# Please I need Baby Betta care help!



## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

Hello everyone! Well as some of you might already know I am currently treating a very sick adult betta *Raz*. From the moment I brought him home he has been sick. Poor guy. He is a fighter but I spend most of time caring for him. Well I sent my hubs to Petco to buy some meds for Raz when he comes home with BABY BETTA!!!! My first instinct was to tell him to return it right now. I have no idea how to care for a baby betta. I just learned how to care for an adult betta. *sigh* I did not warn my hubs to stay away from the bettas. They will suck you in with their cuteness! Being prepared for your bettas though is so important and I was not happy to see that he brought home this baby. :-(

Then he put the cup up to my face and I saw it... that cute betta face that *take me home and love me forever* face. How could I say no to that. So now I have a baby betta named Shelby if a girl or Sheldon if a boy. I need help on how to properly care for him or her. I know that I have to keep the water pretty warm at 80-82 degrees. Also the water has to be very clean. What type of water changes would you recommend weekly? 

Also what about the filter...is one needed right now? The 1 gal tank my hubs bought come with an underground filter system and air pump. The link is below. I plan to upgrade the tank when she or he gets bigger. I currently have the 1 gal set up since last night I added water conditioner and stress coat. I just need to buy a thermometer and a heater today.

What do I feed the baby? I heard live food is best. Where on earth do I get that from? I have mostly Petco, Petsmart and Pet Supplies Plus by me. Can I feed the baby crushed New Life Spectrum *growth* pellets? Also I know I have a Sick adult betta *Raz* right now so I am making sure everything *supply wise* is kept separately. I am going as far as having my hubs do the daily changes on the baby and I do Raz daily changes. Therefore no way the baby can get what he has. I am also buying her supplies brand new so we won't have to mix anything. I know this will be really challenging to take care of a sick betta and now a baby but I don't have the heart to return the baby. So any advice would be great. Thanks in advance! 

What we have:
http://www.petco.com/product/104215/Petco-1-Gallon-Corner-Aquarium-Kit.aspxbrand new 1 gal aquarium
brand new silk plant
water conditioner
stress coat
tons of different pellet food
betta flakes
freeze dried blood worms
frozen blood worms
API master test kit


What we will buy today:
heater!!!!
thermometer
gravel
new net

If there is anything I should add to the list please let me know. 

The baby is a hair bigger then an inch and very active. I can already see blue coloring on him or her. I have the baby by our heater in the apartment wrapped with a hand towel until Petco opens.


----------



## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

You don't need to add a filter in a tank that small, it'll make the Baby even more stressed.  The only difference is the food and temperature. Babies need 80F-82F so they'll grow quicker and a higher immune response. You'll need high protein foods as well so it'll be big and strong. Make sure to get an adjustable heater. And the NLS Growth Pellets will do just fine, even Hikari Little Bites will do awesomely. You should feed frozen or live when you get the chance. Are you sure it's a baby? Looks full grown to me. Oh well.


----------



## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

LebronTheBetta said:


> You don't need to add a filter in a tank that small, it'll make the Baby even more stressed.  The only difference is the food and temperature. Babies need 80F-82F so they'll grow quicker and a higher immune response. You'll need high protein foods as well so it'll be big and strong. Make sure to get an adjustable heater. And the NLS Growth Pellets will do just fine, even Hikari Little Bites will do awesomely. You should feed frozen or live when you get the chance. Are you sure it's a baby? Looks full grown to me. Oh well.


Okay that is good to know about the filter. I did not install because I figured it would stress him or her out. I will look for an adjustable heater for sure. Any recs? I have both pellets so that is good, lol. Yay! What kind of frozen food should i get? Brine shrimp? She or he is labeled baby betta *shrugs* This "baby" is bigger then ones I have seen in the stores. I measured with fins included a little longer then an inch. How would I know if she is or isn't a baby?


----------



## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Hydor THEO heaters are good. I have it and it works like a charm. (; It's great you have both pellets... Brine Shrimp and Bloodworms will work well. Make sure not to overfeed. If the Betta is over 1 inch without the fins, I assume it's not a baby anymore.


----------



## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Here's a link of a website that a friend here made: http://bettacarecentral.weebly.com/baby-betta-care.html

This is about babies so it should help you quite a bit. If you can't get the recommended tank size, it's fine. Just do the needed water changes and you're good.


----------



## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

Oh my goodness who cute and looking at the ventrals(the little fins that hang down) makes me think its a boy. I know nothing about the babies but they are sure adorable and I am so happy for you what a sweet hubby you have ! Best wishes for the new baby and for Raz to get better real soon !!!!!


----------



## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

LebronTheBetta said:


> Here's a link of a website that a friend here made: http://bettacarecentral.weebly.com/baby-betta-care.html
> 
> This is about babies so it should help you quite a bit. If you can't get the recommended tank size, it's fine. Just do the needed water changes and you're good.


She or he is in between seven and eight weeks it looks like. The pics I took were close ups. ;-) Made her/him look bigger. :lol: Thanks for the rec and the site link. Very helpful. I'm def gonna upgrade to a 5 gal tank soon and I have a 10 gal tank as well. Thanks so much for your help. :-D


----------



## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

Perseusmom said:


> Oh my goodness who cute and looking at the ventrals(the little fins that hang down) makes me think its a boy. I know nothing about the babies but they are sure adorable and I am so happy for you what a sweet hubby you have ! Best wishes for the new baby and for Raz to get better real soon !!!!!


Hey you! Yes his/her ventral are too cute. *squeeee* Thank you! Yes my hubs meant well he was trying to cheer me up. I told him next time we need to talk about getting a new pet. They require research and preparation. I understand though he fell in love with him/her as soon as he saw the baby. lol! She/he got that look down. We were suckers! lol! He calls it our baby. :-D Oh I hope it's a boy! Yes my Raz is hanging in there. I'm making sure he gets the best treatment. *hugs* Thanks!


----------



## LadyVictorian (Nov 23, 2011)

Okay, I too have a baby I am raising and Nix has been thriving. I'll tell you what I do.

1. Water changes are 50% every day to keep ammonia down but one 100% ever 2 to 3 days. I test ammonia daily and try to make sure it doesn't even get to .25.

2. Feeding, I am currently feeding Nix NLS and s/he LOVES it, gobbles it up like their is no tomorrow. I also am going to be feeding juvinial brine shrimp soon once my brine shrimp come in, live. Caring for and raising brine shrimp for your baby isn't as hard as it seems. Do a little research and you'll find brine are actually pretty cool and fun in their own right but great for fish. Grendel worms are amazing too, I'm picking some up soon myself. Feed at least three times a day and make sure you feed small portions, don' put too much food in at once.

3. Precondition a few gallons of water. If you do this water changes will be easier on the baby because the water is already set to go. I preconditioned two gallons and one is used up I start another.

Looks like your baby is a bit older than mine, seems like it's already getting it's color in. I wish you luck with it and hope your baby can make it. Seems healthy and since it's a slightly older fish than normal it has a better chance.


----------



## bettasareawesome (Jul 9, 2012)

my baby betta looks the exact same. I used to feed him crushed betta food but he can eat regular food now.


----------



## skepkat (Aug 23, 2012)

I have that same tank and to be clear, it doesn't actually have a _filter_. It comes with an air stone. I wasn't happy with the tank (or rather non of my fish were happy in it). It is currently empty and I'm scratching my head about what I can do with it. The shape just doesn't allow a lot of room for the fish to really swim.

I've only had one baby for about a month (original occupant of the corner tank) & another one for a few weeks. So, don't think I can give any worthwhile advice.


----------



## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

LadyVictorian Thank you for all your advice! Your Nix is a cutie.  I went to the pet sore and bought a lot of must haves. I'm going to target to get buckets for pre aged water to make water changes a bit easier. I have an extra heater so that will work out. Thanks for that idea. I will look into getting live food for my baby as well. I saw on youtube how to hatch BBS. Looks cool. Almost reminds me of sea monkeys!!! lol! I think my baby is seven to eight weeks old according to that size chart. I'm hoping all goes well. Good luck with your baby as well. 

bettasareawesome Yay! That is good to know. Awww I would love to see a pic of your little guy.  My betta ate part of a crushed pellet today and a half of a brine shrimp. She or he is a piggy. lol! I made sure I did not over feed though.


----------



## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

skepkat said:


> I have that same tank and to be clear, it doesn't actually have a _filter_. It comes with an air stone. I wasn't happy with the tank (or rather non of my fish were happy in it). It is currently empty and I'm scratching my head about what I can do with it. The shape just doesn't allow a lot of room for the fish to really swim.
> 
> I've only had one baby for about a month (original occupant of the corner tank) & another one for a few weeks. So, don't think I can give any worthwhile advice.


Yes thank you for clearing that up about the filter or lack of one ;-). If I actually set it up I would have realized this. I like this tank only as a hospital tank. I'm getting two 5 gals soon. *yay* I also have a 10 gal I will eventually set up. I'm secretly scared of cycling. lol! 

Awww I'm sorry you lost your little ones. I hear they can be hard to care for. Not your fault most seem in not so good shape. At least you gave them a chance. I have seen many dead baby bettas at the pet stores. :-( My baby is a bit older so I'm hoping that he or she makes it. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## skepkat (Aug 23, 2012)

I guess I wasn't clear. My bad.  

My babies are doing well - I think. (Pinkie 1 & Pinkie 2 until they are old enough to get real names). I just meant that I am basically new to caring for bettas and therefore I don't feel 100% confident that my advice would be as accurate as some on these boards who have tons more experience. So sorry for the confusion.


----------



## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

OMG! That is AWESOME news! lol! Sorry I thought you were meaning they died.  So glad to hear they are doing great. I'm sure you have great advice. I might come ask you some questions. If that is okay of course.  Your babies are adorable! Awwww! So happy they are okay.


----------



## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

First day with baby betta: I acclimated the baby into he/hisr new tank and she/he was amazed by everything! lol! The heater was fascinating to him/her. Then she/he found the purple silk plant and loved it! She/he goes in there a lot.  One thing I did notice is the baby is kinda hyper, lol! I had to turn the lights down low and leave the room so she/he could relax and sleep. Today she/he is more calm. Already ate some crushed pellets. *yummy* 

Can I feed her/him frozen blood worms if I cut them smaller? I'm still working on getting some live food. If I can't get them for some odd reason would she/he be okay eating crushed pellets, frozen brine shrimp and blood worms?


----------



## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Yes, you can feed frozen foods. She'll be fine on frozen and pellets. Remember to wash the frozen food!


----------



## LadyVictorian (Nov 23, 2011)

So exciting to hear s/he is doing well. YAY, keep it up RedRaz and keep us updated with pictures. The first 24 hours are the most stressful, it's a game of "will they eat, are they sick, will they get so stressed out." But once they clear the 24 you can take a breath and make their routine.


----------



## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

LebronTheBetta said:


> Yes, you can feed frozen foods. She'll be fine on frozen and pellets. Remember to wash the frozen food!


Okay thanks!  I have a small container where I pour a little of her tank water into then I add the frozen food with in this container. I wait til its thawed then I cut it in half so she or he can eat it. Is that okay? She is an eating machine! lol! I don't over feed though. ;-)


----------



## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

LadyVictorian said:


> So exciting to hear s/he is doing well. YAY, keep it up RedRaz and keep us updated with pictures. The first 24 hours are the most stressful, it's a game of "will they eat, are they sick, will they get so stressed out." But once they clear the 24 you can take a breath and make their routine.


OMG! you are so right about that. I think I was more stressed then her the first 24 hours. lol! I'm starting to feel much better about caring for her. Thanks again for your help. 

I will try to post a pic soon.


----------



## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

BTW I'm gonna say her til I know what she or he is. Makes it easier then constantly saying he or she. lol! I still don't know what the sex is though.


----------



## starrlamia (May 3, 2012)

skepkat said:


> I have that same tank and to be clear, it doesn't actually have a _filter_. It comes with an air stone. I wasn't happy with the tank (or rather non of my fish were happy in it). It is currently empty and I'm scratching my head about what I can do with it. The shape just doesn't allow a lot of room for the fish to really swim.
> 
> I've only had one baby for about a month (original occupant of the corner tank) & another one for a few weeks. So, don't think I can give any worthwhile advice.


 it has an undergravel filter which works by using an airstone, explanation can be seen here:http://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/choosing-aquarium-equipment7.htm


----------



## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

*Baby Betta in her new home *

The baby loves her purple plant, lol! Definitely more calm today. I did her 50% water change, water tested good and temp is at 83 degrees. She even ate more pellets today. *yay* 

pH: 7.6
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate: 0

Question: I did notice she is staying at the bottom more now but does swim around and comes up for air. She really likes her plant and I found her laying on the base a lot. Is this okay? The pic kinda shows you what she does. Also her fins aren't as open as before. I hope everything is okay.


----------



## LadyVictorian (Nov 23, 2011)

Gah today I nearly got like 6 more babies, they were all so small I just WHY? They were tinyer than the babies you and I have now Raz, it was really sad. I want to punch the guy who thought it was a great idea to sell them.

FYI, Aquarius has that purple plant xD


----------



## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

She looks like a young female. She reminds me of my Lila- red ventrals and all. *sniffle*


----------



## bettasareawesome (Jul 9, 2012)

My baby was 7-8 weeks when I got him. I'm not sure on the gender yet either so I just call him, him. I got him on July 4th so I've had him for about 3 months. He's the one in my profile pic. and avatar. Don't worry, mine did the same things but he's fine and healthy. Also, when I first got him I did a pretty lousy job at raising him. But luckily he's fine and I'm doing a better job. I didn't even plan on getting a betta. let alone a baby one.


----------



## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

bettasareawesome said:


> My baby was 7-8 weeks when I got him. I'm not sure on the gender yet either so I just call him, him. I got him on July 4th so I've had him for about 3 months. He's the one in my profile pic. and avatar. Don't worry, mine did the same things but he's fine and healthy. Also, when I first got him I did a pretty lousy job at raising him. But luckily he's fine and I'm doing a better job. I didn't even plan on getting a betta. let alone a baby one.


I'm happy yours is healthy and thriving. Unfortunately my little baby Shelby died today. She got sick and her health declined too fast. I could not save her. :-( So today was a hard day. 

Well I hope your baby continues to grow and live a long life. Keep us updated on him.


----------



## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Awwwh  I'm sorry she died. Sadly, many people have had a hard time trying to keep the petco babies alive. I had 4 and only 1 managed to survive. I think they are put under too much stress at a too young of an age and their little immune systems just can't take it. Plus Petco's lack of care does not help.

However, if you do decide to try again, at least you know what to do.


----------



## skepkat (Aug 23, 2012)

starrlamia said:


> it has an undergravel filter which works by using an airstone, explanation can be seen here:http://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/choosing-aquarium-equipment7.htm


That makes so much more sense. :thankyou: Still. Not my favorite tank.


----------



## skepkat (Aug 23, 2012)

Raz, so sorry about your little one.


----------



## Xiuhcoati (Sep 7, 2012)

Wow. That's really small. Good luck with him/her


----------



## bettasareawesome (Jul 9, 2012)

I'm so sorry Redraz. Yeah, sometimes there just to stressed and don't make it. Petco should just be selling adult fish. I mean really, Who thought of that?


----------

