# Problems I see with Betta's and I need advice for betta care



## MeredithPerkins (Jul 21, 2009)

Hey everyone! I’m new. 
I’m a college student and own tons of aquatic pets that live in both the dorm and at home. I have found that Betta fish travel extremely well! I wanted to comment on something I have noticed. 

All of my betas I bought from Wal-Mart because I felt extremely sorry for them. My first two were not happy with their situation in that small bowl but were okay (and loved their first bloodworms). However, my third betta broke my heart. Sebastian had most of his top fin bitten or torn off somehow. He was extremely frightened and didn’t know what I was doing because I had to clean his tank out because he had done something and he freaked out. 

I am wondering if anyone else is disgusted about Wal-Mart’s treatment of not only betta’s but other fish as well.

Also, part II of my post. I want to make sure that I’m doing everything I can for my betta fish. 

-I feed them frozen bloodworms once a week
-I change water often
-They do not have pebbles or gravel, but a piece of furniture that I clean with a never used toothbrush.
-I put fish wallpaper in the back with only blue and green (I read that red and bright colors might not be good for them?)
-All of them are in one gallon tanks, all of which have tops that stay on (one -doesn’t have a filter because I don’t have enough room, but the water is filled halfway.

Is there any helpful things I could that they would like?


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## sollie7 (Feb 25, 2007)

MeredithPerkins said:


> Hey everyone! I’m new.
> I’m a college student and own tons of aquatic pets that live in both the dorm and at home. I have found that Betta fish travel extremely well! I wanted to comment on something I have noticed.
> 
> All of my betas I bought from Wal-Mart because I felt extremely sorry for them. My first two were not happy with their situation in that small bowl but were okay (and loved their first bloodworms). However, my third betta broke my heart. Sebastian had most of his top fin bitten or torn off somehow. He was extremely frightened and didn’t know what I was doing because I had to clean his tank out because he had done something and he freaked out.
> ...


can feed bloodworms a couple times a week as long as your using a good staple food like hikari bio gold 
You don't have to change the water like every day or anything, like once a week or 1 time every two weeks
I would go ahead and add some gravel
also you might want to get some melafix for you third bettas fin you could also add a little of aquarium salt to its tank


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

You don't need a filter if you do lots of water changes, but you could use a little sponge filter with a small air pump and a gang valve. Something like this http://www.pets-warehouse.com/Vpasp/shopexd.asp?id=88238. You can cut the sponge or upright tube to fit the container. Bettas don't like a lot of flow and the blub, blub, can be annoying. However, if you have an established fillter, you can safely leave for a week or 10 days with no water change. If you think you will ever have take a week away and not be able to take them with you, I'd recommend you get little filters going now to be prepared.

A little plant (real or fake) for the betta to rest in is usually appreciated, too. 

I see a lot of people on the board who 'rescued' fish from wal-mart because they were being mis-treated. Buying fish from them is rewarded bad behavior. You need to write wal-mart management and tell them that their conditions are so inhumane that you and your friends will not buy anything from that store until they improve conditions or cease selling fish. My wal-mart has taken out its tanks. I thing it was because a petland opened across the street and their computers told them fish weren't profitable. If you buy fish from a nasty place, they will ship more fish there. Don't do it.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

I have to agree with emc7. Instead of buying the fish from Wal-Mart, try not to buy them. When you buy a fish from Wal-Mart, they will just replace it with another fish. Essentially you are allowing more fish to be put in their care (although I do know you bought them because of your heart and not because you wanted more fish to go there). Try to resist buying fish from Wal-Mart is all I am saying.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

personally ; i would keep male bettas in 2 1/2 gallon tanks with heaters and filters.you can even keep a couple of dwarf cories in there with them.... bettas like temps around 80 degrees...they also prefer clean water..even with a filter 30% weekly water changes are a good idea.


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

Ditto what Emc and Loha say


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