# Fishy is sick and I don't know what's wrong! Help!



## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

I bought a blue crowntail betta (male) a few weeks ago and he was happy and healthy up until about 4 days ago. Except he still doesn't like his name, Fishy. Not that I blame him... 

He's been *hanging around the bottom* of his tank more than usual, it looks like someone wrapped a teeny bit of *cotton around the bottom of two of his caudal fin bits, and one of his pelvic fins* (which are and have always been red). I also *haven't seen him poop in a while* (though he may have sneakily done so while I was out). He's still blowing bits of bubble nests, eating, flaring when a mirror is near him, and swimming actively. I came home today and noticed his belly was more bloated than usual, and am worried. 


Two days ago *I put a bit of epsom salts in his tank* to see if I could get him to poop, but to no avail (like I said, unless he's done it while I've been out, though I don't see any on the bottom of his tank). I cleaned his tank two days ago and will be cleaning it again tonight or tomorrow. I also ordered some* Jungle Fungus Clear tabs and put a teeny bit in today* in the event the bit on the ends of his fins is a fungus (I put in the correct amount for the amount of water he's got). 

*He is in a half gallon tank*... I know I know super tiny. This is what I bought for him at the pet store before I knew anything about betta fish. I have a 2.65 gallon tank with a filter in the mail which should be arriving tomorrow... I feel so bad for him in the little tank. 
*There is no filter*, but I do a *100% water change every 4-6 days* usually (again, this is because I didn't know much about betta fish) and use filtered water as well as a water conditioner (Which I can't remember the name of right now). And the *water temp is usually around 78 degrees*. 
*He's got a live plant* in there with him and a little buddha statue (so he can meditate of course). 
I usually *feed him a 2-6 freeze dried bloodworms a day*, but I've been fasting him for the past three days and then fed him a few today which he ate as if he'd never seen food before. 

I'm worried because of the bloated belly and that the epsom salts have done nothing that he may have dropsy. 

I'm not sure what to do now, but I have plenty of Jungle Fungus Clear, Aquarium Products Quick-Cure Aquarium Treatment, Epsom salts, sea salt, and Aquarium Pharmaceuticals 93B Bettafix Remedy is en-route with his new tank. I've also read a bit about giving them small bits of pealed fresh or frozen (thawed) peas, so I'll be grabbing some in a bit for him in anticipation for a response. 

Any help would be much appreciated! 

When I first got him: 









Bloated belly today:









I got him mid-flare so you could see the two finbits with cottonlike stuff, on the bottom towards the back:









Another bloated belly picture:









Thanks to everyone who replies! It means a lot to me.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Handsome boy you got there.. and welcome to the forums. At least you're trying and learning 

Okay, first thing lets get the bloating under control so it doesn't turn into SBD.

Freeze dried any food has a high potential to bloat fish- as they expand in their bellies once filled with liquid. Why it is usually recommended to be used as treats, and only a couple at a time when feeding as a treat/meal replacement.
Pellets are the idea staple- the common ones you will want to feed 4-6 total a day, spread between 2+ meals a day. Unless they say "mini", in the "mini" case you will want to feed 6-10 a day, spread between 2+ feedings a day. One day a week fasting won't harm him and can help his system catch up, as their stomachs are about the size of their eyes.

So for his bloating, you were correct with Epsom, just didn't do the correct treatment. You fasted him, so feed him very little- I would avoid the FD food if possible. If not, then you will want to feed 1-2 per meal, and make sure you presoak them in a bit of tank water before feeding them. Presoak them for a few minutes before you feed them at any time.

Go ahead and do 2 teaspoon per gallon of Epsom Salt (Since he is in half you can divide it in half to be 1 teaspoon). If you have an empty 1 gallon water jug you can premix the salt in there to make water changes easier. Make sure to dissolve the salt prior to adding your boy in it. Make sure to use your water conditioner as well. 
You will want to do daily 100% water changes until 2-3 days past the last time you see him bloating.
Keep the tank warm- they require 76-82*F. I would also keep him in his half gallon during treatment to make the 100% daily water changes easier- keep it bare bottom to watch his outtake. It will probably take close to a week or a little more.

After he is done in his QT and not bloated you will need to check his fins. It sounds as if he has the fungus type of fin rot- which happens in unfavorable water conditions when they have a rip or a tear in their fins. In a half gallon you would of wanted to do 100% every 2-3 days at the most. But the daily 100% water changes during his bloating treatment may clear up the rot. If not, we can do an AQ Salt treatment. But we'll figure that out once the bloating is gone, since we can't mix both medications together, we will do the most damaging one first. - But in all honesty, it doesn't look like he really has it, if anything it's very mild so just the clean water during treatment may be enough.

The pea method, some use it for their bettas, but they are generally for use for goldfish who are constipated. Bettas are insectivores, and have trouble digesting plant material. Basically what the pea will do is become a lump in his belly, and as his body is trying to remove it since it can't digest it, one hopes it pushes out anything else in his system. It's not the healthiest, or best to use. The Epsom Salt used daily with the water changes should be enough. Bettas don't poop a whole lot, sometimes it takes days.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

Also would like to add- get a refund on bettafix- as it is a watered down melafix which has a high potential risk to damage their labyrinth organ. They sell it, but it really isn't wise to use- as there are a lot of other, safe conservative treatments and medicines out there.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Thank you so much for all of your help! And thank you, I think he's beautiful! I'll clean his tank right now and remove the rocks, add a teaspoon of epsom salts, and the water conditioner. I'll probably be running down to Petco this weekend to get some new rocks for the new tank, and I'll pick up some pellets while I'm there. You mentioned AQ salt, should I pick a bit of that up while I'm there as well? I only have sea salt and epsom salt right now. 

I was looking at heaters for the new tank as well since it's difficult to regulate the room temperature in my apartment and I know that affects the tank temperature. Is there any particular heater you would recommend for the new 2.65 gallon tank?

Also, what medication would you recommend instead of the BettaFix? I'd rather be armed with whatever medications he could ever possibly need instead of waiting on them to be delivered and risking his poor little life should he ever get sick again.

Basically, what all do I need to get in addition to what I've already got to make sure Fishy's happy and healthy? It's so difficult trying to find accurate information as there are so many sources! 

One last question, I've been trying to see what other fish/creatures might be good to either have in a tank near him or in his tank. I know sometimes betta fish get depressed, and as I'm in classes or at work most of the day, I don't want him getting all sad while I'm gone. I've read tons of different sites about what tankmates would be best and whatnot. I know his new tank is also somewhat small, but is there a friend I could put in there with him that wouldn't nip his fins and that he wouldn't try and eat? Or would it be best to buy a friend to put in the tank he's in now once he's better and in his new tank so they can stare at each other and make faces from afar?

Again, thank you so much for the information and quick reply!

(Also, I love your avatar, it's adorable!)


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

coldpizzaonmondays said:


> Thank you so much for all of your help! And thank you, I think he's beautiful! I'll clean his tank right now and remove the rocks, add a teaspoon of epsom salts, and the water conditioner. I'll probably be running down to Petco this weekend to get some new rocks for the new tank, and I'll pick up some pellets while I'm there. You mentioned AQ salt, should I pick a bit of that up while I'm there as well? I only have sea salt and epsom salt right now.
> If you have it on order already, then I would just wait for that. Otherwise if you don't have it by then and he isn't bloated up anymore, you can.. but post a picture here first to see how his fins are doing. If they are cleared up, then he won't have to go through that treatment.
> 
> I was looking at heaters for the new tank as well since it's difficult to regulate the room temperature in my apartment and I know that affects the tank temperature. Is there any particular heater you would recommend for the new 2.65 gallon tank?
> ...


lol thanks! I know it's not fish related, but who could pass up a rat with a teddy bear?


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Excellent, thanks so much! I'll keep posting updates and photos as needed on here until he's back to happy healthy Fishy.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Hehe we're rooting for Fishy!
And don't worry about the name.. I have one named No Name!


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Wow! I put him in about an hour ago to a clean lightly salted bowl with only the three little plants in it (I thought he'd like a place to hide) and he's already looking better! He's swimming around like crazy and he doesn't look painfully bloated anymore. Still bloated, and still no poo, but he's looking better. The fungus is gone from his fins too! Don't know if that's from the fungus tab from earlier, the clean water, or the salt... but it's gone! 

I'll keep you updated as he improves.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Good! Just keep an eye on it, but with the daily water changes you'll be doing, you shouldn't see it return. 

But if you do, don't get discouraged- it would most likely be a very slight case of it and that would be quickly taken care of.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

Something that might help if he is a bit bloated/constipated.
Use a mirror for a few minutes and get him to flare. This will sometimes make them poo. I don't know if you give him much flaring exercise, but it might just help him along a bit.
Myates has given you some good advice otherwise.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Haha, I'll give that a try tomorrow morning. I'm sure I've shaken him up enough as it is tonight what with the cleaning and salt. I do give him about 10-20 minutes of flaring exercise a day. He didn't used to respond to the mirror but after a few tries he started going crazy! It hasn't made him do anything besides get all macho yet, but maybe it'll work after he's been hangin' out in some epsom for a night. 

I'll let you know how it works tomorrow, thanks for the advice!


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Another thing I noticed after I removed the rocks and placed him into the clean tank with salt is that he doesn't so much hang out at the bottom, he looks like a dog sniffing for something (specifically, when my parents dog finds a bug, he does this almost like he's about to snort it up he gets so excited), kind of runs his nose along the bottom swimming around. Sometimes he falls asleep for a bit while he's down there. Not sure if either of you knows what this means or if it's significant at all, but I thought I'd at least mention it.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Nope, just scrounging around for any food that may have fallen. They are very curious and don't shy away from much  He is just tired from all the excitement of treatment so he is like a little kid.. play play.. Zzzzz... oh wait, I was doing something.. play play Zzzz... huh? Oh.. play.. Zzzz. It's perfectly normal  As long as he can't get stuck between/under and of the rocks, then it's safe and normal.

I forgot about the flaring.. I don't remember it as mine flare a lot during the day because of females between males, and I never see them poo.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Also wondering if it's possible he may have velvet, as he does look rather goldish when I shine a light on him, you can kind of see it in a couple of the photos that I used flash on. Thoughts?


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Clamped Fins, no appetite, darting/rubbing, loss of color, lethargic are the symptoms you will be looking for when it comes to velvet. A lot of the times you will see other colors on them when you shine a bright light, or use a flash on a camera. None of my fish look the same when I do that versus how they look under regular lights. If he isn't showing any of the other symptoms, then I wouldn't worry too much about velvet.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

The flaring doesn't always work, but it's worth a shot. I have a boy who would only go if I did a WC with warmer water. The little bug.
Frozen brine shrimp or daphnia can help them go, think of it as the betta friendly laxative that they will love.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Myates- Hmm... he does dart around a lot... and that seems to be only somewhat recent...

Silverfang- A WC? I'm not sure what that means... unless you mean a bathroom... and then I'm really confused. I've read about daphnia... if he hasn't gone by this weekend when I go to Petco, I'll see if they either have any daphnia or frozen brine shrimp, or can suggest a place I could go to to find some.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

by WC I mean water change. You're more likely to find frozen brine shrimp. They come in sheets or cubes, if you can, I find sheets easier to break a small bit off. Of course when I feed I'm feeding a dozen hungry mouths.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Ohhhhh right, that makes an awful lot more sense. I'll see what I can find while I'm there! Looks like Fishy gets his own shopping list this week.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

If you can, get a picture of him with the flash on, and one with the flashlight shining on him and upload it. I'll look for it tomorrow. If he has it, it will be easily recognizable and we can begin treatment on him.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

they are so easy to spoil, and spend a fortune on *wants to glare, but those cute puppy dog eyes melt the heart*


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Myates- Ooooh he is mad at me. I swear he was giving me a death glare for taking more pictures and shining more lights on him. He's actually started swimming away as quickly as possible when he sees my camera now. Poor baby. 

With flash (the brownish bit floating by him is the bottom of a plant, they don't seem to like to stay upright without being wedged between some rocks):









With flashlight:










Silverfang- Yeah they certainly don't tell you that at the pet store when you buy them... they also don't tell you anything else you would ever need to know about them aside from "Uh... throw him in some water... he needs that stuff."


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## twalker3 (Nov 9, 2011)

thanks for posting this. i hope this helps my Betta. he has the same problem.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

I was hunting through hundreds of forums trying to find a solution, and then I realized... oh... duh, it'd probably be smarter to describe everything and post pictures of my own fish and see if anyone can help. I hope your fish gets better soon too! I'll keep posting anything that happens and keep everyone updated, so you'll know if anything specifically works well or doesn't work. Good luck!


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Bad news everyone... the cottony fungus on his fins is back, and I tried to feed him one small freezedried bloodworm and he threw it up a few minutes later. Also tried getting him to flare with the mirror... flared as usual, but no poo. I'll be changing his water again tonight, should I put part of a fungus tab in along with the epsom salts this time? I think it was that that got rid of the fungus the first time, but I'm guessing it just didn't get rid of everything, so it came back.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Put a tiny amount of the fungus tab in, and as it was fizzing, a curious Fishy watched it, completely confused and then of course tried to eat it. I don't know if he actually got any of it... but I hope it doesn't hurt him, though I don't imagine it would... also before I got a chance to fish out the worm he burped up he ate it again... Lesigh...


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## sjones (Apr 28, 2010)

I didn't read through all this but in a 1/2 gallon you should be doing 100% water changes EVERY day, 4-6 days is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy to long

good luck


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

I know that now. I was going off of the information they gave me at the petstore as I knew NOTHING about betta fish. This is why I now have a 2.65 gallon tank that should be arriving today with a filter. I only wish that the people at the petstore would have been more knowledgeable. I had only had mollies and goldfish before when I was younger and they were in a tank my parents bought me as a birthday gift or something which had a filter, so I really knew nothing.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Oh just tell him to hush and that it was me who made you do it  I'll take the dirty looks, I've learned to give the dirty look right back! I have one who has an attitude hehe..

Good news is.. he doesn't have velvet  There is no sign, no grains on him that I can see.
Yes.. start the fungus meds on him again, follow directions on package carefully and to the T. It started to clear but since we removed it came back. Was hoping the clean water would do the trick, I don't like using meds >.< 

His bloating has gone down, which is good. I would give him another day or two in the Epsom to make sure it completely goes away.

Don't worry about the food if he doesn't eat- he won't starve. He is probably just a little stressed over all the fuss going on with his treatment. He probably tried to eat it too fast and went down the wrong "tube", or it was a little too big so he bit off part of it and spit the rest out to swallow what he had in his mouth. They are weird.



sjones said:


> I didn't read through all this but in a 1/2 gallon you should be doing 100% water changes EVERY day, 4-6 days is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy to long


Luckily he's in a larger tank now  
Even with a half gallon, 100% daily water changes can be too much. 100% every 2-3 days is fine, or could go 50% every other day.
That is another reason why you take anything a pet store employee says about a betta with a grain of salt, if even that.. normally they give you info just enough to keep them alive for a bit.. and that is if you're lucky.
(And that doesn't go for all employees, there are some great ones, like some members of the forum  )


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

I left him in the tank with a bit of the fungus tab (I say a bit because the whole tab is for 10 gallons so by the time I broke it down into pieces for 2.5 gallon it would've been in possible to break those pieces in half any longer, so I just snapped off a little piece and threw it in... roughly enough for a .5gal tank), after I'm finished my night class tonight I'll be heading back and changing his water again, cleaning the tank, and adding conditioned and salted water back in. I'll see if he's able to keep down another li'l worm again, and take some photos to upload to see how he's doing. 
I think he was just too excited about the food that he ate it too quickly and then realized it was a bad idea... and then regretted it and decided he wanted to it eat it anyway. Crazy fish...

And I just got a text from Amazon saying his new tank was delivered! Hurrah! So I'll set that up tonight as well so he can ooh and ah from his little hospital tank at his new home while it settles and filters and all that fun stuff.  

If the same girl who helped me pick him and all of his stuff out is at Petco when I go this weekend, I'll have to fill her in on the things I learned so hopefully she can more aptly help any other future betta owners.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

hehe it sounds like he is doing good, yay! And yay on the new tank arrival! 
I have a girl that half the time when she sees my hand opening the lid to feed her, she jumps out of the water and clear across to the other side. Before I even have a piece of food in my hand.. wanna talk about excited over food.. sheesh. 

Good luck with the employee, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But see, I don't mind stepping on their toes whenever I see someone being given wrong info on bettas.. did it about a month ago with someone and their goldfish. All you can do is just hope that eventually the owner (like you) will read up and realize they can make a few changes, and care enough to actually make those changes. 
I don't mind when people are misinformed on the care of these guys as much- it's the ones who refuse to do the minimum of care after learning the proper way that gets under my skin. 
Heck, my very first betta years ago, before the age of internet, was just in a bowl. I don't remember how I learned to take care of fish back then actually.. I just remember checking out a lot of fish books hehe.
Once we get that rot in check, he'll be a happy, healthy guy and be your dancing buddy for years


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

I am heartbroken... I think he's blind. He didn't respond to his food until he swam into it, he keeps swimming into the sides of the tank, he didn't respond to my finger in the water, or me being near the tank.... what did I do wrong? What do I do now? I don't know how to deal with this... I thought he was getting better. 

And he looks more sick. And there's still fungus on him... and now he's blind... I don't know what to do.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

He did poo though. A huge poo. About half the size of his little stomach. I'm hoping the blindness is just temporary and he'll be better after being in just the salted tank. I don't know what to do anymore. 

And I didn't get a chance to grab the tank, as the office closed before I got home and they keep all packages in the office if you aren't in your apartment when they're delivered. I guess I'll be setting it up this weekend...lesigh. 

I feel like such a terrible betta mom...


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Crisis averted... I think. He flared with the mirror in front of him, so I guess he's not completely blind... maybe it was only temporary. I don't see the fungus now that he's in the clean tank, but it may just be the lighting. I don't know... this is all so confusing. I feel so bad for the little guy.
Also, do you think he would more enjoy a female betta to look at, another male betta to look at, or a completely different fish all together? Or snails? Or....?


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

coldpizzaonmondays said:


> And he looks more sick. And there's still fungus on him... and now he's blind... I don't know what to do.


I don't recall (sorry, so many posts on this section of the forums, I can easily get confused of who has what), but did he have a problem with popeye or was it just bloating and rot?
The fungus won't always clear over night, sometimes it takes days. So don't get too worried over it. Rot happens all the time and clears up. Are his fins getting shorter any at all? Or is it just the cottony fuzz on the ends?



coldpizzaonmondays said:


> He did poo though. A huge poo. About half the size of his little stomach. I'm hoping the blindness is just temporary and he'll be better after being in just the salted tank. I don't know what to do anymore.
> 
> And I didn't get a chance to grab the tank, as the office closed before I got home and they keep all packages in the office if you aren't in your apartment when they're delivered. I guess I'll be setting it up this weekend...lesigh.
> 
> I feel like such a terrible betta mom...


You're not a terrible mom, if you were, you wouldn't be doing all you are doing now, would ya? 
It's a good sign he went poo.. Tomorrow I would go ahead and remove him from the Epsom Salt treatment, and you can start feeding him regularly, but still only half of what you would normally feed. 1-2 bloodworms per meal (I believe that is what you are feeding him?) until you know he isn't going to bloat back up right away.. a few days or so would be fine.



coldpizzaonmondays said:


> Crisis averted... I think. He flared with the mirror in front of him, so I guess he's not completely blind... maybe it was only temporary. I don't see the fungus now that he's in the clean tank, but it may just be the lighting. I don't know... this is all so confusing. I feel so bad for the little guy.
> Also, do you think he would more enjoy a female betta to look at, another male betta to look at, or a completely different fish all together? Or snails? Or....?


He may have poor eye sight, they can be blind on their own, sadly. But he may of been tired, uninterested, etc before when you thought he was blind. So don't worry too much about it. Unless his eyes get cloudy and/or they get huge, you don't have to worry.
Continue the medicine for fungus for as long as the box says. What brand is it so I can look it up? But stopping the medication for the rot right now will most likely cause a return of it, like last time.
Once I see the type of fungus meds he's on, we can then decide if we want to continue them, or go onto something like AQ salt.

I know it's confusing.. you go into keeping them thinking it is easy and cheap.. then you fall in love with them.. then you realize they do require more then what we thought. But you are doing fine.. he is going to be fine.

Either a female or a male would be fine. You pick one out for yourself, one you like and fall in love with- he'll just appreciate the company 

Is there any other things going on with him now? Is he clamping his fins, holding them close to his body? Does he tilt sideways any? Are any scales raising? Does he have any cottony like growths anywhere else on his body?
Just wanting to cover all bases here.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

He's got a bit of rot and bloat, though the bloat seems to be under control now. Rot seems to be as well, but he's still spending an awful lot of time on the bottom of the tank. His fins don't seem to be getting shorter, just the fuzzy bits that showed back up yesterday, and then disappeared after I put him in fresh water after the fungus tab.

I put a smaller piece of the fungus tab in than yesterday and left him there for today. I'm going to try and set up his new tank (I managed to snag it from the office this morning before I left) tonight so it can settle a filter through for a day or so before I introduce him to his new home. 

The fungus tabs are by Jungle, one tab is for a 10 gal tank so I've broken it down into pieces for a 2.5 gallon tank and then taken a teeny piece off of one of those to throw in his little .5 gallon hospital tank. 

He looks pretty much fine otherwise... mostly back to normal, just a bit shaken up from all of the changes.

I have a couple of new questions though: The tank I bought (This one, because it was cheap, big, and came with a filter:http://www.amazon.com/Hagen-Marina-Aqua-Alien-Goldfish/dp/B001B5CQ82) came with gravel... I'm not sure I want to use it if for no other reason, because it's been painted and I don't know what with. I want to just get some more rocks or pebbles to put into his new tank, do you recommend big rocks or natural gravel/pebbles? 
Also, since the new tank is so much bigger there'll be much more room for plants, is there any specific taller plant you recommend getting?

I'll be going to Petco probably tomorrow or Saturday evening to pick up a small heater if I can find one, some new gravel/rocks for the new tank, new plants for the new tank, betta pellets, and I guess some daphnia depending on how expensive that'd be. And possibly a new friend, I think I may get a female to go in the smaller tank... or if I can find a cheap new tank.... we'll see.... the second fish is a maybe still depending on costs. 

I'll try and post some new photos of him either tonight or tomorrow.

And thank you so much for all of your help so far, it means a lot to me... and Fishy.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

You're welcome 

So the fins still look good? What is the exact name of the medicine, as Jungle has a couple different fungus tabs out there- one isn't for this type of fungus. Is it the Jungle Fungus Clear Tank Buddies? (I want to make sure that the one you are using will work the best so we can get him healthy and in his new home asap.)

Cute tank. You can soak the gravel in some water for a few days if you wish, as a lot of time the colored gravel leeches color into the water. Most pet stores and chains, even Walmart, will carry the larger polished rocks for tanks. Just make sure that when you place them, that you don't leave large gaps as sometimes these guys can get overly curious and get in between them. Don't need him drowning heh. If you go for real rocks, river rocks are good.. just any rock you find make sure there hasn't been any pesticide sprayed on them and let them soak for a few days.

This place is pretty cheap for plants- the plastic even cheaper just make sure not to get any sharp or with points to snag his fins. But otherwise you will be looking for the silk ones (the ones that look/feel like cloth) for the most part. If you can find a small cave that will fit the dimensions of the tank then snag it, he will thank you for it. Most males love caves. I have a couple that would be very upset if they lost their caves hehe.

The daphnia isn't a must, especially if you are tight on budget. He's doing fine now with the bloating. Now, they do great with frozen foods- don't get me wrong, but it's not a must right now. Also would recommend holding off on his friend right now, as he is still going to need treatment for his rot for a few more days, and with daily 100% water changes, would be wise to keep him in his half gallon for now. Also just in case we have to go a different route for the fungus. We want to make sure it is completely gone before taking away his hospital tank


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Oy, sorry it took so long to respond, the site kept deciding to log me out after I wrote my response so I just gave up for a while as I had written it about 5 times already. 

Annnnyway, his fins look great! I think we fixed him haha. He even blew a bubblenest this morning, and has been very energetic. He's still sleeping on the bottom of the tank, but I'm thinking that may be because without the rocks in the tank, the plants float sideways so there isn't really a bed for him. Or maybe he just likes the bottom of the tank better... who knows. 
And yes, this is the fungus tab stuff I bought: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002561WY/ref=oh_o00_s01_i00_details
I put a teeny bit in (smaller than last time) after I cleaned the tank last night, and I think he should be fine if I don't put any in after tonight... hopefully. Should I put him in the new tank after I put in the rocks and plants I buy today? It's been filtering for two days, so I think it should be safe now... and of course... I put the right amount of the water conditioner. 

I think I'm just going to get another pack or two of the rocks I had in his little tank, because they're big and pretty and easy to clean. I think I'm also just going to see what Petco has in the way of live plants, as I'd rather get those. Hopefully I can find a decently priced cave for him. What do you think about the Zoo Med Floating Betta logs? I've read a few mixed reviews on them... 

I'll see how much everything is, if it comes out to be not too expensive I may buy him some daphnia as a treat.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Glad to hear he is doing better! As long as you followed the recommended time to use it, then it should be fine. I just want to make sure it is completely gone this time lol- guy wants to check out his new home! Just keep up with the water changes at first to make sure the rot stays away. And I didn't hear anything about his bloating, so assuming it's taken care of too  Also great news!

A lot of people here use the betta logs- I almost bought one once. I don't know the negatives that you have heard about them, so I can't say one way or the other, just that no one here that I am aware of has had issues with them.

Live plants I would go something simple and easy that doesn't need the substrate and high lighting.. Java ferns, Java moss, anubias are good ones. They don't need lots of light, or a filter even. You may have to weigh them down or rubber band them to something to keep them anchored. You can also leave some floating on top if you wish with the log. Just as long as there is enough room for him to comfortably go up for air and food  The plants will help keep your water chemistry in check.

Good luck, and want to see pictures once you have him all set up!


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Yup! He no longer looks like he's expecting a food baby either.  

I saw a few reviews on amazon that there are occasionally sharp edges to them, or they disintegrate over time leaving sharp edges that tear the bettas poor fins. I guess I'll just have to try it out and keep an eye on it if I buy one. 

And I'll look for those! I had the plants in his little tank just between some of the rocks to hold them down... which is why they're floating now, because the rocks are now in the new tank, but I didn't want to leave him without a place to hide, so I kept the plants in. 

So should I put him in the new tank tonight, then? The filter and everything's set up, so how often should I do water changes with the new tank/how much? It says in the packet it came with to do 10-20% water changes every week, but I've learned not to take the instructions with fish stuff for granted. Especially since this one is sold as being for a goldfish (came with goldfish flakes too). 

I'll definitely be posting pictures of a happy healthy Fishy as soon as he's all set up in the new tank. 

A few more questions:
1. New tank didn't come with any lighting. Should I buy something or....?
2. I'll be going away for a few days soonish, is there anything I should do before I leave so he's not too lonely or anything while I'm gone?
3. I'll be moving out of my apartment at the end of the year, and Fishy will be going to my parents house while I'm living in Rome for the next semester. My parents house is about a 6 hour drive from my apartment. How do you recommend I transport him, get him ready for the trip, and get him reacclimated to his tank again once he's at my parents place?


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

Hello...!

If your tank didnt come with a light and you dont have any natural plants in there dont worry about it. I have plants in my tanks and just use light from the windows and lamps, but depending on the types of plants you have, you might need to find a tank hood with a light, yeah.
I'd just do a water change and dose his meds if hes still on them, make sure the heaters on. Is there a neighbor you trust to feed him? I am close with my neighbor and he feeds my betta while I'm gone 
I always just transport them in a small tupperware or something - Too big of a container and they will slosh around a lot and stress out. I'd put him in tupperware, and put that in a box that is snug to the tupperware, and put paper towels or shredded paper or something between him and the box, this will reduce bumpiness for him and keep him warmer.

When you get home, slowly reacclimate him like you do any other time. Since he will probably be in a dark place on the ride, when you get there I'd just let him get light after you open the box for 15 mins, set him on the table or something to get total light for a few more, then float him, then add water to his cup until he's acclimated and release him. Just make sure the new water's conditioned and heated as well before you let him out!  Good luck.

It's awesome you're trying to do the best for this fish and cold pizza is THE BEST.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

It's only a 2.65 gallon tank (Specifically, this one: http://www.racksandstands.com/Hagen-Marina-Aqua-Alien-Goldfish-Starter-Kit-12903-HGE1932.html), so I'm not sure what kind of lighting I'll be able to find, that's the problem. I haven't bought any plants for it yet since I just got it and have just been filtering the water and letting the water settle to room temperature for the past two days (which has kept his old tank always within a proper temperature range for him, so I'm not too worried about a heater yet, though I'm going to try to find one today when I go to Petco). 
How much of a water change should I be doing with a 2.65 gal tank with a filter, and how often, though? And should I be changing it more often since he's just finishing up treatment? 

And I'll only be gone for 6 days, so I'm not really worried about feeding him. I also don't have any neighbors I know, let alone trust. 

I was thinking about putting him back in the container I bought him in since the lid has an opening that air can get in, but neither water nor he can escape. So I guess I could put him in that and then surround it with towels in a box? 

Thanks for the help! And yeah... I wish I would've known more about taking care of him when I first bought him! I feel so bad about having kept him in a .5 gallon tank until now, but I didn't know he needed more since the employees at Petco told me I only need a tank that big. :/ And haha thank you, makes an excellent and super nutritious (har) breakfast, I think!


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

For that size, I would do about 50% water change per week, with regular siphoning- but with live plants, you may be able to get away with 30-40% per week. If you are getting the larger rocks, then you can use a turkey baster to remove any waste on the bottom regularly instead of siphoning.

Just do a water change the day before you leave, and don't feed him the day you leave. Remove any waste on the bottom the morning you leave.. that way he won't go to the bathroom hardly at all while you are gone, and the water will stay cleaner. Don't get the weekend feeder, as that will foul up your water terribly, not to mention a feast for him.. and you thought he was bloated before! lol Another thought.. you may want to hold off on more plants until you return, unsure how long they can go without lighting before they start to rot.

You can always try a desk lamp, with a lower watt bulb such as 30-40- it won't heat up the tank, but unsure if that is fine with the plants.

The cup should be fine, as long as he doesn't get too warm while you are transporting him- those cups can raise/drop in temp quickly. Depending on the weather outside, do the towels, or as mentioned by GreenTea, shredded paper and such. Add in a drop of stress coat when you put him in it, it helps soothe them if you have it. 

Well, at least now you know and are giving him the best treatment any betta could ask for  Can't blame you really, as unless someone does a lot of research prior, most will trust a pet store employee, or from all the myths they have heard over the years. A lot of us have fallen into that trap, only to learn later.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Went to Petco last night and bouggghhhttt: More rocks, plants, betta bulbs, frozen brine shrimp, pellet food, and a new net (the one I had was getting ripped so I bought him one of the mesh ones so it'd be nicer on his fins). I couldn't find any suitable caves there or anything he could hide in that wasn't painted plastic (which I was worried the paint bits would come off over time), sharp edged, or too big, so I went to Bed Bath and Beyond and found some discounted mugs and cups. I bought him a little sugar bowl to hide in... it's ceramic and microwave and dishwasher safe so I figured it'd be fine for his bowl. 
I set everything up in his tank after washing it all off and let it filter for the night while he stayed in the hospital tank watching, confused. 
I slowly introduced him to his new tank, and as soon as he was ready and swam out of the cup I had him sitting in, getting used to the water, he decided it was high time to relieve himself. What a little booger he is.
Anyway, I watched him for about a half hour and he started flaring for no reason... then I realized it was because one of the planets on the background I had stuck to the back of the tank was the exact same colour as he was... so he may have thought it was his reflection. I took the background off and he stopped... but every once in a while he keeps flaring. I'm guessing it's because he's confused and still feels a bit threatened in a new place. 
He's taken to eating the pellets pretty well so far, I wasn't sure how he'd like them since he was used to the freezedried bloodworms. 
The frozen brine shrimp were only $1.99 so I figured I may was well keep them in my freezer just in case, or if I want to give him a little treat. 
I put the gravel (which's been soaking and rinsed since I got it a few days ago) in the hospital tank with the betta bulbs... we'll see how they turn out... I may just leave them in the hospital tank after they sprout, depending on how they look. 

He still looks a bit bloated... not sure why... but he's been completely fine so far. I have the filter pointed towards the side of the tank right now, but is there any way to make the flow less rough? I have it turned down all the way but of course Fishy's still a bit afraid of it. I tried putting a plant in front of it, but the plant didn't seem to like it either, and it floated away.  

Here's the new tank! I put this nifty flashlight I have laying across it so you can see inside... may leave it there for a bit. The tank gets a decent amount of sunlight, but it was really bright out so I closed the shades a bit so the tank wouldn't warm up too much. 









Fishy!









Another of the tank:









He wanted to see what was going on:


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Oof, not sure why the last two are so huge... sorry about that!


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Dummy almost got his fins stuck in the bottom of the filter, luckily I caught him right as he swam under it and turned the filter off. Moved the small plants under it so the leaves are close enough that he can't swim under it anymore. I also poured some gravel in to fill in the spaces so he won't get stuck between the rocks, and so the plants won't try and float away anymore.


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

Nice looking tank and fish! Hey what kind of plants are those? Sometimes stores sell "semi aquatic" plants that can make the water toxic after awhile, I'm not sure if those are since I'm no plants expert but you can find out if you know the name


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Thank you.  

And I threw out the little tag that came with them or I'd know. :/ But they were in a tank completely submerged... Petco has a whole tank of just plants to buy. So I'm guessing they're probably fine. 


However, I've come across a new problem (oh goody), Fishy seems to be afraid of his filter even through I have it in the corner and blowing on the side, and have plant leaves covering the bottom so he can't get stuck in it. I say this because he hid in his little bowl for quite a while, but when I turned off the filter he finally came back out. Any suggestions for how to fix this? I'm going to keep the filter off while I go to bed so he can get some exercise and air for the night if he decides to , and I guess I'll turn it on while I'm getting ready tomorrow and then turn it off while I'm in classes all day so he's not scared shitless while I'm gone.

Another problem, he keeps flaring up randomly, I'm thinking it's because he can see his reflection somehow because of the shape of the tank maybe. Any suggestions on how to fix this? Or should I just let him keep flaring up all the time? I don't want him getting stressed out...


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Nevermind... he was flaring too much... and running into the sides of the tank all open mouthed and gills out so I turned the filter back on and he went into his bowl... I figure it's better for him to hang out in there than try and fight the side of the tank all night. Ughhhhh... help?!


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

No, let him flare. Flaring is fine. Filter stressing him is worse. Flaring ir pretty normal for them. It's possible something is the water is bothering him, potentially the plants, or he might be stressed and adjusting to the move. Him bumping into plastic wont hurt him. I'd turn off the light and leave the heater off. Search the forum for "baffle, filter" and there should be some methods that come up to quiet the flow and noise.

And the plants might not be fine just because they came from petco, petco is actually the worst at that really...all of their plants are labeled aquatic when some aren't aquatic at all and some are only semi-aquatic!


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

I'm just afraid he'll hurt himself. :/ There isn't any water flow except against the side of the tank, so I'm not sure why he's that freaked out. But I guess I'll turn the filter off again now and then just turn it on for a bit tomorrow while I get ready. I'm not really sure how I'd build a baffle for this one since it's a completely submersed filter. 
It's an Elite Mini Underwater Filter if that helps at all. 

And I rooted through my trash (eck) and found the tag... says "Aquatic Combo" "Dracaena, Spathiphyllum, Ophiopogon, Trichomanes, Syngonium" though... there were only three types of plants in the one I got... so.... hmm. Any ideas? If they aren't considered aquatic... should I just take them out? And what should I do for places for him to hide while I look for new plants?


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

Google those plants and find out what they're supposed to be in, and don't turn the filter back on, all the good bacteria on it will have died and be rotting, turning to ammonia, you'll flood the tank with ammonia if you leave it off for more than a few hours and then turn it back on. If the plants are aquatic try to return them. He'll be ok with the mug temporarily, you can add another mug or two or silk plants if you have them.

It doesn't look like theres anything for him to hurt himself on, no sharp edges or anything. If he's seeing his reflection, lowering or removing the lights will put a stop to it.


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

I googled them all, none are aquatic.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Evidently even though it says "Aquatic Combo" they're not aquatic. Crap. They weren't too expensive and I live a ways away from the Petco so I guess I'll just keep them in their own little cup o'water. Took them out and put them in their own water. Sigh. 
What should I look for to order for his tank plantwise? 

So turn off the filter and keep it off until I can figure out how to fix it so it doesn't freak him out? What should I do after I turn it off so it won't leech ammonia into the tank when I turn it back on? I've only had him and everything else in there for less than 24 hours.


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

You should rinse the filter media thoroughly and let it dry, add a little extra conditioner to the water when you turn it back on, if you turn it back on. How big is the tank? In my opinion in smaller tanks a filter is a huge hassle and it's just easier to go without.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

It's 2.65 gallons. I'd have to clean it way too often without the filter though...


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

No you wouldn't  You'd have to remove half the water once a week. Just get 50% of the water out and replace it. Then cup the fish, take him out, and dump out 100% of the water at the end of the week, just giving the whole tank a swish under hot water to get poop and food out. Fill it up again, add conditioner, add fish. Each water change takes about 5 minutes.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

So I'd have to do a 50% water change once a week and a 100% water change once a week?

I take at LEAST a half hour to do water changes to make sure everything's clean and mostly to make sure Fishy's reallly slowly adjusted to the water before I put him back in. It also takes forever to get hot water where I live, which is a problem. 

I can only imagine it'd take even longer with this large of a tank, and especially since I now have gravel and a bowl for him inside of the tank. 

Ughhh....


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

No, it really doesnt take that long and you dont need hot water really. Room temp will warm up quickly with the heater you have in there. Cup fish. Carry tank to sink, dump it out, swish water around with rocks inside after removing cup. Rinse cup with hot water. Refill and condition. You dont have to remove the gravel or clean the cup until it's shine-y and spotless, it's good to have some good bacteria in there. When you do the 50% change you don't need to remove or clean anything, just replace half the water. You could literally carry it to the sink, dump half, refill and add conditioner. 

Also, you dont have to acclimate him super slow each time once they are used to the water. You can just put the fish back in and they will be fine.

With a filter you'd still have to be doing a 50% change a week, including cleaning gravel and cup, so you're really only saving yourself one water change which is actually easier than the 50% change you're going to have to do anyway, and you're going to have the added hassle/expense of a filter.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

I don't have a heater either as I couldn't find one at the pet store that would be small enough for a 2.65gal.

Any suggestions on that one? I'm still somewhat new to all of this...


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

I made an edit above so make sure you check that out...for heaters in my small tanks, I got the one for 2 - 5 gallons, they have them at both petco and petsmart as well as online if you google heater for small aquarium or something. Check out their websites as well as amazon.

Both stores also sell thermometers so you can monitor the temperature of your tank and insure it's not too hot or cold. These are important as heaters sometimes do malfunction! I had a marina glass one explode on me about a week ago, luckily the tank was empty of fish..just had plants. It really scared me. They sell thermometers that stick to the side of the tank for like a dollar or two, although these have mixed reviews. They have always worked for me.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Looks like he's actually nottt afraid of the filter (this fish... oy), because I left it on last night (I was exhausted and fell asleep before I got a chance to turn it off) and he was swimming around his tank happy as ever this morning. So, I left it on for the day. Maybe he just really likes his new little bowl and was afraid of the plants? Either way... glad that bit's taken care of. 

Do you know of any online aquarium plant retailers? There aren't any fish stores around me that I can easily get to, so I figured I'd just order some ACTUAL aquatic plants online, but I searched a few (after doing some research to figure out which plants are best for a 2.5ish gal tank with a betta) on amazon and it looks like all they have is java moss and java ferns which have rather high shipping fees. I mean, if that's all I can find, I'll get that, but I'd like to have a look around at the other plants that were suggested. 

I've been hesitant on getting a heater just because all the reviews I've read on the ones I've found on amazon (because petco and petsmart's shipping rates are higher than amazon's) have been kind of bad. Many of them have said that the heaters either won't work, or work too well and make the tanks too hot. The only reason I haven't been worried about the temp. of his tank is because my room is kept at a consistently warm temperature. I have it turned all the way down in my room, but since the heat is always on in my building, it's somehow always warm in there, which keeps the tank warm... usually around 78-82 degrees (typically about 80), which from what I've read, is the ideal temp. range. 

Is there a particular brand/type of heater you recommend? Obviously not a Marina glass one, I don't want to be making sushi out of Fishy!


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Nice looking digs Fishy!

Nifty idea for the light- even though there is plenty of natural light, just make sure to be able to substitute it on those rainy days.

If he is getting sucked into the intake part, use the closed end/toe part of some panty hose to cover the intake section (tie down with a rubber band) so he won't be sucked up into it anymore if it's possible. You could also check to see if you are able to put in an aquarium sponge in the outtake part (even if you cut it up) to help if it is too strong. I wouldn't turn it on and off- as the good bacteria will end up dying and then be pushed out into the tank, which can be harmful/deadly. 

As far as the plants.. there are different species of dracaena- but dracaena sanderiana is a sub-species of it that is sold as aquatic, but for the most part, they truly shouldn't be.
Spathiphyllum is a peace lilly I believe, or the family of. Those are usually sold as aquatic plants, but in reality they aren't. Yes, the plants themselves need a lot of water to thrive- but normally in a pot, not submerged in a tank. Unfortunately since they can be under water for a bit, they sell them as if they are great. Now, if you had a terrarium (bottom half tank with fish/frogs, etc and top half plants out of the water), then you could do a peace lilly a little easier and just have the roots in the water. Even then it doesn't always work out.
Ophiopogon are generally fine, but generally only last a few months.
Trichomanes Javanicum - Aqua Fern is usually sold as well as aquatic, but it isn't a true one either..
(Grr unsure why pet stores such as Petco/Petsmart sells these. I mean, yeah, some *can* live under water for a few weeks, but half the time they don't live and end up rotting.)
Syngonium is it the star dust one? Still not one 

This list of Plants to Avoid (or to Buy with Eyes Wide Open- also this is just the common ones being sold, the list goes on, and this isn't exclusive):
_Aluminum Plant (Pilea cadierei)
Arrowhead (Syngonium podophyllum)
Bamboo Plant (Bamboo sp.)
Chameleon Plant (Houttuynia cordata)
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema simplex)
Club Moss (Lycopodium spp.)
Coconut Plant (Calamus spp.)
Dwarf Rush (Acorus pusillus)
Dragon Tongue (Hemigraphis repanda)
Dwarf Onion Plant (Zephyranthes candida)
Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia spp.)
Elephant Ear (Caladium spp.)
Green Sandy (Dracaena borquensis)
Hedge (Alternanthera sp.)
Japanese Rush (Acorus sp.)
Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonica)
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum tasson)
Pineapple Plant (Dracaena compacta)
Pongol Sword (Chlorophytum bichetii)
Pothos (Philodendron spp.)
Prayer Plant (Maranta leucoreura)
Princess Pine (Lycopodium obscurum)
Purple Waffle (Hemigraphis exotica)
Red Dracaena (Cordyline spp.)
Rush (Pontederia cordata)
Sandy (Dracaena sanderiana)
Scarlet Hygro (Alternanthera sessilis)
Silver Queen (Aglaonema sp.)
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum bichetii)
Stardust Ivy (Syngonium spp.)
Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus)
Ti Plant (Cordyline terminalis)
Underwater Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)_

Personally, I stick with Java ferns, Java moss, Naja grass, Anubias as they require little light, no filter, no substrate- and they are safe and very easy to care for.

Personally, I would return those plants.. but that is just me. You may be able to enjoy them for a few weeks if you don't think you can get your money back. Just wish they didn't sell those plants as aquatics.
Now I could be wrong- if you want I can ask one of the members here who only deals with live plants and is very knowledgeable.

The random flaring is him probably catching a glimpse of himself on the inside walls of the tank- which isn't a big deal as long as it's not stressing him out. Flaring won't harm him.

One more thing with the tank- or two rather.. 
Is there a heater?
Also, love the cave for him- I would just remove the sticker on the underside of it, as well as remove all the glue- eventually the paper will come off into the water, as well as the glue.

He is still bloated up some- how much have you been feeding him lately? Also keep an eye on the poop- if you see it coming out white let us know. Otherwise, for now, I would only feed him once a day until the bloating goes away.. he is still rather big.

But he is a handsome boy  My favorite boy is a blue on black, so I'm partial to them hehe!


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

coldpizzaonmondays said:


> Looks like he's actually nottt afraid of the filter (this fish... oy), because I left it on last night (I was exhausted and fell asleep before I got a chance to turn it off) and he was swimming around his tank happy as ever this morning. So, I left it on for the day. Maybe he just really likes his new little bowl and was afraid of the plants? Either way... glad that bit's taken care of.
> 
> Do you know of any online aquarium plant retailers? There aren't any fish stores around me that I can easily get to, so I figured I'd just order some ACTUAL aquatic plants online, but I searched a few (after doing some research to figure out which plants are best for a 2.5ish gal tank with a betta) on amazon and it looks like all they have is java moss and java ferns which have rather high shipping fees. I mean, if that's all I can find, I'll get that, but I'd like to have a look around at the other plants that were suggested.
> 
> ...


Elites I've heard good things about.. haven't heard anything negative about Marineland.. Tetra can be bad from some of the member's experiences with it. Anything you can't adjust is iffy- they either don't heat enough, or too much. I would try to find a 20-25 watt adjustable one as then you can control the temp. But if the temp stays around 80, then I wouldn't worry about it too much- just use a thermometer (inside of the tank variety, the sticky ones aren't always accurate) to monitor the temp.

If he seems to be swimming fine with the filter, then I wouldn't worry about it too much. 

I don't know any online dealer for plants, I'm sorry- again I can ask Oldfishlady, or you can send her a PM and ask about your plants.

*edit* you posted when I was in the middle of my post and taking the pup out- lol so ignore my question about the heater in my previous post.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

I did some reading last night on the filter and suggestions on how to keep the flow down, I'm going to see if I can rinse all of the possible soap and chemicals out of a pair of stockings and put them on both the intake and the outflow spots to lessen the flow. 
And about the lighting, thanks! It was $15 to get a little clip on LED one for the tank at Petco, which was way too much in my opinion... so I got creative. 

I'll shoot her a message, thanks! 

And I'd return the plants but I live a half hour bus ride and half hour walk from Petco, so it's really not worth it. I'll just keep them in their own cup o' water and enjoy them while they last. 

He wasn't flaring this morning, so I'm not sure what was going on, I'll keep an eye on him though. 

Actually the bottom of the cup is a ceramic glaze saying where it was made and all that, not a sticker! Haha... so no worries there. 

Since I bought the little pellets I've been feeding him about 3 to 6 total a day. And I was looking at photos from when I first got him, he's always been a bit bloaty...er than other fish. Hmm... 

And thank you! I think so too. 


I've been using a glass thermometer I used to use for the darkroom (for water only... no chemicals) to get the temperature... it just floats around in the tank for a few minutes and then I take it out after I get a reading. I'll see if I can find one that can stay in the tank though, and maybe get a heater as well just in case I do need to use it... if I can find one for not too much money. 

And I'll shoot her a message, thank you!


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Hmm is right on the bloating. Did he "fatten" back up after you started feeding him after his last fasting? If so, wonder if we have a hidden case of pests in him. Otherwise, for now, just keep him at around 4 a day, 2 per meal, see if he can lose some more of the belly.
They don't get "fat" like us, but doesn't mean some won't be a little bigger then others. In fact, my blue on black like that has a belly almost that size, regardless how many meals he misses, etc. Guess we have some pot-bellied bettas hehehe


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

I mean he never really went lean per say... only not bloated anymore... if that makes sense. 

But I'll keep him on the restricted diet. 

Annnnd of course... we have another problem. I think he's got a fungus again, or something. He's got a little white cottony dot by his eyeball, and one under his chin. And there's one on one of the betta bulbs. They're all itty bitty, as in too small for my camera to pick up clearly. Just looks like a little spot of cotton about the size of a pen tip. Should I try the fungus tab again? Take the carbon filter out and throw in the amount for a 2.5 gal?

I can't win.... ugh. 

And with him constantly having something wrong with him, I'm worried about what'll happen while I'm gone next week...


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Grr.. now, is it like a thick cottony small puff? Or does it look milky and slimy?

Usually they are in the treatments for about a week straight- I can't remember how long he was in the anti fungus meds. I would remove the plants and filter, just QT the plants in something like a pitcher.. or QT him once more to make the 100% daily water changes easier. If the exact same thing is on a plant then that may be the culprit, I don't know without pictures 

(Oh, here is a plant dealer you can check out online- they do specific betta friendly plants- Acumen Aquatics) (I thank Bombalurina for mentioning them in another thread so I had to check it out )


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Thick cottony small puff. Looks like there're a couple on the filter too. URggghhh! I guess I'll take him out of his new tank (not really pretty anymore without the plants) and put him back in his hospital tank, and clean out the new tank and the filter and reset that up and filter it while he's in the hospital tank. 

Salt treatment again? Or just the hospital tank? 

It was on one of the betta bulbs, so I'll keep those out of the tank and put them in their own container of water as well. 

All of this nonsense just makes me super nervous for when I'm leaving next week. I leave on Tuesday afternoon... so... hospital tank or big new tank? Or should I bring him home with me? Ugh... so many issues....

I did however remember that there's a fish store that's not one of the big corp. ones near my parents house, and as I'll be going there for Thanksgiving next week, I think I'll just pick some plants up there to avoid the shipping costs. The employees are also super knowledgeable there, so I'm sure they can help me out a bit. 

Thank you so much for everything, you've really been a lifesaver... literally.


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## coldpizzaonmondays (Nov 8, 2011)

Okay, so.... last night I took him out of his fancy big tank and put him in the hospital tank with a teeny bit of the fungus stuff. He seemed a little happier to be in the hospital tank... maybe because the big tank was getting dirty (the sneaky plants had completely blocked the filter intake and I didn't realize till I took him out). 

Washed everything down with hot water and re-set up the big tank, sans plants. Put some thoroughly rinsed stockings over the intake and the outflow of the filter so they wouldn't suck Fishy in or blow him around too much. Plugged in the filter, and watched Fishy for a bit in the hospital tank. 
I took out the betta bulbs, I think they were the culprits... they looked nasty. So I put them in a cup of water to see if they grow or just get gross. Put the plants in a glass of water with gravel on the bottom... they look pretty. 

Somehow, the heat was NOT on in my building last night so I was worried about Fishy getting too cold (it wasn't that cold, it just wasn't warm like it usually is), so I wrapped his little hospital tank up with a scarf to keep the tank a little warmer. He seemed confused as to where all of his scenery went, but he was okay with it and took a few naps. 

As I was going to sleep last night the filter started wailing. Not sure what caused it, but as there's nothing alive in the tank, it's just water, rocks and his bowl right now, I just turned it off. I'll try and figure it out tonight. I'm guessing it has something to do with the stockings. 

So as of right now, the plan is to keep him in the hospital tank and keep an eye on him to see how he's doing. Do 100% water changes every day until he looks better, and then put him back in a functional tank, sans plants or bulbs. I'll get some ACTUAL aquatic plants suitable for the tank, as well as a light and heater if I can find ones that'll work, while I'm at my parents house for Thanksgiving.


Does that sound like a good idea?


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