# New Tank, Bad Rock Color? :(



## kazuzoo (Apr 4, 2010)

Problem: My fish doesn't seem well after I moved it to a new tank. I'm afraid it's because of the rocks(it's bright yellow and I didn't buy it from a pet store)or the water quality. What it does differently is that it bangs around the tank every now and then.. and I gave him couple of dry worms (Which I've been feeding ever since November) and it would only eat half of it.. really slowly too. It usually eats everything in a minute but this time it took almost 15 minutes

What I've done so far... 
So my friends gave me a betta fish on my 19th birthday back in November. I Kept it in a small plastic container (the ones you get from the pet store) and then that broke around March so then I changed it to a 3L water bottle. Back in December I got the fish some neon colored ( a mixture of bright yellow, pink, green, orange and blue) gravel and a plastic plant from a pet store near my dorm. And then yesterday I went to a furniture/interior store and found this bowl(it's supposed to be used for candles) and some yellow marbles or something. Usually I use tap water and mix that with some neutral regulator. However I ran out of the powder so I used fiji water instead. I've used fiji water before and it didn't affect my fish so I figured it wont be bad. I set up the tank last night and let it sit overnight so that the temperature can goto room temperature. I then placed the fish in the bowl but initially it hit itself against the bowl and then just laid sideways on the rocks. Now it just swims around with it's head almost touching the surface. 

I never had a betta fish before and so I don't know what to do. Should I put it back in the bottle? Is it the bright yellow rocks that's disturbing the fish. Please help!


----------



## Brains (Apr 2, 2010)

I am still pretty new to bettas, but I have been doing a lot of research on them. First off with a bowl you should be doing massive water changes everyday, I think you should be changing 100% of the water every day. You don't really need to get rid of the gravel, but I would because it'll make it easier to clean the bowl and give your betta more room. You need to get a dechlorinator and use it to treat your tap water. Bottled water isn't good because it lacks vitamins......I think, I don't really know but I am sure someone else could tell you why. You really need to save up at get a proper tank of at least 2.5 gallons, 5 gallons would be perfect. You also need a heater and a thermometer, and keep the temp around 76-82F. There's lots of other things to learn about later, but for now you need to get your betta living in the proper conditions.


----------



## BettaxFishxCrazy (Sep 5, 2009)

Yeah that bowl is way too small for him. We recommend 2Gs or more. They also need warm climates in the range of 76* to 80* F so you need a heater. Whenever you get new gravel or plants you have to thoroughly wash them. Do you have water conditioner? I saw that you mentioned powdery stuff. I've never used powdery water conditioner. I use API and a lot of people use Prime. Both are great.


----------



## herbwin (Dec 28, 2009)

The color of the rocks is not a factor to worry about, but non-aquarium intended items can contain dangerous metals or minerals. You could remove them for a while and see if that helps, the fish doesn't need them, they are for you.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Neelie (Feb 18, 2010)

those stones are ****.... take em out, change water. 
looks to me they're turning the water yellow too... dont
forget to use water conditioner.
also, as the others said, bowl too small and in need of a heater.


----------



## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

*Please *read the Betta Care section of this forum. You really need to get him a proper setup if you want to keep him healthy.

The fact that he was in the "death cup" that you bought him in for 4 months probably didn't do him any good either. 

We'll try to help as much as possible.


----------



## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

You really shouldnt be worried about not having enough money to buy a proper set up for the fish. I bought 2 bettas and 2 COMPLETE tank set ups and spent 50 bucks. They sell 2.5-3 gallon tanks at walmart for anywhere between 15-20 bucks! Comes with a filter and sample food, and water conditioner!! At the most that would be better then the bowl. The fish's fins dont look good at all, and its honestly probably cause he's cold, and has no room to swim around. NIX the bottled water. Use tap


----------



## fishmadcraig (Dec 17, 2009)

So, you keep a living animal in a tiny pot and then bottle? which i assume like most bottles is higher than it is longer, when these fish need surface area to be able to breath properly, 3 liters of water is a long trip to the top. 

No animal will ever thrive in those conditions


----------



## Starbright (Apr 26, 2009)

I agree with everyone above. Scrap the water bottle and candle holder and get a proper tank set up. You'll see the change in your betta almost instantly! If you browse around this website (preferably the stickies) you'll have more than enough info on how to keep your betta happy and prosperous 

By the way... I absolutely adore your betta's rich color! I want to find one of those in yellow ^^


----------



## kazuzoo (Apr 4, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I know it seems like I don't care for this fish, but I do try my best. I live in a college dorm, and you're not allowed to have a pet (don't ask me why I received a fish for my birthday, I still wonder why) and the only reason I put him in a small bowl is because if my RA finds out she'll flush him down the toilet. I accidently posted this thread twice and on the other post I wrote that I'll buy a bigger tank/heater/legit rocks etc once I move out of here (which will happen in a month) so I pray to god that my betta fish will pull through til then. Thanks again for your input, I greatly appreciate it!
And yes, I'll read the Betta Care section forum one more time. 
FYI- So far, as a solution for now, I took out all the rocks and replaced the water 100% with tap mixed with neutralizer. It honestly doesn't seem like it helped much.. but as soon as I have free time I plan to visit the local pet store and see if they have a okay-sized tank and better food. Apparently the dried worms are like candy and it wont give proper nutrients for the fish.


----------



## xxabc (Feb 1, 2010)

Don't forget, when you do the water changes for the time being, *make sure it's warm enough for him*. Don't give him cold water, that will never help. You may need to buy yourself a cheap $1 thermometer for this to help. Also, again, try to keep him warm. 

I don't know how colleges work, but is there someway you can hide him in a second? (get a cardboard box, cut the bottom, and throw it into the tank and just make it look like a box)? Or have a place where the RA won't check? And how often do they check as well, or is it sometimes super-random?


----------



## kazuzoo (Apr 4, 2010)

It's random checks, she just walks in whenever. If the betta fish has a box over it.. wont they need sunlight?


----------



## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

kazuzoo said:


> It's random checks, she just walks in whenever. If the betta fish has a box over it.. wont they need sunlight?



Nope, keeping a betta in direct sunlight is a No No. If you have a desk lamp, that'll be fine on a schedule. Most bettas 'de-stress" in a dark place, so it will probably be very good for him.


----------



## phisch (Jun 21, 2012)

I hope your fish is better. I wanted to mention about the brightly colored gravel. My fish is in natural gravel with neutral tones, has a live peace lily (green) and a plastic betta hammock (green). He loves the hammock and also the thermometer that is on the side as he can perch on both. I thought his landscape was bland so I tried to introduce a plastic plant that has bright colors especially yellow with some accents of green, purple and orange on it. I placed it to the side of the tank (outside) and he was very stressed - swam away and was clearly agitated all afternoon. I removed the plant and he was immediately fine. I have never seen him behave that way before. I have put it away and am settling for the drab interior he loves.


----------



## Blue Fish (Jun 11, 2012)

I know this post is old, but I wanted to second Phisch on their experience with bright colors. Mine have never cared, but I had a friend who had a betta in a small tank at work on her desk, and he'd "fight" with any red or royal blue object put near his tank. Even red pens, if Beth was writing with one and he could see it, he'd fight with it the entire time she used it.


----------

