not to say if you put the heater horizontally that it will not heat, you just may have more cold spots.


----------



## Lion Mom

Interesting. I have two reasons for putting mine that way. 

One, I DO put it near the filter intake so it can more easily distribute the heat and, second, with it near the bottom (heat rises) I don't have to worry about it being out of water during water changes.


----------



## 1fish2fish

That's a good idea. I just unplug mine while doing changes. There are some heaters that turn off automatically if the water level goes down to a certain point. Most of my tanks are divided so there would be no way I could put the heater horizontally. My sorority is so heavily planted that I have virtually no floor space to lay the heater that way.


----------



## mjbn

What are low maintenence/easy to care for/low light plants for a 5.5Gallon tank?


----------



## 1fish2fish

Java moss, java fern, anubias, amazon swords, saggiteria, vallisineria (sp?), most types of mosses.


----------



## frogipoi

bloo97 said:


> If you think that's big look at what My fish made,
> lol:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry. I don't mean to brag, lol.


THAT looks like Aurora!!! Maybe they are related? 
How much times do you have to clean a 2.5 gallon when it is filtered well?


----------



## mjbn

Any type of anubias? im looking at anubias nana.


----------



## 1fish2fish

If it is not cycled a 2.5 gallon should get two 100% cleanings every week. If it is cycled it should get 1-2 50% changes weekly.

Yeah.. pretty much. I have an Anubias nana and it is doing great in my low light tank so that is a good choice.


----------



## frogipoi

I do 1 20% Every week and the tank stays clean.


----------



## 1fish2fish

If the tank isn't cycled than ammonia will slowly build up to toxic levels unless you do 100% changes. You can't see the toxic waste in the water unless you have a test kit. If your tank is cycled than you can get away with 1 20% change but its always better to do more.


----------



## mjbn

Okay, is there anything else i should know about the maintenance of the anubias nana? Like how to keep it healthy(feeding wise) or will it stay fine off the nitrates in the water on its own?


----------



## 1fish2fish

I dose my tanks with Flourish Excel and Flourish Comprehensive, but I will say that my plant has done great even before I did that so its not necessary. Just make sure your anubias doesn't get a lot of light (like maybe put it in the shade of another plant). Even with a low watt bulb the leaves can start to turn yellow if it gets too much light. Also don't plant it, you have to tie it to a driftwood or rock, etc (you probably already know that but just for people that might not know).


----------



## mjbn

okay, my tank is setup in my room opposite of the side of the window so that should be fine right? and i barely open my window blinds anyways so seldom light comes in. And i have a lamp setup next to the tank also. Will all that be okay?


----------



## frogipoi

How do you cycle?


----------



## mjbn

there are many ways to cycle, most recommended fishless cycle. You can buy pure ammonia, feed the tank fish food, put raw shrimp in kneehigh pantyhose, or some other stuff. hah but you basically let ammonia spike, then drop, and keep it at a steady 3.0 or 4.0 and then let nitrIte spike, and drop, then last, let nitrAte spike. You know you have cycled correctly when your ammonia reads 0, nitrites read 0, EVEN when you add more fish food/ammonia/etc and you have a nitrate reading. You then do a water change depending on how high your nitrates are. This is just a general description.


----------



## 1fish2fish

yeah your plants should be fine with that...

I'm working on a cycling article right now. I'll try to post it soon, I'm still doing research for it.


----------



## JKfish

thanks 1fish2fish 

Okay, so I was talking with my mom about how I wanted to get the stuff needed to make a home made gravel vac/syphon, and my mom thinks for a moment, then goes and finds this old gravel vac that we apparently had for an old fish tank. It's an Easy Clean thing, with the tubing about 1/2 an inch width, and a big long tube thing that the tubing connects to on one side with the other side being open. (seesh, I'm so specific aren't I... big tube thing, little tube thing... lol XD )

How do I use it?


----------



## vaygirl

Put the big tube thing(Lol!) down in the gravel and then suck on the little tube til water starts to flow. There's a less water swallowing way to prime the tube but I'm terrible at it. You'll swallow water. We all swallow water. Drop the little tube thing(LOL!) end in an empty bucket and then just keep lifting the tube out of the gravel and grinding it back down in. You'll see debris start to move up the tube into the bucket and your gravel will kinda roll around the bottom of the tube... thing.


----------



## RandomFish

^ Everyone except me that is! :mrgreen: If water changes required me to swallow water containing fish waste, I would drop this hobby like a hot potato. 

So if you're pathetically squeamish like me, this is a suck-free way to start suction on a siphon: 

1.) Tightly cover the hole on the small tube with your thumb, making sure no air can escape. Hold the large tube vertically in your other hand.

2.) Then fill the large tube to the rim with water. (It can be aquarium water or tap water...I prefer water from the tap just because it's less messy.) 

3.) Still keeping the small end covered with your thumb and holding the larger tube vertically, raise the larger tube to a level above the smaller end. Gently swirl the larger tube to allow any air to bubble up. It helps a lot if you let the middle of the hose gently tap against a counter as you swirl the larger end. The larger tube should now only be partially filled with water.

4.) Still holding the larger tube vertically and keeping the smaller tube covered, immerse the larger tube into the aquarium, open end facing up. Allow air to bubble out, then invert. Now you place the smaller tube in a bucket (try not to let it fall out of the bucket, otherwise you'll have a wet floor) and remove your thumb from the end. The water should start siphoning into the bucket.



^ If you find it hard to visualize the above directions, here's a nice video demonstration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa_440OaQxE&feature=related


Note: Be sure to not let the bucket overflow.


----------



## 1fish2fish

I've only gotten water in my mouth a couple times (and with a gazillion tanks I think that's a pretty good track record). I just stick the thing in there, suck on the end until I see the water coming down (usually about the time where it comes over the edge of the aquarium) then I put the end in the bucket.


----------



## Maryrox247

I have never used a siphon myself (Grandpa does that once in a blue moon for my tanks.) Reason: I DONT WANNA SWALLOW POO WATER! lol!! yeah i will soon though... i hope it doesnt get in my mouth lol.


----------



## Lion Mom

1fish2fish said:


> I've only gotten water in my mouth a couple times (and with a gazillion tanks I think that's a pretty good track record). I just stick the thing in there, suck on the end until I see the water coming down (usually about the time where it comes over the edge of the aquarium) then I put the end in the bucket.


Yup - that's how I do it too! :-D


----------



## JKfish

Thanks, I think I'll try both ways, and figure out which one works the best, thanks 

-- 

Another question (gosh, I use this waaaaayy too much )

Last night, I washed out my black gravel, and added it to my tank. After a few hours, it got really, really murky, so I used a cup to do a 100% water change. I came down this morning, and it was murkey again, so I did another 100% water change. It's STILL murkey, albeit a bit less than before. Mom isn't letting me do any more water changes in the tank I"m setting up, because it's wasting too much water. Is there anything I can do to de-murkify it?


----------



## vaygirl

Heck, I grew up swimming in local lakes and the ocean. It's all poo water! Thanks for the swallow free directions though. Hehehe. Mine gets air pockets in the tube cause it's an extender, so I don't always have a choice with the sucking in of water. I hate deep tanks. 

JK, I've had murkiness after just setting up a tank, although it's usually the second day. It cleared up on it's own with the filter running. If you're Mom's fed up with the water changes just wait it out for a day or two.


----------



## RandomFish

Edited out my original answer to JKfish's gravel question... it was silly 





vaygirl said:


> Heck, I grew up swimming in local lakes and the ocean. It's all poo water! Thanks for the swallow free directions though. Hehehe. Mine gets air pockets in the tube cause it's an extender, so I don't always have a choice with the sucking in of water. I hate deep tanks.


I solemnly swear that I will never, ever, never never ever ever get an extender for my gravel vac.


----------



## JKfish

Thanks for the advice. I went ahead and removed the gravel and rinsed it quickly again, and I'll wait for the water to filter though and clear up soon.


----------



## vaygirl

RandomFish said:


> Edited out my original answer to JKfish's gravel question... it was silly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I solemnly swear that I will never, ever, never never ever ever get an extender for my gravel vac.


Hehehehehehe


----------



## kuklachica

Miss W said:


> CayennePepper: Thanks for the information. I have read the sticky at the top. I actually have it printed and highlighted! I guess my question needs to be more specific. When I have the proper equipment, how do I set it up properly. Do I need to clean everything first? I've tried the search option, but I guess my search is too broad. I still continue searching. Thanks!



Hi Miss W!

I, too, am a teacher (of middle school). Make sure you rinse everything with hot water, but NOT SOAP! Soap is toxic for fish.

I know at my school they turn the heat off at night and on the weekends. I am not sure if they do this at your school or not, but if they do I would not advise keeping a betta there. You would need to have a heater plugged in at all times. If you can't keep a heater plugged in, and the heat does go off at certain parts of the week, please consider not having a betta in your room. Daily transportation of the betta would stress him out as well.


----------



## doggipoi

Hi,
What is a sponge filter?


----------



## kuklachica

Here is a sponge filter and below it is a quick description of how it works.


----------



## JKfish

Pantyhose looks so ugly on my filter, as does the water bottle baffle! D: ... I probably sound like a snob, but half of my goal in setting up tanks is to have it look aestetically pleasing, and those aren't working. Is there any nicer way (or at least not that obvious) to slow the flow of water from a filter?


----------



## kuklachica

What kind of filter do you have?


----------



## JKfish

The aquatech 5-15


----------



## frogipoi

On aquabid, what are some good sellers?


----------



## kuklachica

I use this on my intake tubes, looks much nicer than my old nylons. It may cut your input down enough that you don't need to baffle the output. But you could also get a black sponge and put a slit in it and put that on your output. You may need to anchor it with a rubber band though.


----------



## JKfish

Personally, I think Korwhord has some beautiful bettas, and Aquastar71, interbettas, and betta_afinity. Of those, only bettafinity is in the US, so the other three would have pretty expensive shipping costs.

Kuklachica, thanks  (Bwahahahahahhahaaaa! another reason to stop by Petcoto oggle at their bettas!)


----------



## Learn To Fly

JaspersANGEL said:


> I have a question :
> Ok I read somewhere on here that u could cut up a pair of panty hose and put it over the intake of the filter and it would keep ur betta's fin's from being sucked in.
> 
> well I just did my water changes and that's what I did I dug out a pair of panty hose socks I had and cut 'em up,
> yes it does slow the outflow too *youppi*
> but does the panty hose over the intake keep the filter from doing it's job, from sucking out all the bacteria...
> do u have to rinse it everytime u do a water change...



When I first put sand in my 20 long I thought that it would clog my filter if I didn't put stockings on my filter (lol!), but my sand has never even stirred and I found my filter was not really intaking anything at all. Just my opinion/experience.


----------



## 1fish2fish

I use black pantyhose.. boom.. problem solved ;-) you hardly notice it.

I prefer to use the fluval filter sponge for my filters with in take tubes.. the only time I use pantyhose are in tank filters


----------



## Lion Mom

Get yourself an AquaClear foam insert & rubber band it to the front of the water return on the filter. It's even adjustable that way - pull it up, it allows more water to flow & pull it down farther, it slows the water down. 

That is what I use on my betta tanks, anyway. Granted, not beautiful, but it sits high enough on the filter the lid pretty much hides it. Besides, it's one more place for the good bacteria to grow! 

Hope that helps!


----------



## JKfish

Gah! D: apparently there was a brief power surge, and my filter turned off several hours ago, and has since been trying to run without water in the filter area! I don't think it's broken, because there was enough water pooled where the whirly thing that the U tube feeds into to keep it from breaking, and now that it's full of water, it's running fine. But my filter media has been dry for god knows how long! Will the lack of water in my filter and airation in the tank have killed my cycle?!


----------



## Lion Mom

The "whirly" thing is the impeller. 

Guess the only way you can tell about the cycle is to test your water.


----------



## soleilvie

Does a smaller fish mean he is younger? My guy looked pretty small in the cup compared to some others. I want to see a bubble nest! :twisted:


----------



## frogipoi

Sometimes. Or they are the runt. But they grow


----------



## bloo97

Dragon was like that.


----------



## frogipoi

What is a good place to get cheap 10g tanks?


----------



## Lion Mom

Or sometimes they are just smaller fish. Like people - some are bigger & some are smaller.


----------



## frogipoi

^ Agreed^


----------



## 1fish2fish

the best place to get good deals on tanks is at thrift stores, yard sales, flea markets, etc. Usually they're priced $1 a gallon or less and sometimes with extras.

I got a cracked 10 gallon that came with a breeder trap, a CO2 kit, an air pump and lots of tubing for $5. I glued up the crack and its good as new.. maybe not so pretty but its a good spawning tank.


----------



## Miss W

Hey guys. I got some Aqueon Betta Food for Percy. The directions say "Feed several times daily in small amounts that will be consumed by fish within three minutes." Well since I've never owned a fish I'm not sure how much is too much, or if this brand is about the same pellet size as others. Percy seems to eat everything I put in there, but I'm not trying to put too much at a time. Advice?


----------



## bloo97

How many pellets do you feed him?


----------



## miyko

if i dont set my tank up to breed but still have a male in with my females will they still breed?


----------



## JKfish

It's not a good idea to even attempt to keep makes and females together, both genders are extremely aggressive and one could end up dead.


----------



## miyko

they seem pretty calm except for when i drop in food


----------



## Miss W

bloo97 said:


> How many pellets do you feed him?


 I gave him about 6 pellets last night, and 6 this morning.


----------



## miyko

can betta medicine cause harm to humans?


----------



## 1fish2fish

miyko said:


> if i dont set my tank up to breed but still have a male in with my females will they still breed?


No, no, no.. bad bad idea. It may seem fine now but eventually you'll have big problems. Male/female tanks are a big no no for Betta splendens. If you want to keep males and females together look into some of the wild species. You can keep females together in sororities of 6 or more but males need to be kept separate. They may seem fine now but I'll guarantee you your fish are extremely stressed out by this situation.



Miss W said:


> Hey guys. I got some Aqueon Betta Food for Percy. The directions say "Feed several times daily in small amounts that will be consumed by fish within three minutes." Well since I've never owned a fish I'm not sure how much is too much, or if this brand is about the same pellet size as others. Percy seems to eat everything I put in there, but I'm not trying to put too much at a time. Advice?


A betta's stomach is the size of his eye. Feed your pellets accordingly. I feed 2 pellets twice a day. Remember that pellets swell once they are saturated with water which is why so many bettas have constipation issues.. being over fed in addition to the pellets expanding.


----------



## stardust

I saw where someone had a clever idea about how to crimp an air flow hose in a pinch and I have forgotten what they did. I will be getting a regulator in the very near future, but I want to slow the flow down now. I tried the search function, but can't find the thread I am thinking of. Does anyone have any good tips?


----------



## 1fish2fish

Vaygirl says to tie a knot in the air tubing to slow the flow, you can loosen or tighten the not to create the level of air flow you want.


----------



## stardust

1fish2fish said:


> Vaygirl says to tie a knot in the air tubing to slow the flow, you can loosen or tighten the not to create the level of air flow you want.


Thanks that sounds like a great idea. I tried clothespins to no avail. :roll:


----------



## betta4ever

What are some high quality betta foods?

( or good ingredients)


----------



## JKfish

Nutrafin betta bites, hikari gold pellets, full spectrum growth (or something like that, I dunno what it's exactly called)

Basically, look for fish or shrimp meal as the first ingredient in the fish food.


----------



## vaygirl

I actually got that knot tip when I looked up using the drip method for acclimating my corys. It works really well for airstones too. I have to tie a pretty tight knot for Whiskey's tank. I don't know how ANY air gets through.


----------



## Lion Mom

betta4ever said:


> What are some high quality betta foods?
> 
> ( or good ingredients)



IMO, Omega One Betta Buffet Pellets and New Life Spectrum. The New Life Spectrum has a betta formula, but I use their Surface Feeder formula.

Both have whole fish and/or krill as the first ingredients & that's what you want, IMO/E. ABSOLUTELY stay away from anything that has wheat as a first ingredient!!!!


----------



## frogipoi

Are aqueon pellets good?


----------



## JaspersANGEL

Charlie refuses to flare, at Jet or at a mirror, I have this floating exercise miror which i put in his tank since he did not flare at Jet, and well he just ignored the miror and tried to push the ball.

He flared at Jet the first day but never since, and i did notice that he was looking a bit glum since Jasper died.. can betta's miss eachother *lol* 
but i gave him a salt bath and he does look better but still no flare and it used to be his fav. game, Jet goes crazy but Char just stares at him like ``so`` *lol*

is that normal... 
i know he`s happy he has bubbles all over his tank but im still worried he`s my small baby


----------



## 1fish2fish

New Life Spectrum Betta or New Life Spectrum small fish are good pellets. Also Attinson's Betta, Attinson's Betta Pro, Omega One Betta Buffet. I'd say those are the absolute best of the best.


----------



## JKfish

Help! My aquaclear filter isn't working!! D: I turned it off to do a water change, and when I filled it back up with water and plugged it back in, it wouldn't work! Is there anything I can do to make it work?


----------



## Lion Mom

Try taking it apart (the motor comes right off the filter) and clean them impeller. Put it back together and, hopefully, it will work.


----------



## JKfish

that didn't work.  I can't even return the darn thing because I don't have the original box, even though I've had it less than 2 months. Guess I'll just have to buy a new one


----------



## Lion Mom

Sorry to hear that. 

If you are going to purchase a new filter, I personally like the Aqua-Tech filters available at Wal-Mart. They are actually made my Marineland, but don't have the bio-wheels in them. I have some that I have had for years without any trouble and they are pretty reasonably priced, IMO.


----------



## miyko

i just bought an aqua-tech filter and was worried it wouldn't work well thanks for clearing m y head about that


----------



## miyko

i dont know if this is true for every walmart but they are selling aqua tech stuff for pretty cheap i gto a 10 gal with filter and conditioner and some flake for under 50$ there were a lto of other sizes too


----------



## bubblesthefish

Is flaring all the time bad? My betta seemed unhappy and was always hiding, and I redecorated his tank. I put a background on and he can see his reflection. But he seems to enjoy it....he was waiting by the spot this morning before I turned his light on allowing him to see his reflection. I feel like he was bored before, and now he isn't-is it unhealthy for him though?


----------



## JKfish

If you have the tank in a dark corner of your house and turn on the light, they can see their relfections, which is alright for a few minutes, but too long can cause their fins to clamp.

If you put the tank in a better lit spot, he won't see his reflection, but you could put a mirror in front of him for about 3-5 minutes each day so he can have something to do for a bit.


----------



## bubblesthefish

Thank you!


----------



## JKfish

2 of my six harlequin rasboras randomly kicked the bucket, and so now I have 4 perfectly healthy and almost fully grown fish. I'm considering getting one more to make the school an actual school. Should I be worried about the new little one getting bullied by the older bigger ones? I've noticed one of my harlequins does act a bit like a bully towards the others, and I don't want the new fish to get hurt.


----------



## Kokonoko

1) Wanting to eventually breed my own betta... However I do honor the traditional Responsibility of a Breeder codes, so I was wondering if theress any way to limit the amount of frys produced? I'm -definently- not looking to create a barrack.. I just wanted to breed my very own betta fish to achieve certain physical aspects. 


2) (Slightly off topic) My betta tank mate is an Apple snail, I've had him for about 2-3 weeks now and hes been livelyand active since the day I had him. Here recently though hes been floating at the topic, only sinking every once in a while for food. I know Apple snails go into hybernation every so often, so is this what it could be?

3) Riddle (My betta fish) is seemingly createing a new habit of becoming suctioned to the filter every once in a while for a few seconds without visible resistance (as iff enjoying it?) Should I be concerned though? He escapes easily enough and swims around perfectly fine as well. I do have a homemade plastic bottle buffer to 'mildly' redirect the current of the outflow.


----------



## JKfish

Chances are you might not end up with many fry as it is. Many die young, and some might have to be culled because of serious deformations, etc.


----------



## bubblesthefish

hahaha. My betta looks at me and swims over to the front of his tank everytime I walk in my room, and definitely every time I go up to his tank. I wish I could hug him and give him kisses like I do my dog so he knows I love him. rofl.


----------



## Kokonoko

JKfish said:


> Chances are you might not end up with many fry as it is. Many die young, and some might have to be culled because of serious deformations, etc.


Hmm, do you know of a rough estimate of how many would actually live? the topic I read was kind of vague (or perhaps I forgot completely) on how many to expect. -.-; Curse my horrible memory...


----------



## JKfish

No, but I'm sure some breeders on this forum could give you a very very rough estimate. I'm pretty sure it varies alot.


----------



## BlueHaven

Hi! I was wondering if petco sells moss (Java or Christmas)?
I went to petsmart before and they said they had some but it was growing on a rock, I wasn't sure if it was the right kind or not for my betta's tank.
Is java fern safe for them?


----------



## Lion Mom

Yes, java fern is safe for them. As well as java moss, Christmas moss, anubias, etc. As far as I know any aquatic plant is safe for them. If I am wrong about that, somebody please let me know.


----------



## vaygirl

3) Riddle (My betta fish) is seemingly createing a new habit of becoming suctioned to the filter every once in a while for a few seconds without visible resistance (as iff enjoying it?) Should I be concerned though? He escapes easily enough and swims around perfectly fine as well. I do have a homemade plastic bottle buffer to 'mildly' redirect the current of the outflow.


All of mine do this at one time or another. Whiskey makes a habit of it. So far he's been fine. If you're really worried, you could grab one of these, which is what I finally had to do for Whiskey. I just didn't want to tempt fate anymore. Now he doesn't do it at all. :roll:

http://www.petco.com/product/111694...m-Pre-Filter-Sponge.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch


----------



## BlueHaven

Lion Mom said:


> Yes, java fern is safe for them. As well as java moss, Christmas moss, anubias, etc. As far as I know any aquatic plant is safe for them. If I am wrong about that, somebody please let me know.


 Thank you! ^_^
I looked at petsmart today and they didn't carry them but they did have Marimo moss balls, so I got one of those for his aquarium. It's great!


----------



## 1fish2fish

Kokonoko said:


> 1) Wanting to eventually breed my own betta... However I do honor the traditional Responsibility of a Breeder codes, so I was wondering if theress any way to limit the amount of frys produced? I'm -definently- not looking to create a barrack.. I just wanted to breed my very own betta fish to achieve certain physical aspects.
> 
> 
> 2) (Slightly off topic) My betta tank mate is an Apple snail, I've had him for about 2-3 weeks now and hes been livelyand active since the day I had him. Here recently though hes been floating at the topic, only sinking every once in a while for food. I know Apple snails go into hybernation every so often, so is this what it could be?
> 
> 3) Riddle (My betta fish) is seemingly createing a new habit of becoming suctioned to the filter every once in a while for a few seconds without visible resistance (as iff enjoying it?) Should I be concerned though? He escapes easily enough and swims around perfectly fine as well. I do have a homemade plastic bottle buffer to 'mildly' redirect the current of the outflow.


If your looking for a certain number of fry you have to be willing to cull unwanted fish. IMO a breeder has to be set up to care for an entire successful spawn because if you do things like destroying the bubblenest or removing the female you are decreasing your chances of getting a fish with the pheno and geno type you want. You won't know what qualities your fish have until they are 2 months of age. After that you'll have to look into adoption or humane euthanasia to thin your spawns. Don't add to the problem by letting fish you breed go to a pet store.

The apple snail could be sick, did you quarantine it before putting it in the tank? I know my mystery snails would start to float like that just before they died.

He's fine as long as there is no way his fins can get sucked into the in-take, if they do they could get shredded.


----------



## Kokonoko

Thank you all =D

Now I don't feel so worried anymore >.<; 'Cept for my lil' snail =( I'll have to do a few more hours of reseaarch to make sure hes not sick... he does drop down every once in a while for food though?


----------



## Kokonoko

Well, I did more research on the apple snail. I'm slightly mortified to say that it actually might be a collapsed mantle *Bites lip and fights back the tears!* Which would also explain his floating behavior+inactivity; also when transporting her, she seems to have less energy to retract back into her shell.

On the other hand, I have slight hope that this is just normal behavior, as many-a-site also suggests... =(


----------



## xswornxoffxjello

Quick question: what constitues a "true purple"? I know there's a thread about this in Betta Chat, but for some weird reason the bettysplendens site doesn't download on my computer.


----------



## JKfish

I bought frozen bloodworms (yay!) from Petsmart, and now I need to know how to feed with them and how much. It isn't the cubed kind, rather a thin sheet. Help?


----------



## 1fish2fish

I just break off a bit and thaw it out in a small bowl (or a fish cup works well) of tank water. For my regular sized fish I usually give 2-3 worms (depending on size). My small fish I give 1-2 worms.

If you have extra worms just throw them (in the tank water) in the fridge. They usually last 2-3 days in there.


----------



## JKfish

okay, thank you 1fish2fish


----------



## dramaqueen

Just what my mother would love in our refridgerator... a cup of worms! lol


----------



## JKfish

My mom is freaked out by the little packet of worms, so the bloodworms are staying in the outside freezer. Now I've decided not to tempt fate by leaving extras in the fridge XD


----------



## vaygirl

My husband swears I leave the cup o' worms in front of his Red Bull on purpose. *halo*


----------



## Kokonoko

vaygirl said:


> my husband swears i leave the cup o' worms in front of his red bull on purpose. *halo*


lmao!


----------



## JKfish

Simba's badly shredded his fins, and because I don't have aquarium salt, is it alright to substitute it with fine grain pure sea salt?


----------



## Kokonoko

I think theres a chemical diffirence between the two? Aquarium salt is somewhat comparable to absent salt, right? I don't know what kind of sea salt your talking about though so I might be just talking out th eback of my head. I would assume that sea salt wouldn't have the same effect though.


----------



## Lion Mom

JKfish said:


> Simba's badly shredded his fins, and because I don't have aquarium salt, is it alright to substitute it with fine grain pure sea salt?


Poor guy! I don't know about the sea salt, but you can use canning/Kosher salt from the grocery store. Does the same thing as aquarium salt & MUCH less expensive!


----------



## JKfish

The only salt my family has is sea salt and then just some regular table salt.  Thanks for the feedback, I'll just go out and try to find some old dry oak leaves tommorrow to treat his water with.


----------



## wallywestisthebest333

JKfish said:


> The only salt my family has is sea salt and then just some regular table salt.  Thanks for the feedback, I'll just go out and try to find some old dry oak leaves tomorrow to treat his water with.


If you live near the Appalachian/Creeper Trail then try there. =] I just got back from oak-leaf hunting there and now I have a nice bunch. =]


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## JKfish

actually, yes I do. But there's a tall oak in my neighbor's backyard, so I think I'll find some leaves around that. If they're too gross looking, I'll probably go out in the woods behind a friend's house. That's for the advise~

I remember reading something about salts, and it being iodized, but I can't remember if I CAN use the salt if it is, or if I can't... anyone know?


----------



## Lion Mom

No, do not use iodized salt.


----------



## JKfish

okay, thank you


----------



## Wildfire

How can you tell if your betta fish is constipated?


----------



## Kittles

> How can you tell if your betta fish is constipated?


It will usually appear bloated.


----------



## Wildfire

Thanks!
And also - is feeding my betta 2 pellets twice a day too little? (and then fasting once a week)?
Then feeding bloodworms once or twice a week replacing the pellets, and flakes whenever I feel like he needs to change up his diet?


----------



## Kittles

Wildfire said:


> Thanks!
> And also - is feeding my betta 2 pellets twice a day too little? (and then fasting once a week)?
> Then feeding bloodworms once or twice a week replacing the pellets, and flakes whenever I feel like he needs to change up his diet?


There is no 'golden' feeding routine, or anything set in stone when it comes to feeding your betta. Once a day, twice a day, every other day, etc., as long as your betta is getting the nutrition it needs, it's fine. A lot of people, though, feed their fish much in the same way as you've described above; two pellets twice a day with a day of fasting and intermittent bloodworm (or other food) feedings.


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## Wildfire

That's great, thank you so much!


----------



## Wildfire

After you fill the tank and when you're letting the water sit for 24 hours, do you leave the filter on throughout that sitting period?


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## Lion Mom

Wildfire said:


> After you fill the tank and when you're letting the water sit for 24 hours, do you leave the filter on throughout that sitting period?


Yes.


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## Wildfire

Lol, okay I have one more question - (sorry, I'm really new to this whole betta fish thing) - how can you tell the age of a beta fish? I know you can tell by the size of the fins, but my veiltail just looks like any other betta... Is there no way to tell until he's obviously old?


----------



## JKfish

As far as I know, there is no real way to tell how old your betta is. If you've gotten him from a LFS, you can probably assume he's around a year old.


----------



## 1fish2fish

Unless you got your fish from a breeder and know his spawn date there really isn't anyway to guess the age of the fish, but like JKfish said if you got your fish from a pet store he's probably 6 mos to a year old.


----------



## AaryonN

This should be a sticky


----------



## Wildfire

Agreed with Aaryon! 
Okay, I've got another! xP Sorry, guys - 
if I have a filter that causes a small current at the surface of the water in my betta's tank.. (causes bubbles), will this render my betta unable to make a bubble nest? I don't want him to breed, but I'm just curious. I'd also love an indicator as to whether or not he's happy. Here's a picture of the tank: (I still need to get some more plants!)
My 2 gallon:


----------



## AaryonN

Wildfire said:


> Agreed with Aaryon!
> Okay, I've got another! xP Sorry, guys -
> if I have a filter that causes a small current at the surface of the water in my betta's tank.. (causes bubbles), will this render my betta unable to make a bubble nest? I don't want him to breed, but I'm just curious. I'd also love an indicator as to whether or not he's happy. Here's a picture of the tank: (I still need to get some more plants!)
> My 2 gallon:


 I have the Exact same question as Wildfire! my filter makes bubbles on the top. I got Crysis 4 days ago and i put him in a 2.5 gallon tank, but still no bubble nests, maybe he needs more time? idk but does the filter not allow the bubble nests to stay intact?


----------



## Kittles

Not all fish make bubblenests, so don't let the lack of one make you think he's unhappy. :>


----------



## AaryonN

Kittles said:


> Not all fish make bubblenests, so don't let the lack of one make you think he's unhappy. :>


 Okay! cool beans


----------



## Wildfire

Gotcha - but still, would the filter stream.. ah.. tear apart a bubble nest?


----------



## AaryonN

Wildfire said:


> Gotcha - but still, would the filter stream.. ah.. tear apart a bubble nest?


 I'm with you budd! idk, someone answer


----------



## Kittles

I have no way of knowing how rough or disturbing your filter is, but I'd imagine the created ripples would only push the bubbles to the side, not destroy them. I also think that if a bubblenest was forming, you'd notice and be able to tell if it were being destroyed or not.


----------



## Wildfire

Okay, thanks!


----------



## JKfish

If I put oak leaves in my 10 gallon to release tannins, would the brown color stain my white sand? Last time I was treating puffy with fin biting by using oak leaves, he got really lethargic and scared me so I stopped and he became active again. Do most bettas act like that when you use oak leaves?


----------



## Wildfire

Did he get better after using the oak leaves, even though he got all lethargic while using them?


----------



## JKfish

Well of course, his fins improved greatly oak leaves, IAL, etc make tannins which help with fin growth and scale development, but he was REALLY lethargic, so much it was sort of scary, and I'm not sure if that's supposed to happen.


----------



## frogipoi

?: Will a 10 gallon tank hold 6 females?


----------



## JaspersANGEL

I`m eventually planing a sorority too and i counted using the stockage calculator and i think it said that yes u could fit 6 females in a 10g


----------



## BlueHaven

How constant should the water temperature be for bettas? Is it alright for their to be a slight change in degree? 
Because my bettas tank stays at 82 during the day and 79 at night. I try my best to keep it as close as possible, but the way the house is kept, it's not possible for it to stay at 82 at all times. I have a heater on all the time if your wondering, it keeps the temp warm like I said. It's just not adjustable.
Just wanted to know if it's dangerous that way, and if so i'll figure out a way to fix that.


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## 1fish2fish

I think that change would be acceptable as long as it is happening naturally over time. A fish should be equipped to deal with swimming from warmer to colder water and vice versa.. its sudden temperature changes that are most dangerous.


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## BlueHaven

Okay, cool. Thank you. ^_^


----------



## JKfish

I have a 2 gallon tank with hornwort in it, waiting for a fish. Can someone tell me what the water changes should be like?


----------



## 1fish2fish

I would change the water at least once a week just so the HW can get some oxygen from the water. Aeration could also help but isn't necessary.


----------



## JKfish

Thanks


----------



## miyko

i think my filter is causing to much of a current in my 10 gallon.... is there a way i can help it slow down?


----------



## doggyhog

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...ts-accessories/step-step-filter-baffle-30139/


----------



## bloo97

Can 3 females live together in a 5 gallon?


----------



## beat2020

No. To keep females together you must have at least 4 females and a 10g tank that's densely planted.


----------



## bloo97

Okay! Thanks!


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## JKfish

Does anyone know where I could buy the natural soil for a natural planted tank and how to know it doesn't have any fertilizers/copper/additives? Any brands you'd advise?


----------



## miyko

i want to get a new boy... but i want him to be SUPER healthy... would putting aquarium salt help or hurt the water condition? am i just over paranoid?? any other thigs i can do other then conditioner to make him SUper happy... i do intend to breed him... i want him to be a very happy boy


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## 1fish2fish

If you want a healthy fish from the get go I suggest going to a breeder ESPECIALLY since you want to breed the fish. There is no reliable way to tell how healthy a fish is at a pet store.

Adding aquarium salt wont make the fish any healthier. Doing water changes and feeding good food and providing adequate heat is what makes a healthy fish.


----------



## Ajones108

This question is particularly for Hydor Theos heater users but someone else educated might know.

I plan to upgrade to a 5 gallon tank probably next week. Will a 25w Hydor Theos heater hold a 5 gallon tank? On the 50w heater the minimum is 5gal and the 25w heater I'm using I do believe is a 2-5gal heater but I was wondering what everyone else thought. I don't really want to shell out the money for another heater...


----------



## Lion Mom

Since the suggested watts per gallon is 3 - 5, yes, the 25 watt heater will be fine in a 5 gal. Matter of fact, that is what I use in most of my 5 gal. tanks.


----------



## Ajones108

Thank you so much Lion Mom, it's relieving that I don't need to buy another!


----------



## Lion Mom

You're welcome!


----------



## Cassandra90

I have a 7 gallon heated and filtered, I have my 2 year old Vt betta in it and I was wondering could I get a African Dwarf Frog and a snail to join him? Or if I rather get fish what type of smaller fish would be possible to put in there?


----------



## usmcgarcia

i have a quick question haha, what is the best feeding times and amounts for a betta, and i got some brine shrimp for him to eat so around how much is good for him to eat?


----------



## 1fish2fish

Cassandra90 said:


> I have a 7 gallon heated and filtered, I have my 2 year old Vt betta in it and I was wondering could I get a African Dwarf Frog and a snail to join him? Or if I rather get fish what type of smaller fish would be possible to put in there?


I wouldn't put any more fish in there. Some shrimp or a snail would be nice. Personally I don't like putting ADF with bettas because bettas have been known to seriously beat up on the little froggies and ADFs can't get away from a betta.



usmcgarcia said:


> i have a quick question haha, what is the best feeding times and amounts for a betta, and i got some brine shrimp for him to eat so around how much is good for him to eat?


That is really a matter of choice. I feed my fish once or twice a day depending on my schedule. If I feed twice I feed in the morning and evening.

Is the brine shrimp live, frozen, or freeze dried? Feed an amount that looks similar to the size of his eye (because that is how large his stomach is). Frozen and live foods you can usually feed a little more but not too much.


----------



## BlueHaven

Do bettas need (trying to decide on what to do with new aquarium i'm setting up!) to have plants to hide in if they have caves and other hiding places?
I'm asking this because I don't have a store near me that sells safe silk plants and i'm not going to take the chance of getting another plastic one.
I am planning to put a marimo moss ball in there so it has a sense of life to it.


----------



## Ajones108

They don't NEED plants really but I noticed my betta is SO much happier with plants. He's actually building a bubble nest under a couple leaves of my amazon sword that are sticking out of the water.  These amazon swords seem to be VERY hardy, I have two of them in my tank each with 3 big leaves on it, and one of them is showing extreme growth (I added Aqueon aquarium plant food into the water). I'm very pleased and so is my fish.


----------



## BlueHaven

Cool, thank you! I'll get another plant then.


----------



## Sivan

What does it mean when a thin, clear, almost snot-like thread of slime begins to float off the betta's body? Fabio has been having many problems since I purchased him and now I see this clear stringy slime-like stuff coming off his scales and he has become much less active and just floats more often instead of swimming around the tank.


----------



## 1fish2fish

That sounds like an infection of some sort to me. I suggest you make a thread in the betta diseases section (make sure to read the sticky before hand and answer all the questions) so we can better help you.


----------



## Sivan

D: I sure hope its not. All I've been doing this past week has been posting about how to save Fabio. I really hope I am not being a burden.

I just changed his water and it isn't there anymore. If it appears again I'll have to post a new thread, again.


----------



## Welsh

Will aquarium salt do any damage to an otocinclus?


----------



## jixxy

Is it bad to keep my aquarium light all day and night? I accidentally left it on before I left my apartment and I won't be back til tmw.


----------



## JKfish

No it's not bad, though I don't think it's advised per say. I accidently did that to my fish tank once, but the fish were fine


----------



## 1fish2fish

Accidents happen but it is not a good thing to do all the time. Fish need a day and night cycle just like humans do and leaving the light on all the time will eventually begin to stress your fish out.


----------



## N11N

*Problem or OKAY?*

Hello, 

I have a quick question, at 

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=50952

Thanks, N11N


----------



## weluvbettas

Do you need a fluoresent bulb in a planted tank? or can you use a normal light bulb that is enough watts?


----------



## Lion Mom

weluvbettas said:


> Do you need a fluoresent bulb in a planted tank? or can you use a normal light bulb that is enough watts?


I think you will do much better with fluorescent. Something like this would be good, IMO:

https://www.petsolutions.com/Colormax-Mini-Compact-Bulb+I96354100+C34.aspx


----------



## 1fish2fish

You can use an incandescent bulb. They don't put out the right kind of light and they get very hot which will cause temperature swings.


----------



## miyko

you can even buy the floresant ones at some doller stores...


----------



## Lion Mom

miyko said:


> you can even buy the floresant ones at some doller stores...


The problem I have found with those is that they don't fit my hoods correctly. :-?


----------



## Kitty Whiskers

Here's a question I was thinking about for a while, How long does it take to change your membership status from like: New Member, Junior Member, Member, Senior Member etc...?? It is a certain length of time since you first joined, or the length of time you are online, or like the number of post you make and answer? Just curious to know


----------



## JKfish

Your ammounts of posts changes your membership status.


----------



## JKfish

If I were to try and cycle a divided 10 gallon with 2 males who have some fin damage due to tail biting how often would I have to do water changes? I remember reading something like 25% daily and 50 precent once a week, is that correct?


----------



## 1fish2fish

If your doing a fish in cycle you need to do daily water changes. Test the water daily and if you get any readings over 0ppm do a 25% change. That is why fish in cycles take forever because you constantly have to do water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite at safe levels for the fish.


----------



## Oldfishlady

JKfish said:


> If I were to try and cycle a divided 10 gallon with 2 males who have some fin damage due to tail biting how often would I have to do water changes? I remember reading something like 25% daily and 50 precent once a week, is that correct?


In a 10g filtered with 2 adult bettas-fish-in cycling-without water testing-I would make one 50% water only change a week and one 50% with gravel vacuum a week-this is based on-not over feeding and removal of uneaten food
If you have water testing products for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate-test the water daily and with any reading of ammonia or nitrite 0.25ppm or greater make a 50% water only change.

Any time the fish have any behavior changes or acting odd-make a 50% water only change even if you just did one earlier-especially if you don't have anyway to test the water at home.

The nitrifying bacteria are sticking and adhere to everything in the tank, in the top layer of the substrate and in the filter media-very little are in the water column...so water only changes will not slow the nitrogen cycle, however, over cleaning the substrate and filter media can.

Once you have nitrate of 5-10ppm and 0ppm on ammonia/nitrite for several days without water changes-you are most likely cycled-this can take 4-8 weeks, also, you want to monitor the the water prams daily for another month and if stable, weekly water test before your regular weekly water change.


----------



## JKfish

Okay, thanks 

If I seeded the tank with filter media from an already cycled tank, how much quicker do you think the tank would cycle?


----------



## artist4life

this question is about foodHow often should i feed him my friend says 3 times a day but im not sure is she right


----------



## JKfish

Two to three soaked pellets twice a day. Some people chose to do it three times, but you'd obviously need to feed a bit less than twice a day.


----------



## zelilaa

woah what? is this a normal beetta dude? I only feed mine 3 pellets once a day... and once a week i feed him 2 pellets and a freeze dried bloodworm instead. lol am i starving him?!?


----------



## Lion Mom

I only feed my guys once a day in the morning (Mon. - Sat.) then fast them one day a week (Sunday). 

Everybody is doing great on that!!


----------



## fishman12

My 10 gallon tank came with a 50 watt heater and when the heater comes on, it has a light that shows it is on. I was wondering if anyone thought this might bother him, especially in the night?


----------



## Lion Mom

I'm sure it does not bother them - all my heaters in all my tanks do that & none of my fish seem bothered by it.


----------



## JKfish

I have a 2 gallon hospital tank that is 7 inches by 7 inches by 11 inches. I know it's tall versus wide, but I use it mainly when treating finrot with lots of clean water, and I lower the level of the water to about 6 inches so it's about 1 gallon. Eventually, I might buy a little girl, and I was wondering if that would be an okay tank for her, or if it'd be too tall.


----------



## fishman12

I think it would be okay, but be sure to fill it up all the way! I think Alex09 has somethng like that, maybe you should pm him about it.

Oh and thanks Lion Mom


----------



## BlueHaven

How do I cover the filter valve (intake) that sucks in debree so that it is safe from harming a bettas tail?
I have a new 5 gallon tank for Thai but that comes with a stronger filter and I am not sure how covering it works. 
It seems like doing that would keep it from intaking debree? 
I do have a small sponge that I could use since it absorbs stuff, would it be safe to put this around the valve and use a ponytail to keep it in place? I don't have anything else to use, the ponytail does not have any metal, only laytex rubber and cloth. It's one of those small hair bands made by goody. It actually says on the box no metal.


----------



## Rynasaurus

How old are bettas when you buy them at Petsmart or some other LFS? I just bought mine today.


----------



## JKfish

Typically, they can be anywhere from 6 months to a year.


----------



## mm94305

Levi (my betta fish) has been scared of me until I put him in his new tank. He was fine all day until i got home and started to cut the lights off. I left his light on and sat down on my bed and he started to flare at everything it was cute in the beginning but then he didn't stop. So when I went over to cut his light off to see if i could get him to stop he flared at me. Should I move him out of the new tank until I have it completely decorated or will he be ok? He was still flaring at things until I cut all the lights back on.


----------



## emeltee

When I clean my tank or bowl, do I have to scrub the sides? Currently, I just rinse with hot water several times. 

(I am currently doing 100% water changes on my non-cycled tanks while I wait for my 5 gal tank to cycle.)

Once my 5 gallon tank is cycled, I do NOT scrub the sides, correct?


----------



## r3h0ld3r

Bettas don't need an air pump to get oxygen in the water because they breathe in oxygen from outside the water, correct?

tl;dr: there's no need for air stones, correct?


----------



## Capricorn

@eme; Correct, you shouldn't have to scrub it clean.

@r3; No, they don't need an air pump.


----------



## miyko

is duct tape poisenouse to my girls? i want to help decrease the filter flow with a sponge but it keeps being pushed out and i find it floating around the top of the tank... would it be ok to secure it with a tiny bit of duct tape?


----------



## Strigiformes

the glue on the duct tape would be poisenouse


----------



## Learn To Fly

You could use a rubber band.


----------



## BlueHaven

mm94305 said:


> Levi (my betta fish) has been scared of me until I put him in his new tank. He was fine all day until i got home and started to cut the lights off. I left his light on and sat down on my bed and he started to flare at everything it was cute in the beginning but then he didn't stop. So when I went over to cut his light off to see if i could get him to stop he flared at me. Should I move him out of the new tank until I have it completely decorated or will he be ok? He was still flaring at things until I cut all the lights back on.


 He's probably trying to get used to everything. If he has one place to hide securely, he should be okay. 

Note:
About my last question, I figured out what to do, so nevermind.


----------



## JKfish

When bettas are in dark areas, and there is a light over the tank, they can see their reflection and will flare. Keep the area around the tank well light, not just the light over his tank and he should be fine


----------



## Lion Mom

I wouldn't use duct tape - use a rubber band as suggested. That's what I have been using for years & all is ggod. The rubber band WILL wear out in time, but just replace it.


----------



## mm94305

Thanks for answering back. I figured out that he could see his reflection just have to help fix up his tail now. he has a little hole in the middle of his tail.... its one thing after another with him...


----------



## JKfish

Flaring helps a bit with tails, but too much flaring can stress fish and nake them bite their tails, which might be the hole in his tail.


----------



## JaspersANGEL

For a couple days now when I looked at Romad in the morning, he's just waking up and is still dazed from being woken up at 4 in the morning *lol* ( I wake up early for work and my three boys get up with me, but as soon as I leave I'm sure Romad is the first to be snoring again *lol*

Anyway's I noticed that while asleep Romad's tummy bloat's, does their system shut down at night or what...
is that normal?


----------



## JaspersANGEL

I just checked up on him, and he's not as bad now. So I quess their digestive tract slow's down while their sleeping.
Or is it something else?
is he gonna be sick?


----------



## miyko

Lion Mom said:


> I wouldn't use duct tape - use a rubber band as suggested. That's what I have been using for years & all is ggod. The rubber band WILL wear out in time, but just replace it.


 THANK YOU will do!... should i rub some conditioner on the band?


----------



## miyko

how long should you place and excersise mirror in the pacage said 5 mins max but we all know to not trust some things at the pet stores


----------



## Capricorn

@Miyko; A couple minutes is fine for a mirror, I think (though I use a regular mirror, so I'm not sure about yours). I would just follow the instructions, they seem reasonable to me.


----------



## Lion Mom

5 minutes is fine, IMO/E. 

I have never done anything to the rubber band other than rinse it with hot water.


----------



## Rynasaurus

When doing a water change, I get how to get the water out, but I'm afraid to put new water in, because of the chlorine in the tap water. I have dechlorinating tablets, but they're meant for 10 gallons of water at at time, and I already used it for when I was setting my tank up. I only want to do a 10% water change now.

So what water should I put in?


----------



## 1fish2fish

I would get a liquid dechlorinator like SeaChem Prime. That way you can put in a couple drops per gallon instead of treating all 10 gallons.


----------



## celine18

i bought frozen bloodworms that're in "gumdrops" and i cut one out and put it in the fridge to thaw and stay in between feedings. do i need to set them out to warm up before i feed him one, or is straight out of the fridge fine?


----------



## 1fish2fish

I feed straight from the fridge. I don't think they care much either way.


----------



## celine18

ok, thank you! i wasnt sure, and paranoid me had to ask...


----------



## weluvbettas

How to treat popeye?


----------



## shell85

My new boy looks really bloated I assume from over eating because when I got him today I noticed there were quite a few pellets floating around in all the bettas cups. What all do I need to do get him back down to normal size and make sure he's not sick because of it?


----------



## shell85

Oh and another question I went to put my fish back in his container after a cleaning session and plop! he drops about 3 feet onto the carpet. I got him back in but I wanna make sure he doesn't get anything due to being exposed to the carpeting. What should I do?


----------



## 1fish2fish

weluvbettas said:


> How to treat popeye?


Start with an anti-fungal medication like Jungle Fungus Clear. Use it for 7 days. If you don't see improvement go to a stronger medication like maracyn.



shell85 said:


> My new boy looks really bloated I assume from over eating because when I got him today I noticed there were quite a few pellets floating around in all the bettas cups. What all do I need to do get him back down to normal size and make sure he's not sick because of it?


Don't feed for a couple of days. Then feed him either blanched, de-shelled pea or mysis shrimp. You can also put a little epsom salt in his tank for a day or two to help relieve any constipation. Keep the water clean as usual and when you begin feeding regularly again make sure to only feed a small amount.



shell85 said:


> Oh and another question I went to put my fish back in his container after a cleaning session and plop! he drops about 3 feet onto the carpet. I got him back in but I wanna make sure he doesn't get anything due to being exposed to the carpeting. What should I do?


Put a little aquarium salt or stress coat in his tank for a couple days to help him build his slime coat back up. He should be fine.


----------



## Mars

I have a question... This is my first time buying a tank, 10 gallon, and doing a fishless cyle that is not yet finished. I am going to divide the tank and buy 2 betta's (for my daughter's birthday) as soon as the cycle is complete. 

Ok so I read that after the tank is cycled that I do not change the filter since that is where the good bacterial colonies are... so when *can* I change the filter? Also how often should I change the filters?


----------



## LittleBettaFish

You don't really need to change filters or filter media unless yours is absolutely falling to pieces. All my tanks are cycled, and all I do is give the sponge a gentle swish in *tank* water (not chlorinated) and put it back in. It's really just a ploy from filter manufacturers to get you to buy more product. 

If you need to change sponges in your filter, you should swap out only a 1/3 or 1/4 at a time with new sponge to avoid a mini-cycle. I've been running my goldfish tank for three years now and have only had to rinse off the sponge a couple of times. My readings are always perfect, even when I snip a bit off to clone a new filter.


----------



## BeFree

Betta Newb here:
What *exactly* is a tank cycle? Does everyone have their own tank cycle, or is it a set cycle that everyone follows?


----------



## Mars

I had no idea!! :blink: Thanks now I can take back my extra box of filters/cartridges to the store.



LittleBettaFish said:


> You don't really need to change filters or filter media unless yours is absolutely falling to pieces. All my tanks are cycled, and all I do is give the sponge a gentle swish in *tank* water (not chlorinated) and put it back in. It's really just a ploy from filter manufacturers to get you to buy more product.
> 
> If you need to change sponges in your filter, you should swap out only a 1/3 or 1/4 at a time with new sponge to avoid a mini-cycle. I've been running my goldfish tank for three years now and have only had to rinse off the sponge a couple of times. My readings are always perfect, even when I snip a bit off to clone a new filter.


----------



## vaygirl

BeFree said:


> Betta Newb here:
> What *exactly* is a tank cycle? Does everyone have their own tank cycle, or is it a set cycle that everyone follows?


See our sticky here: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=47838


----------



## shell85

How do you ration out your frozen foods without wasting a whole cube? I'm afraid I may have gave my boys too much daphnia I was trying to use it as a laxative for 2 of them and when i put it in the tank a bunch of little chunks went flying everywhere. They are still digging in the gravel to get it. I did defrost it by soaking it in water.


----------



## 1fish2fish

You can keep the food in the fridge and feed for up to 3 days usually. Daphnia is a great food and you don't have to just feed it as a laxative, it can be a meal.


----------



## shell85

1fish2fish said:


> You can keep the food in the fridge and feed for up to 3 days usually. Daphnia is a great food and you don't have to just feed it as a laxative, it can be a meal.


Oh okay so with frozen foods like daphnia, brine shrimp and blood worms would it be ok to replace pellets with it as the main course for certain days?


----------



## shell85

shell85 said:


> Oh okay so with frozen foods like daphnia, brine shrimp and blood worms would it be ok to replace pellets with it as the main course for certain days?


and one more question that i keep forgetting to ask,

when doing a water change, how do you add the fish back in without pouring some of the old water back in and freaking the little guy out too much?


----------



## shell85

I dont wanna make another thread about this but to make a long story short the temporary housing for my 3rd betta got cracked and I have to do an emergency transfer to a spare kritter keeper which somehow got a little human saliva dribbled in it and dried. I did do some rinsing in very hot faucet water is that good enough to kill the bacteria from drool?


----------



## JKfish

> when doing a water change, how do you add the fish back in without pouring some of the old water back in and freaking the little guy out too much?


Personally, when I used to put my bettas in cups for w/c s, I used to put very little water in their cups, maybe three inches max. Then, before putting them in, I would carefully (with my hand over the mouth of the cup to act as a filter of sorts) drain a bit more of the water out and gentely let my betta into his tank with the tiny ammount of water left. After I got my net, I put them in shallow buckets and just scooped them out when the w/c was done.



> I dont wanna make another thread about this but to make a long story short the temporary housing for my 3rd betta got cracked and I have to do an emergency transfer to a spare kritter keeper which somehow got a little human saliva dribbled in it and dried. I did do some rinsing in very hot faucet water is that good enough to kill the bacteria from drool?


I don't know how long the saliva was dry, but it should be fine. hot water should have done the trick


----------



## dramaqueen

Are frozen foods really gross looking after they're thawed and does it smell nasty?


----------



## JKfish

My frozen bloodworms just look like worms when they're thawed in water, and they don't stink (unless I put my nose right next to them and sniff, but then it's only a fishy sort of smell - Don't ask how I know XD)


----------



## 1fish2fish

With frozen foods they shouldn't smell bad as long as you only keep them in the fridge for a day or two. Once they start to lose color its time to throw them out.

Don't worry about getting a little dirty water back in the tank when you transfer the fish. As long as you keep up with water changes that tiny amount of water won't matter.


----------



## BettaBoy84

Frozen foods are great, live is better....dried is way easier..the choice is yours...


----------



## Learn To Fly

Are white oak leaves or red oak leaves better to use in your tanks?


----------



## BettaBoy84

*Oak leaves*



Learn To Fly said:


> Are white oak leaves or red oak leaves better to use in your tanks?


I find white oaks, give off a cloudy white blurry, red will give a slightly darker hue...I prefer red over white, but also prefer chestnut, as it has the most desirable results IMO.... but no matter which you use, make sure they are dried out *completely*!

Check out my oak leaves thread...

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=50272&highlight=leaves


----------



## Learn To Fly

Okay thanks!


----------



## dew

I have a 3 gallon tank. If I do 100% Water changes every 3 days Should I rinse out the gravel every time?


----------



## 1fish2fish

With a 3 gallon you can probably get away with doing 100% changes once a week (with rinsing the gravel) and then another 50% change mid-week.

You might want to look up cycling. If you get a filter and cycle your tank you would only have to do weekly water changes (25-50%).


----------



## Posaune

Question: How should I get rid of ammonia in my tank? For some reason I had a high count this week (.5-1 ppm). I remember somewhere someone was talking about a chemical or something that converted it, is that suggested?


----------



## CjRager89

Posaune said:


> Question: How should I get rid of ammonia in my tank? For some reason I had a high count this week (.5-1 ppm). I remember somewhere someone was talking about a chemical or something that converted it, is that suggested?


A: I use chems that reduce it. Seems to work great for me (well, my fish)


Q: When my new betta came in, he had a bit of fin damage. Is there anything I can do to help him grow them back?


----------



## Euphie101

Just clean water should do the trick. I use aquarium salt sometimes if its severe, but From what you said it does sound too bad.


----------



## dew

How do I change the color of the words on my signiture?


----------



## zelilaa

dew said:


> How do I change the color of the words on my signiture?


\
A: Go to 'user cp' its an option with FAQ, calender, new posts, search, quick links, & logout. Then go to edit signature. You can edit it like a post, so click the big A next to font sizes and style. There the color options! To change it all to the same color just highlight the whole thing and then pick the color. your welcome! 

Q: (i know its not about bettas but maybe some of yall know?) Would zebra danios be ok in a school of 11?


----------



## dew

Thanks!


----------



## Posaune

I'm pretty sure they would, so long as you've got the adequate tank space for the danios


----------



## miyko

i am moving.... is there a safe way yo transport 6 betta's with out the cups? i didn't keep all of them....


----------



## Posaune

Critter keeper, tupperware (make sure they can't get out) (if I'm wrong someone correct me)


----------



## JKfish

You'd want to package them as if you were shipping them (doubled bagged, plenty of air, etc) the shipping bags would mean they'd have less room to move, but that is good because they can't build up momentum and slam into the wall if the car comes to a stop quickly. And if they did, the bag wouldn't hurt them as much as say a plastic wall. Also, if you kept them in a dark spot (like a box) they'd be less likely to get stresed, and you'd be able to keep them warm with a heat pack.


----------



## Feral

Best way to do a 100% water change in a large bowl with a young and delicate water lily? It's due day after tomorrow and after waitng for this silly thing to sprout for WEEKS, I don't want to damage it.

Thanks all 

-F


----------



## JKfish

When I was growing the aponogetons from walmart I had them in a little cup of water, they took weeks to sprout too. I didn't do anything about water changes... I just sort of added fish flakes to try and make the ammonia go up and floated their cup in my warm aquarium so they'd grow faster. XD You could just get a cup of water, and gentley pinch the bulb part and put it in there during your water change.


----------



## Everlark

Are freeze dried brine shrimp supposed to come in cubes? How do you feed them to the fish?


----------



## Feral

JKfish said:


> You'd want to package them as if you were shipping them (doubled bagged, plenty of air, etc) the shipping bags would mean they'd have less room to move, but that is good because they can't build up momentum and slam into the wall if the car comes to a stop quickly. And if they did, the bag wouldn't hurt them as much as say a plastic wall. Also, if you kept them in a dark spot (like a box) they'd be less likely to get stresed, and you'd be able to keep them warm with a heat pack.


 
Thanks JK, the thing has sprouted now- has 4 very delicate shoots about 3" long and I assume has put down some roots too... I just don't want to damage it now that it's finally showing some life :roll: It's actually my fourth attempt with various bulbs though I'm starting to suspect it was the RO water that halted the others... I'm using treated tap water now.


----------



## CjRager89

well if its not a big tank (under 10 id say) just use a cup to take water out, then do the same and gently add it. that way the plant doesnt get swooshed around with all the water.


----------



## dew

Can aquarium sealent cloud the water? I made a rock brige.


----------



## Feral

Everlark said:


> Are freeze dried brine shrimp supposed to come in cubes? How do you feed them to the fish?


This is my little guys favorite food- I scrape the cubes with a fork and small chunks fall off. Odd, but he goes for the bigger pieces first and shakes them to bits until they reach a managable size. One cube lasts several days.


----------



## CjRager89

dew said:


> Can aquarium sealent cloud the water? I made a rock brige.


not as long as you let it sit for the appropiate set time. think 24 hours is what is supposed to be safe. 48 if youre doing something major like say...making a tank.


----------



## dew

Ok. beacause somthing is making my fish die. I got 2 bettas from petco and both died in 3 day. I have a 3 gallon tank and it took me 4 hours to acclimate. I useed the right amount of seachem prime water conditioner. And I rinsed everything in hot water. What could have happened? I'm stumped.


----------



## BlueHaven

*Oak Leaves*

I've been debating whether or not to ask this, or just deal with finding few leaves....I may be overworrying but I've never used them before and I don't want to introduce anything to the tank (If that's possible).
I've collected oak leaves for my tanks, but my question is: Does it matter if there are spots/discoloration or very small light brownish looking fungus on the leaves?
There are fallen leaves EVERYWHERE, but alot of them have what I mentioned about. So if anyone knows about this, please let me know.


----------



## Oldfishlady

BlueHaven said:


> I've been debating whether or not to ask this, or just deal with finding few leaves....I may be overworrying but I've never used them before and I don't want to introduce anything to the tank (If that's possible).
> I've collected oak leaves for my tanks, but my question is: Does it matter if there are spots/discoloration or very small light brownish looking fungus on the leaves?
> There are fallen leaves EVERYWHERE, but alot of them have what I mentioned about. So if anyone knows about this, please let me know.


I try and find nice dried oak leave that are free of anything unknown-if they have different colors or shade on them that look natural to the leaf itself I don't worry so much and use, but if they have any bumps, lumps, fungus or anything like that I don't use them...better safe than sorry


----------



## dew

Does anyone know?


----------



## BlueHaven

Thank you! I will pick out the better ones. 

Dew: Maybe they happened to be already sick? 
If there was nothing wrong with the water quality, then it might have just been that. Do you have a heater or filter? If so, maybe something broke...?
I hope you can figure out what it was, i'm sorry they died.


----------



## Dragoon

What percentage of the water should i change weekly? It's a filtered 3 gallon

When I change my water do i take the fish out or leave him in there?


----------



## bloo97

So you guys are sure I can use fake plants from the craft store for Lucky?


----------



## dew

Blue haven: I have a heated and filtered uncycled 3 gallon. Mabye I should'nt buy fish from petco.


----------



## Oldfishlady

Dragoon said:


> What percentage of the water should i change weekly? It's a filtered 3 gallon
> 
> When I change my water do i take the fish out or leave him in there?


On a 3gal filtered tank I would recommend twice weekly 50% to maintain water quality-one to include substrate cleaning and one water only-I would leave the fish in the tank for water changes-make sure the replacement water is declorinated and within a couple of degrees from new and old water.
Give the filter media a swish/rinse in old tank water with a water change 1-2 times a month and when the water flow slows to maintain good water flow.


----------



## Lion Mom

On tanks that small I like to do 50% - even with a filter. Leave the fish in the tank - don't forget your water conditioner & do your best to match the temp of the new water to the tank temp.


----------



## JessG

I just got some cubed frozen brine shrimp for Alvin, but I'm not sure how much of a cube I'm supposed to feed him in one feeding. Just a little chip? How big?

I'm afraid I might be underfeeding him. He goes crazy whenever he sees me near the tank.


----------



## Canuck Fins

I bought the 5G Hawkeye from Walmart. I'm planning to plant the tank and try to cycle before I get the betta. It comes with an Aquatech filter. There's a bio-fibre cartridge and a second cartridge that contains carbon. I thought a planted tank isn't supposed to have carbon.Do I need to remove the carbon and put in the remaining piece to hold the other one in place? (I hope this makes sense enough for someone to answer.)


----------



## BlueHaven

dew said:


> Blue haven: I have a heated and filtered uncycled 3 gallon. Mabye I should'nt buy fish from petco.


 eeee, sorry for not replying before....^^;
You can more likely get sick fish from petco or petsmart, but I wouldn't give up on it myself. There are still healthy ones out there!
Do you use Prime? You could try that since it will detoxify harmful ammonias/nitrites/nitrates and conditiones the water. I am using it now and so far it is working. It just smells bad....the bottle that is when opened.


----------



## Fawnleaf

Question: How many posts do you need to make before becoming a "Member" and not "Junior Member"?


----------



## bloo97

It's between 215-250. I think.

So you guys are sure I can use fake plants from the craft store for Lucky? Sorry for reposting the question lol.


----------



## Fawnleaf

I think you can, as long as they're clean. I'd try soaking them in water for about a day. As long as nothing changes and the water parameters are good, i THINK you'd be fine.


----------



## bloo97

Okay, thanks. This is what I was told on another thread, but I wanted to be super sure:



Jupiter said:


> Plants from craft and dollar stores are perfectly okay if:
> - They are no perfumed
> - The have no sparkles or similar things in them
> - The dye doesn't leak in the water
> - There are no metal wires in it.
> 
> I have a few silk plants I bought from Michael's. Don't see why I should pay $8.00 for grass at Petsmart when I can get it for 50 cents at a craft store.


----------



## miyko

wasn't there something about puting it in vinagar too... to see if the dye leaked


----------



## dew

BlueHaven said:


> eeee, sorry for not replying before....^^;
> You can more likely get sick fish from petco or petsmart, but I wouldn't give up on it myself. There are still healthy ones out there!
> Do you use Prime? You could try that since it will detoxify harmful ammonias/nitrites/nitrates and conditiones the water. I am using it now and so far it is working. It just smells bad....the bottle that is when opened.


 I use prime and I just got my third betta from my local fish shop. He does not have a name yet. Any ideas? He is a mostly purple,cream and red crowntail. He has been here three days and today he is just laying on the gravel. He just comes up to eat and for air. What cuold this be?


----------



## miyko

i heard teetree oil was the base of most betta meds.... is it possible to just put a drop in in stead of betta fix?


----------



## 1fish2fish

Tea Tree Oil is not good for bettas. If you need to medicate your fish look for a medication appropriate to the ailment. For simple torn fins and scrapes I would stick with clean water, high temps, and aquarium salt.


----------



## NEWBEE FISH

iv been treating my betta for tail rot in a QT tank for about 2 days but plan on doing a 7 day treatment will my 5g tank i have lose its cycle... My tank 5g, filtered, 3 betta bulp plants, unheated at the moment, 2 ghost shrimp


----------



## Oldfishlady

NEWBEE FISH said:


> iv been treating my betta for tail rot in a QT tank for about 2 days but plan on doing a 7 day treatment will my 5g tank i have lose its cycle... My tank 5g, filtered, 3 betta bulp plants, unheated at the moment, 2 ghost shrimp


The ghost shrimp in the 5gal should keep the cycle going while you are treating the Betta in QT.


----------



## vong

Quick question for the quick question thread. Is a filter necessary for a 2.5 gallon tank? I bought a Tetra mini filter for my tank and now I don't feel it's really necessary because of the size and how many times people on the board recommend changing the water anyway. It also bubbles up a lot in the back on the inside of the filter for some reason. If anyone has experience with this filter, let me know it's real performance. And also, do fellow board members think it's really necessary to have a filter in this size tank?


----------



## Fawnleaf

Quick Q: Will aquarium salt hurt my ADF?


----------



## 1fish2fish

I prefer to have as many tanks cycled as possible so I would say yes, its a good thing to filter (and cycle... there's no point in a filter if you don't cycle) a 2.5 gallon tank. HOWEVER, It is not necessary at all. As long as you keep up with your water changes and do at least 1 full (100%) change a week and remove all the debris you should be fine.

-----------------------------

Not sure about the ADF but I would avoid it because frogs could possibly be irritated by the salt since they don't have scales.


----------



## Fawnleaf

Ok, Thanks!!!


----------



## CrazyBirdLady

Dividers: do they just sell them at an aquarium store? how do they work? or do you have to make your own? out of what? I thought if I bought a ten gallon tank, a divider would be prefect to separate our two males.


----------



## Fawnleaf

Yeah, you can buy them at petstores, or make your own. I know theres a video on youtube about it...


----------



## MissMoneyPenny

When doing a pH test.. Is a pH number of 7.5 to 7.6 okay for my new Betta?


----------



## Oldfishlady

MissMoneyPenny said:


> When doing a pH test.. Is a pH number of 7.5 to 7.6 okay for my new Betta?


That is fine...betta and most tropical fish usually will adapt to your source water pH without any problems


----------



## MissMoneyPenny

Oldfishlady said:


> That is fine...betta and most tropical fish usually will adapt to your source water pH without any problems


Thanks for the quick answer :-D

Another quick question.. I have a heater and thermo in the tank, it reads it is a pretty good temp.. However the water feels slightly cool to MY touch. Will or should the water feel warm to me?


----------



## Fawnleaf

nope. our body temps are at 90 F, so anything colder will feel it.


----------



## Oldfishlady

Using your hand as a temp indicator is not a good idea since our normal body temp is 98.8F-if the water feel warm to touch it is most likely too hot for most fish...it should feel cool to touch....best indicator is a thermometer....I have them on/in my tanks and I also use a digital thermometer for quick temp check and to regulate the water temp for water changes (I use a cheap digital thermometer I got in the house ware dept for less then $5.00...works great)


----------



## Alex09

Is this normal for a bubblenest? Its not very wide but it's TALL.

























Also How long does a stubborn betta take to eat food? Tyrion hasn't eaten since I got him (4 days?). He actually doesn't even seem to like going to the surface. Only to breathe. He wont go after any floating food. If it's sinking he'll go at it (sometimes) but then spit it out. I am a bit worried about this behavior.


----------



## MissMoneyPenny

Alex09 said:


> Also How long does a stubborn betta take to eat food? Tyrion hasn't eaten since I got him (4 days?). He actually doesn't even seem to like going to the surface. Only to breathe. He wont go after any floating food. If it's sinking he'll go at it (sometimes) but then spit it out. I am a bit worried about this behavior.


I am curious about this as well. Have not had my Betta as long as you though.


----------



## JKfish

Sometimes it can take a while for the bettas to adjust, don't worry, healthy bettas can go up to a week or more without food. Keep trying. When he gets hungry, he'll eat.


----------



## MissMoneyPenny

There is a very light smell in tank.. You can't smell it when walking by or anything, but if you put your nose to the open feeding door, you can. Is this bad? Could it be the flakes at the bottom?


----------



## Oldfishlady

MissMoneyPenny said:


> There is a very light smell in tank.. You can't smell it when walking by or anything, but if you put your nose to the open feeding door, you can. Is this bad? Could it be the flakes at the bottom?


What kind of smell...good, bad, fishy, rotten egg, etc......

You should remove uneaten food after feeding especially in Betta only tanks


----------



## MissMoneyPenny

Oldfishlady said:


> What kind of smell...good, bad, fishy, rotten egg, etc......
> 
> You should remove uneaten food after feeding especially in Betta only tanks


It's rather hard to describe the smell.. It smells musky I suppose.. Almost like if a cloth gets damp and air dries for a while.. But not that strong.

I have marbles at the bottom of the tank, we bought a gravel siphon as we were going to use gravel.. Will this siphon be able to get out the food?


----------



## Oldfishlady

MissMoneyPenny said:


> It's rather hard to describe the smell.. It smells musky I suppose.. Almost like if a cloth gets damp and air dries for a while.. But not that strong.
> 
> I have marbles at the bottom of the tank, we bought a gravel siphon as we were going to use gravel.. Will this siphon be able to get out the food?


How big is the tank, how much and how often are the water changes, filtration, live plants, livestock......
The tank really should not have a smell per se....a slight smell of water a clean smell...hard to explain...musky smell could be time for a water change and/or increase the percent and number of regular water changes


----------



## MissMoneyPenny

Oldfishlady said:


> How big is the tank, how much and how often are the water changes, filtration, live plants, livestock......
> The tank really should not have a smell per se....a slight smell of water a clean smell...hard to explain...musky smell could be time for a water change and/or increase the percent and number of regular water changes


This is a brand new tank, so there have not been any water changes, things of that nature. It is a 5gal tank with no live plants. It was bought 2 days ago. So I am somewhat worried.. :-( Will try siphoning out any food that may be at the bottom. Oh and will a gravel siphon work on marbles? I don't want to risk cracking the bottom or anything.


----------



## Oldfishlady

In a new set-up the smell could be the left over food-I would vacuum it out and make a 50% water changes

How is the fish acting...it may be nothing but a normal smell....

In a 5g filtered tank during the nitrogen cycle with one Betta-I would make twice weekly 50% water changes for the first 4-8 weeks-unless you have a test kit to monitor ammonia, nitrite and then make water changes with readings of 0.25ppm or greater along with a regular weekly 50% with vacuum until you see nitrate readings of at least 5ppm and 0ppm on the ammonia/nitrite

Once cycled-regular water change of 50% weekly with vacuum-provided that you don't over feed and uneaten food is removed after feeding.


----------



## JKfish

Can someone tell me the areas of a tank cover that need to be covered to prevent fish from jumping out, and a good way to cover them?


----------



## CjRager89

i would just cover all of it...? hey speaking of which, does anyone know if surface plants likt duckweed and the like prevent, or discourage bettas from jumping?


----------



## bloo97

I would asume so, they can't jump through things, right?


----------



## Oldfishlady

I have had bettas jump through a dime size hole.......with that said-I also keep tank that do not have lids/covers except for the light strip-some have two light strips so the top is mostly covered and I have lots of floating plants like water lettuce and frogbit and have not had issues with them jumping out of my tanks.
But if I put a Betta in a small holding container even with floating plants- I also add a top of some type to prevent them from jumping out...just in case......


----------



## mom 4 aj

Have a pool of bubbles (well looke like bubbles) floating on water. Started yesterday, cleaned out, back today.


----------



## Oldfishlady

mom 4 aj said:


> Have a pool of bubbles (well looke like bubbles) floating on water. Started yesterday, cleaned out, back today.


Your male could be making a bubble nest......


----------



## bloo97

That's probably what it is. Do you have a pic?


----------



## Canuck Fins

I'm going to set up my tank, using a fishless cycle with shrimp. I haven't put any water in my tank yet. Do I need to let my water sit for a day before I fill the tank like I would if I had a fish in there? Or can I just fill it right off?

And do I need water conditioner in there when I start?

(Yep, I know my questions are probably silly and obvious but I want to do this right. I've got a tank with a rinsed gravel and a castle but nothing else in there now.)


----------



## Panthera

Could somebody help me out with how to start cycling my tank? I have a 5.5 gallon glass tank with one Male Betta named Adamu, and no live plants. I realize its tough to cycle with the fish inside, but I also heard about Tetra Safe Start, that is used while the fish is in the tank. 

Could someone just fill me in with what to start with, and how to do this safely while keeping him healthy? Thanks! Also since I have no filter, how often should I change the water?


----------



## wystearya

Panthera said:


> Could somebody help me out with how to start cycling my tank? I have a 5.5 gallon glass tank with one Male Betta named Adamu, and no live plants. I realize its tough to cycle with the fish inside, but I also heard about Tetra Safe Start, that is used while the fish is in the tank.
> 
> Could someone just fill me in with what to start with, and how to do this safely while keeping him healthy? Thanks! Also since I have no filter, how often should I change the water?


I underlined the parts of your post I wanted to bring attention to...

You cannot have a cycled tank without a filter. It is my understanding that the "good" bacteria grow mainly on the filter media itself. 

Since you don't have a filter, you will probably want to do partial water changes often. And you will at times need to do 100% water changes as well. As far as how much and how often, I'll let the experts answer that one.

You may want to consider investing in a filter. For a tank that size it would be benificial, as you could get it cycled. And once cycled, you no longer need to do as many water changes. Also, if I understand it correctly, a properly cycled tank never needs a 100% water change. Live plants would be beneficial too, but are not necessary.


----------



## DaEvangelist

*Plant Care Solutions Fertilize 0-0-5 and Water Conditioner?*

Has anyone had any experience with Plant Care Solutions Fertilizer and Water Conditioner? I'm planning on starting a planted tank (just some easy starter plants, aponogetons and wisteria) and I was wondering if it's effective in doing fertilizing and conditioning. It would be great to just have one bottle that takes care of both.

I have a 6.6g with a VT betta, heated, filtered, 15W generic florescent light.


----------



## 1fish2fish

Canuck Fins said:


> I'm going to set up my tank, using a fishless cycle with shrimp. I haven't put any water in my tank yet. Do I need to let my water sit for a day before I fill the tank like I would if I had a fish in there? Or can I just fill it right off?
> 
> And do I need water conditioner in there when I start?
> 
> (Yep, I know my questions are probably silly and obvious but I want to do this right. I've got a tank with a rinsed gravel and a castle but nothing else in there now.)


You don't need to age your water if you don't have fish in the tank yet. Just go ahead and fill it and begin your cycle. Make sure you have your test kit ready to begin testing the water daily.

Your going to need to add water conditioner because the bacteria you are going to be culturing as you cycle will be killed by the chlorine, etc in tap water.



Panthera said:


> Could somebody help me out with how to start cycling my tank? I have a 5.5 gallon glass tank with one Male Betta named Adamu, and no live plants. I realize its tough to cycle with the fish inside, but I also heard about Tetra Safe Start, that is used while the fish is in the tank.
> 
> Could someone just fill me in with what to start with, and how to do this safely while keeping him healthy? Thanks! Also since I have no filter, how often should I change the water?


There is a sticky on cycling in the Betta Habitats section. Like the previous poster said you can not cycle with out a filter of some sort, a sponge filter would be an excellent option. 

Until you get a filter and begin cycling I would do 1 full (100%) water change a week on a 5 gallon tank with one fish.

Here is a thread I wrote a while back on fish-in cycling. If you have any specific questions please feel free to PM me or respond on the thread and I'll do my best to help 
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=34505



DaEvangelist said:


> Has anyone had any experience with Plant Care Solutions Fertilizer and Water Conditioner? I'm planning on starting a planted tank (just some easy starter plants, aponogetons and wisteria) and I was wondering if it's effective in doing fertilizing and conditioning. It would be great to just have one bottle that takes care of both.
> 
> I have a 6.6g with a VT betta, heated, filtered, 15W generic florescent light.


I haven't used it but I recommend using the Seachem Flourish line for ferts and Seachem Prime for dechlorinator. I'm not sure how easy apons actually are, they are high light plants and probably won't grow very well with only a 15 w bulb. Java Moss, Java Fern, Cryps, Sags, and Vals and some anubias might be better choices.


----------



## Panthera

Thanks Wystearya and 1fish2fish! I'm going to get a sponge filter and a test kit tomorrow, along with a light and a new heater  Adamu is doing good, I took apart a plastic plant and floated it at the top, and now he wont stop moving it and swimming in it. He's also making a Bubble nest at the front of the tank, which seems to coincide with the new floating leaves. He also ate 4 pellets today, which is good one day after moving him to a new tank :3

I also think I'll buy some new decorations for his tank tomorrow, should I go with a Japanese-Tokyo theme, or an African Savannah one?


----------



## JKfish

Okay, I bought a bag of flourite for my tank... do I rinse before putting it in or just put it in? Also, do I gravel vac it or leave it be during weekly cleanings?


----------



## emeltee

Is a pH of 6.6 too low for cycling an aquarium. 

I have a piece of driftwood in a 5 gallon tank I'm trying to cycle, and it seems to be lowering the pH down to about 6.6. (The tap water is usually around 7.2 or 7.4)

I read somewhere that if the pH is too low, the bacteria can't do their job. Just trying to get my cycling going!


----------



## 1fish2fish

Fluorite you need to rinse.. and rinse a LOT. If you don't your going to have a cloudy tank for days. If your planting the tank you will not need to use the gravel vac on it.

ETA.. I've never heard anything about a low pH affecting a cycle.


----------



## JKfish

I guess I've got a lot of water changes to do.  It looks like lake Allatoona on a good day (really really really murky and gross).


----------



## 1fish2fish

Yep.. do a LOT of changes and if you have an extra filter I'd double up on the filtration to help it clear faster.


----------



## Oldfishlady

emeltee said:


> Is a pH of 6.6 too low for cycling an aquarium.
> 
> I have a piece of driftwood in a 5 gallon tank I'm trying to cycle, and it seems to be lowering the pH down to about 6.6. (The tap water is usually around 7.2 or 7.4)
> 
> I read somewhere that if the pH is too low, the bacteria can't do their job. Just trying to get my cycling going!


pH can affect the cycling but it is at levels of 4.8 and lower


----------



## emeltee

Oldfishlady said:


> pH can affect the cycling but it is at levels of 4.8 and lower


Aah thanks for the answer! I've been trying to re-cycle my tank, but I can't seem to get any nitrites. I was worried that the pH (which is now 6.4) was affecting the bacteria.


----------



## Oldfishlady

Do you know your KH/GH-it may be buffering issues if your pH keep dropping


----------



## emeltee

Oldfishlady said:


> Do you know your KH/GH-it may be buffering issues if your pH keep dropping


No - how do you test for it? 

I think it's the piece of driftwood that I've recently put in. pH wasn't a problem before I put the driftwood in.


----------



## Oldfishlady

Water test just like the pH test

I would do a pH test on your source water first.....it take 24h to get an accurate pH test
Draw a clean glass of your source water-do a pH test and write it down and if you can add an airstone- and wait 24h and re-test the pH and compare the two readings and then do a pH test on your tank and compare these numbers-this will tell you if something in your tank is causing your pH to drop-


----------



## emeltee

Oldfishlady said:


> Water test just like the pH test
> 
> I would do a pH test on your source water first.....it take 24h to get an accurate pH test
> Draw a clean glass of your source water-do a pH test and write it down and if you can add an airstone- and wait 24h and re-test the pH and compare the two readings and then do a pH test on your tank and compare these numbers-this will tell you if something in your tank is causing your pH to drop-


I don't have an airstone. But I will try this.


----------



## Panthera

I bought a new filter and it was WAY too strong for Adamu. I read up on how to baffle it, and decided to use a sock. ITs totally new, but I was just wondering is it safe for him? It really works great, and I'd probably only be using it a day or two until I can go to the pet store and get an aquarium sponge.


----------



## JKfish

The area I'm in is under a water boiling watch because a main pipe for sewage broke. I need to top off a tank. Is adding cooled down boiled water alright, or should I be super safe and use bottled water for the time being?


----------



## bettafish15

Personally I'd use the bottled, but thats me being paranoid


----------



## Panthera

What does bubble eating mean? I just put my new CT Polaris in his Critter Keeper and he won't stop eating the bubbles on the sides of the tank. I gave him 2 pellets and he gobbled them up, but what does this mean? Thanks!


----------



## MissMoneyPenny

I bought some aquarium salt for Mr. Fishy's tank as his tale was either snagged or bit, is this right for the healing process? Should I do a 100% water change first? How much aquarium salt should I put in a 5 gallon tank?


----------



## MissMoneyPenny

*bump for my question above*


----------



## Oldfishlady

MissMoneyPenny said:


> I bought some aquarium salt for Mr. Fishy's tank as his tale was either snagged or bit, is this right for the healing process? Should I do a 100% water change first? How much aquarium salt should I put in a 5 gallon tank?


For treatment it is best to QT in a smaller container-this make the 100% daily water changes easier especially with salt treatment-the dosage I use for aquarium salt is 1tsp/gal...it is important to use the correct amount when treating to avoid any resistant issues and only use salt for 10 days

I like to pre-mix my salt 1tsp/gal in a clean 1gal jug-this help make correct dosage and water changes easier too-also if you have either IAL or dried oak leaf to add this can also be helpful with healing-I add them to my pre-mix jug too so they can steep to make the water a nice amber color

Nutrition is also important for the healing process a good high protein diet can help


----------



## Canuck Fins

Okay, I'm going to set up my first tank today and am trying to start a cycle with a shrimp. I have a test kit; should I be testing the water today to have a starting point, like to know what the pH in my water is or do I wait until tomorrow and do my first test then?


----------



## Oldfishlady

Canuck Fins said:


> Okay, I'm going to set up my first tank today and am trying to start a cycle with a shrimp. I have a test kit; should I be testing the water today to have a starting point, like to know what the pH in my water is or do I wait until tomorrow and do my first test then?


I would do a test to get a base line on your source water-remember that your pH from the tap will be different once the water has gassed out in 24h-this is also good to know so you will know if anything in the tank is causing pH changes...what kind of testing products are you using?

How big is your tank, what kind of filter and any live plants?


----------



## Canuck Fins

Oldfishlady said:


> I would do a test to get a base line on your source water-remember that your pH from the tap will be different once the water has gassed out in 24h-this is also good to know so you will know if anything in the tank is causing pH changes...what kind of testing products are you using?
> 
> How big is your tank, what kind of filter and any live plants?


My tank is a 5g Hawkeye which came with a filter (have to look up what kind). I have a 25W heater. I want to add plants, but I don't have them yet so I'll be cycling without them. I've got an API freshwater test kit.


----------



## Oldfishlady

Sounds like a good set-up and plan.....if you have never used the testing products make sure and shake the #2 nitrate bottle and bang on the table a couple of times before use-the reagent tends to settle and you can get a skewed reading...good luck with the nitrogen cycle and keep us posted....


----------



## Canuck Fins

Thank you! I'll do the pH test today when I set up and then tomorrow test pH and ammonia, yes? Do I wait before doing nitate tests?


----------



## Oldfishlady

Its a good idea to get a base line on your source water to make sure you don't already have ammonia, nitrate in your water from the start....sometimes you can have low levels-are you on well water or city water? and what kind of dechlorinator are you going to use if on city water supply?


----------



## Canuck Fins

I'm on city water and our city has good water. 
I've got Prime to add to the water. (I have learned from the folks here!  )


----------



## Oldfishlady

Canuck Fins said:


> I'm on city water and our city has good water.
> I've got Prime to add to the water. (I have learned from the folks here!  )


Good choice.....


----------



## JKfish

I know this is probably stupid, but how do people crack their terra cotta pots in half so perfectly without it shattering? I'm reluctant to use a hammer, seeing as tools and I haven't ever really mixed well together in the past


----------



## danifacetastic

*Divided Tanks*

To divided tank owners...when does the paranoia that somehow one of your fish is going to get through the crack between the divider and the glass even though he shows no interest and he wouldn't make it anyway go away?


----------



## Canuck Fins

So I did my tests just to see where my tank is before I try to cycle. My water came up with 7.6 for pH. Do I need to worry about that at this point or will the dead shrimp I tossed in there tonight change that?

(Tank is 5g Hawkeye, 25w heater, filter that came with tank, Prime in city water)


----------



## JKfish

the cycle should not change your ph, but it's always a good idea to keep an eye on the PH because when you get tap water sometimes the ph will fluctuate some.


----------



## Fawnleaf

danifacetastic said:


> To divided tank owners...when does the paranoia that somehow one of your fish is going to get through the crack between the divider and the glass even though he shows no interest and he wouldn't make it anyway go away?



Well, at least in my tank for the first few hours I watch the tank a lot, after testing the gaps myself. After a while the fish loose interest in the divider and leave. As long as you check it every few weeks, your fine.


----------



## Moldau

To those who have fishless cycled with shrimp, how long does is take after adding the shrimp (5 gallon tank) for ammonia to be produced?


----------



## Canuck Fins

Moldau said:


> To those who have fishless cycled with shrimp, how long does is take after adding the shrimp (5 gallon tank) for ammonia to be produced?


I'm only a couple of days in, but I had detectable ammonia after the first 24 hours. I guess my extension of your question is whether it takes a long time for nitrites to show up. I don't expect it to cycle fully in 7 days and know it's more like 4 weeks; I'm just curious.


----------



## JKfish

It depends. If you can find filter media from an already cycled tank, that'll help speed things up. If not, it can take about a month for it to stableize and stay at am 0, ni0, nitra +5


----------



## nomoretickets

im starting a sorority now, and im just wondering how much fin damage is acceptable while they are nipping to establish order?


----------



## DaEvangelist

*Flaring good?*

Howdy folks, I was just wondering if you all consider flaring a good thing as long as it's not excessive. I hear some horror stories about fins tearing up because of over-flaring. The thing is that I really haven't seen my betta flare in his new tank. Is not flaring at all a bad thing, a good thing, a neutral thing or I'm just thinking too much about it? Should I get him to flare sometimes so he'll remember how to flare and get some exercise? 

The reason I'm asking is that I saw this floating mirror thing being sold at PetSmart and it said that flaring is good exercise for my little guy.

Thanks!


----------



## nomoretickets

you will find mixed opinions about how much bettas should flare but i think everyone agrees that there is such a thing as too much. If they are constantly flaring at their reflection they will get stressed out. I know what you are talking about and from my experiences with my bettas, it will be hard for a betta to really even see that mirror and really flare at it.


----------



## wallywestisthebest333

Hey guys! My cycling adventures start today! 

I'm emptying my tank, cleaning my filter and sponges, then starting fresh.

I'll get a base reading tomorrow and then I'll be doing the piece-of-shrimp method with the 3.38 oz bottle of TSS that I have. I called Tetra Co. and apparently it doesn't "expire" for a year. There's no sticker on mine but I bought it in June and it's not harmful apparently if the bacteria are dead anyway. It'll just take longer to cycle.

So my main question is this: Do I need to do anything to the pantyhose? I'm worried that they may leech chemicals or something into the water since they're made of nylon. 8[ it's creeping me out. I don't want to have to start over because I used pantyhose. I'd use cheesecloth but I can't find any. :/

I'm gonna rinse the pantyhose in warm water first of course; I'm just worried about it sitting in my tank. :[

Is this just some ridiculous fear of mine or is it well founded? Anyone have any horror stories they'd like to share?


----------



## nomoretickets

id rinse it for a long while under running water as hot as it will come


----------



## JKfish

I've used pantyhose before, they're fine in tank. Lol, but if you're scared, get a small sandwhich baggie, tear a few small holes in it and use that.

Speaking of cycling... my cycle has remained at .25 ammonia and 0 everything else for a few days now. I'm adding food very often, and I can tell because my plants are pretty much exploding. It seems like the plants are growing enough that no matter how much fish food I add they use up almost all the ammonia before the tank gets the chance to cycle. what should I do


----------



## Oldfishlady

How big of tank and how long have you been cycling-is the fish food the only ammonia source, how many and what kind of plants?


----------



## darkangel216

New boy is snubbing his nose at his betta pellets. I'm going to try the other brand of pellets that I have, but I'm not sure if that will work. What was it that I can soak the pellets in to make them more appealing to the little fella?


----------



## 1fish2fish

If you just got him give him time. Some times it can take up to two weeks for a betta to feel comfortable enough to accept food.


----------



## darkangel216

He gobbled up a bloodworm though. . .


----------



## JKfish

OFL: Just fish food in a 10 gallon. I put about three large pinches into a plastic baggie with holes in it and let it sit in the water for a day or two until it gets moldy, then I take it out and replace. I'll do this until I can get a piece of shrimp to put in there. I started the cycle six days ago. Plants: A handful of water lettuce, 2 aponogeton bulbs, 6 stems of wisteria, and a java fern.

All the plants are growing like weeds. The wisteria have grown around 4 new leaves each in the past six days. The aponogeton bulbs have new leaves that are almost to the top of the aquarium (it's been in four days), the water lettuce has multiplied from two small plants to a lot, and the java fern just sort of sits there with no new signs of growth.


----------



## Oldfishlady

Personally-I would make a 50% water changes and add my fish-you have enough plants to take care of the water for one Betta without issues and due to the plants you may wait a long time before you see a nitrate reading as the plants use the ammonia up before conversion-also the fish food is a great plant food as you are finding out....lol.....


----------



## JKfish

Lol, actually, this is for a sorority made up of 1Fish2Fish's 4 girls I'm adopting. Would that still be okay? Because if it is, all I have to do is wait for a little bit more plant growth (the wisteria are only almost halfway to the top of the tank), then everything will be ready


----------



## Oldfishlady

As long as you are willing to make any needed extra water changes all should be fine-I am assuming this is a 10g tank and with 4 fish and all the plants especially the water lettuces and wisteria-these plants will take care of the water-you may need to make one extra 50% water only change along with the regular 50% weekly water change......

I will set a soil based tank up, plant and add floating plants, shrimp, snails and fish all the same day...just set 3 new ones up last week-and never have any deaths or problems of any kind and with soil based tanks they can be tricky when first setup and for the first 3 months....watch the fish and they will tell you if you have a problem by their behavior in-between regular water changes.......


----------



## JKfish

okay, thanks OFL  When you say an extra 50% water change, do you mean just two 50% water changes a week?


----------



## danifacetastic

This isn't a question but something I thought I'd share. After 5 days of trying to get my new ADF's to eat they FINALLY ate. It was only one bloodworm each but still. Sucess  And when I opened the lid for the tank today one of my ADF's swam to the top and I tried to pet it, expecting it to swim away but it let me hold it!!


----------



## 1fish2fish

Sounds like I need to get my shipping supplies asap


----------



## JKfish

Lol, that'd be great  . I'll probably get a bunch of silk ivy from my parents to fill up empty space until the wisteria can do so.


----------



## SwimyRainbowFinn

Hello 
Sometimes when my betta "Rainbow" is eating he will chomp a pellet down then become momentarily "dead" and sink slowly to the bottom, he'll stay there and wont move for about 5 seconds. Then he'll spring back to life and swim to the top ready for more food, sometimes he'll spit the pellet he just ate out but then ask for more.
Does anybody elses betta do this?
Should i be worried about it?


----------



## JKfish

That doesn't sound right to me. Do you pre-soak your pellets before feeding? your tank is heated, right?


----------



## SwimyRainbowFinn

No i dont presoak the pellets, none of the others seem to have a problem with it. Yes its heated, it stays around 78*F even with just a automatic heater, its pretty warm in our house anyway.


----------



## Oldfishlady

JKfish said:


> okay, thanks OFL  When you say an extra 50% water change, do you mean just two 50% water changes a week?


Right-in addition to the regular water change-when you don't have testing products on hand to test the ammonia/nitrite-to be safe during the cycling process make an extra 50% water only...better safe than sorry kinda thing...but if you can test ammonia/nitrite...just do the extra 50 with 0.25ppm or greater ammonia/nitrite


----------



## TRISHIESfishie

what do stress lines on a fish look like? I have been hearing about them but have never seen any pics. My fish doesn't have any lines but I am curious just in case for the future.


----------



## JKfish

Stress lines are visible on darker colored fish. white and light colored fish don't show them as well. Basically, stress stripes are thin dark horizontal stripes. I'll try and find a picture.
edit: eh, I can't post pics on this computer, so here's a link http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettasct&1290268204 . If you look at her, you'll see that she has dark horizontal stripes. That's what they look like, however, she's probably just being submissive to the betta next to her.



Oh, okay OFL


----------



## JKfish

I'm finally out of my old water conditioner, so I'm about to buy Prime. Online, the directions don't say anything about 2 drops per gallon, but I'm assuming 2 drops per gallon would be the correct doseage, right?


----------



## Lion Mom

JKfish said:


> I'm finally out of my old water conditioner, so I'm about to buy Prime. Online, the directions don't say anything about 2 drops per gallon, but I'm assuming 2 drops per gallon would be the correct doseage, right?


Yes, that is the correct amount. I didn't know either so I e-mailed the company and that was their response.


----------



## danifacetastic

Lion Mom said:


> Yes, that is the correct amount. I didn't know either so I e-mailed the company and that was their response.



I was confused after I started looking at other conditioners and seeing that capfuls were being dumped in but it's indeed 2 drops. Must be really strong. One time I accidentally used 4 drops and my water was overflowing with bubbles.


----------



## JKfish

oh, alright... though does the lid come with a little dropper or something to measure out drops, or should I go buy myself an eye dropper?


----------



## danifacetastic

I got the small bottle and the bottle itself acts like a dropper. When you turn the bottle upside down it doesn't flow out...when you squeeze it just drops out. Super easy.


----------



## JKfish

oh, awesome  Looks like I'll have to buy that soon then.


----------



## TRISHIESfishie

JKfish said:


> Stress lines are visible on darker colored fish. white and light colored fish don't show them as well. Basically, stress stripes are thin dark horizontal stripes. I'll try and find a picture.
> edit: eh, I can't post pics on this computer, so here's a link http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettasct&1290268204 . If you look at her, you'll see that she has dark horizontal stripes. That's what they look like, however, she's probably just being submissive to the betta next to her.
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, okay OFL


Thanks for the link but it took me to the aquabid search page for crowntails


----------



## danifacetastic

Yeah it's awesome. I've had my bettas since August and the bottle is still almost full. It's amazing. It's like 5 bucks for a small bottle but it goes a longggg way.


----------



## Malvolti

*2 questions*

I have 2 questions for the collective wisdom of this forum;

1) Does Bettafix (Melaleuca) actually help the healing process?

2) What is Betta Enviro-clean ? can it actually help my tank in any way without harming my fish? (I don't really want to use it I've just never seen it before so I'm curious if it is actually useful in any way) Considering it breaks down organic material it doesn't sound good.


----------



## Canuck Fins

While doing a fishless cycle, if I need to add a bit more water (maybe a litre) to the tank (5g, heated, filtered), do I need to worry about water conditioner?

And in general, how high does ammonia spike before the nitrites start showing on the test?


----------



## Lion Mom

danifacetastic said:


> I was confused after I started looking at other conditioners and seeing that capfuls were being dumped in but it's indeed 2 drops. Must be really strong. One time I accidentally used 4 drops and my water was overflowing with bubbles.


And I don't think you can overdose Prime. When I first started keeping fish I used Start Right which is 10 drops per gal. When I switched to Prime I just automatically used 10 drops/gal. and did so for YEARS till I saw on this forum that the correct dosage is only 2 drops/gal. That's when I e-mailed the manufacturer to find out for sure. In any event, no harm ever came to any of my fish using 10 drops/gal - thankfully!!!


----------



## DaEvangelist

Canuck Fins said:


> While doing a fishless cycle, if I need to add a bit more water (maybe a litre) to the tank (5g, heated, filtered), do I need to worry about water conditioner?
> 
> And in general, how high does ammonia spike before the nitrites start showing on the test?


Err on the side of caution and add the conditioner. There just might be enough chlorine or chloramine in there (though diluted by the conditioned chlorine/chloramine free tank water) to kill or retard the growth of beneficial bacteria thus slowing down the time to cycle your tank. This is for tap water, if you're using bottled water, you don't need to condition it.

No one really notes how high their ammonia spike gets up to, but I've read around the web that you want to keep ammonia to 5ppm level for the first two weeks. Even adding more ammonia to keep it at that level since it gets used up by the growing bacteria. I've seen a graph where someone was cycling their cichlid tank and it went up to a peak of 20ppm (spike peak at 10 days) for ammonia and 50ppm for nitrites (appears at 2 weeks, spike peak at 30 days).

Here's the link with the graph about 2/3 of the way down the page. It's a really good read as well if you want to read up on the cycling process.

http://www.freshwater-aquarium-fish.com/water_chemistry.htm


----------



## Canuck Fins

Thanks for the answer. I'll add a drop or two of Prime when I up the water. 

I've got a rotting shrimp in my tank for the cycling. I'll check out that link though bc it's always good to learn more on cycling.


----------



## JKfish

Aurora is constipated, or really really bloated. Today is technically fasting day, but it may extend a few days for her. I'm already dosing the tank with aquarium salt, 1/2 a tsp per gallon to help with fins. Would that help clear her up some?


----------



## NikiandBeyond

I've had Casper for over two weeks, and I'm still working out kinks with his tank.

He gets knocked around by the filter's flow, even on its lowest setting. I'm going to try some baffle method soon.

I noticed that his pelvic fins are significantly darker, ragged looking, and one even seems broken (but no separating yet). The change seemed pretty sudden, and I fretted about it all yesterday. Sure enough, I glanced over to check on him, and he was stuck to the intake of the filter. I don't know if this had happened before, but I suspect it has, and that's what damaged his pelvic fins (they could easily have been sucked in through the grating).

What do I do?! It was heart wrenching. Pantyhose material over the the grating? Sponge inside the tube? I don't want to impede the filter's ability to work. I'm having bacterial blooms, and that's redoubtably using up what dissolved oxygen there is.

And then I think he's developed fin rot. >< The edges of his fins are consistently white and look a bit fuzzy. I've taken out sharp and rough surfaces in the tank. He was being knocked into them.

I'm planning to get Betta Fix tomorrow, and aquarium salt. Any other recommendations?

Otherwise he's in MUCH better spirits and is spunky as can be. I'm attached.


----------



## Oldfishlady

NikiandBeyond said:


> I've had Casper for over two weeks, and I'm still working out kinks with his tank.
> 
> He gets knocked around by the filter's flow, even on its lowest setting. I'm going to try some baffle method soon.
> 
> I noticed that his pelvic fins are significantly darker, ragged looking, and one even seems broken (but no separating yet). The change seemed pretty sudden, and I fretted about it all yesterday. Sure enough, I glanced over to check on him, and he was stuck to the intake of the filter. I don't know if this had happened before, but I suspect it has, and that's what damaged his pelvic fins (they could easily have been sucked in through the grating).
> 
> What do I do?! It was heart wrenching. Pantyhose material over the the grating? Sponge inside the tube? I don't want to impede the filter's ability to work. I'm having bacterial blooms, and that's redoubtably using up what dissolved oxygen there is.
> 
> And then I think he's developed fin rot. >< The edges of his fins are consistently white and look a bit fuzzy. I've taken out sharp and rough surfaces in the tank. He was being knocked into them.
> 
> I'm planning to get Betta Fix tomorrow, and aquarium salt. Any other recommendations?
> 
> Otherwise he's in MUCH better spirits and is spunky as can be. I'm attached.


How big is the tank and how attached are you to the filter.....IME-often the fin problems are due to the filter and too strong of a water flow especially in small tanks even with baffles with the long heavy Betta fins...


JKfish-for bloat and constipation Epsom salt 1tsp/gal up to 3tsp/gal will work better and it is also helpful for fin issue-I would not use both aquarium and Epsom salt together-100% daily water changes and use no longer than 10 days


----------



## JKfish

Thanks OFL, the bloats already gone down after a few days of fasting, though that'll be good to know. When you say epsom salt, is it the same kind my mom has that is apparently added to baths and plants?


----------



## baylee767

Quick question:

Do marimo balls add ammonia to the water? I heard one person saying how they raised the ammonia/nitrate/nitrite levels and their fish died. At my LFS unlike the other plants they keep marimo balls in little containers floating around in a larger tank. It's as if they... swam or something. Do they help the water like other plants or add ammonia and such?


----------



## JKfish

Marimo balls are pretty much balls of algae, so they wouldn't add any toxins to the water, only absorb them


----------



## Oldfishlady

JKfish said:


> Thanks OFL, the bloats already gone down after a few days of fasting, though that'll be good to know. When you say epsom salt, is it the same kind my mom has that is apparently added to baths and plants?


Yes, most likely the same thing your mom uses for baths and plants...it is great for that too...safe enough for humans to drink as well...


----------



## Wolf1989

*Bubble Nest?*

Quick question, should the filter (with baffle when i make one) be gentle enough to allow my beta to make a bubble nest? got a 10 gal tank.


----------



## Canuck Fins

Okay, feeling stupid, but going to ask anyway....

5g Hawkeye/80*heat/Prime/rotting shrimp-no fish-trying to set up cycle

Ammonia levels haven't changed in 10 days (4ppm) and I'm not getting any nitrites yet. Am I too impatient or what am I doing wrong?


----------



## Canuck Fins

(Also using API liquid test kit. Don't seem to have edit button to add that to last post.)


----------



## JKfish

leave it be  How big is your rotting shrimp? If it's sort of small, you might want to toss in another shrimp to help it. Don't worry, your first cycle is going to be rather slow. It took me about a month to properly cycle my first tank.


----------



## Canuck Fins

My shrimp was probably about 3" long when it was fresh. Thanks for the reply. It's hard to be patient, but I want to do this right so I'll wait. My kids are surprisingly good with waiting.


----------



## JKfish

Quick question... I need to clean everything, and I've got what I want cleaned in my 2.5 gallon water bucket. How much vinegar would I have to add to properly clean it?


----------



## Everlark

How often do I need to clean a five gallon tank with no filter? Does it need 100% changes or is 50% okay?


----------



## dramaqueen

I would clean it 100% once a week.


----------



## bloo97

Will the metal on my pickle jar that I'm using as a baffle rust?

(See Lucky's New Tank and Dragon Thread for a pic)


----------



## Canuck Fins

JKfish said:


> leave it be  How big is your rotting shrimp? If it's sort of small, you might want to toss in another shrimp to help it. Don't worry, your first cycle is going to be rather slow. It took me about a month to properly cycle my first tank.


It's been a month and nothing has changed. My Ammonia level is consistent so I guess I really need to go get another shrimp. I'm quite discouraged at this point. If I can ever get a detectable nitrite level, does anyone know if it's quicker to see nitrates than it was to go from ammonia to nitrites?


----------



## cesitlie95

1) Why can you only feed bloodworms to your fish only 2 to 3 times a week?
2) Should I used tap or bottled water for my Betta? I use water conditioner.


----------



## Betta Slave

1- I believe they lack the essential vitamins and nutrients the betta needs to stay healthy. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.)

2- Doesn't really matter, I use both and have not seen any differences personality-wise, color-wise, behaviour-wise, etc. I still use a bit of conditioner for the bottled water though.


----------



## cesitlie95

Ok, thank you! Right now I use bottled water and I think I'll continue using it... with conditioner!


----------



## Fawnleaf

For me, I use filtered water from my tap. It works great! Once every two weeks I check all the water levels to make sure nothing changes. But my fish really love it! Ever since I switched to that water, they have really perked up!


----------



## Canuck Fins

DH bought me more shrimp to throw in the tank. Does it matter he bought cooked shrimp? Does it have to be raw to use in cycling?


----------



## bettafish15

cesitlie95 said:


> Ok, thank you! Right now I use bottled water and I think I'll continue using it... with conditioner!


You can use tap water as long as you use conditoner...it's cheaper that way~


----------



## JKfish

Canuck, it's fine if the shrimp is cooked


----------



## Canuck Fins

Thanks, JK! I'll be quite happy if I can get this tank to cycle. My 6 year old has been very patient waiting on getting a fish.


----------



## cesitlie95

What's the correct way to use a fishnet during water changes?


----------



## bloo97

Scoop the fish up and place him/her into his holding container.


----------



## Stardancer

I have a few questions that I've saved up while reading this thread 

One: My tank is either 1.5 or 2 gal (I don't know because I rescued the tank, complete with 2 females, from someone else). I read a lot about cycling the tank, and then I read other posts that seemed to say that the tank is so small it can't be cycled, or won't cycle well. Is this so? And if I don't need to cycle it, should I remove the filter? 

(To clarify, I know this isn't an ideal setup. Until I can get my fish well, though, and get all the right equipment, I need all the advice I can get on what to do with the setup I have now.)

My second question is: how often do I need to clean my gravel? I'm doing frequent water changes (every day or every other day), especially since my red, Mitsu, hasn't recovered from being abandoned by her last person. 

And the last question is: how should I use Epsom salt? I added some (1 tsp/gal), mostly for Mitsu. She's now in a quarantine cup, though, so should I skip the salt in the main tank for my blue's sake? I know it's all right for now, but I don't know how long I can use safely use the salt.

Phew, that was a lot. Thanks in advance for your help


----------



## baylee767

Okay so I have a question (too lazy to see if it has been asked... that's alot of pages to browse)

1. There's a wierd smell in my tanks. I kind of sound pathetic here when I say this... it smells fishy. One tank is 2.5 gallons and gets twice weekly 100% water changes. The other is 1.75 gallons and gets water changes every other day. The smell is terrible and builds up real fast, and if I don't clean the tanks well enough after a water change it'll still be there.

2. Is my cycle going normal? It's a 10 gallon tank and the ammonia is at 5-6 PPM. No nitrites have appeared yet! It's been this way for 10 days, I can't seed it because the only established tank other than mine is a saltwater >.>


----------



## JKfish

Stardancer said:


> I have a few questions that I've saved up while reading this thread
> 
> One: My tank is either 1.5 or 2 gal (I don't know because I rescued the tank, complete with 2 females, from someone else). I read a lot about cycling the tank, and then I read other posts that seemed to say that the tank is so small it can't be cycled, or won't cycle well. Is this so? And if I don't need to cycle it, should I remove the filter?
> 
> (To clarify, I know this isn't an ideal setup. Until I can get my fish well, though, and get all the right equipment, I need all the advice I can get on what to do with the setup I have now.)
> 
> My second question is: how often do I need to clean my gravel? I'm doing frequent water changes (every day or every other day), especially since my red, Mitsu, hasn't recovered from being abandoned by her last person.
> 
> And the last question is: how should I use Epsom salt? I added some (1 tsp/gal), mostly for Mitsu. She's now in a quarantine cup, though, so should I skip the salt in the main tank for my blue's sake? I know it's all right for now, but I don't know how long I can use safely use the salt.
> 
> Phew, that was a lot. Thanks in advance for your help


1. go ahead and take it out 
2. you're pretty overstocked, so I'd do 100% water changes at least twice a week along with frequent smaller water changes
3. What's wrong with Mitsu? Epsom salt is used to clear constipation, heal wounds, etc. It should only be used about 10 days in each treatment, though techincally you could go a little longer.


baylee767 said:


> Okay so I have a question (too lazy to see if it has been asked... that's alot of pages to browse)
> 
> 1. There's a wierd smell in my tanks. I kind of sound pathetic here when I say this... it smells fishy. One tank is 2.5 gallons and gets twice weekly 100% water changes. The other is 1.75 gallons and gets water changes every other day. The smell is terrible and builds up real fast, and if I don't clean the tanks well enough after a water change it'll still be there.
> 
> 2. Is my cycle going normal? It's a 10 gallon tank and the ammonia is at 5-6 PPM. No nitrites have appeared yet! It's been this way for 10 days, I can't seed it because the only established tank other than mine is a saltwater >.>


You might want to rinse a bit longer, and make sure you aren't overfeeding.

I heard you said you would take the shrimp out of the tank after it reached a certain level. Go ahead and stick a new one in there, the extra ammonia will help the levels as necessary before they are converted. When I was cycling, my cycle got 'stuck' in the nitrites, but refused to convert to nitrates. I added some fish food in addition to the practically gone shrimp, and that extra ammonia seemed to help a lot.


----------



## Stardancer

> What's wrong with Mitsu? Epsom salt is used to clear constipation, heal wounds, etc. It should only be used about 10 days in each treatment, though techincally you could go a little longer.


I don't know what's wrong with her. The water quality where she was kept before was really awful and she just hasn't recovered. She lays on the bottom of her cup (or the gravel), mostly nose-up, but sometimes sideways. She goes up for air okay, but she's only come up for food a couple of times over about a week. Sometimes she'll flop around and I think she's stuck in this bent shape, but other times she goes on short trips around her quarantine cup and looks perfectly normal for about thirty seconds. She's skinny, but she wasn't very big to begin with. And sometimes her gills flare really hard, like she's gasping.

I guess I'll stop with the salt, since it's true she doesn't have any open wounds and I doubt she's constipated. It's hard--I keep wanting to add every remedy I can think of, but it's probably better just to keep her water clean and give her time.

I bought some freeze-dried brine shrimp, so I'll give her some of those and see if the protein helps at all.


----------



## SilverCaracal

It would mean so much to me if you'll guys could list some easy to care for and low light plants for me. Include the scientific name too, if you can. Thanks!!


----------



## JKfish

StarDancer: You might want to make a thread in the Emergency subsection to get better help.


----------



## Stardancer

JKFish: I did (http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=58743). So far I've only gotten a couple of answers, though.

SilverCaracal: I looked at plants today and one of the workers told me that cabomba is a hardy plant that doesn't need much light.


----------



## Stardancer

I have another question. I vacuum the gravel at least once a week when I clean the tank, but I've seen that some people also rinse their gravel. How often should this be done?


----------



## shinybetta

Don't rinse your gravel if your tank is cycled , it will kill all your beneficial bacteria. I would just vacuum, but it is up to you.


----------



## Stardancer

> Don't rinse your gravel if your tank is cycled , it will kill all your beneficial bacteria. I would just vacuum, but it is up to you.


I suppose I should have mentioned that...it's not cycled. It isn't big enough. I got it secondhand so I'm not sure of the size, but I think it's about 1.75 gal.


----------



## chargers505

1. What is the best method to warm up aged water??

2. At what age does a betta stop growing it's fins?

3. I'm buying a betta from Thailand. Most likely, the water that my betta is used to is different from the water I have in my cycled tank. What do I need to do to accommodate his needs and ease his transition to my tank? How long do I leave him in his bag before I can set him free in my tank?


----------



## JKfish

1) Stick a small cheap heater pad thing in there if you have one. Or remove your betta fish during a water change, pour in the water, let the heater heat the water to the proper temp, then stick your betta back in.
2)I'm not sure. After they're mature, their spread will stay the same and so should their tails, but if they tailbite or suffer from finrot, their fins will naturally heal until the proper length in good water.
3) Slllllloooooooowwww acclimation. get a floaty empty tubberware, and float it in a warm tank. Float the betta in its bag in the tubberware, then pour the betta and its water into the tubberware. Every few hours or so, take a small bit of water out and replace it with your tank water. After you think his water in the tubberware is like the water in your tank, test it for ph, ammonia, etc and make sure if matches closely.


----------



## amyz247

*swordfish breeding*

hello i am new to fish breeding but i am very sure that my swardfish is prgnant as its tummy is very black, iv also had this confirmed by a friend today, my question is when do i know when to move the fish into a net or box to have its babies as i dont want to do it to early?:-?


----------



## NEWBEE FISH

My Ghost Shrimp in my tank are getting some green stripes on them is this from eating the java moss that i have in my tank?


----------



## Kitty Whiskers

What is the difference between Epsom Salt and Aquarium Salt? I was told to use Epsom Salt for my fish's Popeye disease. I don't have either kind, so which one should I buy at the store today?


----------



## JKfish

Epsom salt does what aquarium salt does, but it also helps clear out constipation, it's a good plant food, and I think it's a bit easier on the fish themselves, though I'm not positive. I'd go with epsom salt, you can pretty get it at any grocery store.

Newbee fish: chances are its the female shrimp's green saddle/eggs. If the green is in a clump around what seems to be the shoulder area, it's just eggs.


----------



## NEWBEE FISH

no its not eggs...i've seen them with eggs.. its like tiger stripes but green

thanks for the help.. i'm just curious why there's green stripes on them


----------



## BettaHeart

I was just handed a little four-month old bitty betta and i fed him afew tiny flakes like seven at the most the size of a pinhead early this morning because I didnt want to hurt him with the Hikari betta bio-gold pellets after seeing how tiny his mouth is and now he has been having trouble trying to swim around especially to the bottom but otherwise doesnt seem too stressed out about anything else. Do I just let him be for now? or what should i do to help him? Hes in a 1/2 gal tank with no heater and no filter as i didnt plan on having such a small baby but life is full of surprises as i am finding out. Any help would be greatly appreciated, i do have frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp would that help?


----------



## JKfish

Right now, you need to focus on your set up if you want him to grow. If you're tight on money, you can buy a 2-5 gallon sterlite or rubbermaid tub for less than ten dollars. A heater, any heater would be good, though an adjustable one will do you good.

It sounds like he's got a bit of SBD (swim bladder disorder) fast him so he'll swim a bit easier. Frozen brineshrimp will do him good, and it might be easier for him to eat.


----------



## chargers505

If you get a nitrate reading in your tank, does that mean the cycle is working?? Because there's no other way nitrate can appear on your tank right?


----------



## scootshoot

Does anyone have Ghost shrimp and Cherry shrimp together in the same tank? Do they get along?


----------



## Oldfishlady

scootshoot said:


> Does anyone have Ghost shrimp and Cherry shrimp together in the same tank? Do they get along?


Ghost shrimp may kill the RCS and they will eat the baby RCS....I couldn't keep mine together even in large heavy planted tanks...ghost shrimp can be pretty aggressive they will even eat their own babies if given the chance...cool critter though.....


----------



## BettaHeart

JKfish said:


> Right now, you need to focus on your set up if you want him to grow. If you're tight on money, you can buy a 2-5 gallon sterlite or rubbermaid tub for less than ten dollars. A heater, any heater would be good, though an adjustable one will do you good.
> 
> It sounds like he's got a bit of SBD (swim bladder disorder) fast him so he'll swim a bit easier. Frozen brineshrimp will do him good, and it might be easier for him to eat.


*Great!* thank you so much. I have a small amount i always put aside for just the bettas and its accumulated to be enough to get a 5gal tank, and heater. I didnt feed him after the morning feeding and i noticed earlier he was swimming alot better then before lol he is so tiny Im tempting to call him Mite lol but that wont be his name.


----------



## bahamut285

Just a question about my new betta... I had him in a small QT for 4 days while I used Nutrafin cycle to cycle his 5G tank. He's in the new 5G now and whenever he swims, it's always very rapid and edgy as if he's either panicking or he sees something he wants to fight. He doesn't do it in one corner he just does it occasionally. He rests from time to time but always gets back to going crazy...

Should I be worried? He's been in there for 12 hours and other than the 7 hours I was at school, he's only swam "normally" for maybe 30 minutes out of the 5 hours I've observed him.


----------



## Canuck Fins

You will all be sick of me asking questions here, but I hope you'll still help me anyway. 

5G/Heated/Hawkeye/Prime/Tap water/dead shrimp x2/API liquid testkit/79*.

My ammonia is up at 8ppm, but I am not seeing any nitrites at all. I can't seem to hit the next part of this; first shrimp has been in about 6 weeks and second went in about ten days ago. I think I'm doing something wrong bc it's not working. Plan is to eventually have live plants.

I thought that plants suck up ammonia so it can be counterproductive to have them while trying to cycle at first as they will skew the ammonia numbers. But then I read another thread on here and I'm wondering if I should go get plants now. I don't want to get my betta until the tank is cycling.


----------



## JKfish

Bahamut285: what are your water params? it sounds like if you only waited a small while for your cycle, that it isn't ready, so something is wrong with your water to make your fish act this way.

Canuk: hmmm, how's your filter? You've basically only got sponge filter media in the filter that you haven't removed or washed recently, right? oh, and what is your Ph like?


----------



## bahamut285

JKfish: I don't know what the params are, it is dechlorinated, and the instructions on the bottle of the NutraCycle say that after 4 doses (4 days) you are able to introduce one fish or 3 small/schooling fish. Subsequent fish require additional time and doses....

Should I do a water change? If so how much? T__T

**Edit: I've got a filter on lowest setting and heater set to 78


----------



## bahamut285

UPDATE: HB flared at me this morning, I had to leave to get him to calm down >_>

I went and bought a water test kit and this is what I got, readings and what it says on the charts:

Ammonia: 0.5 ppm (Stress)
NitrAte: somewhere between 0-20 (Safe)
NitrIte: 0 (safe)
Hardness: 150 GH (Hard)
Chlorine: 0 (safe)
Total Aklalinity: between 40-80 (low-moderate)
pH: 7.8 (Alkaline)

I bought him a cave today and I'm washing it right now with hot/warm water


----------



## BettaHeart

I was wondering where can i get Indian Almond Leaf? and i heard there are tea bags of this stuff so my other question is which one will be more beneficial?


----------



## JKfish

BettaHeart: ebay  There's a seller, I think her name is Amy, and apparently her leaves are high quality and for a very good price. I think they're both just as good seeing as the teabags have the leaves in them.

Bahamut: A water change should do the trick, unfortunately your tank is not cycled, seeing as there is ammonia in the water. You'll probably want to proceed with an in tank cycle, or take your boy out and do a fishless cycle.


----------



## BettaHeart

JKfish said:


> BettaHeart: ebay  There's a seller, I think her name is Amy, and apparently her leaves are high quality and for a very good price. I think they're both just as good seeing as the teabags have the leaves in them.
> 
> Bahamut: A water change should do the trick, unfortunately your tank is not cycled, seeing as there is ammonia in the water. You'll probably want to proceed with an in tank cycle, or take your boy out and do a fishless cycle.


So there really is no difference, ok How can I find Amy?


----------



## JKfish

Here's one of her auctions on ebay. 200 grade A leaves for 15 dollars plus 15 dollar shipping is a pretty good deal, especially when you compare it to other auctions for a similar ammount of same quality leaves. I _think_ she's on aquabid as well...


----------



## BettaHeart

JKfish said:


> Here's one of her auctions on ebay. 200 grade A leaves for 15 dollars plus 15 dollar shipping is a pretty good deal, especially when you compare it to other auctions for a similar ammount of same quality leaves. I _think_ she's on aquabid as well...


Thank you so much :-D


----------



## bahamut285

JKFish: Thanks for your reply, I did a 50% water change when I got home today and he's calmed down a bit. He flares at my blinds when I open and close them, regardless of the time of day @[email protected]


----------



## drg889

Where can i buy some medium-sized silk aquarium plants at? the only ones i find on amazon are for larger tanks (i have a 5gallon tank). looking for something around the 9-10" in length, but i can't seem to find any silk plants.

thanks!


----------



## JKfish

You can look at your LFS or a craft store. Most regular silk plants will do, though before adding to an aquarium, you have to soak in water to be sure it won't leak coloring into the aquarium. Oh, and you have to check for any exposed metal.


----------



## doggipoi

bloo97 said:


> I saw this on a different forum and I thought it might fit here! The questions to post here are not big enough to post as a new thread, so if it is just a 'Quick Question', you post it here.
> 
> 
> Quick Question:
> How long does it take before betta eggs hatch?


about one day


----------



## Kitdae

how long will it take for my guy to stop flaring at the snail I got him today?


----------



## cjayBetta

Should my Betta's fins be getting brighter?


----------



## BettaHeart

At what age can you tell males from females?


----------



## JKfish

CJaybetta: in a heated tank with clean water and good food it is typical to see a betta's colors grow brighter.


----------



## cjayBetta

JKfish said:


> CJaybetta: in a heated tank with clean water and good food it is typical to see a betta's colors grow brighter.


I don't have a heater but i have him close to my computers tower and it seems to be doing the trick. His water is crystal clear and Ive got him eating flakes and dried blood worms.


----------



## JKfish

A heater will help him a lot and insure the water temperatures are constant and tropical temps, and depending on the size of the tank, the heater might not be too much money.


----------



## Lordsameth

I got a good heater for under $15 at Wal-mart.


----------



## Sherleelee

Hey i was wondering if this is a ok filter for a betta tank?
it sayes for fish fry ect, but it doesnt have a current ect so i thought it would be a better idea so it doesnt stress out my bettas, if this isnt what i should be looking for please give me some ideas as to what would be better , thanks heaps in advance.
here is the filter
http://www.aquariumsupermarket.com.au/10-aqua-one-.html


----------



## drg889

My betta can't/doesn't use it's left pectoral fin (the ones on the side). im not 100% sure if it's injured, but it looks rather thin/half the size of the fins on my crowntail...not sure if i should use meds or just see if it heals in his tank?


----------



## JKfish

sherleelee: that's a fine filter  Spong filters are very very gentle and will be a good filter for cycling your tank.

Drg: you might want to just keep and eye on it and keep his water extra clean. If it doesn't get better in a few days, make a thread in the disease and emergency subforum.


----------



## Sherleelee

JKfish said:


> sherleelee: that's a fine filter  Spong filters are very very gentle and will be a good filter for cycling your tank.
> 
> Drg: you might want to just keep and eye on it and keep his water extra clean. If it doesn't get better in a few days, make a thread in the disease and emergency subforum.


Thanks heaps hun!!!:-D


----------



## Canuck Fins

Okay, I had forgotten while trying to set up a cycle to check ph weekly. JK, thanks for the reminder to check it. That's the problem with setting up my cycle. I also know now that I have to use the cold tap and not the hot tap in my kitchen because the hot gives too high a ph.

So now do I need to empty the tank, rinse everything (gravel and castle) and refill with a new chunk of shrimp?


----------



## BettaHeart

How do i keep a fish from jumping? Terra has gotten into the habit of jumping during feeding time and has cleared the edge of the tank twice so far. My question is how do i stop her from doing this?


----------



## JKfish

Ifeed her quickly, preferably before she jumps XD... Unfortunately I'm not sure what else you can do apart from be quicker. I guess maybe if you scooped her up in a cup for feeding time that'd lessen her liability to jump? I'm not really sure, just play around with her and try and find something that works.

QQ, I was a doofus and left my plants out in dry air for about 2 hours. They are wilty to say the least, and my javafern is bordering on crispy  ... now that they're in water, will they make it?


----------



## Aluyasha

I need hideouts for two of my Bettas, I do not get paid for about two weeks. So I was wondering, I have seen people on here use coffee mugs as caves...What mugs are safe to use? All I have are ones with Coca-Cola logos on the side, will that chip off?
Thanks.


----------



## JKfish

Aluyasha, I use old mugs that have withstood the test of several years of use and washing with little to no fading. Also, scratch at the colored areas, if anything rubs off onto your nail, don't put it in. You can also use terra cotta pots, those are perfectly safe (you just need to plug up the drain hole), pretty cheap, and they look nice.


----------



## Aluyasha

JKfish said:


> Aluyasha, I use old mugs that have withstood the test of several years of use and washing with little to no fading. Also, scratch at the colored areas, if anything rubs off onto your nail, don't put it in. You can also use terra cotta pots, those are perfectly safe (you just need to plug up the drain hole), pretty cheap, and they look nice.


 I heard the terra cotta pots were hard to clean (when you first buy them). Do I just boil them for a little?


----------



## JKfish

I've never heard that, but then again I use older pots that just lie around in the garage. I don't think you should boil them. A good soak in warm water and a slight scrub down will work.


----------



## BettaHeart

JKfish said:


> Ifeed her quickly, preferably before she jumps XD... Unfortunately I'm not sure what else you can do apart from be quicker. I guess maybe if you scooped her up in a cup for feeding time that'd lessen her liability to jump? I'm not really sure, just play around with her and try and find something that works.
> 
> QQ, I was a doofus and left my plants out in dry air for about 2 hours. They are wilty to say the least, and my javafern is bordering on crispy  ... now that they're in water, will they make it?


 i appreciate the help, if i was as fast as lightening then yeah i guess i wouldnt have a problem lol i will give the separate cup a try. thanks :lol:


----------



## Aluyasha

JKfish said:


> I've never heard that, but then again I use older pots that just lie around in the garage. I don't think you should boil them. A good soak in warm water and a slight scrub down will work.


 How much are the small-meduim ones like at Walmart, you think?


----------



## BettaHeart

ok i think my sorority tank is infected with ick. I am not entirely sure what to do, i cant qt each individual girl as only acouple show little white spot all over their bodies and its very prominent on the neons. what do i do?


----------



## JKfish

BettaHeart, how large is it? If it's a manageable size, you'll just have to treat the entire tank.
Aluyasha: I'm not really sure, but I doubt they'll be more than a few dollars.


----------



## BettaHeart

its a 10gal with a filter and heater. I was thinking of taking out all the decos and giving them a good soak in a touch of bleach and very hot water and washing out the entire tank and replacing the filter entirely. hmm....


----------



## JKfish

hmm, IMO that sounds overstocked, which might be partly the reason why they got ich, but probably not. A sorority of 6 is overstocking, so if you have a number around that of girls plus a group of neons, you have to do pretty large weekly water changes (if your tank is cycled) to keep the water quality good.

Well, you have two options. You might want to make a thread in the disease and emergency subforum, seeing as others might have better input.

1: heat the tank to about 86*F, and salt it with 1 tsp of aq salt per gallon. You can probably go a bit over the 10 day mark (only a bit though) if you think those extra days will help. Along with that, you'll have to do daily water changes/gravel vaccs.

2: You could go with something like tetra ich guard, which is 8 fizzle tabs which each treat 10 gallons. You'll treat with that, doing water changes with gravel vaccs daily for 3 days past the day that you don't see any ich on them


----------



## BettaHeart

JKfish said:


> hmm, IMO that sounds overstocked, which might be partly the reason why they got ich, but probably not. A sorority of 6 is overstocking, so if you have a number around that of girls plus a group of neons, you have to do pretty large weekly water changes (if your tank is cycled) to keep the water quality good.
> 
> Well, you have two options. You might want to make a thread in the disease and emergency subforum, seeing as others might have better input.
> 
> 1: heat the tank to about 86*F, and salt it with 1 tsp of aq salt per gallon. You can probably go a bit over the 10 day mark (only a bit though) if you think those extra days will help. Along with that, you'll have to do daily water changes/gravel vaccs.
> 
> 2: You could go with something like tetra ich guard, which is 8 fizzle tabs which each treat 10 gallons. You'll treat with that, doing water changes with gravel vaccs daily for 3 days past the day that you don't see any ich on them



true but then thats the thing is i was doing large water changes to begin with, and there are 7 girls and 4 neons but looking it will b down to two with how they are looking, the neons i mean. I think i will go with the first option since i am nearly there anyways lol thank you for the help :-D


----------



## Canuck Fins

My question got lost, I think, in the posting frenzy since so I'm going to toss it out again. I hope no one minds.

My cycle wasn't moving because the pH was too high. I need to start over trying to get the tank to cycle. Do I need to rinse everything and start fresh or can I just do a partial water change to bring the pH down?


----------



## Aluyasha

Canuck Fins said:


> My question got lost, I think, in the posting frenzy since so I'm going to toss it out again. I hope no one minds.
> 
> My cycle wasn't moving because the pH was too high. I need to start over trying to get the tank to cycle. Do I need to rinse everything and start fresh or can I just do a partial water change to bring the pH down?


 I am not sure but I heard that driftwood helps lower pH levels. Might want to look into that more.


----------



## Canuck Fins

My tank currently has no fish so it's not a big deal to change it. I added water from the wrong tap in my house, not realizing it was higher pH, but I can add new water that is a more favourable pH.


----------



## JKfish

that'll be fine  once it's cycled, and you've added fish, just make sure to only use the water they're acclimated to.


----------



## bahamut285

Another quick question, since mine got lost in another thread that I hijacked XD

I was curious as to how to care for a marimo moss ball. Do I just chuck it in the tank? How much light does it need? I've tried looking online for some resources but there isn't much...

I also want to know what kind (and how many) tank mates I could have with my betta in a 5gal. I've got SOME hiding spots (i.e. a medium-ish cave, a plant, getting new plants soon). I was thinking of a shrimp or something XD


----------



## cesitlie95

Hey I was just wondering.. why do Bettas flare at cameras? And it's normal for them to do that, right?


----------



## Jayy

Ok, this has nothing to do with bettas, but it is fish related. Can adding cycled gravel to a uncycled tank help with cycling?


----------



## JKfish

bahamut: in a 5 gallon, your only reasonable options would be shrimps or snails. It's too small for actual fish. Just squeeze your marimo ball in some old tank water to get any gross stuff out, and stick it in. it'll be alright in low light 

cesitlie: I'm not really sure .... my bettas typically ignored it or swam away, so I guess it varies from fish to fish.

Jay, yep, gravel from a cycled tank will have benificial bacteria on it, so it'll work to help seed your tank and hopefully speed up your cycle.


----------



## Jayy

Thanks!


----------



## bahamut285

@Cesitlie: HongBo flares at my camera, but then again, my lens is bigger than he is, so he's probably seeing his reflection in it, XD


----------



## enahs

What are the best types of bottom feeders to put in a 10 gallon tank with a male betta?


----------



## JKfish

cories or shrimp are typically good, though they won't just survive off of whatever your betta eats, you'll have to buy food for them as well (you can simply sink extra fish flakes down to the shrimps)  Cories have sensitive barbels, so you'll want to make sure you have sand or soft substrate in your tank if you get them. Shrimps are a bit sensitive and hard to catch, so one they're in, they're pretty much in for good. Both are sensitive to water changes, so make sure your tank is cycled.


----------



## bahamut285

Oops I forgot...

Thanks for your reply JKFish, maybe I'll go get a marimo tomorrow if I have time  they look so cute! XD...and maybe a shrimp if they have any nice ones


----------



## BettaHeart

Quick question about females, nearly all the females i have excluding Tempest have never bred and was wondering would it cause them any problems?


----------



## JKfish

Nope, not breeding won't affect their health at all.


----------



## BettaHeart

JKfish said:


> Nope, not breeding won't affect their health at all.


ok, so they can grow to be spinsters :tongue: lol thanks for the info


----------



## Canuck Fins

Dumb question 600000002.....

I let my water sit overnight because I want to do a water change today (suspect the pH is too high - light purple on the test). l think the water is colder than it was last night. If I had a fish, I think I'd kill it with the temperature shock. (The warm taps in my house have a pH of about 8.8. The cold drinking tap has a pH of about 7.4.) Do I have to buy a heater to put in the water that is gassing? (I am assuming my high pH is why my tank won't cycle and I tried to ask about that in another thread quite unsuccessfully.)

(I'm sorry I have so many dumb questions. I never imagined that it would be so damn impossible to make this work. I wanted to have a cycled, planted tank, but every day I'm wondering if this will ever work.)


----------



## JKfish

Well, I don't think you would kill him or her persay.... When adding cooler water, I just pour portions in at a time. Houses are heated, so it's not like the temps are going to be too drastic of a change.

 Sorry you're having such issues. I'm curious, do you already have plants in there?


----------



## Canuck Fins

Thanks, JK. I don't have a fish or plants yet. I was under the impression if I put plants in before it cycled, they would be an ammonia sink and slow the nitrites from appearing. That said, my nitrites are the most sluggish ones and really could not be slower. I'm going to do a big water change and give it another try.


----------



## JKfish

I say get a good ammount of plants, and plant well. If they are fast growing, they'll get rid of ammonia relatively quickly, and will almost act like a back up cycle until your tank naturally and slowly cycles. Once your fish is in there, keep an eye on the parameters, testing daily, and doing smallish water changes as you notice the ammonia above .25 or any nitrites at all. I'm guessing if you're only having a male betta in there with a bunch of fast growing plants, you might not need to do more than a 50% water change weekly, if that.


----------



## Aluyasha

I have kind of a moral question that I would like your opinions on.
I was thinking about getting another Betta, and we only have room in our house right now for a 1 gallon, it would be filtered and heated.
I know some people on here have 1 gallon tanks but I was wondering before I bought it if it was an acceptable tank? I would clean it and do waer changes like I am supposed to for that size of tank so no worries about that. 
Thanks.


----------



## cjayBetta

In my personal opinion, I think it would be fine as long as he is taken care of properly. If you think about how some other betta's are treated that would be heaven for them. On top of that they are shipped in bags to the pet store then forced to live in tiny cups until someone buys them and then most of the time they get stuck in 1/2 gallon tanks with pointy plants or even less then a 1/2 sometimes.


----------



## Lion Mom

I have a quick question. Is a female betta ok in a tank by herself? Kept like a male? Thanks!


----------



## Betta Slave

Yep, that'd be fine.


----------



## Lion Mom

Betta Slave said:


> Yep, that'd be fine.


Ok - thanks much! :-D


----------



## bahamut285

I have a moral question as well~

My cousin dumped his betta at my grandma's house for several years now, and he's in a little tiny bowl with no heater, but he's in the warmest part of the house. My grandma diligently changes his water really often. 

I know he's old (about 4-6 years probably) and he's looking a little tattered and listless. Do you think it would be worth spending around $70+ on him (5G tank with filter plus a heater)? Or do you think he will die soon and it would be a waste of money? 

I'm not for sure going to take him off my grandma (I live 1 hour away) unless I have overwhelming reason to. I also think he might have finrot, SBD (or even worse, dropsy, he's very un-noticeably pineconey, I might be misdiagnosing) or maybe he's just REALLY REALLY old.

What do you think I should do? I *can* afford it if I *really* wanted to, but like most people I don't want to spend unnecessary money =/


----------



## JKfish

Well, do what you want. That's something you have to decide for yourself. Set ups that are high quality can honestly last many, many years, so if you buy a proper set up and he lives the rest of his life in comfort, once he passes you can clean the tank and if your grandma wants, she can get another betta. If she doesn't want any more fish, then you might not want to, but if she really does want more bettas after that then the set up would be worth it IMO,


----------



## Canuck Fins

Okay, I bought plants (2 java ferns, a hornwort and a wisteria plant). They're in a bag with some water from Petsmart. Two questions: do I need to rinse them before they go into my tank (no fish/not yet cycling)? do these plants need to be stuck in the gravel or do they float?


----------



## bahamut285

@JKFish: Thanks for your input, my grandma actually only took it in literally because my cousin dumped it at her house and she didn't really have a choice. Sadly I didn't get into betta's until recently, so he's been at my grandma's for a long time. She's taking good care of him until he passes, which she believes should be sometime soon 

I unfortunately have no space in my apartment...we have so little electrical plugs it's ridiculous. Every plug at my place has either a splitter or power bar >_<


----------



## Lion Mom

I don't know, but maybe a change in his living conditions might be too stressful at his age. Just thinking......


----------



## bahamut285

@LionMom: Yeah I figured that as well


----------



## JKfish

Canuck Fins said:


> Okay, I bought plants (2 java ferns, a hornwort and a wisteria plant). They're in a bag with some water from Petsmart. Two questions: do I need to rinse them before they go into my tank (no fish/not yet cycling)? do these plants need to be stuck in the gravel or do they float?


 
you'll want to rinse them. Lion mom suggested to me once that letting them soak overnight in chlorinated tap water will probably kill whatever small nasties are in there, but won't hurt the plant.

hornwort is best left floating (be prepared to clean up some serious shedding needles however.) The javaferns should be loosely tied or secqured to an ornament in the tank, their roots should not be buried. Wisteria can/should be planted.


----------



## Canuck Fins

The hornwort I bought doesn't have needles; it's got little round leaves. Is that something else then?

Thanks! I will get my plants ready to go in tomorrow. I wasn't sure how many I needed to get.


----------



## JKfish

hmmm, then is it anachris or bacopa? that might be enough, though you'll probably want to do daily checks on the water parameters just to make sure.


----------



## LucyLoofa

Whoa this thred is crazy! I hadn't even seen it until now! People are getting their questions answered so fast! Rock on JK!


----------



## Canuck Fins

From the images I can find online, it looks like bacopa. 

I've got the plants in regular water now. It's the first chance I've had to really look at it. The wisteria doesn't have roots, just a stem so I hope it'll be okay.

Lucy, they are awesome in this thread! I completely agree they rock.


----------



## JKfish

It should grow roots when planted. Both your wisteria and bacopa would do well planted. If you have just regular gravel in there and should you have trouble planting the wisteria, you can get the bottom of a plastic cup or water bottle, poke a hole in the center, stick the stem through there, and then bury it under the gravel.


----------



## demonr6

*Ideal Temperature*

Just trying to get some feedback on what everyone keeps their temps at in their tanks? I got rid of the non-adjustable and bought a new adjustable and wanted to get some ideas? Thanks!!


----------



## JKfish

76-80* F is the ideal temperature. I keep my tanks around 78-80 degrees.


----------



## Lion Mom

JKfish said:


> 76-80* F is the ideal temperature. I keep my tanks around 78-80 degrees.


That is where I keep mine also. 

I float my wisteria. The bettas seem to enjoy swimming through the roots that hang down & I LOVE that look. :-D


----------



## bahamut285

Another question, I actually posted this question in the "pics of betta's homes" thread by mistake but I was wondering:

I see a lot of people on this forum using those 1.5 Gal Tetra tanks (Google images: http://supershopsite.com/product_image/Pet/tetra-water-wonders-aquar1559.jpg). Are they...okay? A lot of people's betta's look very happy in them, but I just want to make sure!


----------



## JKfish

Well, techinically all a betta needs is the proper temperatures, clean water, and enough room.

If they are willing to do the required water changes (3-5 50% and 1 100% water changes a week), and they have a heater or something in there to keep the temps steady, then the bettas should be fine. They're large enough for there to be room, and there's always outside stimuli to keep the bettas interested.


----------



## iDed

i have a quick question:

i picked up a betta today along with a 1 gal tank and filter (should of got the 2.5 gal but i didnt do my research beforehand) and I was looking into getting a live plant.

I've heard a lot of good things about java ferns but i also heard marimo balls were pretty nifty as well. would a 1 gal tank be too small for both plants? and if i can only go with one, which would be more beneficial for my fish?


----------



## cjayBetta

My new Betta isnt eating... I tried giving him flakes and pellets (cut in half cuz he is little) he took them in his mouth and spat them out. What should I do?


----------



## Canuck Fins

iDed, I'm not sure about the size of your tank for 2 plants, but someone else will know.

cJayBetta, give your fish some time. They can go a while without eating. Give him time and remove uneaten food. Then try again next feeding time. It sometimes takes a while for them to settle in a new place.


----------



## Betta Slave

Does anyone know how long it will take to treat internal parasites (tapeworms, I believe- stringy white/translucent poop, etc.) with Prazi-Pro (Praziquantel), Aquarium salt, pellets soaked in garlic juice, and possibly some Jungle Anti-parasite tabs?


----------



## JKfish

Ided: welcome to the forum ^-^
IMO they're both good, though I think marimo balls might do a slightly better job of keeping the tank slightly cleaner (though you'll still have to do 3-4 50% water changes and a 100% water change a week).

CJay: try soaking them completely in either water or garlic juice before feeding, that'll make them soft, easier to eat, and less likely to constipate him (and if you use garlic juice, you've got added protection against internal parasites.) If he doesn't eat them, just do what Canuck says

bettaslave: another parasity betta? Sheesh, no offence, but IMO you must have terrible luck with parasites .... though you definately know how to treat them XD. to answer your question, I have no idea, though are you sure mixing two different parasitic treatments is alright?


----------



## Betta Slave

Pff, none taken XD I think it should take around 1-2 months, but I'm just checking... I'm more familiar with gill parasites though.

And yes, I asked a breeder about what she does to get rid of them (not on this forum, near my city though) and she said that's what she uses, it does no harm to her bettas, and they turn out fine.


----------



## bahamut285

@JKFish: Oooh okay thanks for the info! So a waterchange schedule would be something like: Tuesday, Thursday Saturday; 50% water change and Sunday 100%?

Also does that give them a lot of stress? I know Bobo doesn't really like it when I cup him to vacuum... sorry for bombarding questions @[email protected]


@Betta Slave: I'm no expert, but when my goldfish caught ich from me adding another one, The Ich medicine I used had VERY specific directions on how to use it. It said to use one package per 10Gal every 48 hours until it's all gone. I think I only used 2 packages before all the ich died. It also said on the package that I had to treat the tank (so no moving them to a QT) because of the 3 stage life cycle of ich.

I hope your fishy gets well soon! <33


----------



## JKfish

Bahamut and iDed: Sorry, I read iDed's post wrong, lol, I thought it said he had a 2.5 gallon tank. In a one gallon, he really should be doing a 100% anywhere from 3 times a week to every other day.


----------



## bahamut285

@JKFish: Hahaha no worries...now I'm contemplating if I should start up my 2.5 lying around...but I think it's cursed T__T

@iDed: I have a Marimo ball in my Betta tank and it works like a dream. I was considering making a huge post about how amazing they are haha. To be fair though, I have not owned any Java Ferns, so I can't make a fair comparison.

As an experiment, I chucked my marimo into my Goldfish tank (they do well in both cold and tropical temps according to that info thingy at the petsmart tanks; from 68-82!) just to see what happens XD


----------



## JKfish

Bahamut, cursed? Pha, there is no such thing. If you've had issues keeping fish in there, it's possible there might be something nasty lingering in there, but nothing a good bleach solution soak shouldn't fix.


----------



## refjaf55

I came across this site that says they have the secrets to bettas
Is this legit or a scam? http://tinyurl.com/Bettasecrets
it looks a little like a scam but i really need help keeping them alive so i think i am going to buy the ebook. What do you all think?


----------



## LucyLoofa

JKfish said:


> Bahamut, cursed? Pha, there is no such thing. If you've had issues keeping fish in there, it's possible there might be something nasty lingering in there, but nothing a good bleach solution soak shouldn't fix.


Cleaning out my tanks to start over and reseal everything.
Wondering what the proper amount of bleach is for a bleach solution and how long to let the tanks sit afterwards before filling with plants etc.
I've heard vinegar is another good way to clean it, but I really don't know how much to use.
I don't want to use to much of anything or not enough of anything.
If anyone has a ratio or anything that'll help that'd be great!
Also:

*""I came across this site that says they have the secrets to bettas
Is this legit or a scam? http://tinyurl.com/Bettasecrets
it looks a little like a scam but i really need help keeping them alive so i think i am going to buy the ebook. What do you all think?""*

To this I'll respond: Simple. Ask experienced users on here your questions. Start a thread with a question or post a question you have on this thread. The only way to learn is by asking questions and trial and error in things like this.
There's no better place to ask questions about bettas than this forum. The book will probably try to scam you into buying more silly products for them, at least thats what a ton of sites that look like this do. Trust your gut, if it looks like a scam to you don't buy in.  We're all here to help you out. Hundreds and hundreds of users strong, and still going. You'll get the hang of this in no time. Just be patient, ask questions and do the research before you take on the responsibility of another fish.


----------



## JKfish

refjaf55 said:


> I came across this site that says they have the secrets to bettas
> Is this legit or a scam? http://tinyurl.com/Bettasecrets
> it looks a little like a scam but i really need help keeping them alive so i think i am going to buy the ebook. What do you all think?


IMO it sounds like it'll tell you the same thing we will tell you for free. If you need help, mAke a thread in the betta care section. Explain your tank size, water change schedule, heating, feeding, etc, and ask if anyone has advise. If there is something wrong with your betta fish husbandry, people will definitely give advise.


Lucyloofa. Vinegar is used the same way you use bleach. I know there technically is a ratio, but I just pour until there is a faint odor of bleach. I stick all ornaments in there and then I put the filter in and let it run for 24 hours. After that, I do a lot of hot water rinses and to top it off fill it all up with just hot water and let it run for a good hour or so before dumping it out and then setting up the tank for cycling.


----------



## LolaQuigs

Is it safe to decorate with silk plants from a craft store, or should I stick to plants made specifically for aquariums?


----------



## JKfish

They should be fine... However stick it in a bucket to soak for a day so you can make sure it won't leach color into the water. Double check for metal sticking out that could rust.


----------



## LucyLoofa

JKfish said:


> IMO it sounds like it'll tell you the same thing we will tell you for free. If you need help, mAke a thread in the betta care section. Explain your tank size, water change schedule, heating, feeding, etc, and ask if anyone has advise. If there is something wrong with your betta fish husbandry, people will definitely give advise.
> 
> 
> Lucyloofa. Vinegar is used the same way you use bleach. I know there technically is a ratio, but I just pour until there is a faint odor of bleach. I stick all ornaments in there and then I put the filter in and let it run for 24 hours. After that, I do a lot of hot water rinses and to top it off fill it all up with just hot water and let it run for a good hour or so before dumping it out and then setting up the tank for cycling.


If I run the filter should I keep all sponges etc out? My gut says yes because the bleach could linger in the filter sponge for aaaaagggggessss. I see the benefit of also cleaning the filter though, and have not heard it mentioned before. That is superb advice.  thank you.


----------



## bloo97

> IMO it sounds like it'll tell you the same thing we will tell you for free. If you need help, mAke a thread in the betta care section. Explain your tank size, water change schedule, heating, feeding, etc, and ask if anyone has advise. If there is something wrong with your betta fish husbandry, people will definitely give advise.


That.


----------



## bahamut285

@JKFish: lolol I'm serious! I first used that tank for my two goldfish when I didn't know any better. I had to clean it almost all of the time. Unfortunately they died from stunting/various issues so my two NEW goldfish were only in there for a year tops, with even more diligent cleaning. My goldfishes are now in a bigger tank, and so the 2.5 has been cleaned and sitting in the sun for 6 months until I got Shimmoo, my first betta, and he died in 10 days ...I'm a little apprehensive to put another fish in there T_T. It's once again bleaching itself in the sun.


On another note, I think there is a protein film in patches in Bobo's tank fffffffffffffffff *scoops them out*


----------



## JKfish

bahamut285 said:


> @JKFish: lolol I'm serious! I first used that tank for my two goldfish when I didn't know any better. I had to clean it almost all of the time. Unfortunately they died from stunting/various issues so my two NEW goldfish were only in there for a year tops, with even more diligent cleaning. My goldfishes are now in a bigger tank, and so the 2.5 has been cleaned and sitting in the sun for 6 months until I got Shimmoo, my first betta, and he died in 10 days ...I'm a little apprehensive to put another fish in there T_T. It's once again bleaching itself in the sun.
> 
> 
> On another note, I think there is a protein film in patches in Bobo's tank fffffffffffffffff *scoops them out*


The goldfish would die in there even with the most diligent of cleanings... They are honest to god quite possibly the messiest fish alive. They poop like there is no tomorrow, so depending on the type, they need a good 20 gallons each as the minimum. In a two and a half gallon tank split between two growing fish, you can't expect them to live to their 10-20 year life expectancy. Also, it's possible your betta died of something that was already wrong with him when you bough him. I say if you want to, give it a good bleach solution bath, rinse well, and try again.


----------



## cjayBetta

Canuck Fins said:


> iDed, I'm not sure about the size of your tank for 2 plants, but someone else will know.
> 
> cJayBetta, give your fish some time. They can go a while without eating. Give him time and remove uneaten food. Then try again next feeding time. It sometimes takes a while for them to settle in a new place.


Gave him some blood worms this morning and he gobbled them up.


----------



## bahamut285

@JKFish: Yeah I know, I actually rescued my first two goldfish from the biology labs at my university, they were actually living in a 0.5 Gal tupperware for a week ...The second I got a chance to go to the mall I did. 

Maybe I will just bleach it again, there are so many adorable bettas that came into my lfs this week >_<!!

I don't know anything else that can go in a 2.5 safely, and I don't want it to just sit around


----------



## Betta Slave

bahamut285 said:


> @Betta Slave: I'm no expert, but when my goldfish caught ich from me adding another one, The Ich medicine I used had VERY specific directions on how to use it. It said to use one package per 10Gal every 48 hours until it's all gone. I think I only used 2 packages before all the ich died. It also said on the package that I had to treat the tank (so no moving them to a QT) because of the 3 stage life cycle of ich.
> 
> I hope your fishy gets well soon! <33


 
Thank you  I've been dealing with parasites a TON lately- everything from gill mites to body flukes, so no worries.


----------



## JKfish

Bahamut: well, in a 2.5 gallon apart from a betta, you could do a planted invert tank with maybe a snail and a few shrimps.


----------



## Canuck Fins

What do I tie java fern down with? I've got them not realizing they aren't planted in the gravel.


----------



## JKfish

you can use a piece of fishing line or white thread or even a rubber band. I sort of wedged my java fern into a part of my decor that held it well.


----------



## LucyLoofa

JKfish said:


> you can use a piece of fishing line or white thread or even a rubber band. I sort of wedged my java fern into a part of my decor that held it well.


I was thinking of planting it in an upside down terra cotta pot based on this same principle. haha


----------



## Canuck Fins

How many hours a day should I have the light on in my planted tank? No fish yet. 
Two java ferns, one wisteria bunch and a bacopa.


----------



## JKfish

Canuck, I'm not sure, but I have my lights on for about 10 hours...

Can aquarium salt be used in conjunction with maracyn 1 and 2?


----------



## cjayBetta

I was wondering how long it normally takes for a fish's fins grow back after they have been eaten by another fish/crawdad.


----------



## iDed

JKfish said:


> Ided: welcome to the forum ^-^
> IMO they're both good, though I think marimo balls might do a slightly better job of keeping the tank slightly cleaner (though you'll still have to do 3-4 50% water changes and a 100% water change a week).
> 
> CJay: try soaking them completely in either water or garlic juice before feeding, that'll make them soft, easier to eat, and less likely to constipate him (and if you use garlic juice, you've got added protection against internal parasites.) If he doesn't eat them, just do what Canuck says
> 
> bettaslave: another parasity betta? Sheesh, no offence, but IMO you must have terrible luck with parasites .... though you definately know how to treat them XD. to answer your question, I have no idea, though are you sure mixing two different parasitic treatments is alright?


thanks :-D
I took your advice and picked up a marimo ball and i love it probably more than my betta Oscar (he just kinds of ignores it).

After doing a little research I've decided to pick up a 2.5 gallon (the minibow 2.5) tank along with a heater and new filter. Now I'm pretty sure a 2.5 gal would be enough room for a betta, java fern, and a marimo ball, but I was also considering getting a couple ghost shrimp down the road as well. Would that be overcrowding the tank, or would a 2.5 gallon tank be enough space for everyone?


----------



## JKfish

Well, technically a 2.5 gallon is generally considered minimum for a betta. However, if you wanted to, you could get a few so long as you provide them some form of hiding spots and are sure to feed them... of course how long they will live also depends on your betta, some bettas do enjoy midnight shrimp cocktail snacks XD . Also, since your tank is not cycled, you should be doing 2-3 50% water changes and a 100% water change a week. Shrimps are absolutely horrible when it comes to catching them, and they have this nasty habit of jumping out of the net, and believe me, once a ghostie is on the ground, it's almost impossible to find him. Along with that, shrimps are very sensitive to water quality, so it's best to have them in well established cycled tanks. If you want to do a fish in cycle on your tank and you do so properly with the right ammount of water changes, eventually you'll have a very stable tank in terms of water quality. You won't have to do 100% water changes and it'll probably be easier for your tank to handle a shrimp or two.


----------



## Aluyasha

I got another question.
I just got a 1.5 gallon that currently has one very sick Betta in it. Right now I am doing 100% water changes everyday to help with his recovery. I was wondering though, how many water changes do I do when he is all better?

Also, Right now I am keeping his tank warm with a heating pad but I would like to put a tank heater in there soon, what is the best heater for a 1.5 gallon tank?
Thanks.


----------



## Oldfishlady

When cycling a tank you don't want to do any 100% water changes-if you do...you start the cycling process all over again.....In a 2.5gal filtered tank-twice weekly 50% water changes should maintain water quality before-during and after the nitrogen cycle has established...once cycled the second weekly water change is for fin health-when you add live plants depending on the number and species-often water changes can be reduced-the active growth of stem and floating plants will function as the filter...but you have to have the right type and enough of them to do this....not just any plant or just one will make a difference......


----------



## Aluyasha

Thank you. 
Luckly, I already do have that water changing schedule for my other tanks. I just was not sure if it was the same for a 1.5 gallon.
I thought a 1.5 cannot be cycled?
The Betta in my 1.5 gallon, Darcia, has fin rot, fungus, and ich. I was told by a few people on here to do 100% water changes everyday to help with his recovery, should I not do that?


----------



## Oldfishlady

When you are treating the water changes will be different based on the treatment method you are using

It is best to treat in small QT containers that can be floated in the heated tank-this make observation easier as well as the needed water changes

The 1.5gal filtered tank can establish a nitrogen cycle-however, due to the number of water changes needed to maintain water quality in that volume of water the nitrogen cycle is moot IMO/E...that being twice weekly 50%...1-50% water only and 1-50% to include the substrate cleaning with vacuum or stir and dip method

In unfiltered tanks-they need 100% water changes and the number and frequency varies with tank size.....

cjayBetta-fin re-growth varies from fish to fish-depends on general overall health, age, genetic, degree and duration of damage etc....usually in an overall healthy fish-with proper treatment the fin re-growth can take 1 day to 1 month and sometimes longer.....I had a young female get her tail cut off to nearly the nub by a crayfish and I had her tail nearly 100% grown back with a natural treatment in less than 2 weeks and a young male fantail guppy in 1 week and on the same note...an older male nearly a month....also depending on the damage the fins may never look the same or return to their full glory and sometimes they may even grow back a different color....


----------



## cjayBetta

Oldfishlady said:


> cjayBetta-fin re-growth varies from fish to fish-depends on general overall health, age, genetic, degree and duration of damage etc....usually in an overall healthy fish-with proper treatment the fin re-growth can take 1 day to 1 month and sometimes longer.....I had a young female get her tail cut off to nearly the nub by a crayfish and I had her tail nearly 100% grown back with a natural treatment in less than 2 weeks and a young male fantail guppy in 1 week and on the same note...an older male nearly a month....also depending on the damage the fins may never look the same or return to their full glory and sometimes they may even grow back a different color....


Same thing happend to chewie, it was a crayfish that did it. The ma and pa pet shop I got him from was terrible... Most of the fish were dead or looked almost dead... One VT betta's stomach was so big it looked like he was gunna pop and had finrot. If I could have taken them both I really would of. It was run out of their garage that had mold growing everywhere it was terrible. Least I was able to save my little CT. I have him in a 2.5g unfiltered, temp 76-77.


----------



## BettaHeart

I have a new "female" for about a week now. Since its the last day of treatment for the 10gal i was going to introduce "her" but since having "her", "she" has changed color slightly and i cant really see an eggspot as "she" will not keep still long enough for me to have a real good look because "her" bowl is next to the 10gal and has been flaring with another one of the "girls". I noticed today just above the spot where the two are always glaring at each other there looks like a bubble nest forming (in the 10gal) could i been mistaken about both of these "females" ?


----------



## Aluyasha

We would have to see pictures I think.
Though some females are known to act like males, flaring and even making bubble nests.


----------



## BettaHeart

Aluyasha said:


> We would have to see pictures I think.
> Though some females are known to act like males, flaring and even making bubble nests.


I would love to post pictures but my camera is crappy :-( 
i think i will wait afew weeks before i introduce "her" maybe by then i will have a better camera.
for now i have only crappy pictures of the new female and Aztec in the 10gal with the line of bubbles which has thinned out slightly
they arent great but maybe it will help somewhat:-?


----------



## Aluyasha

Hmm, that is hard to tell. PK males always tend to resemble females to me. Not sure.
I guess just keep an eye on them when you put 'it' in the tank with the females and make sure they get along.
IMO, the blue one looks more like a female than a male to me.


----------



## BettaHeart

thats what i thought too, since bringing it home it has darkened and the blue can only really be seen with a light. Aztec who is in the other picture has made it her mission to "stand watch" lol. its funny because Aztec, Bala, and the new female all have slightly longer pelvic fins compared to the other three but yet Bala being cambodian you can clearly see the ovaries. lol we'll see in afew weeks 

p.s. Girlie didnt make it, did the treatment too late.:-(


----------



## Aluyasha

Aw, I am sorry to hear that.


----------



## BettaHeart

thanks its more sad because my youngest picked her out when we first bought her and was attached to her, she was the biggest female in the 10gal. sigh live and learn.
i hope to post more positive posts in the near future lol


----------



## Aluyasha

Yeah, positive posts are always good.


----------



## Aluyasha

When you have to give an AQSalt treatment to a Betta, do you give him some everyday or what? The carton says just how much to give, not how often to give it.


----------



## BettaHeart

i've been told by OFL 1tsp/1gal for maximum 10 days no more then that.


----------



## Aluyasha

I know not to go over 10 days, but does that mean I put some in everday for 10 days?


----------



## BettaHeart

ummm.... with water changes everyday yes ...

making a treatment gal jug makes it easier

tank size?


----------



## Aluyasha

1.5 gallon.


----------



## BettaHeart

ummm... i dont really have all the details such as disease and all that good stuff lol to really give much help... but if it was me i would ask OFL .... for now i think 1 1/2 tsp for the tank until you can get a better answer from OFL or one of the other more experienced members. Hope everything is ok.


----------



## Aluyasha

Well, this is my problem. I posted it on another thread.
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=61588


----------



## BettaHeart

ok i see ... ummm.. turn the heat up so the tank is at 86' to speed up the cycle of the ick/ich lol , add the aq salt and maybe 50% water changes adding half the salt to equal the water change. and keeping the tank alittle dark i think may help...
i have never used that med only the aq salt and having the heat up to deal with my ick issue so i dont know if you should keep using it.... maybe hold off on it but that would be your decision


----------



## Aluyasha

Should I still use the meds?


----------



## BettaHeart

BettaHeart said:


> ok i see ... ummm.. turn the heat up so the tank is at 86' to speed up the cycle of the ick/ich lol , add the aq salt and maybe 50% water changes adding half the salt to equal the water change. and keeping the tank alittle dark i think may help...
> i have never used that med only the aq salt and having the heat up to deal with my ick issue so i dont know if you should keep using it.... maybe hold off on it but that would be your decision


 i never had to deal with fungus so not sure about its treatment... maybe as i said add the salt and ask OFL when shes around


----------



## Aluyasha

Ok, thank you for your help.


----------



## BettaHeart

:-D no problem, just doing what i can for a fellow member.
Hope everything goes well


----------



## Aluyasha

So, Darcia died yesterday. 

And since he died from a contagious disease, I would like to know is it safe to boil silk plants?


----------



## cjayBetta

Aluyasha said:


> So, Darcia died yesterday.
> 
> And since he died from a contagious disease, I would like to know is it safe to boil silk plants?



Awwwwww


----------



## Lion Mom

Aluyasha said:


> So, Darcia died yesterday.
> 
> And since he died from a contagious disease, I would like to know is it safe to boil silk plants?


So sorry. :-(

I don't know about boiling silk plants. Maybe it would be better to just toss them & start fresh?


----------



## Aluyasha

Well, I was hoping there was a way to clean them because I am kind of low on cash right now. :/


----------



## Lion Mom

Aluyasha said:


> Well, I was hoping there was a way to clean them because I am kind of low on cash right now. :/


I don't know personally, but hopefully somebody that has done it will be along to help you out.


----------



## BettaHeart

maybe alittle bleach solution soak with a couple good soaks with clean water and some good rinses? :-?


----------



## Aluyasha

Wouldn't bleach take out their colour?

What about vinegar?


----------



## BettaHeart

lol thats what i was thinking too.... maybe a very light solution of bleach :-?

or maybe the boiling will work ?


----------



## JKfish

Vinegar would work just like bleach


----------



## Canuck Fins

How long does it take plants to settle into a tank? Of the four I put in on the weekend, the wisteria bunch isn't looking as good as it did. I'm wondering if it's adjusting or dying. Colour is good still.


----------



## JKfish

Well, when I first got my wisteria, it was in horrible shape, so it quickly improved in the tank. What sort of lighting do you have, and what sort of gravel and ferts are in the tank? Oh, and by the way, fish food makes an awesome plant fertilizer when there are no fish in the tank. Just take a pinch, put it in a plastic bag that has a few holes punched in it, and submerge for a day or two....


----------



## Canuck Fins

Just standard gravel. The light is the one that came with my Hawkeye 5G; need to actually open it up and pop out the light to look for the numbers. I haven't fertilized. All that's in are my plants and my pair of dead shrimp. I'm probably worrying about nothing since I have zero success in this tank except for getting ammonia levels up.


----------



## JKfish

I'm not sure what plants need in terms of light, though I've seen OFL post it... I'll come back and edit this if I can find her post... if not, maybe she'll pop by and give us the info. The only thing I can almost say for maybe certain would be that chances are the lights aren't going to be good enough. The dead shrimp honestly should have those plants thriving... If they aren't, maybe they're busy establishing their roots. Lol, I'm not that awesome with plants and lighting in case you can't tell XD. (Don't take anything I've just said as advise, I'd hate to accidently be the cause of the death of your plants....)


----------



## BettaLover101

Is there any possible way to have a double spawn with two females and one male at a single time. If I have a large enough space and spots for different bubble nests to be made then do you think I would be able to have one male with two females at one time?

This way I could keep my males more interested in the spawn since some of the are young and seem to be discouraged when females are around.


----------



## JKfish

hmm, well if your females are aggressive they might tear each other to pieces... but I think OFL has done that before, maybe if you shoot her a pm, she might respond with her opinion.


----------



## BettaHeart

Can raised temp affect bettas causing them to want to breed? i ask becuz Aztec has been building nests for the past couple days and now Bala seems to have taken over the far opposite corner and proceeding to do the same :-?

the raised temp was to fight the ick.


----------



## tsoto80

Does anyone know how much a typical ten gallon filled tank weighs?


----------



## Canuck Fins

Think 10 lbs per gallon roughly. It might also depend what you add to the tank decor wise; I'm thinking a chunk of driftwood is heavier than a few coffee mugs.


----------



## cjayBetta

*I am planning on getting a 10g and dividing it 3 ways, filtered. How often should I do water changes? (NON Cycled) *


----------



## JKfish

tsoto, well apparently 1 gallon of water weighs roughly around 6 pounds, so 60 pounds (and then some due to decor).

betta heart, well if they're in a divided tank, they're probably doing that in response to seeing each other.

cjaybettas, believe me, you'll want to cycle. in a non cycled tank, you have to do 100% water changes every now and then, and that would be a pain. Cycling is really easy, if you do it right in a fishless cycle, it won't be that hard.


----------



## cjayBetta

*@JKfish I don't mind.. I already do it for my Turtles. How often is every once and a while.*


----------



## c4talys7

Hey quick question, what do you do for a tail biter? My fish just did it for the first time. Do you treat with AQ salt?


----------



## JKfish

yep, treat with plenty of warm clean water. Bettas bite for a lot of different reasons, but it might be stress or boredom. if you notice him biting more, try and evaluate the situation and try to find the source. 

CJay, oops, sorry for the late reply... I honestly do not know... If you don't want to do a fishless cycle, if you're willing to do slightly more partial water changes than typical, you could achieve an fish-in cycle.


----------



## BettaHeart

@JKfish lol I have thread titled "its looking more like Aztec is male" i think lol and there are pics attached. short story the 10gal sorority had 6 females after Girlie passed and the behaviour of Bala and Aztec changed dramatically when the ick treatment was done on tuesday with a final water change on wednesday which seemed to have triggered bubble nest building first from Aztec then from Bala.


----------



## c4talys7

Ok, I just need to clarify that the AQ salt should be used for like a week would you say?


----------



## c4talys7

Also, he for some reason really likes my boyfriend and he is sitting at the desk next to the bin doing homework and wasn't paying attention to him then he started biting. I was gone only a half hour! Happens fast...


----------



## c4talys7




----------



## c4talys7

Oh sorry wrong thread


----------



## Canuck Fins

delete


----------



## amber31190

bump


----------



## BettaHeart

I moved Bala(lol i guess i should change his name) and Aztec and have noticed that one of the females has been fluttering her tail and dorsal fins like a little dancer lol is it caused by the males having been in the tank and maturing? and will she return to normal soon?


----------



## JKfish

Bettaheart, yeah, she'll go back to normal.

Catalyst, you can treat him with 1 tsp of salt per gallon for up to 10 days


----------



## BettaHeart

What is the best way to feed frozen foods?

and what is the benefit of rehydrating dried bloodworms?


----------



## JKfish

Well, cut a small chunk off, and soak it in water so it'll defrost, and feed with fingers or tweezers.

rehydrating fd bloodworms makes sure they won't expand in your betta's stomach and constipate him/her.


----------



## BettaHeart

ok thank you :-D


----------



## shayabetta

hey guys! So about a week and a half ago, i rescued a little guy from petco who had major fin rot! It was soo horrible, but hes is doing sooo much better! I think it is time for him to get a real home and get out of the tiny critter keeper i was using to medicate him[= so this is what i had in mind.:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=13448744&adid=bzv_fb_revshr_001

I would love feedback , and many opinions on wether or not you guys think this will be a suitable home!! thank you soo much!!!!♥


----------



## Lion Mom

I believe one of the members here had that tank and didn't care for it much. 

IMO, this tank would be MUCH better:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hawkeye-5-gal-Tank-Aquarium/14660258

I own 3 of them and LOVE them!!!


----------



## amber31190

my lfs, has these small red worms, live, are the blood worms? if so can i put them in my tank and if the betta doesnt eat them can i leave them


----------



## JKfish

Hmm, well ask. IMO, if you aren't careful, they could carry parasites. Unless you really trust the store, I would approach just stick with frozen bloodworms. You can't just leave them in, because they do like burying in gravel, and eventually in a few days they will grow to be midges... Bloodworms are only larve of midges, and so that stage won't last long


----------



## amber31190

i trust the storem the have a no return policy and thats were my bf got his fish and the all lived. they have a great reputation but i dont want midges, whatever they are


----------



## BettaHeart

ok i thought i had removed them in time but i think it has happened.... I am not prepared well for this !!!!


----------



## Aluyasha

How do you treat parasites? I have two Bettas in a divided 10 gallon. One Betta is very skinny but eats well, the other Betta seems perfectly fine. Should I treat both?


----------



## BettaHeart

umm.. i think i read somewhere pellets soaked in garlic juice helps with parasites


----------



## tsoto80

when a tank is divided how do the sides where there is not filter get filtered?


----------



## Aluyasha

Most dividers have holes in the mesh that allow water to flow through them.


----------



## tsoto80

yes mine has that but where the filter is not the water has alot of stuff floating at the bottom I put a shrimp in there but it died I think my betta killed it because the legs were gone but the body was still plump


----------



## Aluyasha

You could put the filter in the middle of the tank. One side gets the outtake part and the other side gets the intake part.
And yes, some Bettas love to hunt shrimp.


----------



## shayabetta

Lion Mom said:


> I believe one of the members here had that tank and didn't care for it much.
> 
> IMO, this tank would be MUCH better:
> 
> http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hawkeye-5-gal-Tank-Aquarium/14660258
> 
> I own 3 of them and LOVE them!!!


Yeah!!=] you told me to get that instead of my bowl and I did for stitch=] 
But that took up almost my entire dresser.. So now that I have lucky, I will have to get something decent in size but just more space conscious because I'm running out of room=\ so that other tank I posted is bad?!=\


----------



## wallywestisthebest333

shayabetta said:


> Yeah!!=] you told me to get that instead of my bowl and I did for stitch=]
> But that took up almost my entire dresser.. So now that I have lucky, I will have to get something decent in size but just more space conscious because I'm running out of room=\ so that other tank I posted is bad?!=\



www.fish.com is having a sale on a tall 5 gallon. I'm not sure how much horizontal space it takes up exactly but it is taller than wide. =]

I think Lion Mom has one and likes it so you could PM her about it. =] How much horizontal room do you have exactly? If you take a tape measure or even better a ruler and measure the space that you CAN fill it'll help you when you're looking at tank specs online so that you'll know which will and will not fit. =]


----------



## wallywestisthebest333

Does anyone know if IAL extract or Oak Leaf Extract when you boil it yourself actually smells like tea? I'm afraid to put this in my tank because it smells like actual black tea. :[


----------



## cjayBetta

*Question: Chewie is stressed in his little QT bowl. He has only been in for 3 days and his fins are much improved. Should I keep him in there a little longer or do you think he is ready to go in his 5g?*


----------



## amber31190

just a basic lala question. they are happy when the they make bubble nest. i heard they were happy and a bit randy. my plakat is making bubbles like crzy, lol he seems happy


----------



## Aluyasha

I just noticed that Melvin has a little 3D bright red spot on one of his ray tips (he is a CT) about half the size of his eye.
He is still acting fine. I just cannot find any info on what it might be. I read somewhere that is sounds like an ulcer or something like that.
How do I treat him? Is he dying?


----------



## cjayBetta

cjayBetta said:


> *Question: Chewie is stressed in his little QT bowl. He has only been in for 3 days and his fins are much improved. Should I keep him in there a little longer or do you think he is ready to go in his 5g?*


*Update: Chewie is in the 5g, swimming around like CRAZY! *


----------



## demonr6

*Voracious appetite*

Sometimes I think Max has a tape worm.. he is not interested some days, then days like today he is ready to pounce on anything that gets near the tank. I usually feed him three Attison Pro pellets first thing in the morning when I get into the office. On occasion I will throw in a f/d bloodworm or like today I brought in some frozen Daphnia and fed a little to him replacing the pellets. He will be fasting over the weekend so come Monday he is ready to eat a shoe if you throw it in there. I feel bad sometimes because he is picking around looking for something to eat. I am well aware that overfeeding can causing bloating and SBD, I have one at home that has been more or less incapacitated since December with this and the poor guy just won't recover. On to my quick question..

So how much is too much? Is three or four pellets once daily simply not enough for some or do you say enough you little vacuum cleaner and stop begging for more!!


----------



## BettasForever

I would say feed him no more than 5 pellets/a day.

How do I stop my betta addiction?
Haha JK! Here's the real one! (But if you have an answer to this one that would be greatly appreciated. )

Why does my 2 gal with airstone keep clouding up?! ANNOYING!


----------



## JKfish

Aluyasha, I'm not sure about that bump, if you haven't already, go make a thread in the D&E subsection.

Demon, it depends on the size of the pellets, but 2-3 twice daily is more than enough. Just be sure to soak before feeding. If you suspect parasites, get some anti-parastic food.


----------



## Kpoo97

My betta has the Ick and I bought some of the stuff to get rid of it.

How long does it take for it to start working?


----------



## Aluyasha

Well, you are supposed to use it for about 10 days for treatment and about 4 days after last spot went away to make sure it is gone.
Though, it also depends on how advanced the ich is.


----------



## Kpoo97

It's pretty bad. There are little white spots all over his body. Unfortunately, I can't provide a halfway decent picture because my camera isn't worth shizzzzzzzz.


----------



## Aluyasha

Also, it might help to increase the temp to about 82 degrees. This will help kill off some of them.
Good luck. I hope he makes it.


----------



## bahamut285

I recently got 3 Cherry Shrimp, I think they disappeared >.>............XD

I don't know if they're dead though because my Betta kind of...pretends to be a shrimp. I think he can see them and tries to imitate them. He swims across the floor and "eats" at the gravel :S...he comes up for air every now and then, resumes his regular swimming behaviour, then acts like a shrimp again >_>

I think they're just really good at hiding...but I'm still worried, I don't want to jiggle things around in the tank just to look for them because water changes and aqua-scaping stress my Betta out a lot.

Any ideas? LOL? I'm only actually concerned because of the toxins their corpses may produce...I don't want any ammonia spikes or what not.


----------



## Aluyasha

Besides hunting for them, I do not know what to suggest.
Shrimp are very good at hiding. And Cherry Shrimp are pretty hardy little guys.
Though, if you cannot find them, alive or dead, maybe your Betta ate them?


----------



## bahamut285

Aluyasha said:


> Besides hunting for them, I do not know what to suggest.
> Shrimp are very good at hiding. And Cherry Shrimp are pretty hardy little guys.
> Though, if you cannot find them, alive or dead, maybe your Betta ate them?


Bahahaha Yeah he might have eaten them...I don't mind, he gets a nice $12 delicacy, but I kind of miss Dick, Jason and Tim (cookie for the reference)


----------



## JKfish

Kpoo, if you slowly raise the temps up to 86* F and leave it at that for about 2 weeks, and keep up with larger and more frequent water changes, you'll be sure to get rid of the ich, plus it'd be a natural way. I'm not sure what meds you have. Follow the directions. Typically with meds you have to dose for 3 days after all the white spots are no longer visible


----------



## drg889

i got a question about temperature fluctuations. i know it isn't good, however, one of my tanks (1.5gal) is using 2 mini hydor pre-set heater (my room is almost always cold, anywhere from 50-60F). i've noticed when im not home, my room can get as low as 50F, making the tank go down to 70F. when i am home and turn on a space heater or something, it could go back up to 78F area. 

would this be bad for my CT? he's been healthy and happy since i got him at petsmart, makes bubble nests every few days. ill be getting him a new tank and adjustable heater in the future when i get the money, since my VT is doing great in his spacious 5gal tank.


----------



## Aluyasha

Yes that will harm him over time. He might not seem sick but it will slowly take a toll on his organs and lower his immune system. Get a new heater, quick.


----------



## Aluyasha

I have noticed on a few fish tank boxes that they call the air bubbler thing a filter. Is it really a filter or are they lying to get you to buy it?
And if I had a 3 gallon with a air bubbler thing, how often would I need to change the water?


----------



## Kpoo97

Jkfish, I wish I could, but I don't have an adjustable heater and the temp stays at a steady 75, even with all the lights on in my room. And we can't crank up the heat in our house because our AC unit is malfunctioning.

Also, I'm not in the budget for another heater. $15 is a bit expensive right now in this economy. :/


----------



## Aluyasha

@Kpoo97: You can use a heating pad. I have heard they work well.


----------



## Kpoo97

@Aluyasha I'll try that. May or may not work since my tank is so small (1 gal because even though I made my choice on a 2.5, my parents INSISTED I get the 1 gal, though it was technically more expensive because the 2.5 gal was $5 more expensive.)

And one more thing: Comet keeps jumping out of the water to get on TOP of the heater. Should I be concerned?


----------



## Aluyasha

Well, there is a chance he will jump out of the tank or get stuck on the heater and get burned. Is there any way to lower the heater into the water more or maybe closer to the lid so he cannot fit up there?


----------



## Kpoo97

The heater is already at its lowest point. I can't lower it any more.

And I have a lid with a VERY tiny feeding hole and it's on the opposit side of the heater, so I don't think he could get out. But I saw a little leaf thing that has a suction cup and it has a leaf attached to it so that a betta can rest on it. Can't remember the name of it, though. But we're going to Petsmart on Sunday for Mr. Frodo's training class. Maybe I could pick it up when I go.


----------



## Aluyasha

A Betta hammock? I heard Bettas love them.


----------



## Kpoo97

Sorry I'm not responding very well. I'm trying to help make dinner the best I can without burning anything. XD

So do you think I should get a betta hammock?


----------



## Canuck Fins

What kind of light do I need for the plants in my 5G (never wanting to cycle) tank? I know it's a K number but I can't find it on the big boards.


----------



## Dontpanic

Kpoo97 said:


> Sorry I'm not responding very well. I'm trying to help make dinner the best I can without burning anything. XD
> 
> So do you think I should get a betta hammock?


Actually, I've heard that there's usually a tip of metal on end of the stem of the leaf that isn't covered by plastic, so it rusts and causes a problem. Here's a DIY if you wanted to do it yourself really easily!


----------



## JKfish

Aluyasha said:


> I have noticed on a few fish tank boxes that they call the air bubbler thing a filter. Is it really a filter or are they lying to get you to buy it?
> And if I had a 3 gallon with a air bubbler thing, how often would I need to change the water?


Well, it depends, things like sponge filters are just bubblers inside a sponge. They work because water is drawn through the sponge as the air bubbles up from inside of it, or something like that. So, if there's even some small filter media along with the bubbler, techincally one could call it that. If you cycle the tank with that and have enough media to grow good bacteria, then only once a week should be fine...


----------



## drg889

My friend noticed that the suction cups on my heater have a weird jelly type thing growing on them. not sure what it is, is this normal?

it kind of looks like white/clear jelly on top of it, but its nowhere else. i do 25-40% water changes every other day and it's filtered. Also kept at a constant 78F.


----------



## BlackberryBetta

I have a question!!
Ok so lately I have been hearing a lot about the whole garlic thing. Like how do you give your bettas garlic. how long do you soak their pellets.


----------



## cjayBetta

*How often does one change the water in a filtered 5g tank?*


----------



## danifacetastic

I would say once or twice a week.


----------



## cjayBetta

A FULL water change?


----------



## danifacetastic

Just 50%. It's recommended to do 1 50% change a week on a ten gallon so I'd say probably twice a week for a 5 gallon.


----------



## cjayBetta

Kewl. I should be getting a second 5g soon to divide for my other 2 betta's so I just wanted to make sure I knew the proper way to care for it... Should I ever do 100% and also how often should I clean the filter?


----------



## briser

Do any of you own the Tetra 5.5g starter kit?? If so, does the whisper filter that comes with it work well?


----------



## BlackberryBetta

Thank for answering me question guys....:Z


----------



## Aluyasha

cjayBetta said:


> Kewl. I should be getting a second 5g soon to divide for my other 2 betta's so I just wanted to make sure I knew the proper way to care for it... Should I ever do 100% and also how often should I clean the filter?


 IMO I would not do 100% water changes because there are good bacteria in the tank that you risk killing.
As for the filter, only clean the filter if it has gunk on it and is preventing it from working well.
As for the filter cartridge, about once a month, I think it is, swish it around in some old tank water. Like when you siphon the tank, swish the cartridge around in that to get off some of the gunk. Doing it that way will ensure you keep the good bacteria.


----------



## cjayBetta

What is siphoning? Sucking junk out of the gravel?


----------



## Aluyasha

briser said:


> Do any of you own the Tetra 5.5g starter kit?? If so, does the whisper filter that comes with it work well?


 Are you talking about the Whisper internal filter made for 5-15 gallons? If so, I have that filter and it works quite well. Very quiet. Though you might have to baffle it.


----------



## Aluyasha

cjayBetta said:


> What is siphoning? Sucking junk out of the gravel?


 A siphoner is the fish tank vaccum thing. Yes, it is used to suck out the poop and uneaten food in the gravel.


----------



## BlackberryBetta

Are you kidding me? Can somebody help me?


----------



## Aluyasha

BlackberryBetta said:


> I have a question!!
> Ok so lately I have been hearing a lot about the whole garlic thing. Like how do you give your bettas garlic. how long do you soak their pellets.


 Find some garlic juice, and before feeding your Bettas, soak the pellets in the garlic juice for about, say, 10-15 minutes.
That way, you can feed them garlic and their pellets are soft so they are easier to eat and you do not risk the pellet expanding in their stomaches and possibly causing bloat.


----------



## cjayBetta

repost ur question... i assume it got lost.


----------



## JKfish

drg889 said:


> My friend noticed that the suction cups on my heater have a weird jelly type thing growing on them. not sure what it is, is this normal?
> 
> it kind of looks like white/clear jelly on top of it, but its nowhere else. i do 25-40% water changes every other day and it's filtered. Also kept at a constant 78F.


Don't worry about it, that seems to happen all the time with my heaters. It shouldn't hurt anything, but if you want to, just wipe it off 

BlackBerryBetta, no need to get impatient.  these are quick questions, but they just so happen to be a bit too quick. If your question gets burried, just wait about a day for a reply and if no one answers, repost it. 

to answer your question, just soak your pellets completely in garlic juice before feeding. Make sure the garlic juice (if store bought) is additive and preservative free. You don't want to risk having one of those additives or preservatives being something that could hurt your betta, so read the ingredients.


----------



## briser

Aluyasha said:


> Are you talking about the Whisper internal filter made for 5-15 gallons? If so, I have that filter and it works quite well. Very quiet. Though you might have to baffle it.


Thank you for the info!! I wanted to make sure it would be worth the purchase!



Another question: How often should betta poop?? Mine hasn't pooped since before I changed his water yesterday morning and I'm getting kinda worried.


----------



## JKfish

they should technically poo about twice a day since you feed them twice a day. However, I rarely see my bettas poop, it's only when they're in qt tanks without any gravel that I actually see what they do. So long as he isn't looking bloated or sick, he's probably fine


----------



## VTAb182

Instead of using a full on hood to keep the air above the water warm and moist, would using a glass lid covering 3/4 or so of the top serve the same purpose? So there is still some air flow but some of the air is also trapped


----------



## NightxFury

*Question:* One of my fish looks like he has a chunk missing out of his lip. He's eating fine, seems to be doing some exploring and is generally pretty happy, I'm just worried it might get infected or not heal. I've been doing regular water changes, but I'm running to the pet store soon to hopefully pick up some aquarium salt, as one of my babies has some serious fraying on his fins and I was told that would help.

Will the salt also help the one with the lip issue?


----------



## bloo97

Do you have a pic?

I just realized how succesful this thread is. Maybe it could be a sticky? *Cough Cough*

lol


----------



## NightxFury

If that was directed at me, unfortunately I don't. : ( My camera is really bad/blurry and so even if I _did _take one, you wouldn't be able to see anything. The area looks white with some red around it though.

Also, the one with the frayed fins seems to be really anxious and hasn't eaten (I got him on Friday). I know bettas can go a while without eating, but I was curious if maybe getting his fins back to par might help his anxiety?


----------



## bloo97

Hmm. Does it look like a hole in his mouth? Lucky has something like that.


----------



## VTAb182

If the pic question was for me, yes I can get one. Let me know if it was!


----------



## NightxFury

Kinda, yeah. It's hard to describe. I just took another look at him and while I was changing his water it looked really red, but now that he's in fresh water it looks like it's gone back to a more mellow pink. That makes me think it might be an open wound...


----------



## JKfish

NightXFury. Lol, to start, I love your username :3 . to answer your question, super clean and warm water will do the trick. Salt will probably help as well. The red sounds like irriataion from say ammonia. how big is your tank, is it heated, and what is your feeding schedule and water change schedule like?

Same goes for your fish with frayed fins. It sounds like he might be a tail biter, since finrot typically slowly errodes all of the tail, and tail biters often bite around the rays. If he is a tail biter, you can heal his tail as said above, but he might bite it again if he's bored, stressed, or whatever it is that's got him biting.

VTAB: yes, glass would do fine, there are some people who have tops similar to how you described.


----------



## NightxFury

Ah, thanks. I'm a huge HTTYD dork, so, yeah...

I've been keeping an eye on him and I haven't seen him biting, at least. I originally thought it was fin rot (he's a pet store fish), but it doesn't look like that, just some holes in his fins. I imagine from the poor water conditions. : ( He's an anxious little thing though, and terrified of my finger/hand/arm so he's afraid of the feeding cues I use with the other two. I also don't want to leave the food in there too long...

Well, I suppose we'll see how the Aquarium Salt works out for the two of them. Is there any harm in adding it to a tank where the fish don't seem to have any problems? As long as you do regular water changes?


----------



## JKfish

Well, IMO, you shouldn't use it unless there is an issue. Prolonged use can eventually hurt a betta's organs, and at the same time make all the bad stuff that is in your tank more resistant to salt, which sucks when trying to heal a fish naturally.


----------



## NightxFury

Gotcha. Trublion, my original betta, doesn't seem to have any issues except that the edges of his fins curl a little. But they don't cause him any trouble and it looks fine when he flares. He's also really active, so maybe he'll just go without.

Thanks for all your help! : )


----------



## JKfish

no problem  curling fins typically happen when water quality is bad, like in the cups in most LFS, but they're not really an issue, some curled fins even uncurl after a while in good clean water.


----------



## Iziezi

Quick Question: Can the blue water in the little cups stain a Betta's fins? I just got Penfold earlier today, and have been acclimitizing him to his new habitat, and as I'm slowly replacing the blue water with clear water, I'm noticing a definite bluish tint to his fins. Just wondered if that was from the water, or if his fins are actually that color (it's kind of pretty). Thank you! =) :thankyou:


----------



## NightxFury

Oh good! Trublion was kept in some abysmal conditions for a while (he was friend's fish), but I've recently moved him to a bigger bowl (though it's still only about 1 gal) and do daily water changes. Hopefully they'll start uncurling. :'3

Thanks again for all your help!


----------



## Canuck Fins

After all the questions and worry about trying to cycle (and a few days of ignoring the tank except for adding a sponge to baffle the current coming out of the filter), tonight my tests picked up nitrites (5.0) and nitrates (10.0) while ammonia wasn't coming up at all. Yay! So here's my question. Am I now waiting for the nitrites to drop to zero and nitrates to drop under 5/stay at low for 3 days? Should I test daily now? I've been waiting forever for something other than ammonia and I'm suddenly not sure what comes next. LOL!


----------



## BettaHeart

What are banana worms and how are they "created" lol dumb but its better to ask now then never


----------



## bloo97

Does anyone know where I can get a 10 gallon cheap? (under $40) No Craigslist!!


----------



## danifacetastic

They have 10 gallons sets at Walmart FOR $40.


----------



## JKfish

Canuck Fins said:


> After all the questions and worry about trying to cycle (and a few days of ignoring the tank except for adding a sponge to baffle the current coming out of the filter), tonight my tests picked up nitrites (5.0) and nitrates (10.0) while ammonia wasn't coming up at all. Yay! So here's my question. Am I now waiting for the nitrites to drop to zero and nitrates to drop under 5/stay at low for 3 days? Should I test daily now? I've been waiting forever for something other than ammonia and I'm suddenly not sure what comes next. LOL!


that's awesome~ you'll definately want to wait until you have 0 nitrites. Testing every day would be good  . Once it's completely cycled for a few days and there are no more nitrites showing up, do a large water change to clean the nitrates out and add your fish~

betta heart: banana worms are itty bitty little worm like creatures used to feed betta fry. Lol, they're cultured by adding a starter culture of bannana worms to a media like oatmeal inside of a tub and letting it sit for a while (during this time they reproduce and grow, making the culture larger). once their numbers are large enough, you can start feeding.


----------



## BettaHeart

I just bought a hornwort and was going to place it in my 10gal, the lady at petland said i didnt have to anchor it, i am also concerned about how it would effect the already established environment of the tank, do i need to be concerned?


----------



## JKfish

I say rinse it well before adding, and then toss it in. There's no need to anchor it, hornwort actualy does better floating. Hornwort tends to shed it's needles, which if allowed to sit and rot could cause a rise in ammonia. However, if you're on top of removing the fallen needles, it'll be fine. It grows really fast in the right conditions, so if it grows for you, it'll help remove ammonia (though that obviously doesn't excuse you from water changes  )


----------



## BettaHeart

JKfish said:


> I say rinse it well before adding, and then toss it in. There's no need to anchor it, hornwort actualy does better floating. Hornwort tends to shed it's needles, which if allowed to sit and rot could cause a rise in ammonia. However, if you're on top of removing the fallen needles, it'll be fine. It grows really fast in the right conditions, so if it grows for you, it'll help remove ammonia (though that obviously doesn't excuse you from water changes  )



great! thanks alot


----------



## bloo97

bloo97 said:


> Does anyone know where I can get a 10 gallon cheap? (under $40) No Craigslist!!


Awesome thanks.


----------



## drg889

One of my bettas (crowntail) has recently become very lethargic and i can't seem to tell why, i'm assuming maybe stress?

it just started yesterday when i swapped his (2) mini hydor heaters for an adjustable one (since my room is very cold the tank would fluctuate). so his 1.5gal tank now settles at a 80F. i usually do 25-40% water changes every 2-3 days and it is also filtered/conditioned. 

his tail still has the same color, but they are clumped together and somewhat limping (for a lack of a better word). he is also somewhat more pale on his body. not sure what it could be :/


----------



## Aluyasha

What was his temp before the new heater? Could be temp shock.


----------



## JKfish

Drg, in a 1.5 gallon tank, you honestly should be doing 2-3 50% water changes and one 100% water changes a week to keep ammonia down. He's got clamped fins probably from stress or something.


----------



## drg889

it was in the mid 70s. but before hand, it used to fluctuate anywhere from 1-7 degrees because the previous heater(s) were pre-set and pretty much fluctuated a couple degrees when my room became warmer/colder.


----------



## Aluyasha

Sounds like either the change in temp. Or, like JKFish said, you need to change the water more often.


----------



## Canuck Fins

My nitrates and nitrites were both one colour lower than they were on the previous night's tests. I haven't changed anything in the tank. I know my tank is close to be cycled. Do nitrates usually drops a bit as nitrites go down?

And when the nitrites hit zero, do a full water change, test for 3 days to make sure it's stable, then take out the shrimp and add the fish? Do I have that right?


----------



## JKfish

Well, your tank does have plants in it, so it's very possible they're using the nitrates up. You have everything correct  I don't do a whole 100% water change, maybe a 75% or so, then another 50% after the 3 days of watching the stability. That was enough to lower the nitrates to a suitable level (a bit below 10ppms), though it might be different with your tank.


----------



## briser

I know fish get stressed when you put them in new tanks, but will they get stressed if you move their tank to a new spot? Ex: My current fish tank is on my dresser but I would like to move it to another dresser across the room. Will he be upset by the new things surrounding his tank?


----------



## JKfish

probably not, and even if he is, I'm sure he'll get over it. Bettas are very hardy fish, and such a small change probably won't phase him.


----------



## c4talys7

Just wondering...

I'm cycling a 14gal tank and I had my ammonia and nitrite spikes and the nitrates are of course rising. 

My last readings (as of yesterday)
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrites:0.0ppm
Nitrates:80ppm

My highest readings (throughout the cycle)
Ammonia: WAY above the chart. The forest green turned dark blue. That's how much was in there.
Nitrites: 5.0ppm and above (hard to tell with that shade...)
Nitrates:80ppm
Now I'm just wondering if everything spiked and came back down why I still have ammonia. There are no fish in the tank and I am cycling with shrimp. I'm kinda wondering what to do next. Should I just wait or would it be okay to do a 90% water change and introduce my fish?

I started a thread about this but the person that answered kinda confused me. They said to do like a 50% water change but I was also told that you shouldn't change the water when you're cycling. Just hoping for some feed back. Thanks!


----------



## briser

Question: I've had my tank running for about two hours with the heater.. It started out at 60* and is now at around 73* when it reaches the right temp (78* ish) is it okay to put my fish in (letting it float and adjust in a cup or whatever). Or should I wait until tomorrow?


----------



## JKfish

C4talys7: well, of course you can do a water change in cycling tanks, the benificial bacteria is not in the water... hence the reason we can do water changes in cycled tanks with fish in them  I'm not sure about that ammonia spike, just keep watching the tank and see what happens.

Briser: once it's heated, slowly acclimate your betta to the temp, it should take about 15 minutes for him to acclimate to the temp. If you just bought him, acclimate him to your water as well.


----------



## c4talys7

Ok thanks! So if I do the water change and the ammonia spike some how goes away and nothing else goes up (save for the nitrates) would is be okay to add fish if it is stable for a couple says?


----------



## c4talys7

Oh and one more thing, should I take my shrimp out or wait to see if it is stable?


----------



## Nepale

Is it okay for me to smoke in the same room with the fish?He has a small lid but I don't want to poison his precious air?
It might be a stupid question but I was just wondering.
Im not a chimney. 2-3 cigs a day.


----------



## Nepale

Okay and I have another one,I put a new plant in his tank (actually two new plants,silk ones-pink and green) one of them is floating a little bit on the surface.
BUT he swims around and he's trying to look threatening . You know the whole peacock showing off,then he swims away and he's doing it again. Im wondering if it's because of my face or one of the new plants makes him think he's not the alpha anymore.
There's no mirror or anything. Have you seen something like that?
Ok I came to the conclusion he sees his reflection somehow,so I changed the position of the lamp. For a second I thought it's my face that bugs him that much so I hid behind the shelves and waited to see if he's peacocking again. Stupid yes. I laughed a little bit. But I took some nice video clips and pictures of him.


----------



## JKfish

Catalyst: I say wait and see if it will stay stable with the shrimp in, but if you want, you can take the shrimp out.

Nepale: hmm, that's a good question... Do what you think is best, I don't think it would hurt him, but you never know. 

'peacocking' is called flaring  . Sometimes when there is a light directly over the tank but the rest of the room is dark or the tank is in a dim corner, the sides of the tank will becomes mildly reflective, so if that's the case, just keep his tank in a slightly better lit room. If it's not that, then it might be the plants... just see how he does, and if he doesn't settle down, take out the plants and see if he calms down.


----------



## c4talys7

Ok thanks! I just changed the water and left the shrimp in just in-case. No harm in seeing if anything went wrong.


----------



## JaspersANGEL

Quick I'm changing my new guy Bypass' tank and since he has long flowy fin's I dedcided to put a cut up pair of stocking's over the filter intake since his fin's are starting to get ragged.

Well that cut up peice of panty hose has leaked dye onto the sponges in the filter, is it harnful to my fish?
should I changes all the sponge's?
And throw the pice of stockinjg out, just use a white pair..since the one I have now is black?


----------



## JKfish

I would do a giant water change, change the sponges, and use different pantyhose. I don't know what the ink is made of, but chances are it won't be good for fish.


----------



## JaspersANGEL

ok thankx alot


----------



## JaspersANGEL

Again thankx alot, I just finished all my fishie's water change's and on Bypass' tank I changed all the sponges and for the filter intake tube I played around and did a sponge cover for it.

I'm so happy, I've been dreaming about that idea since I saw a member that did that oh his filter intake.


----------



## tsoto80

How long does the female carry eggs before she drops them?


----------



## JKfish

when they don't breed, females will either drop their eggs, or absorb them, so there is a chance that a female that never breeds will never drop any eggs in her life.


----------



## NEWBEE FISH

Do Moss Balls spread there moss? or in other words Will algae grow in differnt spots of my tank due to a moss ball being in the tank


----------



## JKfish

If you mean marimo balls, then no. They clump, so as they grow, all you would see is the marimo ball getting bigger.

Extra algae growth would be to different factors like too much ammonia, phosphates, nitrates and nitrites, etc. Or too much light being on too lomg


----------



## Canuck Fins

I've got a bit of brown algae on my plants in my tank. (I think in part because I had the blinds open by the tank not realizing sunlight hitting the tank would affect it.) Will this matter to my plants? (Nitrites haven't dropped to zero yet. Nitrates were high last I checked. About to go check on my cycle now.)


----------



## JKfish

I don't think so. Once your tank is ready, and more stable, it should go away.


----------



## NEWBEE FISH

What if i had cut the marimo ball in half and flatten it to make it look like grass in my tank... the algae looked like it was growing on marimo and spread to on the gravel and one other plant that i had next to it


----------



## Canuck Fins

Well, I just tested my tank. Ammonia and nitrites are at zero. Nitrates are at 20. But yes, there is brown algae (or what looks like it) on a few of my plants. WohooO!

I think now full water change and watch to see consistent levels for a few days. Do I need to leave the dead shrimp in there to feed the bacteria for now? And do I do another water change before I get my fish?


----------



## Canuck Fins

Okay, no, I've got that wrong. Watch it and only do the water change after a few days consistent. When do I take the shrimp out relative to when my fish goes in?


----------



## JKfish

Woo, that's awesome! After a few days of constant params, take the shrimp out and do a massive water change. After that, if you want, you could go ahead and plop your betta in there. Though, you could wait for a bit if you wanted to.The bacteria should be fine for a day to three before you introduce your betta.


----------



## tsoto80

I purchased a window screen that I wanted to use to make a divider from. It is made out of fiberglass. Is it safe to use in the tank? I also got plastic poster holders to use for sides so no metal is going into the tank.


----------



## JKfish

I have no idea if its safe in a tank or not... but that's a cool idea.


----------



## BettaHeart

I was wondering how far can betta fry see? lol funny but im just curious


----------



## gmd1800

Does anyone know anything about strobe lights? My residence hall hasn't had a fire alarm since the triple (we had three fire alarms in six hours in one night. Same person started all three alarms), but we got our microwaves back. It's unlikely this time of the year, but in the case that a fire alarm happens, would Octavius be okay with a strobe light flashing in a dark room for approximately 45 minutes to an hour for an accident, and more if there's an actual fire or if someone set off firecrackers?

Or would it be better to cover his tank with a jacket if that happens?


----------



## DeadMemories92

I have an algae-like substance growing on my new plant bulb. Is this dangerous or normal?


----------



## JKfish

bettaheart: well, I have no idea. I'm guessing it improves as they grow.

GMD: I guess he's fine, though you could cover it if you feel it'd stress him.

Deadmemories: describe it please. If it's white and mold like, just wipe it off. If it's brown or green and sludge like, it should be fine so long as the plant is actually growing.


----------



## JaspersANGEL

Can Betta's live in a tank with just decoration's and hide's..no plant's?

It's a test I wanna do, Bypass is still ending up with a shredded tail. I covered the filter outake and intake, now I'm thinking of taking out his plant's for a week to see. 
He has silk plant's but the stem's are plastic, and he like's to swim throught them..so maybe they are the culprit.


----------



## JKfish

Of course they can. Of course, he may miss them, but he certainly won't die without them. If it's not the plants, you might want to try and see if it is tail biting.


----------



## gmd1800

Another quick question! My new tank for my new unnamed female has a filter. There are a lot of bubbles along the top - I'm thinking the current is a bit strong. Should I consider fitting a sponge in the mouth?


----------



## JaspersANGEL

ok thankx


----------



## DeadMemories92

JK - it's green/slimy. Thanks!


----------



## BettaHeart

JKfish said:


> bettaheart: well, I have no idea. I'm guessing it improves as they grow.


 Thanks 
 i guess it really came up because i've been reading up on fetal development and was curious :lol:


----------



## gmd1800

Octavius ("Octo") is a male butterfly DeT. When I got him, his fins were completely edged in white. However, they're starting to look more splotched. Right before I left for Toronto yesterday morning, I thought he had finrot. I came back today and immediately inspected him. His splotches are all blue. Is it possible that my boy is a marble? His color has changed from blue-green to more blue, and now his fins are turning blue as well. Otherwise he seems happy and is building bubble nests and eating everything in sight.


----------



## Aluyasha

Alot of Bettas are marbles without us even knowing it. Also, it is common for a Betta's fins, if torn, to grow back as different colours. 

I had a Betta once, completely blue except for one tiny red spot. He ended up having a solid black body. Two completely red fins and the rest of him completely blue.


----------



## gmd1800

Alright - that's a relief! I was looking up pictures of fin rot and trying to figure out if he looked like he had it. 

My boyfriend says he looks more purple now. Since I'm slightly colorblind, I'm starting to believe him. I'll have to take pictures!


----------



## Aluyasha

Yes, pictures!


----------



## Canuck Fins

I didn't get to the fish store but should get there on Friday late afternoon or Saturday morning. Tank is 5G/heated/just cycled, shrimp still in. If I do my pre-fish water change now, do I pull the shrimp now or wait until I have the fish and pull it out while my fish is floating/not yet into the tank water/getting acclimatized? I don't want to kill my cycle now that I have one? (And I want to do the water change becasue I htink my plants look like hell with brown algae on them.)


----------



## JKfish

go ahead and toss the shrimp  Your cycle will be fine a day or so, especially since you've got live plants. If you want, you can leave it in there until you get your fish (when you do, you know pics are necessary  ). Then you can remove it and do one more small water change before acclimating.


----------



## JaspersANGEL

Ok well my one week experiment with Bypass is almost over, by Monday he will have his plant's back.

His tail has some growth coming in on it and guess what the filter intake has not been covered all week, I'm about to do a water change..in his new water should I add some salt to help the growth along?

And as for putting back his plant's..should I get him real plant's instead?
Oh forgot to add... and if so what are low light easy plant's...


----------



## JKfish

1/2 to 1 tsp of aq or epsom salt per gallon for a week should be good enough.

Anubias, java fern, and java moss are all good.


----------



## JaspersANGEL

So u mean another week of no plant's....

Cause I heard plant's do not do well in salt.


----------



## JKfish

Aquarium salt can be substituted by epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) which works just like aquarium salt, but it doesn't kill plants (it's actually a good fertilizer while in use). If you don't want to use any salt at all, that's fine, clean water will do the trick as well.


----------



## JaspersANGEL

Ya maybe just the clean water, cause he has other issues..unless u say that he will be ok with salt..but I already have one Betta..Tex..he does not tolerate salt too well.

Bypass is prone to bloat, something is up with his stomach. He spent two day's with two case's of SBD..will he be ok with AQ salt?


----------



## JKfish

hmm, if you can get epsom salt (grocery stores sell it), then use that. It also acts as a slight laxative, so it's good with sbd


----------



## JaspersANGEL

Do they sell small pack's of it?


----------



## Arashi Takamine

Which food is better? Hikari Betta Bio Gold or Bettamin?


----------



## JKfish

i don't know, but it shouldn't be that expensive. I have a decent ammount with my fish supplies, IMO it's good to keep around.

Arashi, I have no idea. Look at the ingredients. The first two should be seafood or some form of protien. then look at the precentage of protien, it should be at least 40%. Aside from that, it's a matter of preference and price.


----------



## JaspersANGEL

O ok!


----------



## Arashi Takamine

JKfish said:


> i don't know, but it shouldn't be that expensive. I have a decent ammount with my fish supplies, IMO it's good to keep around.
> 
> Arashi, I have no idea. Look at the ingredients. The first two should be seafood or some form of protien. then look at the precentage of protien, it should be at least 40%. Aside from that, it's a matter of preference and price.


Okay thanks. I'll be checking that carefully.


----------



## Canuck Fins

JKfish said:


> (when you do, you know pics are necessary  )


Pictures are up! 
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?p=610049#post610049

How soon will I need to do a water change? 
(5G/filtered/cycled/78*/Prime/live plants/gravel)


----------



## JKfish

keep testing water parameters for a few weeks until you can see a pattern. With live plants, probably only something like 25% a week, though you never know.


----------



## Canuck Fins

Okay, at the risk of looking paranoid I'm going to ask. My fish was pretty active this morning. I fed him for the first time (flakes because that's what the fish store had, but will go to the other store to get pellets). That was fine. The last while he's been sitting near the bottom of the tank. He has moved spots a couple of times, but he's not active. Flakes do have fish as first ingredients. (I did test water parameters last night just to get initial reading adn they were fine.) Is he just acclimatizing still to the new space?


----------



## JKfish

He might still be getting used to his home, don't worry about it. However, you are the one who is actually there with him, so also follow your gut.


----------



## Lion Mom

I notice with mine that they seem to "nap" (if you want to call it that) in the afternoon and aren't nearly as active mid-day. Maybe it's just my "kids", but......


----------



## Canuck Fins

Thanks for the answers both of you. I've turned off his light for a little while in case it's just him acclimatizing. I don't want to stress him out.


----------



## bahamut285

Hello~

I have two questions out of curiosity:

1) If your tank has a light, how long are you supposed to turn it on per day?

2) All water conditioners have a dosage, is it bad to put too much? Is it (probably) bad to put too little?


----------



## Canuck Fins

Well, my fish was dead in his castle this morning. I don't know why he died. I checked the tank last night and parameters were good (ammonia and nitrites at zero, nitrates at 5). Temp has been in the happy zone. He didn't have any visible fungus. All I know is he was really active Saturday and Sunday he was hanging out a lot at the bottom of the tank, but would come up occasionally. He never had any stress stripes or anything. I'm quite upset.

Question: Can I get another fish and put it in or do I need to clean the tank?


----------



## JKfish

bahamut: 9-10 hours is fine, though sometimes I'll go up to 12 hours. I don't think over dosing is bad... unless you dump in the whole entire bottle. Underdosing is probably worse.

Canuck: It sounds like he was sick instead of adjusting. As for cleaning it, I can only think of one possible way to sort of clean it without having to break up the tank and recycle. Try dosing the tank with 3 tsps on epsom salt (per gallon) for 5 or so days, hopefully that will kill off any bugs. Of course, that is just me assuming that since you can dose fish with salt to rid them of illnesses, then surely you can dose a tank with salt to rid it of illnesses as well. Maybe go ask OFL about this.


----------



## Canuck Fins

I did post a thread in the tank section here with more information on the tank. I did test all the parameters after I pulled Scout out. The thought of having to re-cycle is disappointing since it took 3 months to get it to cycle in the first place and the fish died in 2 days.


----------



## bahamut285

@JK Thanks for your response! I'll try to keep an eye on the light, because I have a timer on my goldfish tank so I don't do anything except adjusting for DST when it happens, and resetting it when there is a power outage.

As for the dosage, I was only wondering because after I was done changing my goldfish tank, I was measuring carefully and my brother decided to scare the living daylights out of me while I was pouring, so I put in about 3-5x normal dosage....I did a 10% water change just in case though X_X

@Canuck: Sorry for your loss, that happened too with my first betta, he died in 11 days even though I kept up with water changes for the un-cycle-able 2G tank  *big hugs*


----------



## Canuck Fins

JKfish, I emailed OFL and got her advice. I'm going to do 50% changes for a few days, a gravel vacuum following that and then try another fish. Hopefully what Scout had wasn't contagious and pathogens usually don't survive beyond 72 hours without a fish. 

Thanks, bahamut.


----------



## Lion Mom

I'm so sorry about Scout!  

Dead in two days makes me think something was wrong with him when you got him.


----------



## NikiandBeyond

I'm reeeally wanting to get some floating live plants for my tank. I really like the look of frogit. 

Unfortunately I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/Marina-Mermaid-Aquarium-Gallon-Glass/dp/B0010WH2YE and it seems there's no real way to add an aquarium light. 

I would think that floating plants especially need lights, no? Is there anything I can do/get, short of getting a different tank?


----------



## JKfish

hmm, if possible, try to remove the top and put the tank under a desk lamp with a fluorescent light.


----------



## NikiandBeyond

I feel like smacking myself in the forehead. Haha. Thanks!


----------



## JKfish

No problem  Just make sure that you keep the water level an inch or two lower than the top to prevent jumping.


----------



## gmd1800

How can I tell if I'm overfeeding or underfeeding my fish? It only takes me a second to spot if a horse or a dog is underweight or overweight, but I can't exactly count ribs in a fish.


----------



## Malvolti

The two ways I use are kind of tricky and require you to have seen health bettas. Look through the albums around here for that.

For overfeeding look at the belly (base of the head area) if it is big and round the fish is bloated from either overfeeding or parasites.

For underfeeding I look at the body. If it is drastically smaller than the head and not a nice gradual taper then it is probably starving.


----------



## gmd1800

I have a female betta - how do I know she's just eggy and not bloated? I'm pretty sure she's eggy right now, since she gets the exact same amount of food as my male and he's in very good condition.


----------



## JKfish

Eggy girls are not bloated, rather, they look healthy. Just make sure she looks plump and sleek, not bulbously (sp?) bloated in some areas.


----------



## Arashi Takamine

Do Betta's sometimes swim only using their pecteral fins instead of their tails and fins? Kaida's done this a couple of times and he's worrying me because it looked like a struggle.


----------



## cjayBetta

Sometimes Windu does that because his fins are so long... almost looks as if he is vibrating.


----------



## Ariel1719

Hi guys, quick question here. Ive been cycling my tank now for a week and a half (i think) and all the parameters are Ammonia- 0, PH 7.5 and nitrates 0. Im just wondering if i can start adding fish now? Is the cycle completed now?


----------



## JKfish

Nope.

You have to check for nitrites, which are quite possibly the worst of the toxins.

A fully cycled tank has 0 ammonia, 0 nitrItes, and visible nitrAtes.


----------



## gmd1800

Do bettas eat daphnia? In a couple of weeks, I'll have about 600 _D. pulcaria_ with the fate of being poured down the drain. I talked to my research mentor and she said I could take them home and see if my betta would eat them. 

My primary concern is that we make our own water (synthetic fresh water) from a variety of elements. Would they harm my betta if eaten? And in the event that the bettas don't eat the Daphnia, would they harm my betta physically or just go on reproducing?


----------



## JKfish

bettas can eat them. So long as the water they grew up in wasn't something like poison, it should be fine. And if your betta doesn't want to eat them, just remove the few you offered and toss


----------



## gmd1800

Awesome - thanks! I'll feel better that my betta got some entertainment out of them instead of tossing the daphnia down the drain. I know they barely have any nerve endings, but I still feel bad about doing that every time.


----------



## Canuck Fins

I got a new fish (which I will post photos of later today, think I got a shot finally). He went in on Thursday night. I tested the tank last night and everything looks good. I'm planning to test daily to make sure parameters stay happy. On a 5G/cycled/heated/planted tank, what should I expect to need to do for water changes? Is it likely to be 30% once a week or more frequently than that?


----------



## bahamut285

I have a question about cleaning a 2-2.5G acrylic tank. Can you pour boiling water into it? Or can it only be hot tap water?

I'm afraid that the boiling water would release plastic toxins into the water (because it's a fairly old tank, about 6-7 years old now)


----------



## JKfish

canuck: Yay for a new boy! 30% sounds good, though keep an eye on the parameters.

Bahamut: you can clean it with a water/vinegar solution. Just make sure to rinse out really, really well with hot water.


----------



## Canuck Fins

JKfish said:


> canuck: Yay for a new boy! 30% sounds good, though keep an eye on the parameters.


Thanks, JK! Pics are up too. http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=65093


----------



## bahamut285

@JK: Thanks for your response...sadly I don't have any vinegar, I usually just use 2x dose aquarium salt, leave it until the hot water cools to room temperature, then rinse with hot water from the tap.

I guess boiling water is a no?


----------



## JKfish

definately a no. If you don't have vinegar, you can substitute with bleach


----------



## briser

How much/often should I do water changes in my 5.5 ?


----------



## Canuck Fins

briser said:


> How much/often should I do water changes in my 5.5 ?


Is your tank filtered, cycled or have live plants?


----------



## briser

Canuck Fins said:


> Is your tank filtered, cycled or have live plants?


It's filtered, not cycled and no live plants.


----------



## bahamut285

JKfish said:


> definately a no. If you don't have vinegar, you can substitute with bleach


Okay thanks~

I keep getting different info about using bleach though, haha...some people are like: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO *puches bleach bottle out the window*"

Meanwhile other fish-parents are OK with it @[email protected]

I already bleached it before (I used a little little bit diluted strongly with water), so we'll see how that goes.

I'm going to try to smuggle a female into my house before my brother notices XD


----------



## JKfish

Briser: if you only have one betta in there, go ahead and do a fish-in cycle. gravel vacc out 50% water changes a week. Make sure your filter is running constantly.

Bahamut, bleach is perfectly fine. I use it to disinfect tanks after deaths. Just rinse SUPER well.


----------



## bahamut285

@JKfish: Alright, going to rinse rinse rinse


----------



## bahamut285

Question about females....I don't know if it's just my lps, but all the females are always this brown dirt colour. I saw one cambodian female ONCE but other than her...

Do they produce colours when brought to a loving home? I hated how the lady at the store said: "Oh females aren't as pretty, they're usually brown or dull coloured"


----------



## BettaHeart

bahamut285 said:


> Question about females....I don't know if it's just my lps, but all the females are always this brown dirt colour. I saw one cambodian female ONCE but other than her...
> 
> Do they produce colours when brought to a loving home? I hated how the lady at the store said: "Oh females aren't as pretty, they're usually brown or dull coloured"



They will show their true colors once they are in a better environment
I have four pk females and two hm females, the pk's came from the lps
and were brownish with horizontal stripes except for one, now two are blue-ish with a touch of red, two are light bodied one with light blue fins the other with red and little black lips lol


----------



## NikiandBeyond

From what I now understand, my betta has turned out to be a rosetail. His fins were short when we got him (possibly had fin rot), so this is the first time they're growing out to their potential. He was labelled as a half moon, and at the time, I didn't know there was such a thing as a rosetail.

With this new information, I did some research, and apparently rosetails are more vulnerable to _collapsing fins_. I don't understand what that means. How bad is it? I couldn't find any images to try and get a better understanding. Has anyone experienced this? Is there anything I can do to prevent it? What about if it happens?


----------



## Aluyasha

I have a question about water changes.
How many and how much water changes would I have to do for a 2.5 gallon with no filter?


----------



## Lion Mom

Aluyasha said:


> I have a question about water changes.
> How many and how much water changes would I have to do for a 2.5 gallon with no filter?


With no filter - one 50% a week and one 100% a week should do it.


----------



## JaspersANGEL

Question: Is a divided tank hard to maintain?
Like how are the water change's?

I wonder if a divided tank is for me, I have barely time to do water change's on the one's I have now, and I am the queen of procrastinator's.


----------



## Canuck Fins

When I do a water change (cycled tank), do I need to rinse the sponge I use to baffle the filter in the old tank water? I know it has diatoms on the surface.


----------



## bahamut285

@BettaHeart, those are the cutest girls I've ever seen!! They look so delicate and ladylike XD! I'm glad they colored up, looks like the girl I choose will have a random colour!! How exciting~ Just got to do a little more research then I'll go find a cute girl <3


----------



## Stardancer

I know you don't _need _a filter for a small tank (my female, Azura, lives solo in a 1.75), but I feel like I can always see bits of film on the surface or floating in the water, so I'd like to get a small filter.

Challenges: The tank is tiny, so what kind of filter is both small enough for a 1.75 gal. and quality enough to work?

Also, the tank is one of those Marineland goldfish kits (don't ask; the original setup was a rescue) and I'm not sure I can fit a conventional filter in. Thoughts?


----------



## Lion Mom

Canuck Fins said:


> When I do a water change (cycled tank), do I need to rinse the sponge I use to baffle the filter in the old tank water? I know it has diatoms on the surface.


I treat my baffling sponges the same way I treat the sponges in the filter (I don't use the carbon cartridges). Rinse them out in the used tank water once or twice a month - more if needed.


----------



## Lion Mom

Stardancer said:


> I know you don't _need _a filter for a small tank (my female, Azura, lives solo in a 1.75), but I feel like I can always see bits of film on the surface or floating in the water, so I'd like to get a small filter.
> 
> Challenges: The tank is tiny, so what kind of filter is both small enough for a 1.75 gal. and quality enough to work?
> 
> Also, the tank is one of those Marineland goldfish kits (don't ask; the original setup was a rescue) and I'm not sure I can fit a conventional filter in. Thoughts?


I have several of these filters from this seller on Ebay & they work very well, IMO:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...032000&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_2607wt_781

Adjustable & you can use them standing up OR laying down. :-D I don't use all the aerating stuff that comes with, but it's there if ya want it.


----------



## JKfish

Jasper's Angel: If it's cycled, water changes depend on the size of the tank and how many fish you have in there. A cycled divided 10 gallon with two bettas in it might need about 30-40% a week changed.

NikiandBeyond: As far as I know collapsing fins just means they have a bit of a harder time flaring to their full potential, so when they flare, they still look a bit droopy. However, that shouldn't threaten his actual health.


----------



## JaspersANGEL

My plan is to divide it with sealant this time so the divider is permanent, and put two lil' girl's in the 5g. divided, so each girl has 2.5g..

Are girl's able to live in a divided tank?
Like will it stress them out to much?


----------



## fishman12

That sounds like a good plan...
I think the girls will be okay, they would probably have to be really aggressive to stress each other out... Good Luck!


----------



## JaspersANGEL

Thankx, all I'd have to do is go on aquabid and find two girl's, two sister's maybe...since all the pet store ones are only red and blue!


----------



## JKfish

Will your tank be cycled?


----------



## JaspersANGEL

no, I don't think so?


----------



## JKfish

You should cycle it before getting the girls, that way you only have to do partial water changes once a week. do you know how to do a fishless cycle?


----------



## Stardancer

'Nother question: I'm looking into getting a nice little setup for my work desk in a month or so. Because it's going on my desk, it won't be that big--I have to go to my LPS to see what they have, but it won't be over 3 gal.

For a heater, what can I get that's both reliable and not too big for a small tank? It's always freezing in our office, something like 65-70 F. But I also don't want to overdo the heater and cook my poor fish.


----------



## JKfish

Get a fully submersible adjustable heater if possible. Go with a good brand like Marineland, because then you'll know it'll work alright, even if it is a bit too large for the tank.


----------



## JaspersANGEL

no I dunno how to cycle


----------



## JKfish

Well, cycling is incredibly easy, and IMO, fishless cycles are a piece of cake, so I'll walk you through it.

1)Set up your tank and filter the way you want it. (filter MUST be running at all times)

2) Get it up and running with dechlorinated water.
3) Add a piece of raw shrimp (in pantyhose), and leave it in.
4) test once a week for ammonia, nitrItes, and nitrAtes.
5) You should over time see ammonia rise really high, then fall to 0. Once ammonia is 0, you will see the nitrItes rise really high and then fall to 0. Once nitrItes are 0, nitrates will start to show.
6) Once your parameters are ammonia:0 , nitrItes 0, and nitrates: 5+ you are done cycling. (the cycling process can last a while)
7) monitor the water for another three days to make sure the parameters are steady and don't fluctuate.
8) remove the shrimp and do a 70-90% water change.
9) add fish!

Depending on how stocked you are, you might be doing anywhere from 20% water changes weekly to 50% water changes a week. Once a month, take your filter media and swish it through a bucket of old tank water to get it cleaned of muck. The benificial bacteria grows on surfaces (primarily in the filter), not in the water, so don't scrub your tank down.

The bacteria grows well in warmer waters, so during a fishless cycle it is fine to push the heat up to something like 84* F. It also grows slowly in too extreme high or low ph, so expect it to take a while if your ph is extremely high or low.


----------



## Canuck Fins

Further to the great information JK gave you, for testing, it is better to get a liquid test kit than the test strips. API master test is what I and many other here use. A liquid test kit will be more accurate.


----------



## JKfish

Agreed. You can get the API master test kit for 20 dollars at walmart.


----------



## ollief9

Question: Will an anti-finrot medication with small amounts of copper in affect an apple snail? (Percy has got mild finrot).


----------



## JKfish

I would go with clean warm water instead of meds. If you want to use meds, remove the snail.


----------



## Lion Mom

ollief9 said:


> Question: Will an anti-finrot medication with small amounts of copper in affect an apple snail? (Percy has got mild finrot).


Not 100% sure, but PRETTY sure that copper is deadly to snails & inverts.


----------



## cjayBetta

Just got a new 2 gallon for CoCo. Its filtered... How often, what percent, should water changes be?


----------



## JKfish

If you leave the filter on all the time, you could pretty much do a fish in cycle, but cycles can be unreliable in such small tanks. I'd guess doing 50% 2 times a week with a gravel vaccuming would be enough, but OFL might have a better answer.


----------



## ollief9

Lion Mom said:


> Not 100% sure, but PRETTY sure that copper is deadly to snails & inverts.


Not to worry, several water changes made him better. I think in future I'll stick to water changes unless it gets severe.


----------



## quentincherry

*Where Can I Buy Purple and Magenta Mystery snails*

Where Can I Buy Purple and Magenta Mystery snails? Thanks


----------



## NikiandBeyond

I currently have a couple low maintenance plants for my tank. I have had them for months, and they've thrived/survived just fine without light. But I reeeally want floating plants which will need lighting. I'll take my tank lid off and clamp this lamp to my nearby windowsill. 

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gooseneck-Clip-On-Lamp-Glossy-Artic-White/13285330

It's a 4.6 gallon tank. What kind of inexpensive bulb and wattage can I get for this lamp? Preferably from Walmart. Thanks!


----------



## ChelseaLlyn

I think my betta may have fin rot, but I'm not sure. Is is safe to use aquarium salt if it's not fin rot, or should I just wait and see if clean water makes it go away?


----------



## JKfish

Nikiandbeyond: a ten watt fluorecent light should be fine, i know there are specific kelvins and what not, but IMO most floating plants will be alright.

Chelsea, IMO, clean water heals all... Just keep up with your water changes so that once he is healed he will stay healthy. Small rips and beginnings of finrot typically heal just fine and quickly in clean water. If you think aquarium salt is necessary, then go ahead and dose 1 tsp per gallon. Treat for up to 10 days.


----------



## gmd1800

My male was sold to me as a Delta, but I've noticed that when he flares, his tail is perhaps one degree off from being a HM. I've read on this forum that there are ways to make a DT (or a Super Delta, which is what I think he is right now) a HM by doing "exercises" with a mirror. Any way I could do this? I don't want him to blow out his fins or anything.


----------



## JKfish

Just have him flare to a mirror for about 3-5 minutes a day, every day. The webbing between his fins will stretch, and he'll become a halfmoon. Some bettas don't seem to react to their reflections, so if you have another male, set their tanks side by side with something to block their views of each other for most of the day. Then, for about 5 minutes a day, take the blocking item away so they can flare for a bit.


----------



## gmd1800

Sounds good. Should I look into investing in a betta exercise mirror, or will a good ol' hand mirror work just as well if it's outside of his tank?


----------



## JKfish

I just use a hand mirror and hold it next to the tank, but either one would work.


----------



## phoenix91

I'm new to the world of fish keeping, in fact i haven't even bought my fish yet but i did set up my tank yesterday. i left the fliter and heater running over night and added some of the water conditioner to let it circulate. 

I checked the water levels this morning and everything except the alkalinity and ph were in normal levels. How can i reduce the ph and alkalinity in my 3 gallon tank?

also, my water is hard, is this okay or does it need to be softer?


----------



## TwilightNite

I don't know how to help you phoenix91 I am new to to the ph balance and alkalinity and stuff like that.


but here is my question: 
My Betta will eat but he eats very little and he has not looked like he's pooped at all but he does not looked constipated or having any trouble swimming down. Is there soothing wrong?


----------



## GreenTea

I'm treating my small rosetail delta in a 2.5 gallon heated unfiltered tank for SBD, or what I think is SBD. He was very ill in the petstore I bought him. I'm treating him with the 10 day epsom salt treatment. I have three quick questions - 

I changed the water once or twice a day, when it starts to look cloudy. Is the epsom salt making it look a little cloudy? He isn't eating so it's not that. 

If he looks and seems better (which he does every day, I've had him here for 4 days, treating for 3 days, first day was just normal conditioner and water) do I need to continue epsom salt for the full 10 days? Or should I just switch back to aquarium salt and conditioned water? No, I don't always use aquarium salt but he's just regaining his health so I'd still use it for a few days.

And lastly, today was his first interest in food. He's pretty small so I tried my betta flakes first. He swallowed several, but spit each one out before moving on to the next one and I don't think he consumed anything. I tried pellets next and he didn't respond to those at all. I think they'd be too big for him to eat anyway, but is that normal that he's not eating? Maybe just not used to/loving my flakes or pellets? I have one betta who is not a picky eater and will snarf pellets or flakes, the other will have a pellet every once in awhile but mostly likes flakes, and this new guy hasn't eaten anything. Any ideas on how to help him eat?

I'd appreciate any and all responses, thank you in advance fellow betta lovers!


----------



## JKfish

phoenix91:
Bettas are awesome fish, and very hardy  They are more than able to adapt to different water levels, so just be sure to acclimate him or her well.

Twilightnite: well, I rarely see my bettas poop, but I know they do. So long as he is healthy and looks and acts fine, then he should be alright  if you are truly curious and/or worried, keep him in a clear bottomed tubberware for a day, that way you can indeed verify he does poop.

GreenTea: how much water are you changing out with each w/c? Once he looks fine, then stop the epsom salt usage. Ten days of salt exposure is the absolute max. Once you are done, do not use aquarium salt... just good old clean conditioned water. IMO, salts are just for treating ailments; when bettas are constantly exposed to salts, their organs might fail. 

Also, I feed pellets because flakes tend to be extremely messy and less nutritious. Give him a while, some bettas take a few days to get used to their enviornments before they start to eat. A healthy betta could techinically (though DEFINATELY not advised) go a whole month without food. He'll eat when he's ready. If you are concerned the pellets are too big, presoak them and then cut them to manageable chunks. If he spits them out, remove the rejected food and offer him new food whenever his next meal is.


----------



## phoenix91

JKfish said:


> phoenix91:
> Bettas are awesome fish, and very hardy  They are more than able to adapt to different water levels, so just be sure to acclimate him or her well.


Thanks. i actually checked the levels just before i introduced the fish container to the water and it seems to have righted itself, maybe the water & stuff i had added just needed that little more time. My new fish Ōji is in and seems quite happy.


----------



## BettaHeart

Ok, I bought a package of brine shrimp that are packed in gel form and was wondering if any of you have used this and if they really are something my bettas can eat? the brand is Instant Ocean.


----------



## phoenix91

I have a 3 gallon tank, even if your room is say 62 degrees, does this heater (the marineland up to 3gallon) keep the tank at 78? 

My house tends to fluctuate a lot in temp as my heating system is sort of broken right now and i was thinking of changing out the heater i had to something a bit better. Right now i have a marina submersible mini. would i be better getting a heater i could set myself?


----------



## Canuck Fins

phoenix91 said:


> I have a 3 gallon tank, even if your room is say 62 degrees, does this heater (the marineland up to 3gallon) keep the tank at 78?
> 
> My house tends to fluctuate a lot in temp as my heating system is sort of broken right now and i was thinking of changing out the heater i had to something a bit better. Right now i have a marina submersible mini. would i be better getting a heater i could set myself?


The heater I have in my tank doesn't have numbers on it but it's adjustable and I have a separate thermometer in my tank. The main concern is keeping the temperature stable.


----------



## phoenix91

Is there a brand of heater i can get that i can adjust the temp to stay at say 76 degrees?

Unfortunately until i get my home heating system either fixed or completely changed my house is going to experience these fluctuations. If i can minimize the change in the tank by setting it at a specific temp that would help a lot. 

I can't wait until the summer when i can probably control the temp a little better as the rooms will be nice and warm.


----------



## JKfish

marineland is an awesome brand, and depending on the size of tank/heater, you should be able to adjust the heat. I personally recommend keeping them at a minimum of 78* F, the heater (if good quality) will keep it that temperature pretty much constantly with little to no fluctuation. Get a little floaty glass thermometer for like one dollar at walmart to help monitor the tank temps.


----------



## Melbell

How should I use epsom salt in my tank (more specifically how much should I put into a one gallon tank, and how long should I leave it in there)? Does it have to be a certain kind?


----------



## Canuck Fins

Melbell said:


> How should I use epsom salt in my tank (more specifically how much should I put into a one gallon tank, and how long should I leave it in there)? Does it have to be a certain kind?


It depends what you are trying to treat. A healthy betta doesn't need epsom salt. Is your fish sick?


----------



## Melbell

He has fin rot.. >.>


----------



## cjayBetta

You need aquarium salt for fin rot... Epsom salt is for when your fish is bloated.


----------



## Melbell

Never mind then. Haha. ^.^


----------



## Silverfang

Set my Scuzi up in a new 2.65 gal tank, upgrading from something too small, on Saturday, heater, hiding places, the works. Since then he's developed stripes, stress bands I believe they are called, how long do they normally last? He's very active, swimming around and around in circles, in his hiding spot, around the leaves of the new silk plant. He ate when I fed him, and of course is waiting for more, like all piggy lil betas.

His old container was unheated, while this new one is, it's about 75, you do not want to know what it was without the heater. He seems fairly preoccupied with swimming around the heater, is that just him enjoying the warmth?

Sorry if this is kinda rambling, just want to make sure I have everything relevant.

On a different subject, sorta, will the desk lamp about foot away from the aquarium be enough light? There was no light with the kit, just not sure he he'd be happier with bright light or not.


----------



## GienahClarette

Sir Crispin's fins are...not quite curling. But, one or two rays are starting to curl slightly on his dorsal and anal fins. My water is a little hard, but my nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia are all within 'ideal' parameters. He lives in a 5 gallon with 50% water changes twice a week and 3 ghost shrimps. He holds his fins high and acts like a healthy fish. The tank is live planted with various anubias and sword plants--which he occasionally rests on. 

This has been slowly happening over the course of a few weeks. At first, I thought he had just bent one tiny ray by all of the durping he does around the gravel. But, it's starting to spread. 

Is there a way I can fix this? Is it even something to worry about?

Edit: And by durping around the gravel, I mean that once or twice a day he kind of wiggles in the smooth river rocks in his tank. I've never seen any injuries or ripped fins. And he seems to get tired of it after about 10 seconds.


----------



## Canuck Fins

Is Sir Crispin a crowntail? I thought I'd read on here somewhere that CTs are likely to have some curling in really hard water, but it didn't seem to be extremely harmful. How long have you had your fish?


----------



## GienahClarette

Sir Crispin is about...5-6 months old. I've had him for almost two months, and he's a halfmoon. Honestly, I'm starting to suspect it's because he keeps resting on rocks with the tips of his fins. =/


----------



## JaspersANGEL

I have another question?

If I don't have enough time to do a complete water (water change wich I remove all the decor and pass the gravel vac. and rearange the decor back in the tank)..can I just syphon out the water and replace it with fresh water?


----------



## bahamut285

@JaspersANGEL: It should be fine as long as you do a full one sometime soon , just don't let it be like that for too long!


My Quick Question: Could anybody help me out by giving me prescribed water changes for the following tank sizes? I need to know for both Filtered and Unfiltered! 

1G, 2G, 5G, 10G, 20G

Thanks ~


----------



## JaspersANGEL

Nah.. I'll have time to do a full one tomorrow night, or can I wait till thursday my second water change day in the week?


----------



## bahamut285

Ahh, lol, I'd probably do it tomorrow then instead of waiting until thurs XD!


----------



## JaspersANGEL

So I should just skip tonight's and go to bed instead? *lol*


----------



## bahamut285

Normally what I do is, if I am too busy to do a water-change of any amount...

If I can definitely 110% do it tomorrow, I'll do it tomorrow.
If I'm not sure, I'll do as much as I can, even if it's something like a 10% water-change, lol

It's totally up to you! XD, have a good sleep LOL


----------



## JaspersANGEL

Thankx, no I can def. do it tomorrow.. I just wanna make sure that they wont up and die on me *lol*!

We are going through cutback's at work and time and schedual change's, I need to reagange my water change schedual!

Thank'x for all ur help!!


----------



## phoenix91

JKfish said:


> marineland is an awesome brand, and depending on the size of tank/heater, you should be able to adjust the heat. I personally recommend keeping them at a minimum of 78* F, the heater (if good quality) will keep it that temperature pretty much constantly with little to no fluctuation. Get a little floaty glass thermometer for like one dollar at walmart to help monitor the tank temps.


Thanks for the info. 

So i switched my old heater (well, it's one week one) to a marineland suitable for up to a 3 gallon tank. Before i replaced the old heater the temp was around 73 (yes, i know that's too low, but my house heating system is on the blink and the heater i had was only heating to probably 8 above ambient temp). So i switched it to the marineland one and i watched it for about 15 minutes to make sure it wasn't going to explode or leak or i don't know, electrocute the little guy then i headed back to work for the day feeling happier that he'd be warmer.

I got home and checked on him and the stupid heater either isn't working well or has no idea what temp it's supposed to be set at. The box says it sets to 78 and it was at 70. I brought in my fan heater and left that running in the room for a while and now it's back up to around 73-74ish. (sorry for the heater rant, there is actually a question in here somewhere) 

So my question: Should i take the new heater back when i take the old one back and get a refund on both and get a new one i can actually set myself or should i give the marineland a chance to do it's thing? i think after having a day to heat a 3 gallon tank it should have done it's job but didn't.

I do have plans to move him upstairs to my room where it will hopefully be warmer, i bought a shelf today and am getting it up on the wall probably tomorrow.


----------



## bahamut285

bahamut285 said:


> My Quick Question: Could anybody help me out by giving me prescribed water changes for the following tank sizes? I need to know for both Filtered and Unfiltered!
> 
> 1G, 2G, 5G, 10G, 20G
> 
> Thanks ~



Sorry, just bumping my question >_>


----------



## JKfish

Silverfang said:


> On a different subject, sorta, will the desk lamp about foot away from the aquarium be enough light? There was no light with the kit, just not sure he he'd be happier with bright light or not.


It'll be enough light, if you think it is too light, you can move your tank slightly further away. I might add that your temp really ought to be 78... if you can get it there, I HIGHLY reccomend doing so~



bahamut said:


> My Quick Question: Could anybody help me out by giving me prescribed water changes for the following tank sizes? I need to know for both Filtered and Unfiltered!
> 
> 1G, 2G, 5G, 10G, 20G


1 gallon: 100% every other day. Because it is so small, even if it has a filter and is cycled, it's too small for a steady cycle... so better safe than sorry.

2 gallon: 50% 2-3 times a week and one 100% once a week as well (gravel vacc recommended). This applies for both filtered and unfiltered, see above for an explanation.

5 gallon: if it is cycled with a filter, then one 50% once a week ought to be enough, though if you have shrimps or snails in there as well, I'd maybe do another 25% sometime else during the week. Unfiltered tank will be something like 3 50% a week with one 100% every other week.... I think. If you have a water test kit, test every day and go by what that seems to say. (param apart from nitrAtes need to be less than .25 ppm)

10 gallon: cycled/filtered would be about 25% once a week with just one betta. If you have other livestock in there, I'd just be on the safe side and do 50% a week. In a non filtered tank, I _think_ 50% twice a week with a 100% every other week would be enough, but still water testers will probably tell you better than I can.

20 gallon: I'm going to assume this will be a cycled tank. Doing 100% on something this size seems like too much work. In general, with cycled tanks (5 gallons and up) , 50% water changes once a week is the way to go.

As I said before, I guesstimated for the unfiltered/cycled 5 and 10 gallons.



Pheonix said:


> So my question: Should i take the new heater back when i take the old one back and get a refund on both and get a new one i can actually set myself or should i give the marineland a chance to do it's thing? i think after having a day to heat a 3 gallon tank it should have done it's job but didn't.


I'd say give it a bit of time, and if by tomorrow it isn't working up to par, return it. The issue with preset heaters is that they can be a bit iffy at times. Try returning it for a new one, and see if that one will work better.


----------



## bahamut285

@JKFish: Thanks!


----------



## Silverfang

thanks jkfish, I have a heater in the container, it's steady about 75


----------



## Canuck Fins

Tonight before supper I was checking on our fish and I thought he looked a bit pale on his head and a little stripey (horizontally) down his side. Odd. I thought maybe my kids were being too loud and thumping around and scared him. So I turned out the light over his tank for about half an hour and he's not stripey now. But the scales on his head are looking a bit dull. He does have more pink on his fins than he had 2.5 weeks ago when I got him, but that's not new today. Should I be concerned he looks a bit different on his head colourwise? He's still swimming around like normal. 

(Tanks tests zero for ammonia, zero for nitrites and nitrates are about 5. Plants are good. Tank is heated at 80*. Prime. 5G with last water change on Sunday/about 30%. All that good stuff.)


----------



## Canuck Fins

Okay, he must've been startled or something because he looks back to normal now. My poor little guy!


----------



## cesitlie95

1) Is it ok to use flash on a betta fish's eyes? Will it hurt them or anything? 
2) I got a small female from my LFS today and I tried feeding her Hikari betta pellets but she spit it out. Do you think it was too big for her to swallow? They are about the size of this circle --> o Or is she just not hungry and still adjusting to her new home? I will try refeeding her in the morning.


----------



## Canuck Fins

I don't know about the flash, but it's not uncommon for a betta to not eat for the first day or few until they are settled. After that, most of them are little piggies who will look at you like they are starved even after feeding.


----------



## Tisia

I'd think that it could stress them a bit if you did it too much, but not really sure
my boy wouldn't even touch full size pellets, tried cutting one in half and he just spit it out a few times then gave up, now I crush them for him and he just gobbles it down. so it could be just the size


----------



## Silverfang

my boy won't touch pellets, whole, or crushed, he bites, chews a few times then spits it out and swims away, flakes he noms in a frenzy that would impress a shark


----------



## Dontpanic

What are usually the causes of clamped fins? They were all right before and temp and water are all fine, but now he has his tail all clamped up.


----------



## Canuck Fins

Dontpanic said:


> What are usually the causes of clamped fins? They were all right before and temp and water are all fine, but now he has his tail all clamped up.


Alright before what? Did you do a water change or add something to the tank?


----------



## Dontpanic

Nope, I meant before I put him in the tank. I put him in a cycled 5 gallon tank and his fins were fine for a day or two. I only have water conditioner and liquid plant fertilizer in the water and it's the same way for all my other tanks. The temp. is at 79 F and I have no idea whats wrong! D: Ty for helping me.

Edit: I also added a few dried oak leaves about a week after his tail clamped up, but he's just resting on them now.


----------



## cesitlie95

It's the second day and she still hasn't taken to the pellets. I even crushed them up. Maybe I'll need to get a different brand of food for her.. i gave her some freeze dried bloodworms and she gobbled it up but I know she can't live on them alone


----------



## Irish Dancing Man

Try flakes. My females will only eat flakes no pellets.......

My quick question: In a 3 gal and a 2.5 gal with airstones are 2 weekly 80%-90% water changes enough??


----------



## JKfish

Irish Dancing Man said:


> Try flakes. My females will only eat flakes no pellets.......
> 
> My quick question: In a 3 gal and a 2.5 gal with airstones are 2 weekly 80%-90% water changes enough??


Airstones don't help with cycling tanks, so you must treat them like uncycled and unfiltered tanks. You could do about 2 50% and one 100% a week for both. 100% water changes are necessary to completely remove all traces of ammonia.



cesitlie95 said:


> 1) Is it ok to use flash on a betta fish's eyes? Will it hurt them or anything?
> 2) I got a small female from my LFS today and I tried feeding her Hikari betta pellets but she spit it out. Do you think it was too big for her to swallow? They are about the size of this circle --> o Or is she just not hungry and still adjusting to her new home? I will try refeeding her in the morning.


1) make sure you don't shine it directly in her eyes, they don't have eyelids so the bright light might hurt.
2) Give her time. Tux took a while to start eating his pellets. Keep offering them, and eventually she will eat, no betta is going to willingly starve herself to death... Personally, I'd feed pellets over flakes because they tend to be less mess and more nutritious.



Dontpanic said:


> What are usually the causes of clamped fins? They were all right before and temp and water are all fine, but now he has his tail all clamped up.


Stress or illness can cause clamped fins. Does he have somewhere to hide?


----------



## Dontpanic

> Stress or illness can cause clamped fins. Does he have somewhere to hide?


Not really, but it's gotten worse... Could you help me over at this thread? http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=66631


----------



## Canuck Fins

My fish flared a bit when we first brought him home three weeks ago. He would flare at the back of the tank where the filter is. I haven't seen him flare in quite a while so I don't know if he does anymore. Does it matter if he doesn't? 

(I put a mirror near his tank twice and I won't do it again because 10 seconds with the mirror there, he get scared, fades a bit in colour and retreats to the back of the tank.)


----------



## JKfish

I doubt is matters. I know tux did that for about two weeks after I got him. Whenever he passed by the filter, he'd pause to flare at it before moving on, now he just ignores it XD


----------



## Micrathena

Hi. First, I'd like to say thanks to the Betta Gurus who answer questions for us noobs. 

I bought a male crowntail a few months ago and thought what many others did, that I could just put him in a tiny container and watch him be pretty. I started feeling sorry for him because he rarely moved. 

I found this website, got some advice. Today, I put Amaziah in his new 2g tank with a heater and filter. There are large gravel and plastic plants.

I have two concerns. One is that the temperature is staying at 86F. I bought a cheap heater that is not adjustable. Is this too warm?

I put him in the tank over an hour ago and he has been swimming constantly. Even when he is "still", he is rapidly moving his gills. Is this just because he is getting used to having moving water from the filter, or is he happy, or is he freaked out? A few times I have noticed that he goes next to the filter, like he might be leaning against it. Is he doing this to rest?

I never thought I would get attached to a fish, but now I care for this little life and do want him to be safe and happy. I want to be a good betta mommy.


----------



## Canuck Fins

That is a little warmer than you want. 76 to 82* is optimal. I think 86* is too warm, but I don't know how that would affect your little guy.

He is likely adjusting yet and he'll love the extra space. Just make sure he does have somewhere to hide. If the filter is too strong and creates too much of a current, you can baffle it to make it less. I have a sponge attached with an elastic on the front of my filter, but you can also find instructions on here how to baffle using a plastic pop bottle.


----------



## FlareThis

86 is at the high end of the acceptable temperature range for bettas, did you properly acclimate him to the temperature before putting him in the tank?


----------



## JaspersANGEL

Another question! Sorry I'm really paranoid!

The foam cartridge in Tex's tank look's like this:









Is that healthy for him ( I think it's healthy for him), but is it healthy for me?

Should I change it?


----------



## Micrathena

Canuck Fins said:


> That is a little warmer than you want. 76 to 82* is optimal. I think 86* is too warm, but I don't know how that would affect your little guy.
> 
> He is likely adjusting yet and he'll love the extra space. Just make sure he does have somewhere to hide. If the filter is too strong and creates too much of a current, you can baffle it to make it less. I have a sponge attached with an elastic on the front of my filter, but you can also find instructions on here how to baffle using a plastic pop bottle.


Thank you for you response. I am using the filter that came with the tank, but I will look into slowing it down.

Are the plants adequate hiding places? Or does he need a place that will be a complete hiding place like a cave?


----------



## Micrathena

FlareThis said:


> 86 is at the high end of the acceptable temperature range for bettas, did you properly acclimate him to the temperature before putting him in the tank?


No, I didn't properly acclimate him.  The good news is that the temp is coming down. It is staying around 82F now.


----------



## Micrathena

Ok, until I can give little Amaziah a better hiding place, I have given him a small coffee cup turned on its side with gravel in it. I put a plant right in front. 

The temp is still at 82F. 

I am so excited. He looks so much more beautiful in a larger tank. Before I never could see his crowntail because he was cramped and was rarely swimming. Now that he is active his tail is vibrant and flowing. I can finally see his crown!


----------



## cesitlie95

cesitlie95 said:


> It's the second day and she still hasn't taken to the pellets. I even crushed them up. Maybe I'll need to get a different brand of food for her.. i gave her some freeze dried bloodworms and she gobbled it up but I know she can't live on them alone


She took the crushed up pellets! I found out that they need to be extrememly small so she can swallow them because her mouth is so tiny  

~ I was wondering.. can females tail bite?


----------



## JKfish

Yes, though it is uncommon since they don't have long tails to weigh them down... it might be finrot.


----------



## waveseeker

Is Tin foil (or aluminium foil) safe for fish tanks? and if not safe for extended periods, is it fine for short periods? such as, long enough for "fish training"?


----------



## JKfish

IMO, no metals are good in tanks, ever, unless for like a few seconds. What do you mean by fish training?


----------



## waveseeker

Teaching my beta simple tricks. swim through this hoop, pick up this ring and bring it up to me, swim through this tunnel, move this ball here... you can find out more on the internets.


----------



## indjo

JKfish said:


> IMO, no metals are good in tanks, ever, unless for like a few seconds.


Including fishing sinkers (I think they're lead)? 
I've never given it a second thought until recently. I anchor my plants with fishing sinkers (the last 6 months or so). Will this be dangerous in the long run?


----------



## Irish Dancing Man

Fishing line sinkers are fine, I use mine to actually make them float vertical instead of horizontal. Them i clip them to the top of de tank.


----------



## JKfish

Agreed, though most other metals are extremely dangerous, especially when they rust.


----------



## cesitlie95

I'm sorry.. I have yet another question!
So what flakes can bettas eat? just ones made for tropical fish? thanks in advance!


----------



## bahamut285

So I'm not too sure about Bobo being a tailbiter now...I posted in the health thread about possible finrot. The ends of his fins have always been blackish, but now they're frayed, also if you look through the tail fin in the light, it appears to be (starting from his body): Red --> pink --> very thin --> black tips

The black tips are not really a straight line or in any pattern, some are lines, some are black dots (like when people have scabs). They're not as ripped up as before, though. The very thin areas appear to be creeping up the tail... I've got a 0.5 gal QT ready as soon as somebody else can confirm or redirect me in case I'm mistaken.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I had previously stepped up his water changes because I was told to keep the tank as clean as possible to keep it from developing too suddenly...

I would take pictures but trying to get a picture of Bobo is like getting a picture of ninjas, he moves too much and too fast to ever get a clear shot. He also doesn't stay still while flaring, he does a wiggle dance as well so 99% of his pictures are just a red blur


----------



## indjo

That's a relief. 
I thought this was part of the problem I've been having lately.


----------



## Canuck Fins

cesitlie95 said:


> I'm sorry.. I have yet another question!
> So what flakes can bettas eat? just ones made for tropical fish? thanks in advance!


I had flakes that were betta flakes, but the downside is that they sink and are messier. Since I changed to pellets, my betta is much more active. The pellets float and I find it easier to consistently feed the same amount. As far as fish food, with flakes or pelletsm you want to make sure the first ingredients are fish or fish meal, not grains.


----------



## Canuck Fins

bahamut285 said:


> So I'm not too sure about Bobo being a tailbiter now...I posted in the health thread about possible finrot. The ends of his fins have always been blackish, but now they're frayed, also if you look through the tail fin in the light, it appears to be (starting from his body): Red --> pink --> very thin --> black tips
> 
> The black tips are not really a straight line or in any pattern, some are lines, some are black dots (like when people have scabs). They're not as ripped up as before, though. The very thin areas appear to be creeping up the tail... I've got a 0.5 gal QT ready as soon as somebody else can confirm or redirect me in case I'm mistaken.
> 
> Oh, I forgot to mention that I had previously stepped up his water changes because I was told to keep the tank as clean as possible to keep it from developing too suddenly...
> 
> I would take pictures but trying to get a picture of Bobo is like getting a picture of ninjas, he moves too much and too fast to ever get a clear shot. He also doesn't stay still while flaring, he does a wiggle dance as well so 99% of his pictures are just a red blur


Clean water is definitely a key. I wish I had an answer for you, but I'll quote to make sure your post doesn't get lost on the last page. 

My fish lives up to his name too. Definitely speedy.


----------



## bahamut285

@Canuck Fins: Thanks for the bump  <3 I'm definitely keeping up on his water changes in hopes that he'll heal up, he's actually busy making an enormous nest right now O________O


----------



## bahamut285

I have another question! XD

I might be moving to my grandmas house for a month or so, and I don't have anybody to feed my babies so I'm probably bringing them with me. 
I've got 3 tanks right now: Goldfish tank, Lin's tank, Bobo's tank....

I was just wondering:
1. Best way to get them to my grandmas (It's a 1 hour drive on a pretty smooth highway)
2. Would it be OK for me to split Bobo's 5 Gal for him and Lin so I don't have to bring her tank along (I'll jiggle around the decorations).

Thanks >_< I don't need this info urgently, as I'm probably going to head out maybe the end of April or something. Also depending on how things go with my job hunt, I may not move at all XD!


----------



## Irish Dancing Man

Put them in bags, you might want to buy a pet traveler heating pack, depending how long your ride is. Empty the tank and refill them when you get their. Put the bags in an enclosed, dark space to reduce stress.


----------



## JKfish

Bahamut, basically bag them and stick them in a box just like if you were going to ship them, use a heatpack if necessary. As for their tanks, empty it of all but a few inches of in each tank. Get your filter media into whatever tubberwares or bags, halfway submerged in water. Once you're done with your drive and have everything set up, expect your tanks to go through a mini cycle... so be sure to keep up with water changes.

Personally, I wouldn't advise dividing tanks between males and females. In small places, phermones build up, and there have been several cases with members who divided their tanks between a male and female where one or the other has jumped to the other side and the fish actually bred....if you must do it, then keep up with water changes, and you might want to up them just slightly.

As for your goldie, how big is he/she and what sized tank is he/she in... I know that larger goldfish will be harder to bag...


----------



## bahamut285

@IDM: Okay thanks! I'll see if I can somehow cover them to keep it nice and dark 

@JKFish: You both mentioned bags, is there any kind of specific bags? Unfortunately all I have right now is Ziplocs but I can go out to buy something different >_<. Thanks for the tip about the filter media, I would have definitely not thought of that X__X. I assume I would have to put them in old tank water right?

For my goldies, their tank is the 30L biOrb (I think that's 8 Gallons?) and they're both about 2"-3" excluding tails. Plus tails it's 4" and 5". They're really happy in their tank, and I know they don't particularly like being moved... when I do 95% water changes in their tank, I put them in a big bucket and they hate it. I've moved them before just by lowering the water level to half and strapping it tight in the back of my car, they seemed a little rattled but they were okay after a few hours.


----------



## Irish Dancing Man

*tropical fish keeping*

I know this site is like a section off of tropical fish keeping and all threads here are on tropical Fish keeping. But are tropical Fish Keeping threads on this site?


----------



## JKfish

bahamut, please don't take this the wrong way, but you really need to get them into about a 40 gallon tank before they become stunted.... for the time being, I hope you are doing something like two 50% and two 100% water changes a week.... As for bags, shipping bags would work. If you have a local petstore nearby, you can bring your fish in to them with clean new water and ask to have them double-bagged like they are when you buy fish from them. Just make sure they rubberband that first bag extremely well.

Irish: No, the tfk posts stay in tfk, and bettafish posts are in bettafish... i think?


----------



## bahamut285

@JKFish: Thank you for your concern, as I share it, too ...I'm currently doing 3 water changes a week for them to keep them in top condition, and I test their water everyday in the evenings. I'm going to see if I can somehow find a bigger tank for them >_<. Thanks for your help <33

I have another question, Bobo has made an enormous nest and doesn't do anything except eat, build the nest more and guard it, so he's stationary most of the time...he even sleeps under it. Should I be worried? 

Edit: He's been like this for several days now, close to a week X_X


----------



## margotandfishy

didn't look to see if this had already been asked...is it fine if my bettas can see each other through the divider? they flare at each other every once and awhile. Mostly while I'm feeding them.


----------



## JKfish

bahamut: goodwill, craigslist, and petco's annual dollar per gallon sale will be your friends  . Anyways, that's perfectly normal, if you think about it, that's all that most wild male bettas do when they reach maturity.

Margotandfishy: it's perfectly fine so long as there are little hides in each side so they can get out of each other's view if they want, and so long as they can't get to each other


----------



## indjo

@bahamut: males making and guarding their bubble nest is normal. Nothing to be worried about. If he stays stationary for no reason, then you should be concerned.

As for moving them; If it's only for a few hour drive - you can use clear plastic bags. Or you can even use a small mineral water bottle - easier to change water or give them fresh air. I usually put that (clear bag or bottle) in a dark bag and hang it some where in the car (to reduce inertia). But they'll be fine placed anywhere as long as you keep them in the dark.

@Margo: IMO it's not good for males to constantly see each other specially in rather small places and without hide outs. Some fish may become stressed. It's better if they remained solitary and only shown other males to exercise them.


----------



## bahamut285

@JKFish: Haha yes I've seen a couple of good deals, but it's mainly because I can't fit it into my apartment ^^;; I don't want to come home to flattened furniture or a hole in the floor O_O

@Indjo: Thank you for your reply! I totally forgot about hanging them to reduce inertia, I figured most people would just put them inside a box full of squishy material. It is only exactly 1 hour so it should be okay 

Also thank you for clearing my mind about Bobo, he's gets pretty grumpy if I go anywhere near his nest (even to feed him lol)


----------



## Silverfang

I think I know the answer, I just want to make sure. Freeze dried bloodworms are for treats only, so once or twice a week? And no more than two at a time?
Also, when you give them bloodworms, nothing else for the day right?


----------



## margotandfishy

@JKfish and indjo: Thanks for the help, I have quite some hiding spots already but I think I'm going to put a plant near the divider just to screen the view some more. 

Any good suggestions? I already have an Amazon Sword and Java Fern in my tank. Thanks in advance!


----------



## indjo

@Margo: I would use small leaf plants that can be bunched be be thick/bushy like anacharis, cabomba, fox tail, etc. They would see each other less and would have difficulty swimming through the plants.

@Silverf: It's said that freeze dried anything is low of nutrition. Frozen is better. Yes people do advise feeding one or two as treats but I'm not sure whether to feed other foods or not. (I disagree with the amount - so I'll let others advise you)


----------



## Canuck Fins

indjo said:


> @Margo: I would use small leaf plants that can be bunched be be thick/bushy like anacharis, cabomba, fox tail, etc. They would see each other less and would have difficulty swimming through the plants.


Aquatic wisteria is really nice for a bushy plant.


----------



## lalalaura

I have a quick question: 
Two days ago when I fed my new HM male, when he goes to take some food in his mouth he blows a lot of bubbles and doesn't get any food. At first I thought it was funny, but last night he did it again. Bubbles come out of his mouth and it looks like his gills too. What is this? Has anyone experienced it with the bettas before? 
I have a small airstone in his 5G and it's on very low, if that even has anything to do with it.


----------



## Canuck Fins

Laura, I'm not sure. I know it's pretty common for them to spit food out though while eating. Are you feeding pellets or flakes? And do you have any uneaten food to scoop out after a few minutes or he is eating something? Sometimes fish just take some time to settle in to the new home; sometimes they won't eat at all for the first few days but bettas can go without food without harm for a few days.


----------



## margotandfishy

Canuck Fins said:


> Sometimes fish just take some time to settle in to the new home; sometimes they won't eat at all for the first few days but bettas can go without food without harm for a few days.


 That's exactly what happened to me. It took my fish about half a week to kind of settle in and realize the pellets I was dropping in his tank _were_ his food. If he doesn't start eating soon try some blood worms or something to get him to eat _something_ and it might be that you're feeding him something he totally isn't used to like my guy.


----------



## Scandalicious

barry needs a "shelter" to rest in. i can tell he wants some place to sleep but so far all i have in the tank is one plastic flower. i had another plastic flower piece and i saw him get tangled up in it so i removed it.

i've been to petco a few times and have not found anything in the store that is small enough for my 2 gallon tank and safe enough for him.

can someone post some suggestions?


----------



## Canuck Fins

You could use a coffee cup or a terra cotta pot on its side. It's important to have smooth edges that won't catch your fish's fins and with openings big enough he won't get stuck.


----------



## Scandalicious

Canuck Fins said:


> You could use a coffee cup or a terra cotta pot on its side. It's important to have smooth edges that won't catch your fish's fins and with openings big enough he won't get stuck.


thanks for the suggestion CF. I will look for one of those. I think the problem is my tank is more tall than wide and alot of the terra pots are rather big and the smaller ones have jagged edges that concern me. i will look into it too


----------



## Canuck Fins

Does anyone else's fish act hyper sometimes? Swimming around really fast and changing directions often? It doesn't seem to stress out my fish.


----------



## Scandalicious

Canuck Fins said:


> Does anyone else's fish act hyper sometimes? Swimming around really fast and changing directions often? It doesn't seem to stress out my fish.


barry has been doing that in his new tank but i think the shape of the tank is what is confusing and frustrating him. the tank is shaped like a hexagon and he is trying to swim out beyond the tank but cant. he usually figures it after awhile but i noticed a few times he did that last night.


----------



## chargers505

Hello. I think that's how they entertain themselves. My fish does it all the time. I guess he's exercising?


----------



## NEWBEE FISH

how can you tell if a snail is dead?... i like to know before it rots in my tank..
Do snails sleep?


----------



## Tisia

pick it up and smell, apparently it's pretty obvious if it is


----------



## phoenix91

I want to set up just a plant aquarium with no fish, maybe some shrimp. i'm thinking a 5 gallon set up would be an okay size. Would the substrate i pick depend on the plants? any advice on which plants are easiest to maintain.


----------



## trono

I want a marimo ball, but according to Petsmart they require at least a 20 gallon tank. I have a 10 gallon. Is this true?


----------



## bettafish15

trono said:


> I want a marimo ball, but according to Petsmart they require at least a 20 gallon tank. I have a 10 gallon. Is this true?


Nope, not true.


----------



## trono

bettafish15 said:


> Nope, not true.


Cool. I will get one soon then.


----------



## Scandalicious

what is normal betta fish behavior?


----------



## Canuck Fins

Normal as far as what? My fish is very active swimming around although he will hide if he gets startled. At feeding times, he comes right to the top where I feed him. He flared a lot when he was first settling in but I haven't seen him flare the last couple of weeks much. He has built a bubble nest but it's not a frequent thing for him. During his quiet times, he likes to hang out in his plants.


----------



## Canuck Fins

phoenix91 said:


> I want to set up just a plant aquarium with no fish, maybe some shrimp. i'm thinking a 5 gallon set up would be an okay size. Would the substrate i pick depend on the plants? any advice on which plants are easiest to maintain.


I'd expect the requirements for a planted aquarium are similar whether it's a betta or a shrimp tank. I've got gravel in my tank with java fern, aquatic wisteria and bacopa. The java fern is weighted down, not planted, but both the wisteria and bacopa are planted in the gravel. The java fern has new leaves since the fish went in the tank. I haven't been using any root tabs or fertilizer, but without any fish or shrimp, that might be something you'd have to add. Certain plants are probably more greedy about having those extra nutrients. 

I think there are some plants that do better with sand, but I don't know enough about sand bottomed aquariums to advise you.


----------



## PewPewPew

Canuck Fins said:


> I'd expect the requirements for a planted aquarium are similar whether it's a betta or a shrimp tank. I've got gravel in my tank with java fern, aquatic wisteria and bacopa. The java fern is weighted down, not planted, but both the wisteria and bacopa are planted in the gravel. The java fern has new leaves since the fish went in the tank. I haven't been using any root tabs or fertilizer, but without any fish or shrimp, that might be something you'd have to add. Certain plants are probably more greedy about having those extra nutrients.
> 
> I think there are some plants that do better with sand, but I don't know enough about sand bottomed aquariums to advise you.


Hygrophila needs fine substrates and does well in sand, though is often considered "easy", which is why it usually dies in new aquariest s tanks 

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]


----------



## phoenix91

Canuck Fins said:


> I'd expect the requirements for a planted aquarium are similar whether it's a betta or a shrimp tank. I've got gravel in my tank with java fern, aquatic wisteria and bacopa. The java fern is weighted down, not planted, but both the wisteria and bacopa are planted in the gravel. The java fern has new leaves since the fish went in the tank. I haven't been using any root tabs or fertilizer, but without any fish or shrimp, that might be something you'd have to add. Certain plants are probably more greedy about having those extra nutrients.
> 
> I think there are some plants that do better with sand, but I don't know enough about sand bottomed aquariums to advise you.


Thanks, i ordered some java fern and am going to find something, stones most likely to anchor it to. I want wisteria but everything i looked at in the petstore was awful, i'll have to check out a garden store. i also bought plant food so i can add it to the water. with no fish i figured i'd need somewhere for the plants to get nutrients.



PewPewPew said:


> Hygrophila needs fine substrates and does well in sand, though is often considered "easy", which is why it usually dies in new aquariest s tanks
> 
> [FONT=&quot][/FONT]


I'll look into hygrophila as i have black 'sandy' substrate. i can't remember the brand i bought but it's fine.


----------



## eengland

Question about cycling. My levels are ammonia 0ppm, nitrites 0ppm, and nitrates 5ppm. Does this mean I have finally completed cycling my tank? And how long should I wait to make sure it is stable before adding my fish to it?

Also, I have be using aquarium salt to help with his tail biting. It helped for awhile but now he has bitten off what had healed and more. He had fin rot after the first go around with it. Do I need to continue to use the salt to prevent fin rot again until he stops or do I stop and use it if I see it again? I feel he will do better in his big tank. *sigh*


----------



## fishman12

Russell jumped out of the tank... I was right there to pick him up... seems fine... I think that would be okay?


----------



## Irish Dancing Man

I would get a lid for your tank....


----------



## Neil D

Not trying to be funny but; Do bettas fart? Or pee? just a fact I thought would be interesting to know...


----------



## phoenix91

I have 1 plant in gravel and i have some plant nutrients (food i guess) in liquid form. Can i add the plant food to the tank water? would it harm my fish or be fine? I wanted to get the tablets to put int eh roots but couldn't find them at the store.


----------



## PewPewPew

Neil D said:


> Not trying to be funny but; Do bettas fart? Or pee? just a fact I thought would be interesting to know...


I dont know if they fart, but they sort of pee, in a way. They sure do poop...



phoenix91 said:


> I have 1 plant in gravel and i have some plant nutrients (food i guess) in liquid form. Can i add the plant food to the tank water? would it harm my fish or be fine? I wanted to get the tablets to put int eh roots but couldn't find them at the store.


What kind is it? Is it made for aquarium use? If so, follow the dosing at it will be fine. If not, and its something like miracle grow, I would stay away.
(Ex, seachem flourish, tetra floura pride, API's leaf zone, etc are good, use them right in!)


----------



## PewPewPew

eengland said:


> Question about cycling. My levels are ammonia 0ppm, nitrites 0ppm, and nitrates 5ppm. Does this mean I have finally completed cycling my tank? And how long should I wait to make sure it is stable before adding my fish to it?
> 
> Also, I have be using aquarium salt to help with his tail biting. It helped for awhile but now he has bitten off what had healed and more. He had fin rot after the first go around with it. Do I need to continue to use the salt to prevent fin rot again until he stops or do I stop and use it if I see it again? I feel he will do better in his big tank. *sigh*


Yup, its cycled. Keep tabs on the levels, though, since its such a new cycle it can still have an occasional spike. Water change when nitrates are 15-20ppm. If its been cycled, you can add in. It takes a while for it to mature fully, but youll be fine with it now, dont worry.

He might! Add him in. Keep his water clean and fresh (but dont kill the cycle) and observe him. Add in 1tsp/gallon of AQ for a few days if youre really nervous. I dont understand, though, does he have rot? Or is he biting? Or does he have rot from biting?
If the water is kept clean, usually biting wont get rot. If hes a biter, then he'll continue to bite. You shouldnt over use the AQ, though- keep it to 10days max and try to keep it one weekish a month at most. 

Clean water and a gentile current/no current (not an option in a cycled tank though) will help it grow back.


----------



## Amaya Yuy

ok so quick question =].

How do you attach a signature at the bottom of your post? I see a lot of people with one but I can't figure out how to do it lol.
Thanks =]


----------



## Kaylin

wallywestisthebest333 said:


> Btw cycled tank owners, the question still stands: How often do you do water changes each week? =]


If this question hasn't been answered:

During the cycling process it is reccommended to do 15-20% water changes, mostly to aleviate the stress in your fish, but also to reduce the levels of Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrates from being toxic to your fish. Doing no more than 20% ensures that the tank can still cycle properly and the bacteria can establish themselves, but the toxic wastes can be reduced for the fish. 
One -can- do fishless cycling, but it's much more difficult to do IMHO. Alot of the bio-load comes from the fish itself in the generation of fish waste.

Cycling usually takes about a month, then after that you can switch to 50% water changes once a week.

Me personally? While a tank is cycling (I have a ten gallon I am currently refurbishing that's a month old for a new Betta, and a new 30 gallon with three Goldfish), I do 20% water changes every second day. So if I do a water change on Monday, the next time I would do so is Wednesday.

Quick question:
I'm a bit of a newbie at live plants in an aquarium, and have Java Moss and Anubias in the ten gallon in anticipation for a new Betta friend. How long do the roots take to establish on substrate or driftwood? My Anubias is currently tied down to some driftwood, and the Java Moss is at the ends of the driftwood on top of the substrate.

Oh, and New Member, BTW.  *waves*

~Kaylin


----------



## trono

Kaylin said:


> If this question hasn't been answered:
> 
> During the cycling process it is reccommended to do 15-20% water changes, mostly to aleviate the stress in your fish, but also to reduce the levels of Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrates from being toxic to your fish. Doing no more than 20% ensures that the tank can still cycle properly and the bacteria can establish themselves, but the toxic wastes can be reduced for the fish.
> One -can- do fishless cycling, but it's much more difficult to do IMHO. Alot of the bio-load comes from the fish itself in the generation of fish waste.
> 
> Cycling usually takes about a month, then after that you can switch to 50% water changes once a week.
> 
> Me personally? While a tank is cycling (I have a ten gallon I am currently refurbishing that's a month old for a new Betta, and a new 30 gallon with three Goldfish), I do 20% water changes every second day. So if I do a water change on Monday, the next time I would do so is Wednesday.
> 
> Quick question:
> I'm a bit of a newbie at live plants in an aquarium, and have Java Moss and Anubias in the ten gallon in anticipation for a new Betta friend. How long do the roots take to establish on substrate or driftwood? My Anubias is currently tied down to some driftwood, and the Java Moss is at the ends of the driftwood on top of the substrate.
> 
> Oh, and New Member, BTW.  *waves*
> 
> ~Kaylin


I'm no expert on tank cycling and in fact have just cycled my first tank, which is 10 gallons. While cycling I did 20% changes twice a week and now that it's done I was going to do 20% once a week. I dunno, but 50% seems like a very big water change for such a big tank.


----------



## Kaylin

trono said:


> I'm no expert on tank cycling and in fact have just cycled my first tank, which is 10 gallons. While cycling I did 20% changes twice a week and now that it's done I was going to do 20% once a week. I dunno, but 50% seems like a very big water change for such a big tank.


Sorry, I should have re-phreased that slightly.
No more than 50% in bi-weekly, or 20-25% once a week after the tank is cycled. My bad. I've heard you can do more than 50%, but I wouldn't. It would just throw the tank into Cycling again and stress out the fish. I also use SeaChem Stability in my tanks (both of them), as well as Aquarium Salt to help the fish adapt.

As I said, I do 15-20% changes every second day while the tank is cycling.

~Kaylin


----------



## trono

That makes much more sense


----------



## eengland

> I dont understand, though, does he have rot? Or is he biting? Or does he have rot from biting?


He arrived a tail bitter and he had a small about of fin rot from the tail biting. But I started using AQ salt and it cleared it up.

I will add him to his new home! I hope he likes it!  THank you for your help.


----------



## pdxBetta

Neil D said:


> Not trying to be funny but; Do bettas fart? Or pee? just a fact I thought would be interesting to know...


Freshwater fish pee a lot. They are constantly absorbing water through osmosis (fish contains more sodium than the water), and have to rid themselves of it. They don't have urinary bladders, so they are pretty much peeing constantly. Fish pee is one of the two main sources of ammonia that fish excrete in to the water, the other is via respiratory exchange in the gills.

On the other hand, saltwater fish are constantly losing water due to osmosis (water contains more sodium than the fish), and typically excrete urea in a very concentrated form, similar to what birds do (the white part of bird poop is actually pee).


----------



## phoenix91

PewPewPew said:


> What kind is it? Is it made for aquarium use? If so, follow the dosing at it will be fine. If not, and its something like miracle grow, I would stay away.
> (Ex, seachem flourish, tetra floura pride, API's leaf zone, etc are good, use them right in!)


It's for aquarium use, i checked. Thanks.


----------



## NEWBEE FISH

Do fish shed there scales? or Do they lose scales?


----------



## PewPewPew

They shouldnt, no. It is not healthy for them to, if they are. Scales falling of is a sign of disease or injury.


And that white bird poop/pee thing. Omg, Im going to die of omgness. Ew.


----------



## alixhero

Is feeding cooked chicken meat 3 times a week ok ??
main point is , is chicks meat alright ??


----------



## PewPewPew

I wouldnt feed them that...Idk, they can eat mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, things like that. Try pellets!


----------



## alixhero

PewPewPew said:


> I wouldnt feed them that...Idk, they can eat mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, things like that. Try pellets!


i feed pellets too , but article and documentary says that feeding meat once in a while can maintain their diet and stomach since they're carnivores :-?


----------



## Neil D

Thanks for answering my....um...factual question!


----------



## Burd

I tried asking this question in its own thread originally but no one seemed willing/to have an answer.

In my icon you can kind of see it - my betta's ventral fin on one side is 'curled' up under him, almost like it's broken or hurt. I got him from the pet shop this way. It doesn't at all seem to get in the way of him swimming. His water is fine and he lives in a heated, filtered, planted 10g with a few zebra danios. He routinely makes bubble nests and flares at himself in the mirror just fine when he sees himself. 

Is there any chance of his fin 'uncurling' or healing back to the way it should be? Or is this likely permanent?


----------



## pdxBetta

Burd said:


> Is there any chance of his fin 'uncurling' or healing back to the way it should be? Or is this likely permanent?


It is probably a genetic "defect" that is part of his character, something that would make him less desirable as a breeder but perfect as a pet.


----------



## ChelseaLlyn

How do I treat fin rot with tannins and aquarium salt? I have decaf green tea bags, for a 3 gallon aquarium. Do I change the amount of salt or water temp (about 75 right now) or anything?


----------



## NEWBEE FISH

Will AQ salt harm my apple snails in my (5g) tank?


----------



## Aluyasha

How often do you have to do water changes/cleanings on a 5 gallon tank with no filter?


----------



## phoenix91

Just a quick question about water changes. My new female is in a 1/2 gallon while she adjusts/ while i wait for my tank to cycle. What kind of water changes should i do? i figured between 50-100% each day, is that right?


----------



## Neil D

phoenix91 said:


> Just a quick question about water changes. My new female is in a 1/2 gallon while she adjusts/ while i wait for my tank to cycle. What kind of water changes should i do? i figured between 50-100% each day, is that right?


People day 100% a day for that small bowl/tank thing. But remember tanks can take a while to cycle, I read 2+ months! That's 60+ water changes:shock:! Ask around though.;-)


----------



## phoenix91

My tanks been set up and going for a few weeks now. i can do 100% per day no problem. i fiured 1/2 gallon would be better than the cup she was in. thanks.


----------



## Neil D

Ya, no prob!


----------



## Burd

Neil D said:


> People day 100% a day for that small bowl/tank thing. But remember tanks can take a while to cycle, I read 2+ months! That's 60+ water changes:shock:! Ask around though.;-)


I've had my tank (10g) set up for about three weeks now and I've been using the seachem stability and biozyme from the get-go. It wasn't cycled and I was a n00b to fish keeping so I scrambled to find anything that would help. It's done a perfect job at keeping my tank ammonia, nitrate and nitrite free.

Just figured I'd put that out there if anyone is in need of a cycle booster as I was!


----------



## Neil D

Okay good. I don't see a prob with putting him in now. Although u should ask around, as I'm only 13


----------



## Neil D

U could also ask a friend with a HEALTHY tank to give u some gravel, the. U could put a bit in the filter and on the substrate! Another solution!


----------



## trono

I successfully had my betta in a cycling tank. Just gotta be on top of maintenance. I figure a cycling tank has to be better than a tiny bowl.


----------



## NEWBEE FISH

Will AQ salt harm apple snails?


----------



## phoenix91

I looked everywhere today for a small heater to keep my new girl warm in the 1/2gallon, I couldn't find one. Would I be better off moving her to the cycling 5 g? I checked the levels this morning and the ammonia is at 0.25 and everything else is in agood range. Or would it be better for her to leave her where she is right now, inane alamp heating the bowl.


----------



## Amaya Yuy

Amaya Yuy said:


> ok so quick question =].
> 
> How do you attach a signature at the bottom of your post? I see a lot of people with one but I can't figure out how to do it lol.
> Thanks =]


still trying to figure this out.:-?:|:-(


----------



## Neil D

Amaya Yuy said:


> still trying to figure this out.:-?:|:-(


Go to 'user CP' and in the left hand column, click edit signature. Type in what u want it to say and click the save button.


----------



## Neil D

phoenix91 said:


> I looked everywhere today for a small heater to keep my new girl warm in the 1/2gallon, I couldn't find one. Would I be better off moving her to the cycling 5 g? I checked the levels this morning and the ammonia is at 0.25 and everything else is in agood range. Or would it be better for her to leave her where she is right now, inane alamp heating the bowl.



I've read that .5 ppm of ammonia is the max allowance for fish. Above this can cause severe pain/discomfort/death.


----------



## Amaya Yuy

Neil D said:


> Go to 'user CP' and in the left hand column, click edit signature. Type in what u want it to say and click the save button.



Thank you so much!! :-D:-D:-D


----------



## Neil D

Don't mention it


----------



## NEWBEE FISH

Will AQ salt harm apple snails


----------



## JKfish

Newbee fish: yes, it will. Salts and snails don't mix


----------



## PewPewPew

I think except the marine varieties that also live in fresh, but I dont think apple snails are, so no.


----------



## Arashi Takamine

Maka's been coloring up more but today I noticed like a blue border around her tail, dorsal and anal fin....Is this just her showing her true coloring in the right light or is this fin rot? She and Akira were sitting next to each other seperated by their cups for their waterchange and they were flaring wildly at each other so after noticing Maka seemed to become stressed I moved them both back infront of their respective tanks...That's when I had noticed it. I told my mom and asked her if it looked gray to her but she said it was blue...

I'm sorry but Maka's finally warming up to me, eating and everything. I don't want to lose her so soon.


----------



## JKfish

blue means she is coloring up . finrot is either black (bacterial) or white (fungal).


----------



## Arashi Takamine

Awesome! Thank you. I'm glad to know it's just her finally showing her true self.


----------



## xswornxoffxjello

If I bleached my siphon Friday night, rinsed it with hot water and left it in the sun since then, will it be all right by today (Sunday)?


----------



## JKfish

it ought to be


----------



## Neil D

@ JKfish, I think your signature is awesome! Makes so much sense, and sends a good message.


----------



## xswornxoffxjello

JKfish said:


> it ought to be


Thank you.


----------



## eengland

Has anyone ever used an automatic feeder? if so, can someone suggest a feeder. I figured out why my little man is eating his tail. If I am late on feeding him, he goes to town on his tail. He loves his new home though!  And that has helped some.


----------



## Neil D

Can someone tell me why my betta flares at a certain wall when the tank lights are on?


----------



## jesstanner

Betta not eating...He's very active and flaring but for the past two days he won't eat! He begs for food...I put the food in...He stares at it...swims away...3 minutes later I remove the food! gahh! I alternate between freeze dried blood worms, and betta pellets. He is in a 2.5 gallon tank. Temp is at 76 degrees (Heater doesn't adjust), tank is filtered, Last water change was yesterday when I did a 25% and I did a 50% 3 days ago. I did move the tank, so maybe hes just stressed? He is driving me crazy, because he won't stop begging for food and then he just ignores it!


----------



## JKfish

Neil: if your tank is in a dim or dark corner of your house, and you turn on a light directly over the top of the tank, some walls will become reflective/like a mirror. Try making sure the tank is in a well lit area before you turn on the tank light 

Jesstaner, do you pre-soak your pellets? Keep at it, and offer food. He'll eat when he's hungry.


----------



## Neil D

@ JKfish, thx! I opened the blinds directly behind the tank, and turned on the lights, and he wasn't flaring at all! Is it okay if there is indirect sunlight in the tank? It's not direct light. 

I have two more questions: there is a film on the top of my tank. How do I remove it?

Do bettas have teeth?


----------



## PewPewPew

Yes they do. Have him bite you, youll feel it!

I dont think theyre like fangs, though. Id say more like a duck's.


----------



## Neil D

@ pewpewpew, what about the film on the surface?


----------



## JKfish

Neil, indirect lighting is fine  the film on the surface is a modge-podge microorganisms growing. You can get rid of it by increasing surface movement, by scooping it out with a cup, or by putting a top on your tank. A mixture of all three works best  Also, thanks for the compliment. And, yes they do have teeth. proprtionately compared to a shark, they have a larger teeth to body size ratio.

eengland: as for automatic feeders, I have heard nothing but bad of them. Apparently a lot of them are poor quality and malfunction.


----------



## Neil D

There is like No surface movement due to the baffle. Yeah, I can scoop it out, and my tank has a hood.


----------



## Aluyasha

How many water changes would I have to do for a 5 gallon with no filter?


----------



## Canuck Fins

Aluyasha said:


> How many water changes would I have to do for a 5 gallon with no filter?


I believe a 5 gallon uncycled/unfiltered has to be changed twice a week - one 50% change and one 100% change with substrate vacuuming.


----------



## Canuck Fins

Sometimes when I check my fish during the day, he looks pale (no stress bars) but is still very active. An hour later, he'll be back to his regular colour. Any idea what that's about?


----------



## Neil D

I still have a film on my tank, and I can't make it go away! How do inmate it go away? And there are bubbles on my tank, and it's not from my betta. Why?


----------



## Canuck Fins

My tank gets bubbles on the surface of the water. Some of them are from my fish; they can blow single bubbles and not build nests. I expect some of them are from there being some movement from the filter.

What colour film is it? My tank gets diatoms on the side sometimes which are brown and wipe off easily with a sponge. They aren't harmful. Just part of the life in the tank.


----------



## Neil D

Um, purplish, but it could be the tank lights. It also looks a bit like oil. If I touch it, it makes a hole in the film.


----------



## Twilight Storm

http://www.bettafish.com/album.php?albumid=2026&pictureid=13795

Can someone please tell me what color my fish is so I can stop feeling like an idiot? I looked at every betta on aquabid, in the color post here in the forum, and on google images, but he doesn't match to any that come up. 

(I can't make the picture visable to me on a forum, and I don't know if anyone can look at that album link either. A member made me very worried that he might be sick but if anyone can ID the color I can look it up) 

Thank you to whoever can possably answer my question!


----------



## Neil D

@ twilightstorm Srry, that was me... Just wanted to make sure he was okay though. I'm not sure, try to get a side pic of him.


----------



## JKfish

Neil, I told you what it was  It's microorganisms that grow. Think of it as a protein film. Having water movement will help decrease it, as will keeping a top on the tank. Apart from that, you just have to scoop it out. Maybe try making your water changes 3-4 small water changes a week rather than just 1 larger one a week (if your tank is cycled). The film catches bubbles. When bettas breath from the surface, it's not uncommon for them to let a little bubble out of their mouths. I am yet to keep a tank that doesn't develop that. You just have to deal with it as best you can. Unless it becomes incredibly thick, having a thin layer on top of your water isn't harmful in the least. It is just annoying to the fish keeper.

Twilight Storm: He is a copper  To post a picture, go to advanced posting by clicking the "go advanced" button. Click the Paper Clip "Attachment" button next that is two to the right of the button that lets you change the color of the font. After you click it, press the "browse" button and select your photo (make sure it is down sized so it fits on here  ), then upload it before exiting. Click your Paper Clip "Attachment" button again. This time it'll drop down, and under "Manage Attachments" will be your picture. Click it, and it'll be inserted into your post. Even if you don't click it, it'll be added at the bottom of your post. I hope that helped!

Canuck, I think it just may be the lighting.


----------



## Neil D

JKfish said:


> Neil, I told you what it was  It's microorganisms that grow. Think of it as a protein film. Having water movement will help decrease it, as will keeping a top on the tank. Apart from that, you just have to scoop it out. Maybe try making your water changes 3-4 small water changes a week rather than just 1 larger one a week (if your tank is cycled). The film catches bubbles. When bettas breath from the surface, it's not uncommon for them to let a little bubble out of their mouths. I am yet to keep a tank that doesn't develop that. You just have to deal with it as best you can. Unless it becomes incredibly thick, having a thin layer on top of your water isn't harmful in the least. It is just annoying to the fish keeper.
> 
> Twilight Storm: He is a copper  To post a picture, go to advanced posting by clicking the "go advanced" button. Click the Paper Clip "Attachment" button next that is two to the right of the button that lets you change the color of the font. After you click it, press the "browse" button and select your photo (make sure it is down sized so it fits on here  ), then upload it before exiting. Click your Paper Clip "Attachment" button again. This time it'll drop down, and under "Manage Attachments" will be your picture. Click it, and it'll be inserted into your post. Even if you don't click it, it'll be added at the bottom of your post. I hope that helped!
> 
> Canuck, I think it just may be the lighting.



Oh yeah. Oops. Anyway about the water changes; should I just change a gallon a day for a bit just from the surface with no gravel vacuuming? This film is irksome


----------



## Twilight Storm

Neil D said:


> I still have a film on my tank, and I can't make it go away! How do inmate it go away? And there are bubbles on my tank, and it's not from my betta. Why?


http://www.3reef.com/forums/general-reef-topics/oil-looking-grease-top-tank-95660.html

found that in a different forum, and what jkfish said

and yes neil, ty 

still no answers to any of my questions in the disease forum and im getting worried, especially since it appears my tank is done cycling and he is going to be stuck in his quarn. bowl until I know he isnt sick. I have spent days searching the internet and here and I can't answer my questions


----------



## Twilight Storm

Neil D said:


> @ twilightstorm Srry, that was me... Just wanted to make sure he was okay though. I'm not sure, try to get a side pic of him.


I wish I could. Might be a while until I can get a side pic of him the guy with the camera is sick right now. I am trying to locate something that has flat sides as well so when he is better, get a better pic of him.  still ty! I just don't want to treat him with coppersafe again unless it is since it can hurt him


----------



## JKfish

Well, how large is your tank Neil? and is it cycled? If you changed 1 gallon 5 days of the week in a cycled 10 gallon, that'd be more than enough  Changing the water from the top is a good idea, but I'd still recommend gravel vaccing to get stuff from the gravel out.

Twilight Storm, if you have any more pictures, that'd be great , just to make sure. If he isn't acting sick, then he's probably fine. Some things to look out for are flashing/scrathing against ornaments and walls of the tank, excessive "yawning", white salt like spots, rotting fins, lethargy, clamping/dulled colors etc, to name a few. If he doesn't act like that, then he's probably just fine  You can use a tubberware to hold and take pictures of him with. And generally, you need to know what your fish is sick before you think of treating. Most illnesses can be healed with clean water, maybe a bit of salt, etc.  Also, could you try not to double post? Up to 20 minutes after posting, there is an "edit" button on the bottom right hand corner of your posts that you can use to add more to what you say.


----------



## Twilight Storm

thank you thank you thank you! and yes I try to edit. Just got overly excited i've been asking for a week you are the only one who answered me, and more. I will wait patiently now on the other forum on my others I was worried about.  (last post of the night)


----------



## dew

I want sand for my 3 gallon. How would I do a 100% water change with the sand?


----------



## Neil D

@JKfish, I have a fully cycled heated, filtered ten gallon tank which I siphon out the gravel every week and change 20% of the water every week as well. So 1 gallon every day will likely rid my tank of the film?


----------



## JKfish

i've had sand before in my cycled tanks, and I will truthfully say that I don't advise it for an uncycled tank. At all. Removing it can a hassle. (I had to to so twice in my 10 gallon, and it was horrible) The most effective way I discovered is sticking the syphon directly into the sand as you are doing your water change and let it pour into a bucket for rinsing. This way the sand will mostly be removed with little to no effort. The rest you just have to scoop out with your hands.

Neil: (I'm guessing your water change schedule is so little because you only have one betta in there?) hopefully a gallon a day/ever other day will do it. I can't say it'll get it all out, but it'll help keep it minimal.  I personally just use a cup to scoop it out daily, and it works pretty well.


----------



## phoenix91

Will my female grow as large as my male? I mean body size, i'm not taking account of the fins? my female is a VT i believe and my male is a CT.

Also, my 5 gallon tank is cycling and i'm doing 50% water changes twice a week plus gravel/sand vacuuming both times; i've just done a 50% change and i checked the parameters after the change and the ammonia is at 0.25. I'm both my tanks, my 3 g and my 5 gallon even after large water changes (and i mean around 90-95% in the 3 gallon) the ammonia level never seems to be at 0. I'm going to test my plane old tap water but how can i get the ammonia to 0? 

I realize once the 5 gallon finishes the cycle the ammonia should be at 0 but for the 3 gallon what should i do?


----------



## Neil D

@JKfish, I have a betta and 6 cardinals in there. I am planning on getting 2 more cardinals and some java moss, yeah , I know I need to increase water changes, when I get another bucket, I'll do about 45-50% changes weekly.


----------



## JKfish

pheonix: In my experience, they are typically a bit smaller than males. in an uncycled 3 gallon, you need a 100% once a week as well as one or two 50% water changes. In your 5 gallon, it depends on the stocking

Neil, you are good. 6 is a good number, and you don't want to get it too full. Right now, you could just stick with the gallon a day, 5 days a week (with a gravel vac somewhere in there), because techinically that brings you to 50% a week, which is good.


----------



## Neil D

Ill do 2 gal on sat, and 2 gal on sun. So adding more fish is too much? Would two more make that much of a dent in the bioload? Even if I add some java moss?


----------



## phoenix91

JKfish said:


> pheonix: In my experience, they are typically a bit smaller than males. in an uncycled 3 gallon, you need a 100% once a week as well as one or two 50% water changes. In your 5 gallon, it depends on the stocking


Okay, thanks. In the 3 gallon i usually do 1 1/3rd change and 1 large (like 95 - 98%) change. I say 95% because some water gets left behind in the gravel. In the 5 gallon i have very tiny betta and lots of live plants, i might add a few shrimp once it's cycled but i haven't' made up my mind yet. Both are filtered.


----------



## phoenix91

I forgot to ask this but do females make bubble nests? or is it strictly a male behaviour?


----------



## JKfish

females physically can't really make large bubble nests like males can. Males have something in their saliva that helps the bubbles stick together and prevent popping. Some females make small ones, but it's not common.


----------



## PewPewPew

Adding In decaf green tea (left to pre soak for not too too long) makes the water sticker, which helps make nesting easier...just a suggestion to anyone who loves nig nests! 
as soon as I tam the water with it, alle goes nuts and nests.


----------



## jesstanner

How do you add green tea?


----------



## phoenix91

JKfish said:


> females physically can't really make large bubble nests like males can. Males have something in their saliva that helps the bubbles stick together and prevent popping. Some females make small ones, but it's not common.


Oh, in that case my tiny female might just be a tiny male. I woke up to find a nice bubble nest next to the filter in her/his tank. Is there any other way to determine a male from a female?


----------



## dew

I think I'll just use sand in princetons 5 gallon. lol


----------



## JKfish

pheonix: look at the ventral fins (the two long ones right below the belly). Females have really small and thin ones, and males tend to have longer and thicker ones. When males flare, they flare sideways at the other fish in order to look larger. When females flare, they flare head on.

Here is my quick question:

I forgot to take the blanket off the tank (i use it to block out light when it's night time for them), and it's thick enough to block out all light. Will my boys be alright for a day in complete darkness until I get home?


----------



## bettafish15

They should be fine. They last a couple days in darkness in a shipping box, so he should be fine. It'll be relaxing for him, he'll be all chill when you get home xD


----------



## Neil D

How fast will a golf/tennis ball sized clump of java moss grow in a heated/filtered ten gallon tank with a male betta & 6 cardinal tetras? I have one ten Watt bulb lighting 1/2 the tank(it makes a nice effect)


----------



## Neil D

Another question about java moss: 
I found little snail things in mine. Are they dangerous? I destroyed the ones Ive seen so far. How long should I wait before adding the moss to my tank? It's in a separate container now.


----------



## Canuck Fins

I bought java fern that had a snail in it. Find out what kind of snail you've got before you put it in your tank. I found out mine was the kind that would reproduce like crazy (even without a second snail) so I got rid of it. I waited 24 hours after I got my plants; I left them in untreated water for a full day befoe adding them to the tank to try to get rid of any unwanted stuff.


----------



## newarkhiphop

Quick question:

am feedin my boy 3 times a day 3 pellets each time. Am i over feedin or under feedin?


----------



## JKfish

newarkhiphop, well, you are over feeding. Two to three pellets twice daily is more than enough for even a betta in a large heated tank that exercises a lot. 9 a day definately too much, you have to keep in mind that bettas' stomachs are the size of their eye balls.


----------



## newarkhiphop

JKfish said:


> newarkhiphop, well, you are over feeding. Two to three pellets twice daily is more than enough for even a betta in a large heated tank that exercises a lot. 9 a day definately too much, you have to keep in mind that bettas' stomachs are the size of their eye balls.


ive been feeding him this way for the 3 weeks or so ive had him, should i switch him right away to what you recommend, or ween him down to it?


----------



## Canuck Fins

I would just make the change. It'll be fine; it won't stress him out. The other thing I'd add for your consideration is to feed your betta six days and fast the seventh. (For my fish, Friday is the day I don't feed him. On Sunday, I give him a couple of frozen bloodworms instead of pellets for his first feeding.) It helps their digestion. A lot of people here follow that sort of schedule as overfeeding can lead to bloating and other problems.


----------



## jesstanner

Uhg I don't want to begin a new thread but open sore on the top of bettas head? It started off small yesterday and now its quite large...it's white but it looks like hes sorta missing, i dont know what you call them...scales? He is eating normally, he is slightly more active and in the middle of the water he twists around a lot briefly then goes back to swimming like nothing happened. 2.5 gallon heated and filtered tank (temp 76 degrees, heater preset) last water change was a 50% on wednesday, I was gonna do another one today. The past two days he's been eating freezedried bloodworms because he is now being picky and refuses pellets >_< ik im probably over reacting...again...but you guys have helped in the past so, yea.


----------



## JKfish

I'd keep an eye on it. He might have columnaris. Can you try to get a picture? In that sized tanks, you are doing 2 50% and one 100% water changes a week, right? I'd get him back onto pellets, freeze dried is no good (think of it as potatoe chips).


----------



## NikiandBeyond

After adding driftwood and some anacharis, my water has turned green. Could the driftwood be releasing something? Algae bloom/suspended algae?

Also my nitrates have spiked significantly (about 40ppm), where my nitrites are 0, and the water is all around safe and more stable (the driftwood really lowered my pH from 8.4 to almost 7.0). 

I read that nitrate isn't altogether toxic but will gave harmful consequences if not taken care of. True? I've increased water changes, and I'm getting on a 20% daily schedule until it clears up.

Thoughts? Comments? Thanks!


----------



## Canuck Fins

Is your tank cycled? Or maybe it's just finishing cycling? In cycling a tank, ammonia spikes and drop, nitrites spike and drop, then nitrates are present but ammonia and nitrites should be at zero.


----------



## NikiandBeyond

It's been established for 5 months. I haven't changed anything with the filter. Could that be a culprit? Is it due? This is my first time having to care for a filtered tank. Could the algae also be from an airstone. I put one in the same day as the driftwood and kept it in for a week. The current seemed to tire Casper, so we removed the system yesterday. Added oxygen could've done something?

(It's a 4.6 gal and Casper shares it with an olive nerite snail.)


----------



## JKfish

Nitrates should be kept down below 10 ppm. In an almost five gallon tank with a betta and a snail, you'd want to be doing 50% a week. Also, in a cycled tank, you swish the filter media through old tank water to clean it about once a month. 

If the current from the filter tired him out, you could have baffled the filter. If you remove it, there will be no bacteria to keep the tank cycled.


----------



## NikiandBeyond

Thanks for the advice! I'll start cleaning out the filter cartridges. I'll talk with my bf and see if he skipped a water change. He does one weekly, and when I visit, it's sometimes twice a week. Sorry if it was confusing, but the filter current isn't too strong. I've had that baffled for months and that's all taken care of. It was the current from the airstone (independent from my filter system) that seemed to tire Casper out. I'd put it in the tank because I read somewhere on this forum the bubbles reduce boredom. Casper isn't bored in the least, but I thought it could only do more good, not hurt. Oh well.

Could the sudden aeration have contributed to the algae? If it is algae tinting the water, and not something from the driftwood?


----------



## JKfish

hmm, okay. Well, I'm not really sure. The algae bloom could be caused by a number of things, though the driftwood may be a reason. What type of wood is it, did you boil it, and scrape off the mushy parts before putting it in?


----------



## NikiandBeyond

I didn't know it should be scraped. :-( What's that do? Does it matter now?

I sure like the poem in your sig!


----------



## JKfish

Well, boiling it and scraping it gets out the tannins and gunk. I also asked to know what type it is, because soft woods, grape vines, etc have sap in them that can ruin a tank.

And thanks~


----------



## Neil D

For the algea bloom, it can occur if the tank is in direct sunlight.


----------



## NikiandBeyond

JKfish said:


> Well, boiling it and scraping it gets out the tannins and gunk. I also asked to know what type it is, because soft woods, grape vines, etc have sap in them that can ruin a tank.
> 
> And thanks~


I'm not sure what it is. Could someone tell me? After googling tannins, I'm sure that's what it's from. Instead of boiling the driftwood, I soaked it in scalding water from the tap without understanding... My tank light has a blue tint, so the water must be yellow but looks green under the light. While reading, someone suggested that the tannins aren't harmful (though I should keep an eye on not having drastic pH swings) and that in fact fish may find the color comforting?

(the pic is from the day I put the driftwood in, before it was really "leaking")


----------



## JKfish

tannins are good for fish, and eventually water changes will get it back to normal.

My quick question:

I returned my heaters to petsmart, but they only had bad quality topfin heaters available, so they gave me store credit, and said they'd have the new shipment in on thursday. I've got the room temp at 76 degrees, though sometimes it is cooler. Do you think my bettas will be alright until then, or should I just go back and get what those heaters for now?


----------



## Neil D

Yeah. I'm sure they won't be cozy, but people have bettas for 2+ years without heaters, but I would recommend aqueon heaters. I have a 50 W for my ten gallon.


----------



## Neil D

I have a question. 

My cardinals are leaving my betta alone and are now chasing eachother around the tank. Josh the betta is staying on one half of the tank. Is he getting scared from all the tetras spazzy-ness?


----------



## PewPewPew

Probably. If you want to keep the tetras, I suggest you buy a divider that doesnt need sealant, give Josh about 2.5 gallons worth of space to swim, and have the tetras on the other side. It doesnt seem to be working for you, which can happen.


----------



## Neil D

@pewpewpew

Nevermind, it turned out he was seeing himself in the wall. He's fine now. But if something like that happens, I'll use your idea. Thx.


----------



## newarkhiphop

quick question:


i know the best temp is between 76-86F degree, it it best to keep my tank ( 1gal) on the lower end 76-81F or the higher end 81-86F ????, 

right now with just his heater and not the tank light on water is running 83F,


----------



## PewPewPew

86' is not recommended unless spawning or unless there are fry. That high a temp is not comfortable and can promote unnatural amounts of bacteria in the tank, which can cause illness at times.

Id keep it in the "lower" and opt for 78', which is "perfect". 83' is high, Id lower it. Your heater is probably too strong for that small of a tank.


----------



## newarkhiphop

PewPewPew said:


> 86' is not recommended unless spawning or unless there are fry. That high a temp is not comfortable and can promote unnatural amounts of bacteria in the tank, which can cause illness at times.
> 
> Id keep it in the "lower" and opt for 78', which is "perfect". 83' is high, Id lower it. Your heater is probably too strong for that small of a tank.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006JLPFE

yea its a 7.5W its for 2-5 gallon tanks :-? 

i only had it installed for like the last 4 days or so and i finally got my thermometer in the mail today and with the heater only he was at about 85, now with just the light only he floating at about 82. What can i do to keep the temp steady?


----------



## PewPewPew

Sans a heater? Its hard to say. Whats the temp without a heater? My tanks stay at a constant 77' without one now that the weather's getting warm.
If it has a large top, consider keeping the lid off if there is one to let the excess heat escape. Use mesh to cover the top from jumping.


----------



## Neil D

Well I think 83 would be better than 72, which is my house temp. Try the mesh idea, or try to create surface movement. Or buy a 12$ plastic two gallon bowl. Good Luck!


----------



## newarkhiphop

Am going to look into that mesh to use during the summer/day time, thanks for all the great advice.


----------



## Neil D

Another Question:

Will java moss root to 1/2 a terra cotta pot?


----------



## JKfish

it'll take a long time, but eventually it will


----------



## Neil D

I got time. Thx!


----------



## sflemin2

I am sorry if this has already been asked but I am new and there are 113 pages lol. How high can they jump? I have a 10 gallon tank and I left the water about 3 inches low. He hasn't tried to jump but I can't stop worrying. I am getting a lid today (had to wait until payday..I am THAT broke). I have only had him a couple of days


----------



## Canuck Fins

What I would do, until you get a lid, put a piece of Saran wrap/plastic wrap across the top of the tank. Poke some air holes in it so it's not airtight. Then you will know he can't jump out of the water. 

(And don't apologize for asking. We'd rather you ask and get help than have something happen to your fish!)


----------



## sflemin2

I didnt think of that! Thanks!


----------



## n3wport

Should I rinse Catpapta leaves off in hot water before putting them in my betta's tank?


----------



## Canuck Fins

n3wport said:


> Should I rinse Catpapta leaves off in hot water before putting them in my betta's tank?


The recommendation I got when I bought my plants was to soak them for 24 hours in untreated water and the chlorine will get anything extra. However, a tiny snail somehow snuck through and lived 3 weeks in my tank before I ever saw it (and fished it out) so check your plants carefully.


----------



## JKfish

I doubt there'd be anything nasty on dried catapta (indian almond) leaves. Rinsing I'd assume is optional, though I'm pretty sure you can just toss one into the tank.


----------



## n3wport

Canuck Fins said:


> The recommendation I got when I bought my plants was to soak them for 24 hours in untreated water and the chlorine will get anything extra. However, a tiny snail somehow snuck through and lived 3 weeks in my tank before I ever saw it (and fished it out) so check your plants carefully.


Were yours dried? Mine are very dry


----------



## Canuck Fins

Okay, I didn't realize that was IAL. I thought it was a plant. Go with JK's advice.


----------



## PewPewPew

I wouldnt leave the plants in chlorinated water...theyre more sensitive than land plants and might be damaged from it...

Snails are almost guaranteed unless you QT for a month or more.


----------



## kmontijo

*new fish questions*

I have a 1-gallon tank- is it necessary to buy a siphon, or can i just change the water by scooping it out? the guy at the pet store was very confusing.

thanks!
-Kristee


----------



## Betta Slave

A siphon isn't necessary- just do daily/every other day 100% water changes.


----------



## laughing

I was wondering, would a 5 gallon sorority with 3 females work for me? The tank looks mostly like this:

http://i56.tinypic.com/1z97qq.jpg

I say mostly because there is some open spaces for my current female to swim. But her tank is heavily planted with many hiding spots as well as caves. I'm even adding more, LOL. I can't see her half the time. THAT PLANTED. That's why I'm curious! 

Thanks


----------



## Canuck Fins

laughing said:


> I was wondering, would a 5 gallon sorority with 3 females work for me? The tank looks mostly like this:
> 
> http://i56.tinypic.com/1z97qq.jpg
> 
> I say mostly because there is some open spaces for my current female to swim. But her tank is heavily planted with many hiding spots as well as caves. I'm even adding more, LOL. I can't see her half the time. THAT PLANTED. That's why I'm curious!
> 
> Thanks


A 5 gallon is great for one fish and serviceable if divided for 2 fish. It's really not appropriate for a sorority. I have a 5 gallon with real plants. It would be really crowded to try to fit 3 fish and a lot of plants.


----------



## laughing

Okay then, makes enough sense I don't need to, I have waay too many tanks!


----------



## hops523

Just a quick question. If you have an adjustable heater, does it matter what wattage it is? I'm thinking of setting up a 2.5 gallon, and have a spare heater that's adjustable, forgot how many watts, but its definitely over 50 watts.


----------



## JKfish

Well, it isn't advised, and there is a chance with too much wattage that the heater will over heat the tank quickly by accident. It should be fine temporarily if you need it, I just would advise keeping a close eye on the temps until you can get a new one.


----------



## laughing

Guys- 2.5 gallon lighted hood & filter set or a 3 gallon kritter keeper with just the filter?


----------



## JKfish

You need a heater in both. The filter is optional. In such small tanks, you can't really achieve a stable cycle, so you don't really need either. You'd just have to do two 50% and one 100% water changes a week in the 2.5 gallon, or one 50% and one 100% water change in the 3 gallon.

If the 2.5 is lighted, I'd almost say go for that, it sounds nice, all you need is a heater.


----------



## baylee767

My fish is constipated and I fed him a piece of a boiled+deshelled pea yesterday and he's getting 1 tsp/gallon epsom salt right now. He got a lot out thanks to the pea but he's still constipated. Should I give him another piece of pea?


----------



## JKfish

I would just fast him for a few days


----------



## newarkhiphop

quick question:


my boy just made a nice small bubble nest over night, would it be stressful for me to do a full water / tank decor change today?


----------



## Canuck Fins

No, clean water always trumps a bubble nest. The nest is a sign your fish is content. He'll likely make another.


----------



## Lion Mom

baylee767 said:


> My fish is constipated and I fed him a piece of a boiled+deshelled pea yesterday and he's getting 1 tsp/gallon epsom salt right now. He got a lot out thanks to the pea but he's still constipated. Should I give him another piece of pea?


You may want to show him a mirror & let him flare for a few minutes (5ish). A lot of times that makes them "go". :-D


----------



## roadrunner

baylee767 said:


> My fish is constipated and I fed him a piece of a boiled+deshelled pea yesterday and he's getting 1 tsp/gallon epsom salt right now. He got a lot out thanks to the pea but he's still constipated. Should I give him another piece of pea?


Get some daphnia instead. They work as a laxative and I've heard are better for the fish than pea.


----------



## Neil D

Question: 

Why are bettas so fearless? My guy comes right up to the siphon when I clean his tank.


----------



## roadrunner

Neil D said:


> Question:
> 
> Why are bettas so fearless? My guy comes right up to the siphon when I clean his tank.


is that a real question?????


----------



## hops523

How long should I acclimate my new betta from Thailand? I floated the bag in the water for about 3 hours, now for almost the past 4 hours I've been adding a teaspoon of water to his bag every 15 minutes. He's been pretty active in the bag. I've heard 8 hours, I've also heard a couple days...


----------



## JKfish

I acclimated Tux in a matter of two hours, because I was rushed. If I had my way, I would have gone for 5. I had dripped a slow and steady drop of clean water into his bag in every few seconds. When it was almost full, I poured out half and began again. I did so twice and a half times before I let him go into the tank.


----------



## hops523

Ok thanks. Something was telling me a teaspoon every 15 wasn't enough. It still seems like he's swimming in more of his original water than in the new water after 4 hours. When I used to acclimate saltwater fish, I'd have to dump out water as well, I havent had to do that yet, since I've been acclimating so slow. I'll speed it up a little.
Thanks again


----------



## eengland

I just want to thank everyone for all of the advice y'all have given me! Gershwin is happy and working hard on a bubble nest! His tail is also healing a little.


----------



## laughing

I got (2) 2.5 gallons and traded in the one 1.75 gallon kritter keeper. They'll be happy now They were on sale, too! So I'm happy!


----------



## Neil D

Hmph! My betta still hasn't made a BN yet:-(. Hope he does soon


----------



## wallywestisthebest333

What are your opinions on the time it takes PRIME to dechlorinate?

And I typically use two drops since it's technically 1.6 drops per gallon. (I've got Genie in a gallon container for the time being)


----------



## JKfish

I'm pretty sure prime dechlorinates pretty much right away. I always give my freshly dechlorinated water a little swirl before it adding it to the tank (just in case), and I use 2 drops.


----------



## wallywestisthebest333

Thanks! =] I usually let it sit overnight but it's good to know I can let it sit for an hour instead. =]


----------



## Neil D

Yes but it should be aged for at lesat over night, to give any harmful chemicals that the conditioner didnt pick up. Aged water is good water...


----------



## JKfish

Aging water is nice, but not necessary. Prime or any dechloeinator will remove chloramines and chlorine are removed pretty much right off the bat, and they are what you have to worry about.


----------



## Neil D

Heavy metal, etc? Maybe what I should say is if there are any sensitive tank mates. (tetras, corys) bettas are hardier though...


----------



## Canuck Fins

Neil D said:


> Hmph! My betta still hasn't made a BN yet:-(. Hope he does soon


Mine had made one once but hasn't again in weeks. My guy likes to do random bubbles all over so I'm not too worried.


----------



## newarkhiphop

would these shrimp pellets make a good snack?


http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Shrimp...s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1304536536&sr=1-30


----------



## bahamut285

Neil D said:


> Hmph! My betta still hasn't made a BN yet:-(. Hope he does soon





Canuck Fins said:


> Mine had made one once but hasn't again in weeks. My guy likes to do random bubbles all over so I'm not too worried.


Some bettas are really particular about how/where they make their nests. HongBo also started making random bubbles everywhere until I put in a new plant that breaks the surface of the water a little bit. Now HongBo uses this plant as a sort of "scaffolding" for his bubble nest 

Either that or he just needs some time !


----------



## Neil D

I have that!!! I have a heater breaking the surface, and multiple 'tendrils' from the plant too! Hmmm...maybe hes just being lazy...lol


----------



## JKfish

NewArkHipHop: well, it's not nutritious enough to be a staple for bettas (it's only got a minimum of 36% protien rather than the recommended 40%), but if you want to occasionally feed it as a treat to switch things up, then feel free to.


----------



## hops523

I feel like I've been asking a lot of questions in this thread haha. 

Is there some reason halfmoon plakats are cheaper on aquabid than halfmoons? Does it have anything to do with theyre health or how long they live? I figured with less finnage they'd be healthier.
Thanks


----------



## JKfish

No, it's nothing to do with health so much as demand. Halfmoons are super popular, and are considered the ideal betta fish. Halfmoon plakats just aren't quite as popular.


----------



## trono

newarkhiphop said:


> would these shrimp pellets make a good snack?
> 
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Shrimp...s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1304536536&sr=1-30


They're sinking pellets so I'd think that would make it hard to feed to a Betta.


----------



## Neil D

I use TetraColor sinking pellets, my betta loved em!


----------



## phoenix91

Will maracyn kill or harm the plants in my tank?


----------



## bahamut285

Does anybody know what kind of colouring this is? More-so the "spots" located on the dorsal fin! Thanks! Sorry for the small picture, I just randomly came across it on bettasplendens.co.uk


----------



## Canuck Fins

Isn't that known as dalmatian when they are spotted like that?


----------



## Neil D

is that ur betta? it says a site, so not sure, but hes amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## bahamut285

@Canuck: I'm not sure, but I always thought the only true dalmatians are called Orange Dalmatians right now, and they actually resemble the dogs..but instead of black and white it's orange and dark orange spots that have no actual pattern.

@Niel D: No, sadly he's not mine! If I had room for tanks I would definitely want one like him though, which is why I'm asking -- for future reference


----------



## PewPewPew

Thats not a dalmatian, and no, they dont have to be that color. THose are just natural colors/stripes.
I see that kind listed as "black fire" a lot or "monster", though its some sorta multi/dragon.


----------



## JKfish

He is a masked* copper with red in him. The dorsal spots carry over from wild betta coloring and can be found in a lot of bettas. Bahamut is incorrect. Dalmatians don't have to be orange with red spots. They can be white with black spots. The dalmatian color extends to more of the fins (and body at times too), the little leopard spots are just something a lot of bettas have. I just call the little spots leopard spots, though there's probably some real term for them. 

(If you look closely at your betta, you might be surprised to see tiny little leopard spots towards the back of their dorsal fin. Both my boys have leopard spots that are just a wee bit darker than their fin colors on their dorsals  )


*Masked coloring is when the head color is the same color as the body. Regular bettas' heads are typically a much darker color compared to their body color.


----------



## Lion Mom

"*Masked coloring is when the head color is the same color as the body. Regular bettas' heads are typically a much darker color compared to their body color."

Is there any special name for a betta with a LIGHTER colored head than the rest of the body? Such as one with a flesh colored or white head?


----------



## bahamut285

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=29868 NEEDS MOAR COLOURZ

@P3 and JKFish: Ah I see, interesting...I was just going by the colour guide on this forum and couldn't figure it out X_X

@Lion Mom: According to the guide on here, that's called "Piebald"  XD


----------



## Lion Mom

Thanks - guess I should have looked!


----------



## bahamut285

@Lion Mom: np! I actually posted before looking *hits self* X_X ...I still couldn't find it though XD

@P3: Just looked around on AB for Monster and Blackfire, it appears Blackfire is much closer than monsters XD

@JKFish: On the guide we have, Masked looks kind of like...the head part of Dragons, is there a difference? "Pearly iridescent" doesn't really help to distinguish dragons, unless I'm being retarded (more than likely the case *cries*). @[email protected] From observation on AB it appears that "masked" looks...heavier(?) than a Dragon, especially on the head/face area, sorry, just trying to learn out of curiosity XD


----------



## JKfish

Dragon coloring is the heavy irredecence over the scales... almost as if there is a second set of scales over the first set. Masking is just coloration, though they can be dragon as well.

Tux (as you can see in my avvie) is a masked betta. When you look at him closely in real life, his scales are the regular thickness of any regular betta's scales, so he isn't a dragon.

Also, keep in mind that some well known breeders will have names/fancy titles for their lines made up of certain colors. This does not mean the name of the line is the name of the coloration of all bettas that color. An example would be the Apache line. It was a line of double tail red (sometimes butterflied) bettas. Or MartinisMommy's Mint Junior (I think that's what it's called) line, is a line of irridecent green and white marbled bettas. The lines are entirely made up of those colored bettas, but not all bettas of those specific colors will be under that line... if that makes any sese at all. I suck at explaining these sorts of things XP


----------



## dew

would it be ok to put sand in my 2.5 gallon?


----------



## PewPewPew

If thats what you want to do.


----------



## dew

how would I do a 100% water change?


----------



## Neil D

First siphon out all the water. Remove gravel and decor. Fill with aged conditioned water. Replace gravel and decor. Let run for 15 min.

Don't do a 100% if your tank is cycled. (there are exceptions of course)


----------



## Canuck Fins

With sand, you will have to remove all the sand and rinse it. To me, sand is a huge hassle for 100% changes, but as long as you are willing to do the work, go for it.


----------



## bahamut285

@JKFish: Oh okay I see, thanks for explaining it! Sounds pretty nifty...well I guess I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled then XD!


----------



## jackals

NLS betta formula pellets... feeding my 1 year and 2 month old betta these.

2 in the am, 2 in the pm for 6 days (1 day fasting)... is this over/underfeeding or just right? The NLS betta pellets are fairly small.


----------



## bahamut285

How long should one wait for dechlorinator to work completely? For Lin's tank that I do 100% waterchanges in, I just dose in-tank (she's in a waterchange bowl when I do this). 

I stir it around a bit with a wooden chopstick. I'm just curious because a lot of people have BUCKETS to age their water in. My apartment is far too small (and dusty!!) to do that.

**Edit: I usually wait about 30 minutes or so to also stabilize the water temperature while the dechlorinator is doing its thing XD


----------



## bahamut285

Oh god I hope I'm not to annoying, I've neglected this page for a while during exam period XD!

ANOTHER QUESTION: Ghost shrimp in a 2.5 Gal? Would 100% waterchanges be a hassle with it? I already have difficulty catching Lin X__X...she's smart and knows that the container is evil!


----------



## ChelseaLlyn

I'm treating fin rot with TCI tetracycline, and I'm curious, do I clean the tank and do a full water change between each treatment? The directions say to give two doses in a row, every 24 hours, then a 25% water change 24 hours after the last dose, and then repeat that.


----------



## Neil D

My betta is darting right along the front of his ten gallon tank, why? He eats, and is obviously active, is it just him? Does he like darting around? The water params are fine, with a 50% water change today. He is alone, and the tank is heated/filtered.


----------



## bahamut285

@ChelseaLlyn: I would probably follow the directions. I followed the directions to a tee when my goldies caught ich and they were cured pretty much instantly. I only had to use 2 doses in the end. Once to get rid of the ich on their body, the second time to get rid of the ich swimming in the water in their 1st/2nd life stage. I did a 100% waterchange after they were pretty much cured, then did additional 50% water changes everyday afterward for about a week until I made sure all the parasites were D.E.A.D.

I'm not going to harp on the decision to use medications, especially Tetracycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, but following the instructions letter to letter is what instructions are for, just make sure to dose properly for the amount of water in your tank (i.e. one packet per X gal or X drops per X gal)... I hope your fishy gets better <3

Oh, also I would advise using the medication in a hospital tank, a smaller tank that you float inside your regular tank, if possible. Some medications also stain decorations...I had to learn that the hard way XD!

(Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, I've only used one type of medication before )

@Niel D: Maybe he's just excited to see you! Keep an eye on him though, as you mentioned, darting around can be caused by weird water params. My first betta darted around for a few days then died suddenly. My second and current betta, HongBo, darted around for a few days after I brought him home, and I was very worried...he's calmed down since then


----------



## jackals

anyone able to help on feeding info.

I have NLS betta formula... is 2 in the AM and 2 in the PM for 6 days (1 fast day) good? more, less?


----------



## JKfish

Jackals, I hear that NLS is a bit smaller than most pellets, so you could feed 3 twice dailly if you wanted to


----------



## jackals

JKfish said:


> Jackals, I hear that NLS is a bit smaller than most pellets, so you could feed 3 twice dailly if you wanted to


Ok I am going to give him 3 in the morning and 3 in evening then for 6 days. He has been getting 2 each and tonight he actually jumped to get the food b4 i put it in. i guess he is hungry!!! lol


----------



## Neil D

Can I put a 50W heater in a 5 gallon?


----------



## JKfish

Yes, techinically you can, but I'd advise getting the proper wattage to avoid possible mishaps like overheating.


----------



## phoenix91

I just made a diy co2 setup for my 5 g. I'm super paranoid that it might harm my female in some way. Can the co2 alter the ph of the water? Can too much be produced? I read that it won't hurt her but just want to be sure. 

I have check valve on the line and the tube is stuck up the intake for the filter, it keeps making these little gassy puff noises every now and then which is quite amusing.


----------



## bahamut285

@phoenix91: As a general case, CO2 reduces pH in the water making it more acidic. I'm not sure how CO2 systems work, other than having your tank heavily planted to use up the CO2. I suggest increasing the valve as slowly as possible and constantly check the pH


----------



## Neil D

About the 50 w in a 5 gallon, it's adjustable with a thermostat, so how would it over heat? This is just hypothetical, btw. I have a ten gallon with heater. ;-)


----------



## bahamut285

Neil D said:


> About the 50 w in a 5 gallon, it's adjustable with a thermostat, so how would it over heat? This is just hypothetical, btw. I have a ten gallon with heater. ;-)


When it gets old the thermostat can go wonky or break altogether 

**EDIT: Actually it doesn't even need to be old, but it is because just in case the thermostat fails, XD


----------



## Neil D

Okay. Thx. One more heater related thing; wouldn't/couldn't that happen in a ten gallon too?


----------



## bahamut285

Neil D said:


> Okay. Thx. One more heater related thing; wouldn't/couldn't that happen in a ten gallon too?


In theory, yes, considering (according to my box) 50watts is for 15 Gallons, but it won't be as a severe overheating compared to that of 5 gal.

This appears to be a reasonable guide for heater wattages, other than reading the back of the boxes that the heater comes in: http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/heating/a/heatersizeguide.htm

**EDIT: I prefer reading the box


----------



## Neil D

Haha thx.


----------



## Neil D

Another question. 

I plan on moving my cycled ten gallon tank from the living room to my room upstairs. How would I do that? I'd have my mom's/dad's help of course. I don't want to re-cycle my tank, and it is heated and filtered. Has only one betta. Thx! (and sorry for the double post)


----------



## JKfish

Drain all the water ( save for maybe an inch above the gravel, and carry the tank up. It won't take more than maybe 4 minutes (unless you have killer stairs), and during that time, your cycle will be fine. Just plug in your filter ASAP once you have the tank in your room and filled. carry your betta up in a cup or something.


----------



## laughing

I have a skull in my new boy's tank. I want some kind of plant growing out of the mouth. Not like a tall growing plant, but more on that spreads *outward*? I hope you get what I'm saying, LOL! So I'm wondering is there some kind of moss or something that I could purchase for it to "leak" from his mouth that stays on the substrate?


----------



## gmd1800

Could the place you get fresh tank water from determine the acidity of the water? 

A friend of mine has a small community tank, and I went in to test her water once when all of her fish kept getting sick and dying. She had a slight problem with the ammonia, but when I tested, the ammonia was at 0 ppm, and everything was perfect, except for the pH which was at around 5.8! In the last few weeks, she started taking water from the lounge instead of the bathroom, and the pH is now around 7.2. 

She thinks that when people throw up (she's an RA for the second floor - HUGE partiers on that floor) the acid from the vomit mixes with the water supply. I find it dubious, but whatever. Would that be possible?


----------



## laughing

gmd1800 said:


> Could the place you get fresh tank water from determine the acidity of the water?
> 
> A friend of mine has a small community tank, and I went in to test her water once when all of her fish kept getting sick and dying. She had a slight problem with the ammonia, but when I tested, the ammonia was at 0 ppm, and everything was perfect, except for the pH which was at around 5.8! In the last few weeks, she started taking water from the lounge instead of the bathroom, and the pH is now around 7.2.
> 
> She thinks that when people throw up (she's an RA for the second floor - HUGE partiers on that floor) the acid from the vomit mixes with the water supply. I find it dubious, but whatever. Would that be possible?


Yes, it definitely can. I know in different areas of my apartment I can get different pH levels and even chlorine levels. Just because water is going to the same building doesn't mean all the water is the same. I would just keep getting it from the lounge or if that's too far just use some pH stablizers!

I'm not sure about her theory, though. :lol:


----------



## kmontijo

*Friends for fluffy?*

I have a male betta fish named fluffy. One of my friends has one, and she said she has one of those small underwater frogs in the tank with it. I went to a pet store and asked if they would get along- and the guy said that fluffy shouldnt attack it. I went back later to actually buy the frog, and the guy who was there told me that fluffy would kill it. 
So: Can you keep a small underwater frog with a male betta, or will they fight?

When I first got Fluffy, the guy at that pet store told me I could get a freshwater snail, but I asked at a different pet store and the same guy that told me you couldnt have a frog told me that a betta would kill a snail as well. Is this true?


----------



## laughing

It depends on the fish itself. 

Bettas won't kill snails, but can pick on them a LOT.

Some bettas will kill frogs, but not all. Most get along peacefully.

But I think it depends on how big your tank is, too. If you have your betta in a 2 gallon I wouldn't get any "friends". It'd be too crowded! But if your betta is in a 5 gallon I would go for a snail (certain varities, some get up to 2 inches around!) If your betta is in 6 gallons+ you could get a frog. There's a lot of danger though because certain species will get mixed in and they grow to large size and will kill your betta.

Therefore do lots of research before buying! Also, the frogs at the store croak, sing, and generally make lots of noise. So if you want a *quiet* companion, stick to a snail. 

Good luck!


----------



## bahamut285

laughing said:


> It depends on the fish itself.
> 
> Bettas won't kill snails, but can pick on them a LOT.
> 
> Some bettas will kill frogs, but not all. Most get along peacefully.
> 
> But I think it depends on how big your tank is, too. If you have your betta in a 2 gallon I wouldn't get any "friends". It'd be too crowded! But if your betta is in a 5 gallon I would go for a snail (certain varities, some get up to 2 inches around!) If your betta is in 6 gallons+ you could get a frog. There's a lot of danger though because certain species will get mixed in and they grow to large size and will kill your betta.
> 
> Therefore do lots of research before buying! Also, the frogs at the store croak, sing, and generally make lots of noise. So if you want a *quiet* companion, stick to a snail.
> 
> Good luck!


+1

You type faster than me *sobs* XD


----------



## laughing

bahamut285 said:


> +1
> 
> You type faster than me *sobs* XD


I do type fast. I've never tested myself but everyone always makes me type their papers LOL. And I can type without looking. I can watch TV and type... :lol:


----------



## bahamut285

laughing said:


> I do type fast. I've never tested myself but everyone always makes me type their papers LOL. And I can type without looking. I can watch TV and type... :lol:


XD! I type fairly fast as well, but yeah I never tested it or something, the last time I got it tested was in grade...8? That was 10 years ago XD. I never look down when I type unless it's a new keyboard, so pranks where people rearrange the letters on the keyboard are not effective! WAHAHAHA.


----------



## trono

gmd1800 said:


> She thinks that when people throw up (she's an RA for the second floor - HUGE partiers on that floor) the acid from the vomit mixes with the water supply. I find it dubious, but whatever. Would that be possible?



That is both disgusting and implausable.


----------



## laughing

How do I get my male to not be fearful of the fruit flies? LOL. He thinks they're going to kill him. My female took right to them (well not right away but wasn't scared of them) and she loves them. I know he'll have to settle in for a bit but I don't know what to do about him being deathly afraid! D:


----------



## Neil D

SOSOSOSOS!!! Help please:

I recently moved my ten gallon tank to my room frm the living rm. I removed about 70% of the water, but DID NOT throw it out. So after I got all the equipment to my room, I poured the same water back in. The filter and heater were restarted and I tested the water. (I have strips, API too much:-() anyways, after testing the color was in the 7.8-8.4 alkalinity. Can I put Mr betta back in? (acclimatized of course) he is the only one in the heated, filtered ten gallon.

Recap:
Moved tank. 
No new water.
Bacteria still alive.
High alkalinity.
Betta in separate container.
Thx in advance!


----------



## squal90

should i keep my tank light on or off??


----------



## Neil D

Depends....I keep mine on for 7-8 hrs a day...


----------



## JKfish

Laughing, I hear if you refridgerate eir container for 5 mins before feeding they will bpe sluggish and won't move much... Maybe he'll see them more like pellets then and start eating

Niel, just add new water  and how much difference is there between the alkalinity of the tank water and the wAter your betta is in?

Squal, have it on for about 8 hours during the day,and turn it off at night


----------



## Neil D

Do a water change? How much? The current Al is approximately 7.8.


----------



## JKfish

Is the 7.8 AL for the water in the cup? Or the old water?


----------



## Neil D

Cup. They are strips, and I've concluded that I will slowly acclimate him over the next 1 hr. I think he'll be fine. Another thing: I'm noticing brown spots on parts of the tank sides (algae?) I keep removing it, but it may also be on some gravel. Is it dangerous?


----------



## JKfish

Okay then  . The brown is just diatoms, and they're nothing to worry about. Try adjusting your light schedule to see if that helps.


----------



## laughing

I "drowned" the bug earlier so it wasn't moving any longer and he wouldn't go anywhere near it. :C


----------



## Neil D

@ JKfish, what do u mean 'adjust'? The lights are on from 6:30Am-7:30pm everyday. Maybe from 9:00am-5:00pm?

Filter question: 
My filter makes an irritating noise. It only bugs me when I sleep. Is it okay to keep it on for about 7-8 hrs a day ONLY?


----------



## JKfish

Maybe not that drastic, but something along those lines  And no, if your filter is off for more than a few hours, your cycle will begin to die.


----------



## Neil D

Kay thx


----------



## BrookeGrace

Should I be worried that my fish can't swallow/digest pellet food? =/

To start, I put in one to see how he reacts and, I apologize for poor explaining skills, he went straight up to it but couldn't hold it/catch it his mouth. So he kept missing and then finally did and I was really excited like a parent at their kid's soccer game or something, but then! It just was visibly in his mouth, almost like it was stuck. Then he eventually spat it back out and I got it out of the tank.

So then I fed him some flake food and he was fine with that. Will that suffice or should I try again with the pellets? Maybe a different kind, or something.


----------



## JKfish

Brooke, did you presoak the pellet all the way through before feeding? Sometimes bettas find it hard to eat the unsoaked pellet and will spit them out. There is also the chance it might be too big for your boy to eat, so after presoaking, you can split it in half or so to make it smaller.


----------



## Canuck Fins

Ninja is a little pale in the morning. I watch him for a few minutes before I turn on his light and wait for him to see me for a bit before I turn it on, but he seems pale when I turn the light on. (Pale but no stres bars.) Then after a while, he's darker again. He tends to have certain times of day when he is definitely darker. Do I need to be concerned about this?


----------



## BrookeGrace

JKfish said:


> Brooke, did you presoak the pellet all the way through before feeding? Sometimes bettas find it hard to eat the unsoaked pellet and will spit them out. There is also the chance it might be too big for your boy to eat, so after presoaking, you can split it in half or so to make it smaller.


Ah, I didn't even think of that! They are kind of big but I guess I wasn't even thinking about that. I'll try that out and see what he thinks! I'm sure he'll be happy to actually be able to eat his food. Thanks a bunch! :-D


----------



## JKfish

No problem brooke 

Canuck, I personally think so long as he's acting healthy, eating, etc, that he ought to be fine. The only thing I could think of that's actually affecting him could be the temp of the water, or that when you turn the light on in the morning you sort of scare him out of his sleep.


----------



## dew

Doe's anyone know where I can get rescue bettas online?


----------



## bahamut285

Canuck Fins said:


> Ninja is a little pale in the morning. I watch him for a few minutes before I turn on his light and wait for him to see me for a bit before I turn it on, but he seems pale when I turn the light on. (Pale but no stres bars.) Then after a while, he's darker again. He tends to have certain times of day when he is definitely darker. Do I need to be concerned about this?


This happened to me yesterday when I got home fairly late at night, I was busy all day but he was due up for a water change because I had been very busy lately. I "woke" him up, and he was super pale for a long time, appeared really sluggish. Contrary to normal, I had to scoop him up, and he didn't even notice. He brightened up while he was in the cup, so I think he was asleep XD


----------



## JKfish

Dew, there is a rescue for bettas called Better Bettas Rescue. They're on facebook, so just search for their name. I'm pretty sure they're located in Chattanooga Tennessee, but I'm not sure if they'd be able to ship.


----------



## dew

It looks like their just local.


----------



## Lion Mom

IME, it is not uncommon for fish to go somewhat pale overnight while they are sleeping. Not just bettas, but fish in general. As long as they color up shortly after, are eating & generally acting normally, I wouldn't worry about it.


----------



## dew

Mabye someone on here is adopting out bettas.


----------



## Neil D

I've seen my betta sleep. I came home late and turned on the light to check on him. He was slow at first and just slouched on the bottom. After 5 min he brightned up considerably....


----------



## phoenix91

How can i cool my tanks down without harming my fish? I came home from work and it got pretty hot during the day. both my tanks are up around maybe 84/85, i wrapped the backs in cold towels and sat baggies of cold water on the top of each. i don't want to add cold water to the tanks and bring the temp down to quickly.

Is it safe for the temp to rise steadily like that during a hot day and cool down at night?

I'm probably going to have to relocate my male from upstairs to downstairs pretty soon as it's way warmer in my room than in the kitchen.

and i do have a/c and plan to use it in the summer, this hot day caught me by surprise.


----------



## DarkMoon17

As long as the change is gradual it should be fine. 85*F won't do him any harm but it would be a good idea to move him to a cooler place once it starts getting hotter outside 

You can cool the water by floating a cup of ice in the water but it isn't really necessary in this case. 85*F is not outside their comfort range.


----------



## phoenix91

I'll move him to the kitchen before it gets really hot out. today is a freak hot day i think. 

I tried floating a bag of ice in the water but all my silly fish wanted to do was rub up against it. Maybe a cup would be better than a bag. 

I'll keep an eye to make sure it cools down slowly as i now have a fan running in the room so it's cooler in here already.

Thanks.


----------



## Neil D

What is their max temp range?


----------



## Canuck Fins

I would think at 84-85* it's getting into the too high zone. The ideal range I've always read is 76* to 82*. Something else to consider at those higher temps, the tank is likely to see more algae.


----------



## JKfish

Personally, I find bettas do best in 78-80*F, with 76 at the lowest temp that is acceptable, and 86 being the absolute highest (as in during spawning and stuff)


----------



## Lion Mom

JKfish said:


> Personally, I find bettas do best in 78-80*F, with 76 at the lowest temp that is acceptable, and 86 being the absolute highest (as in during spawning and stuff)


I was told once by a breeder that they can do 90 for short periods.


----------



## Neil D

I don't doubt it. Can i feed my betts goldfish food? He has regular betta food, just wondering to change it up.


----------



## Canuck Fins

Neil D said:


> I don't doubt it. Can i feed my betts goldfish food? He has regular betta food, just wondering to change it up.


Look at the ingredient list for the goldfish food. Make sure fish is in the first ingredients, decent protein percentage (>40%) and, if it has wheat, make sure that's far down the list.


----------



## Neil D

Okay, just wanted a variance in diet. Ill go check;-)

EDIT: I went and checked, the first ing wast soybean, but the analysis said 44% protien...I'm not gonna feed it....

Next question: my betta likes to patrol the front of his tank, ONLY. Usually he's sprinting in the front. Not darting, like if a fish nips at a fin, but just swimming fast. And when he turns around, he turns toasted the wall, this is very odd, but he eats normally and is obviously active....Thx in advance....


----------



## Neil D

It didnt let me edit so: I meant turn towered the wall...


----------



## gmd1800

I just noticed that my HM's ventrals are starting to curl. Is this caused by anything?


----------



## Neil D

My 10g tank has 'matter' in the bottom of it, in the gravel. I siphoned out a dead bug!!! My tank gets 50% changes weekly, and is filtered and cycled. It has been running for 7 months, and I was wondering if I could do a 100% water change, or would my tank mini-cycle? I have one betta. I want to rinse the 'matter' out of the gravel, not scrub or anything. Thx in advance.


----------



## bahamut285

@gmd: Although it is not known 100% for sure, VERY HARD water or HIGH PH water have been shown to curl fins in CTs and sometimes Ventrals.

I know my water is fairly hard and high pH, but both my betta's seem okay in terms of curling, so I'm not really sure...maybe others are more sensitive than others.


----------



## JKfish

gmd, chances are it is hard water, though I'd say to also check your ammonia. While I'm pretty sure you might have it under control, something might have happened with your source of water.


----------



## gmd1800

Ammonia is between 0.0 and 0.25 ppm, closer to 0.25 ppm. 
pH is 7.6, same as always. 

I changed the boys' water today, and we have relatively high ammonia in our water, so that might be why.


----------



## Neil D

Neil D said:


> My 10g tank has 'matter' in the bottom of it, in the gravel. I siphoned out a dead bug!!! My tank gets 50% changes weekly, and is filtered and cycled. It has been running for 7 months, and I was wondering if I could do a 100% water change, or would my tank mini-cycle? I have one betta. I want to rinse the 'matter' out of the gravel, not scrub or anything. Thx in advance.


Can someone answer this now? ;-) thx


----------



## gmd1800

I would say, yes, you can do a 100% change. The beneficial bacteria don't live in the water column so doing a 100% won't cause the tank to recycle.


----------



## JKfish

I would advise just getting a gravel vacuum and doing a gravel vac with your next 50% water change. The "stuff" you see is probably just mulm


----------



## Neil D

I do have a vac and I do use it. What is mulm? Or did u make it up? It doesn't look like poo. Another question: can I change the filter cartridge? It's a carbon filter by tetra and been in the tank for I think 2 months. Thx!


----------



## gmd1800

It's recommended you change carbon filters, but if you put in a sponge filter instead, these can last forever.


----------



## JKfish

Niel, if you want to keep your cycle, you'll keep that filter media.... that's where your cycle is  You can go buy some sponge filters for like 3 dollars at petsmart, and toss them in for a few days. After that, you can remove the filter cartridge. The filter media should be cleaned once a month in old tank water.

And do you seriously think I would make something up? Mulm is that decaying materials of just stuff in general. It's sort of like a whiteish/brownish fluff muck stuff that sort of stays in your gravel until you do a gravel vac. It's not bad, if that's what you're wondering. How often do you use your gravel vac?


----------



## Neil D

Every week for the 50% water changes. That's why I was so shocked to see all the mulm. And I make stuff up sometimes for lack of a better word, but mulm sounded made up, but not 'fake'. I hope that made any sense I'll look into sponges.


----------



## masshiimarro

uhh.. tamaki just ate an algae wafer that i put into his tank for the snails.. 0_o.. hes really bloated right now, but acts fine. should i just hold off feeding him until the bloatings gone down? thanks.


----------



## Canuck Fins

Yes, I would fast him for a day. The bloat should pass. (Side note: betta should be fasted one day per week. If you aren't doing that now, it's a good habit to get into.)


----------



## Oldfishlady

masshiimarro said:


> uhh.. tamaki just ate an algae wafer that i put into his tank for the snails.. 0_o.. hes really bloated right now, but acts fine. should i just hold off feeding him until the bloatings gone down? thanks.


Yes, hold his food for a day or so and depending on how many and species of snails I would't add any more than 1/4 of a algae wafer 1-2 times a week at most and then at night after you turned off the lights....usually a tad bit of Betta food extra a couple of times a week is all that is needed if you only have 1-2 snails......


----------



## masshiimarro

okay thanks  
on a side note, my female bettas blew a bubble nest,,, i think its her second time now? ive heard that some females will do that, but should i be suspecting a male plakat instead? shes always been kinda manly.. =_=;;


----------



## gmd1800

Are her ventrals longer than a typical female's? Have you gotten her to flare? Males will flare and swim to the side, showing off their body, while females flare face on.


----------



## masshiimarro

hmm. she flares, but her beard isnt as big as my other male. as to if she swims sideways,... im not really sure. she usually flares head-on, but i think ive seen her do some s shaped movements..


----------



## gmd1800

What about her ventrals? I owned a male plakat for months thinking he was a female (he has pink decor in is tank. Poor boy), and several members on here thought he was a female as well until I posted some pictures of him flaring.


----------



## masshiimarro

here are some pictures of her/him flaring. they arent very good since he/she is VERY FAST. cheers:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/amyh-__-/5717988220/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/amyh-__-/5717423541/in/photostream


----------



## Neil D

I scared the crap out of my betta and now he doesn't really respond to me well. If I move my hand near the tank, he'll flip out and swim away. If I move my hand to the tank veeery slowly, he'll be calm. The only time when he doesn't flip is when my hand goes to the top of the tank, cos then he knows it's feeding time. He also seems jumpier. I feel reeeeeeaaaaaallllyyy bad. :-( Will he be okay?


----------



## JKfish

Neil, he'll be fine, chances are in a tiny bit he'll chill back down.

masshiiarrmo: that honestly (IMO) screams male plakat to me seeing as female plakats fins are typically shorter and their dorsal fin smaller. but, it's sort of hard to tell.... is there any way at all you can get a more clear pic? Try netting him/her and putting him/her into a clear tubberware or a clear cup or something and having him/her flare. If you don't want to do that, make him/her think you are going to feed him/her and then have him/her flare. S/he will probably stay still and flare, thinking you'll feed him/her.


----------



## Neil D

Thx


----------



## masshiimarro

ah okay thanks. he doesnt stay still when he wants to eat, lol so its hard to get pics. i ended up not being able to get good pics of his fins. so, any other takers as to if shes a guy or girl?


----------



## gmd1800

I'm pretty sure that your fish is a very nice-looking plakat boy! Looks a lot like my male PK.


----------



## Neil D

My fish likes to glass surf, he loves to put his nose to the front glass and swim up and down and everywhere, and he can't see himself or anything. Why?


----------



## trono

masshiimarro said:


> ah okay thanks. he doesnt stay still when he wants to eat, lol so its hard to get pics. i ended up not being able to get good pics of his fins. so, any other takers as to if shes a guy or girl?


Looks like a male to me.


----------



## bahamut285

Hey guys, I just went and got a ghost shrimp for Lin (HongBo would probably eat him), and he's in a QT right now.

He's not moving as much as he was when he was in the bag. He's still alive because his mouth-parts are still moving and the occasional antennae waggle. I'm just worried about acclimating him wrong.

Right now I'm putting in a little bit of Lin's water into his tank every 5 minutes, then I was just going to catch him afterwards and plop him into her tank...

Is there anything I'm doing wrong? X_X


----------



## JKfish

Bahamut, the shrimp is probably just hungry and stressed. Give him a little cup or something to hide in and drop in a few fish flakes or soaked pellets.

Neil, that's just something some fish do; it's like a fishy version of OCD. Having plants or something blocking parts of the glass will help


----------



## bahamut285

JKfish said:


> Bahamut, the shrimp is probably just hungry and stressed. Give him a little cup or something to hide in and drop in a few fish flakes or soaked pellets.


Okay, will do! Thanks!


----------



## Neil D

@ JKfish,

Thx.  my fish has OCD. Haha I dint really want to block the tank, so I'll just deal with my troubled fish


----------



## JKfish

XD My little sister's fish, Draco tends to glass surf as well.... and then he realized he was in a divided tank. All he does now is patrol the mesh area and flare.


----------



## Neil D

Haha, but my tank isn't divided! He's all alone in a heated filtered 10g !!! Lucky fishy, right?


----------



## bahamut285

Ah...so my shrimp got eaten in less than 5 minutes >_>...I feel kind of bad  T__T


----------



## JKfish

Oh, I'm sorry bahamut! Poor little bugger... well.... at least your betta got a nice meal :/


----------



## moniibettalover

I've been reading stuff on this forum and number of times i found people saying that flake food aint good for bettas. Why? My betta doesnt mind the tropical fish flake food im giving him


----------



## masshiimarro

i think the main reason people dont really want to give flakes is because its hard to control the amount per feeding. its inconsistent, and sometimes its hard to tell if you are overfeeding. also, betta mouths are designed to kinda just,, 'pluck' something from the surface and eat them, such as bugs or mosquito larvae. with flakes, sometimes they dont eat it becuase they dont nibble at food like guppies, they uh... just gulp it. pellets are designed for their mouths and eating habits, and its easier to know how much you are really feeding.

also you have to think about the nutritional values they are getting, and if its enough.. 

but if your bettas fine with flakes, then i dont see why not, as long as you have a good control of the amount you are feeding. 

dont know if this helps, but yeah.. ><


----------



## moniibettalover

Ohh okay. Yeah helps a lot , thanks


----------



## inkrealm

i'm cycling my tank right now with the fish in, and doing daily 50% water changes. my question was though, when I do this, should I poke through the gravel too for waste and stir it up and then suck it out, or should I wait till it's cycled before starting this? and once it's cycled all I need to do is stir through it to stir up and remove the waste, correct? if I clean the rest of it off too much, it will knock the bacteria back off-balance? also do I change the filter cartridges still, or will this mess it up? 
last thing, if a plant dies and I have to remove it and add a new one, with the cycle be thrown a few days? 

I have a five gallon filtered and heated tank. thin layer of gravel except where the plants are which is a couple inches high to cover the pots so he won't be dumb and cut his fin again >^< <3 
and it helps to hold them down too P: 
three live plants, anubias, oriental swords, and moneywort. and one ( very soft and very small ) plastic plant that he only uses to sleep/hide behind sometimes. the plant he ripped his fin on was a tall pink one, even though it was soft, and I removed it. 
he has a betta bed that's always getting moved, so probably will never hold any bacteria well, and a plastic ball I alternate with others of different colors, though he doesn't play with it right now. that's pretty much the contents, except the thermometer P: his heater is a 50 watt right now but his tank temp seems to only get to high seventies, really never above 80, and sometimes it gets into mid seventies on really cold mornings >^< so maybe I should get a higher watt? x-x" I've even seen it sink to lower seventies on very rare occasions. -^-" I'm sure it's not exact temp measurement but it's roughly and that's still no good since they're tropical, especially once winter gets here. D:
he's still very active and friendly and curious, but this still can't possibly be good for him so I want to fix it asap especially since he tore his fin and I dot want the coldness to promote finrot... :/
thankyou ^-^;


----------



## Canuck Fins

moniibettalover said:


> I've been reading stuff on this forum and number of times i found people saying that flake food aint good for bettas. Why? My betta doesnt mind the tropical fish flake food im giving him


I think you got a good answer on this already, but I want to add one more point. Pellets float; flakes tend to sink making them harder to remove uneaten. Uneaten food rots in the tank and fouls the water. Yes, we all do water changes to fix that, but the more you can do to keep the water quality up, the better.


----------



## Canuck Fins

I'll answer what I can. 


inkrealm said:


> i'm cycling my tank right now with the fish in, and doing daily 50% water changes. my question was though, when I do this, should I poke through the gravel too for waste and stir it up and then suck it out, or should I wait till it's cycled before starting this? and once it's cycled all I need to do is stir through it to stir up and remove the waste, correct? if I clean the rest of it off too much, it will knock the bacteria back off-balance? also do I change the filter cartridges still, or will this mess it up?


I'm not sure about water changes while starting cycling fish-in so I can't comment. The bacteria is in the filter so you don't need to change it. All it will ever need is to be swished in old tank water once a month or so when you are doing a water changed. The filter is the biggest home for the bacteria.



> his heater is a 50 watt right now but his tank temp seems to only get to high seventies, really never above 80, and sometimes it gets into mid seventies on really cold mornings >^< so maybe I should get a higher watt? x-x" I've even seen it sink to lower seventies on very rare occasions. -^-" I'm sure it's not exact temp measurement but it's roughly and that's still no good since they're tropical, especially once winter gets here. D:
> he's still very active and friendly and curious, but this still can't possibly be good for him so I want to fix it asap especially since he tore his fin and I dot want the coldness to promote finrot... :/
> thankyou ^-^;


The heater should be consistent. You don't want much for temperature swings if you can help it. Maybe you could ask about your specific heater to see if it's a good one. Finrot is not about temperature. A cold fish doesn't get fin rot. A fish in dirty water will get fin rot. That's about keeping good clean living conditions for him.


----------



## inkrealm

> The bacteria is in the filter so you don't need to change it. All it will ever need is to be swished in old tank water once a month or so when you are doing a water changed. The filter is the biggest home for the bacteria.


ahhh, so I won't need re-fills either then? my parents will love that :'3 good thing we didn't open the boxes yet 
I wasn't sure because there's the filter cartridge, and then there's the little filter layer it goes through again before it hits the tank. I take it I swish both of these then? 



> The heater should be consistent. You don't want much for temperature swings if you can help it. Maybe you could ask about your specific heater to see if it's a good one. Finrot is not about temperature. A cold fish doesn't get fin rot. A fish in dirty water will get fin rot. That's about keeping good clean living conditions for him.


the heater is by Tetra: this one
it's pre-set and has a sensor that's supposed to tell it when to start and when to stop. I've seen a few other peoples' photos with one in them. I know if he's cold he's supposed to go to the bottom of the tank and sit, so maybe it's the thermo and not the heater that's the issue? I don't know what brand it was ><; it wasn't even five dollars though, so I could see it not being exact... 
and I knew it was from dirty water, but someone had told me off-temp water would make it more likely. his should be clean, since I do 50 water changes daily... I haven't done one today because the levels were completely down 0-o but one day shouldn't be enough time to get dirty enough for fin rot if it's filtered and had a 50 change yesterday, >.< 
thanks for the help, ^-^


----------



## JKfish

Inkrealm, during fish in cycles, all you need is 50% water changes once a week. If your fish starts looking sick in any way at all (droopy fins, stress marks, pale, etc), do a 50% chance and do a gravel vacuum. since you have a finrotty fish, I would do a gravel vacuum once a week when you do your 50% water change until he's better.



moniibettalover said:


> I've been reading stuff on this forum and number of times i found people saying that flake food aint good for bettas. Why? My betta doesnt mind the tropical fish flake food im giving him


Since you have the answers, when you go to get pellets, make sure the minimum ammount of protien is 40%, and the first three ingredients are some form of meat (fish, shrimp, fish meal, etc)


----------



## inkrealm

JKfish- thanks, I was told every day, but I did notice today there was nothing to change out so I skipped it. I'm watching the levels, especially in case of spikes, I was told to change at first signs though. is a little ammonia and nitrate and nitrite required to be present to do the cycle? or should I clean it out any time I find it? 
as to the last bit, I noticed today the tips of his fins are clear, so he had had a miner beginning case of it, but the tips are growing back now  I'll continue to be careful though.


----------



## Canuck Fins

Inkrealm, in the cycle, ammonia will spike and drop to zero followed by the nitrItes spiking and dropping to zero, followed by the nitrAtes spiking and dropping to low (<5ppm). You will see all three as you go through cycling. When the nitrItes show, you should start getting zero ammonia readings. I didn't cycle with fish in so I don't know about the water changes through it, but just know you will see all three.


----------



## inkrealm

@Canuck 
should I leave some ammonia present then though? like, not a ton, but a low amount ( say 0.2 or lower ), like the way I had it explained, the ammonia is changed into nitrites, which in turn eventually are changed to nitrates, by all the scientific processes ofcourse they don't just magically change >.<; but does that mean I should leave some ammonia present to be fed off of?
or do you not know that, ha, sorry ^-^; thanks 

although I guess you could answer this even if you don't know that, did you change your water while you were cycling even though there wasn't a fish? or did you just let it go through every stage without removing water?


----------



## JKfish

Inkrealm, when you do a fish in cycle, if anything (ammonia or nitrites) ever gets to .25 ppm (or above) try to bring it to 0. This makes cycling slower, but you want to keep your water safe for your fish as well. Once you get a steady cycle, nitrates should never be above 20 ppm (10 or less is about where it should be when you do your water change)


----------



## inkrealm

ah, so as it hits the 0.2, great, thankyou for both numbers so much, it's greatly appreciated by the both of us.... I hope he'll e a happy healthy bright-colored boy soon


----------



## gmd1800

Nero has looked almost sad the last few days. Everything is great - the heat is slightly low for my preference, but it'll do until I get home. I'm changing his water tonight and I hope that'll perk him up. I actually wonder if he's cold - his fins are clamped and he doesn't move much. at first I thought it was because I wasn't interacting with him as much since most of my attention has been on my tailbiting HM, but that couldn't be it. Any other suggestions?


----------



## Neil D

Maybe he's bored, try adding something...


----------



## JKfish

If he's clamping, I want to say he might be feeling a bit chilled. Warming his tank up a bit and doing a water change should help


----------



## gmd1800

I'm moving the boys back home for the summer this Sunday, so the heater can hold until then. The temperature is hovering around 76, and I plan on upgrading both boys to nicer, bigger heaters. Hopefully he's OK. I had him flare at his reflection for a few minutes and he's seemed to perk up.


----------



## Punki

Do Bettas occasionally "shed" a scale? I was just looking at Fishy for a bit earlier today when i fed him and as i walked by a minute ago i noticed a whitish dot, looking closer its pink and in the shape of his other scales, as if one is missing...


----------



## alixhero

PLEEEAAASSSEEEE HELP !!!!!!!!
There are white powder alike patches all over my Cabomba Green and driftwood !!!!!
i'm certain is not Ich because is not DOT is power like patches !!!

































HElp please !!!!


----------



## Canuck Fins

Sounds like your betta might have Velvet. Try posting this in the Sick forum and use the sticky at the top of the forum so everyone knows as much about your betta and his home as possible. You'll want to quarantine your fish into a smaller container if possible to treat as Velvet is really contagious. I'm not sure how to treat it so I'd ask in the sick forum.


----------



## masshiimarro

hahah im back at this thread again with a question~ 

how long do bettas continue growing? as in, what age do they stop growing?


----------



## Punki

Thanks, i posted there with pictures as well.


----------



## PewPewPew

Punki said:


> Do Bettas occasionally "shed" a scale? I was just looking at Fishy for a bit earlier today when i fed him and as i walked by a minute ago i noticed a whitish dot, looking closer its pink and in the shape of his other scales, as if one is missing...


No, this isnt something they usually do. Is there anything in the tank that he couldve hurt himself on? Wedged into? Please take care to monitor him and make sure nothing else happens.



alixhero said:


> PLEEEAAASSSEEEE HELP !!!!!!!!
> There are white powder alike patches all over my Cabomba Green and driftwood !!!!!
> i'm certain is not Ich because is not DOT is power like patches !!!
> 
> HElp please !!!!


I think it's more like mineral deposits or some sort of algae...How long are the lights on for? And how often are your water changes? Infrequent changes and.or too much light make algae happy, which grows in many types. It could be that.

I cant tell anything from the pics.

And Ich wouldnt look like much of anything on a plant, trust me. It wouldnt be ich, ever.



masshiimarro said:


> hahah im back at this thread again with a question~
> 
> how long do bettas continue growing? as in, what age do they stop growing?


I think around, what? 6ish months? At least in a really remarkable way. Though, with a good food they can continue to grow over time. My older fish was pretty old when I got him, and continued to grow.

Theyre "grown", like look like adults but might be smaller, around 3-5 months.

If you ask a breeder, theyd probably know.


----------



## JKfish

masshiimarro, it depends on several factors. Water quality, food, and general care. Betta breeders are able to power grow their fry to adult size in about 2 and a half months; they do this with massive water changes to keep the water quality pristine, feeding live and high protein foods several times a day, and making sure the living conditions are pretty much perfect for a betta to flourish. If grown in less perfect conditions, it could take different amounts of time for the bettas to grow to their full size depending on their care, or lack of.


----------



## masshiimarro

oh okay, so i guess it really depends then.. thanks guys


----------



## alixhero

PewPewPew said:


> No, this isnt something they usually do. Is there anything in the tank that he couldve hurt himself on? Wedged into? Please take care to monitor him and make sure nothing else happens.
> 
> 
> I think it's more like mineral deposits or some sort of algae...How long are the lights on for? And how often are your water changes? Infrequent changes and.or too much light make algae happy, which grows in many types. It could be that.
> 
> I cant tell anything from the pics.
> 
> And Ich wouldnt look like much of anything on a plant, trust me. It wouldnt be ich, ever.
> u saved me !!
> THAAAAAAAAXXXX
> 
> but i scared it's something worse then ich ....


----------



## inkrealm

@alixhero
is there anyway you could remove them till you learn what they are? it might be plant stuff... no idea which one or if it's safe or not though. quarantine the betta into a temp enclosure? 
and try to get clearer pictures if possible?
I'm sure it's probable some kindof algae or something..... you might could make a board in enclosures and ask if anyone's seen that specific algae?


----------



## PewPewPew

I wouldnt be worried. I think its algae or something  If youre worried, take them out and rinse them off.

Rinse the wood with hot water and use a clean cloth to wipe it. Use cool water to do the same very gently to the plants.


----------



## alixhero

inkrealm said:


> @alixhero
> is there anyway you could remove them till you learn what they are? it might be plant stuff... no idea which one or if it's safe or not though. quarantine the betta into a temp enclosure?
> and try to get clearer pictures if possible?
> I'm sure it's probable some kindof algae or something..... you might could make a board in enclosures and ask if anyone's seen that specific algae?


will do that , but my mini Pleco and Betta looks still fine
the whitish thing looks alot like flour powder ...


----------



## alixhero

PewPewPew said:


> I wouldnt be worried. I think its algae or something  If youre worried, take them out and rinse them off.
> 
> Rinse the wood with hot water and use a clean cloth to wipe it. Use cool water to do the same very gently to the plants.


it occur right after i clean my aquarium and planted the DIY Co2 ...


----------



## PewPewPew

I think its algae  I dont think its dangerous.


----------



## gmd1800

This is really odd and random, but is it safe to put your hands in the tanks when there's nail polish/acrylic nails on? I have red nail polish on, but since I rarely, if ever, put my hands in the tanks, I don't worry much about it. 

However, this summer I plan on getting acrylic nails to kick my nail biting habit for once and all. Would that harm the fish or the water quality in any way?


----------



## JKfish

I'd think so long as they are dry, they'd be fine.... I mean, there are such things as acrylic tanks, right?


----------



## alixhero

I found the problem and the solution ^^
Thanks to all of you guys advices too !!

the whitish stuff is actually parasites that can't withstand the pH value of lower then 6

Which make them gone rage and come out of the DRIFTWOOD and find other host EXCEPT for fishes ^^

by increasing the pH again till 7 and maintain it (the pH drop so low due to i cleaned the tank and all fully new tap water after chlorinated) and replace 6 ghost shrimp with my betta and leave them there for quite a while to eat those white fuzz ^^
and also because the aquarium water is TOO clean , it need bacteria to balance the microorganism amount ^^ 

that is why professional always says pH 7 is the best which allow a small amount of bacteria exist and harmless to your fish but a FEAR to those bacteria i encountered ^^

i think this is one of the lesson we must all take too 
looks like i found a new discovery ~


----------



## inkrealm

oh yay, congrats  now we'll all know if we have the same problem. so so SO glad it was nothing harmful to your fishies 



> Which make them gone rage and come out of the DRIFTWOOD and find other host EXCEPT for fishes ^^


and I must complement this wording. as it makes them sound like non-malevolent plant zombies x3;


----------



## bahamut285

alixhero said:


> the whitish stuff is actually parasites that can't withstand the pH value of lower then 6
> 
> by increasing the pH again till 7 and maintain it



This makes no sense. If they CANNOT withstand low pH, then the solution would be to kill them with low pH. Not increase the pH...

Do you mean that the parasites THRIVE in low pH conditions and raising it to 7 will kill them?


----------



## alixhero

bahamut285 said:


> This makes no sense. If they CANNOT withstand low pH, then the solution would be to kill them with low pH. Not increase the pH...
> 
> Do you mean that the parasites THRIVE in low pH conditions and raising it to 7 will kill them?


parasite can survive a pH whitin 0-12 , so is impossible to kill them , but by maintaining it on approximately 7 will maintain them in their balance and so they will not harm u too
just like a peace treatie trading ^^


----------



## jesstanner

Do you guys know if there are any filters that could go in a bubble bowl? I found a three gallon bowl and I just really would like SOME sort of filter in it...ideas?


----------



## Stardancer

How long do pellets need to be soaked before feeding? I have the Hikari Betta Bio-Gold brand.


----------



## Lion Mom

jesstanner said:


> Do you guys know if there are any filters that could go in a bubble bowl? I found a three gallon bowl and I just really would like SOME sort of filter in it...ideas?


I use these (from this seller) in my 2 gal. drum bowls. They are a tad pricey, but they work well & they are quiet.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...032000&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_2607wt_781


----------



## JKfish

stardancer: until they are mushy all the way through. I typically soak one more than necessary, that way I can mush it to confirm it doesn't have a hard center.


----------



## gmd1800

Whenever I change my boys' water and use the siphon/gravel vac, I take care to suck up all the poop. 

My PK male has no problem - his poop is always sucked up with no trouble. My HM, however, is in a larger tank (3 gal at the moment) and whenever I clean his tank and replace the water, I turn on his filter and poop comes flying (floating?) out of it. Icky! What is causing this? They both have the same filter - Tetra Whisper for 1-3 gallons.


----------



## phoenix91

Why are ghost shrimp so flipping hard to keep alive? I bought 3 yesterday to put into my new 5 gallon, they're in a qt critter keeper right now, i lost 1 last night and another 1 looks like it's on it's way out. what am i doing wrong?


----------



## JKfish

pheonix, nothing. The issue with ghosts is that they are feeder fish, and as such aren't very well cared for during shipping and when they live at the LFS. I bought six once... 5 died in a matter of a week (even though they were in pristine warm water and were well fed). However, the one that survived lived for practically a year with me before dying.


----------



## phoenix91

Ok thanks. Well I have 1 left, it's in the critter keeper and is feisty. I haven't seen it eat yet and I think it might be a female with eggs. I think if this one doesn't make it I'll not get anymore.


----------



## ollief9

Is it normal to enjoy cleaning your fish tank? I actually look forward to doing this task whereas others see it as a chore.


----------



## Lion Mom

phoenix91 said:


> Why are ghost shrimp so flipping hard to keep alive? I bought 3 yesterday to put into my new 5 gallon, they're in a qt critter keeper right now, i lost 1 last night and another 1 looks like it's on it's way out. what am i doing wrong?


I don't know a lot about shrimp since I never had any, but I HAVE read that they need a mature, cycled tank, I believe.


----------



## Neil D

@ Ollie

I LOVE cleaning my tank! It's fun, and it's something I look forward to every week. I'm sure that not many people on this forum hate cleaning their tank. (unless u have a billion of them;-))


----------



## inkrealm

Do all food pellets and freeze-dried worms need to be soaked before fed to your fish? 
I use Aqueon BettaFood pellets and feeze dried blood worms on occasion, 
usually two pellets in morning and two at night, or else two pellets at one feeding and one worm at the other, 
I never soak them though. he has little lumps on his sides, really tiny, near the tail, is this why? should I be soaking them? D:


----------



## Lion Mom

I use New Life Spectrum Growth Formula pellets which are TINY & have never presoaked them.


----------



## JKfish

inkrealm, to avoid possible constipation, yes you should. The little bumps by his tail is probably just his swim bladder, because that's about where they are in bettas.


----------



## inkrealm

alright, I'll start soaking them, the worms too right? just in a clean bottle lid or something? P: 
thanks, I don't want my buddy getting sick >^<

maybe they're simply more obvious now that he's getting his color back, he's got some silverish coloring and I guess there's just a shimmer where they happen to be so they stand out more with the light making them pop out all the time P: thankyou ^-^


----------



## inkrealm

nevermind on the worm note, I soaked one and he ate it and spit i tout x3 
so I gave him a tiny dry on and then one more because it was smaller than I thought good >.< ( trying to help him finish recovering from a rip and it had come to a stand-still so I figured he needed some extra protein the pellets weren't giving ) 
tomorrow's his digestion day anyway so he should have time to get it out ^-^
I'll try the food Tuesday, thanks


----------



## Neil D

i dont soak em. I do soak flakes for goldfish, but not pellets for my betta


----------



## gmd1800

Is the pellets that come with a 2.5 gal Minibow NLS?


----------



## Lion Mom

gmd1800 said:


> Is the pellets that come with a 2.5 gal Minibow NLS?


I sincerely doubt it. It should say on the package what brand they are. Me, I never use anything that comes with a kit since there isn't any way to tell how old it is. But that's just me. :-?


----------



## gmd1800

Alright - it's Aqueon brand, so I'm probably not feeding it anyway.


----------



## Stardancer

If I baffle my filter with a sponge, I know that it will grow/trap beneficial bacteria. Would that be able to take the place of a normal filter? I've been reading various threads around here and I wasn't sure if people were suggesting that a sponge baffle would just be a good thing to have (since it will hold the bacteria) or if it would actually replace an internal filter. (Or external. Is there a difference in this situation?)


----------



## PewPewPew

So, you mean that you would not use a filter cartridge in the filter, and would instead have a piece of aquarium sponge?

To be honest, I'd keep the cartridge in there. I assume you're considering cycling, because you mentioned the bacteria. When cycling a 2.5+ gallon tank, you do not need to change the cartridge once its cycled. So, for the few months the carbon is active, you get an extra boost. Then, once its done, its just another place for the stuff to live. 

If you replace the cartridge with sponge, you'd still need a baffle. The water would be just as strong still, because nothing would have really changed, just the different type of "cartridge" 

Orrrr are you asking if leaving an AQ sponge alone in the tank will act like a filter? Unless hooked up to a sponge filter of some sort, then no... To be honest, use whatcha got, and baffle with sponge. Works well


----------



## tsoto80

How do you know when is the best time to put your love to sleep? He keeps displaying weird reoccurring symptoms and I cant tell if he is suffering or not.


----------



## JKfish

Personally, I only put them down if they are truly suffering, and there is no other way to let them live a healthy and happy life. What symptoms keep popping up Tsoto?


----------



## phoenix91

Can heat (90 degrees) kill beneficial bacteria?

my new 5 g is cycling, i've been doing a fishless cycle by adding ammonia to the tank each day, the readings yesterday were
ammonia: 0.25
nitrite: 5
nitrate: 40

i checked today and everything is at 0. i didn't change anything in the tank and apart from it being slightly warmer for the past few days nothing is different. i added ammonia this morning (only 1 drop, but i've been doing that daily and it's been fine for the past week or so) and then nothing. 

if i have to start the cycle again do i need to replace the water or clean anything? or should i just start over with the same setup?

it's very frustrating.


----------



## Neil D

I don't think so. How long has it been cycling?


----------



## phoenix91

Properly about 2 weeks, I had to deal with my own stupidity at the start as I overdosed the tank with ammonia so had to get that under control. From the tests I've done over the past few days it looked like it was getting a good colony of bacteria established. Now they're all dead for some reason.


----------



## JKfish

... it shouldn't have died, but you never know. Besides, the parameters wouldn't just disappear to 0, not unless something was removing it. If anything, you'd see a rise in the ammonia, but not change to nitrites or nitrates. Just keep testing. Are you using strips or liquid testers?


----------



## phoenix91

Liquid. It struck me as odd too so I tested it twice. I even added more ammonia and barely got a reading. Could my test kit have expired? Or been affected by the heat?


----------



## JKfish

it might have been affected by the heat... Don't forget you typically have to wait about 5 minutes after adding ammonia to get a proper reading with test kits.


----------



## PewPewPew

Yes, if too high or too low the bacteria will die.


----------



## phoenix91

I do wait before checking it against the colour chart. How high is toohigh? Mine went to almost 90. I should stress here that my other tanks didn't change temp because I made sure to keep them cool, I didn't think this one would be affected by a rise in temp.


----------



## PewPewPew

Id say over 85'F you might see some die-off but not too bad, and over that and at or above 90'F, itll really start to hurt it.

If the tank is at 90, there's a problem! D:


----------



## inkrealm

I'm pretty sure 90 is even too hot for the fish ><
though you did say you keep your others cooler so I take it you would this one too if there was a fish in it >< 
I agree with Pew though, around 85 and up would probably start killing it D:


----------



## PewPewPew

90 is pushing it with a fish, yes...


----------



## inkrealm

whoops, the it was referring to the bacteria by the way x3; 
though again I suspect it might start killing the fish too x~x""
since you can cool the others I'm guessing you know how, but a side note any way if they're getting too high you might try floating some icecubes in a closed up container >< ( if you live somewhere really hot ) to keep it a little more down.... cold water works too but it might not be as safe a method once you add a fish ;-;


----------



## phoenix91

PewPewPew said:


> Id say over 85'F you might see some die-off but not too bad, and over that and at or above 90'F, itll really start to hurt it.
> 
> If the tank is at 90, there's a problem! D:


Okay, so i can safely assume all of my bacteria died.  I don't know what happened, it wasn't even that hot here yesterday plus the tank is in a shaded corner and i've been keeping the curtains shut.



inkrealm said:


> I'm pretty sure 90 is even too hot for the fish ><
> though you did say you keep your others cooler so I take it you would this one too if there was a fish in it ><
> I agree with Pew though, around 85 and up would probably start killing it D:


Yup i have things i do to keep the other tanks cool. right now i wrap cold towels around the back of the tanks, it seems to keep them at a pretty constant temp, maybe with a degree or two change during the day. when i get home from work i usually re-soak the towels and if it's getting really hot in the room i put a fan on which helps. during the summer i'll hopefully have a/c which will help loads. but i have to get my unit checked out. i didn't wrap this tank because i didn't think it would be affected too much yesterday, when i checked it at lunch time the temp was at 80 and the room wasn't hot but when i got back from work it had gone up significantly. 



PewPewPew said:


> 90 is pushing it with a fish, yes...





inkrealm said:


> whoops, the it was referring to the bacteria by the way x3;
> though again I suspect it might start killing the fish too x~x""
> since you can cool the others I'm guessing you know how, but a side note any way if they're getting too high you might try floating some icecubes in a closed up container >< ( if you live somewhere really hot ) to keep it a little more down.... cold water works too but it might not be as safe a method once you add a fish ;-;


i really want some of those plastic ice cube things, i think i'll get some and have them ready just in case the temp rises too much. i'm only in ohio so you wouldn't think it's be too hot here but it gets pretty humid which doesn't help.


Thanks for the help everyone. i'm going to start the cycle again and keep the tank cooler this time.


----------



## inkrealm

Best wishes Phoenix ^-^ sorry about your previous group haha ><;


----------



## tsoto80

JKfish said:


> Personally, I only put them down if they are truly suffering, and there is no other way to let them live a healthy and happy life. What symptoms keep popping up Tsoto?


 It seems like he keeps getting swim bladder over and over again. I tried everything fed him less, made sure the pellets are soaked really good, he only gets two pellets now once a day and I keep finding weird stuff in him tank it is white stuff floating on the bottom I know its not food because he eats it. its not from dirty water cause I change it all the time. It always looks like he haves a bubble in him body(about a day after he eats) then he floats on him side, so I keep fasting him untill the bubble goes away and he acts normal. His belly is always fat and the back half of him is super skinny-not at all like my others Im wondering if he also haves parasites too


----------



## PewPewPew

phoenix91 said:


> Okay, so i can safely assume all of my bacteria died.  I don't know what happened, it wasn't even that hot here yesterday plus the tank is in a shaded corner and i've been keeping the curtains shut.


So wait, the heater isnt on and it gets like that? Eesh.

It might be the filter heating it up. Both of mine can keep my tank at 78-82' without the heater on in a warm room.

You can also get a mini fan (the sell them at Target and such for cheap) that are really really small that can blow gently past the top of the water, cooling it down. You'll need to add in new water more often from evaporation, but meh- cycling means water changes anyway XD


----------



## phoenix91

PewPewPew said:


> So wait, the heater isnt on and it gets like that? Eesh.
> 
> It might be the filter heating it up. Both of mine can keep my tank at 78-82' without the heater on in a warm room.
> 
> You can also get a mini fan (the sell them at Target and such for cheap) that are really really small that can blow gently past the top of the water, cooling it down. You'll need to add in new water more often from evaporation, but meh- cycling means water changes anyway XD


Yeah, without the heaters in my other tanks and with my cooling measures they are still staying at 80. i'm actually dreading the summer and am now making plans that if it gets too hot for my fishies i'll bring them to work with me and leave them all in my office over the summer; i can't wait to see my dads face when he finds 3 fish tanks in the office 

i noticed the water had gone down a little in my cycling tank this morning so i'll top it up tonight.


----------



## JKfish

tsoto80 said:


> It seems like he keeps getting swim bladder over and over again. I tried everything fed him less, made sure the pellets are soaked really good, he only gets two pellets now once a day and I keep finding weird stuff in him tank it is white stuff floating on the bottom I know its not food because he eats it. its not from dirty water cause I change it all the time. It always looks like he haves a bubble in him body(about a day after he eats) then he floats on him side, so I keep fasting him untill the bubble goes away and he acts normal. His belly is always fat and the back half of him is super skinny-not at all like my others Im wondering if he also haves parasites too


he must have chronic sbd then. If your tank doesn't already have a top on, I suggest buying one or using saran wrap with holes poked it to help the humidity increase (this could help allieve some of the symptoms). Is the white stuff fungus or like a goop? When he poos, is it white and clear or the color of his pellets? When you say "bubble," what do you mean; can you please elaborate?


----------



## erinHAZ

I have a 2 gallon tank with a filter. how often should I do water changes?


----------



## SillyCone

I'm not sure, but I would try to do a 50% change every 4-7 days then 100% after another 4-7 days.


----------



## Neil D

At sillycone

I just noticed ur sig says 'that's me in the phOto alright.' ur an orange cone?


----------



## tsoto80

JKfish said:


> he must have chronic sbd then. If your tank doesn't already have a top on, I suggest buying one or using saran wrap with holes poked it to help the humidity increase (this could help allieve some of the symptoms). Is the white stuff fungus or like a goop? When he poos, is it white and clear or the color of his pellets? When you say "bubble," what do you mean; can you please elaborate?


It look like an air bubble is inside him. His body is kinda white/cello so you can kinda see through him when the light is on behind the tank. I will take a picture next time it happens. sometimes the poop is the color of the pellets but most of the time it is white with a black dot on it. I suppose the white stuff is more like fungus rather than goopy. its always throughout the water and never on his body. He is a CT and I remember people saying CT gets SBD more than other bettas. could his poop be the white stuff floating in the tank? Can it sorta disolve from the white string and break up like that-maybe if he has parasites?


----------



## inkrealm

I'm not sure about the rest enough to give any good advice, but the white floating stuff might be calcium.... I heard someone else with white stuff and that's what it was... but I'm not positive. 
I get white stuff in mine too sometimes, but not all the time or in huge amounts sorry <o^o>


----------



## erinHAZ

Is there any easy way to clean the pebbles on the bottom of the tank without doing a 100% water change?


----------



## inkrealm

@erin
I just prod through mine well with a gentle siphon, or even a turkey baster. I think the purpose is just to get any loose waste, food, plant matter, etc. out. works fine for mine anyway and they're tiny gravel ^-^ medium smoothe aquarium stones work well too though if you want an easier more assuring clean. 
I blow the air out rather than in first to knock them around a bit, in case anything is stock on them, just be sure your buddy isn't nearby ^-^ though mine takes the bubbles fairly well x3 and watch for stress streaks when you introduce it till he learns it's no threat. 
like I said though, the smoothe medium rocks are much easier as well and stuff shouldn't stick to them so all you'd need to do is poke through them, shift them around a tad.. I really don't find a lot of waste in my gravel unless I've been fiddling with the live plants,


----------



## laughing

I purchased a 50 watt heater for my 10 gallon. I bought it used from someone so I have yet to fins out if it is adjustable or not.

My apartment keeps my tanks between 74*-84*. Depends on the location and how high the AC is on. Therefore if it is preset, how should I do this? Unplug it when it is too warm, take it out, or let it be toasty?


----------



## inkrealm

@laughing if it's preset it shouldn't turn on unless the temp gets too low. but if it warm enough without it and it seems to turn on anyway and make it too warm, just unplug it. 85 and up is pushing it for the fish; personally I prefer 79-80, 82 tops, 84 should be okay though I think, as some people turn it up that high to treat itch, which ofcourse, is on the fish, and therefore contains the fish in this temperature of water. ^-^

you can also float ( clean and secure ) plastic ( #5 if possible ) tubs of ice to cool it off if needed, as well as aiming fans at it, etc. I think those methods were discussed a few posts back on here ^-^


----------



## laughing

Well I wanted it more for nights and some afternoons. I don't have any idea what the temp of the water will be for this tank in itplace because my others are int 2.5 gallons. Therefore I am concerned about it not heating up as fast as these little tanks.


----------



## JKfish

tsoto80 said:


> It look like an air bubble is inside him. His body is kinda white/cello so you can kinda see through him when the light is on behind the tank. I will take a picture next time it happens. sometimes the poop is the color of the pellets but most of the time it is white with a black dot on it. I suppose the white stuff is more like fungus rather than goopy. its always throughout the water and never on his body. He is a CT and I remember people saying CT gets SBD more than other bettas. could his poop be the white stuff floating in the tank? Can it sorta disolve from the white string and break up like that-maybe if he has parasites?


hmmm, the poop sounds like he has parasites... I honestly don't know much about them, but BettaSlave could probably give you some advice 

ErinHAZ, depending on the size of your tank, you might still have to do 100% water changes, but if it's cycled or you are doing a partial water change, then you can use a gravel vaccuum, they work well.


----------



## inkrealm

if it's pre-set it should start when the water temp gets too low and stop when it reaches the set temp, ( usually 78 or so ) you can do a test run before adding the fish maybe? ^-^ 
it sounds like it's pretty warm where you are, if without it it stays those temps, so I think it should be okay ^-^ 
since I use treated tap it's also easy to adjust what temp the water is when I add it in and you could gently add some warmer water in a pinch.... we've had some chilly mornings though and mine has always done okay. ^-^
blankets around the glass are good insulators, though they make it hard to view the fish, if any of this helps at all ^-^;


----------



## laughing

Oh ya my 2.5s have never had a problem but my 20 was always around 72*.

So preset heaters stop at about 78-80*? That's good to know! I am putting it in the tank tomorrow and will watch the temp and how the heater is for about 5 days. That way I know if it has electrical problems or something.


----------



## inkrealm

yur, they won't turn on unless it lowers down to the temp or just below the temp it's set to. and once it heats it back to that temp it stops. 
so if it's set to 78 it won't turn on unless it hits 76 or 77, and once it gets back to 78 it'll stop, no worries. ^-^ it won't even turn on unless it gets too low though  which is what I /think/ is what you wanted it sounds like x3; 
I just leave mine plugged in even on hot days as a safe guard in case it gets too low that night with a sudden temp drop or that afternoon with a sudden storm or whatever ^-^ 
best wishes 

if you want I guess you could stick a thermo in the corner near the heater and one in the far corner away from the heater to make sure both sides are safe temps. it really should be fine though ^-^ 
people say generally 5 watts per gallon so for a ten that would be exactly 50  
make sure the thermos are accurate too, mine always freaks me out reading really low, but when I rinse my hands with hot water and let them re ajust and then hold them in the tank a bit to check it feels fine, even warm sometimes, and my fish never acts cold or uncomfortable in the least, ^-^


----------



## Stardancer

laughing said:


> Oh ya my 2.5s have never had a problem but my 20 was always around 72*.
> 
> So preset heaters stop at about 78-80*? That's good to know! I am putting it in the tank tomorrow and will watch the temp and how the heater is for about 5 days. That way I know if it has electrical problems or something.


@Laughing: It might. It depends what quality it is. I've had cheap ones that are "preset" to 78-80 but heated the water way above room temperature to mid-80s. Or you might have a nicer one that actually keeps the tank at 78-80. But you'll be watching, so you should be fine


----------



## Stardancer

Oh, and question: One of my coworkers bought me a lovely red veiltail and betta pellets last week for the tank that's been empty by my desk  I noticed today that they're Hikari BABY pellets. I don't have the normal-sized pellets to compare them to, so how many should I feed him? Would three baby pellets be about the same amount as two regular ones? I feed him twice a day, when I get into work and right before I leave. (The composition of these baby pellets is the same as the Hikari non-baby ones.)


----------



## phoenix91

Has anyone had any luck using LED lights to grow plants? 

My 3 gallon has LED's above it and my sword seems to like the light, i'm thinking of changing my other two tanks to LED's too. My other tanks seem to be warmer than my 3 gallon and the only thing i can think it is is the lights in the hoods. If i bought strips of LED's i could rig them up over the tanks so maybe they'd be cooler during the summer. 

Trouble is both tanks are planted and i don't want the plants to die.

Also, the bacteria "death" my 5 gallon experienced the other day seems to have actually been bacteria sleeping or hiding or out for a walk or something. I checked the water parameters yesterday to find high nitrite levels and a healthy amount of nitrates. The cycle looks like it's back on track. So strange.


----------



## tsoto80

Since one of my males have parasites and if I put him in a split tank with two other males would he give them parasites too?


----------



## JKfish

tsoto, chances are he could, so I'd leave him in QT until he's better.
pheonix, I've used LED lights, and they were nice.


----------



## eengland

What is the best treatment for algae? I have a thin film on the surface and brownish algae growing on my decorations. I just took them out Monday, scrubbed everything down, changed out the water and it is back. What should I do?


----------



## JKfish

lighting probably isn't optimal. What is your lighting like, and how long do you keep them on?


----------



## eengland

I didn't even think about my lightening. I bet that is it. I have it on for about 12 hours. LED light that came with the tank and I had to put a lamp by it for my moss ball I have. And the lamp has the spiral bulbs.


----------



## JKfish

do you know their kelvin and wattage, and how larger your tank is? Also, 12 hours is overdoing it. 10 is enough


----------



## PewPewPew

A good cure is a good cleaning out. Dont mess around with any kind of chemical algae remover or anything. Water changes help, too!


----------



## eengland

I turned the light off early today and I will change the timer to 10. My tank is 5 gal. and I keep the temp at 78-80F .

Will washing and scrubbing everything off work, if it is the light?


----------



## eengland

PewPewPew said:


> A good cure is a good cleaning out. Dont mess around with any kind of chemical algae remover or anything. Water changes help, too!



Thanks! I have to do a water change tomorrow anyway. So I was take everything out tomorrow and clean it.


----------



## n3wport

my room is hot, is the temp at 84 degrees super- horrible for my fish? it only gets this way at the peak of afternoon! :-?


----------



## PewPewPew

Not super hot, but not the greatest. Try aiming a small fan on low over the top of the water during the hottest parts of the day. Add back in any water it might lose.


----------



## tsoto80

What is the minimum amount of gallons that a king betta would need? I am thinking of getting one to put in my 15 split 3 ways. So would 5 gallon be enough?


----------



## JKfish

tsoto, 2.5 gallons is the minimum, but you have to keep in mind that bettas prefer horizontal space versus vertical space. If the dividers make it so they have to swim up and down to get air more than side to side, it's not as ideal as if they had more horizontal swimming space.


----------



## tsoto80

JKfish said:


> tsoto, 2.5 gallons is the minimum, but you have to keep in mind that bettas prefer horizontal space versus vertical space. If the dividers make it so they have to swim up and down to get air more than side to side, it's not as ideal as if they had more horizontal swimming space.


still undecided if I am going to get another betta. I thought kings would need more room since they are bigger.....I dunno may wait for awhile cause Valentino didnt make it....guess all his problems caught up to him....I tried though :-(


----------



## JKfish

I'm sorry, I thought you were just asking about regular bettas! Kings need a minimum of 5 gallons since they are so large. Sorry about that.


----------



## phoenix91

Another cycling question, sorry, my tank seems to be going through the strangest cycle.

So I tested the water today, ammonia is at 0, nitrites are at 2 and nitrates are at around 20. However, yesterday the nitrates were up at around 40. Is it normal for the nitrates to drop like this as the cycle progresses?

If this tank doesn't finish it's cycle soon I'm going to go nuts.


----------



## PewPewPew

I hope its got no fish in it!! D:

Nitrates should never be above 20ppm. 

I cant really say, though I do know that "young" tanks can be "moody", hah. They do strange things, which is why its good to monitor it.


----------



## PewPewPew

Hah, I usually never ask* in this XD

But.

My Lights of America 10w florescant bulb (1 bulb) in my 5 gallons have a 6500K rating. Id say this is good...Is it? I know K rating is more important than wattage, and Id say this little bugger does well.

Whatcha say?


----------



## inkrealm

Phoenix-
the 40 may have been a spike P:


----------



## Neil D

My betta Josh likes to swim in one corner of his tank, and he has a ten gallon! There seems to be nothing special about that corner at all! He is very active and occasionally swims elsewhere, but not often. I don't think he's sick because he looks acts and eats fine. Why does he like that corner?


----------



## Neil D

Sorry for double posting, but it wouldn't let me edit.

Another question: do I need to age water for Bettas?


----------



## phoenix91

PewPewPew said:


> I hope its got no fish in it!! D:
> 
> Nitrates should never be above 20ppm.
> 
> I cant really say, though I do know that "young" tanks can be "moody", hah. They do strange things, which is why its good to monitor it.


Don't worry no fish, only a few pond snails and honestly i hope all the spikes kill them off. Stupid moody tank :s



inkrealm said:


> Phoenix-
> the 40 may have been a spike P:


Okay. This is the most stress inducing thing i've done recently, i'm so glad there are no fish in this tank.


----------



## paws

My Betta fish stalks my finger and tries to bite it when ever i put it at the surface of the water. Is that ok? I was thinking it was because Betta Fish are surface eaters and they probably just thought my finger was another flake. Is that correct?


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## PewPewPew

Yes, paws, probably. He'll probably bite it if you let him, mine do. Evil little snots.

,Neil, he may like it because its away from any current, its warm, shady or because he doesnt feel safe and is trying to hide. Make sure you have enough places to hide.
And no. only if you dont use dechlorinator, which you should. Aging for a few days lets the chlorine evaporate naturally. However, any heavy metals and gunk are still there, which dechlorinator removes.


----------



## SashimiBetta

How many female Bettas can I fit in a 20g tank?


----------



## JKfish

8 would be your minimum, 14 would be your maxiumum

PewPewPew, your lighting is perfect. 2 wpg is a good ammount, and the kelvin is in the right range.


----------



## SashimiBetta

Thanks JKfish (love the username by the way).


----------



## laughing

I have a 2.5 gallon tank for my male. I do a 50-75% water change every other day and every couple of weeks do a 100%. During these water changes I siphon the gravel really well and he has a ton of anacharis in his tank.

He hates the filter, he gets depressed with it on, and he can barely swim. It also really supresses his bubblenesting urges. 

Is it perfectly fine if I just take the filter out?? I mean, it's 2.5 gallons, it's not like it is ruining it being cycled or something. And it gives him SO much more room.


----------



## Neil D

I believe its okay to take it out, but I would do 1 50% change and 1 100% change a week. Seems like less work and thats what people recommend. Good Luck!


----------



## JKfish

Actually Neil, two 50% and one 100% would be slightly better than just one 50 and one 100 a week.

Laughing, I agree with Neil in that you could take that filter out/


----------



## Neil D

Whoops, srry. haha


----------



## laughing

Thanks! I just feel it is a waste being in there.


----------



## bahamut285

Query: When I first bought MeiLin, she was a healthy adorable chubby. I've had her for a couple of months now and she's not skinny skinny but she's not as chubby as she used to be. I currently feed 2 pellets to her (and HongBo) every morning, fasting them on Sunday. I gave them both 3 pellets once because I was worried, and they both ended up being kind of bloated for a day or two :S...any tips? X_X

In lighter news, she's turning fluorescent pink (pun intended lololol). I think I might have asked before but what colour would she be? The pic quality is bad (iTouch pic) but the colours are true in this one, except for the orange is supposed to be a peach colour.

The tip of her tail is "missing" because it's the same colour as the purple plant


----------



## JKfish

Do you presoak your pellets before feeding, and feed them twice a day?
IMO, she looks healthy, and I would almost want to call her a pinkpurple cambodian, since her body is that peachy flesh tone.


----------



## Neil D

I have asked this B4, but what is my betta fin wise and color wise?


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## JKfish

delta tail, and probably just a multicolored..... Could you get a more clear photo of him and his tail?


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## bahamut285

@JKFish: I used to presoak them but they hated it and wouldn't eat for DAYS, so now I don't do it. They gobble the pellets like mad now (MeiLin thinks she's a shark or something). I feed them 2 pellets once a day in the morning.

Thanks for your input, I just was kind of scared that she lost a lot of her chunkiness since she came home with me, XD


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## JKfish

I would up your feedings to 2 twice a day if possible  And so long as you have a set fasting day and keep an eye out for bloating, they ought to be fine


----------



## n3wport

Ive probably had this fish for the past 2 weeks. I bought him from petco and he had finrot. He has signs of growth on his tail but it seems to have gotten shorter in the recovery process. I do daily 70% water changes either every day or every other day depending on if I am working all night or not. He never goes more than 3 days. His tank is a 2.5 gallon, water conditioned with prime and AQ salt occansional captaptpa leaf.. Filter turned off. What more should I try? He is a crowntail and Im afraid he will never have a beautiful tail!!! UGH :evil:


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## JKfish

it's heated right? Are you doing at least one 100% water change a week along with your other water changes? What food are you feeding? High protein foods like frozen bloodworms helps improve fin growth.


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## bahamut285

JKfish said:


> I would up your feedings to 2 twice a day if possible  And so long as you have a set fasting day and keep an eye out for bloating, they ought to be fine


So, 2 pellets twice a day? Thanks~! I will do that then


----------



## Betty

*Question*

So I have a male betta and am getting three females, I have 2 tanks established-a breeding and main tank-I know how to breed them but when the father finishes caring for fry I know he will start to eat them but i can't put him in the main tank with the 3 females because he will kill them-any ideas how i can keep all fish happy?Do female's eat their babies???Thanks


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## Neil D

@ JKfish, 

That's the best pic ever of a Bettas fun age while he was in his tank (10G), if I do say so my self!  I'll try to get some pics up after school, maybe of the top of his head? He doesnt lOok multicolor , his overall color is pinky/red with red fins. His head turns a blood red cos its darker than the rest of him.


----------



## Wyvern

2 quick questions:
1st - I suspect my one boy is biting his tail - its looking more ragged every day. Im planning on swapping the boys in their tanks so that they get a change of scenery. Also it started when the weather here turned misrable - our winter started earlier than normal with lots of big storms (we are known as the Cape of Storms tho so its to be expected ). I found if I turn the lights off he goes bananas and when its on hes calmer?? He is a very healthy boy otherwise - no bubble nest but I suspect its more due to the trickle filter system that I have.

2nd one - how many girls can I put in a 10gallon tank, it will be heavily planted as soon as I can source plants and find homes for my goldfish. Also I will stick with my gravel since I hate sand as a substrate - found my plants struggled in it. Can I add anything with the girls in the tank? No snails pls.

Thanks guys


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## Neil D

@ Betty,

Divide the females tank 2G for the male and (assumed) 8G for the females. Females should be in groups of 4+ and in ideally a 10G. After the male stops taking care of them they are totally dependent on you. The arrangement should work out until you can move the male to his own place. I would ask other People though before doing anything. Females and fry cannot be kept together! Good luck! 

@wyvern,

I would say that in a 10G, 4-5 females is at the max. Anymore fish would be too much. Unsure what your first question was...


----------



## Wyvern

Hehe sorry I saw just now I was unclear - any other methods of distracting my boy when we have storms to prevent the tail biting? Im just looking for ideas to keep the idiot calm.


----------



## n3wport

JKfish said:


> it's heated right? Are you doing at least one 100% water change a week along with your other water changes? What food are you feeding? High protein foods like frozen bloodworms helps improve fin growth.


Yes! he eats omega one pellets and has freeze dried blood worms as treats. I do water changes and his tank is always at 80 degrees. I dont have a heater its just how hot my rfoom is, which will change eventually, once I get a ceiling fan. Haha.


----------



## Neil D

Your betta is not an idiot! He's just special... add an object in front of his tank or just play with him. Maybe a ping pong ball floating in his tank?


----------



## Betty

Neil D said:


> @ Betty,
> 
> Divide the females tank 2G for the male and (assumed) 8G for the females. Females should be in groups of 4+ and in ideally a 10G. After the male stops taking care of them they are totally dependent on you. The arrangement should work out until you can move the male to his own place. I would ask other People though before doing anything. Females and fry cannot be kept together! Good luck!
> 
> @wyvern,
> 
> I would say that in a 10G, 4-5 females is at the max. Anymore fish would be too much. Unsure what your first question was...


 
Thanks, I will devide the tank then, Is using plexiglass and glass sucker's like the ones you get on your heater+filter a good way to devide the tank?I have a lid on so i would have to make the devider myself as i cannot find any tank devider's for tanks that have lids, thanks again you have been very helpful!!!:-D


----------



## Wyvern

Heheheh Neil, He is an idiot  his favourite place to nap is on the filter intake area. Ive covered it now with pantihose just incase. But basically he wraps himself around the pipe and just naps there. My mum calls it his personal jacuzzi! He is just a silly bugger most of the time in anycase. Very calm and relaxed for the most part. Its normally Moon that goes bonkers in his tank. Hes a very active boy who is constantly rearranging his own tank.


----------



## Betty

Wyvern said:


> Heheheh Neil, He is an idiot  his favourite place to nap is on the filter intake area. Ive covered it now with pantihose just incase. But basically he wraps himself around the pipe and just naps there. My mum calls it his personal jacuzzi! He is just a silly bugger most of the time in anycase. Very calm and relaxed for the most part. Its normally Moon that goes bonkers in his tank. Hes a very active boy who is constantly rearranging his own tank.


 
You could put some different food in like frozen courgette, then that might occupy him while the storm passes, he sounds like a unique fish 

Possibly even somewhere to hide, it might make him feel safer, I know our fish seem to hide when there is a storm, and it would also be a good place for him to check out which would mean he wasn't concentrating on the storm 

Hope this helps!!!


----------



## Betty

Live bait would also help!!!


----------



## Betty

@Niel D: one other thing!if it was 3 females and 1 male in a 70 litre tank would the male kill all female's or would they kill him or would having 3 of them mean that there is more chance that they would divert attention between the three of them meaning there was less chance of him killing one from harrassing her all the time?


----------



## Wyvern

Thanks Betty, he has his terracotta pot to hide in when he feels like it. He hardly ever looks at it tho. He is just a stubborn bugger  I love him to bits tho. Ill see if I can find anything else to float on his water to entertain him - needs to be small tho there isnt a lot of clearance between the lid and the water. As for live food, I will have to see what I can do, problem is when we get a storm it can last anything from an hour up to a week.


----------



## Betty

Wyvern said:


> Thanks Betty, he has his terracotta pot to hide in when he feels like it. He hardly ever looks at it tho. He is just a stubborn bugger  I love him to bits tho. Ill see if I can find anything else to float on his water to entertain him - needs to be small tho there isnt a lot of clearance between the lid and the water. As for live food, I will have to see what I can do, problem is when we get a storm it can last anything from an hour up to a week.


 

Just had a thought!Is there any chance that the darkness in your house is causing a reflection of himself in the tank glass?This would lead to him attempting to attack his reflection but he would be attacking himself!


----------



## Wyvern

We he hasnt glass surfed before, I know my other boy did it at first. I will keep an eye on him tonite, turn the lights off a bit earlier than normal and just watch him. See if I can catch him in the act of being naughty. He reminds me of my baba woof, well she isnt a baba anymore, but she used to be extremely naughty.


----------



## Betty

Wyvern said:


> We he hasnt glass surfed before, I know my other boy did it at first. I will keep an eye on him tonite, turn the lights off a bit earlier than normal and just watch him. See if I can catch him in the act of being naughty. He reminds me of my baba woof, well she isnt a baba anymore, but she used to be extremely naughty.


 
I hope tonight goes well, it might just be the noise that bothers him but it is worth checking because it is no good for him if he is attacking himself and is getting stressed!!!


----------



## inkrealm

Wyvern-
if it's not glass-surfing, you might try wrapping something around the glass?
leave the top for air, 
but that might take some bite off the noise/vibrations? ^-^
and then see how he reacts to it, 
mine doesn't like being wrapped silly ridiculous child >.<; but some don't mind and it may help ^-^
also watch the temp during this


----------



## Wyvern

I will have to wait now for the next storm. It seems to have gone by us now finally. I will see tho if I cant find more things to entertain him with. The temps actually could also play a role I suspect. Mine is at 26 degrees at the moment but I suspect early mornings its dropping rapidly. Altho our nights never drop below 8 degrees during winter it does drop rapidly after 12am. So it could maybe play a part. Cos when Im gaming on my pc and I can watch him, he behaves himself. Its just when I turn the lights off now at night. And just the past few days, hes never acted out during the night before.

@ Betty - I made a divider for my tank with plastic project binders and plant mesh/craft mesh (we only get the plant one here). I cut the mesh slightly to big for the tank and put the binders on the sides and slide it in, mine curves a little but it keeps it stable and upright in the tank. Ive also added Java moss to the mesh by sticking clumps of it all over the show with the hopes it will create a moss wall! I need more moss tho waiting for some at our LFS. Unfortunately for me I want more plants for my tanks but we dont get really nice plants


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## Betty

Wyvern said:


> I will have to wait now for the next storm. It seems to have gone by us now finally. I will see tho if I cant find more things to entertain him with. The temps actually could also play a role I suspect. Mine is at 26 degrees at the moment but I suspect early mornings its dropping rapidly. Altho our nights never drop below 8 degrees during winter it does drop rapidly after 12am. So it could maybe play a part. Cos when Im gaming on my pc and I can watch him, he behaves himself. Its just when I turn the lights off now at night. And just the past few days, hes never acted out during the night before.
> 
> @ Betty - I made a divider for my tank with plastic project binders and plant mesh/craft mesh (we only get the plant one here). I cut the mesh slightly to big for the tank and put the binders on the sides and slide it in, mine curves a little but it keeps it stable and upright in the tank. Ive also added Java moss to the mesh by sticking clumps of it all over the show with the hopes it will create a moss wall! I need more moss tho waiting for some at our LFS. Unfortunately for me I want more plants for my tanks but we dont get really nice plants


 
Thanks Wyvern  will see if i can find these things to make into a divider ))


----------



## Wyvern

No worries! I just found its the easiest way to make a divider that fits the tank and doesnt interfere with the hood. Mine is about 3 cms above the water and the boys are rather lazy they only jump for food  I just did a 90% water change, moved decorations and swopped the boys from their sides of the tank so that it looks like new to them. They are loving the change. But now I can see how badly his fins are  at least hes looking good otherwise. And loved his dinner of 3 bloodworms (the ones I have currently are very short bout 5mm.) They even blowed bubbles at me! Havent seen them do that in over a week!


----------



## Neil D

Hey just wondering, are there any live foods I can feed my guy that don't carry or have a good reputation about carrying infections? I don't want my guy getting one


----------



## JKfish

Most healthy bettas can fight off whatever it is a live food could be carrying. I know OldFishLady gets tubberwares, fills them with oak leaves and such, and fills it with water to attract mosquitoes. To harvest, she nets them, rinse well, and then feed.... She feeds the larve and whatever other larve she finds in those bucket/tubberwares to her bettas and she says they are all fine.

If you wanted to, you could technically start up a colony of guppy fry to feed. Maybe put together a 10 gallon set up with 3 females and one male.... this way you know their general health and the general health of your fry that you feed.


----------



## Neil D

What about live brine shrimp? I dont feel comfortable breeding guppies only to kill the fry:-(


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## JKfish

baby brine shrimp are fine too


----------



## Neil D

Do they have rep for carrying diseases?


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## JKfish

no, not since you hatch them from eggs in a hatchery... Breeders feed BBS to their fry as one of the first few foods, so it's got to be safe


----------



## Neil D

Can you buy them from a LFS? Or what about daphnia?


----------



## JKfish

I know my Petsmart sells brineshrimp eggs and an expensive hatchery, but you can make one for half the price from a 2 liter soda bottle.


----------



## Neil D

How? I dont think Id feel so comfortable doing that either Thats just me...But id still like to know how. And I'll contact DQ about her mosquito thingy:-D


----------



## JKfish

this is a good link, but you don't have to do the whole hanger wire thing, they are fine in regular room temps... or at least that's what I've heard. I'm not sure how much salt would be necessary, so you'll want to ask one of the breeders who feeds bbs (I think Mr.Vampire does) , they would probably know.


----------



## Betty

@Niel D :Baby brine shrimp would be best, You can hatch them by Turning the heat up slightly i your tank and hanging the bag in the water-reccomended by LFS, can't wait to get my females but will have to wait to breed them untill the start of august as I am going to poland for my uncles wedding!Wish i could take all babies with me!!!


----------



## Betty

Wyvern said:


> No worries! I just found its the easiest way to make a divider that fits the tank and doesnt interfere with the hood. Mine is about 3 cms above the water and the boys are rather lazy they only jump for food  I just did a 90% water change, moved decorations and swopped the boys from their sides of the tank so that it looks like new to them. They are loving the change. But now I can see how badly his fins are  at least hes looking good otherwise. And loved his dinner of 3 bloodworms (the ones I have currently are very short bout 5mm.) They even blowed bubbles at me! Havent seen them do that in over a week!


 
Just seen simon (the male) has a huge rip in his tail and can't understand why!Its strange he was fine yesterday!!!What i do know is he can see his reflection in tank glass but isn't trying to attack himself!Really worried!!!:----(


----------



## Wyvern

It could be from flaring at his reflection. Dont stress to much, since my boy's tailbiting ways has started he doesnt have much left - but at lest he stopped for now. (I dont think he can reach the left overs  silly child). Just keep the water clean and warm and feed him some proteins - mine gets bloodworms now every 2nd night till their tails are fine again.


----------



## Betty

Wyvern said:


> It could be from flaring at his reflection. Dont stress to much, since my boy's tailbiting ways has started he doesnt have much left - but at lest he stopped for now. (I dont think he can reach the left overs  silly child). Just keep the water clean and warm and feed him some proteins - mine gets bloodworms now every 2nd night till their tails are fine again.


 
Thanks Wyvern, I feel a lot better knowing it isn't my fault and that I haven't done anything that made his tail split!!!I am currently treating my tank for a small infection so I know that might be something that didn't help the situation but hopefully the treatment will start doing its work soon!!!I am using a chemical treatmet and they said it would be fine at my LFS and better than the stuff that works in 3 days as it works within 24hours so hopefully Simon will be ok


----------



## phoenix91

I think my CT Oji might be biting his tail. The once longish strands on his tail have now gone. i circled the area where i think he's biting bits off. Is there anything i need to add to the water or give him food wise to keep it clean and stop him getting fin rot? I change his water twice a week, 50% each time w/ gravel vacuuming both times because it's just easier to do that.

Sorry the photo is blurry, he wouldn't stay still.









Also, not betta related really but how big can pond snails get? I've got a breeding tank that has been set up for maybe 3 weeks and some of them are starting to get big. 

Is it possible to get an albino pond snail? it probably is and that's probably a stupid question.


----------



## JKfish

Betty, if your betta can see his reflection in the glass, there is a way to fix it . When a betta's tank is in a shady or shadowy part of the house and you have a light directly over the tank turned on, the glass becomes reflective like a mirror. Just add more more lights around and near the tank or move it to a better lit part of the room. If that's not the case, and he's just flaring, it is common for bettas to blow their fins, however with clean warm water and good food it'll heal in no time 

Pheonix, he's probably tail biting, in which case you would treat it like you would finrot, just with clean warm water and a good diet. If you think something is triggering it, here are some possiblilites: stress, poor water quality, too much of a filter flow, too much light, too little light, or boredom.... Of course, there are other factors, and the possiblility he just might have a ocd sort of problem but chances are it might just be a one time thing. Hmm, I don't know about the albino snail thing, but it's probably possible...


----------



## phoenix91

JKfish said:


> he's probably tail biting, in which case you would treat it like you would finrot, just with clean warm water and a good diet. If you think something is triggering it, here are some possiblilites: stress, poor water quality, too much of a filter flow, too much light, too little light, or boredom.... Of course, there are other factors, and the possiblility he just might have a ocd sort of problem but chances are it might just be a one time thing. Hmm, I don't know about the albino snail thing, but it's probably possible...


Okay, clean water I can cope with. It could be because the last few nights the lights have been left on longer than they should have been. I'll get a timer for my lights and hope that's what the issue is. 

Thanks

If it is boredom what can I do to entertain him more?


----------



## PewPewPew

Try Putting interesting things near the tank. Pictures, figurines, anything. Also consider adding new things to the tank, and after every big water change, move things around and switch things up.


----------



## phoenix91

I'll try that. i just got a new orchid, i bet he'd like it by his tank a few days a week.

i'll look for things to put in his tank, unfortunately i can't move the live plants but i can move the log. 

thanks


----------



## PewPewPew

No problem. Try miniature terracotta pots, or small shot glasses, try them tipped down with something inside, like a piece of a fake plant. Its funny what they do.


----------



## phoenix91

Awesome, i have just the shot glass i can use for that. i'll try some for my little lady too.


----------



## Neil D

@ pew,
What have u seen them do?


----------



## PewPewPew

Someimtes they go after it, because they cant tell its an object/something they cant go through. Its silly. Sometimes, when I QT or acclimate my snail in a shot glass, Alle looks at it like "OMG. The world doesnt make sense anymore D:"

Its pretty cute. If you leave it so he can go into it, he'll flail around a bit confused XD Bigger ones are best, like a brandy/burboun glass or something.


----------



## Betty

PewPewPew, hi, in our tank we have a helmet and didn't realise but simon love's it and he swims all over it.He adores it, maybe something like that would be good for your fish?they seem to prefer something a little bigger so they can explore and my LFS even suggested putting a 3rd hiding place for him!!!I hope this helped, it seems like they are little explorers so it might occupy him for a little while, and moving them around frequently will help a lot!!!


----------



## Neil D

^+1 that sounds good


----------



## Echo

are females fin-nippers? or can they get along with other flashy fish like corys?


----------



## Pataflafla

Is reverse osmosis water ok to use for fish tank water without treating it for chlorine?

I'm currently still treating it for my betta, Ratchet, but he needs daily water changes for a little while to help him heal from Walmart care, and I'm running out of conditioner for his water.


----------



## PewPewPew

You cant get more conditioner? 

You can allow the water to sit for at least 24 hours, which lets the chlorine evaporate. It does not, however, remove other things like chloramine, heavy metals, etc, which conditioner will.

Use tap water that you let sit until you can get more


----------



## Pataflafla

PewPewPew said:


> You cant get more conditioner?
> 
> You can allow the water to sit for at least 24 hours, which lets the chlorine evaporate. It does not, however, remove other things like chloramine, heavy metals, etc, which conditioner will.
> 
> Use tap water that you let sit until you can get more


I can get more conditioner, but the only stores that sell it are quite a far ways from my house and I've been using quite a bit of it with the daily water changes for Ratchet as well as the occasional conditioning of my female's water.

By reverse osmosis I mean filtered water safe for drinking. It comes out of a completely different faucet than the tap water. Or would that still contain chlorine and other materials?


----------



## JKfish

Pataflafla, if you are running out of conditioner so quickly , you might want to try buying Prime. You will only need 2 drops per gallon, so even a tiny one bottle lasts a while. RO water works, just be sure to acclimate your boy to the new water until you can get conditioner.

echo: females don't tend to bite their own tails as typically as males do, but you never know. And as to if they will get along with other fish, it all depends on your set up and your girl's temperment. Each and every betta will have his or her own seperate personality, so if your girl is calm, she'd probably do well with other fish.


----------



## Pataflafla

JKfish said:


> Pataflafla, if you are running out of conditioner so quickly , you might want to try buying Prime. You will only need 2 drops per gallon, so even a tiny one bottle lasts a while. RO water works, just be sure to acclimate your boy to the new water until you can get conditioner.


Thanks. I've been going through it so quickly because it's only in a small package from when I bought his 10 gallon tank and he's currently in need of 100% water changes for a few days to recover. I'll be going through a lot less once he's strong enough to swim in his 10 gallon tank and once I know if my female has parasites or not before dividing the tank. He's probably in a quarter to half gallon tank while the female currently has about 3 gallons since she's stronger and bigger.


----------



## JKfish

If he's in a 1/2 gallon or less, he needs to have 100% water changes every single day. Your girl needs two 50% and a 100% a week. If their water isn't heated, I would stick them in tubberwares and float them in the 10 gallon if it is heated. This'll help your boy get better quicker and your girl stay healthy (in tubberwares 100% water changes a day would be necessary). I'd also be careful about dividing a 10 gallon. The hormones could build up, and keep them both in a breeding set of mind the whole time, which would be unhealthy for them. Not to mention there have been several members who have had incidents where either the male or female has hopped sides and they came home to a bubblenest of eggs.


----------



## Neil D

Please HELP!!! my fish's filter is driving me insane!!!! It won't be quiet and the baffle is making me PO!!!!! What filters are quiet, and don't make any splashy noises?!? My filter is a whisper 5-15 that is baffled. I DON'T WANT TO USE A BAFFLE! A nice filter that won't piss me off AND won't kill my betta would be nice. Are there any for less than 30$?!? Please answer and sorry if I sound really really mad!


----------



## Pataflafla

JKfish said:


> If he's in a 1/2 gallon or less, he needs to have 100% water changes every single day. Your girl needs two 50% and a 100% a week. If their water isn't heated, I would stick them in tubberwares and float them in the 10 gallon if it is heated. This'll help your boy get better quicker and your girl stay healthy (in tubberwares 100% water changes a day would be necessary). I'd also be careful about dividing a 10 gallon. The hormones could build up, and keep them both in a breeding set of mind the whole time, which would be unhealthy for them. Not to mention there have been several members who have had incidents where either the male or female has hopped sides and they came home to a bubblenest of eggs.


He is getting a full water change every afternoon. The tank is heated and not completely full yet. But I don't think he'll have to share his tank for too long since my sister plans on starting a sorority for her females once she gets one more. I'll probably end up trading tanks with her and switch him to a divided 5 gallon tank with another male on the other side.

My last betta pair happened to hop over the divider in their tank and spawn because I left the lid off thinking there would be no problems. Eggs were in the bubble nest when I got home, but the male started to eat the eggs after a few hours. My female would regularly hop the divider afterwards but she never had any fin damage from being with the male for whatever reasons. She was a particularly vicious female though.


----------



## inkrealm

Neil- mine isn't that loud, I can't even hear it most of the time, 
is the output really far above the water? I just fill mine right up to it, and it's uber quiet... 
here is what I have P:

mine is baffled for my little buddy's sake, 
but it was quiet without it as well. 
maybe yours just isn't close enough to the output though? 
also what's the matter with the baffle? ^-^;;


----------



## PewPewPew

Make sure that the water is filled up to an appropriate level, the intake pipe (if you have one) is pushed into the filter right, and that you've filled it with enough water beforehand.


----------



## Neil D

Everything above is done. The bubbling noise stopped but This filter is now 6yrs old and I'm sure they have a quieter one out there! It's just one betta in a 10g so a small filter should work fine. Or an adjustable one too. Maybe an aquaclear? I don't know....


----------



## bahamut285

I saw somebody post a comment about a person's tank on youtube concerning their plants in the tank

*Query:* Is it ok or not ok to just "take" plants from your local stream/pond/closest available ecosystem?

My personal answer would be NO, but just curious... xD


----------



## bettafish15

Not okay. Who knows whats in the water sources. Could be bad toxins, snails, parasites, who knows. It would probably just die in an aquarium anyway.


----------



## PewPewPew

Yeah, unless its a clean mountain source water (I have lots by me), or your own, personal pond, I wouldnt...

And if you did, QT for like 3-4 weeks.


----------



## Neil D

How much AQ salt would I put in a ten gallon? (in TSP) Is it okay to have the salt in there all the time? For the rest of my betta's life? He has slight fin rot, which I'm treating today, so please answer fast! Thx


----------



## bettafish15

Only use salt for a max of ten days, *for treatment only*. One teaspoon per gallon with 100% daily water changes, which is why a QT container floated in the heated main tank is best.

Edit: Also, pre-mix the salted and dechlor'd water in another container. If you don't it will burn him.


----------



## Neil D

You are *such *a life saver!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The QT container I have only holds two quarts...how many tsp? It does stay in the tank. But I think I can get my hands on a 1G...


----------



## PewPewPew

1 gallon=4 quarts, which means that it's 1/2 tsp in 2 quarts.

Prolonged use of AQ may result in liver or kidney damage, which is why 7-10 is advised. Also, using it too much too often can result in resistant bacteria, like when you use antibiotics too much.


----------



## bettafish15

^ What PewPewPeewwww said XD


----------



## Neil D

Again SUCH A LIFESAVER!!!! thanks sooooooooo much guys(or gals) anyways, should I just mix the 1 tsp with a gallon of water and use the salt water from that as necessary?


----------



## bettafish15

Yup, that's what I'd do.


----------



## PewPewPew

Just remember to shake well each time!


----------



## Neil D

Does it disolve?


----------



## PewPewPew

Once it does, it does. Put a full tsp into the gallon and some (but not all) of the water youre gonna add, then shake shake shake.

Then, shake shake shake! 

Itll dissolve.

When you fill it back up all the way (the gallon), you should be good.

When you use it the next time, a gentile shake should make sure its evenly redistributed.


----------



## bahamut285

bettafish15 said:


> ^ What PewPewPeewwww said XD


*whispers unsuspectingly* CALL HER P3 :V

*Query:* Procedure for swapping fish from each other's tanks? Lin seems to swim around a lot in her 2.5 meanwhile HongBo thinks he's a submarine and only scoots around when he sees something interesting in his 5 Gal. Should I switch them? I feel kind of bad that Lin has to swim around in such a teeny tank when she's more active than HongBo is...also I think she's a tad larger than he is.


----------



## bettafish15

I'd switch them. See how they react 

*whispers back* BUT I WAS MAKING PEW SOUNDS IN MY HEAD so it was pew pew pew PEEEEEWWWWWWWW~ and stuff. XD


----------



## PewPewPew

Usually when I think it, its a *pchew pchew pchew*, like a photon laz0r XD hahah! Its an awful username. I either smell (Pew) or Im some sorta math problem (Pew3/Pew^3) or Im constantly doing that noise in my head X'D <3

And yeah, do a full water change (if uncycled, or at least in the 2.5) and swap them. If they seem ok, then woop!


----------



## PewPewPew

bettafish15 said:


> ^ What PewPewPeewwww said XD


I didnt even see this initially, omg LOLOLOLOL


----------



## bettafish15

WOOP WOOP! lol idk. What PEEEEWWWWW said.  I was gonna say do a waterchange, but I forgot 'cause my kittens distracted me with cuddles /legitimate excuse


----------



## bettafish15

PewPewPew said:


> I didnt even see this initially, omg LOLOLOLOL


----------



## bahamut285

bettafish15 said:


>


I thought she was holding a bowl of Sake/Soju...it would make more sense XD



bettafish15 said:


> I forgot 'cause my kittens distracted me with cuddles /legitimate excuse


Acceptable excuse. SEEMS LEGIT.


----------



## PewPewPew

Seems legit.
omg gotta stop with these XD


I have a question.

Baller's seemingly gotten over his horrible bout with resistant fin rot. Yay!

But Im still very nervous, so Id like to treat him with Jungle Fungus Cure for a bit for the rot, after he's been on Maracyn.

Should I?


----------



## bahamut285

Why does "Jungle Fungus Cure" sound like one of those exotic drinks that you will regret drinking after finding a strange woman/man in your bed the next morning?

No? Is that just me? >_>

WELL, looks like I need some sleep *coughs awkwardly and leaves*


----------



## PewPewPew

Ughh, eww.

Nah, its pretty good stuff! Its srsbsns, and actually gets my (rare) seal of approval.

I just dont wanna hit him too hard or anything, even though he's feeling pretty good, eating, swimming, all happy. I realllyyy dont want that psycho rot to come back,though.


----------



## nel3

is there any difference between goldfish bowl conditioner and betta water conditioner? the goldfish conditioner deals with ammonia and chlorine while nutrafin betta conditioner doesnt seem to bother neutralizing ammonia. im asking bc thats the remaining stock i have with 1 betta conditioner. after that i'll get prime conditioner if goldfish bowl conditioner is insufficient.


----------



## inkrealm

bahamut285 said:


> Why does "Jungle Fungus Cure" sound like one of those exotic drinks that you will regret drinking after finding a strange woman/man in your bed the next morning?
> 
> No? Is that just me? >_>
> 
> WELL, looks like I need some sleep *coughs awkwardly and leaves*




oh geeze it does actually D: -beats head against desk- DX 
that amused me ;-;" 

but yeah, I heard it's supposed to be good x3
on the other hand they say don't use it unless you HAVE to. and that large water changes every day are better. 
but if it was SUPER bad it might be different.... MAYBE, I'm not sure ><
you might ask OFL, I have a feeling she'd say just water changes though... if he's healed up he should be alright.... lots of water changes, good feeding, if you do only use pellets maybe substitute some freeze-dried bloodworms for nutrients and whatnot... and keep the current way down for fragile fins, my little guy had a tear that was almost healed up and the water evaporated a little low and caused a strong current and it ripped back D: so watch that. but he should be better if he's on the mend  watch closely ^-^


----------



## PewPewPew

nel3 said:


> is there any difference between goldfish bowl conditioner and betta water conditioner? the goldfish conditioner deals with ammonia and chlorine while nutrafin betta conditioner doesnt seem to bother neutralizing ammonia. im asking bc thats the remaining stock i have with 1 betta conditioner. after that i'll get prime conditioner if goldfish bowl conditioner is insufficient.


Usually, no. Conditioner is conditioner. If it removes chlorine at least and better yet heavy metals, its doing its job.

However, that goldfish stuff you seem to have found has some sort of ammonia neutralizer l=much like Prime does. Most products dont do that, so its nice.
If it removes the chlorine and heavy metals, its good. If it also removes ammonia, well then! Its even better.

Once you run out, Prime is a great option. You can use either conditioner just fine.


inkrealm said:


> oh geeze it does actually D: -beats head against desk- DX
> that amused me ;-;"
> 
> but yeah, I heard it's supposed to be good x3
> on the other hand they say don't use it unless you HAVE to. and that large water changes every day are better.
> but if it was SUPER bad it might be different.... MAYBE, I'm not sure ><
> you might ask OFL, I have a feeling she'd say just water changes though... if he's healed up he should be alright.... lots of water changes, good feeding, if you do only use pellets maybe substitute some freeze-dried bloodworms for nutrients and whatnot... and keep the current way down for fragile fins, my little guy had a tear that was almost healed up and the water evaporated a little low and caused a strong current and it ripped back D: so watch that. but he should be better if he's on the mend  watch closely ^-^


I had him on an aggressive salt regimen, but this rot was progressed through an injury to the point where it didnt cut it. Poor guy's fins were gnawed away.
Im nervous about this awful strain because of how aggressive it was, and want it to be DONE and not come back! D;

If I did* do it, Id wait a few days for him to just have clean water.


----------



## Punki

Is it safe to dose water with prime and 24 hours later add clear water? The chemicals wont be too much for a betta?
Also when using prime its dosage is for huge tanks. How many drops would i need per 1 gallon jug?


----------



## Neil D

Okay. So I put the AQ salt in a 1G bucket and mixed it really well. And shook it to the best of my ability. (bucket, and it is dechlor) So when I come back from school I'll put my betta in his QT jug (attached to side of tank). Should I acclimate him?


----------



## Tisia

Punki said:


> Is it safe to dose water with prime and 24 hours later add clear water? The chemicals wont be too much for a betta?
> Also when using prime its dosage is for huge tanks. How many drops would i need per 1 gallon jug?


2 drops per gallon


----------



## Punki

Thank you!


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> Usually, no. Conditioner is conditioner. If it removes chlorine at least and better yet heavy metals, its doing its job.
> 
> However, that goldfish stuff you seem to have found has some sort of ammonia neutralizer l=much like Prime does. Most products dont do that, so its nice.
> If it removes the chlorine and heavy metals, its good. If it also removes ammonia, well then! Its even better.
> 
> Once you run out, Prime is a great option. You can use either conditioner just fine.


thank you, its just what i had expected that it could replace betta conditioner. i could use it now with no issues now. last water change i did yesterday used the proper betta conditioner (5ml=.5 gal) if not a tiny bit less. the rest was 1/4 cap of goldfish conditioner for the ammonia (5ml/ .5 cap full= 2gal). didnt notice the chlorine properties on it at the time. can too much conditioner be harmful? how long should i wait to drop the fish in the tank once a concentrated conditioner is used?


----------



## Neil D

Do I need to acclimate my betta to water with AQ salt for fin rot treatment??


----------



## bettafish15

Yeah, I would, just to be on the safe side. Him being in shock wont help him heal any faster


----------



## Neil D

Okay he is in his QT container! There is a towel covering his tank so it is dark to speed recovery! I am planning this treatment for 10 - 14 days.


----------



## PewPewPew

Nel3, no, not really, or at least not with how much you did. I might suggest maybe more gradually introducing the goldfish one, because its a big change  so less of the gold fish for a few times to help the fish adjust better to it, then itll be fine.


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> Nel3, no, not really, or at least not with how much you did. I might suggest maybe more gradually introducing the goldfish one, because its a big change  so less of the gold fish for a few times to help the fish adjust better to it, then itll be fine.


 ty, the betta conditioner is still 80% full so the transition should be easy enough without purchasing a new one. would a transition be good between goldfish conditioner and prime be as useful?


----------



## PewPewPew

How do you mean?
When switching conditioners, regardless of what it is (unless the same kind/brand), its good to wean them off it. 
So, if you're planning on going to prime at some point, I almost wanna suggest just switching now to avoid having to re-wean


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> How do you mean?
> When switching conditioners, regardless of what it is (unless the same kind/brand), its good to wean them off it.
> So, if you're planning on going to prime at some point, I almost wanna suggest just switching now to avoid having to re-wean


its just a thoery atm but i'll change the water and only use betta conditioner to check if it idnt as agressive. i'll see how well it reacts to betta conditioner + %10-15 goldfish conditioner and go to prime once the betta conditioner is done for. the fish usually coils up once or twice when i fed it, usually it just calmly approached the foor before eating it. its like its on red bull being extra aware attacking anything dropped in or near the top of the tank. if this is how my fish reacts to a different conditioner, how long would it usually take to get used to a different conditioner especially if goldfish conditioner is only 20% concentrated as prime?

i plan to put it in a 1 gal tank that has a light on it. not sure how much heat it'll add but it has no heater. the water level is 4inches on the .5gal and 7-8 inches on hte 1gal. i'll probably start with 6' of water and then go full height.


----------



## bahamut285

My friend's boyfriend recently revealed to me that he has a betta. However it's in one of those Marina Zen tanks, no heater, probably in something like 0.5 Gallons or less. The catch being...this blue VT is almost 3 years old now O.O

This guy is one of those typical betta keepers in that Zen tank and changing the water 100% once a week.

*Query:* Lucky fish? Or just a very resilient fish...I've seen him, he seems fairly active in whatever space he has, reacts to almost every stimuli possible (both swimming around and/or flaring), loves pellets, bloodworms and long walks on the beach


----------



## Echo

Zen, my veil, has a body length of almost 2 inches, he's an absolute beast compared to my other two boys.. how big can bettas get?


----------



## Rell30

Bluey, my beautiful Betta doesn't like his plant. This bothers me because I put it in there because I herd it reduces the stress level of the fish. Why do you think he doesn't like it??


----------



## Neil D

Hmmm...Bettas get tO about 2/3 in. King Bettas can get to 5 in.

He may not pike his plant cos it's hurting him. Is it plastic? Brightly colored? It should reduce stress.


----------



## nel3

is a standing marine water thermometer good to put into the tank or are there more accurate and compact models? the one i found is .5' wide and 4'' tall.


----------



## Neil D

Not sure. I have one that magnets to the inside of the tank. It is pretty accurate and I love it. Its also really easy to move around and you don't have to get your hands wet.


----------



## nel3

i got around to prepping the 1 gal tank that has a light in the lid. put down the gravel/substrate. its a bit powdery but 1 day in water to remove any dust should do. will transfer the plastic plant from current tank just b4 i do final preparations to put it in the 1 gal.


----------



## bahamut285

bahamut285 said:


> My friend's boyfriend recently revealed to me that he has a betta. However it's in one of those Marina Zen tanks, no heater, probably in something like 0.5 Gallons or less. The catch being...this blue VT is almost 3 years old now O.O
> 
> This guy is one of those typical betta keepers in that Zen tank and changing the water 100% once a week.
> 
> *Query:* Lucky fish? Or just a very resilient fish...I've seen him, he seems fairly active in whatever space he has, reacts to almost every stimuli possible (both swimming around and/or flaring), loves pellets, bloodworms and long walks on the beach



*Unrelated 2nd Query:*I must buy a new tank tomorrow. Lin's 2ish gal is leaking a bit (nothing urgent, will last for a while) due to its age. I am considering getting either a 3 Gal or 5 Gal crescent depending on which one is available at the store. 

I have heard some success stories of introducing the betta LAST when trying for a community tank with other species, what could I put in a 3 Gal or alternatively a 5 gal?....No snails plz X_X

Also, what is the smallest size able to hold a cycle? I want the 3 Gal for physical space conservation because it's on my desk (HongBo's 5gal is pretty spacey already), but I would be willing to MAYBE adjust my desk a little if she needs a 5 gal too, but I am leaning towards the 3 right now


----------



## inkrealm

does anyone know what scratches and missing scales look like on Bettas? 
I was watching my little guy just previously and he looked fine, but when I reached into his tank to remove a dead leaf he tried to bite my hand. I still didn't notice anything immediately, so I just thought it was amusing and went stuck my hand in deaper so he wouldn't do it again ( he's not agressive they just looked bite-able I guess ) and went back to removing some leaves and then I started a water change. halfway through I noticed a tiny streak on his face just over one of his eyes... it's a little white-ish blue and it looks like a scratch to me or missing scales ( maybe he hit it on an uprooted plant or one of the plastic holders or did it when he hit my hand even though I didn't notice it? ) 
but I wanted to make sure if possible. it's not a spot like a parasite and it doesn't look like a worm. 

it's peeling a little too, so I think he scratched the skin ;^;


extra:
he seems to be okay, he's poking his head in the gravel and slinking on it a little, but I'm still adding water so that might be why, he's not throwing himself into it. 
he might be a bit surprised, I can't tell :/ 
no stress streaks, mild tear to the tail ( but that's not new ) no signs of fin rot I can see, breathes normal far as I can tell
eats slowly these days but it's because the food is behind him ( I can't get it in front because he comes to the ABSOLUTE front ) and he doesn't see it for a really long time x-x he eats it once he sees it. and he dances around waiting for it near feeding time. 

does anyone have a picture or ideas? and if it's a scratch should it be okay with clean water? I don't THINK he has any damage to the actual eye ( that I can see ) thanks ^-^;

also afre exposed plant roots fine?
my stupid moneywort won't stay under <T.T> he nips at them, but I don't think it should be an issue?


----------



## LynnsBettas

How do i stop my white deltatail from turning pink or red???


----------



## inkrealm

Lynn- 
you can't. if your little guy is getting color you can't stop it. or you can, but it would require abusing him so please don't D:
he's coloring up because he's getting healthier and happier ^-^ this color is inevitable though :/


----------



## Tisia

inkrealm said:


> does anyone know what scratches and missing scales look like on Bettas?
> I was watching my little guy just previously and he looked fine, but when I reached into his tank to remove a dead leaf he tried to bite my hand. I still didn't notice anything immediately, so I just thought it was amusing and went stuck my hand in deaper so he wouldn't do it again ( he's not agressive they just looked bite-able I guess ) and went back to removing some leaves and then I started a water change. halfway through I noticed a tiny streak on his face just over one of his eyes... it's a little white-ish blue and it looks like a scratch to me or missing scales ( maybe he hit it on an uprooted plant or one of the plastic holders or did it when he hit my hand even though I didn't notice it? )
> but I wanted to make sure if possible. it's not a spot like a parasite and it doesn't look like a worm.
> 
> it's peeling a little too, so I think he scratched the skin ;^;
> 
> 
> extra:
> he seems to be okay, he's poking his head in the gravel and slinking on it a little, but I'm still adding water so that might be why, he's not throwing himself into it.
> he might be a bit surprised, I can't tell :/
> no stress streaks, mild tear to the tail ( but that's not new ) no signs of fin rot I can see, breathes normal far as I can tell
> eats slowly these days but it's because the food is behind him ( I can't get it in front because he comes to the ABSOLUTE front ) and he doesn't see it for a really long time x-x he eats it once he sees it. and he dances around waiting for it near feeding time.
> 
> does anyone have a picture or ideas? and if it's a scratch should it be okay with clean water? I don't THINK he has any damage to the actual eye ( that I can see ) thanks ^-^;
> 
> also afre exposed plant roots fine?
> my stupid moneywort won't stay under <T.T> he nips at them, but I don't think it should be an issue?


here's Robin after he decided to check if my snail's antennae were a tasty snack for him








it healed up pretty quick, I think just keep on eye on it and keep his water clean and he should be fine. if it starts looking fuzzy or anything you might want to make a thread in the disease section about it


----------



## inkrealm

Tisia-
aww poor baby.... I'm glad he's better now ^-^
they're so ridiculous sometimes, haha.. thankyou so much, it looks almost exactly like that so I bet that's what it is  
he's slinking around a little but I guess it might have surprised him lol >< 
thanks again


----------



## Tisia

he's definitely a silly little boy. I don't think he was being aggressive so much as curious, and maybe a bit piggish, lol. the snail was just in there temporarily to help clean up a messy plant, he got moved back into Sven's tank as soon as I saw the scratch on Robin's head


----------



## inkrealm

haha, yeah, likewise with mine  I've heard some are really stubborn and cranky and tough-guy x3 mine's massively sweet-tempered though ^-^ he's just like staring at me with these big sad eyes like it's not his fault XD 
I love them so much  
and you're always stuck wondering how on earth they managed to do their latest injury to themselves >.< I never realized how amazing they are  now if only we could hug them :'3 <3


----------



## Wyvern

Arg if it was possible i would strangle my red boy (not really just frustrated now). I have gone over his tank with a fine tooth comb and there is nothing to hurt his fins. They were just healing up nicely and hes gone and taken a big chunk out of it again. And it happened in the last 40 mins whilst I was reading on my bed. I give up on him, I love his color and temperament except for this new nasty habit.


----------



## inkrealm

Wyvern- you could try removing plants and adding a cup and putting in some FW AQ salt to see if it causes just enough stinging to make him stop, but idk 
it is unfortunate D: 
has he seemed bored lately?


----------



## Wyvern

Nope he is hyper and playfull, he has a habit of rearranging his plants so I let him at it since it keeps him busy. Dunno if he just got a fright tho cos I just salvaged some of my other plants from the goldfish tank - they thought it was their salad bar and it not gonna happen! We struggle to find real aquarium plants and I just spent a small fortune on mine to have the goldies eat it. So I took it out and added it to the boys tanks.


----------



## vette91

is there a section within the forums where people sell fish?
I've seen a few posts in the breeding section about it.
Would it be wrong to say that i'm "looking" for a fish in that section?


----------



## inkrealm

Wyvern-
huh.... >< 
then yeah unless you temp. move the plants don't add salt... 
and that should be giving him more fun DX I'm really sorry but my guy doesn't bite so I'm not sure D: have you tired making a full board about it?


----------



## PewPewPew

vette91 said:


> is there a section within the forums where people sell fish?
> I've seen a few posts in the breeding section about it.
> Would it be wrong to say that i'm "looking" for a fish in that section?


Yes, I would try first looking in the breeding section. Right now, NIB has some GREAT looking fry (young fish) for sale. If youre looking for older fish, perhaps try titling a thread "Looking for breeders selling adult fish" or something, say what you like, and the range for price, maybe.

The user Chard is a seller/breeder who also sells on aquabid.com, and has a skillion fish for sale right now. Dont quote me on this, but I think he gives members a discount?

You can also try postin in the lounge.


----------



## BrookeGrace

How filling are the flake foods in comparison to pellets? I generally use the flakes as more of a treat or I give them very sparingly sometimes on his fasting day.

It just seems like the pellets being the main source of food constipates him and if I'm understanding the labels right, it seems like the flakes have equal or more nutritional value. I don't know if they're really enough though, still. Plus if you give too much, most of it seeps to the bottom and clouds up the water. :-?


----------



## inkrealm

Brooke- I don't use flakes, but I do know their stomachs are smaller than their eye, so one or two should be fine; and you don't have to worry about under feeding, as they can go several days to a week if really needed, even longer in drastic harsh conditions. usually when I give my betta a treat I give him a blood worm, and their cases are hard to digest so i only give them one. definitely don't let it stay in the tank, ><


----------



## BrookeGrace

Thanks, inkrealm!
I'll just try fasting him for a day or two since he seems kinda bloated, instead of switching to the flakes.

The ones I have also have tiny freeze-dried brine shrimp which I assume doesn't have much nutritional value, but maybe I'll just ditch the flakes and give them one of those occasionally for a treat. I haven't been able to find blood worms yet! Argh!


----------



## inkrealm

no problem 
yeah, one fasting day once a week is good on a constant basis, don't feed him on that day no matter how much he begs! ;D mine does better if I leave his light off that day, he seems to have learned that means he doesn't get food till the next. 
and two days in a row if he's looking a tad bloated. remember they do have two SMALL lumps that are the swim bladder. but if they swell up or get bigger or he seems to be constantly swimming down and unable to stay down this may be the beginning of swim bladder disease. just try fasting twice in a row, if that doesn't work try some epsom salt. post first in the forums to ensure this is swim bladder before you use salts though, and someone else here will have to give you the measurements for how much and what type if that's needed though DX 
you haven't found even the freeze-dried ones? ><
and I dunno people do recommend the shrimp  variety is always good ^-^ just make sure he eats it, and remove it if it sinks >< 
also you might try taking the cap off the food and rinsing it in hot water ( no soap ) and drying it with a clean paper towel and filling it with a bit of tank water. stick the two pellets in before feeding them to him, and let them get soft, then give them to him. ^-^ mine won't eat them if they've been soaked but some will and it makes digestion easier ^-^


----------



## BrookeGrace

Ah, tricky! They are really smart though! They definitely learn patterns quickly and even seem to get demanding sometimes if routines are not followed, hahah.

I'll definitely have to get the right measurement of salt from someone here. I'm the worst at figuring out measurements. It's embarrassing, haaa. I only have a 1 gallon tank, so I wouldn't think I'd need much, right? 
I just have the basic API aquarium salt. Haven't used it yet though!

And nope, I haven't!! Where are they usually found? The petstores I have been to haven't had them for some reason. Very annoying.
I was soaking the pellets and even chopping them in half for awhile but I got lazy about it and he was finally gobbling them up without them being soaked, but that's a good thought. I'm sure he was digesting them better then!


----------



## inkrealm

yeah, mine dances around feeding time ^-^ he used to on fast days too, I didn't turn the light on one fast day though because the plants were getting too much light, and I noticed he didn't dance as much, so from now I just leave it off and he's as calm as can be  he still begs if you walk over, he fluffs up and looks all pretty ( not flaring, just fluffing up ) and stares at you with these big brown eyes x3 

haha, no worries, I'm awful at them too ;^; 
yeah, not much. but I still don't know how much, you could over do it even with just a little, or under do it, so I'd just check ><
also if it's 1 gal are you doing water changes every day or every other at least? ^-^ 
yeah, for bloating you need EPSOM though, not API. API is good for other diseases, the ones caused by bacteria  make sure it's the salt for freshwater fish though, it should say freshwater on it ^-^ 
and again only use as a last resort, clean water is the best cure ^-^ 

really? that'd odd >< mine was just with fish food at PetsMart, maybe they don't carry them everywhere though... yeah, do you know what type he is? veil tail, crown tail, etc.? I heard some types are more prone to swim bladder than others because their tails make them really fragile...


----------



## BrookeGrace

Aww! What a charmer!
I 86'ed the light on my tank because it seemed to disturb him. He would flare instantly and start pacing back & forth and although he looked really awesome and his color was so pretty with the light, I didn't want to stress him out. I just need a bigger tank, I think. This one was kind of a bust with the light and the filter which would have sucked him in if I hadn't quickly unplugged it. :-(

I will get the Epsom salt soon in case the bloating doesn't go away. I kinda wonder if I'll ever need the API salt, ha. And I checked, it is the freshwater kind! I do a full water change every day. Only once did I test out waiting two days and it was really gross. Just two short days and blech! Filmy water and an irritated-seeming fish. Poor fish. So now I clean it daily. 

I possibly could have overlooked it. I checked Petsmart and I didn't see them so I asked a very disinterested seeming employee and he said he didn't think they had them, haha. So I took his word for it. I wonder if they would be on their website or online somewhere. 

And he's a veil tail. :-D


----------



## inkrealm

cheeze, you can say that again o^o that's insane, ><
mine's loved his light since the first day he came home, >.< crazy yours reacts that way, I definitely agree though, sounds like he objects haha D: 
I'm glad it didn't hurt him  and yeah, 2.5 is preferred for absolute smallest, 2 is also okay, but the extra .5 makes a huge difference for the little guy ^-^ 
you might also post in the habitat forum for advice on setting up a critter keeper if you need something cheap right now ^-^ they have larger ones ( 2.5 - 3 and maybe even 5 gallons ) that are still fairly cheap, but nice space 

as long as you keep the water clean it's unlikely, but it's always good to be prepared and sometimes they get sick even when the water is clean, but much more rarely ^-^ yay  
and ick on the water, haha, I'm glad you clean it daily now and I bet he is too  

yeah, the employees at those places are almost always awful DX 
I have some frogs too ^-^ well only one now, one escaped when he got spooked in a thunderstorm :/ but when I first got them the lady told me to give them distilled water with water conditioner added in for nutrients ><; 
distilled water is hugely bad for them, it ruins their osmosis, and distilled water does not need conditioner because it has no chlorine, AND conditioner does not add nutrients DX she told us to give him a 50 watt bulb too, which would have killed him like a very sad raisin 0^0
so yeah, I could see that XD; 
I'll check again next time I'm there to see where exactly ours are ^-^ 

ah, so is my sweet boy  they aren't typically prone as far as I know ^-^ 
although every fish is different and there can be exceptions ^-^ 
i'm sure it'll clear right up


----------



## nel3

i got the nutrafin ph test today. turns out the water is rather basic, 7.6 ph. how does hutrafin adjust up and own work? 2 bottles, one bottle to turn it down and one to make it more acidic?


----------



## nikkic

are bettas more active if there tank is out in the open like a kitchen or livingroom vs. a bedroom.......and is it noraml if he rests his body on top of his fake plants


----------



## bahamut285

@Nel: 7.6 is fine, however if you do want to change the pH, you'll have to do it accurately every single time you do a water change, which is why changing the pH is generally not recommended unless it is something ridiculous like 3 or 9 (in which case you shouldn't even be DRINKING it let alone using it for fish).

The bottles should come with their own instructions, but if it were me, I wouldn't touch it. My pH is higher than yours and my fish are happy and healthy!


----------



## bahamut285

@Nikkic: Depends on the temperament of your individual betta. Some are very bold, some are very shy, so you'll have to adjust that yourself. As for resting on plants, yes it's fairly normal for them to rest sometimes, although I'm not sure if it is normal for them to be in the same spot ALL the time. Usually they rest near the top so they can relax while still breathing through the labyrinth organ.


----------



## nel3

bahamut285 said:


> @Nel: 7.6 is fine, however if you do want to change the pH, you'll have to do it accurately every single time you do a water change, which is why changing the pH is generally not recommended unless it is something ridiculous like 3 or 9 (in which case you shouldn't even be DRINKING it let alone using it for fish).
> 
> The bottles should come with their own instructions, but if it were me, I wouldn't touch it. My pH is higher than yours and my fish are happy and healthy!


thank you very much bahamut, i was just getting confused from the nh3/nh4 reading i got from. its below .6mg/l, not sure of exact as its a pallet of 6 shades of yellow from 0-7.3 mg/l. the 7.6 ph row shows a very narrow band of ammonia levels that may be dangerous. both test kits are hagen/nutrafin. i'll just submit the samples every few days to a pet store to get an idea when the dangerous levels come into play for the betta. i guess somewhere between 6.0-7.0 is a good range to keep ammonia at bay. though i wont get any ph modifier until i know how fast the ammonia builds up.


----------



## nikkic

ok tysm. each of our boys have there own betta and we just havent moved the one into his room yet....it seems like a younger fish(very hyper, lol) and my other sons is bigger with longer fins and much mellower(has had him about 2yrs now). and no he dose not always rest there. i just thought it was odd, lol. also, is there more of a reflection from there point of view when the room is darker and there tank light is on. cause ill walk into the room and hell be all puffed out...lol


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## Neil D

haha yeah. If the room is dark, and the tank lights are on, the betta(s) will flare cos they can see their reflection.


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## bahamut285

@Nel: Test your tapwater, if your tapwater has ammonia in it, then that's a different problem, if it's just your tank with ammonia, then, unless you're cycling you may want to add an additional water change day


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## nel3

i just found a beautiful marble DT with green fins on aquabid (from a Thailand fish farm). how does aqua bid work regarding previewing shipping rates?
just what does this mean?
Shipping cost from Thailand to transhipper in USA. $ 5 usd/each Zone EU : Shipping directly to you by Ems. $ 50 USD/box (1-6 bettas) Zone ASIA : Shipping directly to you by Ems. $ 25 USD/box (1-6 bettas)
i presume it would be 25 usd and $25 to buy now, (6 days until close). i know its $50 but it almost my dream fish: marble or cambodian with light green fin/body.

are the sellers on aquabid certified to sell the fish or is it best to ask b4? seller is from Em Betta Breeding Farm Auction.

@ bahamut: i have yet to get the pet shop to test the ammonia in the tap water and i tried it with nutrafin ammonia test. think there's some in it but not 100 sure.


----------



## JKfish

Nel, I highly recommend you go to walmart and buy an API Master Test kit... it'll save a lot of time when you need to test your water and it'll last a while. Sellers are indeed certified, but chances are it'll state it as well in their description. 

here are the costs:

to the breeder: price of fish + 5 dollars to export from thailand

to the Transshipperabout) 2 dollars for shipping and handling, 2 dollars for importation, 5 dollar box fee, 2 dollar heat or cool pack fee (only when necessary), anywhere from 10-30 or so dollars for shipping (I highly recommend going for express even though it is more expensive).

Most breeders are very good about communication despite the language barrier. They will contact you first and ask for payment as well as who you want to be your transhipper. For transhippers, I highly recommend Jennifer (hopdiggity), she is extremely reliable and a good transshipper.

As for buying it, you have to keep in mind marbles can change literally overnight. He could come to you looking like a completely different fish. Over time, he could possibly become all white or completely another color. Also, you want to make sure you have a proper set up ready and running for your fish before he arrives. As in a 2.5 gallon heated tank. If Nel isn't in the proper set up, you should first get him in the proper set up before you consider buying another fish and having to get another set up.


----------



## nel3

ty, i'll have go to to walmart for a test kit. how much does walmart usually charge? my brother has gone downto the states yesterday. iv'e asked if he could check for the prices of 1-3 gallon tanks as no good deals locally if he gets a chance to see a pet shop. i've already located a heater at walmart.

out of curiousity, how fast are the delivery of any fish? time delays dont mean much for inanimate items like gundam models to name one.


----------



## Betty

Hi guys I just thought I'd give you a quick update-today I got 3females for my 70liter tank, they have gone in the same tank as my veil tail simon, my Local fish shop told me that you can put 3 females in the same tank with the male because he will have 3 ways to direct his attention meaning that he won't kill the females from just chasing one of them!the females are half moon's I think but I'm not sure, I will try and post a picture of them, Simon is flaring like crazy, he's in seventh heaven like all his birthdays have come at once!!!the ladies are very happy with their man and don't seem bothered by the chasing at all very tolerant and seem to be enjoying all this attention, bars appearing on their bodies already but sadly for now I will have to wait to breed them and the power filter should hopefully keep any bubbly nest building at bay, we called them sandy suzie and sapphire, sandy is a peachy colour sapphire has a blue body and red fins and suzie has turquoise tints to her along with other colours which I cannot fully see at the moment!!!very pleased with purchase good buy fish in great condition and will keep you updated, and I can confirm you can keep 3 females with one male they will all thrive on each other's attention!!!


----------



## JKfish

Nel, walmart sells it for 20 dollars, but it lasts forever.... I've had mine over a year and I've used it for several cycles, and it's only halfway used.  Breeders usually ship on mondays and they get to the US (or canada) on tuesdays. Express typically gets your fish there the day after the transshipper ships. Since transshippers tend to have a lot of fish, how soon you pay them will determine how soon they will ship. I forgot you weren't in the states, so I'm pretty sure the costs will be higher than those in the US, and I know the transshippers will be different, but it's the same general idea. look to see what canadian transshippers there are, and email them or visit their sites to see their prices. Tell your brother to look at the medium sized kritter keepers (they are about 3 gallons), and they should be a decent price like 10 or so dollars.

Betty, what you are doing definately isn't conventional to say the least and is potentially dangerous. Firstly, you are attempting a sorority, so you need more than 3 girls seeing as they also fight among themselves. Secondly, you are adding a male into the mix. You don't just have to worry about the females being hurt by the male, you have to worry about the male being hurt by the females. You have to keep in mind these are fighting fish and even though things might seem fine and dandy at the moment, things can literally change over night and you could potentially wake up to a dead fish. They aren't social fish. I highly advise you remove either Simon or your females to a different tank. If you decide not to, then keep an eye out for stress, abnormal behavior, agression, etc and keep us updated.


----------



## Lion Mom

I, for one, am interested in hearing how things turn out for Betty. IMO, I would be absolutely AWESOME if one COULD keep a sorority with a male.


----------



## Neil D

Haha it would be interesting


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> Nel, walmart sells it for 20 dollars, but it lasts forever.... I've had mine over a year and I've used it for several cycles, and it's only halfway used.  Breeders usually ship on mondays and they get to the US (or canada) on tuesdays. Express typically gets your fish there the day after the transshipper ships. Since transshippers tend to have a lot of fish, how soon you pay them will determine how soon they will ship. I forgot you weren't in the states, so I'm pretty sure the costs will be higher than those in the US, and I know the transshippers will be different, but it's the same general idea. look to see what canadian transshippers there are, and email them or visit their sites to see their prices. Tell your brother to look at the medium sized kritter keepers (they are about 3 gallons), and they should be a decent price like 10 or so dollars.


thank you for the information. transshipping in canada seems hard to find as it is. i'll send an email to the seller asking if they know any such transshipers. google is rather hard to use for that imo, too many results are selected.. 

my bother came back yesterday 2 day trip), shouldve also mentioned walmart :-?. he didnt locate a pet store as he didnt find them in the particular mall he went to. i will definately drop by when my work schedule and trips to USA coincide. my schedule sucks if i want to plan ahead for trips to USA.

i so love living in Quebec, they always want distinct business so much that any big brand store you find in the rest of the provinces probably wasn't allowed in.


----------



## inkrealm

edit: whoops late post, sorry x3


----------



## nel3

had a surprising day today. my father woke me up telling me he's going to USA to check up on our place there. i tagged along and found a petsmart. 

got a aqueon 2.5 gal (US 35w/o tax), api ammonia tester kit (master kit out of stock, US 32 w/o tax) and 1.7floz bottle of prime conditioner. did a water test with the api nh3-4 kit. 100 tap water has .25ppm of ammonia in it and 4 days no wc 1gal tank gave .5ppm. left the water like that as a test for ammonia build up. did a 75 wc after that got .5 ppm ammonia result. would that be possible nitrates or the fact the 1gal tank is second hand (but still very good condition) and washed before i recieved it. the booklet with the aqueon tank said ammonia will be high with new tanks b4 it gets better or use ammolock to detoxify. would ammolock help with all the water chages in a 1gal? all i usually do is run hot water on the rocks and decorations. 

the 2.5 gal came with the usual filter and light, got 3 extra filters for it. not sure which heater would even be suitable for a good price.


----------



## bahamut285

@Nel, if it is a 1 gallon tank you should be doing 100% water changes to completely remove ammonia. Normally what I do (and am doing now) when I get a new test kit is

1. Test tap water unconditioned
2. Test conditioned water

To see if there are any immediate problems with your water source, instead of waving your arms around at a possible dirty tank or expired conditioner XD!


----------



## bahamut285

*Query:*

Master kit doesn't have "Safe", "Stress", "Harmful", "Danger" readings on them, but my strips do. Would it be safe to assume that they are the same? Both are from API.

For example, ammonia is:

0 ppm: Ideal
0.5 ppm: Stress
1.0 ppm: Harmful
3-6 ppm: Danger

I mean, I KNOW I should always aim for ideal but this is for just in case I absolutely have ZERO time to change, or if I am going away for a day or two. I normally make it a habit to change all my tanks before I leave but there have been a few instances where I have to just LEAVE.


***EDIT**: The API Master kit is salicylate-based. Therefore it will know the difference between Ammonia NH3 and Ammonium NH4+. Ammonium is safe (locked) and Ammonia is deadly. *


----------



## nel3

thank you, i'll do a 100 wc tommorow and probably clean the rocks and decor while im at it and do another test. i presume the API master kit has a seperate test for nh3 and nh4. the tap water is .25ppm unconditioned, would ammolock deal with that with water changes?


----------



## bahamut285

@Nel: If your conditioner says it removes ammonia, then it should get rid of it, no need to purchase ammo-lock. 

The master kit only has the one test, which is or ammonia, but I'm not sure why ammonium is on there, it's not even mentioned anywhere in the instruction book...

So I think my kit is broken, either that or the infamous ammonia reading is more difficult than I imagined. I'm getting 0.5 ppm ammonia for tap, conditioned and established cycled tank.

How do you know when it's expired again? My Lot number for ammonia is 84A0311 and 83A0211.

Haven't used any of the other bottles yet, gotta cook dinner soon


----------



## NEWBEE FISH

is there any way of treating a fish for popeye with out meds.. i think its the earlys stages of popeye


----------



## mickNangtimmo

the water in my 1 week old tank is cloudy...can someone tell me why? i've cleaned the filters and vacuumed the bottom of the tank...hellllllllllp!


----------



## nel3

bahamut285 said:


> @Nel: If your conditioner says it removes ammonia, then it should get rid of it, no need to purchase ammo-lock.
> 
> The master kit only has the one test, which is or ammonia, but I'm not sure why ammonium is on there, it's not even mentioned anywhere in the instruction book...
> 
> So I think my kit is broken, either that or the infamous ammonia reading is more difficult than I imagined. I'm getting 0.5 ppm ammonia for tap, conditioned and established cycled tank.
> 
> How do you know when it's expired again? My Lot number for ammonia is 84A0311 and 83A0211.
> 
> Haven't used any of the other bottles yet, gotta cook dinner soon


thank you Mick, if your ammonia kit is broken them mine probably is halfway there. same lot numbers so far ive used betta conditioner with some goldfish conditioner to deal with ammonia. when the betta conditioner runs out i'll get my prime conditioner open for use and get the api master kit to check for nitrites. nutrafin master test kit is a funny thing, it tests for kh, gh, ca and po4. i dont think API has that in its master kit.


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## Tisia

bahamut285 said:


> How do you know when it's expired again? My Lot number for ammonia is 84A0311 and 83A0211.


I think the last 4 numbers are supposed to be the manufacture date and they're supposed to last something like 3-5 years


----------



## bahamut285

mickNangtimmo said:


> the water in my 1 week old tank is cloudy...can someone tell me why? i've cleaned the filters and vacuumed the bottom of the tank...hellllllllllp!


How big is your tank? It sometimes gets cloudy during cycling I think. Cleaning the filter was a bad idea, now the bacteria are dead and you have to re-cycle your tank again >_<

*Query:* Do ladies flare at their reflections? I tried it with Lin just now and she was "flaring" and staring down her reflection >_>


----------



## Neil D

I read somewhere that they do, just not as often and as "showy". But I'm not sure 100%. 

Query: do Bettas get used to eachother in a divided tank?


----------



## tsoto80

I wanted to try garlic soak pellets for my boys and girls but how do I go about doing it? Is it just as simple as putting them in garlic juice? Do I let it soak up the juice untill they expand or leave it in for a few seconds? Sorry for the stupid question lol


----------



## Francis2122

Can a betta live in a 86° 10 gallon tank? Is it to warm?


----------



## Neil D

@ francis 

It's a bit too warm, but he'll be fine. The max should really be 84• F. Low of course is 76• F try to lower the temp;-)


----------



## bahamut285

@Neil: Thanks for your reply, as for your question a lot of people put plants along the divider (or have two dividers and sandwich plants in between) so the fish won't see each other at all.


----------



## Neil D

I've added plants, and I'm gonna add more I may get another betta today


----------



## JKfish

NEWBEE FISH said:


> is there any way of treating a fish for popeye with out meds.. i think its the earlys stages of popeye


Super clean water is the key... what are your water params like? I think epsom or aq salt would help it along too, but I'm not completely sure.



> the water in my 1 week old tank is cloudy...can someone tell me why? i've cleaned the filters and vacuumed the bottom of the tank...hellllllllllp!


How large is your tank? what fish and how many are in there? what are your water temperatures? What do you feed and how often?

Bahamut: Yes, females can flare at their own reflection, the difference is they typically flare facing their reflections while males sort of turn their bodies and flare sideways to look bigger.

Neil: yes, they can get used to it. You'll want as many things blocking the divider and their line of sight as possible. Expect a lot of flaring the first week or so, and a couple of blown fins before they start to ignore each other. 

Tsoto: here is what I do: I get a fresh garlic clove, and smoosh it in a little bowl until it's pretty much mush. I add a bit of water to it (not much) and let it sit for a while. I typically use it to soak my pellets for up to a week before I toss it and start again. (presoak the pellets until soft all the way through the same way you would with just a regular bowl or glass of water) Between uses, I cover it with saran wrap and keep it in the fridge.


----------



## nel3

which is the quickest and safest way to get a betta delivered? i can go through David ($for fish and +$5 for each transhipper along the route) or $50/boxes (1-6 betta) by ems +transfer fee to put the fish in with the package. ive sent emails to both seller and David for clarification on their shipping methods. 

can anyone please clarify what the seller means by this?

"And if the fish being taken, we will refund the value of the fish, but would only send ems,but does not restore the two methods will have to pay deposit paypal: (seller's email) before the fish, we will thank you."
from what i understand if the fish is already sold it'll be refunded for. after that i'm having a hard time decifering the meaning.


----------



## Burd

nel3 said:


> which is the quickest and safest way to get a betta delivered? i can go through David ($for fish and +$5 for each transhipper along the route) or $50/boxes (1-6 betta) by ems +transfer fee to put the fish in with the package. ive sent emails to both seller and David for clarification on their shipping methods.
> 
> can anyone please clarify what the seller means by this?
> 
> "And if the fish being taken, we will refund the value of the fish, but would only send ems,but does not restore the two methods will have to pay deposit paypal: (seller's email) before the fish, we will thank you."
> from what i understand if the fish is already sold it'll be refunded for. after that i'm having a hard time decifering the meaning.


I'm imagining "being taken" meaning if it dies and that he'll refund you the price of the fish but not the shipping maybe? 

This whole question confuses me @[email protected]


----------



## bahamut285

@JKFish: oh...but...she was turning her body too, LOL


----------



## nel3

Burd said:


> I'm imagining "being taken" meaning if it dies and that he'll refund you the price of the fish but not the shipping maybe?
> 
> This whole question confuses me @[email protected]


ty, that makes sense. im glad they understand english but as it is with all 2-3rd languages the grammar does get lost in translation :s. i had to read that a few times with such grammar use.
if all goes well it should look similar to this (3mths old in pic) its more of a turquoise marble but i love the highlights on it. i havent seen many doubletails in the shops in montreal aside from white bettas.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## Betty

JKfish said:


> Nel, walmart sells it for 20 dollars, but it lasts forever.... I've had mine over a year and I've used it for several cycles, and it's only halfway used.  Breeders usually ship on mondays and they get to the US (or canada) on tuesdays. Express typically gets your fish there the day after the transshipper ships. Since transshippers tend to have a lot of fish, how soon you pay them will determine how soon they will ship. I forgot you weren't in the states, so I'm pretty sure the costs will be higher than those in the US, and I know the transshippers will be different, but it's the same general idea. look to see what canadian transshippers there are, and email them or visit their sites to see their prices. Tell your brother to look at the medium sized kritter keepers (they are about 3 gallons), and they should be a decent price like 10 or so dollars.
> 
> Betty, what you are doing definately isn't conventional to say the least and is potentially dangerous. Firstly, you are attempting a sorority, so you need more than 3 girls seeing as they also fight among themselves. Secondly, you are adding a male into the mix. You don't just have to worry about the females being hurt by the male, you have to worry about the male being hurt by the females. You have to keep in mind these are fighting fish and even though things might seem fine and dandy at the moment, things can literally change over night and you could potentially wake up to a dead fish. They aren't social fish. I highly advise you remove either Simon or your females to a different tank. If you decide not to, then keep an eye out for stress, abnormal behavior, agression, etc and keep us updated.


Hi, I'm sorry if this seems rude but I have read and taken on board your concerns but I am more likely to listen to the advice of a man that works in the lfs who has been breeding siamese fighter fish since he was 6 who's parents also ran a fish shop and one of which were specialists in fighters, than your information so thanks for your concerns anyway.


----------



## Neil D

Haha! I replaced the mesh with the front cover of a folder


----------



## Burd

Betty said:


> Hi, I'm sorry if this seems rude but I have read and taken on board your concerns but I am more likely to listen to the advice of a man that works in the lfs who has been breeding siamese fighter fish since he was 6 who's parents also ran a fish shop and one of which were specialists in fighters, than your information so thanks for your concerns anyway.


My LPS' manager once said "If anyone tries to tell you that what they say is 100% fact about fish, they're an idiot." I couldn't find all of the posts between you two, but frankly, I had a male in my sorority for over a month (wasn't aware she was a he when I got 'him) and they all got along fine for the most part. He killed one fish, a new girl I tried to put in with the already established 4 fish sorority. Otherwise, he swam with my females and got along fine. Made HUGE bubblenests. I wish you luck in what you're persuing! Everyone and every fish is different.


----------



## Betty

Lion Mom said:


> I, for one, am interested in hearing how things turn out for Betty. IMO, I would be absolutely AWESOME if one COULD keep a sorority with a male.


Lion Mom: Niel D:Hi guys I can confirm all fish doing well, colours unbelievably pronounced, even better if you have a red tailed shark or a fish of that sort, as they tend to become protective of each and every fish in the tank, and stop any potential fights before they have a chance to get aggressive, not had any problems with the females and male, funnily its the baby platties that are finding their feet and finally establishing a pecking order amongst their selves.So proud of them lol-probably sound crazy right now-and the guy that told me has bred fish since he was 6-7, his parents owned a fish shop and one of them specialised in fighter fish breeding etc.Good luck and one of my fish, sandy, the marble is already full of eggs  delighted


----------



## bahamut285

@Betty and Burd: I think what JKFish is trying to say is to prevent UNNECESSARY casualties by staying safe. It's like saying something really dangerous (i.e. uhh purposely rolling over your SUV) is safe because "I did it once".

Obviously the fact that all animals have different personalities and such remains. It's like how some dogs just don't get along with cats, (sometimes vice versa), yet some do.


----------



## JKfish

Neil with a folder, it'll be harder for water to flow between the two sides, right?

Betty: Alright, and I completely respect your decisions. I'm sorry that I'm coming off as the devil's advocate, but if he really has been keeping fish that long, he is probably extremely and much more experienced with fish than you are; in this case it'd make sense that an experienced fish keeper could pull this off long term. Of course, every fish has its own personality and every fish keeper will have different experiences, so what I say may or may not apply to what you are doing. I just want to be sure you are aware there are dangers to this. (I'll stop talking about possible dangers now for fear of having people get upset) Since you are going to do so it'd be nice to hear how it goes for you, this is interesting to say the least. 


Thank you Bahamut for clearing that up


----------



## Neil D

Yup. But there are holes in it and the tank is the right temperature. 

I got my new fish, an amazing CT! He seems a bit spazzy, like jerking around. It's kind amusing but I'm worried. Is it just from being moved? He's in a 1/2 Gallon QT jug in the main tank. He is healthy in every other aspect. I will release him tmrw into his 1/2 of the tank.


----------



## bahamut285

*Query:* What counts as bloated? I know obviously if the fish has a heavily distended stomach look then it's more than likely bloated but what if it's just like...a food baby? XD


----------



## JKfish

neil, alright then  Congrats on your new boy. If by jerking you mean he just swims like a spaz, chances are he is fine. My little sister's ct does that too. Just make sure your boy isn't jerking around and trying to itch himself against the glass and swimming erratically. If he's swimming erratically and stuff, I'd be concerned.

Bahamut, when they have a super large belly, look like they ate a marble, have trouble swimming, etc. A slight "food baby" is fine XD both my boys have food babies


----------



## Neil D

He's not exactly banging into the glass, it seems it has stopped though. Hmm. Why r all the pets I have spazzes?!?


----------



## JKfish

Maybe the area you live in is just a spazzy place XD ... but it can't be as bad as my fish. Tux is a crazy halfmoon-gone-plakat-wanna-be, and Kaimar has decided he is a shark and must attack my finger every time it comes close to him.


----------



## Neil D

My other Betta Josh Attacks my finger too! And anything black or a dark color my guinea pig just is plain weirdzzz. Sometimes he's quiet and them suddenly wheek wheek wheek!!!!! Jump jump SPAZZZZZZZ! Then silence, like nothing ever happened...


----------



## bahamut285

JKfish said:


> Bahamut, when they have a super large belly, look like they ate a marble, have trouble swimming, etc. A slight "food baby" is fine XD both my boys have food babies


Rofl okay thanks


----------



## inkrealm

I recently put a vase into my boy's tank; it's clear but he seems to be able to see it and understand it's an object. he hid under it for awhile and in the corner behind it, but after dinner he found his way into it, and I was just wondering if he could drown? D:
like I said he seems to know the difference... I put my finger against the tank to get him to follow it and he wouldn't follow it out, just pushed up against it, but when I opened the feeding door he swam out of it right away, so I think he knows how to get out if he wants.... 
all the same I was a little worried because he likes sleeping in it. if he needs air in the night will he swim out? or suffocate? D: will he be able to find his way out in the dark? or should I leave a dim light on? D: 
I don't want to wake up and come downstairs to find he's suffocated D:


----------



## bahamut285

@inkrealm: My male sleeps on the bottom of the tank, sometimes in this cave...he also sometimes wedges himself between the ground and my marimo moss ball... Contrary to some people who say theirs sleeps on the surface on some plants. Unless it is literally a long tube that would be difficult to swim out of, then I wouldn't worry. I don't think they go up for air seconds before they suffocate, haha


UPDATE: Just watched him wake up, take a breath and exercise for a few seconds before going back to sleep. Adorable!


----------



## Betty

Thanks for your concerns Jkfish, just realised that sapphire and silky don't gave a damn about him just ignore him completely (although they're still showing colours vvv bright) lol and sandy and simon can't bear to be away from each other, and their favourite passtime is playing hide and seek around a bush, she hides he peeks round, then he shys away and hides she peeks round, they're like a very shy pair of teenagers although I think sandy is a right flirt!!!wiggling her tail in his face lol tut tut tut!!!


----------



## JKfish

Inkrealm, I wouldn't be too worried; when I had a sorority, I remember one of my girls staked her claim on a terracotta pot and she slept there every night. But if you think the fact it is glass could make it harder to find his way out, you might just want to replace it with something less see through.

betty, it's good to know they're all playing nicely.


----------



## inkrealm

Bahamut- 
here's a picture from my phone, it's small but I think it shows.. 


VASE

I'm almost postive the little blue blop in front of it is him x3 but after I took it he was on the other side of the tank so I didn't see him for sure. P: still he's the only fish in there and those look like fins and it's navy, so ^-^
it's more wide than long I think, doesn't look too bad does it? 
as to the air thing, I guess maybe not haha, I'm not really sure how much they need the air when they choose to go up to get it >< since they obviously need it to some extent if they're going to get it DX but I guess they wouldn't cut it too close.. >-^
and aww, haha, I love catching them when they do things like that, it's so adorable  Betta Fish are so much fun when you really watch them ^-^ thankyou for the help 

@Betty
ahaha, the hide and go seek part is so cute  


JKFish- thanks, ^-^ 
when I held it out for him outside his tank for him to see before adding it in, and when I sat it down for a minute to the side while I looked at another mug my mom had brought me, he inspected it and swam around its area both times wiggling his tail, and when I finished cleaning it and stuck it in his tank he went to inspecting it immediately again, poking at each of the sides, so I think he can see it and differentiate it. he left it right at the end and settled for sleeping beside it up under the edge instead of inside it at last minute last night, so I just turned off the light and left before he could have a chance to change his mind. now that it's day I'll try to watch him more to see if he does understand the difference. if he can then I think it should be alright, thankyou


----------



## nel3

is it okay to add some prime conditioner to a gallon of water that has a full dose of betta (5ml->.5gal) conditioner (no ammonia aspect) and goldfish bowl cleaner (5ml->1gal)?


----------



## JKfish

Prime conditioner is a conditioner... you don't need to add any other conditioners it.  Just use 2 drops of prime per gallon and your set. Any extra additives are pretty much wasting money. As for the goldfish bowl cleaner, I doubt it works. The only way to really and truly clean a tank is through water changes and scrubbing... besides, goldfish need 20 gallon tanks per fish, so the fact that it's a goldfish _bowl _cleaner makes me doubt its capabilities.


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> Prime conditioner is a conditioner... you don't need to add any other conditioners it.  Just use 2 drops of prime per gallon and your set. Any extra additives are pretty much wasting money. As for the goldfish bowl cleaner, I doubt it works. The only way to really and truly clean a tank is through water changes and scrubbing... besides, goldfish need 20 gallon tanks per fish, so the fact that it's a goldfish _bowl _cleaner makes me doubt its capabilities.


thank you JK, right now im just burning through the nutrafin betta conditioner which does nothing for ammonia. would a drop of prime do anything to cut ammonia? it says prime can be used in emergencies to detox nitrites and nitrates. can the same be said to kill ammonia? the goldfish bowl cleaner clams to remove visible wastes (bioligocal most likely). and improve water conditions between WCs.


----------



## inkrealm

nel3 
not sure about the Prime, I've not had time to acclimate my boy to it so I've deicded against switching him over to it even though I've got a bottle, 
as for the Gold Fish stuff though, it sounds kindof funky to me >< I would use it or count on it, you never know with 'pet products' and 'pet store people' these days <T~T> they've got no clue what they're doing, the ones who don't care just wanna make money and the ones who do care have good intentions but are still clueless as hoping to the help as they may be :/


----------



## JKfish

Nel and Inkrealm : prime needs 2 drops of water per gallon, so 1 drop per half a gallon. It conditions the water and detoxifys ammonia and ammonium. You do not need anything else and you don't have to worry about acclimating your boys to the new water conditioner. They'll be fine with just that. 

Nel: since Nel is in a 1 gallon tank, you shouldn't have to use that goldfish cleaner at all. If any visible waste is showing up, then chances are you need to do a water change. In a 1 gallon, 100% every other day is the minimum. Be sure to properly rinse out the substrate/gravel of all wastes in hot water and scrub the sides of the tank. On the day between your water changes, if you see poop, you could get a turkey baster or something along those lines to suck it out if it bothers you. If he isn't eating all the food, be sure to remove what is left over so it doesn't create waste (visible and invisible)


----------



## Neil D

Is there any way to make Max, my new CT more active? Or is it just his personality?


----------



## JKfish

Well, if he is in the proper set up (which I'm pretty sure he is  ), it might just be his personality. Maybe add something new to his tank to see if it perks his interest?


----------



## bahamut285

@NeilD: It's probably because he's new, he might brighten up soon~


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> Nel and Inkrealm : prime needs 2 drops of water per gallon, so 1 drop per half a gallon. It conditions the water and detoxifys ammonia and ammonium. You do not need anything else and you don't have to worry about acclimating your boys to the new water conditioner. They'll be fine with just that.
> 
> Nel: since Nel is in a 1 gallon tank, you shouldn't have to use that goldfish cleaner at all. If any visible waste is showing up, then chances are you need to do a water change. In a 1 gallon, 100% every other day is the minimum. Be sure to properly rinse out the substrate/gravel of all wastes in hot water and scrub the sides of the tank. On the day between your water changes, if you see poop, you could get a turkey baster or something along those lines to suck it out if it bothers you. If he isn't eating all the food, be sure to remove what is left over so it doesn't create waste (visible and invisible)


thats what i forgot, i usually rinse the tank in hot water along with anything in it but i havent scrubbed the walls. i have gotten my fish to eat 99% of the food as i break it into tiny pieces flakes or soaked pellets. he's an agressive eater and even junped out of the water to try to get at it :shock:. i have to feed him with a toothpick and drop the food nearby him in a sweeping motion or he'll go after the toothpick. ive tried looking a dolarama for a turkey baster but they had none. i'll just drop by a food store to get one.


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## Neil D

Yeah thx he will hopefully perk up now:-D he just ate some Frozen blood worms. Can I feed him this everyday? Maybe I'll get some other frozen foods, but can I feed him this 'forever'?


----------



## inkrealm

Neil- variety's always good... personally I don't like bloodworms on a regular basis because they're harder to digest and I'm worried about bloating and swim bladder... but that's just me ><


----------



## Neil D

Haha maybe he'll move to pellets soon. I hope he does


----------



## inkrealm

Neil- will he not take them? 
you might try a different brand or soaking them; or if you already soak them, not soaking them


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## Neil D

If I soak em, they sink. Hes taken one in, then sort it back out. He also won't touch FD bloodworms *sighs* I know theyre not the best but it would be nice if he ate something other than BW!! isn't a heated 5 gallon tank enough?!? He's so spoiled...


----------



## JKfish

hmm, well just keep trying Neil! Have you tried soaking with garlic juice and then dropping it right in front of his face? Even if it sinks, the movement might make him naturally want to chase and eat. If not, yes, you could feed frozen bloodworms for a while, but Inkrealm is right, you need variety. If you have to, try flakes (if you have them)... if you aren't squeemish, try and find a container outside with still water. If it has mosquito larve and you have a brine shrimp net, you could scoop some out, rinse them well, and feed one by one to him 

Nel that's good  You could just gently drop in presoaked pellets with your fingers if you are scared he'll bite the toothpick. I use my tank turkey baster like there is no tomorrow~ It is very handy


----------



## Neil D

Ya he Loves the BW!! He blew a HUGE Bubble nest this morning


----------



## fishman12

Good. Maybe you could try to wrap a pellet in the blood worm, then he'll eat the pellet too hopefully and maybe like it.


----------



## inkrealm

Neil- hmm, maybe try a different brand D: or a different size too, sometimes they're too big, 
but he might like another brand that taste different...
glad he takes the bloodworms at least


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> hmm, well just keep trying Neil! Have you tried soaking with garlic juice and then dropping it right in front of his face? Even if it sinks, the movement might make him naturally want to chase and eat. If not, yes, you could feed frozen bloodworms for a while, but Inkrealm is right, you need variety. If you have to, try flakes (if you have them)... if you aren't squeemish, try and find a container outside with still water. If it has mosquito larve and you have a brine shrimp net, you could scoop some out, rinse them well, and feed one by one to him
> 
> Nel that's good  You could just gently drop in presoaked pellets with your fingers if you are scared he'll bite the toothpick. I use my tank turkey baster like there is no tomorrow~ It is very handy


hes bitten it a few times but im getting the hang of it by never leaving it in the water in 1 spot for half a second or more. i dont use my finger simply because he probably wont know where the food is. i think he has decided the toothpick is also food and does jump to attack it. either way he is really agressive in chasing the food i drop into the tank and even goes 1/2 down to chase after it once in a while if he spots it. is there anything that can make him less aggressive during feeding?


----------



## Lion Mom

Here is what I do & it seems to work. I gently tap the top of the water to get their attention (I'm thinking they probably think an insect has just hit the water - LOL ) and once they look, I drop their food in. Works everytime for me!


----------



## nel3

Lion Mom said:


> Here is what I do & it seems to work. I gently tap the top of the water to get their attention (I'm thinking they probably think an insect has just hit the water - LOL ) and once they look, I drop their food in. Works everytime for me!


i'll have to try it. i know that the fish sees the toothpick 1 inch above the water very clearly. my only issue is its quite ready to eat it and i only put in 1/3 of a soaked pellet at a time so it wont spit out.


----------



## PewPewPew

^same!!! I yell at Alle (yes. I yell at him) to get his attention, tap the lid (he's trained to know what it means) and hover the food above it and then drop it in so he knows


----------



## Neil D

@ lion mom,

I've also tried this with Maxwell he doesn't eat.


----------



## creamcookie

I have a quick question. My betta's caudual fin and anal fin are kind of growing together...like they've merged into one fin, right now its connected as much as 
about 0.5 cm. Should I be worried, I dont know if it will stop merging.. Thanks


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## JKfish

cookiecream, could you get a photo? I don't think there is anything you can do about it if it's naturally growing, but is it possible something is holding them together?

Nel, bettas are agressive fish, especially when it comes to food~ There isn't anything you can do. Mine always attack me during meal times like I've starved them a few days.


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> cookiecream, could you get a photo? I don't think there is anything you can do about it if it's naturally growing, but is it possible something is holding them together?
> 
> Nel, bettas are agressive fish, especially when it comes to food~ There isn't anything you can do. Mine always attack me during meal times like I've starved them a few days.


ty, didnt think it could be helped. it was 1 day into a 100 wc and still same feeding behaviour. i would like if would revert back to a calm feeder but he's still a betta :s.


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## inkrealm

creamcookie- 
is he a new betta? he might just be getting healthy after being in the pet store... 
some fish ( half moons and others like that I think ) have really large fins; maybe he's one of them and with fin rot they separated but now they're just growing back together?


----------



## Neil D

HELP PLEASE! My new betta Max has bloat. He may have had too many bloodworms today. It doesn't look like he swallowed a marble, just a pea. So its not that large. Should I just fast him?


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## inkrealm

Neil- fast him a couple days, if he still looks bloated try epsom salt, post in forums to get the correct measurements. 
keep the water really clean, make sure it isn't distilled or from a filtered source, 
watch for pine-coning 
he should be okay  
remember also they do have a swim bladder which will be midly visible no matter what ( two small lumps )


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## Neil D

Okay thanks! He looks way less bloated than what he was yesterday. I'm gonna fast him today and tmrw.


----------



## nel3

wow the ammonia test comparisons are driving me a bit crazy. nutrafin shows 0 on fresh tap water (unconditioned), API shows consistent .25 (fresh, unconditioned) and 2-3 days in tank its .5. nutrafin 2-3 days in the tank show .2-.3. would it be ok to presume .25 API is 0 or is there any proof that one kit is broken/inaacurate?


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## Betty

Neil D said:


> Ya he Loves the BW!! He blew a HUGE Bubble nest this morning



Daphnia are great as it will get his attention and they also act as a laxative for gloating so it is beneficial in more than one way!!!hope he starts eating better soon!!!


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## Betty

Betty said:


> Daphnia are great as it will get his attention and they also act as a laxative for gloating so it is beneficial in more than one way!!!hope he starts eating better soon!!!



Sorry great for bloating stupid predictive text!!!
It's alright when you don't want to pay attention to how you are spelling nut when you mean something and it decides you don't want that word you want a completely different word it's vvv irritating, all going well simon sandy sapphire and silky all doing great, simon attempting to blow a bubble nest but it isn't working as the filter in our show tank creates a very strong current, highly amusing to see little finger tip sized bubbles flowing around the top of the tank, he tried to blow again yesterday while he was eating and ended up spitting it's baby pellet into the nest!!!he looked very confused until he realised it wasnt a baby just his mashed up tea lol-although it did take until it hit him on the forehead to work it out, I have a sneaky suspicion he's just a little bit thick!!!

Will keep you posted, next post should be in a couple of days, just wondering if simon and sandy will attempt to breed even without the bubbly nest, come to think of it the filter is great birth control, I just hope they are patient until it comes to putting them in the breeding tank with the sponge filter!!!


----------



## Like You

I'm just curious..
My tank is hovering around 78 degrees Fahrenheit with no heater. 
Is that okay or should I go get a heater? 
And a filter while I'm getting a heater?

It's a 10 gal tank


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## JKfish

If you live somewhere warm where the temperature doesn't swing too much, then you should be realtively fine. However, if the temps swing at night or such when your house cools, then you might want to consider getting a heater. You don't need a filter unless you want to cycle it. Cycling would be a good idea if you have more in that tank than just a betta, since it would reduce your water changes to just a partial one once a week.


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## Like You

Thanks 
I keep my betta alone, and my house is the same temp pretty much all year round (I live in florida ;P)
Thanks!


----------



## Sakura8

Two quick questions:

First: my filter has been making some funny sounds off and on ever since I switched to sand substrate. I also lowered the water level about a half inch to keep my girl from trying to investigate the filter. Normal sounds or should I check the impeller?
Second: Tips for feeding frozen daphnia without it dissolving into a mess. 

Sorry if these questions were already addressed, this thread is 164 pages long!


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## Tisia

I would definitely check the impeller especially since you just switched to sand
frozen daphnia I usually put a little into some dechlorinated water and use a little medicine dropper type dealy and put in a drop at a time


----------



## Fawnleaf

When you put the sand in did you let it settle before turning on the filter? If you didn't, the sand may have gotten stuck in the filter and may be causing it to make the strange sounds. Other wise... I've got nothing. lol Try checking your filter pad.


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## JKfish

I would go ahead and clean out the impeller. If you accidently stirred the sand up too much when the filter was on, some might have gotten into the impeller. To prevent anerobic spots from popping up in your sand, you'll want to turn of the filter before water changes and gently run your fingers through the sand to shift it around, but this way you don't have to worry about breaking your filter. As for the daphnie, I have never fed it so I don't know.


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## Sakura8

Fawnleaf said:


> When you put the sand in did you let it settle before turning on the filter? If you didn't, the sand may have gotten stuck in the filter and may be causing it to make the strange sounds. Other wise... I've got nothing. lol Try checking your filter pad.


I let the sand settle and than ran the filter for 24 hrs before adding my betta but I think I've been stirring it up trying to suck up poop with a turkey baster. I'll check the impeller. 

Tisia, I'll try the eyedropper method. I've been trying to put it in with tweezers but it just dissolves and ends up on the bottom. Sometimes they'll go down and get it, most of the time they won't.

Thanks everyone!


----------



## Sakura8

One more question: are hydrangea leaves safe to put in the tank? I need a big leaf for my guy to hide under.


----------



## PewPewPew

Pothos or whatever are...I dont think hydrangeas are, though. Arent those poisonous?

Have you considered getting a fake silk leaf/leaves from a craft store instead? Theyre cheap and can be big and natural looking! So long as theyre unscented and have no metal in them, theyre good to go. Try soaking for a while before adding in to get any color to leech out. If there is metal in them, remove it.

I usually go to Micheal's ( a craft store, Idk if you have them in CA)- I go online and get their xx% off coupons and get the plants with that  Super cheap!


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## Sakura8

Sounds like a safer plan than using an actual hydrangea leaf. Yup, we have Michael's and Jo-Ann craft stores and I'm lucky enough to have both within five minute of my house. And tomorrow's Sunday, coupon in the paper time. Thanks for the idea, Pew.


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## PewPewPew

No problem! I think they no longer use paper coupons (some kinda going green ploy, begh!), and they may only be online- so check there first! DDD


----------



## PewPewPew

Question:

For those with planted tanks-- is it just me, or do they make just a phenomenal mess? :/ I dont do too many water changes (well planted and cycled), so when I do, soooo much crud gets kicked up. I hate it, since Im a neat freak. I siphon by the roots of the plants and atop them to get the big cruds away, but still.

I usually end up with floaty cruds all over when I add water back like its a sandstorm -____-

Any tips on this? Other than too many water changes...I already do too many per having a cycle XD LOLOL


----------



## Sakura8

I found that if I put my filter on the high setting for about an hour a week, it stirs up the water enough to suck up all the gunk that settles near the roots etc. My fish just have to stay away from the filter for an hour, that's all. On low, it just wasn't strong enough to get that stuff to stir and after a water change, I'd see it settling on the plant leaves, the decorations. Ugh, it was like dandruff.


----------



## PewPewPew

I know :c Mine is too strong to leave like that, but sometimes I do. I might again tomorrow if/when I do a change.

Stupid plants DX


----------



## Like You

Vi has been flaring alot over by the side of the tank.. I'm really not sure what to do..

Noobish question, I know


----------



## Sakura8

Probably his reflection. Is he flaring with the whole gill thing going or just fluffing his tail a lot?


----------



## PewPewPew

Try a white piece of paper attached to wherever hes flaring, see if that helps. If its by a HOB filter (hang on back lol), and its a dark color, he might see himself- just do the same to fix it.


----------



## JKfish

P^3: My tank gets like that too! It's insane, and I hate the mulm that I find _after_ I add water back into my tank during water changes >.< Lately I've been removing my boys and then using either my hands or a net to stir up the water and get the mulm up where I can remove it with my siphon.

Like you: There is no such thing as a stupid or noobish question ^-^ . If your tank is located in a darker area of your room and you have a light directly over it, that could be causing the glass of the tank to become reflective. Add more lights around your tank area to keep that area well lit, and that should solve the issue. If the tank isn't in a darker area of the room, then your betta could just be adjusting. I know all of my boys did that the first day or two, and their tanks are in very well lit sections of the house.


----------



## bahamut285

lol @ plant dandruff, I have to give my moss balls a bath every week XD


----------



## bahamut285

*Query:* I think I asked this before, but I don't remember. The ends of ALL of HongBo's fins are a little wrinkly, similar to what split ends look like or a horribly wrinkled shirt. For the most part they are smooth, but when it gets to the bottom is when it's suddenly wrinkly.

They're not any weird colour, just the usual tail colour he has. No odd growths or anything, just wrinkles...

Is he getting old? LOL jk


----------



## Sakura8

Premature aging for a betta. Now I've heard everything.  Nope, fins are just like that. Sherman's HM fins are really wrinkly, his tail looks like a pleated skirt. Anderson's VT tail is also pretty wrinkly but when he flares it straightens out a little. As long as you don't see rips or tears or abnormal coloring, he's fine.


----------



## PewPewPew

Alles are like that, wrinkles abound! Its just from injury them new growth :B

Btw, did a rather large siphon and rearranged the tank, put that mega strong filter on for a while...kinda helped. I might get a new siphon, as this one is a not big diameter wise and is sorta weak when sucking off plants and stuff Dx


----------



## Marvogin

I recently got some frozen brine shrimp for my betta. I defrost them in a cup of water and I pour a tiny bit into my betta tank. And it all SINKS TO THE BOTTOM. I don't think he eats the stuff on the bottom... So here's my question(s)

Do Betta fish even EAT brine shrimp?

How do I feed them to my betta fish? Do I have to have them dry out before I feed them to him? Or will he just scavenge at the bottom?

The reason I went to brine shrimp was because he didn't seem to be eating the pellets I was giving him. (though they either sink to the gravel or he eats them eventually.) I've only had him for about a week now, is he shy when it comes to eating? AKA: Still getting used to his new digs?


----------



## copperarabian

Some of my fish didn't eat brine shrimp at first, try putting in one at a time and make sure your betta sees you doing it. 

When I feed frozen brine shrimp to my fish I scoop a little bit onto the tip and my fish eat right off of it lol


----------



## JKfish

Bettas do eat brineshrimp, but a variety is key. IF he doesn't like the pellets that sink, try pellets that float. Be sure to remove the food that sinks that he doesn't eat to keep water quality decent. I would use a little eye dropper or something for the bs and drop one at a time near him so he can get them.


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> Bettas do eat brineshrimp, but a variety is key. IF he doesn't like the pellets that sink, try pellets that float. Be sure to remove the food that sinks that he doesn't eat to keep water quality decent. I would use a little eye dropper or something for the bs and drop one at a time near him so he can get them.


how well does serving frozen brine shrimp with an eye dropper? i have trouble finding best way to feed mine brineshrimp. so far i can only think using a spoon or maybe a small siphon.


----------



## PewPewPew

Some folks use a very, very dull toothpick (Grind the point flat on a surface)


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> Some folks use a very, very dull toothpick (Grind the point flat on a surface)


tried that, even a sharp toothpick cant pick it up, if anything imo it just sticks to the toothpick. my main issue is the baby brine shrimp are too darn small to feed 1 at a time.


----------



## namelessfish

what is the best pet store to buy cheap tanks/tank equipment online?


----------



## Sarahlydear

Is there a serious difference between male and female bettas? Minus sex and flashy color? I'm thinking about getting another one and I kind of want a female, are they typically behaviorally different? Or is it like any other animal where it’s the individual? I will Not be breeding btw, I'm just looking at #2. Thanks.


----------



## BettaLinz

I have heard so many different answers to this..exactly how much and how often should you feed a betta? 

Also, do the 7-day betta feeders work well? I will be going on a 5 day vaca soon, and I don't want my fishie to go hungry.


----------



## bahamut285

Sarahlydear said:


> Is there a serious difference between male and female bettas? Minus sex and flashy color? I'm thinking about getting another one and I kind of want a female, are they typically behaviorally different? Or is it like any other animal where it’s the individual? I will Not be breeding btw, I'm just looking at #2. Thanks.


They're a lot more active because they don't have to drag heavy fins around. I recently switched my female into the bigger tank because my male just kind of scoots around slowly while my female thinks she's a speedboat XD


----------



## bahamut285

BettaLinz said:


> I have heard so many different answers to this..exactly how much and how often should you feed a betta?
> 
> Also, do the 7-day betta feeders work well? I will be going on a 5 day vaca soon, and I don't want my fishie to go hungry.


It depends on the size of the pellets. Most things I read here range from 1-3 pellets twice a day with one day of fasting. I'm not sure if the betta holiday feeders work, you should buy one and try it first before you leave, just in case your betta doesn't like it or it fouls the water.

Some people say it's okay to ditch your betta for a few days, but I'd personally feel bad lol


----------



## bahamut285

*Query:* Can bettas be groggy when you wake them up? I accidentally woke HongBo up and he exhibited SBD for a few minutes...wobbling around the tank like he was drunk or something XD. He is better now >_>...I think he's still grumpy though.


----------



## Tisia

BettaLinz said:


> I have heard so many different answers to this..exactly how much and how often should you feed a betta?
> 
> Also, do the 7-day betta feeders work well? I will be going on a 5 day vaca soon, and I don't want my fishie to go hungry.


most people here I think do twice a day with one day of fasting a week, as far as how much, their stomachs are about the size of their eye, so you can try and estimate using that. 
apparently those feeders can do some horrible things to the water. better to have them fast for a few days than sit in polluted water for that long


----------



## tsoto80

what is the best way to get melted plants out of the tank? everything I have tried made them float around and impossible to catch. Not even the vacuum works


----------



## PewPewPew

bahamut285 said:


> *Query:* Can bettas be groggy when you wake them up? I accidentally woke HongBo up and he exhibited SBD for a few minutes...wobbling around the tank like he was drunk or something XD. He is better now >_>...I think he's still grumpy though.


I do this to alle like everyday, hah. I would say yes.


tsoto80 said:


> what is the best way to get melted plants out of the tank? everything I have tried made them float around and impossible to catch. Not even the vacuum works


Try using a net for pesky melted plants.


----------



## tsoto80

PewPewPew said:


> I do this to alle like everyday, hah. I would say yes.
> 
> 
> Try using a net for pesky melted plants.


 I tried that and they still floated away even my hands didnt work. it really sucks cause I just bought them...my banana plants and swords are still alive and kicking though


----------



## Schwannsee

bahamut285 said:


> They're a lot more active because they don't have to drag heavy fins around. I recently switched my female into the bigger tank because my male just kind of scoots around slowly while my female thinks she's a speedboat XD


I've had girls in the past and I agree! You can almost hear the girls making motorboat noises as they zip around....rummmmm rummmm rummmrummmrummmmmm.......screeeeeech, rum rum rummmmm. 

My boys are like doodeedoodeedoodee, whooop, turn around, doodeeedooooooooo.


----------



## fishman12

haha


----------



## Sakura8

Schwannsee said:


> I've had girls in the past and I agree! You can almost hear the girls making motorboat noises as they zip around....rummmmm rummmm rummmrummmrummmmmm.......screeeeeech, rum rum rummmmm.
> 
> My boys are like doodeedoodeedoodee, whooop, turn around, doodeeedooooooooo.


:rofl: Too true. My halfmoon literally does look like he's scooting in the water. He's like a new driver who can't get the hang of the brake/gas thing yet. Putt putt stop putt putt putt stop. But when I had my first girl in a small quarantine tank, she just about went right through the glass she'd get going so fast. I never knew they could turn so darn quickly.


----------



## Betty

Omg i just fed simon sandie silky and sapphire from a toothpick for the first time it was amazing!!!can't believe how cool it is, does anyone know anything else I can do to help me bond with my bettas???lol I'm buzzing!!!woop!!!:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D


----------



## Sakura8

If they're calm enough (and your hands have no soap or lotion residue), you can put your fingers in the tank. Mine will swim around my fingers and brush their tails against them. But sadly, the best way to bond with a betta is through its stomach: food. And even more sadly, we can't feed them the amount they would like us to feed. They'd be so faaaaat!


----------



## Betty

Sakura8 said:


> If they're calm enough (and your hands have no soap or lotion residue), you can put your fingers in the tank. Mine will swim around my fingers and brush their tails against them. But sadly, the best way to bond with a betta is through its stomach: food. And even more sadly, we can't feed them the amount they would like us to feed. They'd be so faaaaat!


Lol as with anything in life!!!food food and more food always makes things ok!!!loool thanks!!!


----------



## PewPewPew

Mine always bite me, hard.

.__.

Maybe it's out of love.

But probably not.


----------



## Betty

PewPewPew said:


> Mine always bite me, hard.
> 
> .__.
> 
> Maybe it's out of love.
> 
> But probably not.


 
Ever had tiger barbs?We got the dead skin removed from our hands weekly-it was a little painful but our hands were unbelievably soft!then the barbs died, neon tetra's stopped mysteriously dissapearing and we managed to keep a nice group of neons in our tank, sadly they all died now but I would never say no to more, I have heard they are good to breed because they are so popular!!!


----------



## bahamut285

Can this thread please please please be stickied? It's kind of annoying to have to dig it up and/or search it on Google :/

*Query:* I was away for about a week and my 5 Gal got a little extra dirty than usual (my brother was overfeeding just a bit, so there is poop everywhere). *I was just wondering if, I were to put the filter cartridges in a bowl with tank water, would I be able to do a 100% water change without killing my bacteria?* I don't have a gravel vac (my makeshift one doesn't work properly) because the ones they sell at Petsmart are ENORMOUS and are overkill for my little tanks (most of them don't fit)


----------



## Betty

Try some tubing that you connect to vac's just on its own, works great for my baby platy tank.


----------



## bahamut285

@Betty: Really? I literally use the same thing, it doesn't work, it sucks up everything including rocks X_X. What I'm doing right now is stirring up the gravel so the poop comes up then "catch" it with the tubing XD. It works but I want to give it a good clean XD!


----------



## Betty

Put something a little bit up the end of the tube thats big enough to take in dirty things but not gravel-maybe a washer or something


----------



## JKfish

Yes, you can do that, but you'll want to do the water change ASAP. I wouldn't scrub down the sides of the tanks, and I would try to avoid scrubbing the gravel if possible. If you have to rinse the gravel, use dechlorinated water. If you have a bubbler and stuck it in the bowl with the filter media, it would help keep the bacteria alive. You might go through a quick mini cycle, but it should not be harmful. Just keep an eye on your parameters.


----------



## bahamut285

@Betty: Yeah I tried that too, I made the opening a little smaller but then the rocks would just get stuck and jam it, LOL

@JKFish: Hmm okay, I already did a larger than usual water change before posting that message above, I was only asking because while I was pouring the water back in, a lot of poop was being kicked up for some reason.

Maybe...could I, take out all my decorations, (and my fish, lol) and disturb the gravel A LOT to kick all the poop up then suction it out? Leaving the filter on, etcetc.

This would be so much easier if they sold nicer gravel vacs...the ones they have at my petsmart...you could vacuum your house with, XD...they're all "recommended" for 55+ Gallons


----------



## andrideaway

my bettas been in his new tank for 4 days now, what is the normal amount of time they chill in the leaves? he doesnt swin around often and isnt eating much yet, he stays in the same place most of the time..


----------



## Canuck Fins

andrideaway said:


> my bettas been in his new tank for 4 days now, what is the normal amount of time they chill in the leaves? he doesnt swin around often and isnt eating much yet, he stays in the same place most of the time..


He could still be getting used to the tank and likes the hiding spot. What is the temp in your tank? Is it heated?

Also bettas can go without eating for a week without worry.


----------



## PewPewPew

Bahamut, i dont recommend you doing that.... Instead, sift up the water and use a net to get the poops out. A good bit of the bacteria in a tank lives in your gravel. Yes, in the filter, too, but eh.. You can change the water** all you want, but when you begin to mess where the bacteria LIVE, they will die.

I suggest a siphon! It makes life so easy.


----------



## masshiimarro

ahh... do any of your fish get scared of new things and sorta just,, clamp up? i recently got a new filter and put into one side of my divided tank, and the one on the opposite side started to clamp up a bit. hes not always clamping, but ive caught him in that position quite a few times..


----------



## Jessyka

I have a 10g partitioned tank with two bettas in it. The filter is on one side and it's too strong. Can I rig it up to slow the current (I've read about the plastic bottle thing on the waterfall and the sponges on the input. I don't understand the sponges.) or should I get two filters, one on each side? 5g on side and 5g on the other?


----------



## bahamut285

PewPewPew said:


> Bahamut, i dont recommend you doing that.... Instead, sift up the water and use a net to get the poops out. A good bit of the bacteria in a tank lives in your gravel. Yes, in the filter, too, but eh.. You can change the water** all you want, but when you begin to mess where the bacteria LIVE, they will die.
> 
> I suggest a siphon! It makes life so easy.


A gravel vac lightly tosses the gravel around right? That's what I was planning on doing with a chopstick or something XD *SHOT*.

My current siphon sucks up everything, including things I don't wan't it to mess with...I would get a regular vac but they're the size of my face T__T...

Most of it is buried...gotta find a way to unearth it before sucking it up


----------



## nel3

how fast can betta's change colour? mines been nearly a month in my possesion. its a normal blue vt but its starting to show on the red caudal tail, pelvic fin and just above the pelvic fin. still blue on the dorsal finthe rest remains blue.


----------



## bahamut285

@Nel: I think there is a thread on here somewhere in which somebody took photos of colour changes in their betta... I believe there are reported cases of very rapid and sudden changes to gradual but obvious changes.

I kinda want a cool colour morphing betta XD


----------



## nel3

bahamut285 said:


> @Nel: I think there is a thread on here somewhere in which somebody took photos of colour changes in their betta... I believe there are reported cases of very rapid and sudden changes to gradual but obvious changes.
> 
> I kinda want a cool colour morphing betta XD


ty, looks like mines going to take his sweet time doing so.


----------



## Wyvern

nel - Ive had my one boy for almost 3 months now. He started out blue/black body with snow white fins. He is now darkblue body with lightblue fins, which also have a light green/turquoise tint as well as black freckles!


----------



## Neil D

@jessyka


I have the same setup. I have one filter with the out take baffled using the water bottle method and the intake baffled using a glass bottle. Just increase the amount of WCs you do, I do 50% weekly changes. PM me for anymore help


----------



## Schwannsee

Jessyka said:


> I have a 10g partitioned tank with two bettas in it. The filter is on one side and it's too strong. Can I rig it up to slow the current (I've read about the plastic bottle thing on the waterfall and the sponges on the input. I don't understand the sponges.) or should I get two filters, one on each side? 5g on side and 5g on the other?


With the sponge, you basically cover where the water comes back into the tank with a sponge so that the water has to run through it. The sponge breaks up the current into a gazillion little currents, going lots of directions, so your fish don't get battered around. I would keep the 1 filter, and just baffle it with the sponge, it works wonderfully, and the sponges are super cheap, like $1 at the fish store. You do want to make sure you get an aquarium sponge, so it's safe and doesn't have funky stuff in it that will hurt your fish, but they are wayy cheap.


----------



## bahamut285

*Query:* I was looking at some cool aquascaping, and somebody had this cute 13L (about 3 Gallons) but had:

11 Green Neons
Otos (couldn't see them clearly)
1 Shrimp of some sort

Isn't this overstocked?? His filter runs at 200L/h so is that "enough"? I'm just curious, I'm not about to go ram 100s of fish into a 3Gal, LOL

This is it here: http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2010.cgi?&op=showcase&category=0&vol=0&id=77


----------



## Neil D

Way overstocked! I think tetras should 10G per every 7 fish. They are speedy.


----------



## bahamut285

@Neil: Yeah! I thought the same thing. I felt terrible having to babysit the 6 I had temporarily in my 3 Gal let alone STOCK 11 of them plus heavy aquascaping X_X


----------



## PewPewPew

With that filter plus how heavily that tank is planted, thats not too bad, no...

I dont recommend, but that person, I would assume, knows what theyre doing.

That looks lots bigger than 3 gallons...


----------



## Neil D

It does, but I mean really? That's crazy! Sure a betta, or snails, or shrimp, but TETRAS?!? They are so zippy and stuff! Wow! Haha I hope they know what they're doing!


----------



## PewPewPew

They have a lot of space they can cover, up and down especially. Yeah, id say its fine. Aquascapers tend to rip their tanks up and redo all the time, anyway- they may not be permanent residents.


----------



## Betty

Useful (and highly amusing in some cases) links: http://www.flippersandfins.net/BettaBreedingArticle.htm#outtakes

http://www.kgbettas.co.uk/calculators.htm


----------



## Neil D

Haha the first link was funny!!


----------



## bahamut285

@P3: Nah it definitely looks like a 3 gallon. 13L is actually closer to 3.5. It looks like my 3 gallon but shallower and wider (and maybe a tad taller). Interesting to know though, thanks XD

I don't see the filter though, lol

@Betty: haha the first link is cute, I bookmarked the 2nd one, thanks! Much easier to talk to imperial users now XD


*EDIT:*It does look larger...I dunno maybe he used some crazy macro lens to take lame pictures, xD


----------



## nel3

Wyvern said:


> nel - Ive had my one boy for almost 3 months now. He started out blue/black body with snow white fins. He is now darkblue body with lightblue fins, which also have a light green/turquoise tint as well as black freckles!


wow, thats pretty fast. do you have any pics of him? i cant wait for mine to show his colours. i have a pretty good idea how he'll turn out. this pic is not my fish but i'm seeing the first reds coming out on him. 80% chance he'll be like this in a few months or atleast something very similar.


----------



## iLovededYou

I just did a water change a few hours ago, and added the dechlorinator and MelaFix (I think my betta has fin rot). There weren't bubbles in the tank earlier, but now there's tiny tiny bubbles EVERYWHERE (on the decor, on the pebbles, on the tank wall, floating on the surface). Is it safe? Should I worry?


----------



## PewPewPew

iLovededYou said:


> I just did a water change a few hours ago, and added the dechlorinator and MelaFix (I think my betta has fin rot). There weren't bubbles in the tank earlier, but now there's tiny tiny bubbles EVERYWHERE (on the decor, on the pebbles, on the tank wall, floating on the surface). Is it safe? Should I worry?


If you did a large or a 100% water change, these bubbles are common.

Melafix does NOT cure fin rot. It will do nothing for your fish, I assure you. Please discontinue its use and instead try using aquarium salt:
1tsp/gallon of water, pre-dissolved before adding into the tank. Do a 100% water change every day and add new salt back in after wards.

Melafix, when not dosed correctly, is dangerous in labyrinth fish... The dose is 1tsp/10 gallons, and I never use more than 1/4 that in any of my tanks, ever.

Melafix is melacula (tea tree) oil, which will, once the rot has healed, help regrow the fins, but will do nothing while the rot is present.

Fin rot doesnt need to be treated with medicines like that, either- aquarium salt is a better, cheaper and safer bet 

If you have more questions, I wrote an article about what fin rot is and how it should be treated, in all forms:
http://bettasplendid.weebly.com/fin-rot-101.html


----------



## Lion Mom

The bubbles are oxygen bubbles in the water and, as stated, are common. 

You can avoid most of them if you use the sprayer (assuming you have one) on the sink to fill your new water bucket - it helps gas the water out faster.


----------



## PewPewPew

^ True words!

I personally like the bubbles...My fish go after them and get covered in bubbles. Its hilarious.


----------



## bahamut285

^ LOL Yeah it's pretty funny when they have bubbles on them too XDD

They also like to "clean" the bubbles off too


----------



## PewPewPew

True that!
Alle gets covered. The snail makes little paths all over, its cute.


----------



## Marvogin

I'm going to switch my betta "Spock" to a smaller tank in order to get him to eat and to teach him that Me = Food (usually). I'm going to clean this tank once every two days so Spock's tank doesn't get too dirty. (It's about 2 1/2 gallons or three.) Does this sound like a good idea?


----------



## Neil D

Sure go ahead...

Not to advertise or anything, but can u guys check out my thread in the Emergencies forum?? Its called Odd substance...


----------



## HarlequinBBRM

*Fin Healing*

So, Sebastion took a couple chunks out of his dorsal fin a while back, and it has started to heal. My problem is that two of the rays(?) of the fin are now twisted together. Will they become untangled as the healing progresses? Or will he just look slightly odd now with a twisted fin?


----------



## HD4life

It should fix its self as it grows but if it was sever damage it may not.

What is a good color to breed to orange?


----------



## PewPewPew

They probably won't...fins that are hurt usually dont grow back right.

And I think red is a no no.


----------



## Sakura8

Two quick questions:
for bacteria, you want the temp high and for parasites the temp is lower?
new girl, messed up dorsal: AQ salt or just Stress Coat?


----------



## Tisia

I think it's the opposite actually, with parasites raising the heat will speed up their life cycle and they'll generally detach from the fish faster. bacteria will spread faster in higher heats so you want to lower it to slow it down some


----------



## Sakura8

Oh, thanks for warning me, Tisia. That could have gone poorly if I'd done the wrong thing. *whew* What temp do you suggest for a bacteria then?


----------



## Tisia

I believe OFL usually says 76-77 for fin rot. want it still high enough that it's not messing with their immune system


----------



## Sakura8

OK, great. Thanks!


----------



## bahamut285

My new boy, Lelouch was pooping green all day, is that good or bad? Also, one of his ventrals is badly wrinkled to the point that it looks missing. Is there anything I can do? Will it grow back? He looks really young, he's barely over an inch in length (excluding tail)


----------



## Sakura8

Green? It sounds like they fed him something strange at the pet store or he has some kind of infection. The green could maybe indicate an internal infection. But is he acting normally otherwise?


----------



## Betty

ummm, im no scientist bahamut-but i can tell you now green aint good, either its an infection or you fed him something that didnt agree with him-only if it was just something that didnt agree with him, the outside of his body wouldnt be how you described it


----------



## Betty

OMGOMGOMG!!!Just been down to the lfs to see the guy there about getting some fish in for us, when he opened his order booklet to check some prices he read a list of fighters out to us!He had green male fighters!as in like forest green with a pic!!!I think i might get him to order them and just sell them to you guys on here lol!!!Can't believe it!I soooo wanted one but they're male so i cant keep them in my tank with simon


----------



## bahamut285

Sakura8 said:


> Green? It sounds like they fed him something strange at the pet store or he has some kind of infection. The green could maybe indicate an internal infection. But is he acting normally otherwise?





Betty said:


> ummm, im no scientist bahamut-but i can tell you now green aint good, either its an infection or you fed him something that didnt agree with him-only if it was just something that didnt agree with him, the outside of his body wouldnt be how you described it



I haven't fed him anything yet ...He was just sitting in the cupholder in my car for about 2 hours total from the store to his QT. His cup had nothing at the store, but when I periodically checked on him during the 2h he had a bunch of green poop.

He acts totally normal in his QT, swimming around, poking the heater, swimming through his house, seemed interested in my finger...Is there anything I can do? I don't want him to get sick and potentially die T_T....I initially bought him to cheer me up :C


----------



## Sakura8

bahamut285 said:


> I haven't fed him anything yet ...He was just sitting in the cupholder in my car for about 2 hours total from the store to his QT. His cup had nothing at the store, but when I periodically checked on him during the 2h he had a bunch of green poop.
> 
> He acts totally normal in his QT, swimming around, poking the heater, swimming through his house, seemed interested in my finger...Is there anything I can do? I don't want him to get sick and potentially die T_T....I initially bought him to cheer me up :C


After googling, I _think_ he's okay. A couple people on yahoo said green poop is normal for bettas. *shrug* Don't know, mine have always pooped brown. But it depends on what he ate before you got him. They poop the color of what they've eaten.

Betty, get the forest green guy, even if he is a male. They're so rare, you may never find one again.


----------



## bahamut285

Sakura8 said:


> After googling, I _think_ he's okay. A couple people on yahoo said green poop is normal for bettas. *shrug* Don't know, mine have always pooped brown. But it depends on what he ate before you got him. They poop the color of what they've eaten.


Yeah I figured they fed him some vegetable matter. The cups were super clean so I didn't see any of the others who may or may not have pooped that day...

Does maybe frozen daphnia give them green poo? This petsmart actually HAS a fridge for live food, unlike mine, which just uses theirs for frozen mice I think...


----------



## Sakura8

Maybe. I don't know about daphnia. If they have a fridge for frozen food, maybe they fed them this: the San Francisco Bay brand Emerald Entree frozen fish food.








I got some in a variety pack I bought (brine shrimp, blood worms, and something else I can't remember). I never did feed it but it's got spinach and other green things in it.


----------



## Neil D

@Betty.

Get him!!!! Divide Simons tank!


----------



## Betty

Neil D said:


> @Betty.
> 
> Get him!!!! Divide Simons tank!


It's my birthday in september so I'm begging my parents to let me ask him to order them in, if he did, it would be £12 for 1 so I'm just wondering if anyone in here might be interested in buying from me if I bought them, because the guy said there's a certain number you have to order in and if you order in for say £3 you have to sell them at £12 each to make any profit from them because they have shipping to think about.lol although I think. I could guarantee if I bought all and put them on here then they would definitely all be sold!!!I will have to check with the guy how many he would havevto order in and then get back to you lol, oh and buy a divider!!!


----------



## bahamut285

@Sakura: Oh, that's gross, XDDDDDDD


----------



## nel3

Betty said:


> OMGOMGOMG!!!Just been down to the lfs to see the guy there about getting some fish in for us, when he opened his order booklet to check some prices he read a list of fighters out to us!He had green male fighters!as in like forest green with a pic!!!I think i might get him to order them and just sell them to you guys on here lol!!!Can't believe it!I soooo wanted one but they're male so i cant keep them in my tank with simon


do you have any photo's of the green betta? i would like to see some. i havent seen too many of them on AB. one of the few i saw were more of a light green turquoise. im waiting for my light green/turquoise mix marble to ship atm. 

have any of you ever fed may flies to your bettas? there were hundreds of them stuck to the walls of the building outside at my work place. took 1 home and fed 1/3 of a fly to my fish.


----------



## Betty

nel3 said:


> do you have any photo's of the green betta? i would like to see some. i havent seen too many of them on AB. one of the few i saw were more of a light green turquoise. im waiting for my light green/turquoise mix marble to ship atm.
> 
> have any of you ever fed may flies to your bettas? there were hundreds of them stuck to the walls of the building outside at my work place. took 1 home and fed 1/3 of a fly to my fish.


I took a pic of the pic in the book but i still have to download it onto my laptop, however untill i do i found this pic on the internet, true forest greens look like this:

The second pic has a more turquoise tint to it, but the green is a darker green than the one in the first pic apart from the bluey areas, my favourite is the first one what's yours?


----------



## bahamut285

@Betty: second one, I am impartial to freckles XDDD


----------



## Betty

bahamut285 said:


> @Betty: second one, I am impartial to freckles XDDD


Haha I agree with the freckles thing, if i could have my perfect fish it would be white with turquoise freckles and butterfly pattern colourings-or whatever the official name is!!!anyway, if you manage to find me one like this i would be vvv happy lol, but i doubt anyone could find something that specific-maybe juust a guppy instead...nah betta trumps guppy any day!!!


----------



## nel3

Betty said:


> I took a pic of the pic in the book but i still have to download it onto my laptop, however untill i do i found this pic on the internet, true forest greens look like this:
> 
> The second pic has a more turquoise tint to it, but the green is a darker green than the one in the first pic apart from the bluey areas, my favourite is the first one what's yours?


mines the 1st one, its a beautiful green betta. i'd say its my second favorite pic of a green betta. im more partial to a marble betta, green and turquoise only sweeten the deal. the only issue with the fish im waiting for is that its male rather than female (small but personal preference). i still like mine the best for patterns, hope it comes safely and live +50yrs lol. the AB post for the fish im waiting for. not sure if green alone is rarer than green marble :-?. it was lion mom's marbled betta that got me into the marbled bettas.
http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/closed.cgi?view_closed_item&fwbettasdt1308397160


----------



## Lion Mom

" it was lion mom's marbled betta that got me into the marbled bettas."

Glad I could be of service - LOL!!!!


----------



## bahamut285

@Nel: that boy is so cute!


----------



## nel3

Lion Mom said:


> " it was lion mom's marbled betta that got me into the marbled bettas."
> 
> Glad I could be of service - LOL!!!!


no problem. the color pattern on astro is too dynamic for me to forget. you got me interested in cambodian and marbled for the changing/random coloring. ive seen alot of pic of betta thru AB wishlist thread and very few were as randomly colored as yours for marbled ones. lol are you sure you didnt photoshop the colors for astro?

i dont mind if my marbled betta comes alive with dulled colors but its bound to recover them sometime. my only worry is if it comes in sick or worse. theres another marbled etta in a local shop that i wouldve snatched up but that green boy came first to my attention. it took me 2-3 visits to notice that blue/red marble was local here.


----------



## Lion Mom

nel3 said:


> no problem. the color pattern on astro is too dynamic for me to forget. you got me interested in cambodian and marbled for the changing/random coloring. ive seen alot of pic of betta thru AB wishlist thread and very few were as randomly colored as yours for marbled ones. lol are you sure you didnt photoshop the colors for astro?
> 
> i dont mind if my marbled betta comes alive with dulled colors but its bound to recover them sometime. my only worry is if it comes in sick or worse. theres another marbled etta in a local shop that i wouldve snatched up but that green boy came first to my attention. it took me 2-3 visits to notice that blue/red marble was local here.


LOL - I don't even have a PhotoShop program!!! The picture of Astro that I use in my avatar was from a time I was TRYING to take pictures of him, but they came out way dark. I brightened up the exposure & got that weird effect. I liked it so kept it.  

Here is a pic of how Astro looked when I purchased him. As you can see, he didn't have nearly the red on him he does now.


----------



## Neil D

Is astro the fish in ur avatar?


----------



## Betty

@niel d, i have to agree with you on the marbles score, they are absoltely gorgeous, the guy at the lfs said he was ordering today so he would try and get me some female crowntails for breeding, i am doing some crosses with the fish crowntail x veiltail=varying degrees of combtails which when mixed with veiltails should produce varying degrees of half suns, cant wait but have to!!!


----------



## Neil D

Did I say anything about marbles? Hmmm, I'm losing it...


----------



## nel3

Lion Mom said:


> LOL - I don't even have a PhotoShop program!!! The picture of Astro that I use in my avatar was from a time I was TRYING to take pictures of him, but they came out way dark. I brightened up the exposure & got that weird effect. I liked it so kept it.
> 
> Here is a pic of how Astro looked when I purchased him. As you can see, he didn't have nearly the red on him he does now.


wow, id never have dreamed such a simple color pattern would at purchase would ever become so multicolored. its quite a colour change fot astro :shock:. think i saw some like astro at purchase at a local pet shop. they have 2 white lyre tails with the same black stripes on them but their fins are pefectly clear. i though the black marks were stress marks.


----------



## bahamut285

WCIF (Where can I find) that DIY Divider thread? I can't seem to find it for some reason...

I was just wondering whether if it will be a problem that the filter is on one side, since, other than flowing through the holes of the mesh divider, the other side would be fairly stagnant. Is this ok or will it be unhealthy for my fish on the "stagnant" side?


----------



## masshiimarro

from what i know, stagnant water is normal for bettas in their natural habitat, so i dont see why not.. the only thing is that i would probably siphon the stagnant side as bit more compared to the other filtered side. otherwise i think its fine, since water flows both ways b/c of the little holes in the divider. 

but uh, i have a question. do bettas normally go pale when they sleep? whenever i see my bettas asleep, they appear to be paler..?


----------



## bahamut285

masshiimarro said:


> from what i know, stagnant water is normal for bettas in their natural habitat, so i dont see why not.. the only thing is that i would probably siphon the stagnant side as bit more compared to the other filtered side. otherwise i think its fine, since water flows both ways b/c of the little holes in the divider.
> 
> but uh, i have a question. do bettas normally go pale when they sleep? whenever i see my bettas asleep, they appear to be paler..?


Ahh you have a point, LOL I'm too tired right now. Ok, so whenever I do a water change I'll have to attempt my siphoning on both sides T_T;

I know some of my fish turn a little pale when they sleep. They're pretty much like humans sometimes. Wake up groggy, hair is a mess, look pale... XD


----------



## masshiimarro

lol so true! when my bettas wake up, they dont fully wake up.. lol they do this thing where they bumble around still pale, creeping around the sides as if to be really cautious, and when they swim theyr still kinda wobbly from the sleeping.. XD human behaviour all the way! thanks


----------



## Betty

masshiimarro said:


> lol so true! when my bettas wake up, they dont fully wake up.. lol they do this thing where they bumble around still pale, creeping around the sides as if to be really cautious, and when they swim theyr still kinda wobbly from the sleeping.. XD human behaviour all the way! thanks


 
they look drunk dont they!lol i find this highly amusing-i can just imagine my ladies and gent clubbing at 2am in the morning!!!:twisted:


----------



## Betty

just found this website that tells you how to work out what your betts fry might turn out to be like, it is all abotu recessive and domiant genotypes(fancy word for genetic makeup(fancy word for the part of your dna that makes you looklike you))
hope this helps, i will also post link in betta breeding section!!!

http://bettacare101.com/genetics/


----------



## Lion Mom

Neil D said:


> Is astro the fish in ur avatar?


Yes, he is. :-D


----------



## Lion Mom

It is common for fish - all fish - to pale down somewhat when they are sleeping.


----------



## Neil D

Oh he's changed then! My guys look drunk when they get up...


----------



## LADY

Is your betta supposed to nod a lot when he eats?


----------



## bahamut285

Betty said:


> just found this website that tells you how to work out what your betts fry might turn out to be like, it is all abotu recessive and domiant genotypes(fancy word for genetic makeup(fancy word for the part of your dna that makes you looklike you))
> hope this helps, i will also post link in betta breeding section!!!
> 
> http://bettacare101.com/genetics/


I giggled like a schoolgirl when I saw the Punnett squares, LOL


----------



## bahamut285

LADY said:


> Is your betta supposed to nod a lot when he eats?


It's how they "swallow"...or at least that's how mine eat xD


----------



## bahamut285

I had a question about dividers. I couldn't find those report covers for a decent price...I'll check a dollar store tomorrow. I bought TWO meshes so it's going to be thick, and my gravel is relatively thick as well (2x "recommended" amount). I don't want Lelouch to be in his unheated BOX for another day because he appears to be the skittish type. I want to let him live in his future tank just so he can feel comfortable 

Do you think it will be ok for overnight? It will be unsupervised for 12 hours TOPS. The meshes are MUCH MUCH bigger than the tank so I'll cut it as tight as possible, then probably use their caves to hold it up temporarily and I'll lower the water level.

So the dividers are:
- doubled up for thickness and stiffness
- dug about 2" into my gravel
- Going to be reinforced with the caves I currently own

Sound safe for 12-14h? I will watch them for the first few hours.


----------



## Neil D

Do you really want to risk it? Bettas can be really hard headed, literally, when they've seen another betta.


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## bahamut285

I thought of that too, Neil :C

Fortunately (I think) the meshes are not as see-through as I thought. To the point where I'm more concerned about water circulation more than anything. They honestly look like thick, black, opaque fly screens. If I adjust them enough, I could probably get it to polarize itself and completely block the view.

Again, I will be watching them intently for a good 5-6 hours, taking them out with any sign of trouble. X___X

*EDIT:*Maybe rearrange some plants to block it further...I've got more than enough tall plants to do that with, lol


----------



## Neil D

I guess it could be ok, but the lack of REAL support concerns me.


----------



## bahamut285

Don't worry, it concerns me as well, but if it doesn't fit tonight, then I will definitely not try it. I just want to see if they can prop up on their own just for a short period of time. 

I will obviously test it to see if it works (I gotta do a waterchange anyway), and if I don't feel comfortable with it, I won't do it :/...Either that or I'll set it up anyway, but won't put Lelouch in. Just to see how HongBo reacts to the mesh.

Unless I can find a bigger more comfortable cup for Lelouch to float in...hmm


----------



## bahamut285

EDIT: Actually no, nevermind, I got nervous just thinking about it. I'll see if I can find a nice container for Lelouch to float in, then just use the mesh to obscure the view X_X


----------



## Neil D

Good idea.


----------



## Larkspur

I was just wondering, I was reading that live food is fun for your fish and then I thought "hey I should go scoop some mosquito larva out of a pond lol" but then I thought "wait will it hurt my fish?!" So I decided to ask lol


----------



## Tisia

they're great for bettas, just make sure to rinse them really well, don't want any of the water they were in to get into your tank


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## Larkspur

Cool! Thanks! :3


----------



## masshiimarro

curiousity, but bettas DO distinguish from good frozen bloodworms to the bad ones, right? theyr not going to just swallow it since its a bloodworm.. i just wanna be sure, since my bettas have never really cared and just gobbled them up. since the bloodworms come in cubes and they could never eat the whole cube at a time, the cube gets refrozen after feedings, and there would be dark/discolored bloodworms. of course i try to feed them the good looking ones, but just in case...........


----------



## Tisia

refreezing can cause bacteria to grow, same reason you're not supposed to refreeze stuff like chicken and steaks. better to just break off a chunk and just thaw that


----------



## masshiimarro

Tisia said:


> refreezing can cause bacteria to grow, same reason you're not supposed to refreeze stuff like chicken and steaks. better to just break off a chunk and just thaw that


ack, totally forgot about that..... 0_0 sighh... breaking off chunks of tiny frozen cubes... lol this is dumb but how am i gonna do that? its actually pretty hard.. DX


----------



## Larkspur

a box cutter...Just remember to cut away from your self not towards!! lol


----------



## Tisia

I've stuck a few cubes into a ziploc freezer bag and mashed them with a tenderizer, lol. you could try cutting them as well, but could be dangerous, and might result in frozen cubes flying across the room


----------



## masshiimarro

haha okay, will try that. thanks guys


----------



## Larkspur

:C
My betta's fin ripped, I have one plastic plant in there which must be the culprit, I did the nylon test and they didn'n run or snag but his fins must be more delicate than my nylons. So my question is, How do you get their fihs to re-grow?


----------



## Neil D

AQ salt can help. Use 1 tsp per 1 gallon, and put your betta in there for no more than 14 days.


----------



## Larkspur

Thatnks!! 
I'm so sad my poor betta!! D:
I'm never using plastic plants even if they don't rip or snag my nylons!! 
T.T
I'll never trust the petsmart staff again >.>


----------



## BettaLinz

I am going on vacation for 5 days soon, and I think I have someone to leave my betta with. He will be in a 1 gallon bowl, as we have not got his tank yet. I know bettas can survive for long periods of time without food, but I REALLY don't want to deprive him of food. He's a pig, lol. And whenever I feed him he gets so excited that he jumps before I can drop the food in. However, I don't have anyone to change the water...and I know he cannot afford an ammonia buildup in that bowl. I am planning on changing his water immidiately before I leave, and as soon as I get back... but I have heard that feeding betta's causes ammonia to build up faster. My real question is, if I have him fed only 2 pellets a day while I am gone, should this be okay? I don't want him hungry and I want his water to stay clear while I am gone. Thanks


----------



## Larkspur

I am super new here and I have no idea about that sort of stuff but I bet there is someone on here who could watch your betta while you are gone! Just a suggestion :3


----------



## Neil D

He should be fine for 5 days, without food and WCs.


----------



## bahamut285

Finally got dividers set up...I couldn't find those report covers (I don't think they make them anymore?). I checked 5 stores with stationary and two dollar stores 

In the end I picked up some stainless steel paper holders (I made sure to check/ask if they were stainless steel) and have 3 on each side, 6 total holding it up. I adjusted them so that they're nice and snug.

I was just wondering how long will Lelouch and MeiLin harass each other through the divider? MeiLin doesn't really seem to care, she just kind of trolls Lelouch, and in turn he starts flaring at her.

Keeping three eyes on them just in case...


----------



## bahamut285

Upon observation, you can't really see through the divider, but you can most definitely see movement and anything high contrast


----------



## BettaLinz

Neil D said:


> He should be fine for 5 days, without food and WCs.


I know, I am just asking if it is actually dangerous for me to have him fed 2 pellets a day while I'm gone (in regards to ammonia buildup). I just don't really have the heart to leave him hungry for 5 days.. but if I absolutely have to, I guess I could.


----------



## bahamut285

*Query:* How should I split my tanks? Right now it is:

[empty/male] [male/female]

Should I put my two males together instead? Or leave them as is?


----------



## bahamut285

BettaLinz said:


> I know, I am just asking if it is actually dangerous for me to have him fed 2 pellets a day while I'm gone (in regards to ammonia buildup). I just don't really have the heart to leave him hungry for 5 days.. but if I absolutely have to, I guess I could.


Maybe feed him 2 pellets every other day, so feed him and water change before you leave. So:

First day: W/C and feed
2nd: no feed
3rd: feed
4th: no feed
5th: return home feed and w/c or if you're not home then feed
6th: return home by this time and w/c

So you'll feed him 3 times maximum, so you won't feel as bad and will have minimum ammonia build up.


----------



## nel3

i have an important question. i know i procrastinated/forgot to ask about this deatil but i dont know if i have to pay the transhipper seperately or the price of the fish and the shipping to the transhipper. apparently the fish will be in tommorow o.o.

edit: called the transhipper and got the details. i just sent the money for the fish to the seller. all thts left is to go tomorrow to pay and pick up the fish.


----------



## Squidmagician

I've got a few quick questions...

1) When we first put Al into his new tank a few days ago, he was pretty active - swimming around and exploring everything. But the last couple of days he's been pretty... well... lazy. He spends most of his time either resting on the bottom of his tank or floating around near the top or sometimes resting on top of his thermometer, which seems to be a favorite spot. If I walk over and startle him, he darts away and swims around for bit, but then he settles right back in. He did a lot of just hanging around before, but I figured it was because he just didn't have much room to swim... So do you think he's just a mellow little guy or should I be concerned?

2) His tank has a colored LED light, which we've been leaving on at night. He seems to like it, but I just want to be sure it's okay... It is, right? We always turn it off in the morning, so he gets about 12 hours with and 12 without.

3) He hasn't seemed very interested in eating since we moved him. He didn't eat anything yesterday, that I noticed. And he _might_ have eaten one of his pellets this morning, but I'm not sure it didn't just sink. I know he can go without food for a while, so it's not an emergency... And I'm thinking he's probably just getting used to his new environment still, but again, I just want to be sure.


----------



## bahamut285

nel3 said:


> i have an important question. i know i procrastinated/forgot to ask about this deatil but i dont know if i have to pay the transhipper seperately or the price of the fish and the shipping to the transhipper. apparently the fish will be in tommorow o.o.


Price of the fish: Goes to breeder
Shipping FROM Thailand to your country: Transshipper
Shipping TO your house: Transshipper

Apparently.


----------



## bahamut285

Squidmagician said:


> I've got a few quick questions...
> 
> 1) When we first put Al into his new tank a few days ago, he was pretty active - swimming around and exploring everything. But the last couple of days he's been pretty... well... lazy. He spends most of his time either resting on the bottom of his tank or floating around near the top or sometimes resting on top of his thermometer, which seems to be a favorite spot. If I walk over and startle him, he darts away and swims around for bit, but then he settles right back in. He did a lot of just hanging around before, but I figured it was because he just didn't have much room to swim... So do you think he's just a mellow little guy or should I be concerned?
> 
> 2) His tank has a colored LED light, which we've been leaving on at night. He seems to like it, but I just want to be sure it's okay... It is, right? We always turn it off in the morning, so he gets about 12 hours with and 12 without.
> 
> 3) He hasn't seemed very interested in eating since we moved him. He didn't eat anything yesterday, that I noticed. And he _might_ have eaten one of his pellets this morning, but I'm not sure it didn't just sink. I know he can go without food for a while, so it's not an emergency... And I'm thinking he's probably just getting used to his new environment still, but again, I just want to be sure.



1) What are the specs of his new tank? Size? Heated? Filtered?

2) I would recommend turning on the light during the daytime, then he will have total darkness to sleep in at night. At least that's what I do. If you have the light on in a totally dark room, it makes the inner walls partially reflective, so he is probably flaring at himself throughout the night.

3) Some betta take more than others to acclimate to their new home. When I brought MeiLin home, she started eating right away and immediately recognized me as mummy. Lelouch however has been home since Saturday, and still doesn't eat unless I leave the room after dropping a pellet in


----------



## Squidmagician

bahamut285 said:


> 1) What are the specs of his new tank? Size? Heated? Filtered?
> 
> 2) I would recommend turning on the light during the daytime, then he will have total darkness to sleep in at night. At least that's what I do. If you have the light on in a totally dark room, it makes the inner walls partially reflective, so he is probably flaring at himself throughout the night.
> 
> 3) Some betta take more than others to acclimate to their new home. When I brought MeiLin home, she started eating right away and immediately recognized me as mummy. Lelouch however has been home since Saturday, and still doesn't eat unless I leave the room after dropping a pellet in


1) It's a 3-gallon tank with a heater and an airstone. The temperature's been staying right around 80 degrees. 

2) Oh, I hadn't thought about the reflection! He does seem more lively when we turn the light on. I guess maybe that's why! I haven't really noticed him flaring much, though. But of course, I'm not watching him _all_ the time. 

3) He did this once before, shortly after we brought him home. He just refused to eat for a couple days and then, about the third day, he started chowing down again, like nothing was wrong. Maybe he's just being finicky...


----------



## nel3

bahamut285 said:


> Price of the fish: Goes to breeder
> Shipping FROM Thailand to your country: Transshipper
> Shipping TO your house: Transshipper
> 
> Apparently.


thank you Bahamut. im actually going to drive over to the location the fish is being sent rather than directly to my house. 1.5 hr drive by google maps that doesnt take into Montreal's bad traffic and road repair issues.


----------



## Lion Mom

bahamut285 said:


> Price of the fish: Goes to breeder
> Shipping FROM Thailand to your country: Transshipper
> Shipping TO your house: Transshipper
> 
> Apparently.


I thought the shipping from Thailand to your country went to the seller. :-?


----------



## Tisia

yeah, you usually pay like $5 to the seller for their shipping
you pay the transhipper import fees and shipping to your place


----------



## Squidmagician

Asking again because I'm beginning to worry... Al's spent the whole day just lounging around on the bottom of his tank. The only time he moves is when I walk over to check on him and when he sees me he darts away, swims around for a big, then settles down again somewhere else. When I tried to feed him, he just looked at the food and swam away. I couldn't even tempt him with a bloodworm. This is the third day he's refused to eat. 

He's in a 3 gallon tank with a heater. The water is right at 80 degrees. The tank has an under-gravel filter and an airstone, but I turned the air pump off because it was causing bubbles to collect on the surface, and I thought he might be bothered by the bubbles. It doesn't seem to have made any difference, though. I did a 50% water change the day before yesterday, and I was thinking about doing another. Do you think it would help?


----------



## Neil D

Forget the WC, itll just stress him out. Test your water. Try live foods, or frozen. Try different pellets. One of my guys is doing this too. He is swimming but not too much. He only like frozen BWs. He won't touch pellets.I need to feed him something else, but he won't eat.


----------



## Squidmagician

I've been thinking maybe I should test the water. Just need to get a test kit - forgot to grab one when we got the rest of his supplies... 

How often _should_ I do water changes for a 3 gallon? Is 50% twice a week enough? 

I actually already had some different pellets on hand, so I tried those, but he ignored them too. I'll have to see if I can find him some frozen bloodworms... I'm not sure if anyone around here has them, though...


----------



## Neil D

Sounds good! Are you good (expert) enough to cycle a 3G? Cause that would be great, but hard. If not maybe a 50% water only change and a 100% change weekly.


----------



## Squidmagician

Thanks, Neil! LOL. I'm _far_ from an expert - this is actually my very first aquarium - so I doubt it. All this stuff about cycling is rather confusing. I keep thinking I've got a handle on, then I read something that makes me think otherwise...  So for now, I think I'll stick with your suggestion.


----------



## bahamut285

Lion Mom said:


> I thought the shipping from Thailand to your country went to the seller. :-?


Really? That's not what my (canadian) transshipper or breeder from Thailand said @[email protected]

The guy in Thailand said to "pay me for the fish and everything else is for your transshipper"


----------



## bahamut285

@Squid: If it's not filtered then one of your water changes should be 100% I believe @[email protected] than that I'm not really sure, hopefully somebody else can help.

EDIT: Oh DERP, you said it was filtered in a later post, nevermind X_X


----------



## Squidmagician

Thanks, Bahamut!  I think maybe he's just getting used to things still. This is only his third day in the new tank. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he'll perk up and start eating again here in the next couple days...


----------



## nel3

is it a good idea to soak the gravel/substrate with hot water when doing 100 wc in a 1 gal tank? does the gravel help a tank cycle?


----------



## inkrealm

one teaspoon of AQ salt per gallon right? ^-^ thanks <3

edit: for stubborn torn fin >.<; ( meaning stubborn because one tiny corner of it won't heal up, not because it's fin rot and eating up the fin at a fast pace, it's not getting worse, just not better either. )


----------



## bahamut285

@nel3: I know I would do it, 1 gallon is not large enough to cycle safely and is generally not stable. You don't HAVE to soak them in hot water, but when I do 100% water changes I rinse the gravel.


----------



## Lion Mom

bahamut285 said:


> Really? That's not what my (canadian) transshipper or breeder from Thailand said @[email protected]
> 
> The guy in Thailand said to "pay me for the fish and everything else is for your transshipper"


OK - since I never had a fish imported (WAY too expensive for my budget :-? ), what do I know? 

Whenever I look at the beautiful fish the imports are, though, I could have sworn that's what most of them have in their listing. Shrug....


----------



## Tisia

maybe he just included his shipping in the price of the fish?


----------



## nel3

bahamut285 said:


> @nel3: I know I would do it, 1 gallon is not large enough to cycle safely and is generally not stable. You don't HAVE to soak them in hot water, but when I do 100% water changes I rinse the gravel.


thank you, bahamut, its as i thought. i do rinse the gravel but lately ive let it soak for a bit before pouring it into a metal strainer to rinse it. sems to me that doing that and disturbing the gravel while soaking makes it easier to rinse the gravel cleaner.


----------



## Lion Mom

Tisia said:


> maybe he just included his shipping in the price of the fish?


That could be. :-D


----------



## nel3

i have a question to those that use IAL for the bettas. how much difference in PH levles are there between the conditioned tap water and the IAL (alone or conditioned)?


----------



## PewPewPew

It depends on your tap water! Tap water's pH can be different depending on where you are...but adding in IAL, regardless, will lower the pH of the water. The more IAL, the lower the pH.

If your pH from JUST the tap is high, the effects of the IAL will be reduced- so you will need to add in a bit more to receive the same effects as you would find in lower pH water.


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> It depends on your tap water! Tap water's pH can be different depending on where you are...but adding in IAL, regardless, will lower the pH of the water. The more IAL, the lower the pH.
> 
> If your pH from JUST the tap is high, the effects of the IAL will be reduced- so you will need to add in a bit more to receive the same effects as you would find in lower pH water.


ty pew pew. i was thinking of getting it in case the water from thaoland is too far off from the water locally in ph levels (7.6 with nutrafin ph test kit here).


----------



## PewPewPew

If you acclimate correctly, it wont be a big issue  Itll help, though- and not only to keep it similar, but IAL is great to add in for medicinal/preventative purposes as well.

When you get the fish, slowly introduce to light (darkened room, open the box slightly more every 5 minutes in the darker room) until the box is open, acclimate in that same darkened room for NO less than 20-30 minutes-- about 2tbsps of new water at least into the baggie every 5 minutes or so...even if the water overflows in the bag before that time, just gently drain some and keep adding more in. 30minutes + is best  Keep him in a dark place for a day or two, offer food the next day but only if he seems up to it.


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> If you acclimate correctly, it wont be a big issue  Itll help, though- and not only to keep it similar, but IAL is great to add in for medicinal/preventative purposes as well.
> 
> When you get the fish, slowly introduce to light (darkened room, open the box slightly more every 5 minutes in the darker room) until the box is open, acclimate in that same darkened room for NO less than 20-30 minutes-- about 2tbsps of new water at least into the baggie every 5 minutes or so...even if the water overflows in the bag before that time, just gently drain some and keep adding more in. 30minutes + is best  Keep him in a dark place for a day or two, offer food the next day but only if he seems up to it.


thank you, if i plan to get them it'll be only to get it aclimated for a few days to wean it off the native water.

thank you for telling me the details on introducing the new fish to its home. though i do have some questions,. once the box is fully open can i take the bag fully out? how long on average does it take thefish to regain its colours if they're dulled on arrival? id presume its after 30+ minutes of water acclimation it will be okay to put him in the tank without a bag. does floating the bag in the filled tank when im getting him acclimated to the water do anything useful?


----------



## Neil D

Hey congrats Nel3, you said "him" (but you also said "it") but it's a start! Hahaha lol:-D


----------



## Betty

omg!!!guy at local fish shop got in the female halfmoons i asked for, as promised!he did reveal they have been selling like crazy, and that he had to make sure the two best were not sold, he had saved a purple (omg she's gorgeous) and a turquoise, i will post some pics soon omg omg i cant wait to breed them, he said they had been pure bred for over 5 generations so hopefully they will breed true!!!omg sooooooooo happy right now!!!
woop :-D:-D:-D:-D


----------



## Neil D

Yay good luck and PICS!


----------



## Betty

pictures just taken and uploading now!!!


----------



## Betty

error uploading pics, error with battery error with whole flamin ipad int there?!surely theres another error coming!


----------



## Neil D

I don't upload pics with my iPad. I email them to myself then use the desktop/my parents laptop to upload them as attachments. Works every time!


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> Hey congrats Nel3, you said "him" (but you also said "it") but it's a start! Hahaha lol:-D


lol, old habits are harder to kick than i thought.


----------



## Betty

lol yeah thats what im gonna do now, their tails and fins have a few bits missing but according to the guy at the fish shop it was somethin to do with them establishing a pecking order just as he got them in!!!also the water from the tank they are in has a green look to it, its a cross of the treatment i just put in for their fins and the lighting in the tank, let me know what you think when i put the pics on lol, just gotta boot up the old laptop!!!


----------



## bahamut285

Lion Mom said:


> OK - since I never had a fish imported (WAY too expensive for my budget :-? ), what do I know?
> 
> Whenever I look at the beautiful fish the imports are, though, I could have sworn that's what most of them have in their listing. Shrug....



OH oh oh I found out the correct answer. Apparently it's for people in Canada, Australia and the Philippines who have to pay both shipping prices to the transshipper...everybody else pays the breeder to ship from Thailand


How confusing.......


----------



## Lion Mom

bahamut285 said:


> OH oh oh I found out the correct answer. Apparently it's for people in Canada, Australia and the Philippines who have to pay both shipping prices to the transshipper...everybody else pays the breeder to ship from Thailand
> 
> 
> How confusing.......


Thanks for posting that - now I don't feel so dumb! :lol:


----------



## bahamut285

Lion Mom said:


> Thanks for posting that - now I don't feel so dumb! :lol:


Ahaha don't worry, I felt kind of dumb too. Plus they made it confusing on purpose, how silly XDD


----------



## eengland

Is there I good fish supply store online that I can use? I have access to a walmart and a petsense in town and hour drive to petsmart. Neither walmart or petsense have what I need in stock and petsmart is constantly running out of things. 

Also, I am still having some problems with algae on a decoration and I was wondering if there is anything I can use to clean it. I have to take it out every week to clean it. And I know Gershwin hates me messing with his environment that often.


----------



## betabettafish

QUICK QUESTION-- Im just wondering if changing my bettas tank water 100% every week is a waste of my time? if i did less would it have a negative affect on my little fishie? BTW he is in a 1/2 gal. tank.. ANY info on my question would be a GREAT help. THANKS!!


----------



## bahamut285

betabettafish said:


> QUICK QUESTION-- Im just wondering if changing my bettas tank water 100% every week is a waste of my time? if i did less would it have a negative affect on my little fishie? BTW he is in a 1/2 gal. tank.. ANY info on my question would be a GREAT help. THANKS!!


Theoretically in a ""tank"" like that, you should be changing 100% of the water EVERY DAY


----------



## Neil D

Yes, daily 100% changes in anything a gallon or less.


----------



## PewPewPew

eengland said:


> Is there I good fish supply store online that I can use? I have access to a walmart and a petsense in town and hour drive to petsmart. Neither walmart or petsense have what I need in stock and petsmart is constantly running out of things.
> 
> Also, I am still having some problems with algae on a decoration and I was wondering if there is anything I can use to clean it. I have to take it out every week to clean it. And I know Gershwin hates me messing with his environment that often.


Amazon.com and petsmart.com and petco.com are great. Amazon has products from the latter also.
That fish place that pet place is a good seller/store.

As for the algae, your problem likely lies in your lighting. Incandescant bulbs, the yellow y ones, when left on a long time with out natural plants, can spur growth. Take that kind of bulb out if you have it and replace with flouresant, and dont leave on too long! Make sure you aren't allowing excess food in the tank, either. It feeds the algae too!

Also, if you do use it, dont over fertilize.


----------



## Lion Mom

More good internet fish supply sources that I have used without any problems:

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/fish-supplies/pr/c/3578

http://www.petmountain.com/category/6/1/fish.html

http://www.fish.com/

http://www.petdiscounters.com/

Be aware that Pet Mountain CAN be a tad slow with shipping, but sometimes they have AWESOME deals!!!


----------



## bahamut285

Hey guys...is it possible to cremate a fish? I don't really want to randomly put HongBo in the ground somewhere, because I may be moving within the next year and I don't want to leave him behind


----------



## Neil D

Instead of cremating, bury him near your fav tree. That way the tree will get the recycled nutrients from his body.


----------



## nel3

sorry to hear that, hope you find a good place to put it.


----------



## Neil D

*him


----------



## PewPewPew

Three cinder blocks, stacked holes up, safe bottom like concrete, use an excellerant of some sort... Light up, and back well away.

Its kinda too messy and dangerous/gross, imo :,c


----------



## nel3

how long should i leave a decaf green tea bag in a 1gal tank? does decaf green tea also reduce stress for bettas along with healing it? im going to find an almond tree today to take a few leaves. when i dry it up, does the leave have to turn brown or green when dried?

the caudal tail of my betta is a bit straggly, think its tail bitting a bit as some caudal spines are dulled. the edges arent black but a slightly darker blue. the water is changed every 3 days (1 50 wc and a 100wc). i test the water every day to monitor ammonia. the 1 gal isnt heated but remains 76F in the day if ac is off and 75F if AC on/night time. the gravel is a bit sharp but i rarely see i rest on the gravel and theres 2 plastic plants. dont have the camera on me atm for a photo.


----------



## bahamut285

Neil D said:


> Instead of cremating, bury him near your fav tree. That way the tree will get the recycled nutrients from his body.


I would normally do this, but I live in an apartment so it's not like I've got a favourite tree anywhere close by. I'm also probably moving soon so I want to somehow take him with me :/


----------



## bahamut285

*Query:* I didn't notice it at first, but my filter head has a shiny sticker on it (like those shiny stickers that people have on their baseball caps). I think Lelouch thinks it's a mirror, he keeps flaring at it, should I take it out? X_X


----------



## Neil D

Ive never heard of one of this on a filter! Sure, take it out...


----------



## bahamut285

Yeah I dunno, it was this weird: "approved" sticker...about the size of a fingernail. I took it out anyway, he stopped now XD


----------



## Lion Mom

bahamut285 said:


> I would normally do this, but I live in an apartment so it's not like I've got a favourite tree anywhere close by. I'm also probably moving soon so I want to somehow take him with me :/


If you have any potted plants, you could bury him in the pot.


----------



## PewPewPew

nel3 said:


> how long should i leave a decaf green tea bag in a 1gal tank? does decaf green tea also reduce stress for bettas along with healing it? im going to find an almond tree today to take a few leaves. when i dry it up, does the leave have to turn brown or green when dried?
> What kind of almond leaves? Leave the bag in a small cup of hot water for a bit and let it concentrate to whatever color. Add into the tank as dark as you want. I may or may not help them. If nothing at all, it makes them comfy due to the darker color.
> 
> the caudal tail of my betta is a bit straggly, think its tail bitting a bit as some caudal spines are dulled. the edges arent black but a slightly darker blue. the water is changed every 3 days (1 50 wc and a 100wc). i test the water every day to monitor ammonia. the 1 gal isnt heated but remains 76F in the day if ac is off and 75F if AC on/night time. the gravel is a bit sharp but i rarely see i rest on the gravel and theres 2 plastic plants. dont have the camera on me atm for a photo.


Remove all of it for a few days, add in something that is 100% not sharp, like a cup or something to hide in. MOnitor what he does. Tailbiting is usualy little "U" shapes from the fins, not often will a tail biter bite his rays- usually just the webbing in between.


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> Remove all of it for a few days, add in something that is 100% not sharp, like a cup or something to hide in. MOnitor what he does. Tailbiting is usualy little "U" shapes from the fins, not often will a tail biter bite his rays- usually just the webbing in between.


ty very much, i'll use the original ones that came with the .5 gal, they're much smoother. he was a bit skitish when i came home today but i fasted him yesterday. after feeding he seems less agitated i hope. should i add in green decaf (or AQ salt?) and put him in the .5 gal for the time being? i'll do it in 30 min or so, got stuff to do atm. the caudal doesnt have any black on tit so looks like no fin rot just yet *crosses fingers*


----------



## bahamut285

Lion Mom said:


> If you have any potted plants, you could bury him in the pot.


Yeah, thought of that too...no potted plants X_X...my mum is allergic to almost everything so if I get a potted plant, she can't and won't visit  XD

I've decided to attempt to find a veterinarian who will cremate him. Right now he's wrapped in a bunch of paper towels and in the freezer


----------



## PewPewPew

nel3 said:


> ty very much, i'll use the original ones that came with the .5 gal, they're much smoother. he was a bit skitish when i came home today but i fasted him yesterday. after feeding he seems less agitated i hope. should i add in green decaf (or AQ salt?) and put him in the .5 gal for the time being? i'll do it in 30 min or so, got stuff to do atm. the caudal doesnt have any black on tit so looks like no fin rot just yet *crosses fingers*


Add in 1tsp/gallon and put him in the .5 only if you can properly heat it


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> Add in 1tsp/gallon and put him in the .5 only if you can properly heat it


thank you PewPewPew, the tank will probably stay around 24-26 celsius in the location i usually put it in. dropped by the LPS and got a box of AQ salt (430g box) and the same coated and smooth gravel the .5 gal came with (2 kg bag for the 1gal tank.) can plastic plants be made safe if i take the sharp edges off them with scissors?


----------



## bahamut285

I know this is wrong website/wrong species but just wanted to confirm with others.....

*Query:* Appropriate sized tank for two comet goldfish? I know they are pond fish and should be in a 200Gal pond but....

I want to start budgeting to get a bigger tank for Nigel and Dea as soon as I can, because I know big tanks are kind of expensive, so I'll need more time to budget. By minimum size I mainly mean affordable, lol...I definitely cannot just randomly move a bajillion gallon tank into my apartment or even future home without serious consideration.

I think my aunt has a 30-50G tank lying around with a stand and everything (I don't remember exact size), I would love to take it *RIGHT NOW* but I think my building would collapse under the weight , LOL

GAH I hate seeing empty tanks, I just wanna put a fish in it XD *shot*


----------



## Neil D

I think that a 160 G would be fantastic!! But a 100G would be more feasible.


----------



## bahamut285

@Neil: Ahh yeah that would be so nice!~

OK SOMETHING BETTA RELATED
*Query:* I think my bettas are bored? They have a lot of deco/plants and I let them flare at themselves (Lin too) in the mirror for about 10 minutes (30 sec flare, 1 minute no flare) everyday for exercise.

Yet all they do is "pace" the front pane of the tank, even though I pay a lot of attention to them. Is it just my betta or does everybody else experience this @[email protected]?


----------



## Neil D

Sometimes my guys like to do this... But not much...

Put your finger on the surface of the water and let him/her chase it.


----------



## nel3

the tank doesnt drop any lower tha 24 celsius with AQ salt in it and its caudal seems worse off since it went in less that 24hrs ago. does think tend to happen alot b4 it gets better? looked closer at the tail and looks more like a torn tail and maybe some bitting (straight V cuts) removed the plastic plants
the pics of it yesterday b4 the AQ, the pic quality is not the vest camera (dont think it has macro setting) and the fish was moving around toomuch to catch a better pic.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## masshiimarro

umm... my pk betta has one gill cover that seems like hes... popped? kinda like how the umbrella pops ovr to the other side when the wind is really strong.. hes been flaring a lot recently, so i wonder if hes overdone it somehow.. now the cover doesnt flatten as it should, and it kinda sticks out.. hes active as usual, and eats like a pig.


----------



## Betty

Omg never been so angry or sad in my entire life!I just went into pets at home and saw a couple of bettas-the best coloured one was a marble, he had red inflamed gills and spots all over him, he was dying!he was in a tank with fin nippers too!!!I sat there for 15 mins and watched him die right in front of me  on the up side they have a ton of female combtails!!!gonna go back and buy them at the weekend!


----------



## roarsirroar

so i just bought this API stress coat+ conditioner and i treat my water in these 2 gallon buckets. it says 5ml for every 10 gallons...which means for 5 gallons it is 2.5 ml. and from there i'm lost. so how much conditioner do i use for 2 gallons? sorry, i suck at math


----------



## bahamut285

roarsirroar said:


> so i just bought this API stress coat+ conditioner and i treat my water in these 2 gallon buckets. it says 5ml for every 10 gallons...which means for 5 gallons it is 2.5 ml. and from there i'm lost. so how much conditioner do i use for 2 gallons? sorry, i suck at math


1mL....lol...2 gallons out of 10 gallons is 1/5 so just divide 5 ml by 5

Or just use a ratio:

5ml/10G = xmL/2G and solve for x


----------



## roarsirroar

bahamut285 said:


> 1mL....lol...2 gallons out of 10 gallons is 1/5 so just divide 5 ml by 5
> 
> Or just use a ratio:
> 
> 5ml/10G = xmL/2G and solve for x


oh yeah right....sorry i'm not that bright 

thanks!


----------



## bahamut285

*Query:* I have a question about my boy, Lelouch. His fins are evenly jagged (so I doubt fin rot of any kind, or biting). It looks similar to what a Half Sun looks like, but he has no rays. Maybe it is his genetics? Can a CTxVT cross do this? I'm just curious, here is a picture of his caudal, it's also the same on ALL of his fins:


----------



## bahamut285

roarsirroar said:


> oh yeah right....sorry i'm not that bright
> 
> thanks!


XD Don't worry about it, learn something new everyday


----------



## nel3

i have a question regarding AB sellers. the seller (embettafarm) that has the green marble DT said he'd ship it near the end of this past june. my best guess is the fish is 4 months old about now. i havent yet gotten a email on a confirmed shipping date and i paid for the fish (not yet for $5 shipping). im not worried yet that he'll try to rip me off. just how long past his first estimated shipping date should i wait to ask him for a shipping date? its almost a month since i won the AB bid but i know you cant separate a betta fry too fast from the spawn.


----------



## Neil D

@bahamut,

He looks fine. Not sure bout the genetics, but he looks amazing. Fins look normal...


----------



## Betty

@bahamut, most likely to be a CTxVT cross as both are dominant genes meaning they both have to come out in some way when you breed them!
lucky person!


----------



## bahamut285

@Neil, Betty: Ah that's a relief, I thought I was experiencing some sort of synchronized fin rot XD!!!!!!


----------



## Neil D

Lol! That would suck....


----------



## strangegoose

Hi new to bettas, got my red vt 3 months ago. I am wary of over feeding him , dont want him to bloat. Should he still be hungry after 2 pellets in the morning and 2 in the afternoon ? Do i need to feed him a bit more ,or are they always hungry ?


----------



## strangegoose

also if i wanted to give him some water fleas or mosqitoe larvae how many should he have ?


----------



## bahamut285

strangegoose said:


> Hi new to bettas, got my red vt 3 months ago. I am wary of over feeding him , dont want him to bloat. Should he still be hungry after 2 pellets in the morning and 2 in the afternoon ? Do i need to feed him a bit more ,or are they always hungry ?


Hello Goose, welcome to the forum! The majority of fish are what we call "opportunistic eaters" meaning they eat everything they can when available, so your fish would eat EVERYTHING you put in the tank. Most betta are different depending on how good their digestive system is, and also how large they are.

*A good rule of thumb is that their stomach is about the size of their eye *...my smaller guy only gets one pellet in the morning and one at night, while my larger female gets 2 in the morning and 2 at night.


----------



## strangegoose

i think Jim is a pig, and would try and eat anything i put in the tank with him.

I think i will feed him a bit less. I dont know how old he is, fish shop didnt know. He seems fairly mature.

Is there away of telling how old they are by their size ? Or does that just depend on genetics ?

I am very happy i found this forum  I can see me ending up with a lot of tanks !!!! 

I used to think bettas just sort of moped around not really swimming about , only ever having seen them in tiny tanks. I have always kept fancy goldfish.

Jim is so lively, i am so glad i bought him home.


----------



## strangegoose

I live in the UK and know if i saw the bettas in those little cups they sell them in usa here, i would want to save them all !


----------



## Neil D

Yeah, bettas can change when their in a good enviroment. Age will usually be 1 yr about at petstores, because thats when their fins are the best.


----------



## Shimizoki

I know its variable... but If I am using the fish in method of cycling the tank (12 neon tetras) how long should it take (on average)? Its a 45 Gal tank. I know without my differences it can take from a week to a month...

Things that should make a difference:
I have a fair amount of real plants in it (6ish elodea vines, sword, small java fern, some other plant that starts with a W)
I have moved over some rocks from an already established tank.

Next question, If I have 2 filters in this tank running... can I then move an established filter to a new tank and it already be cycled?


----------



## Lion Mom

"Next question, If I have 2 filters in this tank running... can I then move an established filter to a new tank and it already be cycled?"

IME, yes - that is how I do it when I set up a new tank. I have a 75 gal. cichlid tank with two large power filters on it. The filters are STUFFED with extra sponges/media so I just take from there when setting a new one up.


----------



## bahamut285

*Queries:* Are tannins used strictly for medicinal reasons? Or can I just dump a bag of *decaf green tea* in my tank for everyday living purposes?

I change my 5 Gal tanks once a week around 50-60%. Would it be ok if I put in a bag every other week? Or is it only for when they are sick and in QT?

Will the tea stain anything? (i.e. the sides of the glass, deco, gravel, etc.)


----------



## Wyvern

I keep my tanks lightly stained - my boys prefer it that way - less tailbiting actually. 

I havent seen any staining so far and I have white gravel in the tank.


----------



## Shimizoki

Thanks Lion Mom:
My first question was missed, maybe I'll reword it.
I am using the fish in method of cycling the tank (12 neon tetras).

Would adding lots of plants speed up, slow down the cycling process in a 45gal tank? By how much? (a lot? a little?)


----------



## Lion Mom

Shimizoki said:


> Thanks Lion Mom:
> My first question was missed, maybe I'll reword it.
> I am using the fish in method of cycling the tank (12 neon tetras).
> 
> Would adding lots of plants speed up, slow down the cycling process in a 45gal tank? By how much? (a lot? a little?)


I didn't answer that part because I don't know. Sorry! :-(


----------



## Shimizoki

its fine, I just didn't that question to be missed behind a wall of other peoples questions.


----------



## Neil D

How to prep a coconut for a fish tank?


----------



## nel3

how long does a betta need to stay in fresh water after swimming in AQ slt for 7 days before even going back to AQ (in case of emergencies)?


----------



## Neil D

A few months I'm sure. Unless a disease occurs.

I got some slate for my tank from my LFS. It's soaking in hot water till tomorrow. Then I'm gonna silicone it into a neat little sculpture. Is it safe? The LFS guy said it was.


----------



## nel3

thank you Neil D, i guess i'll have to use ial/green decaf for further calming effects.

are IAL the only leaves you can put in a betta's tank or are most leaves safe to put in?


----------



## Neil D

I'm not sure. Make a new thread, it seems a bit more interesting.

My question again: I got some slate for my tank from my LFS. It's soaking in hot water till tomorrow. Then I'm gonna silicone it into a neat little sculpture. Is it safe? The LFS guy said it was.


----------



## Lion Mom

Yes, slate is safe. I have it in a number of my tanks - betta tanks included.


----------



## Neil D

Yay! How long do you have to let AQ silicone dry on slate? Does it _have_ to be 48hrs?


----------



## Lion Mom

Neil D said:


> Yay! How long do you have to let AQ silicone dry on slate? Does it _have_ to be 48hrs?


That I don't know since I have never used it. It SHOULD tell you how long it has to cure on the tube.


----------



## Neil D

It does. But theyre instructions are based on the assumption it'll be used for a leak in a glass tank. I'm just using it for slate, so it won't hold all that water pressure.


----------



## Lion Mom

I know you are excited & anxious, but I would still let it sit for the time they tell you to. Better safe than sorry!!!


----------



## Neil D

I guess...


----------



## bahamut285

nel3 said:


> thank you Neil D, i guess i'll have to use ial/green decaf for further calming effects.
> 
> are IAL the only leaves you can put in a betta's tank or are most leaves safe to put in?


I heard you can get dried oak leaves during the fall when oak trees shed, but don't quote me on it

@Wyvern: ok thanks~!


----------



## nel3

ty Bahamut. is it just the natural genetics of other trees to different when you try maple leaves or any other leave for a betta?


----------



## Aluyasha

For the past two weeks I have noticed a weird, what looks like smiley strings of spit, floating around Abacus' tank. They are floating losely and also stuck on the plants and gravel.
This is my first tank without a filter. And the plants are fake.
I have tried and tried but I cannot seem to get rid of the slime strings.
What are they and how do I get rid of them?


----------



## Shimizoki

smile strings? I think a pic would help in this case if you can.


----------



## Aluyasha

What sucks is I cannot seem to get any decent photos of it. You can see it well in person but they disappear in pictures.


----------



## Neil D

I had that too! I think it comes from still water...how big is your tank? How many water changes weekly?


----------



## nel3

i have a question about wild bettas and the other colours. the wild betta colours are more natural camoflage for obvious reasons. my question is how many of these blue, red, yellow etc colored bettas occur in the wild? i can imagine such colours are natural if they were coral dwelling fish but they're freshwater fish. im guessing most are bred for specific colours.


----------



## Neil D

Yes they are. An orange-ish yellow fish could be understandable, due to reeds and whatnot...


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> Yes they are. An orange-ish yellow fish could be understandable, due to reeds and whatnot...


thank you Neil. im guessing marbles are also in the same group as orange/yellow because the dark patterms.


----------



## PewPewPew

Theyre bred exclusively for color. Some of the other breeds of wild bettas (there are many, the term "betta" is misleading) have more adventurous colors like speckles of reds and can be light bodied, but as per bettas that we know, their wild ancestors are exclusively that blackish-blue-red-green color mix, normally.


----------



## Shimizoki

I was talking to another member who looked at this image and 2 seconds later said he looked like he just came out of a serious illness... Since I got him not long ago can anyone confirm this and advise treatment? I have oak tannin + 1 tsp of epsom salt already mixing in a gallon jug if thats what is needed.

If it makes a difference I also mentioned that he is quite docile and doesn't really like to flare, even when provoked with mirrors or sticks.


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> Theyre bred exclusively for color. Some of the other breeds of wild bettas (there are many, the term "betta" is misleading) have more adventurous colors like speckles of reds and can be light bodied, but as per bettas that we know, their wild ancestors are exclusively that blackish-blue-red-green color mix, normally.


thank you, is the marbling in the coloured bettas part of their wild heritage?


----------



## copperarabian

Is Glorfindel considered a OHM? I took this photo last week and it really looks like one, but that would make 3 OHM's from Petco and aren't they supposed to be a little hard to find at places like that?


----------



## nel3

my fish has been in AQ salt for a week and its caudal fin has started to tear between the the spines near the base of the tail (3 new tears). the rocks arent cutting it and no plants. should i put it back into the normal water without AQ? the fin was better. 7 days in AQ salt .5 gal and 100WC.


----------



## Neil D

Copperarabian, I think he may just be a HM, not sure...

Nel3, what was the reason he was in the AQ salt treatment anyways?

Simizoki, he looks fine to me! But ask around more...


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> Copperarabian, I think he may just be a HM, not sure...
> 
> Nel3, what was the reason he was in the AQ salt treatment anyways?
> 
> Simizoki, he looks fine to me! But ask around more...


the reason was cut edges on the caudal tail. dont care what my parents say. im going to get a heater for the betta. found the water temp at 22. the .5 gal want too bad before staying at 25C, damn AC. please dont hang me for this, i was going to buy a heater for my fish before winter starts and no heater during summer but thats out the window now. are there any good heaters fora 1gal tank and 2.5g that are reliable? walmart has the unadjustble tetras, lowest watt 100 2-15g. should i to stop the AQ salt now ?


----------



## Neil D

I dont know about the AQ salts. But somepeople put in 25W heaters for a 2.5G. But people recommend the hydor heaters for small tanks.


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> I dont know about the AQ salts. But somepeople put in 25W heaters for a 2.5G. But people recommend the hydor heaters for small tanks.


thank you, i'll look around for that one. i was going to accept tetra brand before i heard its issues to cook fish. amazon has them for $18 and free Super Saver Shipping for +$25 orders. how much can they go for in the stores/LFS? ive found a 10w at Petco, dont remember the brand.

im going to stop the AQ treatment. hopefully clean freshwater will help him heal.


----------



## Aluyasha

Neil D said:


> I had that too! I think it comes from still water...how big is your tank? How many water changes weekly?


 He is in a 1.5 gallon. I clean it twice a week. (one a water change and the other I use a siphon.)


----------



## Neil D

Oh then I doont know...tear it down and use new gravel?


----------



## Aluyasha

I will try that. Thanks.


----------



## bahamut285

Shimizoki said:


> even when provoked with mirrors or sticks.





Shimizoki said:


> or sticks.





Shimizoki said:


> *sticks.*


I...WHAT? XD? You provoke your fish with sticks? XDDDDD


----------



## Neil D

Some fish flare at things like that. My betta max flares at my finger


----------



## Lion Mom

Neil D said:


> I dont know about the AQ salts. But somepeople put in 25W heaters for a 2.5G. But people recommend the hydor heaters for small tanks.


Personally, I have never had any trouble putting a 25 watt submersible, adjustable heater in 1.75 gals. You just have to tinker with it for a bit till you get it set at the temp you want. :-D


----------



## Shimizoki

bahamut285 said:


> I...WHAT? XD? You provoke your fish with sticks? XDDDDD


heh, I lol'd. Yea, I was told if the mirror trick wont get him to flare I should put the mirror in front of him then lightly tap his tail with a stick. He will think the other betta (the reflection) is attacking him and flare in response. It's not like I pulled him out of the tank and beat him into submission


----------



## nel3

Lion Mom said:


> Personally, I have never had any trouble putting a 25 watt submersible, adjustable heater in 1.75 gals. You just have to tinker with it for a bit till you get it set at the temp you want. :-D


found a hydor 25W heater for $30 in a LPS, didnt get it yet as i dont know if its a bit over priced. is it worth it if i pay an extra $10 locally (or $60+ for 2 locally) or pay $40 for 2 of them online so i can also put it in the 2.5g? purchased a silk plant while at the LPS, its almost the same fake plants my mom has put in various locations in the house for decorations.


----------



## Lion Mom

nel3 said:


> found a hydor 25W heater for $30 in a LPS, didnt get it yet as i dont know if its a bit over priced. is it worth it if i pay an extra $10 locally (or $60+ for 2 locally) or pay $40 for 2 of them online so i can also put it in the 2.5g? purchased a silk plant while at the LPS, its almost the same fake plants my mom has put in various locations in the house for decorations.


I would get two of the Elite Mini 25 watt heaters off Amazon - $30.06 for both and FREE shipping!!!! Yes, I have a few of these heaters & they work well.

http://www.amazon.com/Elite-Submers...X8QG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310501143&sr=8-1

Better hurry, though, there are only 3 left!!! :shock:


----------



## PewPewPew

Shimizoki said:


> It's not like I pulled him out of the tank and beat him into submission


What?

Am I the only one who does that?



LAWL


----------



## Lion Mom

PewPewPew said:


> What?
> 
> Am I the only one who does that?
> 
> 
> 
> LAWL


Probably!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## nel3

Lion Mom said:


> I would get two of the Elite Mini 25 watt heaters off Amazon - $30.06 for both and FREE shipping!!!! Yes, I have a few of these heaters & they work well.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Elite-Submers...X8QG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310501143&sr=8-1
> 
> Better hurry, though, there are only 3 left!!! :shock:


thank you, saw those at LPS probably $30 or more for each.


----------



## Lion Mom

nel3 said:


> found a hydor 25W heater for $30 in a LPS, didnt get it yet as i dont know if its a bit over priced. is it worth it if i pay an extra $10 locally (or $60+ for 2 locally) or pay $40 for 2 of them online so i can also put it in the 2.5g? purchased a silk plant while at the LPS, its almost the same fake plants my mom has put in various locations in the house for decorations.


nel, don't know if you got my pm's to you or not, but thought I would post this here for both you and the other Canadian posters on the forum. 

Home page of a Canadian mail order place:

http://www.petsandponds.com/en/index.html

The 25 watt Elite Mini Heater:

http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c5810/c274926/p16745029.html


----------



## nel3

thank you lion mom, i made it in time for the amazon.com sale and one more person ordered the last one soon after.


----------



## CitrusKnight

So I've got a few quick questions.
One: What is something somewhat cheap that's good for checking Ammonia levels?
Two: Where can I buy those suction cup Thermometers I've been reading about online
Three: How many companion fish are acceptable for a 5 gallon tank?


----------



## Shimizoki

1) ammonia test kit - 10-15 dollars
2) pestsmart, petco, petsupermarket, any fish shop
3) none.


----------



## CitrusKnight

Okay :3 Thank you very much ~ Now I know not to get any companion fish like I was thinking about earlier.


----------



## Shimizoki

you might be able to get him a snail. its just that most fish are schooling and you cant get just one. its advised to have a 10 gal for companion fish.


----------



## nel3

is it worth it putting live plants in a 2.5gal tank? im new to fish so should i leave live plants for later on?


----------



## Neil D

You could put some low light plants like java moss in there.


----------



## Lion Mom

nel3 said:


> is it worth it putting live plants in a 2.5gal tank? im new to fish so should i leave live plants for later on?


IMO - ABSOLUTELY YES!!!! Maybe not rooted plants, but things like java fern, moss and anubius. I have those even in my 2 gal. drum bowls. :-D


----------



## nel3

which are those clover-like patties with short brown roots that float on to of the water? have those at the LPS, i like how they float on top of the water. they dont seem to grow tall but i dont know about spreading as they grow. i do prefer plants that would float rather than root to the substrate to make tank cleaning easier. i guess they add tannins to the water also.


----------



## CitrusKnight

I need a little help. I just bought a Submersible Heater of Tetra to go with my 5 gallon tank and it says there's suppose to be a red light that shows me when it's on, but I can never seem to see it even though I've been glancing at it since I put it in for a while now. And the water still seems rather cold. Is it broken and should I return it? Or am I doing something wrong?


----------



## trono

nel3 said:


> which are those clover-like patties with short brown roots that float on to of the water? have those at the LPS, i like how they float on top of the water. they dont seem to grow tall but i dont know about spreading as they grow. i do prefer plants that would float rather than root to the substrate to make tank cleaning easier. i guess they add tannins to the water also.


Sounds like duck weed.


----------



## Neil D

CitrusKnight said:


> I need a little help. I just bought a Submersible Heater of Tetra to go with my 5 gallon tank and it says there's suppose to be a red light that shows me when it's on, but I can never seem to see it even though I've been glancing at it since I put it in for a while now. And the water still seems rather cold. Is it broken and should I return it? Or am I doing something wrong?


if you've checked with a thermometer, then it is broken. Tetra heaters aren't very reliable. Go with Aqueon.


----------



## CitrusKnight

Yeah, my only problem is I don't have a thermometer. But I just got my paycheck, so I'm hoping to go out and buy one soon.
MORE TRIPS TO WALMART. WOOHOO.


----------



## Pataflafla

What's the dosing for green tea in a betta tank to be used in place of oak leaves? I have decaf green tea/white tea. It is unsweetened. I plan to use in a quarter gallon hospital tank.


----------



## PewPewPew

CitrusKnight said:


> Yeah, my only problem is I don't have a thermometer. But I just got my paycheck, so I'm hoping to go out and buy one soon.
> MORE TRIPS TO WALMART. WOOHOO.


Just return it. Those heaters are absolutley awful, they really are. Youre lucky if it keeps that tank above 72'F.

Get a thermometer when you return it.



Pataflafla said:


> What's the dosing for green tea in a betta tank to be used in place of oak leaves? I have decaf green tea/white tea. It is unsweetened. I plan to use in a quarter gallon hospital tank.


Decaf green tea should be presoaked in tank water or warm/hot dechlorinated water for long enough to get the water dark. Allow it to cool if its hot (to steep) and add into the tank bit by bit until its a light brown color. It may darken more after a time, so wait 10 minutes before each shot of it to see its true color.

The green tea is mostly to darken the water, it doesnt carry as great of medicinal benefits as does IAL or oak leaves. Still treat with an appropriate treatment for whatever ails the fish, dont rely on the tea to heal it.


----------



## Pataflafla

PewPewPew said:


> Decaf green tea should be presoaked in tank water or warm/hot dechlorinated water for long enough to get the water dark. Allow it to cool if its hot (to steep) and add into the tank bit by bit until its a light brown color. It may darken more after a time, so wait 10 minutes before each shot of it to see its true color.
> 
> The green tea is mostly to darken the water, it doesnt carry as great of medicinal benefits as does IAL or oak leaves. Still treat with an appropriate treatment for whatever ails the fish, dont rely on the tea to heal it.


I wasn't planning using only that to heal my betta, but even the littlest bit helps and he's in need of it. He'll be getting some stress coat, aquarium or epsom salt, and possibly more parasite treatment with the next water change, but I wanted to try a day of just gentle treatment since he's been on rigorous treatments of salts and parasite medications for the last few days since his pet store condition was near death. So far it looks like parasites are gone, but he needs low stress and to gain weight.

Thank you very much. Wanted to know before I put anything in the tank with him.


----------



## PewPewPew

Pataflafla said:


> I wasn't planning using only that to heal my betta, but even the littlest bit helps and he's in need of it. He'll be getting some stress coat, aquarium or epsom salt, and possibly more parasite treatment with the next water change, but I wanted to try a day of just gentle treatment since he's been on rigorous treatments of salts and parasite medications for the last few days since his pet store condition was near death. So far it looks like parasites are gone, but he needs low stress and to gain weight.
> 
> Thank you very much. Wanted to know before I put anything in the tank with him.


 
No problem, just making sure.

Be careful about using so many unnatural treatments at one time. To be honest, if youre using parasite treatments, you dont need the salt. One or the other to avoid toxicity. Good luck with your fish. <3


----------



## nel3

trono said:


> Sounds like duck weed.


thank you, which is the plant that resembles a spider plant that floats in the middle of the tank. i saw this in the other LPS but they didn't sell live plants.


----------



## Pataflafla

PewPewPew said:


> No problem, just making sure.
> 
> Be careful about using so many unnatural treatments at one time. To be honest, if youre using parasite treatments, you dont need the salt. One or the other to avoid toxicity. Good luck with your fish. <3


He's off parasite treatment for now to see if it has done it's job and gotten rid of them. He's not getting any more of it for a few days at least. And will probably be on a low dose of epsom salt to help get him back on track as far as passing poop since I don't think he was ever fed since being shipped to Petsmart. I have literally never seen a fish so thin, and I've been dealing with my sister buying bettas in horrible conditions left and right. Her first two were thin, but this new one seems to make them look like they were healthy.


----------



## PewPewPew

nel3 said:


> thank you, which is the plant that resembles a spider plant that floats in the middle of the tank. i saw this in the other LPS but they didn't sell live plants.


Water sprite?


----------



## nel3

thank you, thats a nice plant but sorry its not the one. i'll drop by the LPS take a pic of it if its there. it was free floating with 3-4 long thin leaves. its more in the catergory of duckweed where the roots never settle in the substrate.


----------



## Shimizoki

There are several different types of frogs you can put in with your bettas... any of them particularly good tank mates? particularly bad?

I've seen ADFs mentioned a lot. At my LFS there were albino clawed frogs which looked pretty spiffy.

Also what do you think about waterdogs?


----------



## trono

Shimizoki said:


> There are several different types of frogs you can put in with your bettas... any of them particularly good tank mates? particularly bad?
> 
> I've seen ADFs mentioned a lot. At my LFS there were albino clawed frogs which looked pretty spiffy.
> 
> Also what do you think about waterdogs?


Clawed frogs *bad*!

Dwarf frogs *good*!


----------



## Shimizoki

Trono, whats the problem with clawed frogs? are they aggressive?


----------



## roarsirroar

how long does it take for anubias/java fern to attach to fake driftwood?
i know it takes longer than real driftwood...but by how much?


----------



## nel3

i have a silk plant that has some thin fake baby plastic leaves. will the betta try to eat the small plastic leaves or will i have to cut them off to avoid it? i dont mind it nibbling on the thin plastic leaves but im afraid they might break off and block/damage the betta's stomach.


----------



## Neil D

*him

Bettas don't generally even _look_ at plants as a food source. It should be okay to put them in his tank, as long as they don't rip fins


----------



## PewPewPew

roarsirroar said:


> how long does it take for anubias/java fern to attach to fake driftwood?
> i know it takes longer than real driftwood...but by how much?


It depends on the plant. Sometimes, my plants attach within only a few weeks.

Some of my anubias havent even in months.

While you wait, use either a dark colored thread or fishing line to tie it down.


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> *him
> 
> Bettas don't generally even _look_ at plants as a food source. It should be okay to put them in his tank, as long as they don't rip fins


ty, i can use them as a small homemade bush now. had to cut them off and 3 leaves. it was getting too crowded upstairs and he was having a hard time swimming through. i plan to get the exact same silk plant for the 2.5gal with same leaf cuttings for 2 extra bushes in the tank. 

wheres the best place to get aquarium safe glue and does it melt plastic? i plan to find a material to make a setting foot to keep it grounded and using a section of the hard plastic trays that come in plastic model kits. i have have those in abundance. if AQ safe glue does melt that plastic then i can make a plant footing out of it also.


----------



## Sakura8

Quick question: New boy came from LFS so he won't eat pellets. Is it okay to feed him frozen bloodworms as his staple diet? He even spits out the smallest pellet I have.


----------



## PewPewPew

Go for it, if youre willing, and he'll eat them, why not?

You could also wait until he's well and hungry after a few days and try again.


----------



## trono

Shimizoki said:


> Trono, whats the problem with clawed frogs? are they aggressive?


Yeah I should've clarified. They get big and will eat whatever will fit in its mouth.


----------



## bahamut285

Hey guys, I have those annoying microscopic white worms in my tank. I heard it's because the tank is healthy but it looks............gross. 

I haven't added anything new to it except a green tea bag, could eggs have been in it (eww?)

How do I get rid of them...giant waterchange? It's my split 5 gal and I don't want to take it all apart after spending HOURS getting the divider settled in and decorating :/


----------



## PewPewPew

bahamut285 said:


> Hey guys, I have those annoying microscopic white worms in my tank. I heard it's because the tank is healthy but it looks............gross.
> 
> I haven't added anything new to it except a green tea bag, could eggs have been in it (eww?)
> 
> How do I get rid of them...giant waterchange? It's my split 5 gal and I don't want to take it all apart after spending HOURS getting the divider settled in and decorating :/


LAWL SAME PRAHBLEM

:B

Nah, I doubt it.

I think all youve gotta do is lessen what you feed your fish a bit (even up the no noms days to 2, rather than 1) and do a bit more frequent SIPHONINGS (not WC) to get rid of em. They leik ur gravel.

So I hear you leik gravel.
Mudkips.
Leik mudkips
Meik Ludkips

B: <3


----------



## bahamut285

OMG MAH GRAVEL(LER)S.

FFFF I have no siphon DX!!! I said it before but my LPS only sells siphons for 10000000000G tanks, they can probably suck up my head lololol

I'll just kill them with fire 8D


----------



## Neil D

Sakura8 said:


> Quick question: New boy came from LFS so he won't eat pellets. Is it okay to feed him frozen bloodworms as his staple diet? He even spits out the smallest pellet I have.


Try soaking them in the BW "juice". My guy started eating them eventually. Now he eats them without the "juice." I wouldn't feed them it everyday, because theyre high in protein. My guy got bloat from eating too many Anyways, maybe feed him a variety of frozen/live foods.


----------



## CitrusKnight

ANOTHER QUESTION: So after work I'm probably going to go to my friends house and we're going to go to a pet store to buy some fish (probably petco since I'm close to getting a 5 dollar off discount). Anyone, it turns out I'll probably sleepover at her house tonight, so I'm going to need somewhere to put my betta fish until I go home tomorrow. (Probably not the best of ideas, but it's all I can do right now)
Is there anything cheap I can buy while at the petstore today that can temporarily house my betta fish?


----------



## Shimizoki

You could keep her in the cup you bought her in if its just one night... take the fish out and put it in a regular drinking glass and wash out the cup with a lid you bought it in. Then return the fish to its old clean cup. That would be the cheapest way to keep your fish for 1 night until you can get it home.


----------



## Neil D

Or just leave her/him in the cup?

And shimizoki, on the forum we refer to our bettas as "him" or "her". They DO have a gender. Justin Beiber is an "it". :-D


----------



## roarsirroar

PewPewPew said:


> It depends on the plant. Sometimes, my plants attach within only a few weeks.
> 
> Some of my anubias havent even in months.
> 
> While you wait, use either a dark colored thread or fishing line to tie it down.


 okay...cause it seems like my anubias is trying to avoid the ornament 
do the roots pull themselves toward the fake driftwood and attach? mine seem to be growing outward and away


----------



## Shimizoki

Neil D said:


> Or just leave her/him in the cup?
> 
> And shimizoki, on the forum we refer to our bettas as "him" or "her". They DO have a gender. Justin Beiber is an "it". :-D


yes, but a future betta is of an unknown gender, therefore I can't possibly refer to it as him or her and be justified in doing so. If it was specified that a male or female was going to be picked up then I would have spoken differently.
The fact that the OP used the term "my betta" several times implies that they are unsure as to the gender as well. To top it all off it is a pronoun, and it is grammatically justified to use it in this situation.

Definition of IT


----------



## Alienchick017

Is it safe for my betta to sleep touching the tank heater?
I figure he isn't getting hot enough to hurt him or he wouldn't do it but I just wanted to make sure.


----------



## masshiimarro

well.. i think bettas can distinguish whether its too hot for them or not to be next to a heater. i mean, they do know better... 

but anyways, does anyone know a safe way to remove gravel with snails in it? by saying safe i mean as in safe for the snails in it. i have ramshorn snails in my gravel, and id hate to kill them just becuase i changed my gravel..


----------



## Neil D

Shimizoki said:


> yes, but a future betta is of an unknown gender, therefore I can't possibly refer to it as him or her and be justified in doing so. If it was specified that a male or female was going to be picked up then I would have spoken differently.
> The fact that the OP used the term "my betta" several times implies that they are unsure as to the gender as well. To top it all off it is a pronoun, and it is grammatically justified to use it in this situation.
> 
> Definition of IT


I suppose, but you could say "him/her" or "betta". The link doesn't work. (you didnt laught at all at my Justin Beiber joke?) :-D


----------



## Shimizoki

Sorry about the definition link... I screwed up somewhere.
him/her and betta are both longer than it, that's why I chose not to use them.

*incoming potential flame fuel*
Until the fish is brought home and a bond is formed... to me its just a fish. I want to separate myself and not identify with it until I know it will survive. Using a term like "it" helps me to keep that distance. This is done to protect myself.

I've heard the Beiber joke so many times its rather old now... sorry.


----------



## bahamut285

Alienchick017 said:


> Is it safe for my betta to sleep touching the tank heater?
> I figure he isn't getting hot enough to hurt him or he wouldn't do it but I just wanted to make sure.


My betta's sleep on top of the heater/near the heater almost all the time. They sleep on top because it's somewhere for them to "sit" near the surface.

IMO it's fine. Do you have a thermometer in the tank? It should be as far away from the heater as possible to give accurate reading of the water temperature instead of assuming your heater is doing a good job XD


----------



## bahamut285

*Query:* I bought some "Flourish" plant food (liquid) from seachem for my water wisterias, is that okay? I don't know if it's some crazy hardcore plant food that will make my plants sentient or something XD


----------



## nel3

i fot 1 bunch of anacharis today, put most of it in the 2.5g and 1.5 stalks in the 1 gal. it works wonders to eat ammonia, removed .35ppm within a few hours. how often would i still need to change the water for the fish and the plants sake in the one gallon? do i stick with the 100 and 50 the other day or can i extend it to 2 full days between a 100wc?

shat options are there to make you own silk plants? more specifically i have the silk leaves and a possible substitute for a stem. the issue is a plant foot to bury it under the gravel. would lead eventually leach?


----------



## JKfish

Bahamut, if you dose correctly, it ought to be fine, I've heard a lot of great things about it. if necessary you can adjust how much you add. I am considering getting it, let me know how it goes~ 

Nel, the purpose of water changes is to keep the ppms of the ammonia and nitrites under .25 ppm at pretty much all times if possible, so if there is .25 or more, you'd still have to do the water changes. If not, continue monitoring the water quality until you can determine a new water change schedule. However, IMO, you should still do the water changes, they certainally can't hurt.


----------



## nel3

thank you Jkfish. i dont think i'll extend the wc schedule much on account of uneaten food and biological waste from the fish.


----------



## PewPewPew

roarsirroar said:


> okay...cause it seems like my anubias is trying to avoid the ornament
> do the roots pull themselves toward the fake driftwood and attach? mine seem to be growing outward and away


It'll send some out like that, yeah. Tame them with MOAR thread! lol! It will need time, but eventually, it will begin to stick.



masshiimarro said:


> well.. i think bettas can distinguish whether its too hot for them or not to be next to a heater. i mean, they do know better...
> 
> but anyways, does anyone know a safe way to remove gravel with snails in it? by saying safe i mean as in safe for the snails in it. i have ramshorn snails in my gravel, and id hate to kill them just becuase i changed my gravel..


Pick each one out, thats really the only way. If you can wait, put a piece of blanched cucumber or something in there and wait for them to get on it and remove them with it, like bait.



Shimizoki said:


> *incoming potential flame fuel*


TL;DR

Geez, guys, have your little war somewhere else... >_> 

No one's wrong when everyone's right. Now just answer questions, gogogo~


----------



## Neil D

Shimizoki said:


> Sorry about the definition link... I screwed up somewhere.
> him/her and betta are both longer than it, that's why I chose not to use them.
> 
> *incoming potential flame fuel*
> Until the fish is brought home and a bond is formed... to me its just a fish. I want to separate myself and not identify with it until I know it will survive. Using a term like "it" helps me to keep that distance. This is done to protect myself.
> 
> I've heard the Beiber joke so many times its rather old now... sorry.


I suppose. I wrote an article on my blog: http://careforbettas.wordpress.com/category/h-ethics/

Anyways... What's the best filter media?


----------



## JKfish

Well, it depends on what you want from it. If you want a cycled tank, then I honestly suggest getting sponge filter media. If you are going for an uncycled tank but want the added benifits of the filter, I'd just say get those carbon filter pads.

The pros of the carbon is that it helps maintain the water quality just a bit better until you have to do your water change, but the cons would be that you have to replace them every few weeks, and the costs add up.

the pros of the sponge media is that it does a good job both housing the benificial bacteria and you don't have to replace it. The cons are that once a month or so when you squeeze it out and swish it through the old tank water from a water change, there is a lot of gunk coming off of it, and it can be a bit messy.


----------



## Neil D

My tank is cycled, I change the media every 6 mo. It has carbon, but I'm trying something new....I hope it works...


----------



## PewPewPew

I'm cheap and dont replace my carbon filled cartridges. 

You can buy carbon (that black stuff) in petstores in a large amount for less than what a cartridge would be by far, and keep using it.

Buy a filter media bag (usually a buck or two) and fill it, and then add to that void all filters seem to have somewhere and replace when needed.

My boyfriend used his last cartridge so long it was literally busting out at the bottom like a butt XD


----------



## bettaloverforever16

Can Betta's eat Cucumbers?


----------



## Neil D

No. That question made me laugh from the sheer randomness! Bettas are 100% carnivorous. Meat ONLY, even though pellets arent 100%, still...


----------



## roarsirroar

PewPewPew said:


> It'll send some out like that, yeah. Tame them with MOAR thread! lol! It will need time, but eventually, it will begin to stick.


hahah ahh i see thank you! i hate to bother you but two new questions have hit me about my little anubias. (pictures included, woot!)

1) what is this on the roots? the little ball parts are quite hard. i am afraid to be agressive with it and pull it off cause i don't want to disrupt the latching roots .__.


















2) my leaves have changed color over two weeks...are they just aging? 
two weeks ago:








today:









i appreciate your help!<3


----------



## bettaloverforever16

Neil D said:


> No. That question made me laugh from the sheer randomness! Bettas are 100% carnivorous. Meat ONLY, even though pellets arent 100%, still...


 Yes, i'm not stupid XD


----------



## bahamut285

@JKFish: Thanks for answering! I'll definitely PM you the results XD


----------



## roarsirroar

ehhh nevermind about the second question...thats a bad photo. it not its deep green color anymore and it has changed tint, but that picture has bad lighting  (whoops!)


----------



## Neil D

bettaloverforever16 said:


> Yes, i'm not stupid XD


What? I responded to your question didn't I?  *mutters under breath*


----------



## nel3

what should i prepare to pick up my betta, its due to ship soon and its damn hot lately. i plan to go by public transport but yesterday the temperature were 33-38 celsius depending on humidity and mode of transportation (no AC on any public transport). i have a lunchbox/12 can container, i plan to put bags of cool water around the shipping bag. anything else that is useful to have on me when i bring it home?


----------



## PewPewPew

roarsirroar said:


> hahah ahh i see thank you! i hate to bother you but two new questions have hit me about my little anubias. (pictures included, woot!)
> 
> 1) what is this on the roots? the little ball parts are quite hard. i am afraid to be agressive with it and pull it off cause i don't want to disrupt the latching roots .__.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2) my leaves have changed color over two weeks...are they just aging?
> two weeks ago:
> 
> today:
> 
> 
> i appreciate your help!<3


I really dont know what that stuff is, actually. If it doesnt move and wont come off, I guess just dont mess around with it. If it begins to spread off the plan and onto things (minus what the plant is stuck to), dont worry about it. Probs just some strange anubias love goop and its trying to breed or ohgodIDK D;

The leaves of an anubias vary in color-- lighter leaves are from more light, and in low light, theyre very deep green  When they begin to get really pale and translucent, theyre getting too much light (very high light required) or theyve been injured, or the tank isnt clean enough to their liking. :B

And you is welcome. <3333



nel3 said:


> what should i prepare to pick up my betta, its due to ship soon and its damn hot lately. i plan to go by public transport but yesterday the temperature were 33-38 celsius depending on humidity and mode of transportation (no AC on any public transport). i have a lunchbox/12 can container, i plan to put bags of cool water around the shipping bag. anything else that is useful to have on me when i bring it home?


That sounds good. Keep a blanket or cloth in there to have the bags not contact the bag your fish is in, and allow it to sit in there a while. Keep a thermometer in there to monitor the temp  

When you take the fish out of its box, try and do so in a dark space (to avoid shock from being in dark transport)...perhaps ask a person at the mail center if you could go to a place that is darker, or if they can shut the lights off in an area for you. They might, if you explain the situation 
(mind, it doesnt need to be pitch black or anything, but darker is better)

And then when you get home, gently and slowly introduce the fish to the light while in a darker room, acclimate at least 30minutes, etcetcetc.

And man, that blows! Why no ac?! D:


----------



## JKfish

Nel, IMO, it might be safer for you to wait to unpack your fish until you get home. Breeders and transhippers are typically good about packing the fish in the boxes securely so there is minumum splashing. Just keep the box in the shade if possible.


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> That sounds good. Keep a blanket or cloth in there to have the bags not contact the bag your fish is in, and allow it to sit in there a while. Keep a thermometer in there to monitor the temp
> 
> When you take the fish out of its box, try and do so in a dark space (to avoid shock from being in dark transport)...perhaps ask a person at the mail center if you could go to a place that is darker, or if they can shut the lights off in an area for you. They might, if you explain the situation
> (mind, it doesnt need to be pitch black or anything, but darker is better)
> 
> And then when you get home, gently and slowly introduce the fish to the light while in a darker room, acclimate at least 30minutes, etcetcetc.
> 
> And man, that blows! Why no ac?! D:


thank you for the reply, would the thermometer i have in my 2.5g tank do? its going directly to the transhipper, he's dealt with bettas before so i dont have too many worries but i'll do so in a darker place. i guess its best to keep the bags empty before i pick it up. id think 20 celsius would do decently for the cooling bags. would it be a good idea if i ask for a cooling pack during shipping?

would the stopping of the metro car shake the fish too much? from 10-20km/hr??? to zero is 2 seconds and usually a bit jerky or is its still similar to the previous shipping movements? the city roads are pretty bad, bridges old and patched up 1 million times and the usual infrastructue deficiencies. public transport isnt that well funded and the A/C debate is only a year into the debate. before they didnt bother much to mention adding it.

@ jkfish: thank you, im not sure if the transhipper will open the box or not. not sure how the boxes are labels when they arrive. its not going directly to my house to avoid extra shipping costs, i just need to pay for public transport fees. if its label properly in the box i'll keep it in but i'll keep the 12 can cooler in hand if the box is opened. would it be possible if i ask the seller to put down my home address on the box also for better identification?


----------



## PewPewPew

Thats so odd.

I agree with JK, though, if you can manage it, keep the fish in the box...but if the ride is long enough, put the box in the cooler, too


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> Thats so odd.
> 
> I agree with JK, though, if you can manage it, keep the fish in the box...but if the ride is long enough, put the box in the cooler, too


i dont know how big the box is. the cooler is 7 3/4inches height, 5 inches wide at smallest and nearly 11 inches long. i do have other larger coolers but those really do like beer coolers. carrying what seems to be alcohol in a cooler on public transport puts me on edge if anyone wants to look inside to shock the fish. i'll try my best to keep the box unopened until im ready to open it.


----------



## JKfish

If it's just one fish, it should be a smaller sized box, and hopefully would fit in the cooler, if not, that's fine. Just hold your fish box to minimize the bumps. unless the ride is an hour or so, it should be okay. I don't know about in Canada, but down here in the states, a lot of the backs of mail trucks have no AC, and where I live, it can easily get around 35 degrees celcius this time of year. I know there is a transhipper who lives actually further down south than I am, and she manages to ship fish out during all times of the year without mishap.


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> If it's just one fish, it should be a smaller sized box, and hopefully would fit in the cooler, if not, that's fine. Just hold your fish box to minimize the bumps. unless the ride is an hour or so, it should be okay. I don't know about in Canada, but down here in the states, a lot of the backs of mail trucks have no AC, and where I live, it can easily get around 35 degrees celcius this time of year. I know there is a transhipper who lives actually further down south than I am, and she manages to ship fish out during all times of the year without mishap.


 
thank you, worst case scenario i put the betta bag in to the cooler (in a dark area)with cool water bags, towel and packing foam. so i dont need to have a cooler in the shipping box given the crazy heat?


----------



## JKfish

Well, if adding a cooling pack to the box is an option that your transhipper is giving you, I would go for it. It's crazy hot out, so it's probably a good idea.


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> Well, if adding a cooling pack to the box is an option that your transhipper is giving you, I would go for it. It's crazy hot out, so it's probably a good idea.


thank you i just sent a email asking for that option just now. i wouldn't want to receive a cooked fish after the money and time for it.


----------



## Squidmagician

What, other than fin rot, would cause my crowntail's fins to - for lack of a better word - break off? I noticed recently that part of his tail suddenly shorter than it was, and now it looks like the same thing is happening to his fins. My first thought, of course, was fin rot, but the tips of his fins don't look black at all. A few of them are curled a bit, but that's all. And he seems perfectly fine otherwise. 

Any idea what would cause this?


----------



## Shimizoki

He could be biting his fins, if they are curling it could also be a hint of poor water conditions.


----------



## Squidmagician

I wondered if he might be biting them. I've never noticed him doing so, but of course, I can't watch him 24/7. 

Hmm. The tank is 3 gallons, and I've been doing water changes twice a week - one 50% and one 100%. Perhaps I should do another 50% in between... 

It's funny. He seems happier than ever, wiggling up to greet me whenever I walk by. And he's even started building a bubble nest. But I just compared with some pictures I took when we first moved him to the new tank, and there's definitely been a big change in his fins... :\


----------



## Shimizoki

something else I didnt think about till now... There may be something rough, sharp, abrasive, etc in his tank. If his tail gets caught it could do damage. Pictures would help people smarter than myself.


----------



## Squidmagician

I thought about that too. There's one plastic plant I've been _slightly_ worried about, but I would think if he snagged a fin on it, it would have ripped it. There's no damage anywhere but the tips. And even they don't really look damaged, just... shorter. 

I'll try to get some pictures when I change his water today. Thanks for the suggestions!


----------



## PewPewPew

CT's rays do not curl because of poor water. The water can cause them to curl because of the hardness or ph (i forget which, lol)..If you dont want them to curl, use Indian almond leaves to change the pH. Its only for looks, though, and wouldnt break them off or anything.

It might be tailbiting. Remove anything that you're suspicious of. Do an extra bit of water changing for a while, to ward off infection. Your change schedule is fine the way it is for normal living.

CT's dont tailbite like other fish might...But it doesnt mean they cant, I guess.


----------



## nel3

is there a certain PH range for VTs? my betta has curled a pectoral and its not from any finrot or biting. i have 7.4 ph in the water, i have IAL teabags to lower the ph if needed.

sorry Pewpewpew, nevermind this post. i missed noticing the reply in CT tail care.


----------



## Squidmagician

PewPewPew said:


> CT's rays do not curl because of poor water. The water can cause them to curl because of the hardness or ph (i forget which, lol)..If you dont want them to curl, use Indian almond leaves to change the pH. Its only for looks, though, and wouldnt break them off or anything.
> 
> It might be tailbiting. Remove anything that you're suspicious of. Do an extra bit of water changing for a while, to ward off infection. Your change schedule is fine the way it is for normal living.
> 
> CT's dont tailbite like other fish might...But it doesnt mean they cant, I guess.


That's good to know.  I've been meaning to get a kit so I could test the ph and such anyway, so I'll definitely do that, and see if I can find some almond leaves.

I'll take out that one plant just to be sure, and do that extra water change for a bit. Is there anything else I can/should do to help his fins regrow? The water conditioner I'm using is also supposed to help repair fin damage, so should I just stick with that?

Thanks for your help!


----------



## nel3

does anyone have suggestions for hidey holes for a 2.5g tank? its 10 1/2 wide and 8.5' tall, 6-7' from front to back. i saw a t-rex skull that looks promising but its a bit course for its surface. theres also an aligator head which is much smoother. the tank theme is atlantis/ underwater ruins. saw collumn ruins wall (blue ribbon pet) but its 1 inch too long for the tank. there's a mayan jaguar mask but its also a bit coarse on the surface. the only thing from stopping me from getting a t-rex skull or mayan jaguar mask is the coarse surface. dont know if it'll damage betta fins/scales. the jaguar mask does have some rough edges for holes but i can fix that if needed.


----------



## PewPewPew

Squidmagician said:


> That's good to know.  I've been meaning to get a kit so I could test the ph and such anyway, so I'll definitely do that, and see if I can find some almond leaves.
> 
> I'll take out that one plant just to be sure, and do that extra water change for a bit. Is there anything else I can/should do to help his fins regrow? The water conditioner I'm using is also supposed to help repair fin damage, so should I just stick with that?
> 
> Thanks for your help!


It claims to? Huh. Whats it called?

For now, just make sure his tank is extra clean. Kick up an extra partial water change in the week for a week or so for good measure. If you see any redness, more fin loss, etc, begin treating with 1tsp/gallon of aquarium salt.



nel3 said:


> does anyone have suggestions for hidey holes for a 2.5g tank? its 10 1/2 wide and 8.5' tall, 6-7' from front to back. i saw a t-rex skull that looks promising but its a bit course for its surface. theres also an aligator head which is much smoother. the tank theme is atlantis/ underwater ruins. saw collumn ruins wall (blue ribbon pet) but its 1 inch too long for the tank. there's a mayan jaguar mask but its also a bit coarse on the surface. the only thing from stopping me from getting a t-rex skull or mayan jaguar mask is the coarse surface. dont know if it'll damage betta fins/scales. the jaguar mask does have some rough edges for holes but i can fix that if needed.


It probably wouldnt damage the scales, nah. If it hurts and for whatever reason they think "Hey, this looks good to grind my face on", theyd probably stop. 
What about these?
http://www.petco.com/product/10543/PETCO-Forgotten-Ruins-Aquarium-Ornaments.aspx


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> It probably wouldnt damage the scales, nah. If it hurts and for whatever reason they think "Hey, this looks good to grind my face on", theyd probably stop.
> What about these?
> http://www.petco.com/product/10543/PETCO-Forgotten-Ruins-Aquarium-Ornaments.aspx


thank you, i think i did see them in the lps i went to yesterday. dont remeber the price though. do you think a trex/crocodile skull would be out of place in that theme? i would to see it "eaten" once in a while. the trex is $7 and the croc is $15 but its a smooth ornament.

i have a gravel cleaning question also. whats the difference between a gravel cleaner (agitation type) and a gravel vac. i'll need one of then if i am to root some anacharis in the gravel.


----------



## PewPewPew

I use a siphon in my planted tanks. Gravel vacs (with the vacuum heads) are too wide and bonk into things, which gets annoying. With the siphon, I just pfwup, do what I need to, and its finished.

Ive never seen an agitation type... would you have a link to one? 

I dont think it would be too out of theme. Think of it less of atlantis or whatever, and maybe more of ancient ruins-- anything old goes! 

Both sound a decent price. I would pay over $20, IMO, but those are reasonable.


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> I use a siphon in my planted tanks. Gravel vacs (with the vacuum heads) are too wide and bonk into things, which gets annoying. With the siphon, I just pfwup, do what I need to, and its finished.
> 
> Ive never seen an agitation type... would you have a link to one?
> 
> I dont think it would be too out of theme. Think of it less of atlantis or whatever, and maybe more of ancient ruins-- anything old goes!
> 
> Both sound a decent price. I would pay over $20, IMO, but those are reasonable.


thank you, its a gravel siphon im talking about. wasnt too sure how it works. though it has a 1 way valve just before the hose that leads out of it.

i'll drop by the LPS again for those castles today.


----------



## Squidmagician

PewPewPew said:


> It claims to? Huh. Whats it called?
> 
> For now, just make sure his tank is extra clean. Kick up an extra partial water change in the week for a week or so for good measure. If you see any redness, more fin loss, etc, begin treating with 1tsp/gallon of aquarium salt.


It's called Start Right, and the brand is Jungle. I got it at Walmart. It has aloe, and it says it promotes healing of wounds and infections and "aids in replacing the natural mucous slime coating on the skin and fins..." 

I threw in an extra water change yesterday and took out the one slightly rough plant. I'll be sure to keep a close eye on him. Hopefully it won't get any worse... 

And just for the record, I have a thread with pictures here:
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=76153


----------



## VegaFrankieTwee

Every now and again my betta will have splits in its tail fin. Most heal realitively quickly but one has left a small hole behind. I have inspected the scenery in the tank thouroughly and shaved off all sharp areas. Anybody have any ideas?
My female has had this problem even before I put new fish in so I know its not caused by them. Also its been happening less since I got tank mates for her.


----------



## PewPewPew

Squidmagician said:


> It's called Start Right, and the brand is Jungle. I got it at Walmart. It has aloe, and it says it promotes healing of wounds and infections and "aids in replacing the natural mucous slime coating on the skin and fins..."
> 
> I threw in an extra water change yesterday and took out the one slightly rough plant. I'll be sure to keep a close eye on him. Hopefully it won't get any worse...
> 
> And just for the record, I have a thread with pictures here:
> http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=76153


I used to have start right. Aloe is more of a gimmick, as for what I believe and a number of other members think.. It really doesnt do that much.

It's not going to heal your fish, though. But all-in-all its a fair conditioner and its made my a good company. Jungle has fantastic medicines at good prices, the only issue is that they really do work-- theyre very strong! 

Your fish actually looks fine in my eyes.. I cant really tell where the issue is, even. I would say, considering that, just to have an extra water change for a few weeks and he'll be put right. If it gets way worse, then its an injury, rot or biting.


Btw, biting looks like little U shapes along the fins. You can see it on one of my fish's anal fin (he had it everywhere though), he was neurotic and chased it around all the time. 








This is from rot (advanced rot) on a healthy fish.. It ate away huge portions of fin. It doesnt always have to turn brown, but when you encounter rot, you can usually tell.










Good luck :<


----------



## Neil D

My DeT betta Josh is a tail biter-_-


----------



## nel3

i found a column ruins ornament for $9. its what i like but 2 of the holes are only half an inch. its enough for the betta to pass but its a tight fit? ATM i didnt get it for that reason. is it ok or should i go on the side of caution and avoid it?


----------



## Neil D

Sand it, or else I would avoid it.


----------



## nel3

thank you, i think i'll avoid it. sanding down would remove the esthetic appearance byt having 1/2 of the column's width missing. i think ill avoid the trex head also the teeth are sharp on the back edges in addition to the general surface. 

the nile crocodile looks promising its all smooth but the only part that fits my thumb is the back of the head and the openin of the mouth. any part halfway and closer to the jaw joint cant get a thumb thru. this is the 3 long model im talkint about.
http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com/shop/index.php?page=shop-flypage-24546

i got the jaguar mask ornament for my 1gal already its only the 2.5g. i did find some ruin buildings but they're more middle age that ancient ruins. im getting a bit annoyed. found the perfect ornament for $25 but its literally 1/2 inch too long for my 2.5g (even diagonally). is it possible to cut it into 2 peices without looking awkward/ugly?
http://www.fishtanksdirect.com/romancolumnruinswall.aspx

arm im looking at the stock pet smart may have in stock for something similar.


----------



## nel3

sorry for the double post but i think i found a solution. i dont like this 20 minute grace period to edit posts much but notging much i can do aside from sending a PM.

tank dimensions again are 10.5 inches long 8.5 inchs high and 5->6 inches front to back. i stick the temple ruins in the center of the tank which coincides with the backdrop (columns near the corners of pic) then i just plant my anacharis around the temple. dont tknow if it will be too crowded or nice like that. the temple ruin is 8.5inches high 5' front to back 4 1/2 width. might add a crocodiel head if its safe beside the temple. the heater will probably have to go somewhere in the corner opposite to my thermometer.

http://www.amazon.com/Exotic-Enviro...RA/ref=sr_1_26?ie=UTF8&qid=1311901405&sr=8-26


Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## Shimizoki

I know that it is generally advised to fast your fish one day a week... but what if the bettas are still small and growing? should they be fasted or loaded with food to help them grow?


----------



## Neil D

You don't have to fast. Feed young guys normally, or with bloodworms (frozen) for protein.


----------



## bettaloverforever16

How often do you gave to clean a 1.5 gallon tank?


----------



## PewPewPew

You dont have to fast them. I dont fast mine, but I also dont feed much food at once. I usually give my fish small, spaced out meals within a day. I give 3-4 micro pellets every 4-6 hours, generally speaking.

The fish might not grow that much, unless its a fry or juvenile.. if it is, the better way to get it to grow is through frequent water changes, as they produce something into the water that will keep them small.

Making sure, too, that there is at least 42% protein in the food will help make the fish healthy and strong.


----------



## PewPewPew

bettaloverforever16 said:


> How often do you gave to clean a 1.5 gallon tank?


At least one 50% and one 100% per week.

Some will say every 2 days, but I disagree. I had a 1.5 and tested the ammonia, and the 50/100 a week is fine.

Dont let it go over that, though.

Even if filtered, in such a small tank, I do 100% changes in the week, even though with a filter you dont need to.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

How do you make a lid for a tank? I found a tank (An 8 gallon!! So excited!!) but it doesn't have a top. I read somewhere (Which could easily have been on this site) that you can use plastic wrap with holes poked into it, is that a good one to make?


----------



## bettaloverforever16

Yeah, that'll work for a tank lid! Wsh I could get another tank XD


----------



## PewPewPew

You can also use craft mesh/canvas (plastic), cut to shape. If you use 3 at a time, it keeps some humidity in and doesnt make a huge temp loss.

Or, you can look for a plexiglass piece and have holes drilled into it, better yet holes and cut to size.

What type of tank is it? Can we get a picture? There might be suitable replacements.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

The craft mesh sounds like a good idea...do you just get it at..well..craft stores?

Sure, I'll get a pic of it! I don't think it has a type...maybe homemade? Let me go snap a pic real quick.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

Okay, I got them!

Lets see if it show up.... *Crosses fingers*

And they work!!

Sorry for the blurriness and biggieness! Its about 12 inches wide and a bit taller than that, and, erm, a little under 2 feet long.


----------



## PewPewPew

It looks like a standard 10 or 5 gallon... Measure the top and look for lids for 5's and 10's, they might fit 

And yep, craft stores. Michael's has it for only .50-.90 cents a pop. You'd probably need two side by side and then have to reinforce it to not droop, but meh.


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> At least one 50% and one 100% per week.
> 
> Some will say every 2 days, but I disagree. I had a 1.5 and tested the ammonia, and the 50/100 a week is fine.
> 
> Dont let it go over that, though.
> 
> Even if filtered, in such a small tank, I do 100% changes in the week, even though with a filter you dont need to.


ive done 1 50->75 and a 1 100 per every 4 days before (1g tank). i found that the ammonia does get to 1ppm by the end of the 4th day after a 50wc 2 days ago. will the sudden drop/change in ppm bother the betta? i usually dont like the ammonia going over 1 ppm.


----------



## PewPewPew

Ammonia shouldnt go over 1ppm. (deadly)

.5ppm is dangerous and stressful.

If ammonia is around, .25 but under .5 is best.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

PewPewPew said:


> It looks like a standard 10 or 5 gallon... Measure the top and look for lids for 5's and 10's, they might fit
> 
> And yep, craft stores. Michael's has it for only .50-.90 cents a pop. You'd probably need two side by side and then have to reinforce it to not droop, but meh.


Cool, I think I will certainly look into that!

Does anyone know if this is a good heater?: http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-M-50-Watt-Submersible-Heater/dp/B0027VMPXA/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top


----------



## Sakura8

Quick question: The tip of my thermometer broke as I was putting it in the tank and all the little ball bearings spilled out. I can't get them out, they're now kind of mixed in with the sand. Is it okay to leave those in there? I do have panda cory cats that will be rooting in the substrate. Help!


----------



## PewPewPew

Use a net to get the general area and then look for it :<

And I think those heaters arent bad. My bf uses an adjustable 25w marineland in his 10 (works in a 5 too) and we both love it.


----------



## copperarabian

How easily do the glass thermometers break? I put one in my cichlid tank and Malina dicided it's really fun to slam it against the glass as hard as she can, I think she likes the loud clicking it makes when she does this because she will stare intensely at it, swim around then come back over, stare, then do it again in an hour or so O.O She also enjoys spitting rocks at the glass when she's digging holes as I try to sleep lol


----------



## Lion Mom

copperarabian said:


> How easily do the glass thermometers break? I put one in my cichlid tank and Malina dicided it's really fun to slam it against the glass as hard as she can, I think she likes the loud clicking it makes when she does this because she will stare intensely at it, swim around then come back over, stare, then do it again in an hour or so O.O She also enjoys spitting rocks at the glass when she's digging holes as I try to sleep lol


LOL - that's a cichlid for ya! :-D

Honestly, I don't know if the little balls in the glass thermometers are toxic or not - I tend to think not, but????? 

I use a digital thermometer & just take it from tank to tank. Best thing I have gotten in AGES!!!!


----------



## fishcurl

Here's a quick question - can a 3 gallon tank with filter, heater, etc. etc, be cycled?

TIA


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> Ammonia shouldnt go over 1ppm. (deadly)
> 
> .5ppm is dangerous and stressful.
> 
> If ammonia is around, .25 but under .5 is best.


thank you, i'll stick to a 3 day WC cycle to start with the 2.5g. until further water testing is done.


----------



## PewPewPew

fishcurl said:


> Here's a quick question - can a 3 gallon tank with filter, heater, etc. etc, be cycled?
> 
> TIA


Yes! It may take a little longer, though. Bigger tanks cycle easier, and the closer to 2.5-2 gallons you go, the harder it gets.


----------



## Sakura8

Lion Mom said:


> LOL - that's a cichlid for ya! :-D
> 
> Honestly, I don't know if the little balls in the glass thermometers are toxic or not - I tend to think not, but?????
> 
> I use a digital thermometer & just take it from tank to tank. Best thing I have gotten in AGES!!!!


Thanks everyone, I'm going to hope they're not toxic (just like steel melted into little balls, right?) and put the cories in. And I gots to get me a digital thermometer too! Awesome idea. 

Copper, too funny about Malina, she's such a character. I don't know why it broke. I was pressing the suction cup when I realized all the ball bearings were on the bottom of the tank. Maybe mine was defective? If yours can withstand Malina, it should be fine.


----------



## bettaloverforever16

How do you get rud of extra misaquito larva you don't need?


----------



## copperarabian

bettaloverforever16 said:


> How do you get rud of extra misaquito larva you don't need?


Are they in a bucket/container outside? If they are you can just dump it out and they'll die.


----------



## bettaloverforever16

Ok, thanks!!


----------



## Hallyx

If those really are ball bearings, they are hardened carbon steel and will slowly rust. Is rust toxic? I'd get them out with a magnet.


----------



## Neil D

Rust is toxic, I believe. Move them.


----------



## nel3

is it OK to fully open a box containing a live betta from shipping within seconds in a very dark room just to check to see if its moving? if possible i'll do it, im a bit paranoid it might be DOA. i plan to acclimate him at home so waiting 30-40 minutes in a 30 celsius metro car with a betta that may or may not be alive is unnerving.


----------



## Neil D

I don't see the problem, but at least wait 10-20 min so the bag settles down, then do everything necessary in a dark room, but make sure you can see, don't want you (and more importantly, the fish ;-)) to fall/trip.


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> I don't see the problem, but at least wait 10-20 min so the bag settles down, then do everything necessary in a dark room, but make sure you can see, don't want you (and more importantly, the fish ;-)) to fall/trip.


thank you Neil, i'll bring along a flashlight that has nearly dead batteries to give a yellow light in case its too dark.


----------



## fishcurl

PewPewPew said:


> Yes! It may take a little longer, though. Bigger tanks cycle easier, and the closer to 2.5-2 gallons you go, the harder it gets.


Thank you! I was kinda hoping the answer was "no" because then I'd have a reason not to get more tanks :lol:


----------



## Sakura8

Neil D said:


> Rust is toxic, I believe. Move them.


Aaargh, I can't find them! They're roughly the same size as the grains of sand so a brine shrimp net doesn't work.

Edit: Never mind, I think the algae magnet got most if not all of them. Thank you everyone for your help.


----------



## JKfish

I looked into my prime bottle today when I was using it and I saw a whole bunch of little dark grey specks floating around and gathered on the sides....  Is this normal?


----------



## PewPewPew

Probably just the gunk that settles over time, yeah.

And fishcurl, we're enablers, you think you were gonna get a no?


----------



## bettaloverforever16

How do I put my new female betta in her tank? The opening of the tank is too small for me to float her. Thanks, and I need an answer quick.


----------



## PewPewPew

Put her in a plastic baggie and float her that way. If the opening is too small to do that, then you need a new tank.


----------



## bettaloverforever16

OK, I can do that.


----------



## PewPewPew

Sounds good!


----------



## bettaloverforever16

I'll post pics in a few mins! She's a vieltail betta I think.


----------



## Pataflafla

I know bettas like their food soaked in garlic, so I wanted to try it to get one of my females to eat some medicated parasite pellets (I'm assuming they don't taste great so she won't eat them) because she keeps having parasite poops despite the Jungle fizzy tabs.

I bought garlic powder today and was wondering if that was safe to use or if I should have gone for some fresh garlic. I know fresh is best, but I'm limited on funds as of right now.

The garlic powder, as with all of the others in the store, did not list any ingredients so I'm going to assume there isn't anything else in it other than garlic.


----------



## PewPewPew

I would say mixed with water and soaked its ok... Wouldnt a single clove be enough, and wouldnt it be cheap?  Im uncertain. Oldfishlady is usually a person who recommends using that garlic stuff, so perhaps ask her if someone aside from myself doesnt offer advice.

Good luck  And yeah-- external parasite meds dont really work for internal ones


----------



## nel3

does the API liquid master kit have a salicylate test for ammonia?

@Pew3: i saw the white dragonscale at petsmart, it was pretty damn tempting but i resisted. i found a perfect set of greek ruins for my 2.5g right away.


----------



## Neil D

You resisted?!? I wouldve snatched him.

I'm not sure of the test kit, but I know that one of the bottles is corrosive...


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> You resisted?!? I wouldve snatched him.
> 
> I'm not sure of the test kit, but I know that one of the bottles is corrosive...


call me stubborn but i just fall in love with light green bettas. no doubt the white betta was beautiful but i dont have a desire to keep 3 bettas. the only exception of 2 fish maximum is finding another light green marbled locally. that's what seems to be the only thing stopping me from buying +20 bettas. theres also the fact i dont have much room for more tanks if needed.

thank you, what im really looking for is a salicylate based test for ammonium.


----------



## Neil D

Sometimes ammonia tests will test for ammonium, but don't rely on that...


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> Sometimes ammonia tests will test for ammonium, but don't rely on that...


thank you NeilD. a member here did mention one test kit availble. seachem multitest ammonia (free and total), it looks worth it to look into.
http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/MT_Ammonia.html

by any chance do the 2 API ammonia bottles correspond to NH3 and 4 seperately? they say to mix the 2 (which i do) but can it mean bottle 1 might be for nh3 and 2 for nh4?


----------



## Shimizoki

I doubt it... I would think its most likely that the two chemicals react with each other in the presence of ammonia to change color. Therefore they need to be kept separate. Not because they check for different things.


----------



## nel3

Shimizoki said:


> I doubt it... I would think its most likely that the two chemicals react with each other in the presence of ammonia to change color. Therefore they need to be kept separate. Not because they check for different things.


thank you Shimizoki. looks like i'll need to find out if API has one to start with.


----------



## PewPewPew

nel3 said:


> does the API liquid master kit have a salicylate test for ammonia?
> 
> @Pew3: i saw the white dragonscale at petsmart, it was pretty damn tempting but i resisted. i found a perfect set of greek ruins for my 2.5g right away.


*sobs* My favorriite! Im surprised hes there still, even after a few weeks. They keep em good there, dont they?! I constantly compliment them for it and buy exclusivity from them (as do a bunch of my friends, who do the same), so theyre beginning to see they have a large betta audience who will buy and support more when they take care of the fish


----------



## fishcurl

Yet another cycling question - can a 2.5 gallon with filter etc. etc. be cycled? The 3 gallon I want seems to be hard to come by


----------



## PewPewPew

Yep, they can! But it gets a little harder. If you do it, seed from your 5 gallon (use some gravel, run the new filter media in with your 5's, etc) and use plants 

Have you seen this tank?
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tetra-Aquarium-Starter-Kit-5-Gallons-Fish-Aquatic-Pets/12177653

I have one, it works dandy. Cheap, too, youd pay the same for almost any 2.5-3 gallon. The filter is very strong and needs quite a baffle, but if you can baffle the hex, you can do anything


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> *sobs* My favorriite! Im surprised hes there still, even after a few weeks. They keep em good there, dont they?! I constantly compliment them for it and buy exclusivity from them (as do a bunch of my friends, who do the same), so theyre beginning to see they have a large betta audience who will buy and support more when they take care of the fish


that petsmart seems to be pretty good with knowledgeble staff. their betta cups are pretty good despite the size. not a fan of blue water but the fish are alive. if i had an extra tank that was larger than .5g i probably wouldve got the white dragon. unfortunately i dont have any extra tanks so its still there waiting for you.

im a bit dissapointed in their live plant section, none truly aquatic. my anacharis is shedding like a dog lately and some are starting to die off after 3 weeks. got to wait for LPS to restock. their tank with with anacharis was emptied for some reason of plants. ive probably threw away 3 dead strands already.


----------



## fishcurl

Does my husband know you're enabling me? :lol:

I was thinking the smaller tanks because I'd have more of a chance to convince him, hehe. I'm really only in the planning stages. I'd like to get Flambé's tank cycled first before I commit to another fishy friend.

I haven't seen that tank before, I'll keep an eye out for it. Thanks for the tip!


----------



## PewPewPew

nel3 said:


> that petsmart seems to be pretty good with knowledgeble staff. their betta cups are pretty good despite the size. not a fan of blue water but the fish are alive. if i had an extra tank that was larger than .5g i probably wouldve got the white dragon. unfortunately i dont have any extra tanks so its still there waiting for you.
> 
> im a bit dissapointed in their live plant section, none truly aquatic. my anacharis is shedding like a dog lately and some are starting to die off after 3 weeks. got to wait for LPS to restock. their tank with with anacharis was emptied for some reason of plants. ive probably threw away 3 dead strands already.


It takes them a long time to restock plants, yeah. Even the tube ones. They DO sell the tubed aquatics, but people buy them up quick.

I might start selling to them. If I can get him to, I want Dan to either sell on this forum for a really good/low price, or sell them to stores for credit  Water sprite and baby java ferns, hallah!



fishcurl said:


> Does my husband know you're enabling me? :lol:
> 
> I was thinking the smaller tanks because I'd have more of a chance to convince him, hehe. I'm really only in the planning stages. I'd like to get Flambé's tank cycled first before I commit to another fishy friend.
> 
> I haven't seen that tank before, I'll keep an eye out for it. Thanks for the tip!


No problem! The hawkeye tank is good, too, but it might be bow-front.

And hmm..does he


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> It takes them a long time to restock plants, yeah. Even the tube ones. They DO sell the tubed aquatics, but people buy them up quick.
> 
> I might start selling to them. If I can get him to, I want Dan to either sell on this forum for a really good/low price, or sell them to stores for credit  Water sprite and baby java ferns, hallah!


they were out of any aquatic when i went. i can ask the LPS to order some anacharis for me. do you know any other pet stores in that area? im looking for some seachem multitest ammonia kits, petsmart had none in their inventory list.


----------



## fishcurl

Oooh, thought of another quick question....

Should I nip out to Petsmart and pretend I'm not going to buy anything there? I have a filter to return so it's not like I'm going there for no good reason.

*shifty eyes*


----------



## PewPewPew

In Plattsburgh? No, not really  I think there is one (a new one?) on military turnpike, perhaps. Down near Uno, Marriott and a small farmer's market. But Im not sure if they sell fish supplies.

There IS a FANTASTIC place called the Pet Advantage in Vermont. Idk if you guys would travel there, but if youre in that area, ohhh nel! You really have to go. They take such good care of every fish and pet in the store and have a great stock. They would probably have what youre searching for.

http://www.thepetadvantage.com/


----------



## PewPewPew

fishcurl said:


> oooh, thought of another quick question....
> 
> Should i nip out to petsmart and pretend i'm not going to buy anything there? I have a filter to return so it's not like i'm going there for no good reason.
> 
> *shifty eyes*



duh <3 ;p


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> In Plattsburgh? No, not really  I think there is one (a new one?) on military turnpike, perhaps. Down near Uno, Marriott and a small farmer's market. But Im not sure if they sell fish supplies.
> 
> There IS a FANTASTIC place called the Pet Advantage in Vermont. Idk if you guys would travel there, but if youre in that area, ohhh nel! You really have to go. They take such good care of every fish and pet in the store and have a great stock. They would probably have what youre searching for.
> 
> http://www.thepetadvantage.com/


thanks, i dont about petco but we rarely go down to vermont. there might be the odd trip tosee fireworks or something. i'll have to run that idea by my parents, they know the area better than i do.


----------



## PewPewPew

Yeah. We HAD a petco at one point, but it was very small and relied on grooming. Petsmart was bigger and in a better spot, so it closed. It was over by Lowe's.

I wish it was still here!!! 

I hope the search goes well


----------



## nel3

i just plugged in my mini elite 25w heater (2.5g). its been on for 10 minutes or so. trying to dail in at 28 celcius right now. i'm looking out to see if its shorting out or not. ive smelled the one i still have in the package, smells like oil. the one in the tank smell a bit stronger, smells a tad bit acrid but i dont smell it too much. could it just be the usual when its on? it still smells alot like oil. how long on average should it take to heat 2.5g of water?

im surprised walmart (consumer square) has no fish but then again i can understand why it might be so.


----------



## PewPewPew

They had no fish!?! :O They did last night! Unfortunately...
I told a manager the sad state of their bettas and they were really rude. Im calling corp. on them tomorrow or so. The had molded cups. What!

The fish are in the back near the food (gross!)


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

Heh, how do you effectively clean rocks from a creek? I picked up some from one nearby, got rid of the bacteria by pouring boiling water on them...but I just can't get all the gritty dirt off them. Would vinegar help clean them any?


----------



## PewPewPew

You could use a white vinegar dilute, yeah. Soak for a few days, though... And then soak OUT the vinegar for a few more. I took ones from a lake and soaked for days and days in a salt mix.


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> They had no fish!?! :O They did last night! Unfortunately...
> I told a manager the sad state of their bettas and they were really rude. Im calling corp. on them tomorrow or so. The had molded cups. What!
> 
> The fish are in the back near the food (gross!)


i didnt know wally sold betta. my dad's been to that walmart a few times. he never did check around for fish to start. i didnt have much time to check the store. we arrived at CS at 8:20 pm or so most of my time was at petsmart and a quick trip to wally to get a silver reflector for my car windsheild. i didnt check near the back of the store, my father was rushing me to get going. im sort of afraid at what i'll see back in wally fish hell. never saw decrepit bettas before, did see bettas locally in baggies holding 10 TBS max capacity and the usual mason jars.


----------



## PewPewPew

Oh...Dont go then. Its a sad place. I cant wait to call corporate on them. :/

I <3 our petsmart, though! Good with the bad.


----------



## Neil D

Where is this 'wally' place?


----------



## PewPewPew

Wallyworld, aka, Walmart! Silly goose.

Nel visits near where I live, so we go to the same one sometimes.


----------



## fishcurl

PewPewPew said:


> duh <3 ;p


I didn't wind up going. Company came over earlier than expected. Just as well. I don't _need _anything at the moment. Lots of wants though :lol:


----------



## PewPewPew

Isnt that the truth!


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> Oh...Dont go then. Its a sad place. I cant wait to call corporate on them. :/
> 
> I <3 our petsmart, though! Good with the bad.


thanks, i'll keep to petsmart for bettas. i hope wally pulls off the bettas but the store manager seems so kind that it'll be easy to convince him. i wish you good luck getting the coporate onto you side. they should join the other walmart stores to get bettas off the shelves.


----------



## PewPewPew

True that!!!!


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

PewPewPew said:


> You could use a white vinegar dilute, yeah. Soak for a few days, though... And then soak OUT the vinegar for a few more. I took ones from a lake and soaked for days and days in a salt mix.


:thankyou: I've cleaned the rocks really good in a shower and will now let them soak for a few days! :-D

Does it have to be white vinegar? Just askin' because I only have apple cider right now, but if white vinegar is better I can get some.


----------



## Neil D

Oops I'm dumb *_*


----------



## PewPewPew

Actually, Im not sure. I think white is easier to rinse off, maybe. :O


----------



## Lion Mom

Personally, I would only use white.


----------



## baristabee

I hate to make a new thread since I do not need an answer ASAP, so here we go.

I plan on buying this 5 Gallon tank. I assume tanks this large need to be cycled, at the very least for my sanity so I don't have to do massive water changes often. I'm in no crazy hurry to get a fish, so I don't mind how long this takes. I plan on doing the "feed" method with betta food, just because it seems the most convenient for me. 

Since I am doing a fishless method, does this mean I don't have to do any water changes while cycling? I just vacuum up the gravel to get all the food once it's cycled?

What percentage of water change should I do once a week in a cycled 5 gallon?

(I'm not completely new to bettas, I owned 2 in college that lived about 4 years, but they were in 2.5 gallons so I did a lot of water changes.)


----------



## JKfish

I have to caution you with the 'feeding' method. The food, if left in too long, will grow moldy and it can spread to the gravel, decor, etc and be hard to get rid of (Trust me O_O ).What I did was get a small ziplock back, poke holes in it with a toothpick, add the food, and sink. It made removal easy(I changed the bags once every two days) before things get moldy.

But, no, you don't need to do any water changes while cycling. Once it is cycled, if you have one betta and nothing else, a 50% water change weekly will be fine ^-^


----------



## baristabee

JKfish said:


> I have to caution you with the 'feeding' method. The food, if left in too long, will grow moldy and it can spread to the gravel, decor, etc and be hard to get rid of (Trust me O_O ).What I did was get a small ziplock back, poke holes in it with a toothpick, add the food, and sink. It made removal easy(I changed the bags once every two days) before things get moldy.
> 
> But, no, you don't need to do any water changes while cycling. Once it is cycled, if you have one betta and nothing else, a 50% water change weekly will be fine ^-^


I appreciate the warning! I probably wouldn't have even thought about that.

Also to clarify my question, once cycling is complete, there's no need for a water change BEFORE I add the fish, correct? Only after?

This seems obvious but it's better to ask!

If I can track down liquid ammonia I might try that.


----------



## JKfish

No problem  Good luck with your cycle!


----------



## PewPewPew

They sell liquid ammonia both in hardware stores as well as in some chain pet stores 

If and when cycled (strongly enough, look for at least 10ppm NitrAte), I would do a slight clean up on the bottom. Dont go over board, though. If you clean the gravel too much, too often, you can ruin a young cycle. While the cycle is "young", I usually monitor the tank and figure out a schedule, rather than just do the changes blindly. I ended up doing 20-30% each week (water only every other week) and after a good time, I only need like 10% a week. I have lots of plants, so I can get away with only topping the water off from evaporation and can go 2 weeks and still have zero ammonia, nitrites and trace nitrates >.<!


I have that tank you're looking at. The one thing I HATE about that tank is that filter. Its SO STRONG. I baffle the living dskjfhlaskdjfhaksljd out of it and its still too strong. I even jam up the intake, which ripped off part of my fish's fins >:/

Good tank otherwise. 










Crappy picture ><


----------



## baristabee

I was drawn to the tank by the price, is it built in a way that the filter could be replaced?

I know my Petsmart has miniBows, idk about 5 gallon. They're most likely plastic though. Which I suppose isn't the worst thing.


----------



## PewPewPew

Acrylic tanks are quite good, look good, are lighter and unfortunately.. are way more expensive 

Yes, the filter is HOB and can easily be replaced by any filter of the same size or less. Its got a good chance of being a marineland filter (they have two types it can be), which is a great brand, but too strong for a betta.

They have 5 gallons without filters but with lids in some stores. If youre not liking the filter, I would get the bare 5 and find a filter after, it would be a little cheaper.

I think minibows are 2.5 gallons.

I have a marineland 5 gallon hex and I really like it. Its filter is great for cycling and only needs a simple baffle. All filters more or less do, save sponge filters.


----------



## baristabee

I'm gonna pop around to some pet stores today and see what I can find. If I can find a bare 5 that I like I don't mind tracking down a filter that's betta friendly. 

Thank you for all the advice!


----------



## Lion Mom

"Acrylic tanks are quite good, look good, are lighter and unfortunately.. are way more expensive  "

HUH???? Not this one:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hawkeye-5-gal-Tank-Aquarium/14660258

I own three of the Hawkeye 5 gal. & LOVE them! Yes, the filter needs to be baffled, but it is a GREAT tank, IMO.

FWIW, I don't use that filter anymore. I have been slowly switching all my guys to small internal filters.


----------



## baristabee

I ended up getting the tank I originally linked. It seems like the best price and I will have plenty of time to mess with the filter before I get my fish.


----------



## nel3

my betta is in  

got him used to the light. he was already aclimated to the light when i went to pick him up. went into my dark lunch bag for a trip on the metro, the metro wasn't 60 celcius . i left the lights and windows closed when he came out of the bag. did some water tests 4-8ppm ammonia, 7.0ph and 26 celsius. ive just tossed in a IAL bag in the QT, all thats not matched is the ph yet (7.6). im slowly filling his shipping bag with new water and i'll drop the water level in my 2.5 and leave the heater in the 2.5, its set at 28 celsius. the QT will go in the 2.5g. 

lol forgot to mention his condition. hes in good condition, if anything a bit pale but 90% colour is in. fins look good. ive put stress coat (fin repair dose) and prime in the QT along with IAL. he looks active enough given his swimming space and responds to intruding objects in his bag. 

now off to do some more acclimating. ph in the bag is now 7.2 and the ammonia is still +4ppm. id like to keep adding new water till ammonia goes to 1ppm or less but it'll take sometime. i have the time to do so but which level pf ph and ammonis can safely drop down fast?


----------



## PewPewPew

Lion Mom said:


> "Acrylic tanks are quite good, look good, are lighter and unfortunately.. are way more expensive  "
> 
> HUH???? Not this one:
> 
> http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hawkeye-5-gal-Tank-Aquarium/14660258
> 
> I own three of the Hawkeye 5 gal. & LOVE them! Yes, the filter needs to be baffled, but it is a GREAT tank, IMO.
> 
> FWIW, I don't use that filter anymore. I have been slowly switching all my guys to small internal filters.


Not all acrylic tanks, but many or most.


----------



## nel3

got around to getting the photo for my new betta. also took a video that'll go on youtube of him. im absolutely loving him. hes more on turquoise but just some light make him green . ive taken a bit more than 2hr to take the ammonia level to 1ppm from 8ppm and the ph is now 7.6. will keep ial in the tank. thinnk i just might put him right ion the 2.5.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## PewPewPew

Oooh more pictures laterrr!


----------



## nel3

OMG nel the betta is annoying the hell out of me. i planned to put him im the 1gal from the QT. after 3 hours his tail got some new bites, back into the qt with stress coat and c'est fini. im going to put Nelliel (the new one) directly into the 2.5 with ial tea bag. just waiting for the tank to heat up to set twmp and them acclimate him to the temp. will 2 ial bags do the trick for a 2.5g?


----------



## PewPewPew

So long as they can darken the water


----------



## JKfish

Nel, it could be that Nel (that doesn't sound wierd at all, now does it?  .... XD ) is stressed? Maybe adding a bit of that IAL to your qt tank will help. And Nelliel is beautiful~


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> Nel, it could be that Nel (that doesn't sound wierd at all, now does it?  .... XD ) is stressed? Maybe adding a bit of that IAL to your qt tank will help. And Nelliel is beautiful~


thank, you, thats a good idea. ive left him in decaf green, he didnt do too well. i have yet to try IAL, will do in 2 days for the (1 gal and QT) once he gets a small chance to heal from today. took another few pcs of nelliel, will upload a bit later plus another vid of him in the shipping bag.
nelliel is forest green with flash pics will be up within 2hrs (supper time).


----------



## baristabee

This is probably a SUPER silly question, but I'd rather ask silly questions than have something happen because I never said anything. 

I set up my 5 gallon, fishless, set up with Prime to dechlorinate/etc, filter is running. I couldn't track down any pure ammonia today, so I'll probably look tomorrow. I assume my tank is fine to run the filter and hang out until I find ammonia? No fish no nothing, I can't see what would happen, but you never know.

Also, I couldn't find a good hidey decoration at Petco today, just plants and rocks. I can add (rinsed) decorations at any point during the cycle, I assume? I don't know if it's okay to be sticking my (clean) hand in there, I always did with older tanks but I probably made a lot of mistakes with older tanks!


----------



## Neil D

Fine to run the filter. For the decor, as long as it's not live plants it's fine. For live plants ask someone else, as I have NO idea. But for any normal decor is fine. Good luck!


----------



## JKfish

Your filter should be fine, and so should sticking in any clean decor with your clean hands. Adding live plants (fully aquatic) is fine too, it'll give them a chance to grow a bit (the ammonia is good for them), though it might slow down your cycle by a wee bit.

Nel, the IAL will also help with healing, so if you have extra you could even stick it in now.


----------



## nel3

here are the pics while the vids upload. looks like some tail biting on the lower doubletail. his pectoral is also a bit weird, looks like its curled down on the top 10% when flared. could be genetic that it curls at the top. he's territorial and looks like the baffled filter doesnt bother him.
the pic i based the purchase on 
http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/closed.cgi?view_closed_item&fwbettasdt1308397160
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoPpolwiTL0


pic with flash and no photoshop





heres photos on the bottom caudal and the curled pectoral


----------



## nel3

sorry for the double post, i have a feeling he might be biting his tail a bit more. he had some fin damage (3-4mm) from shipping but its looking a bit deeper (1mm if anything), i'll monitor it today.

theres a few reasons why it could be. he was shipped 2 days ago, he's been in the 2,5g with ial for 12 hours. his parameter were 8ppm, 7.0ph during shipping, 3 hours took it down to 7.6ph and much lower ammonia (1ppm before i put him in the 2.5). the ial tea bag was in for a few hours to drop the PH in 2.5g from 7.6->7.2. he's quite active and ive fed him frozen BWs. should i put him in saltwater if it gets worse or should i wait it out BC hes new in the 2.5g? temperature in the 2.5 is 27 celcius.


----------



## Lion Mom

Nel, can't give you any advise - sorry! I'm sure OFL or someone else with a ton of experience will be along shortly to help you out. 

Just wanted to tell you, though - he is a STUNNER and CONGRATS!!!!


----------



## BETTA DET

Does anyones fish attack the surface of the water because of his reflection?


----------



## PewPewPew

LOL DET. Thats really funny.

And nel, I would let him relax for the time. The IAL will help and so will the yummy food and clean water. If his fins begin to grow fuzzy, bleed or get worse, then I would add it.

And omg omg, 8ppm ammonia?!?!?


----------



## nel3

BETTA DET said:


> Does anyones fish attack the surface of the water because of his reflection?


i think he may be doing some acrobatics to jump over anacharis. the 3 corners where there are stalks closer to the water seem to be the jumping spots



Lion Mom said:


> Nel, can't give you any advise - sorry! I'm sure OFL or someone else with a ton of experience will be along shortly to help you out.
> 
> Just wanted to tell you, though - he is a STUNNER and CONGRATS!!!!


thank you lion mom, i think hes also part dragonscale, seen some of his cousins are dragons and mine has a shiny top coat of turquiose thats pale atm. think he might end up even more of a dragon later. embettafarms is selling some green dragons also but mine may be from the spawn from before his current green dragons. i think he put the male in 2 consecutive spawns. thats just my theory



PewPewPew said:


> LOL DET. Thats really funny.
> 
> And nel, I would let him relax for the time. The IAL will help and so will the yummy food and clean water. If his fins begin to grow fuzzy, bleed or get worse, then I would add it.
> 
> And omg omg, 8ppm ammonia?!?!?


thank you Pew3 .looks like his tailbiting is 4-5mm deep and 4-5mm gap from complete. cant get anymore precise, he just keeps on swimming. he's acting like an orca most of the times by letting the pectoral droop. its probably because it might be a bit heavy by nature. his pectoral did scare me for a bit, some section is transparent but intact so i guess its ok. got a fin rot scare there for a bit. got another vid to post on him, just need to upload 2 utube. 

i swear i almost mistook the ammonia test for a ph test when i did the first test. it scared me quite well but it was good as i kept changing the water (in shipping bag) for 2.5hours until it dropped to 1ppm before putting him in the 2.5g

what would be the best way to reintroduce nel back into the 1gallon(7inches wide) from the QT (8 inches wide)? atm hes in IAL for water coloring with prime and stress coat in the QT. should i fill the tank partially and how much room should items take space for hiding. i got a silk plant, a DIY plant and a jaguar face cave.


----------



## fishcurl

What do you do when you accidentally looked at your LPS's bettas and fell in love with a beautiful white veiltail with big black eyes and clamped fins? Especially when you are still thinking of him even after you've been home for a few hours and even have a few names picked out for him?


----------



## nel3

is it possible for locally bred bettas to dislike IAL? by locally bred i mean those that never had IAL in the tanks to strat with. nel never liked green tea and im still trying to figure out if IAL does worse for him as an individual betta. after 2 days in IAL his tail is a bit worse. nothing too dramatic but noticeable. think i could try dropping him into the full 1gal, stress coat and prime with the heater? i have no suitable heater for a .5g so the temp wanders within 2-4 degrees depending on AC. floating it in the 2.5g is unavailble due to size and occupancy.

the vid for my new betta has been up for a few hours, posted it in my sig until a new post came up here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w93rk-4EPDs
LOL i forgot that my music was on before pressing record. its his usual loop the loop around that corner when im at the desk. his bottom caudal has yet to get worse, atm its status quo. i'll keep feeding him BWs but im trying to get him into pellets or flakes. probably pellets will win. OMG he took the flakes, total surprise.


----------



## PewPewPew

You go back and get him, so long as you have a place for him or are able to get said place and what he needs...


----------



## PewPewPew

Nel, he may still be stressed out :C It may take him a while to de-stress. For now, keep him in a quiet, dark place and come around for food, but not a lot else.

He may well be a chronic biter, too  I wouldnt assume the IAL is bothering him, no...


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> Nel, he may still be stressed out :C It may take him a while to de-stress. For now, keep him in a quiet, dark place and come around for food, but not a lot else.
> 
> He may well be a chronic biter, too  I wouldnt assume the IAL is bothering him, no...


thank you, ive had him since may just b4 i signed up here. he's spent most of his time in the .5g with 2 weeks or so in the 1g and 16 days in AQ salt for fin biting. the 2 AQ salt treatements were within the first month or 2. so far he's only been in good condition in clear water for the .5gal exclusively. any dark water color seems to get to him and so does the 1gal. IAl may help him but im getting too many mixed signals from him that its a bit confusing. 

think he may still be stressed out, hes rather agressive when eating.

i'll cover his QT with a cloth to block out most of the light. i walk by him regularly as he's in front of my bedroom door on top of my drawers. how would you treat a chronic tailbiter? i dont think i'll stop putting any stress coat for his water for the near future.


----------



## PewPewPew

You dont, you just... deal with it :C Its the pits. Just keep the water clean is all that can really be done.


----------



## fishcurl

PewPewPew said:


> You go back and get him, so long as you have a place for him or are able to get said place and what he needs...


I went back and he was gone


----------



## nel3

PewPewPew said:


> You dont, you just... deal with it :C Its the pits. Just keep the water clean is all that can really be done.


cold turkey sucks but i have no choice . i'll figure out something eventually, hopefully.


----------



## Neil D

Try to keep him distracted, Nel. Objects in front of his tank.


----------



## bettaloverforever16

How do I change my username?


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> Try to keep him distracted, Nel. Objects in front of his tank.


thank you, ive put a ping pong ball in, he hasnt really taken a liking to attacking it but it probably would distract him once in a while. i tossed in a hollow rubber bullet ie cheap spring/air guns at dollar store. he seems to like it for now.


----------



## Renna

A few quick questions:

1) I got my betta a new tank and switched him over. It's 3 gallons with a heater that I haven't had to use yet. Got the new tank because I noticed his temp. dropped to like 68 degrees during the night last night and didn't come back up until about 1PM today. I've tried offereing him a pellet but he won't take it. He does seem to be more active though and he's kind of napping on a leaf that's close to the top right now. Anyway, how long will it take him to de-stress and start eating again?

2) The inside of said new tank is reflective (didn't notice till after I saw his reflection on the side). He still has plenty of places to hide and I have noticed he's flaring up a bit more when he approaches the sides of the tank. Will the reflections stress him out further?

3) I have two thermometers in the tank right now, one is reading at 78 (just a regular thermometer that you stick to the side of the tank, located in the front) and the other reads at 84 (digital thermometer that sits at the back). What the heck is up with the difference in temperature reading and which one do I go by?

4) I have no idea what to name the poor guy, he's a deep blue/purple bodied crowntail with fins that gradually go into red with blue tips. Right now he's "Fishy". Any suggestions?


----------



## Shimizoki

1) Not sure of the exact amount of time... however they CAN go up to 2 weeks without feeding, if he doesnt start eating after a week, then I would start worrying about him.

2) Yes, they will stress him a bit. Try to cover the outside of the tank, sometimes that helps with reflections.

3) The stick on one is crap, they are never correct, I would go with the digital

4) Pics help people naming the guy... I always get a word that describes him and translate it to another language if I need some ideas.


----------



## JKfish

Renna, sometimes tanks become reflective when they are in dim areas of a room and there is a tank light (or just a regular light) directly over the tank. If you move the tank to a better lit area of the room, then turning on a tank light (if you have one) will no longer cause the sides to become reflective.

As for the tank temperature, what sort of heater are you using? I personally trust the stick ones better than digital, though that is just me. What you can do is (if you have one) get a meat thermometer and stick hold in the tank for about a minute. It should get a more accurate reading of the tank temperature and help you figure out which one is wrong.


----------



## Renna

@ Shimizoki and JKfish: thank you both.

Unfortunately there isn't really a brighter part of the room but I will try covering the sides and see what happens.

Right now I'm not using a heater as both thermometers are saying 80 (stick on) and 85 (digital). I'm going to hunt around and see if I can find a meat thermometer and see what it says.

I guess with the eating, I'll just have to offer and be patient.

Thank you both for the advice. 

Oh and I figured out a name. He is now called Slurpee.


----------



## baristabee

It seems my ACE Hardware is sold out of ammonia, they'll have some more in on Wednesday. So for now I guess I'll just leave my filter plugged in to run until then, doesn't seem to be hurting anything.

However, the instructions on the blue fuzzy filter pad (whatever it's ACTUALLY called, lol) said to change it every few weeks. Assuming my cycle is done in about 2 weeks, will I have to change that pad before I put the fish in?

They had some really pretty bettas at Petsmart today, and they looked pretty healthy.  Can't get one yet, though, but I got some cool roman column decorations to put in there for now.


----------



## Neil D

Never change the filter pad, for at least 6-7 months after cycling, by then enough BB will be in the gravel etc so the tank won't recycle. Swish it out in old tank water every few weeks instead


----------



## JKfish

I have a very quick question.... will epsom salt and slight traces of garlic juice kill snails? I want to add some epsom salt to the main tank because Panache has suddenly started pooping stringey clearish poop >.< right after I introduced him to the tank.


----------



## PewPewPew

If you wanna kill snails, use copper-based meds  Remove the fish, unless you plan to treat with said type of meds... And then nuke that tank with it.

Malachite green also does the job, aka, ich meds.

> I did that and wham. Not a single snail. There were becoming pesky.


----------



## Neil D

I think he/she _doesn't_ wanna kill the snail, ppp.


----------



## PewPewPew

Ohhh lol! XD I thought she might think the snails were the culprit 

No, that shouldnt be a problem.


----------



## JKfish

bwahah, thanks P3 (though should the population get too large, I will keep that in mind) XD 

I like my 4 or so pond snails and MTS, and don't want to hurt them. However, since Panche decided to be a stinker and wait until added to the main tank to show symptoms of possible internal parasites, I have to treat the whole. entire. tank. with epsom salt, and both boys with garlic soaked pellets.


----------



## Neil D

Umm, I'm sure you know this, but pond snails are asexual and will infest your tank;-)


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

I've got some slightly silly questions! Do filters come with the cartridge that goes in them? And is a siphon the same thing as a gravel cleaner, and if not, which is the better to use if you have a 10 gallon? (If tank size matters!!)


----------



## Shimizoki

How do you tell the difference between male and female Dragons? I have read they dont have as much metallic.

I ask because my new dragon I just noticed might have an egg bump... but that would make what I thought to be a boy... a girl...

What do you think?


----------



## McLizardman

I have a quick question.....
How badly do betta fish need a varied diet? How often should I feed it frozen blood worms aside from regular pellets? Where is a good place to store frozen blood worms? Thanks!!


----------



## nel3

im looking for an alternative to a tank that i can float my QT in? LPS has kritter keepers but would any sort of tupperware tolerate a heater attached to it? could it also stress out the fish if anyrhing over .5g stm gets to it? especially if it sees water just outside the QT.


----------



## Neil D

@hazel, a gravel cleaner is the same as a siphon, called a _gravel siphon_. Use one rated for 10 gallon tanks. Filters generally come with one cartridge, if I remember.

@shimi, no idea

@lizard man, they should get a varied diet, feed frozen blood worms 2-3 times a week, in conjunction with pellets. In the fridge.

@nel, what are you asking? What is ".5 STM"?


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> @nel, what are you asking? What is ".5 STM"?


sorry Neil thats a typo. i meant the .5G ATM. i dont have a small heater for less than a gallon so i want to put water in a larger place suitable for my 2nd 25w heater (1-5.5g container /tank). that 2nd 25w heater was intended for the 1g tank i have but he just bites his fins in there. id like to keep the betta in the .5g as that tank is the only he doesnt stess/bite much in normal conditions for the time being. im looking more into 1.5-2gal to float his QT in. i think the kritter keepers here are atleast $10 for the smaller sizes.


----------



## Neil D

You could get a 2gallon tank and make your own divider? Then put it so that it would be only .5 g. Or buy a rubbermaid container From walmart.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

Neil D said:


> @hazel, a gravel cleaner is the same as a siphon, called a _gravel siphon_. Use one rated for 10 gallon tanks. Filters generally come with one cartridge, if I remember.


Ahhh, so if I use an aquarium air tube thingy (Elite silicone airline tubing) and Oldfishlady's siphon tutorial, I'll be set! And that's good to know, I was trying to figure out if I needed to buy a filter cartridge to put in the filter once I bought it. Thanks Neil!


----------



## Lion Mom

Frozen bloodworms (or any other frozen foods) should be stored in the freezer. 

Do your best to use them up within 3 - 4 months.


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> You could get a 2gallon tank and make your own divider? Then put it so that it would be only .5 g. Or buy a rubbermaid container From walmart.


thank you, i'll try walmart first. i really want the fish in atleast a gallon minimum. ive had many issues with the stressed fish. hell, he even disliked the 1gal half full and ive crowded it a tiny bit for hiding spaces. if he doesnt get too stressed out with any extra inaccesible water i'll look into a 2 gal. atm i live at home for another month then i can toss out the current tank limit. after a month i'll be in a slightly bigger area where i can put an extra tank. my mom wont allow any aquariums outside my room :evil:. i doubt she'll make a fuss about a container for heating purposes.


----------



## JKfish

shimizoki: that is a male halfmoon plakat.  Dragon scales is a coloration, and with bettas, there is no true difference in coloration between the two genders. You can tell he is a male because he has long thick ventral fins, and if you get him to flare, you'll notice he'll flare sideways to whatever he's flaring at in order to look larger. Females flare head on.

Neil, yes, I know that XD. I started out with two, and for a while had a pop explosion where they were everywhere... then the algae from the sides were eaten up and all but those 4 died.

McLizardMan: well, it's pretty important. While they won't die if they don't have a varied diet, having variety is key to health. Imagine if you ate the same meal every single day breakfast lunch and dinner. You wouldn't be getting all the different vitamins and minerals your body needs. But, anyways, you can get frozen bloodworms at all local pet stores. Petsmart sells theirs in a little clear freezer by the fish area.

Nel: I would go with a rubbermaid tubberware for the moment like Neil suggessted. I know a 4 gallon sterlite bin is 4 dollars at target, so I'm assuming you could find the proper sized sterlite cheap.


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> shimizoki: that is a male halfmoon plakat.  Dragon scales is a coloration, and with bettas, there is no true difference in coloration between the two genders. You can tell he is a male because he has long thick ventral fins, and if you get him to flare, you'll notice he'll flare sideways to whatever he's flaring at in order to look larger. Females flare head on.
> 
> Neil, yes, I know that XD. I started out with two, and for a while had a pop explosion where they were everywhere... then the algae from the sides were eaten up and all but those 4 died.
> 
> McLizardMan: well, it's pretty important. While they won't die if they don't have a varied diet, having variety is key to health. Imagine if you ate the same meal every single day breakfast lunch and dinner. You wouldn't be getting all the different vitamins and minerals your body needs. But, anyways, you can get frozen bloodworms at all local pet stores. Petsmart sells theirs in a little clear freezer by the fish area.
> 
> Nel: I would go with a rubbermaid tubberware for the moment like Neil suggessted. I know a 4 gallon sterlite bin is 4 dollars at target, so I'm assuming you could find the proper sized sterlite cheap.


i found one in the house, ive filled it halfway with water so far. i'll have to introduce the tank tomorrow to the container, i wake up early to go for work . unfortunately i cant be around to monitor Nel if i do the test tonight. the heater will fit if i put it on a 35 degree angle on the wall. i think i'll diplace enough to cover 3/4 of the QT's heigth if i float the QT. would it be worth a shot to skip floating it and let him roam free? the 1gal has more room vertically than laterally then the QT


----------



## PiscisAmor

What can I do to curb tailbiting?


----------



## Neil D

Distract them. Objects in front Of the tank. Other than that...not much...


----------



## Shimizoki

@JKFish - Thanks, I already knew about how dragons is a color... it was just the presence of what looked like an eggspot that threw me for a loop.

Also about the flaring head on vs sideways thing... I put both my males next to each other and they flared facing each other... I put 2 females together... they did the same thing. Male and female did the same as well. I don't know if I believe the flaring thing.


----------



## trono

JKfish said:


> if you get him to flare, you'll notice he'll flare sideways to whatever he's flaring at in order to look larger. Females flare head on.


That's not necessarily true. Males will flare head on.


----------



## Neil D

Maybe she means more likely to flare sideways, my guy max does it a lot, but Josh generally goes straight ahead, THEN turns ;-)


----------



## nel3

i floated the QT in 28c water in the 4gal container. he did try to swim thru the QT tank to the water outside but realised it quick enough. i just have a waiting game now and check his fins.


----------



## EverythingNice55

I have a quick question, and it would be so nice if somebody could answer it, because I think it's a tough question...

OK, so every betta fish owner knows that bettas need air as well as water. Well, we all know that bettas sleep a lot, so when bettas are sleeping underwater, how do they sleep for a long time with air? If somebody answers my question, please message me and tell me that you answered my question so I can see what you said. Thanks!


----------



## PewPewPew

You can check what people said by looking at your subscribed threads under your User CP, to the upper left.

The hold their breath.. And then will come up every once in a while. If you look at the fish while it sleeps, on occasion it will wake up sleepily and then breathe, then rest again.


----------



## thePWNISHER

When I QT a new betta, how often would you make the water changes in a 1 gallon bowl? Also same question for a life plant?


----------



## LittleBettas

Grrr.... looks like I got another dud heater... 
Anyone know of a GOOD (but reasonably priced) heater for a 5 gallon tank?


----------



## nel3

which heater was it? the mini elite 25w is good up to 5.5g


----------



## LittleBettas

Its a 25 watt Marina submersible aquarium heater


----------



## Neil D

@ the pwnisher, in a 1g, 1 50% and 1 100% weekly is enough. Same for a live plant...

Nel, i like Aqueon....


----------



## LittleBettas

nel3 said:


> which heater was it? the mini elite 25w is good up to 5.5g


Do you use the submersible one?


----------



## Neil D

Sorry, I meant little bettas: I like Aqueon...


----------



## nel3

LittleBettas said:


> Do you use the submersible one?


 i got the 25w elite mini by suggestion from Lion Mom but i dont fully submerse it.


----------



## Lion Mom

nel3 said:


> i got the 25w elite mini by suggestion from Lion Mom but i dont fully submerse it.


Why not? I do with all of mine! :-D Heck, I even put them in a horizontal position low in the tank!!!


----------



## LittleBettas

Really? have you had any problems with them?


----------



## bettaloverforever16

How do I change my username?


----------



## Lion Mom

LittleBettas said:


> Really? have you had any problems with them?


Nope - not a one. I know some users have mentioned some problems, but I haven't experienced any. The one and ONLY issue I have with them is there aren't any temp markings on the dial so you have to futz with it to get it set just right. Other than that, I couldn't be happier with them! :-D


----------



## LittleBettas

So I would need to prob. wait til I had the temp set before adding any fish or plants?
(I've heard about peoples bettas beng backed :/)


----------



## PewPewPew

bettaloverforever16 said:


> How do I change my username?


I dont think that you can.


----------



## nel3

Lion Mom said:


> Why not? I do with all of mine! :-D Heck, I even put them in a horizontal position low in the tank!!!


ty Lion mom, i was worried a bit if it'll flood the temp adjustment control to mess it up.


----------



## RoderickUsher

Bought some frozen bloodworms for my two bettas. The first one looked at me like I was crazy. He had NO interest in them. Havent offered them to the second one yet. Are there bettas that dont' like them, or am I doing something wrong with feeding?


----------



## PewPewPew

Make sure they've been thawed well and perhaps wiggle them around a little  Usually, they like frozen foods. Give it time.


----------



## nel3

im looking for a white 5w bulb for the 1g tank. the tank limit is 5w but the lowest ive seen so far is 7w. will it still be safe for the 1g tank?


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

I have a ten gallon tank that I'm planning on dividing into two, for two bettas(Duh...). Do I need to quarantine the bettas for a while before I put each in their own section, or just put them on in after accumulating them to the water and floating them?


----------



## Neil D

Qt them, as one may be sick, and the other not..


----------



## hmckin20

cool thread



what's a recommended water conditioner? my water is pretty icky, it tends to stink.


also if you put too much in, does it harm the bettas?


----------



## Neil D

Um...prime is recommended by people here, I use Top Fin though...


----------



## hmckin20

okay. i've been using top fin too  thanks!


----------



## Neil D

Welcome!


----------



## hmckin20

oh, one more question:

i bought a five gal air pump and a ten gal sponge filter. my ten gal tank is divided. should i put another sponge filter + another five gal air pump on the other side?


----------



## Neil D

If it's divided for bettas, no. You don't even need the air pump.


----------



## hmckin20

:O

how do i operate it without the air pump?
i have no idea how this filter will work, haha. it hasn't arrived yet, but the air pump arrived today.


----------



## Neil D

Oh, derp! I though it was a separate air pump... 

I forgot sponge filters need air pumps...but no, you do not need two filters...as long as there is water flow between the two sides...


----------



## PewPewPew

hmckin20 said:


> cool thread
> 
> 
> 
> what's a recommended water conditioner? my water is pretty icky, it tends to stink.
> 
> 
> also if you put too much in, does it harm the bettas?


Does it stink when you just run it from the tap, or after its in the tanks?

If it stinks when in the tank, it needs more changes.

All water conditioners are more or less the same- except for conditioners like prime that help neutralize ammonia.

Look for ones that require less drops/gallon. Top fin's should be around 2 drops a gallon, which is really good. I use it, too.


----------



## hmckin20

ahaha, okay. thanks you 




well it stinks mildly whenever it comes out of the tap. i know it's particularly bad when we wash dishes. why i keep nagging at mom for a filter, ha. but it gets worse when i put it in the tank.


i do daily changes though.  and i did a 100% today and it stinks like crazy. 
I NEED MY SPONGE FILTER
i've been using prime, also. 

i have a regular filter but i can't leave it in there when the bettas are in there- it sucks their fins right up. x_x and the cotton thingy inside looked downright vomit worthy when i pulled it out today.


also, does excess conditioner hurt betta fish?


----------



## Neil D

Generally no.


----------



## remiska28

Two quickies. 

How old until the betta's (male and female) a completely mature? 

At that time will they start build actual bubble nest instead of the random little bit of bubbles?


----------



## Neil D

First question: I think its about 10 months to a yr. Second: they may do it sooner, or might not do it at all. It depends on the betta.


----------



## indjo

hmckin20 said:


> cool thread
> 
> what's a recommended water conditioner? my water is pretty icky, it tends to stink.
> 
> also if you put too much in, does it harm the bettas?


Tap water can be conditioned but I'm not sure about natural water. If your water stinks, I wouldn't use it. My well water stinks and turns yellow after an hour in a tub and it's deadly for fish. 

The only way to use these kinds of water is through filtering - here are some media commonly used in my area (depends what is in your water):
Media Filter: 
- Activated sand (to filter fine debris) 
- Manganese (to reduce diluted metals) 
- Activated carbon (reduce the smell, neutralize unwanted chemicals) 

- Chlorine Tablet (neutralize chlorine)

- Zeolith (filters fine debris and add oxygen concentration) 

- Antrasit/Anthracid (filter fine debris)

- Ferrolite (reduce iron concentration)



The most common media used in my area is activated sand/zeolith sand and activated carbon. My well water would also need both manganese and ferrolite if I wanted it to be safe.




> remiska28:
> Two quickies.
> 
> How old until the betta's (male and female) a completely mature?
> 
> At that time will they start build actual bubble nest instead of the random little bit of bubbles?


Most bettas stop growing after 12 months (if they are kept in small tanks). If well cared for, they should be fully grown by 10 months. But they are sexually mature around 3 - 4 months. Most males build their first "actual" bubble nest at 4 months. The ideal age for breeding is around 6 months (about 70-90% growth).


----------



## remiska28

As is Dragon has a nice little nest going, but Phoenix just has a few bubbles around the rim of his apartment. I'm going to wait a couple months since I have no clue how old they actually are.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

Neil D said:


> Qt them, as one may be sick, and the other not..


:thankyou: 
How long should I keep them in QT?


----------



## Neil D

A week. Maybe two.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

Okay, thanks!


----------



## nel3

got a picture of my neighbors betta, 2 years old ( almost .5inch wide, and 2 3/4 long with fins, no water conditioner what so ever. only ever fed freeze dried blood worms (1 pinch a day). no heater either.

saw her change his water in the vase. turn on the water in the sink put on water to 22 celsius or so plugged the sink poured betta into it. took him in a clean yogurt container to wait. she rinsed the vase and flooded the sink. betta went back into the sink then to the container and finally into the vase. i guess it was aclimated to the water temp somewhat but not the quality. took only a minute to change the water. one of the bottom spiny fins (forgot name) is half gone, all fins curled and bitten to an extent. new biting or old is not easily told apart. the caudal wasnt in the best shape either.

i didnt bother to try to get her to take more care to deal with the fish, wont sway her either way.





on another note, does betta revive work for fungal, protozoan and bacterial diseases. the guy tha LPS said it'll help fin growth. not too sure but i got in case some diseases get to my fish and i dont have time to get to the LPS.


----------



## BetterBetta

....I know what thats like, one of my close friends got a betta and I went to her house the other day. Two little bowls under a gallon, water changes once a week. One male and one female veiltale. No heaters, filters, but I was sort of surprised to see a bubblenest in a lethargic betta's tank. Her female was way too bloated... I didn't know what to say, she's quite touchy and she would probably accuse me of being a know it all. Plus, I didn't know how to tell her. Before I left, she told me "OH! Try this: Put shaved ice in their tanks, they love to eat it!" I thought, _No, their tropical fish, that will be a dramatic temperature drop, could cause shock...._ I didn't know what to say.

Anyways, question!: Will all males breed? My current halfmoon doesn't seem to fancy my female and I think I'm gonna get another male, because she's already all eggy.


----------



## nel3

BetterBetta said:


> ....I know what thats like, one of my close friends got a betta and I went to her house the other day. Two little bowls under a gallon, water changes once a week. One male and one female veiltale. No heaters, filters, but I was sort of surprised to see a bubblenest in a lethargic betta's tank. Her female was way too bloated... I didn't know what to say, she's quite touchy and she would probably accuse me of being a know it all. Plus, I didn't know how to tell her. Before I left, she told me "OH! Try this: Put shaved ice in their tanks, they love to eat it!" I thought, _No, their tropical fish, that will be a dramatic temperature drop, could cause shock...._ I didn't know what to say.
> 
> Anyways, question!: Will all males breed? My current halfmoon doesn't seem to fancy my female and I think I'm gonna get another male, because she's already all eggy.


atleast this one is taken care of half decently, gets water changes every 2 days. im surprised it didnt get bloated from all that extra food. probably the low temp kept his hunger down. i did mention a bit how i went about it but not sure if she hid her reaction much. either way i played it down as if it take too much care of details. i also did say that each betta was different in tolerances. she was surprised i fed it "so little" and encouraged me to overfeed mine. i poletely turned it down bc mine get bloated easily. i havent seen Nelliel bloated yet bc i only feed him the equivalrnt of 2-3x the size of his eye. apparently shes lost a few betta to the bathroom sink. im surprised stress and unconditioned water hasnt done him in.


----------



## Neil D

So sad. Post those stories in the Rant Thread.


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> So sad. Post those stories in the Rant Thread.


sorry, i'll do that next time.


----------



## Neil D

Haha I wasn't saying anything...I was thinking of the responses....lol


----------



## hmckin20

okay, quick Q: 


i now have my sponge filter installed! so the little clear cylinder that covers the top doesnt go out of the water. is that good or bad?




also can i put fin rot medication in here with the filter?


----------



## Neil D

If there is any carbon in the filter, then you have to remove it.


----------



## hmckin20

i'm not sure if it dos or not. xD okay.



what about the clear cylinder?


----------



## Foisair

Neil D said:


> If there is any carbon in the filter, then you have to remove it.


So we shouldn't have carbon at all? My 2 gal has a TOM mini internal in it and it has a 1inx1in cube of carbon in it. Is that okay if I maintain it or should I just take it out?

(Sorry if this is out of context. You answer just confused me a bit.)


----------



## Lion Mom

hmckin20 said:


> okay, quick Q:
> 
> 
> i now have my sponge filter installed! so the little clear cylinder that covers the top doesnt go out of the water. is that good or bad?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> also can i put fin rot medication in here with the filter?


That is the lift tube & it's supposed to be underwater. 

Yes, you can put the meds in with the sponge filter since that filter doesn't have any carbon involved. For filters with carbon, you have to remove it to medicate or the carbon just takes the medicine out of the water. 

Hope that helps!


----------



## hmckin20

awesomee! thank you 


i just made a thread haha /facepalm



also will the cylinder be safe for flair? any chance he'd try swimming down it?


----------



## Neil D

Yeah. If youre using meds, then remove any carbon. If it's just normal operation, it's fine to have carbon in. Carbon removes chemicals from the water.


----------



## hmckin20

TWO MORE QUESTIONS: the one above and



if i put medication in my tank for Pierce's fin rot (he shares a tank with Flair) will Flair be harmed?


----------



## nel3

does anyone have suggestions to keep a betta occupied ie toys or another fish beside the given tank? my green betta has been biting his tail nonstop whenever im gone. if im not in my room the light will be off. if its dark outside the tank is also but i went to see a movie from 1-4pm and he didnt bite and was status quo for the day. i left my room with lights off to watch tv and have supper and he got to the top 34 of his top caudal and the bottom of his top caudal. can i leave the blue light on my 1g QT on all night or do i put my other tailbiting friend beside my second betta? theyre both in my room so the only person that comes in is me with an occasional exception.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

August 10 first major biting

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

august 11

Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## dsgems

Is it possible to have too many plants in an aquarium? Will it change the water conditions? Will it smother the betta?


----------



## nel3

dsgems said:


> Is it possible to have too many plants in an aquarium? Will it change the water conditions? Will it smother the betta?


 atm hes in a 1 gal no plants and a greek columns ruins from the 2.5. it takes up to half of teh volume of the 1g and it was more than enough in the 2.5g to swim. the bitting orignated in the 2.5 on aug 10 with water params near to shipping one minus the high ammonia.


----------



## Foisair

I knew I was out of context. No meds here. 

My next question ties into this one:


dsgems said:


> Is it possible to have too many plants in an aquarium? Will it change the water conditions? Will it smother the betta?


I read somewhere that live plants will suck the oxygen out of the water at night. Is this true? If so, will an air stone/pump running at night/all the time help with this? I saw my snail go to the surface for air yesterday.


----------



## hmckin20

question: if i put fin rot meds in for pierce will it harm flair?


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

So, as I've mentioned before, I'm going to separate my ten gallon tank so that I can have two bettas, but would it be okay if I got a female and a male? (Not at all for breeding, that just sounds complicated, but because the females are just as pretty.) Would it stress the male out a lot, or even the female, or both? I'm planning on enforcing the divider with some craft canvas, so they wouldn't be able to see each other as easily, would that help lower the stress level?


----------



## Neil D

Yes it would lower the stress level. I say go ahead. You may see breeding stripes on your girl! Not sure though, I have a divided 10g with males.


----------



## JKfish

Hazel, from what I've heard, it might not be a good idea. Apparently because of all the pheremones,the female will end up always being rather eggy and in that breeding mood, which isn't supposed to be very good for her health. There have been members who had a divided set up between two genders, and one of their fish ended up jumping over and they ended up with fry. I personally would rather play it safe and divide it either between two girls or two guys. If you decide to go with a divided tank between a male and female, just keep an eye on their health and make sure the divder is stable and too high for either one of them to jump over.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

Thanks Neil, JKfish! 

Oo, great point JKfish. I think that I'll just stick with males in that case, and maybe later get a female with her own tank to live in.


----------



## nel3

is it possible for a ph of 7.0 along with a full fin treatment of stress coat and full dose of prime to remove the slime coat of a betta? im starting to get the feeling that the slime caot maybe too little atm on Nelliel. he keeps biting and blowing his tail. no the bottom caudal is blowing and it looks more like a weak tail than biting. im weaning him off 6 days of aq salt (1g QT) and adding water with onky stress coat. i dont think i'll ever do full doses of both prime and stress coat on 1 single quantity of water. i'll stick to a combination of prime and stress coat to avoid double dosing the water. 

hes been losing his caudal tails and some of his dorsal for the past 6 days.


----------



## Neil D

@ jk fish,Ooops, now i feel stupid...


----------



## Aced

*switching to prime*

I've decided to switch to Prime from my "Top Fin Tap water dechlorinator" but I just did a 100% water change yesterday, would it be okay to mix the two? 
Can I just dose the Prime the way it suggests on top of whats in there? or can I do a 50% water change using prime instead?
I bought prime because of the naturally high ammonia in my tap water so I want to help with that ASAP but I don't want to stress my betta/shrimp by doing another 100% change. 
Thanks!


----------



## JKfish

Neil, don't worry, everyone has to learn in some way or another. XD I say 75% of what I know about betta fish care came from someone else telling me or me reading their help for another person rather than my own experience.

Nel, I'd just go with either Prime or Stress coat. Stress coat is a dechlorinator, and so is Prime, so you might be over dosing the tank with dechlorinator. In this case, stress coat is probably what you want to use. However, double dosing probably would not be the issue. His fins might just be having difficulty coping with the new ph and all, so give him time. Feed him high protien foods (live mosquitoe larvae, frozen blood worms, etc).

Aced: go ahead and use Prime to dechlorinate the water you are putting back in with your water change. You could do a 100% water change or a 50%, either would be fine. 2 drops per gallon is the doesage for prime.


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> Neil, don't worry, everyone has to learn in some way or another. XD I say 75% of what I know about betta fish care came from someone else telling me or me reading their help for another person rather than my own experience.
> 
> Nel, I'd just go with either Prime or Stress coat. Stress coat is a dechlorinator, and so is Prime, so you might be over dosing the tank with dechlorinator. In this case, stress coat is probably what you want to use. However, double dosing probably would not be the issue. His fins might just be having difficulty coping with the new ph and all, so give him time. Feed him high protien foods (live mosquitoe larvae, frozen blood worms, etc). Aced: go ahead and use Prime to dechlorinate the water you are putting back in with your water change. You could do a 100% water change or a 50%, either would be fine. 2 drops per gallon is the doesage for prime.


thank you. i took the ph down to 7.2 today with a 50wc. still 50% AQ salt in from yesterday in the 1g. i'll stick with stress coat for the time being. how long would it take on average for the fins to get used to a ph? he's been eating flakes and frozen bloodworms every 2 days. i just hope his fins get used to it without removing all his fins. 

i cant feed him too much and its split into 2 sessions morning/3pm and 7-8pm. 7-8pm is to discourage biting if he's hungry. dont have any epsom unscented so im restricted and one betta (a user here) went crazy and bit his tail from a fasting day. not sure if its the case but im presuming it is for the safe side.

its really weird. the dorsal is bitten, the top caudal bitten/blown, bottom caudal some bites mostly torn. and pectorals are fine. it boggle me but im glad its not 100% of his fins.


----------



## Salamandair

Quick question with cooling down my betta's tank (it's at 84 degrees right now! Gah!): How many degrees can I let it cool down before it'll shock him? 2 degrees, 1, 3? I was going to put an ice pack in a baggie and then monitor it from there...


----------



## JKfish

If you do it slowly, it should be fine. Turn off the lights around the tank, remove the lid from your tank (if you have one), and add a baggie with an icecube or two. The smaller your tank, the easier and faster it is to drop the temp, so just keep an eye on it, and make sure the temperature doesn't drop too fast. 80*f is the perfect temperature, so try and keep it stable there.


----------



## PewPewPew

I would, before adding ice, etc, lift up the lid, turn off the lights, and take your filter and make it so the waterfall it makes is raised high, so that it can cool the water better.

I would go no more than 2'F in an hour or so. Dont use ice in the tank directly, of course-- it needs dechlorinator.


----------



## TwilightNite

OK, I have a quick question, it is kind of a dumb question but I would really like to know!  Can Betta fish see color?


----------



## Littlebittyfish

Are there dragon scale female bettas? Could the betta in my avatar be a female? I haven't been able to get _him_ to flare...at all..


----------



## Shimizoki

TwilightNite, I have read that they can. Some are able to identify different colored balls and seem to show a preference. Also for such a colorful breed of fish, it would seem silly to not be able to see it.


----------



## harrypotter

I have high ammonia in my water and so I'm wondering if I should use Prime or Stress Coat or perhaps mix the two?


----------



## fishcurl

Flambé hasn't made a bubble nest for almost 2 weeks now. Should I be concerned?


----------



## Littlebittyfish

harrypotter said:


> I have high ammonia in my water and so I'm wondering if I should use Prime or Stress Coat or perhaps mix the two?


In your tap water? or in the tank? If your ammonia is high in the tank I would do a water change to help lower it..If your tap water has ammonia in it, like mine...Prime is good stuff to use.


----------



## Lion Mom

TwilightNite said:


> OK, I have a quick question, it is kind of a dumb question but I would really like to know!  Can Betta fish see color?


I don't know about bettas specifically, but seems to me there wouldn't be any reason for other fish to get "breeding" colors on if they couldn't SEE colors! :-?


----------



## harrypotter

Littlebittyfish said:


> In your tap water? or in the tank? If your ammonia is high in the tank I would do a water change to help lower it..If your tap water has ammonia in it, like mine...Prime is good stuff to use.


It's unfortunately in my tap water >.<

Thanks though, I'll be sure to add Prime when I do my water change tomorrow. Do I still need to use my regular water conditioner or does Prime take care of that as well?


----------



## JKfish

LittleBittyFish: dragon scale is a coloration, so there can be female dragon scales. Check your fish's pectorals, if they are long and full, then there's a pretty good chance he is male. If they are stubby and thin, then chances are he is a she.

Harry Potter, Prime is a water conditioner and it removes ammonia. 2 drops per gallon is the general doesage and should get rid of the ammonia in the water that you add.

Fishcurl: some bettas will or won't make bubblenests. So long as he appears healthy, is eating, etc, then chances are he is fine. If there is excessive water movement, then that might be making it harder for him to make one.


----------



## hmckin20

some questions:


I'm a little foggy on the proper water changes for my tanks. I have:

10 Gal with 2 divided Bettas w/ Sponge Filter
10 Gal with 2 divided Bettas w/o Filter (getting it this week whoo ;D!) 
10 Gal with 1 Betta w/o Filter (Currently at around 5 Gal for adjustment)
2 Gal with 1 Betta w/o Filter


so I've been doing a 25% change nce per week for 10 gal with filter, and 20% change everyday for 10 gal and two bettas without filter, and 50% per day change for the 2 Gal. Gravel vacuums once a week for all. I don't even know what I'm supposed to do for the single betta.


----------



## Shimizoki

On all my tanks if I notice the water level getting a bit low (roughly once a week) I will scoop out a pitcher of water, then add in whatever is needed to overfill it. Then again I have heavily planted tanks and they are larger than 10gal. Its really not an exact science. What you are doing know seems fine.


----------



## harrypotter

Thanks JKfish! I'll make sure to just stick to using Prime then. I wasn't fond of my other water conditioner but it was the only one that is sold in my town. I'll just have to make sure I keep Prime stocked.


----------



## Lion Mom

harrypotter said:


> It's unfortunately in my tap water >.<
> 
> Thanks though, I'll be sure to add Prime when I do my water change tomorrow. Do I still need to use my regular water conditioner or does Prime take care of that as well?


Just the Prime - it does it all!!! :-D


----------



## hmckin20

okiedoke, thank you!


----------



## TwilightNite

Shimizoki said:


> TwilightNite, I have read that they can. Some are able to identify different colored balls and seem to show a preference. Also for such a colorful breed of fish, it would seem silly to not be able to see it.


Thank you for clearing that up for me Shimizoki!


----------



## nel3

is aqueon water conditioner (5ml=10g) a good one? i got a 10ml sample bag with the 2.5g. i dont plan on using it as a regular one but i will keep it aside for any case that ive runout of conditioner. i dont see that happening for a long time because i still have 90% of a 4oz stress coat bottle and 90% of a 1.7oz of prime.


----------



## fishcurl

Thank you, JKfish. Appearance, appetite, and behaviour are all fine. I just worry about him excessively. Borderline paranoid you could say.

--------------

Now I have another question. How does one do 100% water changes? I haven't done one before but will need to do them for the next week or so. 

Do I use the net? Is there a special technique? I really don't want to scare him anymore than is necessary :<


----------



## Neil D

Question: why isn't this thread stickied??


----------



## JKfish

*Hmckin*: Okay, your 10 gallon with a filter could probably do 50% a week.
-your 10 gallon without could probably do one 50% a week and a 25% every other week as well. Once you get your filter, just do 50% a week. 
-For that 10 gallon with one betta (currently at 5 gallons), do a 50% once a week, and a 100% maybe every other week.
-the two gallon should be one 50% and one 100% a week.
-do your gravel vaccs during your partial changes for the ones without filters.
-For the filtered ones, do a gravel vac maybe once a month. If your fish start looking ill, then do a gravel vac/50% water change right away.
-Your filtered ones are or will be going through a fish in cycle, all you have to do are those partial water changes once a week.

*Neil:* I dunno, but either way, it doesn't really matter, it's used so much that it's pretty much always at the top of the first page. It practically is a sticky XD.


----------



## Neil D

Yeah, bu-bu- bu- *sigh* nor argument...i still think it should be though...


----------



## Foisair

I asked this earlier, but I think it got left behind: I read somewhere that live plants affect the amount of oxygen in the water. I read that during the day (or when the light is on) they add oxygen to the water but at night (or in the dark) deplete the oxygen. Is there any truth to that?


----------



## Hallyx

Neil D said:


> Question: why isn't this thread stickied??


Because it is so busy, it always floats to the top. :lol:


----------



## Neil D

@ foisair, 

Yes, that is true. But it shouldn't be an issue, unless you have a fish (or many fish) that need oxygen from the water. Bettas don't need this...good luck!

@ hallyx, yeah...and its like the 2nd busiest thread on here, or at least in the top five...


----------



## JKfish

Foisair, to some extent that is true. During the day, they are using the sunlight, carbon dioxide in the water, water, and nutrients to preform photosynthesis to grow. As they grow, they emit oxygen, which is their waste. Keep in mind, there always is oxygen in the water, that is obsorbed to some extent from the water surface and other ways, but the plants will increase the level of oxygen. During the night, they can't exactly do photosynthesis, but neither will they actively remove oxygen from the water, because oxygen is their waste, and so there is no reason to draw it back in. If anything, that'd just be your betta fish breathing in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide.  Just think about the carbon cycle (relationships between oxygen and carbon dioxide.)


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

*Yet another of Hazel's ten gallon tank questions.*

I'm making my divider for my tank and would like to make it firmer by gluing or siliconing it to the tank's sides. However I don't know if just any kind of silicone is okay, or not, and it would be a good bonus if it isn't that expinsive. (Thought that making a divider would be cheaper...it pretty much is, but I'm needing to watch it!)

And for a while I'm going to not have a filter and I'll end up doing twice a week 50% water changes. Would there be any use in cycling the tank before hand, with no filter for the bacteria to 'live' in? Would it cycle with the betta's in there even if I don't have a filter? If that's the case, would I have to make extra changes to keep the levels safe?


----------



## bahamut285

Really random question but, what kinds of tropical fish can I keep in an 8 Gallon? Also how many? I *might* be able to rehome my goldfish soon so that tank will be empty.

(or even better non-tropical fish because I gotta find a heater xD)


----------



## Neil D

Hazel, can you clarify?

Bahamut: bettas (derp), *maybe* neon tetras, certain # of guppies, hmm thats all I can think of...and i used google


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

Neil D said:


> Hazel, can you clarify?
> 
> Bahamut: bettas (derp), *maybe* neon tetras, certain # of guppies, hmm thats all I can think of...and i used google


Ehm....I'm not sure what to clarify! XD
Lol, so here's the basics:

Question #1 Is it okay for me to use just any silicone to glue the tank divider into the tank? (I found the answer online, that as long as its safe to use around food and is 100% silicone its safe to use in aquariums. Does that sound right?)

And question #2: Since I'm not going to immediately have a filter, should I try to cycle the tank before I get my bettas? Will the tank cycle naturally once I get them, even without filter media? And should I do extra water changes to keep the ammonia and NO2 NO3 at the correct level, even with 50% X2 water changes per week?

If I still make no sense, let me know! :lol:


----------



## harrypotter

Hey guys, quick question. Everytime I do water changes, I have to use a net, which stresses Malfoy out to no end (and I don't blame him!) I've seen on here that people 'scoop' their fish out with a container but he never comes to the surface enough, not even if I drop a piece of food. He's suspicious, it's like he KNOWS I'm going to change the water. Any tidbits? I hate stressing the poor guy out.


----------



## PewPewPew

Its just a waiting game. My boys KNOW its coming, and yet I can still get them. Distract him- tap the glass where he isnt looking and sneak up from behind.


----------



## harrypotter

Okay! Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a go next time and see how it works out.


----------



## nel3

mine are a tab bit reluctant to go in but they do come easy enough to the surface. i just use a toothpick or something i know they'll chase to lure them and wait for them to go in.


----------



## harrypotter

Is it weird that I never see his poo?


----------



## bahamut285

Bettas are elusive poopers xD. Unless they're in a barebottom tank, you won't see poo, at least in my experience.

Question: What is the composition of AQ salt? Is it 100% NaCl? Evaporated seawater? Or something else. Can anybody with the box check for me?


----------



## stripedsocks

Quick question, how do you know when to replace the cartridge in your filter?


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

(Just found out I'm getting a filter, so all my questions are answered for now!)


----------



## Neil D

bahamut, no idea...

striped, dont change the cartridge in a cycled tank. If the tank isn't cycled, then I would say once a month. If you don't know what the Nitrogen Cycle is, make sure you find out. How big is your tank??


----------



## stripedsocks

My tank is 5 gallons. I have heard of cycling but never understood it because it seems so complicated. :/ I have no idea what nitrogen cycling is either.


----------



## Neil D

They're the same... Basically cycling is the act of growing beneficial bacteria (bb) in your tank. This can take 2-8 weeks. Do you already have your betta?


----------



## stripedsocks

Neil D said:


> They're the same... Basically cycling is the act of growing beneficial bacteria (bb) in your tank. This can take 2-8 weeks. Do you already have your betta?


Yes I have had my betta for about a year now, but I've had the 5 gallon tank for a few months, maybe 2-3 months so far.


----------



## Neil D

Do you do 100% water changes?


----------



## stripedsocks

Neil D said:


> Do you do 100% water changes?


I did one once but usually I just do 25% or sometimes 50% water changes.


----------



## Neil D

Depending on how long ago you did that 100%, your tank is already cycled! Get this test kit: API Feshwater Master Liquid Test Kit. Should around $40. Expensive, but so worth it...


----------



## stripedsocks

Neil D said:


> Depending on how long ago you did that 100%, your tank is already cycled! Get this test kit: API Feshwater Master Liquid Test Kit. Should around $40. Expensive, but so worth it...


Oh, that's good.  Also do you know anything about how to get rid of an algae bloom? I just figured out that's why my tank is always foggy...


----------



## Neil D

Wait..how long ago did you do a WC?? Algae blooms are generally from too much light...


----------



## bahamut285

Having an Algae bloom means your tank is cycled too. They thrive on NO3, this is generally normal in my experience >_>


----------



## stripedsocks

bahamut285 said:


> Having an Algae bloom means your tank is cycled too. They thrive on NO3, this is generally normal in my experience >_>


Ohh really? o_o' I just thought a healthy tank would be all clear and clean.


----------



## Neil D

Mine is ^_^ but its not in any sunlight...


----------



## stripedsocks

Neil D said:


> Mine is ^_^ but its not in any sunlight...


What if the tank is in indirect sunlight? Like I keep the side of the window farthest from Pierre open, so the sun doesn't really hit his tank but you can still see it.


----------



## Neil D

HMm, that may improve conditions...


----------



## Kytkattin

stripedsocks said:


> What if the tank is in indirect sunlight? Like I keep the side of the window farthest from Pierre open, so the sun doesn't really hit his tank but you can still see it.


Do you have a light on the tank? If you have it on for too long that might be your problem. Try to keep it on less than 12 hours a day. I know that logically (at least this happens to me) you think that there is no way you could possibly have it one for more than 12 hours, but before I had plants my lights were on for 14-16 hours a day. :shock:


----------



## Neil D

Yeah...I kinda forgot to ask that...*headdesk*


----------



## stripedsocks

LOL it's ok Neil. No I don't have a light for his tank so I'm sure it was just the light from the window. I've covered the side of the window nearest the tank tho so I'll just see if that works. ^^


----------



## Neil D

^.^ hope it does...


----------



## nel3

is there any alternative to epsom salt? i cant find any unscented locally, my parents are returning soon from New York. ive asked them to get some unscented epsom. i havent yet found out if they got it but i'll need a plan b if they didnt. fasting my DT betta isnt an option. he bites his tail too much if he doesnt get any food around 8pm before sleep time. he's a bit bloated but nothing catastrophic.


----------



## bahamut285

@Nel: I'm not aware of anything that is similar to epsom salt in that fashion, but a lot of people use daphnia as a laxative for fish.


----------



## stripedsocks

Question: I noticed that whenever I siphon water out of the tank, I see tons of gunk just swirling around in the water, is that normal? And there's so much of it that it's still there when I add the new water..


----------



## Kytkattin

nel: And if you are like me, and can't find daphnia, frozen brine shrimp also work as a laxative, if not as well as daphnia. 
So basically get one of those things and stop feeding any other food. You can do this alone or in addition to epsom salts. Good luck!


----------



## Kytkattin

stripedsocks said:


> Question: I noticed that whenever I siphon water out of the tank, I see tons of gunk just swirling around in the water, is that normal? And there's so much of it that it's still there when I add the new water..


This depends on quite a few things. How big is your tank? How much do you feed? How often do you do water changes? You might just need to do more or bigger water changes.


----------



## stripedsocks

Kytkattin said:


> This depends on quite a few things. How big is your tank? How much do you feed? How often do you do water changes? You might just need to do more or bigger water changes.


Well it's a 5-gallon and I usually do 50% changes once a week. Should I do a 100% change instead? Or will that mess up the cycle? o_o


----------



## nel3

Kytkattin said:


> nel: And if you are like me, and can't find daphnia, frozen brine shrimp also work as a laxative, if not as well as daphnia.
> So basically get one of those things and stop feeding any other food. You can do this alone or in addition to epsom salts. Good luck!


ty i'll try it, i tried giving him some brimeshrimp when he 1st arrived but he didnt recognise it as food unlike BWs.


----------



## Kytkattin

stripedsocks said:


> Well it's a 5-gallon and I usually do 50% changes once a week. Should I do a 100% change instead? Or will that mess up the cycle? o_o


How long has it been set up? I would not do a 100% change, but instead maybe do 2 50% changes a week. You were having an algae problem too, right? That means you have too much organic material in the tank (aka, fish poop!)


----------



## Kytkattin

nel3 said:


> ty i'll try it, i tried giving him some brimeshrimp when he 1st arrived but he didnt recognise it as food unlike BWs.


Well, it is worth a try. Since he is used to a feeding time, that might help. I usually dangle mine with tweezers to make them more appetizing. Garlic juice could help too!


----------



## stripedsocks

Kytkattin said:


> How long has it been set up? I would not do a 100% change, but instead maybe do 2 50% changes a week. You were having an algae problem too, right? That means you have too much organic material in the tank (aka, fish poop!)


Uhh ok I will start doing 50% changes twice a week then xD thanks!


----------



## Neil D

Just so you know, you should never do a 100% WC on a cycled tank, unless there was a dangerous disease outbreak. It will screw up the cycle.


----------



## PewPewPew

Actually, neil, you can change the WATER fully in a cycling tank until you're blue in the face, but the real danger is over vacuuming as a way to remove water (ie, removing bacteria from the substrate).

Very little bacteria is in the water column, but lots is in the gravel by comparison.

If you have a lot of mulm (the cruds) in the tank after a siphon, remove your fish and turn your filter up FULL BLAST for about an hour or so. Not only will it settle down, but itll be sucked up, too.


----------



## nel3

Kytkattin said:


> Well, it is worth a try. Since he is used to a feeding time, that might help. I usually dangle mine with tweezers to make them more appetizing. Garlic juice could help too!


i think dangling eont be a problem, he chases the toothpick either way. i could soak them in BW juice. i'll have to try it.


----------



## Hallyx

@ Bahamut

The box of API aquarium salt says, "...made from evaporated sea water.."

Therefore, probably not 100% sodium chloride.


----------



## Neil D

@ Pew, Im aware of this, but its safer not too, not to mention the sudden difference of water parameters.


----------



## bahamut285

Hallyx said:


> @ Bahamut
> 
> The box of API aquarium salt says, "...made from evaporated sea water.."
> 
> Therefore, probably not 100% sodium chloride.


Excellent, Hallyx, thank you.


----------



## PewPewPew

Neil D said:


> @ Pew, Im aware of this, but its safer not too, not to mention the sudden difference of water parameters.


The sudden difference? So long as you acclimate, this is a non-issue.

Your pH would only slightly change and then return to its normal level within a few hours, very gradually (as it would anyway in time), the ammonia, nirtrate, etc would be lessened, but that's again a non-issue.

The hardness would remain the same, so long as you kept the same source water... And the temp would be alright too.

The "sudden difference" is no different than a 100% change in any other bowl.


----------



## Foisair

I just got a new light for my 2 gal planted tank. It's a zoo med 6500k/10 watt/5" super daylight mini compact fluorescent bulb in a desktop lamp. How many hours a day should I leave it on so my plants get enough light? I have java fern, wisteria, amazon sword, a marimo moss ball and another plant that I'm not sure (it has single, broad leaves at the end of stalks with white, whispy roots.)


----------



## Neil D

I guess your right Pew. I meant like a tank with no (100%) changes in months. But bowls are changed weekly...but I guess your right (again).


----------



## bahamut285

@Foisair: You should slowly acclimate your plants to longer and longer hours of light. Most people start with around 6-8 hours of light, adding an hour or so every day until they reach 10-12 hours a day.

I recommend to read P3's Easy Plant Care guide for more information about your specific plants: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=76428


----------



## nel3

i have a question to those using vita chem freshwater. can you add it to stress coat? i dont know if vita chem freshwater doubles up as a conditioner. im thinking of getting it to help my 2 betta heal their fins.


----------



## bahamut285

I don't believe VitaChem is conditioner, I think it is literally just vitamins to spruce up your water. I have personally used both Prime and Stresscoat+ before together >_>


----------



## nel3

bahamut285 said:


> I don't believe VitaChem is conditioner, I think it is literally just vitamins to spruce up your water. I have personally used both Prime and Stresscoat+ before together >_>


thank you, i'll add it into the stress coat. i just gotta go buy it tommorow.


----------



## PewPewPew

Foisair said:


> I just got a new light for my 2 gal planted tank. It's a zoo med 6500k/10 watt/5" super daylight mini compact fluorescent bulb in a desktop lamp. How many hours a day should I leave it on so my plants get enough light? I have java fern, wisteria, amazon sword, a marimo moss ball and another plant that I'm not sure (it has single, broad leaves at the end of stalks with white, whispy roots.)


Can you get a picture of that last plant for us in the plant thread? We'll help you ID it there 

And the biggest thing with that amount of light (fantastic, btw- theyll love it) is to go slow, yo! I would start out at around 6 hours for maybe 3 days, then bump to 8 hours for about 3-5 days, then bump to 9-10 hours for good. Longer never hurt.

If you give the plants too much light too fast, there could be a chance for algae to take over. 

Make sure that fern doesnt get the brunt of the light, if possible. They like a bit less than most, and might brown and get grumpy if there's too much light.




Neil D said:


> I guess your right Pew. I meant like a tank with no (100%) changes in months. But bowls are changed weekly...but I guess your right (again).



:3 I dunno. That's just based on my experiences with tanks in the process of cycling.


----------



## Micho

So I've heard of cycling but I really have no clue what it is, I've read the stickied thread on cycling on this forums but I still didn't get it.

I have a 2 gallon tank, should I be "cycling"? And, the instructions says to do a 20% water change every week, how often should I be doing water changes and how much % each time?


----------



## PewPewPew

Micho said:


> So I've heard of cycling but I really have no clue what it is, I've read the stickied thread on cycling on this forums but I still didn't get it.
> 
> I have a 2 gallon tank, should I be "cycling"? And, the instructions says to do a 20% water change every week, how often should I be doing water changes and how much % each time?


It would be SUPER hard for you to cycle a 2 gallon tank. Even a 2.5-3 gallon is quite difficult. For now, dont worry about it and dont bother trying to cycle.

If the tank is filtered, you wont need a 100% change in the water, which is nice. (Filter always left on)

I would do one 50% change every week at the least. Get a small siphon or gravel vacuum to suck both water and wastes out of the bottom of the tank. Its really worth it to get


----------



## Micho

PewPewPew said:


> It would be SUPER hard for you to cycle a 2 gallon tank. Even a 2.5-3 gallon is quite difficult. For now, dont worry about it and dont bother trying to cycle.
> 
> If the tank is filtered, you wont need a 100% change in the water, which is nice. (Filter always left on)
> 
> I would do one 50% change every week at the least. Get a small siphon or gravel vacuum to suck both water and wastes out of the bottom of the tank. Its really worth it to get


Thanks for the fast reply. :]

I'll try to see if my pet store has a siphon/vacuum since it's an "express" store you can get hardly anything from there. Should I remove Jake from the tank when siphoning? Or is that not necessary?


----------



## Neil D

Micho, if your tank isn't cycled, you must do one 100% change and one 50% change weekly. With a filter, just do one 100% per week. The reason for the 100% change is because ammonia will keep building up and just partial changes will just reduce the amount of ammonia. Usually a cycled tank won't have this issue, but a tank that ISNT cycled, will.


----------



## Lion Mom

Neil D said:


> Micho, if your tank isn't cycled, you must do one 100% change and one 50% change weekly. With a filter, just do one 100% per week. The reason for the 100% change is because ammonia will keep building up and just partial changes will just reduce the amount of ammonia. Usually a cycled tank won't have this issue, but a tank that ISNT cycled, will.


WHAT???? WITH a filter, I NEVER, EVER do a 100% water change - even on small tanks. On 3 gals. & under I do two large water changes (approx. 75%) twice a week, but NEVER a 100%!!!


----------



## Neil D

Oh well, all to their own. But really, all does that does is that is reduce the amount of ammonia, but doesn't remove it. 

On small tanks that _aren't cycled_, do 100% changes. If the tank IS cycled, never ever do a 100%.


----------



## Littlebittyfish

If you want to cycle the tank...100% water changes would probably not be a good idea.If you had to do a 100% why would anyone even bother with a filter on a 2-3 gallon...?
You can cycle smaller tanks, it is just not as hardy of a cycle due to the lack of surface space for BB to cling to.
On my 3 gallon filtered (working on cycling) I do 2 50% water changes and that maintains good params, for me...If you use a good conditioner like prime, and dose the amount of water in the tank (not just the water added)while cycling it should cover any ammonia that may be in the remaining water.
It is best to use a master testing kit (or at least get a ammonia tester) to keep check of your params. instead of blindly doing water changes...It helps to determine how often you should be doing water changes, every tank is different...


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

I've heard about using Aquarium salt and Epsom salt for treating bettas if they get sick, but what specifically do they do?


----------



## bahamut285

...and I wonder why my guide wasn't made a sticky....:C

In MOST tanks under 5 gallons, it is nearly impossible to hold a a stable cycle but that doesn't mean it won't happen. A phenomenon known as mini cycling occurs. It doesn't cycle completely but some bacteria DOES grow in the filter, regardless of size of the tank. 

The reason why it's difficult is that ammonia will rise to toxic levels before the beneficial bacteria (BB) move in. Then, once it is moved in, nitrite levels will rise to toxic levels before the second set of BB move in. You will *HAVE* to have done at least SEVERAL water changes at this point. So you essentially continually GROW BB and STARVE them right after you do a change. They won't ALL die, but their numbers will diminish severely.

Just imagine it like this:
- In a large, stable cycled tank: The BB in the filter is like a metropolis of efficiency. Nothing is overlooked, ammonia and nitrite are taken care of like criminals. Nothing escapes the BBPD (Beneficial Bacteria Police Department)

- In a small, unstable "cycled" tank: The BB in the filter is similar to that of a small town or village. Many things are taken care of, but some things slip under the radar due to their inefficient police force (BB) taking care of the bad things in the tank. Any crime lords (ammonia spikes) will get away with it.

The ONLY reason why people think 5+ Gallons are able to cycle (other than it is stable) is because it is very difficult (physically) to find filters for small tanks that won't bump your betta around in his/her home.


TL;DR: Micho, I agree with P3 and Littlebitty. I personally test my water every other day (including rigorous dilutions) to determine WHEN I need to do a water change to keep my fish and BBPD happy. I am aware my guide says to not bother with 1-2 gals cycling, but that's generally for super beginners who don't feel the need to ask.


----------



## bahamut285

@Hazel: 

Epsom salt is generally used as a laxative (i.e. severe bloating) and fluid control (i.e. dropsy) from what I've gathered.

Aquarium salt is generally used as an antiseptic (i.e. fin rot) and it also improves the efficiency of some medications. I have also heard somewhere that it keeps NitrITES in check, but not sure.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

Alllllright, so, very loosely speaking, Epsom salt is for anything going wrong inside the betta, and Aquarium salt is for anything on the outside and around the betta. Thank you Bahamut!


----------



## Hallyx

Littlebittyfish said:


> It is best to use a master testing kit (or at least get a ammonia tester) to keep check of your params. instead of blindly doing water changes...It helps to determine how often you should be doing water changes, every tank is different...


For me, that's the bottom line, right there. 

My small (3/4') very active male delta lives in 1.8gal of water in a bare-bottom tank. I change 60plus percent of his water whenever it gets to .25ppm ammonia. That means I do a water change every day.....EVERY DAY!

My two full grown male VTs share 4 gallons and get a 50% change every four days whether they need it or not. Usually they don't _need_ it, as they test less than .25ppm NH3. 

Go figure. Hmmm...

I think maybe I'll start a thread with this question.


----------



## JKfish

Hally, how much are you feeding your fish? I ask this because if you are accidently over feeding your fish, you will see ammonia levels get high pretty fast. In general, a 2 gallon-ish tank with one betta needs one to two 50% water changes and a 100% water change a week. 60% a day seems a bit much.


----------



## dantetheripper

My betta seems to have formed a rivalry with my filter. He keeps flaring his fins at it and stays underneath the thing even though the current from the filter is pushing him away. He also refuses to eat anything even though he was eating fine a few days ago. 

I recently added five ghost shrimp into the tank and my betta just ignores them but every time i try to feed him, he spits the pellets out and they sink to the bottom where the ghost shrimp would get them.

So two problems here: my betta keeps trying to fight with my filter and he won't eat. Help anyone?


----------



## Neil D

If the filter is black, he will see his reflection in it. This only applies if it is a HOB (hang on the back) filter. If it is, slip a piece of white material in-between the outside glass and filter.


----------



## Micho

dantetheripper said:


> My betta seems to have formed a rivalry with my filter. He keeps flaring his fins at it and stays underneath the thing even though the current from the filter is pushing him away. He also refuses to eat anything even though he was eating fine a few days ago.
> 
> I recently added five ghost shrimp into the tank and my betta just ignores them but every time i try to feed him, he spits the pellets out and they sink to the bottom where the ghost shrimp would get them.
> 
> So two problems here: my betta keeps trying to fight with my filter and he won't eat. Help anyone?


First off Bettas dislike it when there is a strong current they like still water, you need to baffle your filter or remove it completely if baffling it doesn't work. Here's a guide on how to baffle your filter: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=30139

Also try feeding him a variety of foods, try feeding him bloodworms and other foods, flakes is a downgrade so don't bother getting those. Or maybe fasting him for one or two days if he's being a picky boy.


----------



## PewPewPew

Flakes are *not* a downgrade. They are not as easy to feed, but are a good idea if you wish to supplement in their diet.

Flakes typically (not goldfish, etc) have even *more* protein and nutrients than do pellets. Usually, the average pellet food is around 38(too little) to 43% protein, while most flakes are often 45-55%, much better.


----------



## Foxell

I was wondering if young dalmatian bettas develop spots over time? I got an adorable little [what I think is a] orange dalmatian boy tonight. He looks to have only 2 small red spots on his fins. I'm not 100% sure if he's an orange dalmatian though. If he is, will he develop more spots as he gets older?


----------



## Micho

Mine won't touch flakes. >: Even with a feeding ring they just sink to the bottom and the doesn't like them at all.

He's a picky eater, but anywho every Betta is different. :>


----------



## bahamut285

@Foxell: He's probably just a little pale from the store. He might brighten up, when I got Mali, he had little or barely visible spots. Now they are very obvious and bright.


----------



## Hallyx

JKfish said:


> Hally, how much are you feeding your fish?.... 60% a day seems a bit much.


Thanks JK

Everybody gets three feedings of one 'Omega One Small' (<1.5mm) pellet per day. That's 3 pellets/day. I perform two 50% changes back to back every day; roughs out to 60%. I do it that way because the pH rises from 7.6 to around 8.2 between changes; I don't want to pH shock him.

He's in a bare-bottom tank, so I'm able to remove feces and food bits daily. I just figured the little glass-surfer was high-metabolism and a growing boy.

What's really got me stumped is the low rise in NH3 and pH in the divided, unfiltered 4g (gravel, rocks and plastic plants) compared to the 2g bare tank. Those two guys are moderately active, seems to me.

I understand that over-feeding is unhealthy --- fatty liver and obesity --- but I don't know how to tell if my fish are fat. I don't mind the water changes too much.


----------



## JKfish

Well, in my opinion, you might actually want to feed them more, seeing as three isn't all that much. maybe give two in the morning, and two at night or something along those lines that would ammount to 4 pellets a day. Seeing as it sounds like your two boys in the divided tank are fully grown, they'll need slightly more food (and i'm sure your other boy wouldn't object either). And don't worry about your fish getting fat on four pellets a day. If you grossly over fed them with like 10 a day, then I would be worried about them becoming fat, but appart from that they're probably good.


----------



## nel3

i have a question nagging me since i got the API ammonia test kit. which reference chart do you look at if theres epsom or AQ salt present in the water?


----------



## Stardancer

Question: Is it possible to OVER-condition your water? I use the regular Top Fin brand from PetsMart. I know that if you buy a fish from them, they add an extra squirt to the bag before you walk out with it, but I don't want to do something like accidentally add too much and poison my poor fish.

Also, if I do end up needing to balance out over-conditioned water, would I add plain water and trust that it would be conditioned by what's already in the tank, or would I add correctly conditioned water instead?


----------



## myfishjayne

Quick Question... 

What do you do when you've been using the proper dose of Melafix in your betta tank and you learn you're not suppose to use it...?

Details: Jayne did something to his tail, I have no idea what, I think it was fin bitting while I was away on a trip (for like two weeks I wasn't actively here!), and I followed the dosage on the bottle, I did a whole treatment and just made the 25% water change... 
What do I do?! He hasn't really been acting TOO differently, all things considered, but... (Is this the right forum? I dunno, any way, Thanks!)


----------



## Neil D

Just stop and use AQ salt for tail biting. done and done.

1 tsp/gallon for no more than 14 days.


----------



## JKfish

Nel, you look at the fresh water. There should never be enough water in there to make it salty enough to be salt water. 

Stardancer, just be careful and dose according to the instructions. A little extra on accident won't hurt them.

My fishjayne, Just do another 25% or two so you have basically gotten most of the old water out


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> Nel, you look at the fresh water. There should never be enough water in there to make it salty enough to be salt water.
> 
> Stardancer, just be careful and dose according to the instructions. A little extra on accident won't hurt them.
> 
> My fishjayne, Just do another 25% or two so you have basically gotten most of the old water out


thank you jkfish. i never have used more than 1tsp aq salt per gallon so far.


----------



## myfishjayne

OKay, thank you very much. ^_^ Done and done. He seems a little stressed, just a little, but happy otherwise. He's getting old I dare say.


----------



## Neil D

Hasn't Jayne taken a liking to ATTACKING you?


----------



## myfishjayne

*cough* *cough* Yes. Every time I go near he tries to bite my finger off. He's CRAZY... I was making a water-flow sofener yesterday and as I was putting it in, he was trying to bite my fingers off. Oh, and as I was putting him back into his tank, via bowl, I was holding it side was, the bowl, and he didn't swim out... He tried to kill me... Again.


----------



## harrypotter

I want to make sure I am doing this right! I have a 2 gallon tank and I have Prime Conditoner in the 100 ML bottle

It says use 5 ml for every 200 L (50 gallons)

So how much should I be putting in?


----------



## Lion Mom

harrypotter said:


> I want to make sure I am doing this right! I have a 2 gallon tank and I have Prime Conditoner in the 100 ML bottle
> 
> It says use 5 ml for every 200 L (50 gallons)
> 
> So how much should I be putting in?


2 drops per gallon - that's all you need. :-D


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## harrypotter

That's what I thought but I wanted to make sure! After the scare I had a couple of weeks ago, I'm terrified of losing him now. I'm surprised at how attached I am to him.


----------



## Neil D

Oh trust me. Bettas make you love them. They make you cry, laugh, swear, and just plain spaz out. XD


----------



## myfishjayne

That they do, Neil D. Jayne's made me do all that and more! I've cursed at him, I've laughed at him, I've spazed out 'cuase of him, and yeah, he's made me cry to. 

Oh, and Good Luck harrypotter!


----------



## nel3

im starting an experiment with my blue VT for a suitable tank during winter (and hopefully for good). he loves his .5g anddoes well in it. the 1 gal he hates, could be lack of swimming area or too big. im leaving my DT in the 1g QT while i put the VT in my DT's 2.5g. how long should i wait for him to calm down in the 2.5 before putting him in the .5g if it doesnt work out? if all goes well i'll get a 5g and divide it. right now he's flaring like crazy. after being introduced to the 2.5.


----------



## dragonflie

What leads you to believe he doesn't like the 2.5? If he's flaring alot he is possibly ending up with the mirror effect on the sides if there is a light in the hood.


----------



## nel3

dragonflie said:


> What leads you to believe he doesn't like the 2.5? If he's flaring alot he is possibly ending up with the mirror effect on the sides if there is a light in the hood.


i have yet to find out if he dislikes the 2.5. i just put him in the 2.5 and i'll bring the the heater up to 25 celsius as he was in an unheated tank. it'll be 27 later on for Nel. i know theres more reflection than he's used to. its being put into a tank 2 gallons larger that worries me a bit. atm im keeping the room lights dim for the 2.5g and 1g. i'll give him 8 days to reach a descision for the 2.5g. the DT seems happy in the 1g but he's going to be in a 2.5g as a permanent tank.

my VT is easier to take care of bc he doesnt seem to like darker water ATM (tail bites). he likes clear water and the occasional potty break. the DT is another story: ph issues, tail biting and what not. both are jeckyl and hyde. DT passive but notorious tail biter, VT agressive but very few tailbiting issues .

aret those scrubbing pads used for dishwashing suitable for cleaning acrylic tanks? i have 1 pad thats avoided soap so far for cleaning tank cleaning.


----------



## Neil D

Don't keep the light above the tank on. It does cause the mirror affect previously mentioned.


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> Don't keep the light above the tank on. It does cause the mirror affect previously mentioned.


thank you Neil, when would be a good wait until i can turn it on? i have remaining 1 anacharis and 2 java moss balls (new) in there.


----------



## Neil D

Aww...poop. I didn't think you would have live plants in there. >.< 

Umm...if the room light is on, it should be ok to keep the tank light on. lol


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> Aww...poop. I didn't think you would have live plants in there. >.<
> 
> Umm...if the room light is on, it should be ok to keep the tank light on. lol


ty, i think the plants can survive one day without any extra lights.


----------



## gmd1800

I'm transporting both my boys and their moss balls to New York on Tuesday. I already got some baggies to put the bettas in. However, I'm not sure how to package the moss balls for safe transport. I was thinking I would put them in the cup that they came in (I divided my ball into two), but it's a three day, two night trip. 

Any ideas?


----------



## Neil D

If you could get your hands on a jar thing like this:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VvvKiPLKNxY/TgOOGPqK2YI/AAAAAAAAATU/lAsRaXvKsiE/s400/g14_300.jpg


That should be fine for the moss balls


----------



## nel3

whats the best way to transport bettas? i'll be moving into a new place in early september if all goes well. the place is 30 minutes away so the ride isnt bad at all, should i get betta bags or some well sealing containers?


----------



## Neil D

Just get 2 fish bags that petco and stuff sell fish in. Put one bag in the other and put it in a dark box. Should be fine for 1/2 hr.


----------



## gmd1800

Neil D said:


> If you could get your hands on a jar thing like this:
> 
> http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VvvKiPLKNxY/TgOOGPqK2YI/AAAAAAAAATU/lAsRaXvKsiE/s400/g14_300.jpg
> 
> 
> That should be fine for the moss balls


Would Tupperware work?


----------



## Dozzem

1. Hey, my marble half-moon is SO aggressive!!! He has been ever scene I put him in a 3 gallon upgrade (from a 2 gal.) two or three weeks ago. He flares at me and everything when I see him and he bites it lovely tail T3T. He made his first bubble nest (When I had him) a week or so ago, but hasn't made another one... Is he just crazy and what should I do? X3

2. Also, I put different color toys i there, he loves to chase the yellow, kills red and runs from orange and green! lol why?

3. AND dose light bother him? I have a BIG light above his tank I turn on to look at him and take pictures. It makes a little heat but I don't need it.

4. Its putting a snack on a string, making him chase it, and then letting him (VERY CRAZY-LIKE) eating it off a good idea? It was really cute >.<


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> Just get 2 fish bags that petco and stuff sell fish in. Put one bag in the other and put it in a dark box. Should be fine for 1/2 hr.


thank you, i'll have tp get 4 bags to do the trick for both betta. i'll put the bags in a insulated cooler for the trip.


----------



## JKfish

Nel, be sure to read this link before packing your fish. It'll insure you do it properly and avoid trouble. I know it is for shipping fish, but the general idea is still the same; you are packing the fish in bags and putting them in a box for transportation.

Dozzem, is the tank in a well lit area of the house? If it is in a dim area of the house and it has a light directly over the tank, it'll make the tank walls become reflective. Also, does he have enough hiding spots? Sometimes bettas flare/tail bite when they are stressed.


----------



## Dozzem

JK- yes, he has a very nice coconut cave and two fake plant he likes. He is in my room, I dont come in a lot but when I do, i turn on the light but it dosen't turn his tank brighter by a lot. I also have thin curtens, but light never comes straght into my room so its random.


----------



## Dozzem

5. I forgot a question, can I put tumbled rocks in there, like quartz? I have a LOT and none of them are sharp. I believe in the rock healing powers :3

Maybe I can get him to stop all the tail bitting o.o


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> Nel, be sure to read this link before packing your fish. It'll insure you do it properly and avoid trouble. I know it is for shipping fish, but the general idea is still the same; you are packing the fish in bags and putting them in a box for transportation.
> 
> Dozzem, is the tank in a well lit area of the house? If it is in a dim area of the house and it has a light directly over the tank, it'll make the tank walls become reflective. Also, does he have enough hiding spots? Sometimes bettas flare/tail bite when they are stressed.


ty JKFish, i have boxes but the only thing i have atm is buble wrap instead of packing peanuts. would that do or is it best to go out and buy some styrofoam? i'll go to lps for the betta bags.


----------



## Miss W

Oh no! I hurt my Betta! Today I was working on a 100% water change and while trying to catch Percy with a net he dove down quickly. The net pulled off about 1/2 inch of one of his tail. It was a very thin part of the tail, and he seems to being doing fine right now (swimming around checking out his new set up). Will he be okay? Does this kind of thing happen?


----------



## Hallyx

nel3 said:


> aret those scrubbing pads used for dishwashing suitable for cleaning acrylic tanks? i have 1 pad thats avoided soap so far for cleaning tank cleaning.


 Nooooooo.... 

Nothing much is suitable for cleaning acrylic other than a soft rag with vinegar. Not even dishwashing soap can be trusted.

There are plastic polishes made for acrylic, but I doubt the chemicals are fish safe.

If you're talking about algae cleaning, try snails. Plastic polish on the outside, only.


----------



## Hallyx

Miss W said:


> Oh no! I hurt my Betta! Today I was working on a 100% water change .... Does this kind of thing happen?


 Unfortunately, yes. I've had some close calls while performing 100% changes.

I no longer do it. I see no reason to stress both me and my fish trying to get every last little bit of mulm out of the tank. (But that's just me.)

Gravel vac, frequent partial changes and water tests. 90% changes max and rarely. And I leave them in the tank.


----------



## Lion Mom

Hallyx said:


> Unfortunately, yes. I've had some close calls while performing 100% changes.
> 
> I no longer do it. I see no reason to stress both me and my fish trying to get every last little bit of mulm out of the tank. (But that's just me.)
> 
> Gravel vac, frequent partial changes and water tests. 90% changes max and rarely. And I leave them in the tank.


What size is your tank & is it filtered? Thanks! :-D


----------



## Neil D

Miss W said:


> Oh no! I hurt my Betta! Today I was working on a 100% water change and while trying to catch Percy with a net he dove down quickly. The net pulled off about 1/2 inch of one of his tail. It was a very thin part of the tail, and he seems to being doing fine right now (swimming around checking out his new set up). Will he be okay? Does this kind of thing happen?



Don't stop the changes, and this kinda thing can happen. Now that part of his tail is missing, THE WORLD IS GONNA END!!! XD lol

No Im kidding, but make sure his water is clean at all times. It'll help his tail grow.


----------



## nel3

Hallyx said:


> Nooooooo....
> 
> Nothing much is suitable for cleaning acrylic other than a soft rag with vinegar. Not even dishwashing soap can be trusted.
> 
> There are plastic polishes made for acrylic, but I doubt the chemicals are fish safe.
> 
> If you're talking about algae cleaning, try snails. Plastic polish on the outside, only.


 
thank you, Hallyx. i only used it 2 times so far on acrylic tank. i havent had any algea issues yet but i havent a place to keep snails. they'd be perfect if they didnt keep dropping eggsacs to multiply quickly.

i have a quesyion regarding tank types, specifically glass vs acrylic. my VT keeps charging his reflection in the 2.5 Minibow acrylic. im looking at a 5 gal Minibow or a 5g glass Marina tank to divide. the Marina 5g is $5 cheaper to get and is available locally. the VT's been there for 3 days so far and ive kept the tank in the shade to reduce reflection. works well but very little light has been there for the plants inside. mu question is reflectiveness in a glass tank vs acrylic. i'll go with marina glass 5g if its less reflective.


----------



## Hallyx

Lion Mom said:


> What size is your tank & is it filtered? Thanks! :-D


 Five gallon divided, unfiltered. For several reasons, I probably will not cycle it. I'll continue partial water changes whenever the ammonia gets to .25 ppm or four days, whichever comes first.

I've recently added anubias and anacharis, but I don't yet know how that will effect my schedule.


----------



## Miss W

Neil D said:


> Don't stop the changes, and this kinda thing can happen. Now that part of his tail is missing, THE WORLD IS GONNA END!!! XD lol
> 
> No Im kidding, but make sure his water is clean at all times. It'll help his tail grow.


See, I was afraid it might for Percy. Thankfully when I came into the classroom this morning he greeted me as usual. He seems to be enjoying his new tank set up, and is no longer mad at me. 

Thanks guys!


----------



## Stardancer

Miss W said:


> See, I was afraid it might for Percy. Thankfully when I came into the classroom this morning he greeted me as usual. He seems to be enjoying his new tank set up, and is no longer mad at me.
> 
> Thanks guys!


Yes, tails grow back. All they really need is clean water; if you want, you can add more protein to his diet by giving him frozen bloodworms or some such in place of his regular food a few days a week. 

My coworker gave me a tiny pet-store sick betta a few months ago--he was a weird sickly color and had tiny, shredded fins. Now he's a deep red and is a very lovely veiltail. They just need love and some time


----------



## phoenix91

This question probably pops up all the time but i'm still going to ask it. My female, Artemis seems to be either tail biting/fin biting or has torn her bottom (sorry, can't remember what that fin is called) fin. I do very regular water changes and apart from a pesky algae problem the water quality is good. Is there anything else i should do to help her get better/stop infection? 








Does her tail look like she's been biting or is it just her tail type causing those spikeys?


Also, what can i do to deal with the algae problem that has cropped up? This stuff is bright green, i suspect it is green hair algae, will upping the co2 level in my tank work to control it? What else can i do? I have a 5 g planted tank with only the female as an occupant. Do snails eat algae? I have this huge ramshorn in my snail breeder tank, will he eat it? I'm not sure i want to put anything else in there to eat it (fishwise i mean)


----------



## Neil D

Cant help with the algae, but the bites do look kinda like bites. They look "U" shaped to me. 

Just keep the water clean. That should be the best and most preventative measure.


----------



## phoenix91

^^ yeah i thought so too, what about her tail? bites too? The water's kept clean, twice weekly large water changes.


----------



## Neil D

Her tail looks fine to me.


----------



## bucky1

ok i have a bloated fish and cant find the way to help him any one please


----------



## phoenix91

Thanks.


----------



## Neil D

Bucky,

The first thing to do is fill this out.


Housing 
What size is your tank?
What temperature is your tank?
Does your tank have a filter?
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?
Is your tank heated?
What tank mates does your betta fish live with?

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish?
How often do you feed your betta fish?

Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change?
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity: 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed?
How has your betta fish's behavior changed?
When did you start noticing the symptoms?
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
Does your fish have any history of being ill?
How old is your fish (approximately)?


----------



## jman828

Fill out the sticky ^ and then we can help


----------



## BrookeGrace

Hi guys! I can fill out the sticky if you need to me, but my question is about food. Red seems to be constipated on a weekly basis, even if I soak the pellets (I have the AquaCulture ones from Walmart) and only feed him two or three of them. I fast him twice a week, but this still happens. 

Would switching to flakes help, or should I just feed him less? :S 
Thanks in advance!


----------



## MaggieLynn

Im not sure if this was asked before didnt feel like reading the whole thread but what does IMO and IME mean???


----------



## Neil D

MAggie, IM[H]O means "in my [honest] opinion"

IME means "in my expertise"



Brooke, how much do you feed him? My CT Max seems to always have mini-bloat, so I feed him 2 pellets daily, rather than the normal 4.


----------



## JKfish

Brooke, it's possible those types of pellets might not agree with him. You could try switching brands, and experiment with different foods (flakes and pellets). Make sure that your water is clean and properly heated as well, because sometimes those can be factors.


----------



## nel3

i gave into temptation today. got a marbled DT betta locally the fish is in good condition regarding fins. hes mostly black body with white and goes sliver with refelction. the fins are light blue and red. cant post pics of him today, hes a bit stressed out and in a .5g unheated. i'll be getting a 5 gallon within 2 weeks and put my 1gal to the side (atm green DT), the heater in 1gal will go in the 5g. Osiris (new DT) is rather shy atm hiding under the java moss and i beleive he did eat a flake a minute after i put it in. he's a relatively young fry. only good pic atm


not the best way to put him in the tank but i cut the floating betta bag to get him in the .5g. the bag i got him in was a big bag for larger fish species (2ft tall bag). i found a dead betta at the same store but its better than the one closest to me and i only paid $11 vs +$15-$25 for CT/HM (closest one). they got rid of the dead betta when i pointed it out, it was a nice red CT fry. his water was changed recently got close to .00 ppm ammonia. i also found some weird green stringy stuff in the cup, is it medicine?

Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## Neil D

I'm not sure what it is. Looks like algae to me...but I'm not sure...

Just remove it with water changes...but do it gradually, so it wont shock him.


----------



## shrazybunny

Do freeze dried bloodworms make a betta bloat? I've bought a container of them, but if their not good for them I can return it since I haven't opened them yet...


----------



## Lion Mom

Nel - CUTE boy. CONGRATS on finding him!!! 

The green stuff looks like small pieces of moss to me, but what do I know??? LOL!


----------



## Neil D

shrazybunny said:


> Do freeze dried bloodworms make a betta bloat? I've bought a container of them, but if their not good for them I can return it since I haven't opened them yet...


Its ok to feed them FD BW once a week, but it would be best if you returned it and got frozen bloodworms. They are much better, and its a-ok to feed them FBW 2-3 times a week.


----------



## nel3

thank you Neil and lion mom. i was under the impression he was black and silver but i never took a closer look until the moment i made my final choice. i dont regret it, i like the color mix on the body and fins. the green stuff is gone now, he has his java moss to replace it. its taken a while but the VT and new DT seem to get used to it. osiris is just chilling in getting used to the .5g.

the same shop had a purple marble but its more of a blue/red combo, they just have alot of marbles.


----------



## shrazybunny

If I don't have a filter, should I get a pump and airstone? (I have a 2 gallon tank) If I do, what are some really quiet brands?


----------



## Leeniex

I have a qq....I have my new guy in water conditioned with bettasafe. I would like to try stresscoat. Do I need to change the water again, or can it be added to the existing water? Would I be over-conditioning it?


----------



## Neil D

shrazybunny said:


> If I don't have a filter, should I get a pump and airstone? (I have a 2 gallon tank) If I do, what are some really quiet brands?


You don't need either for a 2g betta tank. Bettas breathe air, using something called a labyrinth organ. The do, however, need a heater. For an unfiltered 2g, do one 50% and one 100% water change weekly.


----------



## shrazybunny

Thanks. Yeah, I've got a heater... I've got another question, so:
I just got an anacharis from petsmart, and its a bit brown... should I fertilize it? If yes, what's a good brand?


----------



## PewPewPew

If its browning, its dying. So long as the plant has new shoots, though, its still alive and growing.

Ferts that are good are ones like Aqueon plant food... stay away from Excel, which melts it.


----------



## nel3

how much ammonium can a betta handle without being stressed?


----------



## iloveengl

Anything more than .25 ppm is stressful on fish. A good liquid test (like API brand) will give accurate ammonia readings. Don't trust the strips; they're just not very reliable.


----------



## iloveengl

QQ: Is there a way on this forum to find threads that I've created or posted in? I'm used to "my posts" "my threads" "new threads" etc. options. I'm not sure if I just can't find the options, or if they don't exist. Thanks for any help.


----------



## Neil D

Your User CP should display the threads you've visited. Go to the top left of the forum and its there.


----------



## nel3

iloveengl said:


> Anything more than .25 ppm is stressful on fish. A good liquid test (like API brand) will give accurate ammonia readings. Don't trust the strips; they're just not very reliable.


ty Niel, the 1g shows API 0ppm so does ammonia 0ppm seachem ammonia kit. i got .25 for total (seachem nh3-4). a 100wc is due.


----------



## Lion Mom

iloveengl said:


> QQ: Is there a way on this forum to find threads that I've created or posted in? I'm used to "my posts" "my threads" "new threads" etc. options. I'm not sure if I just can't find the options, or if they don't exist. Thanks for any help.


Just click on your user name to the left of your post - one of the choices in the drop down menu is "Find More Posts by ______ "


----------



## iloveengl

Lion Mom said:


> Just click on your user name to the left of your post - one of the choices in the drop down menu is "Find More Posts by ______ "


OH. I see it now. Thank you!


----------



## Lion Mom

iloveengl said:


> OH. I see it now. Thank you!


You're welcome! :-D


----------



## nel3

i have a question on dealing with a 5gal divided tank. i dont have the tank just yet but it will be divided. my green DT will go back in the 2.5 due to his IAL water. Nel and Osiris will go in the 5g. Osiris is rather young maybe 2-4 months judging from size (2' long half is tails). Nel is much older (age unkown) maybe 2.5' long. its no hurry as osiris is still getting used to the .5g and nel likes a 2.5 atm. i dont know the best order to put them in when the 5g is ready. should i put the younger betta in or the older one first?

the friends that gave the 1gal are great people but its irritating to talk bettas with them. the no heater, champagne glass home, room temperature and use water conditioner etc type of person. the mother doesnt see much use of a heater, same for the father and son.


----------



## Neil D

That sucks Nel.


I would say the older one...but i don't think it really matters.


----------



## hmckin20

hey guys, do you think two female babies in a divided 2.5 gallon temporary tank is okay?

they're barely an inch long each.


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> That sucks Nel.
> 
> 
> I would say the older one...but i don't think it really matters.


thank you, il'll wait a few days before adding the second one. i think nel will go in the 5 gal first to give osiris more time to to adjust. is it possible it cant work out if they flare too much at each other?

lol the mother expects me to transport the bettas in their tank at a reduced water level. i wont even bother doung that, i already have some fish bags.


----------



## nel3

sry for the double post. nel (VT) has been in the 2.5g for just over a week with bublenests every few days. did last 50wc 3 days ago. he's bitten off sections of his caudal (1/4 x1/4'') on top part. should i keep him in the 2.5 and wait it out or put him back in the 0,5 where he didnt bite his tail. he's in a heated tank atm vs a .5g unheated. this happened within the past few hours i was sleeping, previous days he was just fine. dont have time to take a pic atm, will be busy away most of the day.


----------



## Stardancer

hmckin20 said:


> hey guys, do you think two female babies in a divided 2.5 gallon temporary tank is okay?
> 
> they're barely an inch long each.


I should think so. Normally that size tank is pretty small to divide, but if it's only temporary I think it would be okay. If the tank is tall rather than wide it might create some oddly-shaped spaces, but as long as they could get to the top for air I don't see why it wouldn't work.


----------



## Stardancer

Question! I added a small filter to Rory's tank (1.75 gal). I baffled it so that when he swims by, it doesn't seem to be bothering him. However, he hasn't built a bubble nest since I turned it on, and he used to do that pretty regularly. I was hoping to use the filter to get out some of the gunk that collects in the water, but now I'm wondering if I should turn it back off?


----------



## fisherish

Hey guys. How often should i change the water in my 10 gallon tank, and what percentages?


----------



## JKfish

StarDancer: keep in mind while the filter may mechanically remove the gunk, it will not chemically clean the water of ammonia. Since your tank is so small, 100% water changes might actually do a better job than the filter. There is a chance the filter is disturbing the water surface and making it more difficult for him to build a bubblenest.

Fisherish, how many/ what fish are going to be in there, and will you have a filter in there?


----------



## nel3

i did a 100wc for my 2.5g and put 1tsp epsom salt/L. within 30 minutes some sections of his caudal rotted away. i removed half the water and put in the new water with stress coat and no salts. hopefully it will be ok. my question is why would such finrot occur so fast?


----------



## Bresn

fisherish said:


> Hey guys. How often should i change the water in my 10 gallon tank, and what percentages?


You should do 50% water change 2 time every week.


----------



## SKA123

How many times do you feed your betta each day? I've been feeding him 2-3 pellets once a day...


----------



## Bresn

I feed my fishes 2-3 pellets twice a day.


----------



## SKA123

is 6 pellets too much for them? I only gave mine 2 today. should i give him two more? O.O


----------



## Stardancer

SKA123, it depends on the size of your pellets and on personal preference. I have medium-sized pellets, so I feed two in the morning and two in the evening. 

JKFish--Oops, I should have clarified. I haven't stopped or changed my water change-schedule at all. It's just that I added a filter to try and get rid of some of the physical gunk that I can see floating around.


----------



## Bresn

SKA123 said:


> is 6 pellets too much for them? I only gave mine 2 today. should i give him two more? O.O


Small pellets:2-3 pellets twice a day(Morning and night).
Medium pellets:1-2 pellets twice a day(Morning and night).
Big pellets:1 pellets twice a day(Morning and night).


----------



## hmckin20

Stardancer said:


> I should think so. Normally that size tank is pretty small to divide, but if it's only temporary I think it would be okay. If the tank is tall rather than wide it might create some oddly-shaped spaces, but as long as they could get to the top for air I don't see why it wouldn't work.



awesome, thankyou! :*


----------



## JKfish

Nel: you were adding 1 tsp per liter, which is *4* tsps per gallon. That is waaaaaay too much. 3 is pretty much as high as you'll ever need to go. Treating mild fin rot would only require 1 tsp per gallon, if any at all. The excess salt probably is what did it. 

SKA: 2-3 pellets twice aday is the appropriate ammount.

Bresn, unfortunatey, you've got that wrong. if there was a pellet large enough to feed only one twice a day, then the poor bettas wouldn't even be able to fit it down their throat.


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> Nel: you were adding 1 tsp per liter, which is *4* tsps per gallon. That is waaaaaay too much. 3 is pretty much as high as you'll ever need to go. Treating mild fin rot would only require 1 tsp per gallon, if any at all. The excess salt probably is what did it.
> 
> SKA: 2-3 pellets twice aday is the appropriate ammount.
> 
> Bresn, unfortunatey, you've got that wrong. if there was a pellet large enough to feed only one twice a day, then the poor bettas wouldn't even be able to fit it down their throat.


thank you JKfish, the 50wc worked very well. the damage has stopped spreading. i though i had it right, guess i was wrong. 

edit: i wrote down the epsom dosage wrong. i put 3 tsp for the 2.5g. the main areas affected were bitten areas and recent regrowth.


----------



## Cinnamee

Should I even attempt at cycling a 2.1g?


----------



## stripedsocks

Quick question: Can you cycle a tank with a filter that only has the fuzzy filter cartridge, or do you need one with a bio-filter stage? Sorry if this doesn't make sense, idk how else to explain :S


----------



## hmckin20

guys, would putting two dividers in a ten gal work?
ie three sections


----------



## walle

Would a turkey baster work as an acceptable gravel siphon substitute?


----------



## Bresn

JKfish said:


> Nel: you were adding 1 tsp per liter, which is *4* tsps per gallon. That is waaaaaay too much. 3 is pretty much as high as you'll ever need to go. Treating mild fin rot would only require 1 tsp per gallon, if any at all. The excess salt probably is what did it.
> 
> SKA: 2-3 pellets twice aday is the appropriate ammount.
> 
> Bresn, unfortunatey, you've got that wrong. if there was a pellet large enough to feed only one twice a day, then the poor bettas wouldn't even be able to fit it down their throat.


I forget about that.


----------



## MinibotLove

My girl Starscream is really aggressive around the other girls (all the other girls, no matter who is new and who isn't) but I've also noticed she's gotten really plump in the belly. I know some animals get more aggressive when they're getting ready to lay eggs, but I'm not sure if she's got eggs or if she's just been getting fed too much (My roommate and I try to tell each other "Oh I fed the fish" but sometimes things get miscommunicated). She doesn't seem to like picking her food off the bottom of the tank, though, so I didn't think she was eating that much - she lets pellets and freeze-dried bloodworms sink to the bottom and then ignores them, and I never see her eat the fallen ones. We have boys on either side of the girl tank because the girls seem to give the boys something to look at during the day when we're at work. 

Okay so rambling aside, basically what I'm asking is Do females get more aggressive and territorial when they're getting ready to drop eggs or is she just being a bully and needs her own tank? And how can you tell if it's eggs or if she's just fat?


----------



## bahamut285

Cinnamee said:


> Should I even attempt at cycling a 2.1g?


I personally wouldn't. You CAN, but you'd have to personally monitor the levels almost daily as to not take out too much ammonia to starve your bacteria. You can have the filter there, but I wouldn't count on it cycling. Having live plants helps keep it a tad more stable though.



stripedsocks said:


> Quick question: Can you cycle a tank with a filter that only has the fuzzy filter cartridge, or do you need one with a bio-filter stage? Sorry if this doesn't make sense, idk how else to explain :S


Yes, provided it is big enough for a stable cycle (generally 5 gallons+) or you are in the same situation as Cinnamee above. Bacteria will grow on just about anything 



hmckin20 said:


> guys, would putting two dividers in a ten gal work?
> ie three sections


I have seen set ups with 3 dividers, so I don't see why not. However for this set up, some people use additional filters to take care of the extra bioload.



walle said:


> Would a turkey baster work as an acceptable gravel siphon substitute?


It is difficult to use, but I have read others recommending it. Make sure it is washed WITHOUT soap and left to air dry.


----------



## Stardancer

MinibotLove said:


> And how can you tell if it's eggs or if she's just fat?


I asked a similar question a while ago. I found a picture of eggy females here. If Starscream looks like this, then I'm guessing she's got eggs.


----------



## MinibotLove

Stardancer said:


> I asked a similar question a while ago. I found a picture of eggy females here. If Starscream looks like this, then I'm guessing she's got eggs.



That's _exactly_ what she looks like! <3 Big, bronzed belly and all! So she's likely got eggs - maybe that's why she's so aggressive with the other girls. Maybe one of our boys will want to be a daddy - ..ooor maybe we should let her drop/reabsorb her eggs this time. I don't think we've got the supplies to care for babies atm.


----------



## Behati

My betta suddenly doesn't want the food I give it. It took the pellets fine, then past few days he didn't want it anymore. He would eat it, then spit it back out. I heard you could give it a tiny piece of fruit as a treat so I tried giving it a piece of banana. It spat it back out after it tasted it. I don't know what to do. He isn't eating and his fins are getting tight for no reason. How can I get him to eat again? And what other foods can I try besides live food?


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

How do you get a certain amount of pellets to feed your betta? I've tried wetting my finger and picking out a few, dabbing with a dry finger, but almost always I get more than I need. (Using NLS pellets.  )


----------



## hmckin20

hey guys, how many times can i divide a 20 gal? o3o it's more long than high.


----------



## hmckin20

nevermind xD i divided it with four dividers (five sections) and it looks awesome


----------



## Neil D

Behati said:


> My betta suddenly doesn't want the food I give it. It took the pellets fine, then past few days he didn't want it anymore. He would eat it, then spit it back out. I heard you could give it a tiny piece of fruit as a treat so I tried giving it a piece of banana. It spat it back out after it tasted it. I don't know what to do. He isn't eating and his fins are getting tight for no reason. How can I get him to eat again? And what other foods can I try besides live food?


Do not feed your betta vegetable matter. They are carnivorous, and that will throw their digestive tract out of whack. Frozen foods are good, especially the bloodworms. Does your tank have a heater?



Hazel: Tweezers? I just use my fingers


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

Haha, you must have nimbler fingers than I! XD I'll have to give the tweezers a try..And if that doesn't work, a dampened Q-tip might. Its almost time for me to try to feed Watson anyways. Lets see what happens! :]


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

Heh, well sis didn't believe me when I said I couldn't do it with my fingers and showed me how. :} So all Watson needs to do now is settle in and eat.


----------



## PiscisAmor

I have always used the inch per gallon plus 2 extra gallons as a rule for stocking tanks. Can I use this to stock a sorority?


----------



## SKA123

my betta boy has been blowing bubbles. lots of bubbles. it's not exactly a nest he just keeps blowing bubbles, then it looks like he's attacking the bubbles. is this normal or just weird? :shock:


----------



## missm83

Miss W said:


> Oh no! I hurt my Betta! Today I was working on a 100% water change and while trying to catch Percy with a net he dove down quickly. The net pulled off about 1/2 inch of one of his tail. It was a very thin part of the tail, and he seems to being doing fine right now (swimming around checking out his new set up). Will he be okay? Does this kind of thing happen?


same thing happened to my boy on Tuesday:-? ...it will heal...just takes time...i need to find a new way to catch my little guy,im never using the net again


----------



## Behati

Neil D said:


> Do not feed your betta vegetable matter. They are carnivorous, and that will throw their digestive tract out of whack. Frozen foods are good, especially the bloodworms. Does your tank have a heater?
> 
> 
> 
> Hazel: Tweezers? I just use my fingers



I can't.. I hate creepy crawlies. I can do brine shrimp but I don't know when I can get my hands on some. My tank for him has a heater.


----------



## Neil D

Ok. The heater is good. But the frozen bloodworms look like long rice, and thinner. The only difference is they're red.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

I'd like to just get an affirmative on this, but is the white on Watson's fins new growth? I'm _pretty_ sure it is, but if someone else confirms it I'd feel better.








And are the grayish scales on him possibly some of his coloration? They haven't changed since yesterday, when I first noticed them.


----------



## Neil D

Both look like coloration.


----------



## Myates

PiscisAmor said:


> I have always used the inch per gallon plus 2 extra gallons as a rule for stocking tanks. Can I use this to stock a sorority?


General rule is, 5-6 females at least per tank, no less then a 10gal.



SKA123 said:


> my betta boy has been blowing bubbles. lots of bubbles. it's not exactly a nest he just keeps blowing bubbles, then it looks like he's attacking the bubbles. is this normal or just weird? :shock:


Just weird. (but normal)



missm83 said:


> same thing happened to my boy on Tuesday:-? ...it will heal...just takes time...i need to find a new way to catch my little guy,im never using the net again


If you have the original cup he came in when you bought him, when he comes up for air, dip it in the water and let the force of the water moving into the cup as you move the cup and get him in that way. If you don't have a cup, look for something smaller, similar. I used to use a net and ripped one of my boy's fins and since then I only use the cup. Drop a piece of food next to it and hope he goes for it. Either way, he has to come for air sometime 
Also you can hold the cup under water, their curiosity will get the best of them, swim in, then you can block the opening with the net as you pull it out. Good luck!


----------



## Myates

HazelrahLayna7 said:


> I'd like to just get an affirmative on this, but is the white on Watson's fins new growth? I'm _pretty_ sure it is, but if someone else confirms it I'd feel better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And are the grayish scales on him possibly some of his coloration? They haven't changed since yesterday, when I first noticed them.


Looks like his coloration since on the pic it looks like it's also at the base of his tail.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

Neil D said:


> Both look like coloration.





Myates said:


> Looks like his coloration since on the pic it looks like it's also at the base of his tail.


*Relieved sigh* Haha, thanks Neil, Myates! I feel reassured now.


----------



## thePWNISHER

HazelrahLayna7 said:


> I'd like to just get an affirmative on this, but is the white on Watson's fins new growth? I'm _pretty_ sure it is, but if someone else confirms it I'd feel better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And are the grayish scales on him possibly some of his coloration? They haven't changed since yesterday, when I first noticed them.



@ Hazel, Yah its definitely coloration. My guy has the black body base then orange CT, but his tips are Black, so I have to watch them carefully for finrot, I prolly won't catch it until its deteriorating. When I first got him I thought he had it, then his tail started to get thicker, fuller and longer and the black tips went from little spots to a small section. Since they weren't curling and he was acting more vibrant and swimming better I figured it was his coloration. Phew


----------



## walle

How exactly do you put nylons around the intake of a filter? And how do you baffle a waterfall style filter? A sponge?


----------



## Neil D

There is a baffle thread somewhere...I'd suggest looking for it. It helped me! Its a sticky


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

To entertain myself and Watson I drew some stuff on the outside of his tank with dry eraser marker, and just as I was doing so I thought, 'I wonder if this will get into the plastic and then into the water?' His tank is an old plastic container that you buy salad in, do you think the dry eraser marker could get into the water?


----------



## Neil D

I don't think so...I do that on my guys's glass tank


----------



## bahamut285

You have your fish in THIS?:









Is he in QT? Or is it some sort of monstrously large salad container O_O

I wouldn't recommend using it AT ALL. I believe that it is a 5 or 6-recyclable material, it's generally not safe for repeated use.

However, I apologize in advance if I am mistaken >_>


----------



## Stardancer

So having established that my girl has eggs and not bloat, how long will she be carrying them? I've only had her about three weeks; I think I noticed the egg-belly about two weeks ago.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

bahamut285 said:


> You have your fish in THIS?:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is he in QT? Or is it some sort of monstrously large salad container O_O
> 
> I wouldn't recommend using it AT ALL. I believe that it is a 5 or 6-recyclable material, it's generally not safe for repeated use.
> 
> However, I apologize in advance if I am mistaken >_>


Not specifically, its much taller, to where it can hold 1 gallon and he is in QT in it.

...But I'll check the number _right now_, I don't want something happening to Watson. :shock:

Edit: *Phew* Its a 1. Is it safe for me to continue the QT in it, or should I find another container? Watson's out of it and in a cup, so he's safe for the time being.

Here's what it looks like:


----------



## walle

When doing a 25% water change, do you leave your fish in his tank? Can he be in there when I add the water conditioner?


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

Hehe, now Watson is surfing around in the ten gallon tank! (Well, no full ten gallons yet, I've got 3 gallons in there. :roll So my questions have easily been solved! :-D


----------



## bahamut285

@Hazel: Wow that is the biggest container I've seen XD! A 1 should be fine, however I don't recommend putting a heater in it >_<... I'm glad he's feeling better!

@walle: It is fine to leave him in there during partial water changes. However you should add the conditioner to the water BEFORE you put the water into the tank he's in.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

bahamut285 said:


> @Hazel: Wow that is the biggest container I've seen XD! A 1 should be fine, however I don't recommend putting a heater in it >_<... I'm glad he's feeling better!
> 
> @walle: It is fine to leave him in there during partial water changes. However you should add the conditioner to the water BEFORE you put the water into the tank he's in.


Haha, I think its from Kroger.. Lets see, maybe a baby spring mix? LOL, It is big! :lol: And no heaters in there, major melting time for sure! :shock: 

Ug, and I just got the heater from Amazon (Ordered from there. ) that I'm going to use when he's out of QT and decided its 'water level must be this high' point was too high. Stink. So does anyone know how the Fluval 50 watt submersible heater does? That was the one on my backup list if this one didn't work out, which it doesn't.


----------



## walle

bahamut285 said:


> @walle: It is fine to leave him in there during partial water changes. However you should add the conditioner to the water BEFORE you put the water into the tank he's in.


So I take water out, put conditioner in, and put new water in? Thank you so much for your help!


----------



## bahamut285

walle said:


> So I take water out, put conditioner in, and put new water in? Thank you so much for your help!


Yeah, you put the conditioner into the new water before dumping into the tank...should have clarified that XD


----------



## walle

Hmm, I have to use a cup (never been washed with soap, only hot water) to change his water since I live in a dorm and I can't carry his tank b/c I'm a weakling, so what do I do? The cup is 24 oz. Do I put enough conditioner for that much in each cupful before dumping it in his tank?


----------



## shrazybunny

You could find someone with a gallon milk jug/water jug and just recycle that...


----------



## Silverfang

Quick question!
do you need to rinse silica sand? I know you have to rinse gravel, but uh, how do you rinse and drain sand?


----------



## bahamut285

walle said:


> Hmm, I have to use a cup (never been washed with soap, only hot water) to change his water since I live in a dorm and I can't carry his tank b/c I'm a weakling, so what do I do? The cup is 24 oz. Do I put enough conditioner for that much in each cupful before dumping it in his tank?


You can do one of two things, you can either put enough for the cupful, or put the full dose in. Generally you should put it before adding, so I would do it per cupful of water. Especially if you don't know the parameters of your water. 




Silverfang said:


> Quick question!
> do you need to rinse silica sand? I know you have to rinse gravel, but uh, how do you rinse and drain sand?


I generally make it a habit to wash anything and everything that enters my tank (unless otherwise noted). Wash it in a bowl instead of a strainer. To drain it, just decant the water from the bowl (similar to washing rice). Then maybe put a paper towel on top of the bowl and leave it somewhere to dry out completely.


----------



## Silverfang

Just so eager to get the tank planted!


----------



## MinibotLove

Silverfang said:


> Quick question!
> do you need to rinse silica sand? I know you have to rinse gravel, but uh, how do you rinse and drain sand?


I don't know how much bearing this has on fish, but when I kept my bearded dragon, his sand was always sterilized in the oven in a one to two inch layer on a cookie sheet to be sure it killed anything teeny and gross that might be creeping around in it.


----------



## hmckin20

hey guys!

an unfiltered, uncycled ten gallon with three divided bettas in it- how often should i do water changes?


----------



## betaguy

My beta fish is acting up, first time owner and ive had him for a year. recently hes been going up to the top for air a whole lot at what i calll top speed. seems freaked out
doing what i said or lays at the bottum, just started the other day. was using normal tap water and callled petsmart and they said i needed to dechlorinate the water, i did so last night and there is no change. is there something else that I should try?


----------



## Neil D

You do need dechlorinator. You need a 3+ gallon tank with a heater. That should fix him, it may. We need more info


----------



## ManInBlack2010

my new guy, Rebel, has what i believe is fin rot - black edges on all of his fins

he's in QT in a 1.5 g tank. getting a little heater tomorrow since he'll probably be in that for a while. from the research i've done it looks like curing it is basically water changes every day and 1tsp Epsom salt per gallon? any other tips?


----------



## hmckin20

definitely try API Fungus Cure. it's a standard medication for fin rot.


----------



## Littlebittyfish

ManInBlack2010 said:


> my new guy, Rebel, has what i believe is fin rot - black edges on all of his fins
> 
> he's in QT in a 1.5 g tank. getting a little heater tomorrow since he'll probably be in that for a while. from the research i've done it looks like curing it is basically water changes every day and 1tsp Epsom salt per gallon? any other tips?





> *Tail rot or fin rot*
> •Symptoms: Betta’s fins and/or tail seem to be getting shorter and shorter or they seem to be falling apart and dissolving, Black or red along the edge of the betta’s fins/tail, Bloody tips, Behavior may not change
> Treatment: Conservative: Treat with Aq.Salt at 1 tsp/gal. Increase water changes to 100% daily. Replace accurate amount of salt following water changes. Add Stress Coat to help repair tissue. If there is little to no improvement within the first 5 days, you can increase the salt dosage gradually to 2tsp/gal but do not continue any salt treatments past 10 days. 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.
> 
> *Advanced Fin and Tail rot*
> •Symptoms: Fins and or tail start rotting away, usually starting from the edge, but sometimes it starts at the base of the fin (especially dorsal) and attacks the body directly. Diseases progresses rapidly as the tissues are being eaten away. Once fins have been consumed, rot will proceed onto the body. At this stage the disease is hard to reverse although the betta might continue to live for months if treated properly. If not treated, it will die promptly.
> •Treatment: If the rot has advanced onto the body, skip conservative treatment. Do 100% daily water changes. Use a combination of Fungus Eliminator and Tetracycline. Continue until fins/tail stop receding and start showing some new growth. It may take up to 4 weeks to work, so don’t give up.


http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=73332

Do you have a picture of him? Sometimes dark fin edges are just part of their coloring. I have one veiltail that has dark brown edges on all his fins, but his body is brown and it is just part of his coloring.
*edit*
you'll want to use aquarium salt, not epsom salt for finrot. 
Epsom salt is great to have around just in case your betta becomes bloated or constipated, but I am not sure it would do much for finrot.I would start out using the aquarium salt. Medications can be tough on fish..but I have never had any issues with salt as long as your betta is healthy in general and you don't go any longer than 7-10 days with it.


----------



## bahamut285

hmckin20 said:


> hey guys!
> 
> an unfiltered, uncycled ten gallon with three divided bettas in it- how often should i do water changes?


Any unfiltered, uncycled tank will build up ammonia more so than nitirite or nitrate. Your tank *MAY* be big enough for the bacteria to grow on your substrate and decorations, but not significant enough to count as cycled.

I would personally urge you to buy a filter, otherwise you're stuck with doing a whole lot of partial changes (50% twice a week with a 100% every other week).

I don't know how to modify that water change for the extra bettas, though X_X


----------



## hmckin20

bahamut285 said:


> Any unfiltered, uncycled tank will build up ammonia more so than nitirite or nitrate. Your tank *MAY* be big enough for the bacteria to grow on your substrate and decorations, but not significant enough to count as cycled.
> 
> I would personally urge you to buy a filter, otherwise you're stuck with doing a whole lot of partial changes (50% twice a week with a 100% every other week).
> 
> I don't know how to modify that water change for the extra bettas, though X_X



Okay. I've been doing 25% every day out of sheer paranoia (because of the number increase) and I do 25%+ with a gravel vac on Sundays.
So I do need to do 100% on 10g? I was told not to a while back. Even with the filter, do I need to do them?


----------



## nel3

does anyone have ideas on a possible tank stand? i plan to put the 5gal on it when its ready. ive checked ikea and found something thats a bit small 31inches (29lbs max weight on a model) though its also 31inches high. where in can fit 20 depthx52 lenght (inches) any other candidate in furniture is too long or not strong enough. are there any DIY tank stands or should i try to find a proper aquarium stand which will be atleast $200? any item would probably be in wood to match the surrondings and im looking for something with drawers/doors to hide the fish items.


----------



## Neil D

Check goodwill for tank stands or tables that could be tank stands. Do they have goodwill's in Montreal?


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> Check goodwill for tank stands or tables that could be tank stands. Do they have goodwill's in Montreal?


thanl you Neil, there are some in Montreal. my only question regarding the proper table is if it strong enough for a loaded 5 gal weight and a bit more ie tak on top and prepared IAL water and the other light fish items. colapsed/bowing tables arent too useful in the long run.


----------



## betaguy

I understand no one here is a fan of the .5 gallon tank, but i can put him in it while i change the water in say a 2gal?


----------



## shrazybunny

@betaguy: of course. some of us put them in the little cups they come in. unless it takes you days to change water XD


----------



## bahamut285

hmckin20 said:


> Okay. I've been doing 25% every day out of sheer paranoia (because of the number increase) and I do 25%+ with a gravel vac on Sundays.
> So I do need to do 100% on 10g? I was told not to a while back. Even with the filter, do I need to do them?


There is a really long and unnecessary explanation (and precaution) concerning 100% water changes. Like I said before, unless there is enough bacteria growing on other things in your tank, ammonia will eventually build up. Even through partial changes, there is still ammonia, you are just diluting it. However the dilution will eventually become ineffective.

If you have a filter, it will cycle and you'd probably only have to do 25%ish changes a week for 3 I think, again I'm not sure for the number of fish. A lot of people do 10% changes a week in a cycled 10 gallon with one.




betaguy said:


> I understand no one here is a fan of the .5 gallon tank, but i can put him in it while i change the water in say a 2gal?


There is nothing wrong with using a 0.5 Gallon tank as a temporary home for a water change


----------



## hmckin20

bahamut285 said:


> There is a really long and unnecessary explanation (and precaution) concerning 100% water changes. Like I said before, unless there is enough bacteria growing on other things in your tank, ammonia will eventually build up. Even through partial changes, there is still ammonia, you are just diluting it. However the dilution will eventually become ineffective.
> 
> If you have a filter, it will cycle and you'd probably only have to do 25%ish changes a week for 3 I think, again I'm not sure for the number of fish. A lot of people do 10% changes a week in a cycled 10 gallon with one.


oh, okay. thanks for clearing that up for me.


----------



## shrazybunny

If I were to have a lightly planted 5 gallon tank with one male betta in it, how often would I have to do water changes? I'm debating whether to upgrade him to a bigger tank...


----------



## hufflepuffyfish

*What should I feed my mystery snail? Carrots?
How often should I clean my 3 1/2 gallon betta tank if I remove the filter?
Thanks... cool thread. =p*


----------



## Dozzem

How do I soak a pellat in garlic juice? I also only have raw garlic. My skinny boy has stopped eating! I need him to eat!!!!


----------



## Dozzem

shrazybunny said:


> If I were to have a lightly planted 5 gallon tank with one male betta in it, how often would I have to do water changes? I'm debating whether to upgrade him to a bigger tank...


You don't need to upgrade, mine is happy in his! But bigger is always better >.<
I would do a 50% and a 75% weekly or so


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## ManInBlack2010

Is water conditioner that is not strictly for bettas ok to use? I bought Aqueon Water Conditioner for freshwater fish but then i was at a different store the same day and saw that aqueon had betta specific conditioner so i bought that... i ran out of the betta specific stuff and haven't returned the freshwater fish stuff, is that ok to use (i'm actually in the middle of a water change and ran out )


----------



## JKfish

ManInBlack: all fresh water conditioners are fine. IMO, the betta specific ones are overrated, they do the same thing. 

Dozzem: Raw garlic is fine. Just crush it up really fine and add a bit of water. Wha-la, you have garlic juice to soak your pellets in. I typically put it in the fridge between soakings, and as such I can use it for a week or two before replacing.

HufflePuffyFish: IMO, a 3 gallon would be fine with a 50% and a 100% water change. 

Shrazy Bunny: your 5 gallon is fine. If there is a filter, then a 50% ever single week will be fine.


----------



## shrazybunny

I guess I didn't type that clear enough. My betta's in a 1.8 gallon right now (he's a bit small right now (around 1 inch), but I think he'll grow), and I feel sorta bad about it. I have a spare 5 gallon, and I want to put him in that. If it doesn't have a filter (my mom won't let me have one since it makes a buzzing noise), how often would I have to perform water changes?


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## JKfish

If the plants in there are not plants that can be removed for the occasional 100% water change, then just 50% water changes once a week and maybe a 90% water change every two or three weeks. If they can be removed, then 50% water changes once a week and 100% water changes every two to three weeks.


----------



## McMarvel

My betta looks like he might die. Should I buy a new one now or wait until the other one passes away? Also, How do I clean the old tank and how long do I wait before putting the new one in in order to prevent him from getting the same sickness?


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## Neil D

WWAIT! Did you try to treat him? 

It could be very simple! Please post a thread and then post the link here.


----------



## Leeniex

McMarvel said:


> My betta looks like he might die. Should I buy a new one now or wait until the other one passes away?



Seriously?


----------



## JKfish

McMarvel, believe it or not, most bettas can be saved with a little hard work. Post a thread in the Disease and Emergency subforum, and be sure to answer all the question from here


----------



## shrazybunny

Is it normal for my betta to randomly flare? I was checking in on him, and he just started flaring... Is it just one of his tricks to get food? It is his fasting day...

Also, what are some good ways to prevent constipation? I know there's fasting, what else is there? He seems to get constipated easily...


----------



## Leeniex

shrazybunny said:


> Is it normal for my betta to randomly flare? I was checking in on him, and he just started flaring... Is it just one of his tricks to get food? It is his fasting day...
> 
> Also, what are some good ways to prevent constipation? I know there's fasting, what else is there? He seems to get constipated easily...


Mine flare randomly all the time.

What are you feeding him? And how much?


----------



## shrazybunny

Leeniex said:


> What are you feeding him? And how much?


I feed him Topfin Betta Bits and San Francisco Bay bloodworms. He gets two pellets in the mornings and 3 worms or pellets (I rotate every other day) in the afternoons. I fast him one day a week also. And when he actually poops, its always these big ... pieces. He's been doing this since I got him almost 3 weeks ago. Also, if this is important, he lives in a 1.8 gallon and gets 100% water changes 2 times a week, which is when I find his big pieces of poo...


----------



## Leeniex

shrazybunny said:


> I feed him Topfin Betta Bits and San Francisco Bay bloodworms. He gets two pellets in the mornings and 3 worms or pellets (I rotate every other day) in the afternoons. I fast him one day a week also. And when he actually poops, its always these big ... pieces. He's been doing this since I got him almost 3 weeks ago. Also, if this is important, he lives in a 1.8 gallon and gets 100% water changes 2 times a week, which is when I find his big pieces of poo...



Those bloodworms are freeze dried, right? I would stop giving him those. If you can, buy him some frozen bloodworms and give them as a treat once or twice a week.


----------



## shrazybunny

Leeniex said:


> Those bloodworms are freeze dried, right?


Nope, their frozen.


----------



## Leeniex

shrazybunny said:


> Nope, their frozen.



Ahhh, then I don't know what to say. Maybe someone else can help though.


----------



## hmckin20

hey guys,

i just set up two 10gallon sponge filters with a two-way gang valve for my 20g. they're powered by a single 5gal pump. five bettas share the tank. is this adequate?


Here are the filters and the pump:

http://www.amazon.com/Hydro-Sponge-...02S2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312244613&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-Vib...O6UQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1312245011&sr=8-5


And the setup:











Also, the gang valve doesn't inhibit the filtering capabilities, right?


----------



## JKfish

shrazy bunny: try pre-soaking your pellets completely before feeding. 

hmckin: I don't know, what is your w/c schedule? It sounds like it might do, but you might want to play it safe and monitor water params for a week or two just to be sure it's going well, especially if it is a newly set up tank that has just been cycled. If it hasn't been cycled, you're going to want to monitor daily until its done cycling.


----------



## IamBonner

chrisbdaemon said:


> Hello,
> 
> I just purchased a new Betta yesterday and now that I'm reading more, like finding out that I need to completely clean the fish bowl every day to keep him healthy and that I need to spend more money to buy a heater and bigger fish tank (tbh, i'm not sure what size my tank is, i bought it from walmart for around $7 and it didn't say anywhere but i think its 1-2g?) and possibly buy a filter and a bunch of stuff to start the cycling... its all beginning to be a bit overwhelming to be honest!
> 
> Once I get things sorted out and get a pattern down does everything get easier and smoother? If I use a 2-5g tank how much would it cost on average to get a filter and setup the cycle (I'm trying to decide if I want a filter or not).
> 
> When I first bought him I thought I would just feed him twice daily some cheap pellets and enjoy watching him swim around and enjoy having him but I'm learning its much more complicated and I'm second guessing my purchase.
> 
> Has anyone been in my situation recently that could give some advice?


Don't second guess your purchase! I had the same reaction when I came home with my 1 gallon bowl, some rocks, some plastic plants, a fish and some food. I dive into new things so I went head first into research about Bettas. About a week later I was leaving petsmart with a 1.5 gallon tank with a nice light and a 20$ heater, plus a few new treats and plants to switch out.  It honestly wasn't that expensive. If I had the space or the funds I would be trying to get a huge tank and learning to cycle and all that but I simply don't. I LOVE my fish and he'll love you for providing him with a spacious, clean and vibrant place to live. I even took in another the other day. At walmart I spent 40$ on the tank and heater, not that bad of an investment considering the bowl I came home with first and all the supplies cost me at least 30. It's worth it!


----------



## Yaoilover12397

For the OP to the person above me. I would but these products. 

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3804454
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3571147 (2 Pound Bag)
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4455060
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752255
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753398
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753917

Plus whatever food your buying. All that stuff listed is like $56.68 so add maybe another $5ish for food cost and all. so a total of $60. Not too bad. I hope this helps.


----------



## hmckin20

JKfish said:


> hmckin: I don't know, what is your w/c schedule? It sounds like it might do, but you might want to play it safe and monitor water params for a week or two just to be sure it's going well, especially if it is a newly set up tank that has just been cycled. If it hasn't been cycled, you're going to want to monitor daily until its done cycling.



I've been doing 20% per day, and it's a newly set up tank, and isn't cycled. Should I keep the water change schedule or alter it? Should I buy a larger pump or does the valve constrain the filtering effect? Too many things to consider, haha. I'm also using Seachem Prime if that makes any difference. 

I'll start testing daily.  Thanks.


----------



## JKfish

hmchkin, you could probably do it as 20% every other day, unless the params say otherwise ( you want less than .25 ammonia and nitrites at all time. Nitrates should never go above 10)

I'm not that familiar with sponge filters and pumps, but seeing as you have a pump for up to 5 gallons filtering a 20 gallon, there possibly could be an issue. You'll probably want to talk to someone more familiar with their use, and see if the set up will be good long term.


----------



## thePWNISHER

*Filter Media*

If you have an established tank, how often should you change the filter media? Does it need to be changed after its all cycled? I was thinking each month on some of the portions was a bit early since it takes longer than that to cycle it.


----------



## hmckin20

JKfish said:


> hmchkin, you could probably do it as 20% every other day, unless the params say otherwise ( you want less than .25 ammonia and nitrites at all time. Nitrates should never go above 10)
> 
> I'm not that familiar with sponge filters and pumps, but seeing as you have a pump for up to 5 gallons filtering a 20 gallon, there possibly could be an issue. You'll probably want to talk to someone more familiar with their use, and see if the set up will be good long term.



Alright, thank you. 
I'll try to get a 20gal pump instead.


----------



## missm83

do all male bettas make bubble nests??..my hasn't yet:-?...its only been a week but i feel like its the only way to show me hes truly happy


----------



## Micho

thePWNISHER said:


> If you have an established tank, how often should you change the filter media? Does it need to be changed after its all cycled? I was thinking each month on some of the portions was a bit early since it takes longer than that to cycle it.


Did you just finish cycling if so you'll need to swish/rinse in your old tank water, don't use tap water or anything else! The good bacteria resides there, so you don't really want to get rid of them, if you're worried that any debris might fall on your substrate, just use a gravel vacuum to remove it. I'd say you can do that about every month or so, but that's just my guess.



missm83 said:


> do all male bettas make bubble nests??..my hasn't yet:-?...its only been a week but i feel like its the only way to show me hes truly happy


Not all male Bettas make bubble nests, if you're Betta is not mature enough yet and he's still young he can't really make bubble nests. Making bubble nests is not the only way to tell that's he's happy but it's one of the ways. If he is old enough, maybe he's just not in the "mood", if he's swimming around eating food and not showing any weird symptoms, he's probably happy.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

Do bettas ever get used to 'the other betta?' (Their reflection) Watson keeps pacing the tank sides, keeping a sharp eye on 'the other betta.' He rarely does it in full flare, and I've never seen him attack 'the other betta,' so I don't think its too stressful, but I'm still very new to this. And he does take breaks, he'll swim away from the sides for a little bit, then go back onto guard duty. When, if ever, is it normal for them to realize that 'the other betta' isn't going to come into their tank?


----------



## Littlebittyfish

hmckin20 said:


> hey guys,
> 
> i just set up two 10gallon sponge filters with a two-way gang valve for my 20g. they're powered by a single 5gal pump. five bettas share the tank. is this adequate?
> 
> 
> Here are the filters and the pump:
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Hydro-Sponge-...02S2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312244613&sr=8-1
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-Vib...O6UQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1312245011&sr=8-5
> 
> 
> And the setup:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, the gang valve doesn't inhibit the filtering capabilities, right?


Do you have anymore photos of this tank? I have a 20 gallon and don't know if I should divide it 5 ways or not..I was having a hard time "picturing it" I couldn't find any divided 5 ways on google search.
I wish i was more help with the filters..I think I am going to have 2 HOB filters (aquarclear 20) on either side of my tank.


----------



## missm83

Micho:

He swims around, does the betta dance for me,plays between his plants seems happy...his in 2.5 gallon, filter, heater..
oh i didnt know the age mattered...he def looks a lot smaller then most of the other bettas in the store so maybe he is still young..
thank you!


----------



## Myates

HazelrahLayna7 said:


> Do bettas ever get used to 'the other betta?' (Their reflection) Watson keeps pacing the tank sides, keeping a sharp eye on 'the other betta.' He rarely does it in full flare, and I've never seen him attack 'the other betta,' so I don't think its too stressful, but I'm still very new to this. And he does take breaks, he'll swim away from the sides for a little bit, then go back onto guard duty. When, if ever, is it normal for them to realize that 'the other betta' isn't going to come into their tank?


Normally they do learn to ignore it at some point, with here and there returns when they get bored. The reflection is more noticeable in glass aquariums when the room light is darker then the tank light I believe. So at some point he will always see his reflection. Many people have bettas divided and they say that pretty much they get used to seeing another one and will only flair on occasion.
It won't hurt him if he flairs here and there, nor for a small amount each day. It will keep him active and stronger by doing so. Just as long as he takes breaks he should be fine and soon enough pretty much ignore his reflection.
You can also try placing tall plants on the side he goes to the most to break up his view of it, so he won't always notice himself.


----------



## hmckin20

Littlebittyfish said:


> Do you have anymore photos of this tank? I have a 20 gallon and don't know if I should divide it 5 ways or not..I was having a hard time "picturing it" I couldn't find any divided 5 ways on google search.
> I wish i was more help with the filters..I think I am going to have 2 HOB filters (aquarclear 20) on either side of my tank.




RIGHT when i read this and went to take a photo of the tank i looked in and saw that the divider had failed two seconds before and Indie and Flamenco were in the same section.. :shock:

Flamenco was on the bottom looking like he was terrified and Indie was exploring the top of the section. thankfully i scooped them both out in time! 

REALLY GOOD TIMING. -relief-


anyway, here's a ~slightly~ better photo of my tank:










sorry for the bad quality lighting. it's resting on my carpet ledge in this little inlet of my room.. awkward placing, but i'm moving out soon so it'll find a prettier place to rest 

the tank is wider and longer than it is tall, so it was pretty easy to divide five times. each fish gets 2.5-3 gallons each (four if ideal). you can see the fish in there and compare size ;P


yeah, i have to get something better filter wise.. the ammonia was up today. 




hey guys, if I use Seachem Prime for my tanks, and test for ammonia, do i need to worry about the ammonia levels? does it nullify them or something, so that the ammonia eating bacteria can still grow and the tank can still cycle?


----------



## nel3

how far can a betta see? i walked into my room and 2 of my bettas seems to dance when i got to the doorway. i probably was 8 ft away atm.


----------



## Neil D

Not sure, nel, but they can probably see the large humanoid shape walking towards them...


----------



## JKfish

Hmckin, if you think about it, you add 2 drops per gallon to the water you are adding to the tank. That ammount is the minimum ammount needed to do the job. As such, all it really does is dechlorinate the water you are adding, seeing is that is how much you dosed. Now if you were to overdose 10 drops per gallon of water that you are replacing, then yes, you will see the ammonia in the main tank being completely nullified because there is an excess ammount of prime being added that does not become used up by the water in the water change bucket. It is the water change that physically replaces dirty ammonia laced water with clean pure water.


----------



## Vnessa123456

Do I ever need to do a 100% water change?

I have a 5g filtered planted tank kept at 80F that I perform 50% wc every week.


----------



## Gloria

Im sorry i don't know if this has been asked already but I wasnt about to read through 121pages to find out  I did get through 21 but couldnt do it anymore...
I am going to have a 10L/20L tank to breed my siamese fighters in. There is only 10cm high of water. I am wanting to add mystery snails as I hear this is supposed to be good for Infusoria (which I want to feed my fry the first week) anyways, how many mystery snails would be acceptable in a tank this size? Can i add them in while they male and female (mum and dad) are spawning? or wait until the fry are born and add them then?


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> Not sure, nel, but they can probably see the large humanoid shape walking towards them...


thank you Neil. it still surprises ne how far they can see shapes approaching them.


----------



## Yaoilover12397

What can you breed a VT to?

Can HM or HMDT mix with HMPK?


----------



## bahamut285

Vnessa123456 said:


> Do I ever need to do a 100% water change?
> 
> I have a 5g filtered planted tank kept at 80F that I perform 50% wc every week.


If it is filtered, it will eventually cycle, so you don't need to do 100% water changes.


----------



## Aquarianblue

*Quick question*

Are the bettas sold in pet stores as 'Dragonscale Bettas' are these all Plakats?


----------



## copperarabian

Aquarianblue said:


> Are the bettas sold in pet stores as 'Dragonscale Bettas' are these all Plakats?


 yes, they're all Plakats. And not all are actually dragon scale. Sometimes they do have dragon scale HM's though


----------



## Aquarianblue

copperarabian said:


> yes, they're all Plakats. And not all are actually dragon scale. Sometimes they do have dragon scale HM's though


Very good to know, I thought so. I'm just used to looking at AB PKs. Lol. fantasy shopping as we speak. Lol. But thats what I'm after, so I wanted to be sure first.


----------



## Silverfang

probably a stupid question, but I've had my fish in the tank for a week, so Im guessing it's a good idea to do my first change. However, this is a 33gal. I have a siphon and uh, not sure, do I just suck to get the water flowing? Is there some trick to keep my girls out of the line of fire? And when I add reconditioned water do I add dechlorinator for how much water I add, or the full tank?
I know when I do partial changes in my small tanks dosing for the full size is required, so just wondering.


----------



## Neil D

Girls will be able to stay away from the suction. My guys in a divided 10g do fine. Just don't...you know...try to suck them up...


----------



## SwayLocks

Can i feed my betta fish boogers?


----------



## phoenix91

I'm planning on rearranging the inhabitants of 2 of my tanks. I'm moving my dwarf puffer from, his 20g (i lost his little buddy yesterday and he's freaking being in that huge tank alone) into my female vt's 5g and moving her into the 20g and getting a school of rasboras or maybe tetras to go in with her.

So my question: Do i need to do anything specific when i move them? I'll obviously acclimate them but do i need to change the water completely prior to the move? 

Both fish are healthy and eating well, aside from Button the DP's freak outs he's doing fine and is, as far as i can tell, disease free.

Before adding the new fish that i'll get i am going to qt them to check for diseases and treat anything i find.


----------



## Betta Monkey

Josh12 said:


> How long can Betta's be without food before "problems" start?


From the getting a new betta sticky thread it says they can go about 5 days without food. Hope that helps.


----------



## Betta Monkey

SwayLocks said:


> Can i feed my betta fish boogers?


Never, ever feed them anything except betta food. That's toxic waste and it's something like feeding humans with betta poop. It might cause them to be sick and die.


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

I'm cycling my ten gallon (Its fish-in, but OFL gave me some good guidelines. ) and just want to double check something. When the ammonia gets to 0.50 PPM I need to change the water to get it back to 0 PPM, right? (Using API test kit and twice weekly water changes.)

(And I believe that I remember that boogers are things that your nose mucus catches that aren't supposed to be in your body, and then when they accumulate up enough you sneeze them out. Or something like that. So I would think that bettas aren't supposed to have them in them either. [It made me stop eating my own...Gross, I know...:|:lol:] So the same as Betta Monkey said.)


----------



## TheCrysCat

SwayLocks said:


> Can i feed my betta fish boogers?


No. Why were you even planning on such a thing?


----------



## betaguy

Why won; my betta flair? he is labelled a half moon and is very small, perhaps he is still too young?


----------



## bahamut285

phoenix91 said:


> I'm planning on rearranging the inhabitants of 2 of my tanks. I'm moving my dwarf puffer from, his 20g (i lost his little buddy yesterday and he's freaking being in that huge tank alone) into my female vt's 5g and moving her into the 20g and getting a school of rasboras or maybe tetras to go in with her.
> 
> So my question: Do i need to do anything specific when i move them? I'll obviously acclimate them but do i need to change the water completely prior to the move?
> 
> Both fish are healthy and eating well, aside from Button the DP's freak outs he's doing fine and is, as far as i can tell, disease free.
> 
> Before adding the new fish that i'll get i am going to qt them to check for diseases and treat anything i find.


QT is a good idea, I would probably do a fairly substantial (not 100%) water change, like 50% or something before putting them in to dilute any hormones either fish could have excreted in terms of territory.



HazelrahLayna7 said:


> I'm cycling my ten gallon (Its fish-in, but OFL gave me some good guidelines. ) and just want to double check something. When the ammonia gets to 0.50 PPM I need to change the water to get it back to 0 PPM, right? (Using API test kit and twice weekly water changes.)
> 
> (And I believe that I remember that boogers are things that your nose mucus catches that aren't supposed to be in your body, and then when they accumulate up enough you sneeze them out. Or something like that. So I would think that bettas aren't supposed to have them in them either. [It made me stop eating my own...Gross, I know...:neutral::lol:] So the same as Betta Monkey said.)


You are correct about the boogers, lol.

As for the water changes, in my experience, I would just lower them to a "SAFE" level, but not 0. If you lower it to 0 the bacteria will starve and die off, which will reset your cycle.

I have personally NEVER had any trouble cycling fish-in. I think in my 5 gals, I changed the water once a week with 1 fish in it, until it finally cycled.

Oh well XD


----------



## phoenix91

bahamut285 said:


> QT is a good idea, I would probably do a fairly substantial (not 100%) water change, like 50% or something before putting them in to dilute any hormones either fish could have excreted in terms of territory.


Thanks. I have a QT i can set up ready to go. I was planing on moving the two fish either tomorrow or Thursday (water change days) so i can do a large water change with them both in bags/cups or whatever.


----------



## betaguy

Are Plankats rare? noticed the cost for them on aquabid is higher than the others and they dont have any at petsmart.


----------



## bahamut285

betaguy said:


> Why won; my betta flair? he is labelled a half moon and is very small, perhaps he is still too young?


He is probably young or too nervous to flare. Some betta don't ever flare, some flare at everything and anything. It depends on his temperament.



betaguy said:


> Are Plankats rare? noticed the cost for them on aquabid is higher than the others and they dont have any at petsmart.


I am not sure if they are rare, but one of the reasons why they are more expensive on Aquabid is purely because of demand. Plakats are popular right now.


----------



## Micho

I have a quick question, is there any fish tanks out that being sold that are generally longer in width than height? 

Something like a rectangle, preferably holds more than 2 gallons? I've been Googling but no luck so far, wondering if anyone here had experience with a tank like this.


----------



## shrazybunny

Micho said:


> I have a quick question, is there any fish tanks out that being sold that are generally longer in width than height?
> 
> Something like a rectangle, preferably holds more than 2 gallons? I've been Googling but no luck so far, wondering if anyone here had experience with a tank like this.


I've seen someone posting a long 2 gallon that they said they got at Michaels...

I'm considering getting a snail. If I were to do a 100% water change, would I just pluck it off of where ever it was and stick it in a betta cup? Or do I leave it in there?


----------



## HazelrahLayna7

bahamut285 said:


> QT is a good idea, I would probably do a fairly substantial (not 100%) water change, like 50% or something before putting them in to dilute any hormones either fish could have excreted in terms of territory.
> 
> 
> 
> You are correct about the boogers, lol.
> 
> As for the water changes, in my experience, I would just lower them to a "SAFE" level, but not 0. If you lower it to 0 the bacteria will starve and die off, which will reset your cycle.
> 
> I have personally NEVER had any trouble cycling fish-in. I think in my 5 gals, I changed the water once a week with 1 fish in it, until it finally cycled.
> 
> Oh well XD


LOL, I studied it in science a few weeks ago...

Would a safe level be more towards 0.25 PPM, or between that and 0? I can never get it truly to 0, the color's always a bit off.


----------



## nel3

i got a good issue here. i moved to my new place yesterday. i had brought over my VT that day. he was good for the day but the tank he's in is .5g unheated is probably over heating. the unit gets hot very fast, had recorded 86F as room temp then with AC it goes to 73F. i dont have the blinds set up, AC can be put on auto and there is a vent pump that can either draw the air in or out the unit. atm, im thinking of leaving the AC on auto and leave the air pump to remove the air. lately outside temp is mid 20 celcius. i plan to put the VT and a DT into a 5gal heated but the 86F is something to worry about if i leave AC off. the VT has bitten his tail over night, not sure if its the temperature or his old habit coming back.


----------



## shrazybunny

Are one of those "betta tanks" good for QT? Like this:http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11107656


----------



## bahamut285

@shrazybunny: Yes, those are fine for QT, but I recommend getting 1 Gallon so dosing of Epsom or Aquarium salts or medications are much simpler.


----------



## thePWNISHER

Question to clarify blanching zuchini and storage...So I can slice a whole zuchini, boil it for 3 min or so, Then let it cool and weigh it down when i place it into my tank for my veggie creatures. Can I then freeze the remaining unused slices or how long will it stay good in a refrigerator? I'm sure only a few days but I only plan to add veggies like once a week.


----------



## betaguy

I have a glass cover with no holes in it. In order to get some air in there i just put the cover half way on and off. is a cover nescasary and why and is there a better way to go about covering it? is condensation on the side that the cover covers allright?


----------



## betaguy

anyone?


----------



## Littlebittyfish

betaguy said:


> I have a glass cover with no holes in it. In order to get some air in there i just put the cover half way on and off. is a cover nescasary and why and is there a better way to go about covering it? is condensation on the side that the cover covers allright?


How big is the tank? Is there a filter?Is there space for the heater cords when the cover is on the tank completely?If so there's probably enough air getting in.

Bettas are really good jumpers so I think a cover is necessary..Unless you have the water lowered quite a bit. I use a versa top and it has a spot at the back for the filter and heater cord so it allows some air to get in...

http://www.petco.com/product/107312/Aqueon-Versa-Top-Hinged-Aquarium-Cover.aspx


----------



## betaguy

thank you


----------



## UrbanHavok

OK...I bought stress coat for my guys (fin rot). I was changing the water and used the conditioner as normal. I then realized the Stress Coat bottle said water condition. Do I start fresh? Or can I use Stress Coat and a separate water conditioner?


----------



## shrazybunny

I'm setting up a NPT, and I can't find soil without fertilizers. Does anyone know any? I'd prefer if you could buy them at Target, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.


----------



## Myates

UrbanHavok said:


> OK...I bought stress coat for my guys (fin rot). I was changing the water and used the conditioner as normal. I then realized the Stress Coat bottle said water condition. Do I start fresh? Or can I use Stress Coat and a separate water conditioner?


You can use both at the same time. Stress coat is water conditioner with a little extra. It's hard to overdose conditioners, so using your normal conditioner I would add in 1/4 - 1/2 of a dose of stress coat. They only need a little bit if it's not being used as the main conditioner.


----------



## Trobar

shrazybunny said:


> I'm setting up a NPT, and I can't find soil without fertilizers. Does anyone know any? I'd prefer if you could buy them at Target, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.


I am doing the same thing, I got my soil at walmart, it is scott brand topsoil


----------



## walle

I was just talking to Gustav, and I think I saw him blink? Do betta fish have eyelids?


----------



## PaintedOaksOki

How hard is it to start a Betta Sorority? Do you need lots of Betta exprience to have one?


----------



## Hallyx

Is my two-inch mossball taking nutrients from my plants. The growth of my anubias and anacharis seems to have slowed some, although I'm not sure I can really tell.


----------



## Myates

walle said:


> I was just talking to Gustav, and I think I saw him blink? Do betta fish have eyelids?


They don't have eyelids.. but they can move their eyes up and down quickly, which sometimes when looking at them looks as if they blink.



Hallyx said:


> Is my two-inch mossball taking nutrients from my plants. The growth of my anubias and anacharis seems to have slowed some, although I'm not sure I can really tell.


Moss balls take nutrients from the annoying algae, not from plants. They are just balls of algae, not plants nor even moss, but cute nonetheless. lol


----------



## ManInBlack2010

what is the difference between stress stripes and breeding stripes? i got a new female today and she has horizontal stripes on her body (longways from mouth to tail)


----------



## bahamut285

Horizontal = Stress
Vertical = Breeding


----------



## Neil D

Horizontal: Stress

Vertical: Breeding


EDIT: whoa! We posted the same thing


----------



## PaintedOaksOki

PaintedOaksOki said:


> How hard is it to start a Betta Sorority? Do you need lots of Betta exprience to have one?


Could someone answer me please? lol


----------



## shrazybunny

Yes. Try searching the forum, you'll find lots of information.

If I were to keep a 5 gallon tank uncovered, how many inches should I lower the water level?
Also, would a 50 watt heater be too much for a 1.8 gallon tank?


----------



## Hallyx

PaintedOaksOki said:


> How hard is it to start a Betta Sorority? Do you need lots of Betta exprience to have one?



The sticky (permanent thread) about sororities is near the top of this "Betta fish care" index/menu.


----------



## PaintedOaksOki

I read the sticky, but I just wanted to know how hard it is to start a sorority


----------



## Leeniex

Is this good for my betta w/ suspected popeye?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002568BS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER


----------



## Tisia

shrazybunny said:


> I'm setting up a NPT, and I can't find soil without fertilizers. Does anyone know any? I'd prefer if you could buy them at Target, Lowes, Home Depot, etc.


I just use the organic miracle grow potting soil, one I saw most recommended for NPT's


----------



## Myates

PaintedOaksOki said:


> Could someone answer me please? lol


As mentioned in your sorority thread "If you read the sticky then that is the best info.. 10g+, 4-6 females in a 10 gal. 4 being the very minimum in any tank. You will want very dense planting (real or fake) especially in the middle and upper part of the tank. So tall tall tall plants are a must. And not just at the back of the tank, needs to be dense so back to almost front. You want to have to really look and search for them when looking at the tank. A few hiding places such as a cave or cup are good for those females that prefer them (some will use, some won't.. mine couldn't care less, but my males loves them).
A sorority is always very very delicate and very easily can turn into a disaster. Even the most established of tanks, the best of breeders/keepers will have trouble. Always keep spare tanks (1+ gallons) handy for those girls who decide they don't want to be around others and you will have to keep them separate. You should put them all in at the same time, or in groups of 3 (for a 10 gal, put 3 in, then add in another 2, and etc for larger tanks) otherwise the one or two will establish territory of all the tank and any new ones in will be harassed. 
Well, they will all harass each other for a while.. then they *may* settle down.. but at any time something can flare up and you may end up with hurt girls.

So if you are absolutely sure you are ready for it, and are able to house each one separately if needed, then a 10 gal should be minimum and 4-6 girls are required."

That is the basic.. it's not physically hard to set up, and it's not completely up to you whether it thrives.. you play a part in it in making sure the set up is right.. other then that, it's up to the girls and their personalities and temperament.
I wish you luck, keep us updated on it when you start it


----------



## Myates

Leeniex said:


> Is this good for my betta w/ suspected popeye?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002568BS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER


Some use it, and it's listed as one of the options (unsure about the "plus" part though)

For popeye;
Treatment: Usually not fatal if treated, but your betta might lose an eye. Conservative: If the swelling is extreme then use ES first. Perform 100% daily water changes. You may be able to treat the popeye with just Epsom and clean water. However, if the swelling goes down but the eyes remain cloudy/white, then switch to Aq.Salt at 1tsp/gal or use medications. Do not combine Aq.Salt with medications but you can continue to use ES during medical treatments. Medication: If ES or Aq.Salt do not do the trick or it is a serious case of popeye, then combine the ES with API Tetracycline, API Fungus Cure, API General Cure, API Triple Sulfa, OR Mardel’s Maracyn


----------



## Leeniex

Should epsom salt be 1 tsp/gallon?


----------



## Myates

If you are absolutely sure he has popeye, then I would suggest 1tsp of ES/gal and follow the ritual of 100% water change daily for 10 days.


----------



## PaintedOaksOki

Myates said:


> As mentioned in your sorority thread "If you read the sticky then that is the best info.. 10g+, 4-6 females in a 10 gal. 4 being the very minimum in any tank. You will want very dense planting (real or fake) especially in the middle and upper part of the tank. So tall tall tall plants are a must. And not just at the back of the tank, needs to be dense so back to almost front. You want to have to really look and search for them when looking at the tank. A few hiding places such as a cave or cup are good for those females that prefer them (some will use, some won't.. mine couldn't care less, but my males loves them).
> A sorority is always very very delicate and very easily can turn into a disaster. Even the most established of tanks, the best of breeders/keepers will have trouble. Always keep spare tanks (1+ gallons) handy for those girls who decide they don't want to be around others and you will have to keep them separate. You should put them all in at the same time, or in groups of 3 (for a 10 gal, put 3 in, then add in another 2, and etc for larger tanks) otherwise the one or two will establish territory of all the tank and any new ones in will be harassed.
> Well, they will all harass each other for a while.. then they *may* settle down.. but at any time something can flare up and you may end up with hurt girls.
> 
> So if you are absolutely sure you are ready for it, and are able to house each one separately if needed, then a 10 gal should be minimum and 4-6 girls are required."
> 
> That is the basic.. it's not physically hard to set up, and it's not completely up to you whether it thrives.. you play a part in it in making sure the set up is right.. other then that, it's up to the girls and their personalities and temperament.
> I wish you luck, keep us updated on it when you start it


Thanks! I will probably get a few girls maybe 5 and a 10gal tank! =)


----------



## Myates

Share pics when you do! =) Wish you all the luck and I'm sure you'll do fine with them!


----------



## PaintedOaksOki

I will! I will make a thread! I saw these female bettas at Petsmart, my jaw dropped, the one had fin rot, and all the others looked half dead!!
Then my dad and I went to Petland (a Canadian chain store!) And there were female bettas in a tank, and I wanted to take all 6 home with me!!


----------



## hmckin20

hey guys- do i need to do a 100% water change on a 20g with two 10g sponge filters and a 5g pump?


----------



## Micho

Er no. You should never do 100% change, never ever. If you're cycled which I'm guessing you are, anything over 50% water change might have a chance to crash your cycle. 

You should do 25% per week but really it's up to your stocking, what do you have in there right now?


----------



## erinandares

How big of a tank do you think I could get away with in a second level apartment? Because I found a guy selling a twenty gallon with all the supplies for only a few dollars more than buying a brand new ten and all the supplies would be. Wondering if it will be a worthy risk.


----------



## Myates

I think it's worth it.. I had 30gals+ in a 3rd story apt when I first moved out of my parent's house (too many years to count!). It may be a lil pain getting it up, but it isn't too heavy for a second story. Just make sure the floor is even if you use a stand.


----------



## erinandares

Thanks.  Also, in a divided tank, since all the bettas are going to look different, as long as the gravel covers the bottom of the dividers, can I use different colors to compliment their coloring? Bc I'm really odd like that and the thought occurred to me. And now far above the water should the divider stick out so they don't think they can jump over it?


----------



## hmckin20

Micho said:


> Er no. You should never do 100% change, never ever. If you're cycled which I'm guessing you are, anything over 50% water change might have a chance to crash your cycle.
> 
> You should do 25% per week but really it's up to your stocking, what do you have in there right now?



I'm not cycled, and some other people have told me to do a 100% every two weeks. 
I was wondering cause I have -no- idea if a 5g pump is efficient enough.


----------



## titusthebetta

I have a question about partial water changing. I've unplugged my filter and heater and removed some water, and I have a separate container filled with the water that I'm using to replace what I took out. I'm afraid to pour it in, even though I conditioned the water in the container. Is it easier to do partial changes with my betta in or should I take him out? Is there anything else I should know about partial changes?


----------



## Sea Turtles

I think i already know the answer to this, but 10gal is too small for 6 female bettas right? I'd love a sorority, but i don't think I've got the space right now


----------



## betaguy

some people have betta sororites of 4 in 10 gallons.

My question: how do you know of your fish has fin rot or the black around the edges are part of his coloration.


----------



## Myates

erinandares said:


> Thanks.  Also, in a divided tank, since all the bettas are going to look different, as long as the gravel covers the bottom of the dividers, can I use different colors to compliment their coloring? Bc I'm really odd like that and the thought occurred to me. And now far above the water should the divider stick out so they don't think they can jump over it?


Yes! It is perfectly fine and fun to use different substrate/coloring in each section. I would say 2-3 inches is fine.. you could also use aquarium sealant and make each divider look like a T (about an inch or two sticking out from the side) to prevent jumping, and still keep the water at least an inch lower if you do that.



titusthebetta said:


> I have a question about partial water changing. I've unplugged my filter and heater and removed some water, and I have a separate container filled with the water that I'm using to replace what I took out. I'm afraid to pour it in, even though I conditioned the water in the container. Is it easier to do partial changes with my betta in or should I take him out? Is there anything else I should know about partial changes?


If you have a filter going and your tank has cycled, you don't want to do 100% water changes. You will lose any good bacteria that has grown in the filter, and if not cleaned properly, and the dead/rotten bacteria will be pushed out into the tank when you turn it back on. For filtered it is always best to do partial changes of 50% or less per week depending on size of the tank.



betaguy said:


> My question: how do you know of your fish has fin rot or the black around the edges are part of his coloration.


If the black is shredding/flaking/crumbling then it is rot. 



Sea Turtles said:


> I think i already know the answer to this, but 10gal is too small for 6 female bettas right? I'd love a sorority, but i don't think I've got the space right now


I would say 5-6 is fine in a 10 gallon, as long as you don't have any other fish in there. For filtered/cycle I would recommend weekly 25-30% water changes with full dose of conditioner each time and you should be fine. Just make sure to keep a spare tank or two in case someone doesn't like the others.


----------



## Micho

hmckin20 said:


> I'm not cycled, and some other people have told me to do a 100% every two weeks.
> I was wondering cause I have -no- idea if a 5g pump is efficient enough.


Evne if you're not cycled you still don't want to get rid of the entire beneficial bacteria in your tank, so I still wouldn't recommend it. When you say 5g pump I'm guessing a 5 gallon filter, you can try and upgrade to something bigger, always double the filter capacity if you can. So grab a 10g filter if you can, it'll help you a lot.

With your water change schedules I would recommend 25% with vacuum and 25% just pure water change every week and that should be enough. :]


----------



## hmckin20

Micho said:


> Evne if you're not cycled you still don't want to get rid of the entire beneficial bacteria in your tank, so I still wouldn't recommend it. When you say 5g pump I'm guessing a 5 gallon filter, you can try and upgrade to something bigger, always double the filter capacity if you can. So grab a 10g filter if you can, it'll help you a lot.
> 
> With your water change schedules I would recommend 25% with vacuum and 25% just pure water change every week and that should be enough. :]


ohh, okay, awesome  i wasn't looking forward to a 100% on a 20g. D
no, i have a 5g air pump and two 10g sponge filters, split by a gang valve. 

thanks for the info


----------



## betaguy

if i want to do a 50% water change how do i do it?
i have a gal of water in a container room temp. just take 50% out and add 50% of room temp?
will the temp spike be ok?


----------



## Micho

hmckin20 said:


> ohh, okay, awesome  i wasn't looking forward to a 100% on a 20g. D
> no, i have a 5g air pump and two 10g sponge filters, split by a gang valve.
> 
> thanks for the info


Oh seeing how you have a 20g now, you won't need to do that much! Probably 25% per week with gravel vacuum would do just fine for you to be honest.



betaguy said:


> if i want to do a 50% water change how do i do it?
> i have a gal of water in a container room temp. just take 50% out and add 50% of room temp?
> will the temp spike be ok?



Take out your fish first and put him in a cup with his old water, take out 50% pour in the gallon of conditioned water, wait for awhile and then net your fish and put him into his tank, generally you want to do a water change with your new water being the same temperature as your current tank water so your fish doesn't get into shock by the temperature.


----------



## hmckin20

awesome!  thankyou


----------



## UrbanHavok

Hey I've finally been able to get my 10 gal for SPike and Spud. I haven't been able to purchase the proper heater tho. I have a heater for up to 5 gal. I have read many posts about heat pockets forming in the tank and I want to avoid that as much as possible. But I don't want my bettas in cold water. Would it be okay to use that heater temporarily?? Or should I just wait it out until I can get a better heater?


----------



## nel3

what is the science behind the bubble nests that they are able to stay there for days? is it co2 in the bubbles?


----------



## bahamut285

@nel3: It is probably something in their saliva that makes them stickier than usual so they hold together


----------



## nel3

bahamut285 said:


> @nel3: It is probably something in their saliva that makes them stickier than usual so they hold together


thank you Bahamut.


----------



## Myates

nel3 said:


> what is the science behind the bubble nests that they are able to stay there for days? is it co2 in the bubbles?


Bubble nests are blown with an oral secretion, air bubbles coated with saliva to increase durability.
They make them for different reasons such as quick temperature changes, barometric changes, fluctuations in rainfall, materials in the tank, and presence of other males or females.


----------



## nel3

Myates said:


> Bubble nests are blown with an oral secretion, air bubbles coated with saliva to increase durability.
> They make them for different reasons such as quick temperature changes, barometric changes, fluctuations in rainfall, materials in the tank, and presence of other males or females.


thank you myates, im surprised so many are behind the bubbles. my copper dt always surprises me with his nests, covers up to 30% of the water surface in the 2.5g at the most.


----------



## Myates

My boys do it here and there.. but I've noticed they prefer to do it under an oak leaf lol.. so I've been putting one in there with tannins to let them enjoy it hehe.


----------



## nel3

Myates said:


> My boys do it here and there.. but I've noticed they prefer to do it under an oak leaf lol.. so I've been putting one in there with tannins to let them enjoy it hehe.


the vt in the .5g tank likes to put one under the fake plant i made from a rock, plastic model bits (stem) and silk leaves. other than that he likes to do so under the baffled filter (when he was in the 2.5).


----------



## Foisair

About how much does a 10gal tank weigh when full (sand, decorations & water)? I want to make sure the stand is strong enough before I set this baby up.


----------



## placido

Foisair said:


> About how much does a 10gal tank weigh when full (sand, decorations & water)? I want to make sure the stand is strong enough before I set this baby up.


Water weighs 8 pounds per gallon. I'm not sure how much the rest will weigh but by having exactly 10 gallons of water your looking at 80 pounds.


----------



## PrettyLittleLiar

Can I ask if tank decorations are safe for fish? Since plastic plants don't seem all that great for their fins, can betta's damage their fins on mini statues that are a bit rough feeling?


----------



## Neil D

Anything that casts a doubt...dont use it. Or use pantyhose!

If you run it across the decor, and it doesn't snag..then it is safe for their fins. Make sure they don't get stuck in any holes though...


----------



## nel3

theres an LPS that i go to that has bettas in mason jars and 4 betta (1 per 5gal) 5gal tanks that have a betta with 10-15 goldfish. the bettas in the 5gal have some tailbiting but some are in better condition. i know both living arangements arent the best given people probably wont notice the bettas mixed with the goldfish. my qustion is which do you think is worse off, qusetionable tankmates or a bit more swimming space?


----------



## Rain Drop

Tankmates for sure. Plus water has to be kept cold for goldfish. It's easier and better for bettas to be in smaller bowls and stuck under a lamp to heat it. Remember that small bowls are just temporary homes for a week or so till someone buys them anyways.


----------



## nel3

Rain Drop said:


> Tankmates for sure. Plus water has to be kept cold for goldfish. It's easier and better for bettas to be in smaller bowls and stuck under a lamp to heat it. Remember that small bowls are just temporary homes for a week or so till someone buys them anyways.


ty rain drop. personally if all were mixed with 5gal goldfish then it wouldnt be as bad. though most were in jars and ppl knew they were there, not so much for these 4. regularly maintained 5gal tankmates are better than dieing in a mason jar where water changes are questionable. i just wish the LPS actually publicly noted some betta were present. that LPS does have some steep prices $25 for a halfmoon. dont know about the CT but there are standard low prices for VT.


----------



## Rain Drop

Yes, there should be a sign. I mean, this is a business, don't they want to sell their animals?  And of course when small bowls are the option I would expect them to be cleaned often....but that depends on what kind of person is looking after them too, eh? At my lps/fs I once overheard one of the shopkeepers telling their co-worker how they don't really think of fish as living and feeling. How did they get hired? :S Anyways, I feel that's a factor when it comes to cleaning betta bowls at the store.

As for prices, that's about what I see on my side of the country too for a HM or something fancy like that. But vt's here are apparently uber expensive in comparison to everywhere else. Try 7.99 and up.


----------



## nel3

Rain Drop said:


> Yes, there should be a sign. I mean, this is a business, don't they want to sell their animals?  And of course when small bowls are the option I would expect them to be cleaned often....but that depends on what kind of person is looking after them too, eh? At my lps/fs I once overheard one of the shopkeepers telling their co-worker how they don't really think of fish as living and feeling. How did they get hired? :S Anyways, I feel that's a factor when it comes to cleaning betta bowls at the store.
> 
> As for prices, that's about what I see on my side of the country too for a HM or something fancy like that. But vt's here are apparently uber expensive in comparison to everywhere else. Try 7.99 and up.


thats the price war i despise. i found a nice black/red/blue HM there but id have to pay $30 with taxes for him. i went to the other LPS nearby, no HM but most expensive bettas were $11 (W/O tax). i got my 2nd DT from there, im surprised i even found a copper dt in the first place. 

is there any easyway to remove algea from ornaments aside from a dip in the pool or brushing it off?

come to think of it, my copper dt was in betta baracks in the lps. not sure about my VT but how long can a betta stay desensitized to other betta when he doesnt see any for a while? the DT and VT will go into a divided 5 gal. whats the best way to introduce them before putting them in the tank?


----------



## Rain Drop

I have a aquarium sponge where one side is like super mild rough wool. That and/or using a toothbrush helps.

As for divided tank mates I'm not sure, sorry!


----------



## mollycule

Hi, I'm a new betta owner, I just got one yesterday, a male I named Tesla (I'm a physics major ;]) He seems happy and active in his 1-gallon tank, but he does tend to hang out by the heater a lot. The thermometer in the tank shows 78 degrees, is it OK for him to hang out by the heater so often? And also, I can't adjust the heater in any way - it is just set to keep the water at 78, I guess.


----------



## bahamut285

@Molly: First of all, I love your username lol. It is fairly common for them to hang out at a favourite spot. Do you have any plants in your tank? They usually like to rest near the surface (which is conveniently wear your heater hangs) so it's comfortable and convenient for them. One of my boys used to love hanging out on top of the filter.

Secondly, welcome to the forum! I hope you enjoy your stay


----------



## nel3

is there anygood reason why a betta's tail would disintegrate? my green DT had that a week after i got him and it went on for a week. he was heailing until yesterday and it started again. theres more within the past 3 hours and all the damage happens within a hour. the rays stay for a while while the webbing disintegrates. the rays later fall or get bitten off. its like someone took a razor and cut in between individual rays. it took a while for him to heal from his past few episodes. he's in ial and i match the ph pretty well. im at a real lose here, its like it happens once in a blue moon then stops.


----------



## bahamut285

@nel3: 
If they are straight lines through the webbing, it is possibly just blow-out from flaring or just swimming around, similar to how humans can pull a muscle from walking or doing exercise/sports. 

If it looks jagged and uneven or maybe shredded, it is probably fin rot, and if it recedes then comes back, I recommend doing either more frequent water changes or medication if it is severe. Generally fin rot is accompanied by black edging.

If it looks "c" shaped or "u" shaped, then it is probably tail biting. There is no "cure" for tail biting but sometimes rearranging their surroundings can help calm them down or get them to temporarily stop. Sometimes biting can appear shredded if they go nuts on their fins. 

In all cases, just keep the water extra clean to prevent infection and maybe add some Stresscoat+ to the water.


----------



## nel3

bahamut285 said:


> @nel3:
> If they are straight lines through the webbing, it is possibly just blow-out from flaring or just swimming around, similar to how humans can pull a muscle from walking or doing exercise/sports.
> 
> If it looks jagged and uneven or maybe shredded, it is probably fin rot, and if it recedes then comes back, I recommend doing either more frequent water changes or medication if it is severe. Generally fin rot is accompanied by black edging.
> 
> If it looks "c" shaped or "u" shaped, then it is probably tail biting. There is no "cure" for tail biting but sometimes rearranging their surroundings can help calm them down or get them to temporarily stop. Sometimes biting can appear shredded if they go nuts on their fins.
> 
> In all cases, just keep the water extra clean to prevent infection and maybe add some Stresscoat+ to the water.


thank you Bahamut, 90% is blowout with some biting on the blown rays, he rarely flares. is there anything possible to prevent blowout? blowout probably was the same as last session for him. i always use stress coaut for his water conditioner and a 100wc was done yesterday for the blowout part 1. ive put a bit less than a 1/2 tsp of aq salt for the 1gal he's in. i overdid aq salt for my VT so im very cautious about it now. i think aq walt melts his (VT) tail or weakens it for blowout.

i know genetics can play a part in fragile tails and his fins are far from perfect. the dorsal is constantly 50% folded over and even flaring gives 80%and his 2 pectorals are curved. he does have a curved spine but that does nothing to make him less valuable to me. can a blowoutharm the body if it has gotten bad enough to reach the body? last time top caudal split 1/3 of the length. now its split 1/2 of the remaining tail length. would taking out all ornaments be a good idea? atm i took out his castle and put the silk plant in. it has smaller spaces than the castle but rough edges.


----------



## mollycule

bahamut285 said:


> @Molly: First of all, I love your username lol. It is fairly common for them to hang out at a favourite spot. Do you have any plants in your tank? They usually like to rest near the surface (which is conveniently wear your heater hangs) so it's comfortable and convenient for them. One of my boys used to love hanging out on top of the filter.
> 
> Secondly, welcome to the forum! I hope you enjoy your stay


Thanks! I do have two (fake) plants in the tank, one small one near the heater and another larger one on the other side. The heater I have is long and tubular, and he hangs out near the middle or underneath of it (it almost reaches the bottom, it's about an inch and a half or so up). But then he comes back out and swims around for a while. It's kind of neat how when I come home he comes to the front of the tank to say hi.  I tried to put a picture of him in my profile picture but I don't think it's showing up yet.


----------



## Bombalurina

Do ghost shrimp need a heater? I'm thinking about starting a 1.25 litre NPT with a trio of ghosties, but obviously it's too small to heat.


----------



## bahamut285

nel3 said:


> is there anything possible to prevent blowout?


If it is true blowout instead of tearing his fins on ornaments, no it's not really possible. One of my VT boys CONSTANTLY blows out his tail. I feed him 1 extra bloodworm a week to give him a bump in protein so he actually heals over pretty quickly. He also doesn't flare often but when he does, he thinks he's an HM or something and goes all out.



nel3 said:


> i think aq walt melts his (VT) tail or weakens it for blowout.


I'm not really too sure to be able to confirm or disconfirm this, haha



nel3 said:


> would taking out all ornaments be a good idea? atm i took out his castle and put the silk plant in. it has smaller spaces than the castle but rough edges.


Is the castle sharp? He may be just catching his fins on the ornament instead of having true blow-out of his fins. Run some panty hose along the castle to see if it catches. Betta's fins are really delicate and will tear on even the smoothest of decorations.

---------------



mollycule said:


> Thanks! I do have two (fake) plants in the tank, one small one near the heater and another larger one on the other side. The heater I have is long and tubular, and he hangs out near the middle or underneath of it (it almost reaches the bottom, it's about an inch and a half or so up). But then he comes back out and swims around for a while. It's kind of neat how when I come home he comes to the front of the tank to say hi.  I tried to put a picture of him in my profile picture but I don't think it's showing up yet.


He probably likes it a tad warmer than other bettas. Is your thermometer located near the heater? Or far away? It's best to move it far away from the heater so you can get a true reading if the heat is circulating around the tank or not. My two females are actually kept at 80-82 because they appear sluggish and lazy if it is anything below, so there is definitely some variation in preference (just like people).

-------------------



Bombalurina said:


> Do ghost shrimp need a heater? I'm thinking about starting a 1.25 litre NPT with a trio of ghosties, but obviously it's too small to heat.


Ghost shrimp tend to appreciate water between 65-82 F / 18-28 C. (According to aquaticcommunity.com). So unless your house is freezing or scalding, they should be fine 

My only concern is that the size of the tank for two reasons:

1. Ghost shrimp can get up to 1.5 inches if given the space. I believe you're supposed to provide them with 4L per shrimp, because they are sometimes territorial. (At least mine were T_T)

2. With such a small container of water, the temperature can fluctuate easily, causing unnecessary stress.


----------



## mollycule

bahamut285 said:


> He probably likes it a tad warmer than other bettas. Is your thermometer located near the heater? Or far away? It's best to move it far away from the heater so you can get a true reading if the heat is circulating around the tank or not. My two females are actually kept at 80-82 because they appear sluggish and lazy if it is anything below, so there is definitely some variation in preference (just like people).


The thermometer is on the opposite side of the tank than the heater. I can't adjust the heater though, so I guess we'll just have to see how it goes. He isn't really sluggish at all so I guess he just likes to hang out there and get warm for a bit before adventuring back out. Thanks!


----------



## nel3

bahamut285 said:


> If it is true blowout instead of tearing his fins on ornaments, no it's not really possible. One of my VT boys CONSTANTLY blows out his tail. I feed him 1 extra bloodworm a week to give him a bump in protein so he actually heals over pretty quickly. He also doesn't flare often but when he does, he thinks he's an HM or something and goes all out.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not really too sure to be able to confirm or disconfirm this, haha
> 
> 
> 
> Is the castle sharp? He may be just catching his fins on the ornament instead of having true blow-out of his fins. Run some panty hose along the castle to see if it catches. Betta's fins are really delicate and will tear on even the smoothest of decorations.


thank you, i wouldnt say its sharp but it a tad rough. though i'd have seen any issues with it long before if it were true. the ornament takes up some space in the 1gal and hes constantly brushing his caudals on the most suspect areas. havent seen any damage done from it just before his latest blowout.i'll test the ornament either way. Nelliel had some bloodworms today and i'll probably do that for a week or 2. i had him on pellets for the past 2 weeks.

how often does your VT blowout. so far its a month in between for Nelliel, he does heal fast when the time comes but im more worried about the frequency before he loses 90% or worse of normal tail lenght.


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## bahamut285

nel3 said:


> how often does your VT blowout. so far its a month in between for Nelliel, he does heal fast when the time comes but im more worried about the frequency before he loses 90% or worse of normal tail lenght.


Honestly, he blows out VERY often. He'd heal up very quickly, like a week-ish. Then 2 or 3 days later he'd blow out again. I even kept him in a deco-less tank for about two weeks to confirm the blow out


----------



## nel3

bahamut285 said:


> Honestly, he blows out VERY often. He'd heal up very quickly, like a week-ish. Then 2 or 3 days later he'd blow out again. I even kept him in a deco-less tank for about two weeks to confirm the blow out


that must be stressful. how much is blown out each time? so far im getting 20-35% loss.


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## pitbullmamaliz

10 gallon tank, unfiltered, one Betta, no other tankmates, no substrate. The fish guy at Petco (who actually seemed very knowledgeable - pulled out his phone and was showing me all of his fish like a proud parent) said to do 50% water changes once a week. I don't have a vacuum, so he said to swirl the water around (without Apsu in there!) so at least the crud at the bottom would get mixed in with the clean water so it could get dipped out, too. 

Is a 50% water change weekly adequate? Do I ever need to do a 100% change?


----------



## Neil D

If you have an _unfiltered_ tank, you need to do 100% changes. On that size...I would say maybe 2x a month, with the 50% weekly. You really should get decor for your tank...especially hiding spots.

And a filter..that way, once it cycles, you never have to do 100%'s....

I have a divided (2 bettas), cycled, heated, filtered 10G, and do weekly 25% changes.


----------



## pitbullmamaliz

Thank you! I do have decor in there - 3 silk plants, a fake croc skull that he loves hiding in and swimming through, and a tipped over coffee cup as a cave. I may get a filter later, just no money for it right now. I knew it wasn't as critical as a heater. Which I've had to buy twice now as the first one SUCKED and couldn't get my tank over 70 degrees. He's now at a toasty warm 80 and he's much happier.

Thanks again, Neil!


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## Neil D

ok....just making sure...and good for you for prioritizing... lol


----------



## BellasMomma

***water conditioner question***

say it says add 5ml for every 10 gallons. do i add that exact amount for every water change even though i only change say half the water. would i then add 2.5ml of conditioner???


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## Neil D

Try for around 3 ml of conditioner...a little more wont kill you're fish.


----------



## BellasMomma

ok so its more what i take out for the change that i add back in, thanks a bunch!! thats what i was thinking too, more is better than less!


----------



## bahamut285

nel3 said:


> that must be stressful. how much is blown out each time? so far im getting 20-35% loss.


Yeah it's around 30% each time for me. It's not so bad, I just have to keep his water very clean to prevent fin rot from developing.




pitbullmamaliz said:


> 10 gallon tank, unfiltered, one Betta, no other tankmates, no substrate. The fish guy at Petco (who actually seemed very knowledgeable - pulled out his phone and was showing me all of his fish like a proud parent) said to do 50% water changes once a week. I don't have a vacuum, so he said to swirl the water around (without Apsu in there!) so at least the crud at the bottom would get mixed in with the clean water so it could get dipped out, too.
> 
> Is a 50% water change weekly adequate? Do I ever need to do a 100% change?


50% a week for one betta and nothing else in an unfiltered seems excessive to me. Your best bet would be to get a testing kit and make your own schedule, haha. However, for now I would follow what Neil said, but getting a testing kit would make it much more definitive! 




BellasMomma said:


> ***water conditioner question***
> 
> say it says add 5ml for every 10 gallons. do i add that exact amount for every water change even though i only change say half the water. would i then add 2.5ml of conditioner???


I always add the amount of conditioner to treat the whole tank. There is no harm in it at all. Measuring how how much you changed is just too much work. So unless you WANT to do it and save on conditioner, I just dump in the disclosed amount for my total tank volume.


----------



## hmckin20

Hey guys,

is a tetra whisper air pump a good pump to buy?


----------



## nel3

bahamut285 said:


> Yeah it's around 30% each time for me. It's not so bad, I just have to keep his water very clean to prevent fin rot from developing.


thank you, how much of his original tail area is left so far since he started blowing it? so far ive been feeding all 3 fish frozen BW for the past 4 days and the rest were pellets. Nelliel's tail has stopped for the time being with 2 episodes worth 10-15% loss total. i noticed that last month he did that i didnt give that many BW during the tome the tail was blowing so i think the extra protein is doing quite well. i hope it continues to go well *crosses fingers*. im not very superstitious but this is one of thefew exceptions for me.


----------



## bahamut285

nel3 said:


> thank you, how much of his original tail area is left so far since he started blowing it? so far ive been feeding all 3 fish frozen BW for the past 4 days and the rest were pellets. Nelliel's tail has stopped for the time being with 2 episodes worth 10-15% loss total. i noticed that last month he did that i didnt give that many BW during the tome the tail was blowing so i think the extra protein is doing quite well. i hope it continues to go well *crosses fingers*. im not very superstitious but this is one of thefew exceptions for me.


Oh, it heals over fairly quickly. I have since moved him into an uncycled tank so I can change the water often. He would blow out around 30%, then heal all of it back before blowing out again. I assume if it's from over flaring, there is a "maximum" that they can flare at, so they can't rip it more than the maximum.


----------



## nel3

bahamut285 said:


> Oh, it heals over fairly quickly. I have since moved him into an uncycled tank so I can change the water often. He would blow out around 30%, then heal all of it back before blowing out again. I assume if it's from over flaring, there is a "maximum" that they can flare at, so they can't rip it more than the maximum.


thats good to hear Bahamut. i probably couldve had mine heal quicker if i gave more BW. its still stressful the imagine they might have it blow out right to their body. i dont mind the edges blowing out, my biggest worry is when the tail splits along 1-3 individual rays for atleast half tail length.


----------



## nel3

i have a planted pot with celosia that keep coming back because there are countless seed dropped in the soil from the past 2 years. i just noticed the pill bugs now and id rather not let them leave the pot. i can get them out my self if i have to or atleast try. before i get to that id like to know if there's anyway i can feed sow bugs/pill bugs to my Betta. i have never used any chemicals aside from plant fertilizer ie garden plants on that planted pot once in a while.


----------



## Zappity

Quick filter question.
I have a 5 gallon tank, with 2 male guppies (used to be five..others all died), and it's due for a filter cartrage change. Will changing the filter cartrage effect the cycle at all? It's already cycled, and the water paremeters are perfect.


----------



## Neil D

Yes. Do not change the filter cartridge, just swish it around in some old tank water...

And guppies need to be in groups of *iThink* 6. And they definitely need more than 5g.


----------



## Randomperson

I have a betta heater for my one gallon tank I'm wondering if the cord is safe to go through the tank
I don't want my fishy to get shocked, he's fond of the cord for some reason


----------



## Myates

It's recommended to fully submerse the heater, so the cords tend to be water safe. =)


----------



## Randomperson

i thought so, thank you. im so paranoid hahahaha
he keeps leaning on the cord and swimming inbetween it


----------



## nel3

what is the best way to QT my 2 betta for the 5gal divided? theres no way i can really float or hold the .5g tank in the 5gal due to size constraints. would putting 1 betta in side A and leaving the other in his .5g placing the 2 tanks side by side be possible?


----------



## Randomperson

I have another quick question, Derp >__<
So, the heater I have is pretty..... Well let's just say that name wouldn't be suitable for children haha
The heater will heat up and once it gets to 80 I turn it off, if I don't I'll have betta soup.... Very sad ... Betta soup
I usually turn it off for the night, for obvious reasons but the temp drops dramatically, I have 3 really thick jackets around my tank to keep it a little warm. I don't want to keep doing this everynight, especially because the key phrase is A LITTLE WARM 

I devised a plan, but I'm not sure if it will stress my fish to much; move him to my room for sleepy time then move him back to the living room in the morning
My room is 5 degrees warmer than the rest of the house, I wouldn't mind doing this since I know he will be at ideal temperature in my room

Thanks for your help


----------



## shinsolo

So... My fish made a bubble nest. Which Kind of made me mad because the tank was clean AND I didn't know what it was at first so I started getting mad at the filter!! My question... Will cleaning it up, upset my fish? If it will, it's too late this time.. I just cleaned his tank and when I put him back he will notice it is gone. But for next time, do I need to wait on cleaning next time? I don't want to upset the little guy!! If it's something he HAS to do, I'll let him, he was just sort of running out of air surface from his bubble making!!


----------



## Neil D

Destroying it is fine...he'll make another one..

Look at it this way:

Destroyed Nest VS Ammonia burns...


----------



## Myates

I always feel bad when destroying all the bubblenests all my boys make hehe.. one of mine made one that covered most of his tank last week- built it under a few oak leaves and it was ever growing daily. Poor guy, was his best one to date and he had to get a water change. I have one of my girls in between a couple boys, so I get lots of nests and each time I have to break them I am sad.. but don't worry, you'll always get more nests hehe  Gives them something to do!


----------



## JKfish

Hey Random Person, what sort/brand of heater do you have? How many watts is it? Also, how big is your tank? And what sort of thermometer do you have in your tank?

If it is one of those cheap heating pads, if the wattage is too much for your tank, or if the brand isn't a very good one, that'd be an issue. In my opinion, if there is an issue with your heater, then you ought to work on replacing it. Temperature swings are not good, especially drastic ones and can lower your betta's immune system. In the mean time, if your tank is small enough to move it without too much trouble, I say go for it.


----------



## Larkspur

Guys I need help I made a thread but no one is responding my fish is dying and I don't know what to do! his heater broke while I was away so I gave him warmer water with a water chang and put some epsom salr but now he is just lying at the bottom of the tank and I don't know if he id dead or not I don't know what to do! he has very little color his tail is twitching but his gills aren't moving.

Never mind I'm pretty sure he just died. 
He isn't moving at all any more hand I haven't seen his gills move in over 5 minutes so I'm pretty sure he is dead.
I know it's stupid but I even tried to give him like CPR I just gently pressed on his tummy but it didn't work... I didn't think it would but I figured it was a tleast worth a try.


----------



## JKfish

Oh goodness Larkspur, I'm sorry


----------



## Myates

I'm sorry Lark =( I helped, but didn't stay on the pc much longer after that.. I'm so sorry


----------



## Betta Rookie

Should I turn off the filter if I am treating Gilgamesh for torn fins (possible ich) or let it keep running?


----------



## JKfish

Ich doesn't truly tear fins, it sounds like it might be finrot, something snagging his tail, or him biting his tail. As such, I think (unless you have a cycle) that you ought to turn your filter off while treating him.


----------



## Myates

You don't need to treat for torn fins- but for fin rot, and if it is, it's easier to move him to a QT tank.

Fin rot the edging will be black and crusty looking, falling off in small chunks.. or white cottony like growth on the edging.

If they are ripped long ways it would most likely be a decoration or the filter is too strong- usually fuses back together after a few days to a week.

If the edges are in a shape of a C or U, sometimes a V, it would most likely be him tail biting.

For torn fins, just keep him in his home, you can up the water change % each week a little to keep the water extra clean to avoid rot. A lot of people use Stress Coat to help promote fin regrowth. 

If Ich you will want to do this:
•Symptoms: Betta has white dots (looks like he was sprinkled with salt) all over his body and head, even eyes. Lethargic, No appetite, Clamped Fins, Might dart and scratching against decor
•Treatment: You can treat Ick either conservatively or with medication. Ick is a parasite. Because ick is contagious, it is preferable to treat the whole tank when one fish is found to have it. Ick is temperature sensitive: Leave your betta in the community tank and raise temperature to 85 F. Then you can choose to treat with salt or medication. Conservative: Add 1 tsp/gal Aquarium Salt 3 times, 12 hours apart so that you end up with 3 times the normal concentration. Perform daily 100% water changes to remove fallen parasites before they can reproduce. Replace the water with the right amount of salt. Do not continue this treatment for more than 14 days. If it fails or you do not want to use salt, treat with Jungle’s Parasite Clear, API Super Ick Cure, or Kordon Rid Ich Plus. If your betta lives in a jar/bowl, then it can be difficult to heat the water. There are heaters for smaller containers, but you can also float the quarantine container in a larger heated tank during treatment. Do a full water change every day and add an appropriate amount of medication to the water. 

If there is fin rot, then the AQ salt treatment for Ich will also work to rid the rot.
I would just recommend making 100% sure he has ich before going through with the treatment, as excess usage of salt has potential to harm their internal workings, such as kidney failure. It's best to make sure before doing any treatment.

Turning off the filter for the whole period of treatment you risk (well, imo it will happen) killing off all your beneficial bacteria and when you turn it back on, all the dead good bacteria will be flushed into your tank which can be harmful to your little guy..

Good luck!


----------



## heykate

How would I go about doing a 50% water change?


----------



## shinsolo

My question: Are there any heaters that are safe to use in a plastic/acrylic tank?? I don't want to melt it... It's 1.5 gallons. I wouldn't need it to heat THAT much. The water tends to only stay 1 degree or two below where Rudolphus wants it to be. I'm just scared to buy one and then find out its melted through the tank (im not really sure how hot they actually get i guess)


edit: the people at petco all looked at me like i was stupid when i asked them about a beta heater in the first place >.> so they're not really any help


----------



## Myates

Yep, there are some out there who just don't know much when it comes to bettas..

I would say a 10-15 watt would be safe. I haven't heard of any melting through a plastic/acrylic tank that is designed for fish- doesn't mean it hasn't happened. But generally it's safe and doesn't cause trouble. A lot of members here, including myself, use critter keepers and haven't had issues.
Just make sure to keep an eye on the thermometer to make sure it is working properly, as sometimes the lower watt ones don't always heat up too well. You could probably go with a 25 watt one that is adjustable, that way you can play around with the temps to keep it where you want it easier.


----------



## CrowntailTwitchy57

my quick question: is it good if i have a thin layer of algae (green, not brown) around the tank, like ALL the walls?


----------



## nel3

im having a bit of trouble with liquid water test kits. nutrafin NH3 and the API PH set have a limited colour range for results. i found api NH3 easy to read and same goes for nutrafin PH 6.0-7.6. ny nutrafin ph is probably not going to last another 2 months and i purchased API freshwater master kit. the result chart for the API 6.6-7.2 is hard to distinguish, the hutrafin also has .3 increments but the colors are easier to read as the lime green only starts at 6.6->green 7.0 and navy blue 7.2. are there any tricks to distinguish API 6.8-7.2?


----------



## Myates

CrowntailTwitchy57 said:


> my quick question: is it good if i have a thin layer of algae (green, not brown) around the tank, like ALL the walls?


Not good, but not dangerous.. some snails will eat it, otherwise, should wipe it off when you do water changes. If your tank is planted, then that could be the source, or you may be having the light on too much, or it gets a lot of sun. It's not going to harm your fish with a thin layer, but it's good to just go ahead and clean it off.



heykate said:


> How would I go about doing a 50% water change?


Cup your little guy, using a cup or pitcher remove half of the water, dose the tank with the conditioner, add in like-temp water. Float your little guy in the tank for about 15-20 minutes, removing some of the water out of the cup and adding in tank water about halfway through. Then release.
If you don't do full water changes, then you can use a siphon to siphon the substrate until half the water is gone- smaller tanks you would use a smaller siphon. Or you can stir the substrate and cup out as much waste as you can.


----------



## CrowntailTwitchy57

ok thanks i will wipe it off when i change her water, and i leave her light on from 7:00am-8:30pm


----------



## hmckin20

question.. how long can betta go without food?
i'm planning to go to the beach during spring break & i wanted to know how i should feed them.


----------



## shinsolo

Myates said:


> Yep, there are some out there who just don't know much when it comes to bettas..
> 
> I would say a 10-15 watt would be safe. I haven't heard of any melting through a plastic/acrylic tank that is designed for fish- doesn't mean it hasn't happened. But generally it's safe and doesn't cause trouble. A lot of members here, including myself, use critter keepers and haven't had issues.
> Just make sure to keep an eye on the thermometer to make sure it is working properly, as sometimes the lower watt ones don't always heat up too well. You could probably go with a 25 watt one that is adjustable, that way you can play around with the temps to keep it where you want it easier.




http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-HEATER-...LPFE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320709118&sr=8-1 was looking at this, just didn't want it to melt my plastic of my little 1 gallon tank!!


thank you sooo much btw! You've been so helpful.


----------



## JKfish

Crowntail Twitchy 57, your lights are on way too long. 10 hours is typically the proper ammount. Too much light typically causes algae growth (as you are seeing)

HMCKIN20, bettas can go about a week or two without food. A healthy betta can survive a month, but that is quite extreme and I would never recommend that. About a week before you leave, if you want, you can start feeding him an extra meal a day, just keep up with the water quality (you'll probably want to do a water change right before you leave so he'll have clean water). He'll be fine without food while you're gone, unless your tank is less than two gallons (in which case water quality would be an issue).


----------



## hmckin20

Okay, awesome. I only have one in a 2.5 gallon and I can take her with me. I'm glad to hear they'll be okay while I'm gone.  & Awesome tip about the water changes, I'll plan on doing that before I leave.
Awesome! Thank you


----------



## Myates

Never ever heard of them going a month without food 
I've heard and read from very reputable people here and on other sources that a healthy betta can go two weeks without eating, but at that point they are malnourished and it's a risk..


----------



## TaraVictor

This is just more of a general question about water quality than anything.

I've been doing regular water tests and changes for the past few days now, as the nitrate levels are still quite high. Both the ammonia and nitrite levels are 0, so I'm not too worried about that, and the pH is 7.5. 

The nitrate in my water is currently around 10. Is this a safe level? Should I just keep monitoring it and stop doing water changes? I know nitrate isn't particulary harmful as opposed to ammonia and nitrite, but I'm asking because I lost my first betta and I want Victor and the rest of my fish to live a happy, healthy life.

Oh, and my tank holds 25 litres (5 gallons) of water, if that helps.

Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks. =)


----------



## shinsolo

how often/much should I feed my beta fish? The petstore said to feed them twice a week. The food says to feed them 2-3 little pieces a day. And my friend who has had beta's all her life just told me that she killed hers from feeding him too much, and she only fed him 2 pieces a day, spread out one morning and one night. My fish is so happy when I feed him, but I don't want to over feed him if it is going to kill him. What is good?


----------



## Myates

shinsolo said:


> how often/much should I feed my beta fish? The petstore said to feed them twice a week. The food says to feed them 2-3 little pieces a day. And my friend who has had beta's all her life just told me that she killed hers from feeding him too much, and she only fed him 2 pieces a day, spread out one morning and one night. My fish is so happy when I feed him, but I don't want to over feed him if it is going to kill him. What is good?


Depends on what you are feeding him.. if they are the common pellets, 4-6 total a day is enough, spread between 2+ meals. If they say "mini" on the container, then 6-10 total a day spread between 2+ meals.

Flakes, 2 small pinches total a day spread between 2 meals- remove any uneaten flakes shortly after feeding.

Frozen foods, such as blood worms, just 4-6 total a day as well, spread between 2+ meals.

Freeze dried are treats, or a once a week meal supplement- 2-3, presoaked prior to feeding.

Always best to feed smaller amount, multiple times a day.

If you friend was only feeding two pellets a day, it was not over feeding.. more like under feeding that caused lower immune system and had gotten sick.. and possibly not enough water changes. Two pellets a day is very very low.


----------



## shinsolo

Ohh thank you so much!! I don't feel so bad about feeding him now! I actually feel a bit like I'm underfeeding x.x *runs off to feed fish more*


----------



## GreenTea

I have one male who will not eat pellets, he was imported about 2 weeks ago, most have no problem eating them or after a few days of not eating they learn to love them. He doesn't appear to be losing any weight and is active and happy, but he wont eat. I've had him for about 2 weeks and given him blood worms and brine shrimp a few times so he doesn't starve, but haven't been giving him more than that otherwise pellets will gross him out comparatively. Any tips other than waiting and/or garlic soaking?


----------



## JKfish

TaraVictor: You need to do a water change, 10 is a bit high up there. A 50% water change should fix that. 

GreenTea, I suggest you stop feeding him bloodworms and brineshrimp, they're preventing him from getting really hungry, and as such he can afford to snub your pellets. Try fasting him for a day to three, and then offering him garlic soaked pellets. He'll probably be hungry enough to eat them. If not, give the pellets a little squeeze before putting them infront of his face. They'll start to sink and the movement will probably trigger an instinctive bite.

Myates: and yes, while it is typically only in extreme cases with well conditioned fish (think aquabid fish being lost in the mail system for a while), it has occured before . However, it obviously is not a safe for good thing at all.


----------



## Myates

Ah okay.. learn something new every day 

Oh, and love your sig!


----------



## GreenTea

JKfish said:


> GreenTea, I suggest you stop feeding him bloodworms and brineshrimp, they're preventing him from getting really hungry, and as such he can afford to snub your pellets. Try fasting him for a day to three, and then offering him garlic soaked pellets. He'll probably be hungry enough to eat them. If not, give the pellets a little squeeze before putting them infront of his face. They'll start to sink and the movement will probably trigger an instinctive bite.


I guess you misunderstand me. I've given him 3 or 4 worms and shrimp combined twice since he's been with me. Otherwise he would not have eaten for almost 3 weeks. Should I just continue to offer pellets until he figures it out?


----------



## shinsolo

GreenTea said:


> I guess you misunderstand me. I've given him 3 or 4 worms and shrimp combined twice since he's been with me. Otherwise he would not have eaten for almost 3 weeks. Should I just continue to offer pellets until he figures it out?


how long have you had the fish?? I had trouble with mine not eating when I first got him. Turns out the pelets were too big for him. he was trying, but couldn't eat them. I had to switch to the baby pelets just so he could bite them. Not sure if this is whats wrong with your fish... but i know it fixed the not eatting problem with mine!


----------



## GreenTea

No he's a giant and the pellets are small, had him for almost 3 weeks I think? Not sure.


----------



## TaraVictor

JKfish said:


> TaraVictor: You need to do a water change, 10 is a bit high up there. A 50% water change should fix that.


I've just done a 50% water change, and have now tested the water again. The nitrate levels are still quite high. Should I wait a bit more to test the water again, or should I do another water change? 

I've also tested my tap water, and the levels are quite high in that too. Would I need some sort of conditioner to remove the nitrates in the tap water before I condition it and add it to my tank?

Thanks for your input. =)


----------



## GreenTea

TaraVictor, the brand Seachem makes a conditioner called Prime that will remove the nitrates from your water and is a great conditioner, you only need 1-2 drops with a gallon so it lasts forever too. It's sold at petco and I'm sure online and lots of other places as well. That should help, and yes I would add your conditioner and let the water sit for a minimum of 20 minutes before adding your guy back in... A lot of people age their water for 24 hours, this allows gasses to evaporate and removes chlorine. For me aging that long is usually not an option so I just let my water sit for a bit, 30 mins or so with conditioner in it.


----------



## Salamandair

What is the dosage per gallon for Stress Coat +?

I'm putting Casper into his unfiltered, 3.5 gallon home and I'm conditioning the water with Stress Coat+ only, since I've heard good things about it.


----------



## nel3

it should say on the bottle itself, its 5ml for 10 gal you'd need 1.25ml for 2.5g. 1.75 ml for 3.5g


----------



## Salamandair

Ah, good. I went ahead and added about 2 ml to each gallon and 1 ml for a half gallon, so there's about...5ml of Stress coat xD I'll just have me and Boyfriend monitor him the next 24-48 hours and if anything goes wrong, back into the old conditioner he goes!

Thanks, Nel3


----------



## Myates

TaraVictor said:


> I've just done a 50% water change, and have now tested the water again. The nitrate levels are still quite high. Should I wait a bit more to test the water again, or should I do another water change?
> 
> I've also tested my tap water, and the levels are quite high in that too. Would I need some sort of conditioner to remove the nitrates in the tap water before I condition it and add it to my tank?
> 
> Thanks for your input. =)


Even if you can't find Prime, any conditioner that removes chlorine, nitrate/ites and binds metals- which is most conditioners. Have you not been adding any conditioner to your water?


----------



## erinandares

How can I get water stains off the front of my tank in a fish friendly way? Ugly things...


----------



## TaraVictor

Myates said:


> Even if you can't find Prime, any conditioner that removes chlorine, nitrate/ites and binds metals- which is most conditioners. Have you not been adding any conditioner to your water?


Yeah, I have a water conditioner which I add everytime I do a water change.

I have bought some conditioner which reduces nitrate, and I've been adding some to my tank water. It seems it's brought the levels down nicely, and yesterday the nitrate was 5, but this morning it was 10 again, so I added some more of that conditioner. I read that it can take a few doses to get the nitrate down. If the levels are still high tomorrow, I will most likely to a water change. Otherwise, Victor seems happy.


----------



## Myates

erinandares said:


> How can I get water stains off the front of my tank in a fish friendly way? Ugly things...


On glass tanks, I use windex/window cleaner.. I spray onto a paper towel in a different room and then go wipe the glass down. I wash my hands afterwards real well and use just warm water on a towel for the hood and other non-glass parts. Never had a problem doing this, just as long as I don't spray near the tanks or put my hands in the water before washing them.


----------



## erinandares

Ahh, okay! I wasn't sure if there was a problem using windex on glass tanks or not. Thank you!


----------



## shinsolo

hey guys. the crapy fish heater i was using broke and i've ordered another oen but it doesnt come in till tuesday. any way i can keep him warm till then? besides partial water changes every two hours or turning the heat up in the room? i live in a building that controls heat/ac for me.. ive no control over room temp


----------



## Arashi Takamine

If you got an electric blanket or heating pad put the tank on top of that turn it up and monitor the temp and your good.


----------



## Myates

I wouldn't do that many water changes, too much fluctuations could cause trouble. Just monitor the temp, if it gets below 74* then you can do a large water change and acclimate him to the temp in his cup after. Or wrap dryer-warm towel around his tank as long as it doesn't get too warm for him.


----------



## nel3

is it possible for genetics to give pure black eyes for betta. the pic below is of Nelliel on AB. i cannot see any iris unlike my other 2 betta (brown/gold iris, black pupil). he has no issues eating ane is generally healthy given i ignore chronic blown tails with some minor tail biting folowing suite. as such im not particularly worried about his eyesight at all, just interested about the lack of eye colour detail. he actually may have distinct iris and pupil but its very hard to discern it.

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/closed.cgi?view_closed_item&fwbettasdt1308397160

i have another question. i just noticed what seems like 2 bubble nests on the other side of my 5gal divided. the slin10 filter is running but the only betta atm inside is on the other half of the divider. is it normal if the water turbulence causes this?


----------



## dew

How can I get on aquabid when I'm 17? Can someone make an account for me?


----------



## dramaqueen

That is something you have to do yourself.


----------



## xtina127

I have a 20g aquarium only one betta, glass stones on the bottem, filtered and heated, how often do I do water changes?? and what percent?


----------



## CraneSong

I have a conditioner (Tetra AquaSafe) that says that it neutralizes chlorine and chloramines. Does that mean that it DOES get rid of the chloramines, or does it just break them down into chlorine and ammonia, and leave a crapton of ammonia floating around in my tank? My betta is spazzing out, and I changed the water 25%, then 50% with double-dosed conditioner, and then 100% to try to get rid of whatever he doesn't like. He's still doing half-flares, though, where he sticks his fins all out, but no gills... So is he just doing a really energetic wiggle dance? Or is he really swimming in an ammonia bath from the breakdown of the chloramines? D:


----------



## bettalover2000

Has anyone tried Betta Revive? Please Give me reviews quickly!


----------



## Roxy

bettalover2000 said:


> Has anyone tried Betta Revive? Please Give me reviews quickly!


Never tried, but there are plenty of reviews from the petco website which is:
http://www.petco.com/product/102424...Aid.aspx?Ntt=betta revive&OneResultRedirect=1

& 3 reviews on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Betta-Revive-...F1X2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327980040&sr=8-1


----------



## Wolfie305

I'm heading out to PetCo tonight to see what they have in stock, but juuuuust in case they have something I really want, and end up buying it, is it okay for him to stay in his container for a day or so while I wait for his heater to arrive? 

Also, does anyone know when places like PetSmart and PetCo get new stock of bettas?


----------



## Roxy

Wolfie305 said:


> I'm heading out to PetCo tonight to see what they have in stock, but juuuuust in case they have something I really want, and end up buying it, is it okay for him to stay in his container for a day or so while I wait for his heater to arrive?
> 
> Also, does anyone know when places like PetSmart and PetCo get new stock of bettas?


It should be okay, but make sure to keep up with the water changes.

No clue, but you can always ask them.


----------



## Wolfie305

Thanks! I picked up my little guy today and my heater should be here tomorrow!


----------



## bettalover2000

How long does it take for fin rot to heal? Thanks!


----------



## JKfish

Regrowth will depend on the severity, the cleanliness of the water, and the health of your fish in general. So long as you keep his water super clean, feed him well, and make sure he's healthy, it should start healing soon.


----------



## BettaHeart

ok i know this should be in the breeding section but its just a quick question:
How would microworms be effected if sprinkled with the attison's baby betta food? :-?


----------



## nel3

does anyone here have sanials and feed them algea wafers? i had 2 zebra nerites 3/4 inch long. they'rein a heated 1g atm and i put in a whole flake for the 1g. the tank is pretty coludy. my question is will my cycled 5g get that cloudy when the time for algea wafers are needed?


----------



## JKfish

Instead of feeding a whole wafer, try cutting them in half to reduce the mess 

BettaHeart, I'm sorry but I really don't know.


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> Instead of feeding a whole wafer, try cutting them in half to reduce the mess
> 
> BettaHeart, I'm sorry but I really don't know.


ty JKFish, i'll definately cut it in half next time. is there any other way to feed algea to the fish with flakes similar to bettal flakes that wont dissintegrate? id like to know if there are actual flakes though given this is algea it just may be the nature of the food to be such that its messy. i have a good task for my snails in the 5g. the LPS i got the snails from also had spotted shell snails similar in size to zebras. are those also nerites that are unlikely to tako over a tank? lol i notice my 2 snails are hanging by each other since they were put in the 1g tank.


----------



## BettaHeart

JKfish said:


> BettaHeart, I'm sorry but I really don't know.



Thank you JKfish, as of right now I started a batch of micro worms with and without the atison's and have both parents in the tank. *fingers crossed*


----------



## JKfish

I do believe that your snails produce baby snails if one is indeed female and one is indeed male. However (I think I don't know -you'll have to double check) I think I remember reading somwhere that they can't reproduce in fresh water...? Algae tabs are messy, and as far as i know, there's no really clean way to feed them. However, I did read somewhere that if you get a bucket of tank water and add a few river rocks and leave them in the sun that they'll grow algae over a week or so, and you can drop the rocks in the tank and remove a rock to go into the bucket and become algaeish.

But you might not want that if your tank is over run by algae. If it is, then it could be an overabundence of phosphates or too many hours of lights. If you make sure that your tank only recieves 10 hours of light, then that might help some 

Good luck Betta Heart!


----------



## nel3

JKfish said:


> I do believe that your snails produce baby snails if one is indeed female and one is indeed male. However (I think I don't know -you'll have to double check) I think I remember reading somwhere that they can't reproduce in fresh water...? Algae tabs are messy, and as far as i know, there's no really clean way to feed them. However, I did read somewhere that if you get a bucket of tank water and add a few river rocks and leave them in the sun that they'll grow algae over a week or so, and you can drop the rocks in the tank and remove a rock to go into the bucket and become algaeish.
> 
> But you might not want that if your tank is over run by algae. If it is, then it could be an overabundence of phosphates or too many hours of lights. If you make sure that your tank only recieves 10 hours of light, then that might help some
> 
> Good luck Betta Heart!


i think sexing snails is difficult to begin with, i'll see what i can do. from what i understand, they may lay eggs but most will be duds if theres no brackish water. i just hope i dont have a femal snail. from the other threads on such snails, all say breeding only occurs in brackish water. i'll have to reserve the tank water and rocks for warmer weather but its definetly a very good idea.

i got my 5g with a 6500k CFL for 10hrs or light a day. i'll see how well they work on the 5g cleaning. i got an ornament already in the 1g for testing purposes.


----------



## Hallyx

*Photo Archives*

Where are the Betta photo archives?

Thank you.


----------



## phoenix91

Quick question about reusing plants.

My sick betta passed away on friday and i've thoroughly cleaned his tank and all accessories, i replaced the substrate and will get new filter media before adding another fish. My question is, how can i wash the live plants so i can use them in the tank again? or should i just ditch them and get new?

I don't think my fish had anything contagious, he had multiple tumours, but i didn't want to take any changes.


----------



## johnny151

I posted this on the wrong thread =( since this is the quick question thread, I thought I would ask about this heater. 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/50W-110V-Aq...993?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item484031e8c9

I'm in need of a good heater for my new tank and found this for cheap. Idk much about heaters. But would any of you buy this?


----------



## callistra

^no. Get a name brand one like a jager, marineland or aqueon pro.


----------



## phoenix91

How do live plants respond to aquarium salt. I need to add salt to try and treat a fungus (i believe) infection, should i take the plants out for the treatment or leave them in? I do have a smaller 'hospital' tank i could treat in too.


----------



## JKfish

A hospital tank would be a good idea. aquarium plants do not respond well to aquarium Salt, it will kill them.


----------



## Rosso1011

Do all males flare? My guy, Poseidon, doesn't seem to do a full flare. He'll do a full spread with his fins, but that's about it.


----------



## Bombalurina

What is he flaring at? If he's just swimming around, I wouldn't expect him to flare properly, but if you are showing him a mirror and he isn't flaring, perhaps he is just super chill.


----------



## OMGemily

in your experience, whats the best brand for heaters? my topfin 50W doesnt seem to be working very steadily


----------



## MaisyDawgThirteen

Do you have a 10 Gallon? I had a 50 watt pre-set topfin heater in mine. I upgraded to a adjustable 100 watt and it is WAY better.


----------



## Micho

OMGemily said:


> in your experience, whats the best brand for heaters? my topfin 50W doesnt seem to be working very steadily


Topfin, their line of heaters not really good. 

Right now I have a Elite Submersible 50w Heater or the 100w one, can't remember, the Elite brand has the best line of heaters, so I recommend this brand.


----------



## OMGemily

MaisyDawgThirteen said:


> Do you have a 10 Gallon? I had a 50 watt pre-set topfin heater in mine. I upgraded to a adjustable 100 watt and it is WAY better.


i have a 5.5 (really only about 4.5) very inconsistent though :/ maybe because i dont have a filter??




Micho said:


> Topfin, their line of heaters not really good.
> 
> Right now I have a Elite Submersible 50w Heater or the 100w one, can't remember, the Elite brand has the best line of heaters, so I recommend this brand.


 all my petsmart has are fluval, aqueon, biorbe, marina and topfin... any experience with any of those?


----------



## Micho

OMGemily said:


> i have a 5.5 (really only about 4.5) very inconsistent though :/ maybe because i dont have a filter??
> 
> 
> 
> 
> all my petsmart has are fluval, aqueon, biorbe, marina and topfin... any experience with any of those?


Hrm, I trust Fluval for sure, Aqueon, Marina, and Topfin I do not trust. I've had a Marina C10, it didn't work. Got another one, also didn't work, so I don't trust that brand for heaters, I've heard Topfin heaters shatter, so I wasn't willing to take the risk for their heaters. I would say Aqueon is okay, but I've also heard some horror stories with that brand.

Biorbe, no clue. 

And yes, without a heater your water temperature may be uneven. Since the filter pushes water, and you're supposed to place the heater near water flow so the heat gets evenly distributed.


----------



## Neil D

Seems like we're on heaters here. 

I have an Aqueon 50W heater in my 10g tank, and it keeps it at a steady 80*. Although, if the temperature of the house drops too much, the heater will have trouble keeping that temperature.


----------



## johnny151

how do you add new water to a 10 gallon tank once performing a 20%-50% water change? do you put the new water in the tank and put in water conditioner? or do you have to sit it out with water conditioner added for a day then add the new water?


----------



## OMGemily

johnny151 said:


> how do you add new water to a 10 gallon tank once performing a 20%-50% water change? do you put the new water in the tank and put in water conditioner? or do you have to sit it out with water conditioner added for a day then add the new water?


long story short, i recommend conditioning the water and then adding. 
long story long, youll need less conditioner if you condition it first. but you dont need to let it sit for a day. water conditioner works right away. however ive heard that you can set your water out for a day and not use any conditioner at all because the chlorine combines with the oxygen and "evaporates"
if you condition the water after adding it, first off take the fish out, because youre pouring chlorine into their mouths, and remember to treat for the whole amount of water not just wat you added. so if you do 50% water changes and add the conditioner before, youre only using 5 gallons worth, whereas if you add then condition, you would have to remove all your fish and use 10 gallons worth of conditioner.


----------



## brettwashere

How long can a betta be out of water before damage occurs?


----------



## Bombalurina

It depends on a variety of things - how far it has fallen, whether there are other animals in the house, what is lands on...some people have found their bettas alive after ten minutes out of water; other bettas die from the impact of their fall. Sometimes the betta will die of shock or suffer diseases due to a shock-depressed immune system. There really isn't a "this many minutes and no more" answer to that.


----------



## brettwashere

Ok, well he is alive and I'm not exactly sure how long he was out. He is hanging out in the back of the tank, on the bottom. He did come up for blood worms though, and I can get his attention. Probably over concerned. He didn't fall far, the height of the cup he came in. Happened during a tank cleaning, I should have had a lid.


----------



## Bombalurina

If you don't have a lid for your tank you can easily improvide by stretching some clingfilm across the tank.  I'm using it for mine at the moment. Floating plants also seem to discourage jumping.


----------



## brettwashere

Never had a problem while he's in the tank, I had him I n a cup next to the tank while the water reached temp. I went to wash the dogs and water the yard and when I came back to puut him in he was out. I think he'll be ok, but he still wants to hang around the bottom of the tank and I know its not a temp issue. Probably after effects of shock.


----------



## Wolfie305

So I got Paarth some frozen blood worms a few days ago and I'm wondering - I don't have to do anything to them before giving them to him, do I?


----------



## Rosso1011

The only thing you really should need to do (I think) is just thaw them in some hot water. Other than that, I think you should be good. I would also wear gloves and wash your hands really well after handling. I have heard of people having allergic reactions.


----------



## brettwashere

I would thaw them in cool to warm water, hot water and actually cook them as they thaw. Just a thought.


----------



## Shadyr

I got a tank for my office and brought it in Monday. I know Bettas can easily skip a day of feeding, but would they be OK from when I leave the office Friday evening till I come back in on Monday morning?


----------



## SwaggDaddy

do i need a air filter for a 10 galon tank


----------



## SwaggDaddy

do i need a air filter for a 10 galon tank


----------



## ao

If its a betta I dont believe you need one, they preer not to have a large water disturbance anyway


----------



## MadameDesu

What could be the cause of a pH spike in my aquarium?
My tap water is about 7.2, but when I checked my tank today (did a 100% change yesterday) it was at 8.0!!!


----------



## Foisair

Shadyr - I have Beast here at work in his 2.5 gal. He does find over the weekends. I was really worried the first few weekends too.


My question: What is the best way to cycle a planted 10 gallon? Fishless cycle first and then add plants or put the plants in from the begining? Or even gradually adding more and more plants?


----------



## Foisair

SwaggDaddy - You will need a filter if you plan on cycleing the 10 gallon. If you don't cycle it, you will need to do more water changes including 100% changes.


----------



## brettwashere

brettwashere said:


> I would thaw them in cool to warm water, hot water and actually cook them as they thaw. Just a thought.


Sorry, this should read ,"....hot water CAN actually cook them as they thaw".


----------



## Rosso1011

This is probably not the best place to ask... but when you have a fish in treatment (fin rot in this case) do you still fast for one day?


----------



## johnny151

I'm going to perform my first partial water change tomorrow...

I'm going to put the extra replacement water in 1 gallon containers. Do i have to use the same water conditioner i used for my 10 gallon tank? its 5ml per 10 gallon and its a hassle trying to break down the dosage for a gallon. So can I use the betta bowl water conditioner?


----------



## Bombalurina

I'd suggest just buying a 1ml syringe. They are available from most chemists. Then you could do the perfect dosage of 0.5ml per gallon. I use one for my Prime and get a neat 0.1ml per gallon.


----------



## Mo

If you use tetra aqua safe 7-8 drops per gallon will treat it fully


----------



## Canuck Fins

Okay, did a partial change on my tank and now, the filter pump won't run when I plug it back in. 

5G Hawkeye with filter pump that hangs on the back of the tank. Can't think of what brand it is but came with the tank. Cycled tank so understandably concerned that I can't get it going. 

Have taken the intake off and confirmed it's not blocked. Water in the pump. 

Any ideas to troubleshoot?


----------



## Mo

Ry cleaning the propeller looking thing that's right by the tube when you pull it out, this is usually my problem


----------



## Canuck Fins

Thanks for the idea, Mo. I think this is Aquatech filter pump. Have taken the pump out, propeller doesn't seem to be blocked. Still can't get it to do anything. I've never had a problem after a water change. How long will my cycle survive without a pump? I'm just feeling sick.

I can hear something when I plug it in, but it's not moving any water.


----------



## Mo

Slowly the bacteria will die or go into hibernation. Typically. Long as it is wet the majority will still be on for around 12 hours, Ive had this problem too. IMG aquatech filter wouldn't turn on and never did. They tend to do that IME. Your best choose would to buy a new one, transfer the media, and keep on top of good water quality


----------



## Canuck Fins

This tank has been cycled and planted for a little more than 14 months. I've never had a problem - not with the tank or with my fish Ninja - so this is quite frustrating.

ETA: Thanks for all the help. My DH took the piece out of the pump a second time and fiddled with the propeller and got it to work.


----------



## Mo

So it was the propeller? I thought so. That is usually what happens to me with that filter aswell as others, usually running it under water and scrubbing it works well


----------



## mellotune

I have a question. I accidentally purchased a Hydro-Sponge II instead of a Hydro-Sponge I for my 5 gallon tank. Is it okay to put the larger sponge in? Aesthetics isn't a big deal to me but I'd like to know before cycling rather than later. Additionally, were I to switch the filters at a later date, I would assume that I'd have to cycle the new filter with dirty water from tank. Sound right? Thanks in advance!


----------



## Hallyx

mellotune said:


> Is it okay to put the larger sponge in?


Yes. The bigger sponge provides more area/volume for your beneficial bacteria to grow



mellotune said:


> Additionally, were I to switch the filters at a later date, I would assume that I'd have to cycle the new filter with dirty water from tank.


Close, but not quite. Actually, you'd want to place the new filter media in the flow from the cycled filter. After a week or so, it ought to be teeming with BB.


----------



## mellotune

Thanks!


----------



## Kitty Whiskers

Do you have to do weekly water changes in a tank that is being cycled? There are no fish in it yet....


----------



## Neil D

IF there are no fish I do not think you have to. I'm not sure though, there is a sticky somewhere...


----------



## kfryman

Not sure, you wouldn't be endangering anything, though too much ammonia or anything else can stall the cycle.


----------



## Hallyx

Kitty Whiskers said:


> Do you have to do weekly water changes in a tank that is being cycled? There are no fish in it yet....


Not while the tank is cycling. Once it is cycled, do one big change to cut the nitrates. Then just add a few drops of ammonia every day to keep the bacteria fed until you add stock.


----------



## chibifish

Can I use API stress coat as a regular conditioner or just for short amounts of time?


----------



## ao

chibifish said:


> Can I use API stress coat as a regular conditioner or just for short amounts of time?


regular is fine  don't dose over 2x the recommended amount =D


----------



## nel3

i just found out my 2nd 1g milk jug to hold IAL water is leaking. thankfully there was only residual water in it as its empty. the jug is going to be tossed and the 3rd one i have will now be used to replace the broken 1g jug for the IAL. before the 3rd jug was just for normal water to hold water for any water change. i probably have a jug that my parents have recently tossed out to replace the one for genearal WC use. what do i need to do to sanitize the new 1g jug? i'll be getting a 5th one in a week or so to replace the current 1g IAL jug that will need to be replaced soon.


----------



## LugiaChan

Are there any plants that don't create plant matter in the tank? I've had a huge serious plant matter mess when I introduced Phillipine Fern into my tank.


----------



## finnfinnfriend

Do you drop one pellet in at a time or the whole meals worth at once?


----------



## LugiaChan

finnfinnfriend said:


> Do you drop one pellet in at a time or the whole meals worth at once?


One at a time. 
It's mostly roots, leaves and when I put in an indian almond leaf it really breaks up and gets leaf parts all over my tank.

I've had many snails die before too, and I have no idea why that is


----------



## MSG

hahaha.... plant matter. *lol* 

Choose a variety of a sword plant. They're usually pretty hardy plants & don't fall apart like the floating variety.


----------



## ao

LugiaChan said:


> Are there any plants that don't create plant matter in the tank? I've had a huge serious plant matter mess when I introduced Phillipine Fern into my tank.


Never heard of philippine fern, but the obvious questions are are you sure it was an aquatic? 

Plants that almost never need pruning are Java fern and Anubias, since they grow so slowly. and both can be grown tied down in a barebottom tank. Most stem plants are non messy. you may have to deal with the occassional loose leaf, but thats it. 
As MSG implied, floating plants tend to be the messiest. especially duckweed, which sticks to everything. Other annoying plants are carpeting plants that grows upwards :/ but I doubt you will need to deal with that. lol


----------



## MSG

P-Ferns look like pretty sweet plants to have in a tank.

http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/showthread.php/17874-WTT-philippine-fern-GONE-SOLD-GONE-SOLD

http://www.ultimatebettas.com/index.php?showtopic=27085


----------



## LugiaChan

aokashi said:


> Never heard of philippine fern, but the obvious questions are are you sure it was an aquatic?
> 
> Plants that almost never need pruning are Java fern and Anubias, since they grow so slowly. and both can be grown tied down in a barebottom tank. Most stem plants are non messy. you may have to deal with the occassional loose leaf, but thats it.
> As MSG implied, floating plants tend to be the messiest. especially duckweed, which sticks to everything. Other annoying plants are carpeting plants that grows upwards :/ but I doubt you will need to deal with that. lol


Do you know which of these are messy and not messy to deal with? 



Eleocharis ''parvula'' (hair grass)
Lucky bamboo.
Pink or orange water lily.
Echinodorus 'vesuvius' (AWESOME snake bamboo-like twirls!)
Fissidens splachnobryoides (the bottom moss)
Marsilea quadrifolia (water shamrock)
Anubias, Petite Nana (just big leaves)
APONOGETON ULVACEUS (large flat curvy)
Corkscrew Vallisneria (long snake twirls)
Onion Plant (Crinum thaianum) (long, stingy, spacious)


----------



## ao

None of these should be messy if planted right. If you want less messy plants, go for those with bigger non frilly/fragile leaves. Moss will generally stay together as it grows. but will eventually attach to things.

I'm not familiar with the water lilies, but the lucky bamboo should have its leaves kept well out of the water.

If we're talking about plating. moss can be a pain to attach sometimes. hairgrass can be a pain. I've resorted to staking mine down as it grows upwards instead of along the substrate. I would sugget to start with the larger leafed plants first before moving on to the more delicate plants.

I've never had an onion plant, but some members love them whilst othershad ot rot in their tanks.


----------



## mursey

What is up with Atison's Betta Spa being sold on every website I try to order it from? (I thought I successfully ordered it a few times but then I'd get an email saying it was actually out of stock and the company was crediting me back)

Anybody use this stuff? Does it work?


----------



## Enkil

aokashi said:


> None of these should be messy if planted right. If you want less messy plants, go for those with bigger non frilly/fragile leaves. Moss will generally stay together as it grows. but will eventually attach to things.
> 
> I'm not familiar with the water lilies, but the lucky bamboo should have its leaves kept well out of the water.
> 
> If we're talking about plating. moss can be a pain to attach sometimes. hairgrass can be a pain. I've resorted to staking mine down as it grows upwards instead of along the substrate. I would sugget to start with the larger leafed plants first before moving on to the more delicate plants.
> 
> I've never had an onion plant, but some members love them whilst othershad ot rot in their tanks.


+1

I have found anubias to be nicely clean plants when anchored or left to float.
I like java moss. I have it in quite a few of my tanks and haven't had a problem yet. *knock on wood*
I also like water wisteria. I leave mine to float and it has done well for the most part. Have to be careful when buying it. I had an experience where plants that were slightly unhealthy died on me quite suddenly. Much more careful now.


----------



## LittleBettaFish

mursey said:


> What is up with Atison's Betta Spa being sold on every website I try to order it from? (I thought I successfully ordered it a few times but then I'd get an email saying it was actually out of stock and the company was crediting me back)
> 
> Anybody use this stuff? Does it work?



I used it on my bettas once and it really didn't do anything that IAL can't. Never saw any difference in behaviour or health and it was pretty expensive so I stopped using it once I ran out.


----------



## mursey

Oh ok. I thought Betta Spa was just concentrated IAL. I assumed Indian Almond Leaves were more messy or something. I just haven't tried either yet.


----------



## LittleBettaFish

Betta Spa has a few other ingredients in it as well. If you are changing out your leaves regularly rather than letting them decay they aren't that messy. Plus my males cannot resist bubblenesting under a newly floating leaf.


----------



## nel3

sry double post, pls delete it.


----------



## nel3

i just did a 3.5g water change for my 5g divided tank. thats 2 betta and 1 nerite. the fish went in glasses while the nerite stayed in the tank. the VT caudal was healing with good rays but new webbing. after the vt went back in his caudal was ragged and bloody. should i wait a day to put him in the 1g QT or should i leave him in the 5g? in the past i put him in AQ salt for 7 days and he got better with that. i cant use salt in the 5g, live plants are present.


after


----------



## Neil D

You don't want to put him in salt for too long. Maybe wait a while and see if they begin to heal on their own. If not, yeah restart the salt.


----------



## nel3

Neil D said:


> You don't want to put him in salt for too long. Maybe wait a while and see if they begin to heal on their own. If not, yeah restart the salt.


i'll try to leave him in the 5g for 2 days if possible given all goes well. 

im just surprised that such damage can occur so fast ie 40 minutes. he was healing well until i did the WC.


----------



## kjwarren103

Haha! And I thought my betta's bubble nest was big!

I have a question. If pellets fall to the bottom of the aquarium, the betta won't eat them, right?


----------



## ao

nvm :/ accodentally replied to a post from loooong ago




kjwarren103 said:


> Haha! And I thought my betta's bubble nest was big!
> 
> I have a question. If pellets fall to the bottom of the aquarium, the betta won't eat them, right?



I'll answer this one instead... the majority of bettas eat only floating pellets. Their upturned mouth have evolved in such a way that they can catch prey well from the surface of the water. But there are also those odd balls who only eat off the bottom.

You will have to monitor your betta and see what his particular eating habit are


----------



## kjwarren103

Thanks! It's just kind of strange. He eats the stuff off the top, but the pellets that fell to the floor have mysteriously disappeared....


----------



## craiger75

Is there any way to lower my ph without buying yet another product? I just got a reading of 7.6 and the high ph was actually lower (yes, i did it right) - lol! And, is this really an issue? He seems fine, it's my plants that are turning weird colors from what I think is probably too much alkalinity in the water among other things.

Wow kj, that's the second avatar i've seen on here that bears a striking resemblance to my betta - Too cool


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Maybe IAL?


----------



## craiger75

LebronTheBetta said:


> Maybe IAL?


Hahaha, that wud cost more than the API stuff wudn't it? I'd luv to find a place that carries banana leaves.


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Like $10 on eBay probably.


----------



## craiger75

Good call! Upon further review almond leaves not only lowers the ph but hardens their scales ... more natural approach with an added benefit.

Here's a link if anyone's interested ... 

http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Betta, Indian Almond Leaves.htm


----------



## Hallyx

If you don't mind beer-colored water, IAL is good for your fish.

Nothing wrong with a 7.6 pH. Usually Betta keepers don't worry unless it gets well above 8.0pH. In fact, it's good for maintaining a stable nitrogen cycle

It should have no effect on your plants. I would look elsewhere for the cause of your plant problems.


----------



## KevinPham123

Is this thread stickied? If not, it should be


----------



## craiger75

So ... I finally got snails - not by choice however. I know they come from plants, which i find rather strange considering i haven't bought any new ones in awhile. I was really digging up the gravel today to do some replanting and put some laterite in - they didn't come from that did they? I do seem to recall seeing things before that I thought were plant spores so I chucked them, or dropped them back in the tank. 

I'm not particularly interested in getting rid of them and I could really use the help with algae. So, my question is; what am I looking for to make sure they don't become a nuisance to my betta? I know they can cause disease, and one thing to watch out for is a spike in ammonia but other than that what else?


----------



## craiger75

Hallyx said:


> If you don't mind beer-colored water, IAL is good for your fish.
> 
> Nothing wrong with a 7.6 pH. Usually Betta keepers don't worry unless it gets well above 8.0pH. In fact, it's good for maintaining a stable nitrogen cycle
> 
> It should have no effect on your plants. I would look elsewhere for the cause of your plant problems.


Yeah, I ordered some today. It was even cheaper than lebron quoted, so i figured I'd check it out. Another guy said leaves on plants yellowing or browning (or both) could be a sign of too much alkalinity but whatever .... I've never had what could be considered a green thumb :lol:


----------



## ao

craiger75 said:


> Is there any way to lower my ph without buying yet another product? I just got a reading of 7.6 and the high ph was actually lower (yes, i did it right) - lol! And, is this really an issue? He seems fine, it's my plants that are turning weird colors from what I think is probably too much alkalinity in the water among other things.
> 
> Wow kj, that's the second avatar i've seen on here that bears a striking resemblance to my betta - Too cool


7.6 is fine. actually anywhere between 6.5 and 8.5 (and aome say even 9) is ok. 

Stability is what you should be concentrating on. avoiding ph fluctuations ensure a stable environment. I personally like the water a little harder to maintain this stability. the PH of my water is generally around 7.6 as well.

Add IAL is great and a natural water softener. I do like the color of banana leaves better tho :O just personal preference but 

Most plants are happy with a higher PH. when plants turn yellow, it means that you may not have enough iron in the water........ or...... yoir lighting is not sufficient....or too much :O. or maybe the roots are rotting... too many possibilities here, lol. but it is highly unlikely that the PH induced the reaction from the plants.

Annnnnnnnnndddd *avoid* all PH changing shelf products! lol.


----------



## craiger75

aokashi said:


> 7.6 is fine. actually anywhere between 6.5 and 8.5 (and aome say even 9) is ok.
> 
> Stability is what you should be concentrating on. avoiding ph fluctuations ensure a stable environment. I personally like the water a little harder to maintain this stability. the PH of my water is generally around 7.6 as well.
> 
> Add IAL is great and a natural water softener. I do like the color of banana leaves better tho :O just personal preference but
> 
> Most plants are happy with a higher PH. when plants turn yellow, it means that you may not have enough iron in the water........ or...... yoir lighting is not sufficient....or too much :O. or maybe the roots are rotting... too many possibilities here, lol. but it is highly unlikely that the PH induced the reaction from the plants.
> 
> Annnnnnnnnndddd *avoid* all PH changing shelf products! lol.


Yeah, i originally looked at BL but the IAL was sooo much cheaper :lol: His fins look a little ragged, but I'm not seeing fin rot per se so maybe that'll clear it up. As far as ph, I thought a higher number made more sense for freshwater fish/plants but what do i know :-? Thx!


----------



## kimnoa

Question)

I have no access to typical live amd frozen foods like bloodworms in my location and i just use bettafood w/c is not a healthy diet. I do have alot of moquito and mosquito larvae in my location w/c i use for alternative live food. 

Is this alternative safe?


----------



## craiger75

kimnoa said:


> Question)
> 
> I have no access to typical live amd frozen foods like bloodworms in my location and i just use bettafood w/c is not a healthy diet. I do have alot of moquito and mosquito larvae in my location w/c i use for alternative live food.
> 
> Is this alternative safe?


Quick answer; yes, my understanding is that bettas eat mosquito larvae. Mosquitoes and safety? I couldn't tell you. I don't know why the betta food wouldn't be a healthy diet though as long as it's good quality. My understanding is the Betta Bio-Gold, which I would otherwise recommend has gone downhill recently.


----------



## ao

kimnoa said:


> Question)
> 
> I have no access to typical live amd frozen foods like bloodworms in my location and i just use bettafood w/c is not a healthy diet. I do have alot of moquito and mosquito larvae in my location w/c i use for alternative live food.
> 
> Is this alternative safe?


Yup! I fed mine that =D but do wash them thoroughly. I catch mine in a brineshrimp net and run them under the tap for a good minute or two before putting them in a bottle with good, clean conditioned water.


----------



## kimnoa

craiger75 said:


> Quick answer; yes, my understanding is that bettas eat mosquito larvae. Mosquitoes and safety? I couldn't tell you. I don't know why the betta food wouldn't be a healthy diet though as long as it's good quality. My understanding is the Betta Bio-Gold, which I would otherwise recommend has gone downhill recently.


Yes thank u for that info.. I read somewhere that if you don't mix betta proccessed food with frozen or live food it makes a betta sick. Confused


----------



## kimnoa

aokashi said:


> Yup! I fed mine that =D but do wash them thoroughly. I catch mine in a brineshrimp net and run them under the tap for a good minute or two before putting them in a bottle with good, clean conditioned water.


Thank u so i just need too clean the water of those larvae thouroughly thank u very much.


----------



## speedracer24

*How often to feed*

I am a new owner of a beautiful blue betta crowntail and I have been told to feed him every other day and on my food container and care kit I bought it say to feed twice a day, which is it?


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Feed every day. If your pellets are micro pellets, you can feed 2 pellets 2x a day. If they're pretty big, 3 pellets a day. Oh, and fast 1 day a week. Just to let the system clear out and not build up.


----------



## Akuinnen

An employee/betta owner at PetCo recommended I feed my betta freeze-dried bloodworms, but it seems like a lot of people here use pellets. Does he need to also have pellets in his diet to be healthy? I have some freeze-dried brine shrimp as well.


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Freeze Dried foods should be snacks. They're known to bloat. Pellets are good for staple diets. ^^


----------



## emaleeluna

Found a female betta, had been wanting one so badly and she was in a container marked "male," at Walmart of all the places, and I want her to be in with one of my males. I have digs for her, but would really rather put her in with one of them. Can I? Will they get along?


----------



## LebronTheBetta

No, females and males can't be together unless it's a pond, or breeding purposes. They would either mate, or kill each other.


----------



## emaleeluna

LebronTheBetta said:


> No, females and males can't be together unless it's a pond, or breeding purposes. They would either mate, or kill each other.


Thanks so much. I floated her with each one of them and it wasn't pretty. I don't want to risk her. I put her in the 10g with a lace catfish, another kind of catfish, that I keep forgetting the name of, is a cory a catfish? and 3 glofish. She's doing well, she seems friendly, I'm more worried about the glofish nipping her than her getting them. She seems to love the lace catfish and he, her. Do these guys seem likely mates to you? I really dislike the glofish, wish I wouldn't have purchased them, they just look schizofrenic to me, not relaxing at all, but I'm a "pet for life" kinda girl. Thanks again. I read your answers all the time and your advice has really helped me. Glad you're out there for us newbies.


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Your welcome. Yes, it's called a Cory Catfish. They do well in groups, great for 10 gallons, etc etc. I suggest to move the Glofish since, they're Zebra Danios too and need more space than a 10 gallon. Do you mean the female Betta and the catfish? They can't be mates, one species can't breed to another species so to speak. Oh, and I'm glad to help so feel free to ask a question if necessary.


----------



## ao

i think it was mates as in friends cory cats and bettas usually get along well in a community tank


----------



## whimsicalbrainpan

Could the current caused by the outflow from my filter be too strong for my fish? If so, how do I lessen the impact?


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Baffle it with a sponge or this: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=30139


----------



## MadameDesu

I know this is highly contested, but are weekly 100% changes too much for an uncycled 2.5gal? I've been told I should be doing smaller, more frequent changes instead of one big one.


----------



## ao

I think it's a better safe than sorry thing. But honestly in a 2.5.... I would do as much as I can without removing the fish 2xs a week. maybe do a 100% once a month... Its usually up to personal preference and the individual fish...


----------



## MadameDesu

"As much as I can without removing the fish"
How much would that be? I have gravel siphon that I usually use to clean the gravel, but I'm afraid I'd suck her up in it O_O


----------



## ao

Usually enough water for the fish to swim in. I actually have a planted tank... so I really dont vacuum or have ever changed all of the water >.< most I'd change is about 50%. Now I do less than 25, because I dont want to agitate the Shrimps with a change in water chemistry...


----------



## MadameDesu

Ahhh, ok. That makes sense.


----------



## LizzyP

I just got a 5.5 tank for my one betta who is in a 1 gallon. The heater I have is only rated for 5 gallons. Will my heater be okay for this new tank or should I get another? Thanks


----------



## ao

LizzyP said:


> I just got a 5.5 tank for my one betta who is in a 1 gallon. The heater I have is only rated for 5 gallons. Will my heater be okay for this new tank or should I get another? Thanks


oO
will the heater fit? lolol
best way to test is to test the 1 gallon fishless. get a thermometer and see if the temperature holds steady at a good temperature. run this testfor about a week... 
then you'll know


----------



## LizzyP

I answered my own question. I can swap heaters with Dumbledore and Jonah. Thanks though


----------



## emaleeluna

LebronTheBetta said:


> Your welcome. Yes, it's called a Cory Catfish. They do well in groups, great for 10 gallons, etc etc. I suggest to move the Glofish since, they're Zebra Danios too and need more space than a 10 gallon. Do you mean the female Betta and the catfish? They can't be mates, one species can't breed to another species so to speak. Oh, and I'm glad to help so feel free to ask a question if necessary.


Oh yeah, I meant mates as in buds. Sorry. And yes, I am moving the glofish to a 50 gallon tank, at my sisters house!!!! hahaha Camille, the female betta is doing lovely with the catfish, I swear she's in love with the lace catfish, his name is Eric, by the way. Thanks again for all of the advice!


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Your welcome. ^^ It's great Camille gets along fine with tankmates.


----------



## emaleeluna

Ok, so now, I've gone completely crazy. I now have 5 bettas. 1 female and 4 males. The female is in a community tank and doing well. The males are all in seperate 2.5 gallon tanks. It seems that 3 of them might have a touch of fin rot. I've done the salt thing. It seems to keep it from getting worse, but they don't seem to be getting better. Their tales kinda look like a broom. What's my next step. Thanks in advance.


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Hm. You mean Aquarium Salt, right? And you've been doing 100% changes for 10 days, correct?


----------



## Myates

emaleeluna said:


> Ok, so now, I've gone completely crazy. I now have 5 bettas. 1 female and 4 males. The female is in a community tank and doing well. The males are all in seperate 2.5 gallon tanks. It seems that 3 of them might have a touch of fin rot. I've done the salt thing. It seems to keep it from getting worse, but they don't seem to be getting better. Their tales kinda look like a broom. What's my next step. Thanks in advance.


It may be them biting.. what you are wanting to look for are edges that are blackish and seem to be flaking off. If the edges seem clean cut then I would assume it is either biting, filters too strong, or pointy plants. 
Unsure how much AQ salt you have been using, and how you have been using it.. so can't recommend anything just yet other then to make sure to stay on top of the water changes. Any chance for pictures of them?


----------



## emaleeluna

I've been using 1/2 tsp AQ, but only doing changes every 3rd day. The dark blue one with red and the light blue with red one have dark edges, the brown one, his edges look kinda whiteish, but he doesn't look like a broom. I am kind of computer ignorant, but will take some pics now and have them on by tomorrow. Should I do 100% everyday. Like I said, it's not getting worse, but not better either. And it could very well be nothing. I'm just learning. I probably shouldn't have so many, but 2 were rescues from Walmart, the lady working there said they were going back to the breeder and they would kill them, so here I am. The current on the filter is nothing at all. The current in the females tank is pretty strong, but she does well with it. She's big, fat and health. Thanks again for all the help. I am so in love with the little guys.


----------



## Basement Bettas

Alienbetta1 said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Is there a small betta food you can buy and whats it called?


New life Spectrum "Grow" .5mm and adults eat it too. Good staple


----------



## LittleBettaFish

I also use the .5mm Small Fish Formula (the range of NLS foods here is rather limited) on my fry and they have no problems with it. My current fry are around 2cm long (an inch) and they have just started on it. 

I like NLS food as they have good quality ingredients, and a lower fat content then some other brands.


----------



## MadameDesu

emaleeluna said:


> I've been using 1/2 tsp AQ, but only doing changes every 3rd day. The dark blue one with red and the light blue with red one have dark edges, the brown one, his edges look kinda whiteish, but he doesn't look like a broom. I am kind of computer ignorant, but will take some pics now and have them on by tomorrow. Should I do 100% everyday. Like I said, it's not getting worse, but not better either. And it could very well be nothing. I'm just learning. I probably shouldn't have so many, but 2 were rescues from Walmart, the lady working there said they were going back to the breeder and they would kill them, so here I am. The current on the filter is nothing at all. The current in the females tank is pretty strong, but she does well with it. She's big, fat and health. Thanks again for all the help. I am so in love with the little guys.


It's fine, don't worry. Even if you're not sure what you're doing, they're still better off with you than being euthanized. 
The one with blacker edges may have fin rot, but if the other one has whitish edges, it was probably an injury from the filter, biting, etc. 
I would up the dose of AQ salt to at least 1tsp per gallon and do 100% or 50% changes every day. Using API Stress Coat should also help speed healing. 
Are they eating and swimming around normally or are they lethargic?


----------



## Myates

Be careful though... you have already been exposing them to AQ salt for some time. They should not be in it for more then 10 days, 14 days very maximum. So if they have been in the salt for that long you need to remove them from it and keep them out of it for 1-2 weeks to get it out of their system. Even though it has been a small amount, it's still a lot for a betta. 

If you are under the 10 day mark, as mentioned up the dose to 1tsp per gallon, and daily 100% water changes.. it's the clean water that is going to help speed things up, that is why it's important to do daily 100% water changes when using AQ salt. 

Good luck!


----------



## emaleeluna

I've been doing the AQ for probably 7 or 8 days, so maybe just a couple more days. I will up the dose, and I did change their water last night, will do again tonight. I really appreciate everyones help. I'm so addicted to the little guys. They are swimming, jumping for their food if I want them to, flaring when they get glimpses of each other, building away at bubblenests, they seem to be healthy. I can't even imagine exactly "how" they would euthanize them! Am going to have my IT husband help me put up some pics tonight. I am now thinking the only one that actually looks that bad is the blue one (handsome bob,) if I had to describe him, I would say he just looks "raggly." Thanks again so much to all.


----------



## nel3

ive purchased a new betta today to replace my DTHM. its colours are halloween themed ie brown blue body and bright orange fins with a smkoy grey finish. there are some green highlights in the tails also. the tails are the problem its a DT and his fins are huge. i saw him sitting on his fins today in the shop and hes in a similar position on the 1g QT. he doesnt swim much but he's only been in the 1g for 4-5 hours. would this current position (ie sitting on tail against the gravel) be a sign his fins are too heavy? he doesnt seem to be struggling to swim but they might be a bit on the heavy side.


----------



## manami

hello all.

I bought a dropper and I have the seachem prime conditioner and this one doesn't indicate how much drops should I add for a 1 gallon. Does anyone know?

and can someone please recommend me a good heater from Petsmart?
I have a 2.75 gallon tank and I can't buy heaters online.

Please and Thanks!


----------



## LebronTheBetta

It's usually 2 drops per gallon since Prime is really concentrated. What about a Marina Betta Heater? I heard it's a little good. Get an adjustable heater if you can.


----------



## manami

thank you for your reply, Lebron!


----------



## LebronTheBetta

No problem, I'm glad to help.


----------



## emaleeluna

Hi all. Just wanted to update, seems all of your help, LeBron and everyone else, the fin rot, if that's what it was is now gone. They're all out of salt now and looking beautiful. Still trying to get pics up. Thanks again to everyone who weighed in. Also, the female, Camille, is still doing great in her community tank, although, it's not much of a community now. Gave the glofish to my sister, who are soooooooooooo happy in a 50 gallon tank, so she's only got a cory and a lace cat with her right now. Am thinking I might add someone else into the mix this weekend. And, she is still, totally crushing on the cory, Eric. She follows him everywhere, it's toooooooo cute!


----------



## Hallyx

I've been thinking of getting a Cory. How many do I need? How would they do in a bare-bottom tank?


----------



## LebronTheBetta

emaleeluna said:


> Hi all. Just wanted to update, seems all of your help, LeBron and everyone else, the fin rot, if that's what it was is now gone. They're all out of salt now and looking beautiful. Still trying to get pics up. Thanks again to everyone who weighed in. Also, the female, Camille, is still doing great in her community tank, although, it's not much of a community now. Gave the glofish to my sister, who are soooooooooooo happy in a 50 gallon tank, so she's only got a cory and a lace cat with her right now. Am thinking I might add someone else into the mix this weekend. And, she is still, totally crushing on the cory, Eric. She follows him everywhere, it's toooooooo cute!


That's great!! I'm so happy for you, and you're welcome.  I'm glad everyone is happy and healthy. 



Hallyx said:


> I've been thinking of getting a Cory. How many do I need? How would they do in a bare-bottom tank?


You need around 4-5 at least, and you need sand for the substrate. Not sure about a bare bottom, sorry. D:


----------



## LittleBettaFish

The LFS I go to has his corydoras in bare-bottom tanks and they seem to do fine. I would assume it's really only the rough substrate that would be damaging to corydoras barbels. However, I do believe they like the stimulation of sifting through the sand in the search of food. Maybe you could put a pan of sand down in the tank for them to have as a sort of corydoras sand pit?


----------



## hate is hitler

*if i am doing this wrong i am sorry*

please help me help my baby, he tore his tail really bad and i dont know what to do.


----------



## LebronTheBetta

hate is hitler said:


> please help me help my baby, he tore his tail really bad and i dont know what to do.


Do you know how to make a thread? Clean water should do it. Is it just torn?


----------



## hate is hitler

*new to all of this*

i just cleaned his tank today and changed his water. I add stresscoat everytime i change water in my tanks. My b/f thought he was being helpful and made a divider for my tank so his girly friend would prepare to spawn. He ripped about half an inch into his tail when he got caught on a rough spot. I have been crying for hours trying to figure out what to do for him.

I have never used a site like this before. I have no idea what i am doing. I am also at a disatvantage because i am doing this from my stupid "smart phone"

any advice would be great and if i did something wrong i am sorry.


----------



## LebronTheBetta

It's OK! To make a thread, just go to a section, (i.e. Betta Compatibility) And on the left hand side, search for "New Thread". Make your thread, and then submit.  Is that the Betta on your avatar? Looks like tail biting. And you're breeding? I thought you would know how to handle this if you're breeding, and the female should be in a breeding trap as well.


----------



## hate is hitler

*my b/f was jumping the gun*

i have breed parots, guppies, malys, and one other type that i cant remember. Yes that is his pic, he was a rescue. I have only had him for about a month. He was pretty beat up when i cam across him at a pet store. I told my b/f that after he had a couple more weeks to recover i was going too maybe try to breed him. My b/f desided that he was going to do it today (what an idiot). He jimmy-rigged a divider so that they could see and smell each other but not touch. It was just a plastic slab that he had cut small holes in with a knife. He never sanded it down so there were sharp edges sticking out. My poor posidon is now in worse shape because my b/f is stupid. After i saw the damage he was told never to try and help again.


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Aw... Do you know his genes? Most breeders don't recommend Rescues or Bettas from the store as most come from fish farms with mixed genes and such. His butterfly pattern could use some work, but a complimenting female should help.  Either way, he's a good find!


----------



## hate is hitler

*bettas are new to me*

i dont know much about bettas. I dont like buying from petstores when it comes to fish i would rather get them from a breeder. He just caught my eye,i had never seen one that looked like him before. It broke my heart to see him in that little plastic cup. I knew that with a enough love he could be even more beautiful. So me being the sucker that i am bought him and i have spent the last two weeks learning everything that i can. Thats how i found this site. I want to know everything i can about my beautiful posidon's night; so if you have any advice or know of any sites that could help please let me know.


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Oh, OK. I understand. You should read the Stickeys in the Breeding Bettas section. It has valuable info and it should get you off to a great start!


----------



## hate is hitler

*thank you*

thankyou so much for takeing the time to talk with me. You have been very helpful and i greatly apprciate it and so does my darling


----------



## LebronTheBetta

No problem, I also had a great time typing with you. ;D Good luck with your fry and have a wonderful time with your Bettas.


----------



## emaleeluna

Hallyx said:


> I've been thinking of getting a Cory. How many do I need? How would they do in a bare-bottom tank?


I only have 1 and then I have a lace catfish also. We only have the big river rocks in our tank, no gravel and he seems to do great. We are definitely getting atleast one more though because they are sooooooooo unbelievably entertaining. He's hilarious. We have a pretty strong current in the tank from the filter and he rides it. I swear to you, he thinks it's fun and he rides it! I also swear that my female betta has a crush on him. They hang out together a lot. We're going to add a something this weekend, just not sure what we want yet. Oh, and also, apparently, there are albino cories. Atleast that's what they looked like and that's what the fish guy told me, so when we get another one I think I'm going to want one of them. They're kinda peach with pink eyes. They're pretty cool, but I highly recommend cories, he's my favorite fish, well, besides my 4 male bettas, I love them! Good luck and keep me posted on whether or not you get one.


----------



## labloverl

I have a quick question. What could I put around or in my filter (HOB) intake tube to keep it from shredding my VT's fins?


----------



## LebronTheBetta

labloverl said:


> I have a quick question. What could I put around or in my filter (HOB) intake tube to keep it from shredding my VT's fins?


Like filter floss, an unused sponge, etc. Just put it in there and the current should slow down.


----------



## labloverl

An unused sponge like for dish washing? Would it have to be snug?


----------



## LebronTheBetta

An aquarium sponge is better, it's easier to find as well. Just cut the sponge to the right size.


----------



## labloverl

Oh ok! Forgot to mention that the 10 gallon he's in is divided 3 ways. Wouldn't putting a sponge in the intake decrease the flow and filtration in the other 2 sections? Could I wrap pantyhose around it instead?


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Well, as long as the filter filters, it doesn't really matter. Cycled? Pantyhose is great!


----------



## labloverl

I have another quick question...

I'm waiting on my 5 gallon to cycle... WHen it does, I will need to add one fish at a time. (I want to divide it) What if I get to the store and see 2 fish that I want? I don't have a qt tank set up. What would qualify as one? Does it need a filter, gravel, and other things to make it a "home?" How often and how much would I need to change the water in it? (I wish I could leave him in his cup and do daily water changes until he can be added to the tank, but that doesn't seem fair)


----------



## teeneythebetta

labloverl said:


> I have another quick question...
> 
> I'm waiting on my 5 gallon to cycle... WHen it does, I will need to add one fish at a time. (I want to divide it) What if I get to the store and see 2 fish that I want? I don't have a qt tank set up. What would qualify as one? Does it need a filter, gravel, and other things to make it a "home?" How often and how much would I need to change the water in it? (I wish I could leave him in his cup and do daily water changes until he can be added to the tank, but that doesn't seem fair)


I would float the new fish in containers/cups in the big tank for at least 2 weeks.
If you don't quarantine them, one of them could come down with sickness and you will have to drain your tank, re cycle and deal with sick fish at the same time. It might not seem fair but exposing them to each other can end badly, and ruining a cycle you worked hard to achieve is no fun either.
A QT tank does not need a filter, and shouldt have gravel.
You don't want gravel because a bare bottom tank will make it easier to see if he's pooping regularly and if his poo is a healthy color. Water changes will depend on the size of the container.
Basically the most important thing with QT tanks is to have a way to heat it and doing proper water changes.


----------



## labloverl

Thanks, teeney!! I am planning on getting a 1 gallon from walmart, but that would only hold one of course. (And this is all hypothetical based on _if _I find 2 I want at the same time.) If I floated them in their cups, would they just need daily 100% changes?

So say I do find 2 I want... If they're not ready to go into the tank, will I need to keep putting fish food into the tank (fishless cycle with fishfood) even if it has completed the cycle? Would I just leave all the original water in the tank until it's ready for fish, even though it has completed the cycle?


----------



## teeneythebetta

labloverl said:


> Thanks, teeney!! I am planning on getting a 1 gallon from walmart, but that would only hold one of course. (And this is all hypothetical based on _if _I find 2 I want at the same time.) If I floated them in their cups, would they just need daily 100% changes?
> 
> So say I do find 2 I want... If they're not ready to go into the tank, will I need to keep putting fish food into the tank (fishless cycle with fishfood) even if it has completed the cycle? Would I just leave all the original water in the tank until it's ready for fish, even though it has completed the cycle?


If you float them in pet store cups- yes, daily changes.
If you have them in 1 gal containers- as long as you're not treating them with anything, 3 weekly changes.

Yes, I would add fish food. Not too much, though. I would leave the water in there until they're a few days from being ready. That way you have free water in the tank and you can make sure the parameters are showing cycledZ


----------



## KcSaf

question: can you put more than one baby betta in a one gallon until they get bigger?


----------



## Ramla

What do you guys suggest as a good feeding schedule for a betta?


----------



## Destinystar

KcSaf even young Bettas will attack each other so that may not be a good idea, Bettas do have teeth.

Ramia I feed my Betta 2 pellets in the morning and 3 or 4 at night. What type of food are you using ?


----------



## Ramla

Perseusmom said:


> Ramia I feed my Betta 2 pellets in the morning and 3 or 4 at night. What type of food are you using ?


I don't have a Betta quite yet..this week I shall be obtaining one since the cycling is done and I shall be getting the heater today.

But I have pellets..I was curious since this will be my first betta and I haven't seen a lot about feeding. I've also seen it mentioned that letting a betta fast for a day is good for their digestion?


----------



## Destinystar

Thats great have fun Betta shopping ! Yes a lot of people here do the fasting for 1 day a week saying it really helps with that but I dont really know since I have only done it maybe one or twice and thats only because I stayed over night at my sons house. I just cant bring myself to do it when he looks at me with those little fishy cutie eyes and face...lol I suppose I could do like skip one of his night feedings which I think I really may start doing. Pellets are a great and not messy like the flakes and you con control how much they eat by feeding one a time. If I were you I would start out with 2 pellets in the morning and 3 at night and see how he does with that. Also a lot of Betta will not for a couple of even a few days after you get them so some need time to adjust to their new home.


----------



## finnfinnfriend

Is it okay to stick your hands in the tank?


----------



## Destinystar

Yeah I do but I clean them well and rinse the heck out of them...I think I keep my hands cleaner now then I have my entire life since getting Perseus...lololol I only do it though when I need to fix something in the tank or take something out, I have a kitchen thongs I use too for that also.


----------



## finnfinnfriend

Perseusmom said:


> Yeah I do but I clean them well and rinse the heck out of them...I think I keep my hands cleaner now then I have my entire life since getting Perseus...lololol I only do it though when I need to fix something in the tank or take something out, I have a kitchen thongs I use too for that also.


Thank you


----------



## registereduser

My biggest, fattest, hungriest betta female is suddenly not swimming, a bit clamped and worst of all not eating. She's the one who usually jumps out of the water for food!

QUESTION: Is she full of eggs? Is that why she's suddenly not acting like herself?


----------



## registereduser

^^^^^see my question above.

I'd rather not start a new thread for this, any sorority experts about?:-D


----------



## Ramla

So small question, for this aquarium sponge stuff do you need to get specific aquarium sponge or would a simple regular sponge bought at the dollar store work just as well?


----------



## registereduser

Ramla said:


> So small question, for this aquarium sponge stuff do you need to get specific aquarium sponge or would a simple regular sponge bought at the dollar store work just as well?


For a filter baffle or a sponge filter?


----------



## Ramla

registereduser said:


> For a filter baffle or a sponge filter?


It would be a filter baffle...and mostly curious in case my betta decides it wants to check out the inside of the filter, since I have been told by others who have the same filter as I; that there bettas have jumped into the filter and gotten stuck


----------



## Hallyx

I'm not sure how dollar store sponges are made, what they are made of, or what chemicals are used in the manufacturing process. That's why I always spend a few more dollars for aquarium sponge/floss/products.


----------



## labloverl

For a 3 gallon tank, what size heater? 25w?


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Yep. 24 watts is good. In general, it's usually 5-10 watts per gallon.


----------



## labloverl

Do you know of any good ones? I usually get a topfin from petsmart, but I was wondering if there were any others for a reasonable price.


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Whoops, 25 watts I mean.  Hydor THEO heaters are great! They're adjustable and I have one for my 3.5. There are 25 watt versions, want a link?


----------



## labloverl

Is it this one? http://www.petco.com/product/116663/Hydor-THEO-UL-Submersible-Aquarium-Heater.aspx (I was already on the site lol) It's not much more than the top fins at petsmart. Thanks!


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Yep, that's it! I got mine from eBay, you're welcome.


----------



## bettabayley

Two questions:

1) Henry almost DIED last night. My heater shorted out for no discernable reason, and when I woke up in the middle of the night, a cold front had come in the night, and the tank was way cold, and he was listless, barely swimming. I did my best to warm the tank up, and got a replacement heater today. I got a 50w heater for a 5 gallon tank. It has a switch that tells it what temperature it should be at. I put it at 80. Is this ok? Why did my heater short out like that? will it happen again? It is an Aquean 50w submersible. Good? Bad?

2) Is it bad to leave the fish in the tank when you do a water change? I did one a few days ago, and what I did was put Prime in the water he was currently in, drew a bucket of water and then treated it with Prime. I let the tank filter the Prime through, and the bucket sit, for an hour. Then I unplugged everything, cleaned the filter, the filter baffle, etc. Finally, I got a gravel vac and vacuumed out 50% of the water.I wiped down the sides, the top, etc. Then I ran plain tap water through the gravel vac and dumped out the bad water. Then I got the bucket full of the replacement water, reversed the gravel vac, and slowly, over a period of 30 minutes, pumped water back into the tank until it was back full up. Could that have killed the heater? Could that also have contributed to Henry's near death experience? Should I just relax and not worry about killing my new best buddy?


----------



## Hallyx

Heaters break. that's why many of us keep a spare on hand.

Your water change procedure, while a little elaborate. is fine. Certainly, you can leave your fish in the tank while changing water.

In time, you might want to think about cycling your 5g tank. Instructions are in the stickies at the top of the Tanks and Habitats section.

Cycling is not for the convenience of the keeper, but for the health and safety of the fish.


----------



## BettaHeart

Ok this is completely new to me.
In my 5gal and 10gal there are really tiny white worms along the sides of the tank,
these things are really small, and few are long. they can fit inbetween the millimetre lines on a ruler and the bigger ones are a centimetre long. What are they and are they dangerous to my bettas? I never had this experience before so some help is appreciated. Thank you


----------



## labloverl

I can't tell you what they are as I do not know, but from what I've been told, they are harmless. A few of them is a good sign(If I was told right), but a lot of them may mean that you just need to vacuum the gravel a bit better. I had a huge outbreak a few months ago, but now I only seem them here and there.


----------



## ao

get the hagen elite from amazon. pretty good deals  you can also get the 50w if you want. its cheaper


----------



## BabyBetta0108

I have a quick question, how can you tell that your betta is constipated?


----------



## Destinystar

His tummy will be bloated, do you know where to look to see if his tummy is big or
not ?


----------



## BabyBetta0108

Perseusmom said:


> His tummy will be bloated, do you know where to look to see if his tummy is big or
> not ?


I've been checking his tummy and it's a slightly rounded shape. Does that count as bloating? I'm just a little paranoid because it's been a few days and I haven't seen his poopies. He's usually very proud of his poops and displays it at the front of the tank.:roll:


----------



## Destinystar

Slightly rounded seems normal, I would just keep and close eye on him and maybe not feed for a day and keep checking for his poopies.


----------



## Hallyx

Try flaring him with a mirror. It can sometimes encourage defecation.

You should make it a regular practice in any case.


----------



## BabyBetta0108

Hallyx said:


> Try flaring him with a mirror. It can sometimes encourage defecation.
> 
> You should make it a regular practice in any case.


Oh wow, I did not know that. Thank for the info!


----------



## ao

BabyBetta0108 said:


> I've been checking his tummy and it's a slightly rounded shape. Does that count as bloating? I'm just a little paranoid because it's been a few days and I haven't seen his poopies. He's usually very proud of his poops and displays it at the front of the tank.:roll:


rouded like this is overfeeding...
which is something I am ofteb guilt of

if it's any rounder I'd be a little worried
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y2...3D-91DA-53AF9193B57F-334-0000003FAFCC5556.jpg

it usually goes down in the morning for my little guy...


----------



## BabyBetta0108

aokashi said:


> rouded like this is overfeeding...
> which is something I am ofteb guilt of
> 
> if it's any rounder I'd be a little worried
> http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y2...3D-91DA-53AF9193B57F-334-0000003FAFCC5556.jpg
> 
> it usually goes down in the morning for my little guy...


It's a little less rounded than in the picture. I fasted him for a day anyway just in case. I'm also guilty of overfeeding sometimes...he always looks so heart broken when I start backing away with the food


----------



## ayeasha

Campbell said:


> Hmm, do you mean like small pellets in size? Or a small amount of food at a time?


 how many times a week should i feed him??


----------



## BabyBetta0108

ayeasha said:


> how many times a week should i feed him??


I feed my boys 6 days out of the week and then I fast them once a week. Sometimes, if I feel that their tummies are a bit rounder than normal, then I fast 2 days out of the week.


----------



## OrangeAugust

Hallyx said:


> Try flaring him with a mirror. It can sometimes encourage defecation.
> 
> You should make it a regular practice in any case.


LOL yeah, Fishie poops every day when I turn on the tank light and he starts flaring.


----------



## Nothingness

Do I need to put a bubbler/airstone in the tank?


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Nope. Bettas hardly breath through their gills so its not needed. You can still use it, though. Just remember to keep the pressure low.


----------



## Nothingness

thanks for the advice. Just setting up and cycling my tank for my first betta so this forum is a great help


----------



## Nothingness

This is the tank I have and I am wondering if the filter is adequate enough or should I look into something different. It has removable carbon filters.
http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Half-Moon-Bubbler-3-Gallon/dp/B00591C0F8/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1348438779&sr=8-7&keywords=3+gallon+aquarium


----------



## Hallyx

You have the Tetra 3i filter that comes with that kit. It is poorly designed and virtually useless for filtering or for colonizing nitrifying bacteria for your cycle.

It has an adequate airpump, so you should be able to buy an effective sponge filter for a few dollars. Get a T-fitting for your airline if you want to keep using the bubbler as well. The aeration will help with your cycle.

Anabantids, like Betta, have what's a called a labyrinth organ which allows them to assimilate oxygen from the air. But they do, in fact, breath quite a lot with their gills.

Carbon is not necessary in a low bioload Betta setup.


----------



## Ramla

Ok I need to know what I need to do with this part of my live anubias plant. Recently a black spot has appeared on it (pictures below show what I mean) It has just appeared on the one and I am not sure if it is hazardous or not. The last time I did a water change I was able to wipe most of it from the leaf, but it has grown back. So I am curious as to what it is and if I need to prune that leaf from the plant..Thanks!

Click for Pic
Click for Pic
Click for Fish

(added a pic of Mr. Stark since he was being photogenic today )


----------



## Hallyx

Ahhh..Anubias longifolia (long-leaf). I have several and like them a lot. 

If the black spot wipes off, it's probably a little algae. You might have just a little too much light for low-light Anubias. If any leaves are turning yellow or clear, that's the problem. 

Mr Stark is very handsome.


----------



## Ramla

Thank you very much!

And alrighty....I was thinking it may be some sort of algae, but can't say I have every come across black algae in my years of keeping aquatic animals. But good to know it likely isn't harmful to the plant or my betta. That was my main concern..and if I don't have to prune my leaf that would be splendid since that's probably the biggest and healthiest otherwise on the plant XD


----------



## Canuck Fins

Since I've lost my Ninja, I decided to tear down the tank and do a full cleaning to get rid of the algae. (Suspect too much light on the tank since the windows were replaced.) Not a big deal: I know how to set up a cycle, I can wait for it to cycle again without a fish. I'm not ready for the next one.

Question: what about the filter that's in there now? Yes, I know that I lose the good bacteria in there. I'm okay with that. Do I need to buy a new filter pad thing when I'm trying to do the new cycle?


----------



## Hallyx

@ Ramia
Anubias grow so slowly that they sometimes accumulate a little mold. I meant _mold_, not algae, although they'll get algae, too. I've had what you have on plants and decor. It seems wiping it off with fingers works pretty good.

@ Canuckfins

Keep your old filter pad in the dark in dechlorinated water. The bacteria will go "to sleep" without actually dying, although some will die. 

Any that remain will be better than none when you begin your new cycle..


----------



## Rocky12

Rocky lives in a 3.3g tank alone 

Will my boy burn himself on the heater? 
I keep it at 79-80 degrees.

More plants the merrier? 
He has about 3 average silk plants that he seems to like getting inbetween the leaves and resting.

Should I dip and rinse or vacuum his gravel?

What about light?
Right now the tank sits near a desk lamp but it gives off some heat, so I hardly use it. What's best for a tank light? LEDs or?

Thank you!!


----------



## Amberedsox

I have a new half moon tail male, named Mugs, because he has such a mean little face, and he his tail seems to be 'crimped' at the edges and a dark brown color. I received him as a gift, as my bf knows how much i love bettas, and he seems to be so shy as well. I put some salt in his tank and used a fin treatment with tea tree oil as well in his tank... anyone know any thing about this??


----------



## Amberedsox

*'crimped' tail edges?*

]I have a new half moon tail male, named Mugs, because he has such a mean little face, and he his tail seems to be 'crimped' at the edges and a dark brown color. I received him as a gift, as my bf knows how much i love bettas, and he seems to be so shy as well. I put some salt in his tank and used a fin treatment with tea tree oil as well in his tank... anyone know any thing about this??[


----------



## ao

take out the tea tree oil treatment. I'm guessing you are usin melafix or bettafix. tea tree oil can be damaging to betta fish's labyrinth organs. a crimp in the fins may or may not be permanant. give it a good warm clean environment and if it can heal, it will.


----------



## Hallyx

Salt is not recommended unless you're treating him for a fin condition or an injury. 

There are experienced keepers here who would not recommend salt in any case.


----------



## Hallyx

Rocky12 said:


> Will my boy burn himself on the heater? I keep it at 79-80 degrees.


The water absorbs the heat so fast the heater is barely warm to the touch. Try it. You'll see.



Rocky12 said:


> More plants the merrier?


Yup. And live ones are even better..although, depending on the plant, more work than silk.



Rocky12 said:


> Should I dip and rinse or vacuum his gravel?


Either. But vacuuming is more thorough and probably less stressful.



Rocky12 said:


> What's best for a tank light? LEDs or?


LEDs work fine but are very expensive. For your first planted tank, you might want to try a small compact fluorescent bulb (~5W) with a color temperature of 6500 Kelvin. Those are readily available (I think).

You didn't ask, but.....Anubias Java fern, Java moss, mossball are all low-light easy-care beginner plants.


----------



## ao

I'd say go for a 13w...


----------



## Hallyx

Aokashi's right, if for no other reason than they're easier to find. You can even get one that screws into your desk lamp.


----------



## Nothingness

How long should I acclimatize a new beta in the tank before setting him free to enjoy his new space? I have the water temp set at a steady 80 degrees and the tank has been cycled. Should i put some of the tanks water into the cup to mix with the store water prior to release?

Also when doing water changes and the new water is not as warm as the tank water should I remove the betta from the tank until the water heats up or just leave him in?


----------



## Hallyx

A half-hour is usually long enough for the cupwater temperature to match the tank temp.

Remove and discard some cupwater and replace it with tankwater---about six times during the half-hour should do it. The idea is to dilute the cup with tankwater until there's no difference. 

When it's time, I just fill up the cup until it sinks. The fish will swim away in his own time.

Some keepers would recommend that you net the fish and release him when the waters match, so as to not allow any petstore water into the tank. I don't like netting Betta, so I just get rid of as much petstore water as I can.

During water changes, I prefer to match the water temperature before refilling the tank. (That's what hot-and-cold taps are for.) I'd rather not remove my fish from the tank.


----------



## BabyBetta0108

I'm planning to move my fish tank into another room in my house, would it be okay to unplug my filter for about 1 hr or so to move the tank? I'm in the middle of cycling right now, and i don't want to mess up the process


----------



## labloverl

How should I add new gravel to a tank? I rinsed it in a bucket until it ran clear, and it is currently sitting in the bucket with warm water. Do I soak it in water for a few days?


----------



## Hallyx

No problem, BB. As long as they're kept wet, nitrifying bacteria can actually go several days without any loss in effectiveness. And it takes them weeks, to slow down, months to starve.


----------



## Hallyx

Once the gravel is clean to your satisfaction, just rinse it once _in conditioned water_ and add it to your tank.


----------



## Rocky12

I have a 3.3 gallon tank and have read on the forums that a tank this size cannot establish a healthy n-cycle? If I can't establish a safe cycle how can I ever be able to add a fish to it?


----------



## Rocky12

Bump


----------



## labloverl

I'm currently cycling my 3.5 gallon, and I know a few others who have successfully done it. I was advised to still do 2 50% water changes a week by some people, which I don't mind as long as I know the water is safe in between.


----------



## Rocky12

labloverl said:


> I'm currently cycling my 3.5 gallon, and I know a few others who have successfully done it. I was advised to still do 2 50% water changes a week by some people, which I don't mind as long as I know the water is safe in between.


What method are you using? Pure ammonia? Or? I'm terrified I'm going to mess this up and somehow hurt my boy when I go to add him


----------



## labloverl

I have a betta in the tank, but the last tank I cycled was a 5 gallon, and I did that with fish food. It was gross, but so far everything worked out, and I have 2 males in it.


----------



## kaemartin

Can anyone help me diagnose my betta?


----------



## Hallyx

A 3.5 g will cycle as readily as a 5g and can be just as stable. Just be sure to have plenty of filter foam (or other media...floss, gravel) in the flow or in the actual filter to contain the bacteria colony.

Read the cycle threads at the top of the Bowls and Habitats section. If you have further questions, please ask them in a new thread. That's the best way to get fast answers.


----------



## Hallyx

kaemartin said:


> Can anyone help me diagnose my betta?


Ask your questions in the Diseases section of the forum. That's the best way to get a fast answer.


----------



## Canuck Fins

How long can a tank stay cycling without a fish? Is it quick to break down (like 24 to 48 hours) or is the window a bit slower (like 72 hours)?


----------



## bettalover2000

what is the most popular tail of betta in demand?


----------



## Canuck Fins

I think it depends. Veil tails seem to be the most common tail type to find where I live. By contrast, you'll find people on this site who prefer crowntails or plakats.


----------



## cjz96

Quick question: Can I use crushed coral as substrate for plants? My ph is 7.0.
Thanks!


----------



## labloverl

About my gravel question... It's been soaking in regular tap water for the past few days because I couldn't find time to mess with it. It's been a long time since I've had new gravel... it is supposed to have a funky smell? It just smells like new gravel I guess. Anyways, should I let it soak in conditioned water?


----------



## Canuck Fins

cjz96 said:


> Quick question: Can I use crushed coral as substrate for plants? My ph is 7.0.
> Thanks!


I have no experience with coral, but I have heard it will raise pH in a tank. How much, I don't know. My concern with crushed coral is that it will be like sand in a tank which I think is harder to clean. I'm sure someone else will chime in with better info.


----------



## Hallyx

Canuck Fins.....An established tank can keep its nitrogen cycle for over four days without any maintainance. After that the bacteria slowly go to "sleep." After a month, they'll need major rejuvenation....but still better than nothing. You might feed it a little fishfood if you're not going to stock it for a couple of weeks.

LL...Your (cycled?) gravel should have been in conditioned water.

cjz....Crushed coral will tend to raise your pH. Is that what you want? 

As for whether it's a good plant substrate, you might get more better answers on one of the plant threads.


----------



## labloverl

Hallyx, I'm wanting to more gravel to my cycled 10 gallon so I bought a new bag. The new bag of gravel has been rinse and soaked in a bucket of tap water, and it is now soaking in conditioned water. I'm asking if I _need_ to let the new gravel soak before adding it to the 10 gallon.


----------



## Rocky12

I'm thinking about getting a new tank, but I'm worried about the cycle. I had an epiphany today however, if I keep the same filter, since they live in the filter, won't the cycle carry over? Or will the new water kill the BB?

Also, if they live in the filter cartridges, are you suppose to change them? Or just rinse them in old tank water?


----------



## labloverl

So you already have a current cycled tank set up? How big? What filter? Yes the BB will carry over. I don't know much about instant cycles, but I believe that you will still have to test the water for a week or so to make sure everything is in order. And no, you don't change the cartridges until they're actually falling apart. You just rinse them in the water you take out during water changes. If you start a new thread on this, you should get a lot more help.


----------



## Myates

labloverl said:


> Hallyx, I'm wanting to more gravel to my cycled 10 gallon so I bought a new bag. The new bag of gravel has been rinse and soaked in a bucket of tap water, and it is now soaking in conditioned water. I'm asking if I _need_ to let the new gravel soak before adding it to the 10 gallon.


After it's cleaned thoroughly, there is no real reason to let it soak for long.. go ahead and just add it into the tank. Never had to soak new gravel for any period of time, and have had no health/tank issues from placing in new gravel as long as it was thoroughly cleaned.



Rocky12 said:


> Also, if they live in the filter cartridges, are you suppose to change them? Or just rinse them in old tank water?


Depends on the type of filter- carbons you change monthly, while sponges you squeeze in tank water you just removed to clean them, only replacing when it's shredded. If you have a filter that has only one insert then I would place the new one in with the old one for a week or two so the new one has time to build up the bacteria.
Keep in mind you will also have bacteria in your gravel, and on some of the rocks/driftwood if you have any in your tank.


----------



## Freyja

The only reason to change a carbon is if you are medicating a tank. Otherwise, leave the cartridge alone, swishing it in tank water to clean it and replace when falling apart only after seeding new cartridge.


----------



## aqua001

Ok, so if you have a neon tetra that hogs all the food and another that gets close to no food, what do you do? Thanks!


----------



## BabyBetta0108

do juvenile bettas need to be fasted once a week as well? or is that only for full grown adult bettas


----------



## Neil D

@BabyBetta, 

Some people recommend fasting bettas, some don't. It's really personal preference.


----------



## emaleeluna

I've killed my female and I'm sick to my stomach. I put her and the male together. They were getting along fine, should have known something bad was going to happen right then. They were swimming together, no flaring, very little chasing. I watched them for hours. The next morning I woke up and half his fins were gone, she was fine. I moved him back to his tank, put him in a salt bath and he is doing fine. She had no wounds at all. She even seemed to pine the loss of him leaving. Then that night, she had labored breathing for about an hour so I took her out, was going to put her in her own tank with a bit of salt, incase she had wounds that I couldn't see and within 10 minutes, she was dead. The only other thing in the tank is 2 cories and 1 upside down cat. They had to have just beaten the hell out of each other all night, don't you guys agree? I don't think the catfish tore up the male and it was just a coinscidence she died. Cories aren't even nippers, right? And, they were all together for 3 months before, there were no problems. Any ideas? Thanks. I feel so bad.


----------



## registereduser

emaleeluna said:


> I've killed my female and I'm sick to my stomach. I put her and the male together. They were getting along fine, should have known something bad was going to happen right then. They were swimming together, no flaring, very little chasing. I watched them for hours. The next morning I woke up and half his fins were gone, she was fine. I moved him back to his tank, put him in a salt bath and he is doing fine. She had no wounds at all. She even seemed to pine the loss of him leaving. Then that night, she had labored breathing for about an hour so I took her out, was going to put her in her own tank with a bit of salt, incase she had wounds that I couldn't see and within 10 minutes, she was dead. The only other thing in the tank is 2 cories and 1 upside down cat. They had to have just beaten the hell out of each other all night, don't you guys agree? I don't think the catfish tore up the male and it was just a coinscidence she died. Cories aren't even nippers, right? And, they were all together for 3 months before, there were no problems. Any ideas? Thanks. I feel so bad.


Maybe she had internal injuries?


----------



## Neil D

emaleeluna said:


> I've killed my female and I'm sick to my stomach. I put her and the male together. They were getting along fine, should have known something bad was going to happen right then. They were swimming together, no flaring, very little chasing. I watched them for hours. The next morning I woke up and half his fins were gone, she was fine. I moved him back to his tank, put him in a salt bath and he is doing fine. She had no wounds at all. She even seemed to pine the loss of him leaving. Then that night, she had labored breathing for about an hour so I took her out, was going to put her in her own tank with a bit of salt, incase she had wounds that I couldn't see and within 10 minutes, she was dead. The only other thing in the tank is 2 cories and 1 upside down cat. They had to have just beaten the hell out of each other all night, don't you guys agree? I don't think the catfish tore up the male and it was just a coinscidence she died. Cories aren't even nippers, right? And, they were all together for 3 months before, there were no problems. Any ideas? Thanks. I feel so bad.


Don't feel bad. Odds are the cories didn't do anything. Not sure about the catfish, but I kind of doubt it. The general consensus is never to put bettas together unless it is a sorority (5+ females in a 10g+ tank), or an attempt at breeding (that too the male and female don't stay together long). It happens to people. Deep breath, learn from your mistake, and carry on.


----------



## emaleeluna

Neil D said:


> Don't feel bad. Odds are the cories didn't do anything. Not sure about the catfish, but I kind of doubt it. The general consensus is never to put bettas together unless it is a sorority (5+ females in a 10g+ tank), or an attempt at breeding (that too the male and female don't stay together long). It happens to people. Deep breath, learn from your mistake, and carry on.


Thanks so much Neil. I had gotten so attatched to her. I was looking at the bettas @ WalMart one night and as you know, all they sell are males, but I looked at her and fell in love. Clearly, someone had made a mistake because I am 100% sure she was female (she had the little white spot, ovi-something, can't remember what it was called. Anyway, I snapped her up so fast I think I might have made her dizzy. haha So I had her in the community tank and she had become my favorite (shh, don't tell the boys!) and I just thought that since they were always staring at each other (her staring more at him than him at her) they might want to meet. When I put them together, it was the cutest, sweetest thing and then apparently it all went to hell after I was finished staring at them for 3 hours straight. Thanks again for the nice words. I would love to get another female, but am a little gunshy now. I have 4 boys, Handsome Bob, Archie, 1,2 and Mumbles, he's the one that is missing fins now, but he seems to be doing well. He had an actual hole in his tail where it didn't split, and it's completely closed already. I can't tell if the fin is growing back yet, but there's definitely no fin rot, fingers crossed. Do you think I should do anything other than salt right now? I know they can only be in any kind of salt for 2 weeks at a time. I'm changing the tank every 3 days, well, plan to start today. Any other tips so that I can get him beautiful again? Thanks again for the support. I miss her so much, her name was Camille.


----------



## emaleeluna

registereduser said:


> Maybe she had internal injuries?


Thanks, that's what I figured. I'm just concentrating on getting him better now, but I miss her. I get so attatched to these fish! If you have any tips for me, I'd be grateful, I've only had them for 4 months. My husband bought me one for a get well present, he knew that I had been wanting on forever and within 2 months I had 5 of them. So now it's just all boys. I'd love to get another female, she was just so beautiful and full of personality, but I'm not sure where to get one. She was an accident, it was like I was supposed to have her. Anyway, thanks again, sorry to ramble!


----------



## emaleeluna

Just another quick question? Does anyone have any first hand experience with upside down cats? I heard that if they get big (over 6 inches) that they're not real upside down cats, they're hybrids and they are really mean. Mine is still small although he's grown a lot, I don't see him getting that big though. Thank goodness. I'm wondering if he needs his own tank. He's never attacked anyone, that I know of. He has a cave and if the male cory gets too close, he will run him off, but has never actually hurt anyone. I moved the cave and he's been staying out of it more and doesn't seem territorial when he's not in it. Any tips on these fish?


----------



## Neil D

emaleeluna said:


> Thanks so much Neil. I had gotten so attatched to her. I was looking at the bettas @ WalMart one night and as you know, all they sell are males, but I looked at her and fell in love. Clearly, someone had made a mistake because I am 100% sure she was female (she had the little white spot, ovi-something, can't remember what it was called. Anyway, I snapped her up so fast I think I might have made her dizzy. haha So I had her in the community tank and she had become my favorite (shh, don't tell the boys!) and I just thought that since they were always staring at each other (her staring more at him than him at her) they might want to meet. When I put them together, it was the cutest, sweetest thing and then apparently it all went to hell after I was finished staring at them for 3 hours straight. Thanks again for the nice words. I would love to get another female, but am a little gunshy now. I have 4 boys, Handsome Bob, Archie, 1,2 and Mumbles, he's the one that is missing fins now, but he seems to be doing well. He had an actual hole in his tail where it didn't split, and it's completely closed already. I can't tell if the fin is growing back yet, but there's definitely no fin rot, fingers crossed. Do you think I should do anything other than salt right now? I know they can only be in any kind of salt for 2 weeks at a time. I'm changing the tank every 3 days, well, plan to start today. Any other tips so that I can get him beautiful again? Thanks again for the support. I miss her so much, her name was Camille.


Well, if it isn't finrot, a lot of the time you can just rely on really clean water. You can keep salting (for 2 weeks) if you want, but less medication is best with fish, always. Yeah, my DeT (Josh) is a tailbiter (really, he's insane), but it hasn't progressed to finrot. Good luck!


----------



## Hallyx

Go easy on the salt. Unless they've actually got finrot, clean warm water should be all they need to recover....and lots of protein.

Some very experienced keepers don't use salt at all---any kind, any time:
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-articles/salt-freshwater-aquarium-97842/


----------



## emaleeluna

Thanks Neil and Hallyx, maybe I should try no salt since he's doing so well. I'm changing his tank today. I feel bad with him not having all of his "stuff" in his tank, I took out all of his pretty rocks just for ease of cleaning. He has pretty big yellow citrine, from when i did some mining, but I think I'm going to put it back in and just deal with it being a process, i want him comfortable. Do you guys think I should cut the salt down or not use it at all. He's in a 2 gallon tank and I'm using a quarter of a teaspoon now. I honestly forgot where I read how much to use, so I guess I'm not really sure if that's right to start with. He is still doing really well. No fin rot and he looks so much better. I would say that she actually tore 50% of his tail off and just shredded the rest of him all over, but he's eating and acting happy and all seems well right now. Thanks to everyone who's helping me, I'd hate to lose him too.


----------



## Hallyx

One teaspoon per gallon is considered a "therapeutic dose." Anything less builds resistance making it less effective should you ever have to really need it.

Clean, warm water, protein and patience.


----------



## emaleeluna

Hallyx said:


> One teaspoon per gallon is considered a "therapeutic dose." Anything less builds resistance making it less effective should you ever have to really need it.
> 
> Clean, warm water, protein and patience.


 
Thanks so much. I'm going to change his water now. I will make sure the new water is nice and warm, he's at 79 degrees all of the time. So, I'll match that. Since the tank is so small, I have them all in a small space in the corner and I have a space heater over there and it keeps it almost a constant 79, it sometimes goes down a degree to 78, but it's been working for over a month. The space heater is kinda behind them and they're all on a plant stand. Will try to get some pictures of them up. In the winter, I always keep it nice and warm in the warm, if not, I freeze, thin blood being from FL and then moving to the mountains. I will lose the salt since he's doing so well. His tail was "connected" for lack of a better word, kinda like a fan that you would hold in your hand. I have 2 like that and then the other two kinda look "seperated" like a broom. Now he's also seperated and 1/2 of his tail, the top part is just gone. His lower fin is already connected instead of split. No dark edges or yucky slimy stuff and he seems to be just bouncing along. Thanks again for all the help. I'm so new to this, but I don't want to give up because I just love them. I watch them sometimes for hours, so I really appreciate people helping the "newbie." I'm feeding him pellets, I forgot what kind because the packing was kinda stupid so I took it off and I'm also giving him a few bloodworms, I was told they were healthy as a snack.


----------



## Billthebetta

Can you use too much melafix?


----------



## Canuck Fins

Billthebetta said:


> Can you use too much melafix?


Melafix contains tea tree oil which is controversial. Some people say it works. Some say that it will damage the betta's labyrinth organ which is essential. What are you using melafix for and how long have you been using it? There may be a better alternative.


----------



## Billthebetta

So, what's a better alternative for fin-rot ?


----------



## Canuck Fins

Tail rot or fin rot Treatment: 
Conservative: Treat with Aquarium Salt at 1 tsp/gal. Increase water changes to 100% daily. Replace accurate amount of salt following water changes. Add Stress Coat to help repair tissue. If there is little to no improvement within the first 5 days, you can increase the salt dosage gradually to 2tsp/gal but do not continue any salt treatments past 10 days. 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.


----------



## ItsKourtneyYoC8

What type.of heater should I get for my 22 gal?
I'm going to be starting.it.up in a week or.so and I'm making a list of.things I need to get.


----------



## ItsKourtneyYoC8

Hallyx said:


> Ahhh..Anubias longifolia (long-leaf). I have several and like them a lot.
> 
> If the black spot wipes off, it's probably a little algae. You might have just a little too much light for low-light Anubias. If any leaves are turning yellow or clear, that's the problem.
> 
> Mr Stark is very handsome.


That's is what's happening.to my sword! Amy idea what I can do?


----------



## titusthebetta

So Mori has two problems that I'd like to have solved. The first is that, and I have no way of proving this, but I don't think he's pooped for several days. His stomach is kind of pointed, but it's not SBD (he has no problems swimming or anything).  I've been fasting him, upped the temp in the tank to 80-81 degrees, and have been trying to get him to flare. All of these things seem unsuccessful. So what I'm thinking of doing is moving him to the 1.8 gal QT tomorrow and getting some epsom salt and treating him. I just want to make sure that this sounds good.

The second thing is that he has some tears in his caudal fin. It doesn't look like biting. So far I've been trying to treat that with 50% water changes every other day (he's still in his 5 gal) and using Stress Coat, but it doesn't seem to be working. Should I try changing the plants first? I have some plastic ones that may be the culprit. I'd like to see if I could treat this conservatively before I have to buy AQ salt (I have some at home but my parents couldn't find it, so I'd really prefer to not have to buy more).


----------



## Billthebetta

Any idea on how to reduce the flow strength on a aqua tech power filter model (old model) 5-15 ?


----------



## Nothingness

Billthebetta said:


> Any idea on how to reduce the flow strength on a aqua tech power filter model (old model) 5-15 ?


http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=30139 for how to build a baffle for a filter. You can also check page 4 of that link to see how to use a sponge to slow the flow strength. I preferred the sponge method


----------



## SinX7

Should I do Sponge/Foam (Which is better?) or should I do the bottle baffle?

Thanks!


----------



## Nothingness

SinX7 said:


> Should I do Sponge/Foam (Which is better?) or should I do the bottle baffle?
> 
> Thanks!


try the bottle method as it can be done free. If it doesnt do what you wanted then try sponge method


----------



## ao

titusthebetta said:


> So Mori has two problems that I'd like to have solved. The first is that, and I have no way of proving this, but I don't think he's pooped for several days. His stomach is kind of pointed, but it's not SBD (he has no problems swimming or anything). I've been fasting him, upped the temp in the tank to 80-81 degrees, and have been trying to get him to flare. All of these things seem unsuccessful. So what I'm thinking of doing is moving him to the 1.8 gal QT tomorrow and getting some epsom salt and treating him. I just want to make sure that this sounds good.
> 
> The second thing is that he has some tears in his caudal fin. It doesn't look like biting. So far I've been trying to treat that with 50% water changes every other day (he's still in his 5 gal) and using Stress Coat, but it doesn't seem to be working. Should I try changing the plants first? I have some plastic ones that may be the culprit. I'd like to see if I could treat this conservatively before I have to buy AQ salt (I have some at home but my parents couldn't find it, so I'd really prefer to not have to buy more).


maybe you should copy and paste this into the betta diseases thread. make sure to fill in the sticky too 

the question is a bit long and complicated to be "quick" XD


----------



## Rachelbug

*New Betta Owner*

I just got my betta today and have been researching for a couple hours now. He is currently in a 1 gallon tank, with a 5 gallon one being shipped along with the light, heater, and filter. I know I am supposed to do a 50% water change and a 100% water change weekly and I was wondering what that looks like? Do you put the betta in a cup with the old water and then scoop out the rest or what? Help me please!


----------



## Hallyx

That's pretty much what a 100% water change looks like. Cup fish---clean decor, rinse gravel, refill (matching temp, with conditioner)---re-acclimate fish, slowly. The 50% just needs scooping out and replacing water. 

When you get your 5g we'll coach you through cycling. Things get a lot easier after that. You'll use a siphon for draining water and never have to do a 100% change.


----------



## SwayLocks

Rachelbug said:


> I just got my betta today and have been researching for a couple hours now. He is currently in a 1 gallon tank, with a 5 gallon one being shipped along with the light, heater, and filter. I know I am supposed to do a 50% water change and a 100% water change weekly and I was wondering what that looks like? Do you put the betta in a cup with the old water and then scoop out the rest or what? Help me please!


Never ever do 100% water change. You can put your betta in shock regardless if the water is clean or not. I would highly recommend doing 30% twice or once a week. If you get a small internal filter you can keep the water cleaner because of the constant flow of motion.


----------



## Wendyjo

If the tank isn't cycled then 100% changes are certainly needed to remove the ammonia in the tank. The goal should always be an ammonia reading of ZERO - if you are only doing partial water changes then the ammonia will continue to build up to toxic levels and "constant flow of motion" will do nothing to prevent that.


----------



## ao

SwayLocks said:


> Never ever do 100% water change. You can put your betta in shock regardless if the water is clean or not. I would highly recommend doing 30% twice or once a week. If you get a small internal filter you can keep the water cleaner because of the constant flow of motion.


Never heard of constant motion cleaning water. filters bring oxygen into a bacteria culture tht resides in the filter media which breaks down ammonia and nitrites. water changes are needed to eliminate nitrates.

betta fish are perfectly fine with 100% water changes providing the new water is the same temperature as the old and fishie is properly acclimated.


----------



## Rachelbug

Hallyx said:


> That's pretty much what a 100% water change looks like. Cup fish---clean decor, rinse gravel, refill (matching temp, with conditioner)---re-acclimate fish, slowly. The 50% just needs scooping out and replacing water.
> 
> When you get your 5g we'll coach you through cycling. Things get a lot easier after that. You'll use a siphon for draining water and never have to do a 100% change.


Okay so my 5g came in today and I have no clue what to do I rinsed out the inside and out now what  I love you all!!  Because I really want to do this right but have no idea what to do!!


----------



## LeoTheLakerBetta

Well since you are probably not going to do a fishless cycle you should just fill up the 5 gallon with your tap, add water conditioner, turn the filter on and the heater a few minutes later. Wait till the temp is at 78 F or so. You can add the decor anytime you want before putting the betta in. And after all that is done, just acclimate and put the fish in. Then do water changes consistently. Check out the threads and stickies on this form on this site for more info


----------



## LittleBettaFish

I would strongly strongly advise purchasing an ammonia and nitrite test kit. I know many people on this forum have this mantra about when and how often to change water in tanks of certain sizes. But really each tank is unique, and depending on source water quality, stocking levels, presence of live plants, amount and type of food being fed, you may need to tailor a water change plan to suit your tank. 

Without test kits and with an uncycled tank, you are basically going in blind. I have had fish swimming around quite normally in essentially toxic water due to a cycle crash so sometimes appearances can be deceiving. 

Even exposure to 0.25ppm of ammonia for an extended period of time is going to be enough to stress your fish and leave it vulnerable to illness later on down the track.


----------



## Hallyx

That is a very important post, and very clearly explained.

This is the test kit you should use, and it's in sale at Amazon:
Amazon.com: API Freshwater Master Test Kit: Pet Supplies


We always recommend cycling your tank if it's 5 gal and up, but there's no hurry. Read this:
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...ssories/nitrogen-cycle-betta-specific-107771/

Then read the other cycling stickies in the Bowls Habitats and Accessories section of the forum.

Take your time; set up your tank; get used to your fish and caring for him. Then you think you understand it and are ready to cycle your tank, ask any questions you may have in the Bowls and Habitats section. Well make sure you get it right.


----------



## Hallyx

..


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

Can cigarette smoke harm my fish, and how badly?

Also, how do you usually warm the water up to the right temp when doing 50% changes?


----------



## GreyHounD

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Can cigarette smoke harm my fish, and how badly?
> -Yes it can contaminate the water.
> 
> Also, how do you usually warm the water up to the right temp when doing 50% changes?
> -Try placing your pre ready water or water without chlorine in a place where direct sunlight hits the area.


Quoted with answers


----------



## bettasareawesome

How long can bettas survive outside of water? Just wondering cuase some people say there fish jumped out when they were out of the house and they were still alive and breathing.


----------



## LittleBettaFish

I would say at least an hour. Since they don't suffocate you really have until they dehydrate enough that the organs get damaged/shut-down. 

I have had some pretty dried and dessicated looking fish survive. However, with touch-and-go cases, I have noticed that the edges of each fin tend to die off in the week or so following the event. Guess since they are so thin the fins are the first part of the fish to be affected by the drying out process.


----------



## Hallyx

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Can cigarette smoke harm my fish, and how badly?


There's no way I can envision gas exchange (at the surface) carrying enough smoke into the water to effect fish. And you'd have to keep the air just above the surface thick with smoke before the labyrinth organ would be effected. Theoretically, nicotine residue on your fingers could leach off into the water should you put your fingers in the tank; practically, it would make no difference. 



AyalaCookiejar said:


> Also, how do you usually warm the water up to the right temp when doing 50% changes?


I balance the hot- and cold-water taps. There are other ways, but all of them are too compulsive and fussy for me.


----------



## Rachelbug

Is there some way to slow down a filter without it hurting the fish or the filter? Because I feel like my Betta has a hard time swimming against the current. I changed the water today and so I turned the filter off and he was wayyyyy more active while the filter was off.


----------



## registereduser

Rachelbug said:


> Is there some way to slow down a filter without it hurting the fish or the filter? Because I feel like my Betta has a hard time swimming against the current. I changed the water today and so I turned the filter off and he was wayyyyy more active while the filter was off.


yes. go to wherever you get your fish supplies and buy this:

http://www.amazon.com/Aquaclear-50-...21791&sr=1-20&keywords=aquarium+filter+sponge

or something similar. Then attach it with a rubberband to your filter output like this:


----------



## Rachelbug

Thanks!! It looks a little silly but it works


----------



## registereduser

Rachelbug said:


> Thanks!! It looks a little silly but it works


You won't really see it much unless you are looking for it. :-D


----------



## ao

does anyone else' rubber band erode over a few months? all three of mine died


----------



## Hallyx

Yeah. That's why I like mono-filament fishing line or polypropylene-type thread.


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

I have a 5 gallon tank for my one betta fish and he has no tank mates. If I ever had to treat him with AQ or Epsom salt for any reason, is it a good idea to do this in his regular 5 gallon tank or do you move them to a hospital tank reguardless of whether or not they have tank mates?

Also, I ordered some silk plants to add to my tank and also to replace the one plastic plant I have in there. How do I go about adding and moving the decorations in his tank?


----------



## LebronTheBetta

It's better to move him to a smaller tank, you'll have to do 100% changes after all. Especially if you have a filter, the BB on the gravel will die if you clean it. You'll want to move him whether or not he has tank mates or none. 

Just rinse the decorations in hot tap water and then take out the other decorations and replace.


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

Thank you!
So can I do that with my hands? Would it be okay or better to do it during a 50% water change, and should I worry too much about taking his old plant out? He does not seem to like the other tank decoration that I added. He only uses his old ones.


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Yes, your hands can do the work. You can do it whenever you want, it doesn't really matter. Happy decorating!


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

Thanks. I was just worried because I hear often that the oil from your hands can harm fish, and I'm a little paranoid that when I wash them I won't rinse them well enough or something


----------



## Destinystar

I use kitchen tongs to move things around in my 5 gallon but yes you can use your hands just make sure they are very clean and rinsed well with no soap on them. It may take a couple of days for him to get used to the new plants he may even flare at them but dont worry he will be fine.


----------



## Ramla

Does anyone have any tips for circulating the heat from the heater more consistently through the water?


----------



## LebronTheBetta

Hm.. You can put it in the center, or if you have a filter you can put it beside. I really have no idea on this one.


----------



## registereduser

Ramla said:


> Does anyone have any tips for circulating the heat from the heater more consistently through the water?


I put the heater as close to the filter intake as possible.


----------



## hynesh9792

If I see my betta hunting around for something to eat and he is like "pecking" at the glass, should I feed him more?


----------



## ao

bettas can see small organisms you dont neccessarily notice, he might be pecking at that... you should feed your betta a routine diet. 2-3 pellets twice a day... with maybe a fast day, and /or a day where you substitute pellets for a treat (bloodworms , frosen or freeze dried etc)
you should not feed outside of his schedule


----------



## Ramla

LebronTheBetta said:


> Hm.. You can put it in the center, or if you have a filter you can put it beside. I really have no idea on this one.





registereduser said:


> I put the heater as close to the filter intake as possible.


Thanks for the input!  And this will actually help, the instructions that came with the heater said to put it on the opposite end of the filter, but that has made for some inconsistencies with the temp.


And I guess are there any issues with placing a heater horizontally rather than vertically?


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

I have the same question as above - horizontal vs. vertical?
I'm getting an adjustable heater soon (Hydor Theo) and noticed that the temperature dial is on the heater. Are there any problems with this when placed horizontally at the bottom of the tank? I guess it's just kind of confusing to me.


----------



## fishyMcDoodle

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I have the same question as above - horizontal vs. vertical?
> I'm getting an adjustable heater soon (Hydor Theo) and noticed that the temperature dial is on the heater. Are there any problems with this when placed horizontally at the bottom of the tank? I guess it's just kind of confusing to me.


I currently have a Eheim Jager heater after switching from a Marineland heater. Both said they were fully submersible and I used both horizontally while they were fully submerged in my tank and have/had no problems with either heater.


----------



## fishyMcDoodle

Question: Does the presence of a hood above a fish tank affect betta behavior and/or mood?


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

fishyMcDoodle said:


> Question: Does the presence of a hood above a fish tank affect betta behavior and/or mood?


It is important if you fill your tank to the top because bettas can jump out. As for affecting behavior and mood, I'm sure it probably can, but every betta has a different personality. You will probably find out just by observing him or her


----------



## Hallyx

Ramla said:


> Does anyone have any tips for circulating the heat from the heater more consistently through the water?


In the filter flow and horizontally near the bottom. There are no mechanical or functional issues with laying it flat. 

It's a little trickier to dial in the temperature. But once you have it set, a good heater will maintain a consistent temperature.

Of course, keep it _out of contact_ with the walls, decor or substrate.


----------



## Ramla

Anybody have any good care tips or personal experiences with assassin snails? Looking to get one when I upgrade to a larger tank, since they are the smallest snails available to me

Is a sandy substrate required to have this type of snail?


----------



## fishyMcDoodle

Will adding 1tsp per gallon of AQ salt kill BB in my tank?


----------



## finnfinnfriend

If a light yellow or orange betta has a few dark scales on it's body, does that mean it is a marble and will change? Or should it stay the same?


----------



## Hallyx

fishyMcDoodle said:


> Will adding 1tsp per gallon of AQ salt kill BB in my tank?


No. But it's doesn't help them any.

The only reason to use AQ salt is to treat severe finrot or injuries. That's best done in a separate quarantine tank because the water should be changed daily.

First treatment should be just a high-protein diet and clean, warm water, changed frequently.


----------



## bettasareawesome

My girl platy seems to be moving slower and lazier and seems to be spending a lot of time by the heater in a dark corner of the tank. She has a few little rips on her top fin and seems almost... lumpy? At the top of her. Anyone know what this could be? Is she just getting old?


----------



## nel3

as many ppl here know a vinegar or bleach solution with hot water is the best way to clean a tank an letting it dry for 1-2 days after that. my question is, which option is chemically safer for the fish? does bleach have more chemicals in it compared to vinegar?


----------



## Dmsantana

if my girl betta ate the one ghost shrimp I put into her tank willshe keep eattng them if i was to get more?


----------



## whimsicalbrainpan

I just want to double check, you can not put medication in planted tanks correct.

Would it be okay foe me to remove the plants rather than the fish?


----------



## Juditko

Thanks for info about changing avatar!


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

whimsicalbrainpan said:


> I just want to double check, you can not put medication in planted tanks correct.
> 
> Would it be okay foe me to remove the plants rather than the fish?


If you don't think it would harm the plants, I don't see why not.. Some rooted plants don't like being moved, though, I believe. And medications will harm some plants, yes.


----------



## Ramla

nel3 said:


> as many ppl here know a vinegar or bleach solution with hot water is the best way to clean a tank an letting it dry for 1-2 days after that. my question is, which option is chemically safer for the fish? does bleach have more chemicals in it compared to vinegar?


Neither really has more chemicals, since they are fairly simple cleaners. However personally in my experience I've always preferred using vinegar since it is not as harsh of a cleaner as bleach can be and isn't as likely to linger like bleach seems to. Also vinegar is basically fermented fruits and veggies, that end up forming an acid, if that helps


----------



## Ramla

Dmsantana said:


> if my girl betta ate the one ghost shrimp I put into her tank willshe keep eattng them if i was to get more?


It is fairly likely that she will, you can try it and see but most likely she will continue to eat them. However you could also try creating something for them to hide in. So if you want to try and keep both, if she tries to go after them they can escape and she may possibly learn it isn't worth trying to eat them


----------



## whimsicalbrainpan

AyalaCookiejar said:


> If you don't think it would harm the plants, I don't see why not.. Some rooted plants don't like being moved, though, I believe. And medications will harm some plants, yes.



I am using tetracycline and the tank has a few rooted plants.


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

Hmm... I looked it up and it appears to me that tetracycline does not usually harm plants... But I am not a scientist and am not 100% sure. Personally, I'd stay on the safe side and quarantine the fish and leave the plants alone. Depending on your tank size, a smaller quarantine would likely be easier, anyways.


----------



## whimsicalbrainpan

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Hmm... I looked it up and it appears to me that tetracycline does not usually harm plants... But I am not a scientist and am not 100% sure. Personally, I'd stay on the safe side and quarantine the fish and leave the plants alone. Depending on your tank size, a smaller quarantine would likely be easier, anyways.


They are in containers that are in the tanks. So they are warm, the plants are safe, and the water is easy to change. I just need to give them time to get better.


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

I would keep them in the containers as long as medication is being used.. What are they being treated for?
I hate to keep mine in smaller containers but as long as the water is changed often and it's only temporary it's not going to hurt them. Some breeders have kept their bettas in smaller containers for a longer period of time to stunt their growth so that their future breeding partners can catch up.


----------



## whimsicalbrainpan

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I would keep them in the containers as long as medication is being used.. What are they being treated for?
> I hate to keep mine in smaller containers but as long as the water is changed often and it's only temporary it's not going to hurt them. Some breeders have kept their bettas in smaller containers for a longer period of time to stunt their growth so that their future breeding partners can catch up.


Fin rot. :-( It came on overnight and while not severe it looks serious. I opted to skip the AQ salt and go for the meds.


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

When you finish treatment you can release then back in the tank and continue to use Stress Coat. I'm not familiar with tetracycline but I'm assuming you have instructions that tells you how long it should be used? In any case, if you would like more info maybe from others who are familiar with that med and fin rot, you should post a new thread as it will likely get better answers.

If you think the fins are beginning to heal, I would still follow up with Stress Coat and just use warm, clean water. It wouldn't be a bad idea to do an extra partial water change a week just to make sure that your parameters are very good. Do you have any idea what caused it?


----------



## whimsicalbrainpan

I have no idea. I have two guesses; I introduced some plant clippings from a friend's tank into both of my tanks and I have recently stopped running the filter in both of my tanks. My plants grow better when I leave the filter off. I think it might have been both of those things.

I do have a baffle on both my filters but I need to invest in some foam to slow the water flow even more. I should have quarantined the plants but my friend has a healthy, thriving, planted tank. I just added them without thinking. I added them a week ago though...

I test the water in both of my tanks weekly, and do a 50% water change. They are both cycled and the levels have been good. The Ph has fluctuated a lot over the last month but I have no idea as to why and it has leveled off.


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

Did you remove the filter cartridge or turn the filter back on at any point? My guess (total shot in the dark) is that maybe some of the BB died off when the filter was turned off and it caused an ammonia spike. That would be my only speculation. There could have been a spike that you didn't catch...

I don't see how introducing plants would cause fin rot unless any of the plants died off.


----------



## LunaStars004

Is it possible to overdose on API Stress Coat?


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

Yeah it's possible to overdose on any conditioner but it has to be like 5x or more if the recommended dose I believe.


----------



## joshwillis55

Hi i have a 3 gallon tank with a filter and a heater and i was wondering how often i should change the water and how much


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

Change 50% of the water twice a week and use a gravel vacuum at least one of those two times. Swish the filter media in old tank water once or twice a month.


----------



## aemaki09

My tank is going through what I'm assuming is a mini cycle after putting a new filter in my tank. I seeded it with my old media, and now have a horrible looking bacterial bloom in the tank. All I've done so far is increased water changes and added some water clarifier tonight.
How long does it last, anything I can do to hurry the process up. I dont want to look at cloudy grey-ish water for ever.


----------



## MSG

*I would have left everything alone......*

No WC's and let things work itself out on it's own. 

When you're cycling with established filter media, it's NEVER instantly cycled regardless of what you read. It still takes TIME for the BB in the f-chamber to settle down. 

The faster the bloom clears up on it's OWN without use of chemicals like "Sparkling Clear" will give you an idea of much b-bacteria you have in your filter & how efficient your filtration is. I've NEVER used clarifier because the filter will clean up the cloudiness/odors in the water in about 12-24 hours.


----------



## Ramla

Live Plant question!
If part of a leaf is brown and dead, should I just cut off the whole leaf? I'm not sure if I could just break that part off or just prune the whole leaf so I don't have plant material decaying in my tank.

And if I should where on the stem should I prune it? It is an anubias plant.

Also would shrimp likely take care of this for me? I'm not sure if they clean up dead plant matter or not oO


----------



## KCalNeon

Do you hang you're heaters vertical or horizontal? 

Do you ever have to 'clean' you're heater?


----------



## titolatino1970

divided 20 long question

how many sections are recomended for a 20 long aquarium


----------



## aemaki09

you can have *up to* 8 sections in a 20 long. 2.5 gallons a piece.


----------



## ao

KCalNeon said:


> Do you hang you're heaters vertical or horizontal?
> 
> Do you ever have to 'clean' you're heater?


I prop mine up in the substrate horizontal and next to the filter. heaters shouldn't need cleaning...


----------



## aemaki09

KCalNeon said:


> Do you hang you're heaters vertical or horizontal?
> 
> Do you ever have to 'clean' you're heater?


Mine is horizontal at the bottom of the back of the tank so I can do a large water change, and if I forget to unplug it, it won't break.

You can clean it by unplugging it for 15 minutes before you plan to pull it out to clean, then wipe it down with a paper towel or something else that doesn't have chemicals on it. I only do this if u get heater slime


----------



## Desvin

Quick Question: I am planning on setting up a 3 gallon tank for 1 male beta in my classroom. I have had beta's in the past, but never in the classroom. Is there anything I should take into consideration for a classroom setting vs a home setting? I have an air filter and heater. I would like to also know what is best sand or gravel? Does the color matter? Would silk or live plants be best in such a small tank?

Finally, I would prefer to adopt a beta rather than support bussiness who treat beta's cruely. Please let me know if anyone is offering a beta for adoption in tn. 

Thanks for all your help on my questions.


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

Gravel, sand, color... this doesn't really matter and is up to your personal preferences. Depending on how much time you'd like to put into tank cleanings, adding live plants would make it so you don't need to change the water as much but it does require a little extra care on the plant's part and proper lighting and nutrient. If you are leaning towards live plants, you can actually use dirt as your substrate capped with sand. There are many people who have nano NPTs.

I would watch the classified section of the forum for fish up for adoption. However, it's less likely that you will be able to find someone near you. I purchased all three of my newest fish from a breeder and they were shipped to me from TX to NE and they all arrived fine. However, shipping costs aren't cheap, even if someone is willing to give you a free fish, they might not pay for shipping and the packaging needed for it. If you are looking for something cost-efficient, I'd purchase a fish from the pet store. If you don't care as much about price or are looking for a very healthy, vibrant, or "different" fish, the classified forum or private breeders is the way to go.

I don't know if there are any private breeders in TN on here.


----------



## BlueBlazeSilverHeart

is there a tye of glue that would be safe to build decor with ( safe for the fish)??


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

Aquarium safe silicone. You can find it at home improvement stores like Lowes, Home Depot or Menards and it will specifically say "aquarium safe" on it.

Best thing I ever bought!!


----------



## Hadoken Kitty

After visiting multiple pet stores in one day, it seems that Dovahkiin is much smaller than the average betta, and he hasn't been getting any bigger. Should I plan on him getting ay bigger? Even my RAM, who was initially smaller than Dovahkiin when I bought him, is now larger than him!


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

I don't think so. I think they just grow to different sizes based on their genetics. Some may have stunted growth from being in tiny cups at the store... I have seen some HUGE ones at the store, some normal, some tiny...

My oldest Betta that I have had for a year is about the size of one of my young girls who is about 6 months old. My second male that I've had for 2 months is still very small, even smaller than my one girl. My other two girls, about 4 months, are still super tiny.


----------



## Hadoken Kitty

Since Rosetail has a high fry-cull rate, would it be foolish to cross a male rosetail with a female dumbo?


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

I'm not a breeder but I've read articles about breeding rose tails... From what I have seen and read, it can cause the scaling x-factor in fry, where the scales are not aligned properly. It looks very strange and unnatural. It makes the fish's fins and scales look wavy.

I have seen a breeder here with a spawn that he kept as pets because he either could not/would not sell them. I think they often have such severe defects in their scales and fins that if you couldn't sell them as pets, you could probably only sell them to people looking to feed their larger fish a tasty snack...

I could be wrong but I think it was a rosetail spawn. Look up that x-factor scaling and read up on breeding rosetails. It's very controversial from what I can tell.


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

Here's that thread (page 336):
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?p=1376406&highlight=Factor#post1376406

They explain it better and include the article I was talking about.


----------



## Hadoken Kitty

Okay. First: Sorry if my quick questions are getting over-whelming. Now: Would a divider in a 5.5G tank be feasible(net/mesh?)? If so, would putting two males next to each other cause too much stress? My boyfriend is telling me that they would flare at each other so much they would stress each other out. Would they stress each other out more than a betta would their own reflection? I plan to put live plants in the middle to help block the view. In not, would putting a female on the other side be okay, if I don't plan on mating her with that male?


----------



## Hadoken Kitty

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Here's that thread (page 336):
> http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?p=1376406&highlight=Factor#post1376406
> 
> They explain it better and include the article I was talking about.


What a coincidence, I was reading that thread after a google search.


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

A lot of people divide 5.5 gallons. I personally think that 2 gallons is minimum so a divided 5 gallon would be fine. However, the divider needs to be secure and up to the hood so they cannot jump over it or get through it. Some fish have been severely injured by fighting their way through a divider or jumping over it, so I'm not really for dividers unless they are silicones into the tank. I'd also personally put two dividers in the tank and maybe fit the heater and filter in between to heat/filter evenly. That should help with them not being able to see each other as easily and so will the plants near the dividers.

I also think it depends on the fish. Sometimes they seem to be happier when they can kind of see each other. Sometimes they get very stressed. Sometimes they don't care. You'll have to see if it works for your fish, keeping in mind that for the first few days you'll probably see a bit of flaring and stuff. They may or may not calm down and be able to live peacefully in a divided tank.


----------



## Hadoken Kitty

Okay, thank you so much for my many quick questions!


----------



## Brey0255

My Charlie doesnt flare much, but sometimes give me a big, slow, wide open mouth... im not sure how to take it, I feel like shes mad at me when she does it. is that some kind of flaring?


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

Is that a fishy form of yawning? Lol. I have five bettas and I've seen one of them do that one time only.

Some are less aggressive than others. My CT flared a lot before going blind. My VT doesn't flare too much but I've seen him "yawn" like that. Actually, I've only seen him full on flare at other fish.


----------



## Hadoken Kitty

Is the PetCo ruins collection toxic parts specific to only PetCo merchandise? I recently bought a similar thing from petsmart, but I am worried that it might do something similar. Since it is going in a community tank, I want to know if I will be okay putting it in there before I do so.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752228&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No


----------



## Sagepeacelove

Can you breed a female dragonscale with a male VT?


----------



## ao

Sagepeacelove said:


> Can you breed a female dragonscale with a male VT?


ofcourse you can!
but likely you will get a lot of veiltails


----------



## ashleybanana86

*My Betta is stressed. Why?*

My betta, Jimi (Hendrix), has moved around with me a lot. Maybe something betta fish don't like. I bought him in Nevada... took him to Los Angeles, CA with me, and lived there for a few months. LA was awarded "Best water in the country." So Jimi should have been happy with the water there. He went to Orange County, and back to Nevada. He's probably been to 3 different counties. The water I use for his tank now is soft water, filtered with a water softener. I don't think he likes his water being changed so much. He has been hiding daily and gets very jumpy or skid-dish when the tank shakes from a dresser drawer closing or being moved. He hasn't been eating either. Just hiding. I must seem like an idiot, but I haven't really put in the time to learn about my betta before getting him. :-?

Should I put him in distilled water? I have been using water conditioner for him since day one.


----------



## AyalaCookiejar

Don't use distilled water. Tap water contains nutrients that he needs. Keep using that with conditioner.

When was the last time you moved? How do you acclimate him to new water? Each time you move, the water is probably different. Bettas are sensitive to changes in water parameters. They do like soft water, but they can go into shock when the water suddenly goes from hard to soft so he should be acclimated to your new water each time you move. He could have possibly been shocked by a change in water, and that can also cause illness.

More information would be good. What size is the tank? Is it filtered? How often do you change the water? What do you feed him and how much? Etc... There is a questionnaire on the diseases and emergencies forum that you should fill out. You can also create a new thread there.


----------



## ashleybanana86

Wow! Thanks for responding! This is the first forum site I have joined... ever! So I am a little slow, lost, and confused when utilizing this site. Hmmm... So many questions, good!

The tank is 1 Gallon... I started him in a 1.5 Gallon tank, but it got damaged in a move so I had to downsize to the 1 Gallon (the only tank available at the time). The water is not filtered. I would say I change the water every 3-5 days... usually 3 or 4. I feed him blood worms, as the pet store employee advised me, but tried pellets as an alternative... Jimi didn't like them. I feed him 2 times a day usually in the morning and at night. I just started getting into the habit of cleaning out the uneaten worms, as I was told to remove uneaten food. 

Thank you so much for your response!

- Ashley


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## ao

hi and welcome to the forum Ashley 

Blood worms is not a good staple for a betta. the way to get bettas to eat... as cruel as it may sound, is to starve them until they will take the pellets 

bettas can go weeks without food, it is important to put your fish on a good diet, as a bad diet - such as blood worms (high in fat) - will lead to eventual bad health...

Water changes for a 1 gallon is recommended to be 50% mid week and 100% at the end of the week.
make sure the temperature is the same (you can adjust this from the tap). And dont forget the water conditioner!


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## AyalaCookiejar

If you get the chance, I'd upgrade him to a 2 gallon or larger tank. It'll be better for him health wise and he will like the extra space.

In that size of tank, you should do a 50% and a 100% (or more) each week. Ammonia builds up fast in small tanks which might be the cause of his symptoms.

Bloodworms are also a treat. Get him on a good quality pellet like Omega One (not the flakes) or New Life Spectrum. Since he's used to bloodworms, he might not eat the pellets at first but keep offering them and don't cave and give him bloodworms. New Life Spectrum might be a better choice because they contain garlic which makes them more appetizing.

Many fish get picky and refuse pellets when they are used to bloodworms. Get him to start eating pellets and you can feed him a bloodworm once or twice a week as a treat.


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## Hadoken Kitty

aokashi said:


> hi and welcome to the forum Ashley
> 
> Blood worms is not a good staple for a betta. the way to get bettas to eat... as cruel as it may sound, is to starve them until they will take the pellets
> 
> bettas can go weeks without food, it is important to put your fish on a good diet, as a bad diet - such as blood worms (high in fat) - will lead to eventual bad health...
> 
> Water changes for a 1 gallon is recommended to be 50% mid week and 100% at the end of the week.
> make sure the temperature is the same (you can adjust this from the tap). And dont forget the water conditioner!


While blood worms don't make a staple in their diet, these can be used as treats. Speaking from experience, the starving thing isn't too cruel. It took me forever to get my betta to eat pellets (a week +), but he eats them like a champ now. One of my girls gave me the same issue.


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## ashleybanana86

OMG! I've practically been killing him! So glad I joined this forum. I'm kind of embarrassed I have been a member since I got him, but was too intimidated by all the links and didn't have time or patience to go through the sight... Nevertheless, here I am! This is such GOOD information for me... so good to know!


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## ashleybanana86

Yeah, I have been cleaning the bowl 100% and never get the water temperature right. Always just tested by finger, and figured he would like it a bit warmer as the room temperature seems cold for the tropical fish. How unintelligent of me. Oh well, now I know. I hope he's not depressed. :shock:


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## ashleybanana86

*Sweet!*

:-D Oh so exciting. You'll have to excuse me, but I thought I failed as a Betta fish owner already, and the more I learn about taking care of him, the more excited I get. I am so glad there are solutions to my problems that don't involve purchasing an expensive book. Thanks a lot!


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## NewFishFiend

The Betta in your avatar is GORGEOUS!


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## ashleybanana86

Hadoken Kitty said:


> While blood worms don't make a staple in their diet, these can be used as treats. Speaking from experience, the starving thing isn't too cruel. It took me forever to get my betta to eat pellets (a week +), but he eats them like a champ now. One of my girls gave me the same issue.


I just learned how to quote. Oops. I was just replying to posts and not people directly... ah... 

Well thank you Hadoken Kitty! I really appreciate your input along with the others. This is all so new to me... including forum chat.


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## ashleybanana86

AyalaCookiejar said:


> If you get the chance, I'd upgrade him to a 2 gallon or larger tank. It'll be better for him health wise and he will like the extra space.
> 
> In that size of tank, you should do a 50% and a 100% (or more) each week. Ammonia builds up fast in small tanks which might be the cause of his symptoms.
> 
> Bloodworms are also a treat. Get him on a good quality pellet like Omega One (not the flakes) or New Life Spectrum. Since he's used to bloodworms, he might not eat the pellets at first but keep offering them and don't cave and give him bloodworms. New Life Spectrum might be a better choice because they contain garlic which makes them more appetizing.
> 
> Many fish get picky and refuse pellets when they are used to bloodworms. Get him to start eating pellets and you can feed him a bloodworm once or twice a week as a treat.


This post was for you>

> Oh so exciting! You'll have to excuse me, but I thought I failed as a Betta fish owner already, and the more I learn about taking care of him, the more excited I get. I am so glad there are solutions to my problems that don't involve purchasing an expensive book. Thanks a lot!


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## ashleybanana86

aokashi said:


> hi and welcome to the forum Ashley
> 
> Blood worms is not a good staple for a betta. the way to get bettas to eat... as cruel as it may sound, is to starve them until they will take the pellets
> 
> bettas can go weeks without food, it is important to put your fish on a good diet, as a bad diet - such as blood worms (high in fat) - will lead to eventual bad health...
> 
> Water changes for a 1 gallon is recommended to be 50% mid week and 100% at the end of the week.
> make sure the temperature is the same (you can adjust this from the tap). And dont forget the water conditioner!


This post was for you> ... still learning how to forum chat or whatever you call this. lol.

> OMG! I've practically been killing him! So glad I joined this forum. I'm kind of embarrassed I have been a member since I got him, but was too intimidated by all the links and didn't have time or patience to go through the sight... Nevertheless, here I am! This is such GOOD information for me... so good to know!


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## Hadoken Kitty

ashleybanana86 said:


> I just learned how to quote. Oops. I was just replying to posts and not people directly... ah...
> 
> Well thank you Hadoken Kitty! I really appreciate your input along with the others. This is all so new to me... including forum chat.


LOL we were all new at once time. My first tank for the first betta I raised by myself (without my mom's help) was a half gallon, unheated, and unfiltered. I didn't know any better either. This forum helped a ton. I think you figured out quoting before I did, though. xD


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## ao

ashleybanana86 said:


> This post was for you> ... still learning how to forum chat or whatever you call this. lol.
> 
> > OMG! I've practically been killing him! So glad I joined this forum. I'm kind of embarrassed I have been a member since I got him, but was too intimidated by all the links and didn't have time or patience to go through the sight... Nevertheless, here I am! This is such GOOD information for me... so good to know!


you should get him a heater and thermometer too if you dont already have one. I recommend the hydor theo or hagen elite 25w adjustable heaters...

you can edit your post by using the "edit" button.
if you forgot to quote some one you can address them by username
ie-


"@aokashi

thankyou for your response.... etc"

this will prevent double posting


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## ashleybanana86

*Love your Avatar fish!*



Hadoken Kitty said:


> LOL we were all new at once time. My first tank for the first betta I raised by myself (without my mom's help) was a half gallon, unheated, and unfiltered. I didn't know any better either. This forum helped a ton. I think you figured out quoting before I did, though. xD


I LOVE the PURPLE fish! What's his name? Purple is one of my favorite colors!


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## Hadoken Kitty

ashleybanana86 said:


> I LOVE the PURPLE fish! What's his name? Purple is one of my favorite colors!


Lol, his name is Dovahkiin.


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## ashleybanana86

@aokashi Good to know... don't have to quote everyone. It didn't seem right either. I will definitely get him a heater and thermometer when I can. I have checked a few places and haven't found them yet. Maybe Walmart isn't the first place I should look or last in my case.


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## ashleybanana86

Hadoken Kitty said:


> Lol, his name is Dovahkiin.


What a great and unique name! I love it! What does it mean and is it Russian?


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## Hadoken Kitty

ashleybanana86 said:


> What a great and unique name! I love it! What does it mean and is it Russian?


Lol, it's from a video game. In the video game Skyrim, you play as the, "dragon born," or Dovahkiin. Honestly, based on a lot of the words, their in-game language seems more german based than anything. :3

It goes with the rest of my male bettas. I named all of my other males after various dragons in the game. Lol. xD


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## ashleybanana86

NewFishFiend said:


> The Betta in your avatar is GORGEOUS!


Thank you! You should post a picture of your fish.  I want to see!


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## ashleybanana86

Hadoken Kitty said:


> Lol, it's from a video game. In the video game Skyrim, you play as the, "dragon born," or Dovahkiin. Honestly, based on a lot of the words, their in-game language seems more german based than anything. :3
> 
> It goes with the rest of my male bettas. I named all of my other males after various dragons in the game. Lol. xD


Awe, cute.


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## ao

ashleybanana86 said:


> @aokashi Good to know... don't have to quote everyone. It didn't seem right either. I will definitely get him a heater and thermometer when I can. I have checked a few places and haven't found them yet. Maybe Walmart isn't the first place I should look or last in my case.


amazon also seems to be out of stock...

if you dont mind the wait (1 month shipping *shock* but since ur in NV it might be faster) this one is a great reliable little heater...

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=200806923306&index=2&nav=SEARCH&nid=96747674293


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## ashleybanana86

AyalaCookiejar said:


> If you get the chance, I'd upgrade him to a 2 gallon or larger tank. It'll be better for him health wise and he will like the extra space.
> 
> In that size of tank, you should do a 50% and a 100% (or more) each week. Ammonia builds up fast in small tanks which might be the cause of his symptoms.
> 
> Bloodworms are also a treat. Get him on a good quality pellet like Omega One (not the flakes) or New Life Spectrum. Since he's used to bloodworms, he might not eat the pellets at first but keep offering them and don't cave and give him bloodworms. New Life Spectrum might be a better choice because they contain garlic which makes them more appetizing.
> 
> Many fish get picky and refuse pellets when they are used to bloodworms. Get him to start eating pellets and you can feed him a bloodworm once or twice a week as a treat.


I wanted to check the brand name of the pellets I have, Wardley Betta Food.


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## ao

ashleybanana86 said:


> I wanted to check the brand name of the pellets I have, Wardley Betta Food.


oh no! if i werea betta I would definitely noooot touch it...

good recommended brands are Omega one, HBH or New life spectrum...

if you PM me I can send you a sample of the NLS for $1 shipping... I have plenty...

In my opinion...it's hands down the best pellets on the market XD


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## ashleybanana86

aokashi said:


> amazon also seems to be out of stock...
> 
> if you dont mind the wait (1 month shipping *shock* but since ur in NV it might be faster) this one is a great reliable little heater...
> 
> http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=200806923306&index=2&nav=SEARCH&nid=96747674293


Hey, thanks! This is great!


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## ashleybanana86

aokashi said:


> oh no! if i werea betta I would definitely noooot touch it...
> 
> good recommended brands are Omega one, HBH or New life spectrum...
> 
> if you PM me I can send you a sample of the NLS for $1 shipping... I have plenty...
> 
> In my opinion...it's hands down the best pellets on the market XD


Really! Sounds good, but I'll just go ahead and get it and try it. Thanks for the offer!


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## ao

@ashely- great  seems like ur on the right track. 3am here (zzzz)
gnight and happy fish keeping!


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## Hallyx

ashleybanana86 said:


> ,...The water I use for his tank now is soft water, filtered with a water softener.... . :-?
> 
> Should I put him in distilled water? I have been using water conditioner for him since day one.


Many (most?) water softeners use a salt to lower the hardness (GH) and absorb the minerals (KH) of hard water. Freshwater fish do not like salt of any kind. You're lucky Betta are pretty rugged and adaptable.

Can you get at the water before it's run through your softener? Can you get any unsoftened tapwater?

Distilled is not the way to go as it lacks minerals your fish needs. Most tapwater has these minerals. Glad you know about conditioning your water.


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## Hadoken Kitty

I was wondering. I'm sure it is obvious now that my originally six female betta sorority is now a four female betta sorority due to two of them actually being males. Some of the females in my sorority are going to be bred, but now I only have four left, so I'm worried about taking one out (for conditioning). Will this cause major issues within my sorority? If so, I will simply wait and purchase more off AB/ the pet store. However, if the two week conditioning/spawning time is a short enough time to pull this off, that would be really great news. Coincidentally, the most aggressive female is the one that I will be breeding.


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## AyalaCookiejar

Three females isn't probably a good idea. Often, two of them will gang up on the third and kill/injure her. Since four is the minimum number, I would actually recommend at least five just in case one ever needs to be removed. If you take one out, the remaining three will have to re-establish a pecking order.


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## Hadoken Kitty

Just as I thought. Just wanted to make sure. Thanks for the heads up!


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## Hadoken Kitty

So, I purchased two girls from the pet store today to go into my sorority. 100% sure they're girls and 100% sure there is nothing wrong with them aside from ammonia burns from being in their nasty cup water (there was so much poo!!!). I was wondering: when is the soonest that I can put them in the sorority so I can pull out my other female for breeding? I know about the re-acclimating everyone, etc. 

I feel silly asking questions to things I already feel like I know, or things I would tell other people. Since I have trouble following my own advice, though, I feel like I should still ask.


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## ao

pull the females you want for breeding when you put the new girls in


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## Hadoken Kitty

Awesome. I'll do that tomorrow when I do my water changes.


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## quietlythundering

do you guys recommend a heater in a 2.5-3 gallon plastic tank? I want my Neil to be nice and cozy in his new tank (I ordered the heater online) but is it safe to use this kind of heater in a plastic container?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JVQ67K/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=

I'd like to know before I purchase two more.


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## Hadoken Kitty

It should be fine. I have heaters in my plastic tanks without issues. I honestly think my plastic tanks have heated better than my glass ones, too.


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## AyalaCookiejar

Yes, Callistra told me that acrylic has better heating properties than glass, scientifically speaking.


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## quietlythundering

Awesome! Thanks everyone!


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## finnfinnfriend

If one or two pellets sink to the bottom during feeding and the fish doesn't catch them, is it okay to leave them until water change day? This would be in a cycled tank btw...


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## AyalaCookiejar

As long as the tank is cycling out the ammonia its probably not a huge problem if it doesn't happen frequently. I use a turkey bastor to suck up food that the fish don't eat before it sinks.

My blind boy lets food sink a lot because he's blind and it caused algae to grow on his decor so its probably best to remove it sooner rather than later.


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## finnfinnfriend

AyalaCookiejar said:


> As long as the tank is cycling out the ammonia its probably not a huge problem if it doesn't happen frequently. I use a turkey bastor to suck up food that the fish don't eat before it sinks.
> 
> My blind boy lets food sink a lot because he's blind and it caused algae to grow on his decor so its probably best to remove it sooner rather than later.


Oh yeah if I had a blind boy, I would probably keep him in a 1 gallon and just clean the tank with a turkey baster instead of a siphon...

But 1 or 2 pellets can sit in there for a week without causing problems or too much nitrate? BTW this is for a 5 gallon tank...


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## AyalaCookiejar

Just a few pellets probably won't hurt anything. I think the fish would produce more ammonia than the sunken pellets. If it were a lot of pellets sinking, you'd likely experience problems with debris and possible ammonia/nitrate spikes or an algae problem.

If possible, removing the pellets sooner rather than later would probably be best, but no, it should not cause a huge problem. The only big problem I've experienced with my blind boy letting pellets sink is the algae issue and then when I siphon the tank, the pellets disintegrate and its hard to get all the tiny little specs out.

However, I have noticed that New Life Spectrum pellets don't dissolve like other pellets do. I know they aren't as good at absorbing meds so maybe they don't break down as fast as others?


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## finnfinnfriend

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Just a few pellets probably won't hurt anything. I think the fish would produce more ammonia than the sunken pellets. If it were a lot of pellets sinking, you'd likely experience problems with debris and possible ammonia/nitrate spikes or an algae problem.
> 
> If possible, removing the pellets sooner rather than later would probably be best, but no, it should not cause a huge problem. The only big problem I've experienced with my blind boy letting pellets sink is the algae issue and then when I siphon the tank, the pellets disintegrate and its hard to get all the tiny little specs out.
> 
> However, I have noticed that New Life Spectrum pellets don't dissolve like other pellets do. I know they aren't as good at absorbing meds so maybe they don't break down as fast as others?


Okay thanks. I just wanted to know because every once in a while, my boy misses a pellet and I don't want to have to break out the siphon or stick my hands in and make a mess or stress him out by sticking stuff in there...


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## finnfinnfriend

How many pellets would end up accumulating at the bottom by water change day before you started spot cleaning with your blind boy?


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## AyalaCookiejar

Around 1-5 maybe, depending. He has bloat issues so I don't feed him too often.


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## quietlythundering

I've heard about how awesome garlic is for a betta's immune system and I am interested in using it for my bettas; however, I've never done it before, and I was wondering about a few things:

-Should this only be used sparingly, or can it be used on a constant basis?
-What is the best product to use?
-Is there anything else I should know about the usage of garlic in Betta food?

Thank you, and have a good day!


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## AyalaCookiejar

Some people use garlic juice but Seachem makes a product called Garlic Guard that's specifically meant for the purpose of soaking pellets. It is often used to improve the taste of food for picky eaters or for fish that are being fed medications because meds often make the food taste bad. I can't imaging you could use too much of it because New Life Spectrum pellets actually contain garlic. It might be easier just to purchase that type of food. The only downside is that if you ever have to feed meds, New Life Spectrum does not absorb well. For that reason, many people keep NLS and garlic guard on hand along with a more absorbable pellet type such as Omega One.


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## quietlythundering

Oh, ok. Thank you!


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## elledreen

I just got my first half-moon from petsmart on Sunday, and he appears to be suffering from a bit of fin rot. just did a 100% change and am re-acclimating him to the water, but I'd like to do some salt treatments, it's only on his top fin and I reeeally don't want it to spread. I don't have aquarium salt on hand, could I use regular no-additive table salt until I get aquarium salt? I'm going to petsmart to see if they'll give it to me for free or discounted, because they sold me a sick fish (I closely examined him but I thought the slightly pink part was just his coloration, oops). If I return him they'll probably just let him die so I'd rather treat him than get a refund! He's too beautiful, and so special to me already! sorry if this has been answered, I was not able to find it..


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## LebronTheBetta

Table salt is different than aquarium salt, never ever use kitchen products for your aquaria.  Aquarium salt is pretty cheap, so I think you can pull it off. 

Use 1 teaspoon per gallon, dissolved before carefully added into the tank. Also do a 100% everyday, I recommend to treat him in a small tank. What's the tank size? 

For now, just keep the water extra clean.


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## bettacrazygirl86

A big box of AQ salt is like, $5 at Petsmart.


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## elledreen

LebronTheBetta said:


> Table salt is different than aquarium salt, never ever use kitchen products for your aquaria.  Aquarium salt is pretty cheap, so I think you can pull it off.
> 
> Use 1 teaspoon per gallon, dissolved before carefully added into the tank. Also do a 100% everyday, I recommend to treat him in a small tank. What's the tank size?
> 
> For now, just keep the water extra clean.


This is why I always ask here! I thought table salt would've been ok but I guess not  His normal home is a 2.5 gallon heated tank, I did a 100% water change this evening when I saw it was really finrot not just coloration. I let him float & get adjusted to the temp while the heater stabilized, now he's back in the 2.5 tank (minus all the plants and decorations, so I don't have to repeatedly wash them). I don't really have anything smaller, the 2.5 isn't too hard to manage, and he has it all to himself. He's swimming around fine, not acting lethargic or anything which is a good sign. I found a good article about salt treatments so I think I'm all set. Thanks!


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## AyalaCookiejar

I personally do not find it necessary to do 100% daily changes when treating for anything besides external parasites. Its a personal choice, but I think daily 50%s with a siphon are fine with one 100% per week, because it will cause less stress. I found that when I moved my male VT to a one gallon tank to treat him for internal parasites and did large water changes, he just got really stressed. I ended up just feeding him soaked medicated pellets on his normal feeding schedule in his normal five gallon tank and it worked just fine.

Clean water is obviously a must with fin rot, but ammonia isn't going to build up that fast in a 2.5 gallon and if it stresses him, it will lower his immune system making him prone to secondary infections.


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## ICEAL

Can i put a panda cory on a tank where i will breed bettas? Or will they eat the eggs and fry?


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## justmel

It appears I will be moving soon. Not far, in the same area. I could probably have my tanks set up again within 2 hrs of tearing them down. I was wondering if there was any suggestion on how to handle the move or precautions I should take? I will be moving 17 males, 8 females, 1 unsexed juvenile, 5 guppys, 2 cory cats, and around 20 6 week old fry. I plan on getting zip lock bags and a cooler or two as needed. The adults I know will be bagged separately of course, but should I bag the fry separately or a couple to each bag or what?


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## justmel

ICEAL said:


> Can i put a panda cory on a tank where i will breed bettas? Or will they eat the eggs and fry?


I _think_ it is ok to have the corys in there from the start. If I'm correct they won't eat the live fry, but can help clean up the dead fry and extra food. I added cory cats to my fry tank when I moved them to their 29 gallon grow out tank.


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## JellOh

Can I use aquarium salt and epsome salt in the same aquarium at the same time? (He's a pretty sick fishy)


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## KCalNeon

Hey everyone! 

What's the difference between the nitrogen cycle and the aquarium cycle? Are they the same thing? 

Do you have to clean and quarantine live plants before putting them into your tank? How do you clean/quarantine live plants?


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## Plshelpnewfishy

My beta seems to have "swelling" around his Gil's for lack of a better a term what could be the cause of this?


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## Graceful

Quick question: the nitrates in my tank are at 20 ppm. I also just learned that the lights in my tank are 15 watt incandescent, and that I need fluorescent. Could this be causing my plants to suffer, and therefore be causing the nitrates to not be absorbed properly?

Is the solution to my high nitrates a simple change in lighting, along with continuing regular water changes?


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## Bigdawg355

How do you make sure mystery snails are ich free?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## HeadlessLegoMom

*Is a filter supposed to have bubbling water behind the media or a stream of bubbles rising from the air inlet port? Also, is the water supposed to be a steady stream or is it supposed to swell with every gush?*

First time using a filter and want to make sure that it is in proper working order before adding fish...


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## lalala145

Does algae actually harm bettas or do people just remove it cause it looks ugly?


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## AyalaCookiejar

People remove algae because it looks ugly, and it can harm live plants.


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## Viva

KCalNeon said:


> Hey everyone!
> 
> What's the difference between the nitrogen cycle and the aquarium cycle? Are they the same thing?
> 
> Do you have to clean and quarantine live plants before putting them into your tank? How do you clean/quarantine live plants?


I've never heard the term aquarium cycle but it probably means the same thing as the nitrogen cycle. Live plants can be dipped in a bleach/water solution (19 parts water, 1 part bleach) to kill any snails or other parasites/pests that maybe be on them. Dip them for no more than 1 minute then rinse them thoroughly in dechlorinated water. Personally I never do this and I never quarantine live plants, I just rinse them under tap water first.



Plshelpnewfishy said:


> My beta seems to have "swelling" around his Gil's for lack of a better a term what could be the cause of this?


Swollen gills can be caused by high ammonia in the water which means you need to do a water change and do them more frequently. If ammonia burns a betta for too long he will get inflamed gills and many other illnesses as his immune system will start to weaken.



Graceful said:


> Quick question: the nitrates in my tank are at 20 ppm. I also just learned that the lights in my tank are 15 watt incandescent, and that I need fluorescent. Could this be causing my plants to suffer, and therefore be causing the nitrates to not be absorbed properly?
> 
> Is the solution to my high nitrates a simple change in lighting, along with continuing regular water changes?


Nitrates must be removed with water changes. Some plants suck up nitrates so you don't need to do AS MANY water changes but still check your nitrates if you're not sure if a water change is needed yet. Anything under 40ppm nitrates isn't much of a concern, though.


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## Bettabreeder68

Hi is it bad If you introduce 2 males to 1 female before she's spawned?


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## Taboo

would epsom salts kill plants and scaleless fish?


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## Hallyx

Epson salt is actually good for plants. I don't think it harms scaleless fish (what do you have?) But it's still not something to use routinely. Even as treatment for digestive problems, use sparingly. Any salt in a freshwater tank is only for treatment or emergencies.


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