# dennythebetta's Betta Journal



## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

Hello, everyone. I haven't been on this site for a couple of months now, since I got Asteria, and I wanted to start a journal (even though it might be a bit boring, because I currently have only one fish). 

I guess I should start at the beginning. 

*The Introduction*
At first I wanted a goldfish. I knew someone who had a pond full of goldfish and would've been happy to give me one for free. I did all my research and found out that one goldfish required a twenty gallon tank minimum (which I did not have room for), a filter, a heater, food, water conditioner, and all sorts of other things I never imagined a fish needed, and couldn't afford. I gave up on getting a fish. 

*Denny's Tank Miracle*
One day I went to the pet store to get cat treats, and saw a good deal on tanks. I grabbed a one gallon tank (I hadn't done research on bettas at all), some cheap, unhealthy food, some water conditioner, a small blue plastic plant, a little cave with a shark on top, and some gravel. I went over to the shelf with the bettas on it (I would go on to write many persuasive letters to PetSmart concerning that shelf...) and Denny caught my eye. The light was hitting him just right so he seemed to glow blue and red at the same time, instead of just magenta. He was also one of the only fish that was actually moving, and I figured it would be a good thing to bring home a healthy fish rather than a sick one. 

I brought him home, and when I opened the tank I discovered it had a crack in it. I went to exchange it, but they were entirely out of one gallon tanks, and I ended up with a two gallon instead. Then when I went on to do my research, I found out that I should have a 2.5 gallon or larger, and for Denny's whole life my main goal was to scrape together enough money to get him a five gallon. But I consider it a miracle that Denny ended up in a two gallon instead of a one gallon. 

Poor Denny had to live through all of my mistakes, wait for me to figure out that betta fish need heaters, and all he ever got for cover was that plastic plant and and little cave. I actually managed to cycle his tank, but he ended up dying of a sudden ammonia spike that I never figured out the cause of. I had already managed to buy him a ten gallon, but I didn't move in because it had no filter or heater and no cover whatsoever. 

*Asteria*
I got Asteria (who I am fairly sure is a black orchid) a few months after Denny died. She is currently living happily in a 3.5 gallon tank with large amounts of algae, some of which is being devoured by Alastor the tiger nerite snail. Asteria is very energetic, loves to follow my finger, and has the amazing ability to tell when she is being fed even when she cannot see the pellets falling into the water. 

I am planning to get another betta to put in the ten gallon soon, as soon as I can get a heater for it.


----------



## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

I just ordered a heater and a thermometer. Hopefully they'll come in a few days, and I can get the ten gallon up and running. 

Meanwhile, Asteria is doing great. Alastor is continuing his constant battle with the algae, and even though he eats algae faster than any aquatic snail I've ever seen, the algae is just growing faster than he can eat it. 

I'll try to post some pictures soon, but my computer is old and has some issues with uploading pictures, so we'll see. Hoping to go to the pet store in a couple of days to find a new boy... :-D


----------



## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

The heater and the thermometer came today. The heater https://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-100106251-Preset-Heater-50W/dp/B00Q78MMT6 is not the best, I know, but hopefully I'll be able to buy a better one eventually. 

The ten gallon was a hand-me-down from a friend, and it had one of those inaccurate little sticky thermometers stuck to the outside. It had obviously been on there a while, because it was SUPER hard to scrape off, even using adhesive remover. 

I know, not the most interesting update ever, but soon I'll have a new boy...there's a really pretty red TT I've been eyeing...


----------



## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

I set up the ten gallon last night, and today I went to the pet store and found Glenn. He is a turquoise-y HM, and seems to have very calm, slow-going personality. I actually managed to get my computer to let me upload some pictures, so here they are...

PS: The pictures aren't the best quality, and the tank is better in person.


----------



## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

The heater only kept the water at seventy degrees, so I returned it. I went out and bought another heater https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Submersible-Aquarium-Electronic-Thermostat/dp/B000OQRJSG which I hope will work better. I should have known better than to buy an Aqueon heater. :frustrated:


----------



## bettatanksalot (Mar 6, 2018)

I use a Hydor Theo 25 watt in my 3 gallon I really like it, in my ten gallon I’m using one from Amazon I’m not sure what it is, it said sungrow when I bought it, it is 50 Watts. I was expecting it not to work well but it’s been working great actually . I have been watching it close as I am skeptical but I’ve had name brand ones not work great either. My first impulse heater was an AQueon mini and it overheated my 3 gallon but I do like their filters.


----------



## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

I went out and bought a new, incredibly overpriced heater from PetSmart, because Glenn needed a new one immediately. It is working great, and I personally really like these heaters https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Submer...keywords=100+watt+aquarium+heater+submersible , and have a 50 watt in my 3.5 gallon and a 100 watt in my ten gallon. The filter is also working great, and Glenn, Asteria, and Alastor are doing well.


----------



## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

Glenn has perked up considerably since I added the new heater. His eye has this adorable little glint in it, and it shines like abalone when the light hits it right. He has so many amazing shades, ranging in color from green with a tiny bit of almost yellow to a deeper blue with a hint of purple. His new favorite activity is to swim in circles around his thermometer, and squeeze through the space between the glass and the part that hangs down.

Asteria is very energetic, as always. I bought a magnetic algae scraper for her tank, as there is just too much algae for Alastor to keep up with. The algae scraper works very well https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Cle...1-spons&keywords=magnetic+algae+scraper&psc=1, and cleaned up the walls of her tank much faster than I thought it would.


----------



## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

Algae is starting to grow in Glenn's tank now. I'm starting to wish I hadn't used the same gravel vac in both tanks. :frustrated:


----------



## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

I haven't posted in a while, but Glenn is sick and I've been worried half to death ever since I saw this thread: https://www.bettafish.com/99-betta-...90086-imporant-watch-these-disease-signs.html . Here is a link to the help thread: https://www.bettafish.com/99-betta-fish-diseases-emergencies/767182-please-help.html . Please help Glenn. I would never forgive myself if he died.


----------



## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

Glenn had fin rot, but I think I cured him. He is still having some trouble swimming, probably because most of his dorsal fin is missing.


----------



## dennythebetta (Mar 8, 2017)

Glenn made it through okay, and is now healthy and happy. Unfortunately, Asteria died from fungus that I didn't catch in time. 

I got a new betta named Cedar, and here he is:


----------

