# The story of my betta...



## Ajreoandoeka (Aug 11, 2005)

In early July, I purchased "Number One" at the local Wal-Mart. Me being the "judge the book by it's cover" type of person I am, I of course went for the prettiest looking one...figuring that was the healthiest. So anyways, I purchased a 1/2 gallon tank for him....(It uses 8 oz of water so....I assume that's half a gallon) and bought both pellet food and BettaMin Tropical Medley. At first I believe he was very happy, as I've read that bubbles at the top are a good thing and there were often bubbles at the top. I changed roughly 50% of the water weekly, as the container I got him in told me to. At the beginning of this month, even after I changed the water, it continued to be red. My mom, being the awesome lady she is, went to the local pet store and was advised to buy "StressCoat", a product designed to neutralize chlorine and heavy metals, as well as build up the slime coat on fishes. I put the recommended amount into his water when I changed it yesterday. This morning when I awoke, he was not his usual color (normally all blue with red fins), but rather he had sort of a yellow tint. A few hours later, he stopped moving completely, and when I lightly tapped him with a spoon, he fell to the bottom of the tank. 

I'm wondering if anyone has any tips for me as to what I should do differently when I get "Number 2" to keep him around longer than a month....


P.S. I used tap water for all water changes, but where I live, we have no chlorine in the water. Also, he was not in direct sunlight, nor did the temperature of the room fluctuate too often.

Any clues or suggestions would be well taken, just try to avoid criticism please, as I do not take to it very well.


P.S. again (is that illegal?) My 10 year old cat was accidently run over yesterday morning, so I lost 2 pets in 2 days....

Thanks for anyone's input.


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## Im totally me (Aug 5, 2005)

SOOOOOOOOO sorry to hear about your losses. I lost my cat several years ago when she ran into the woods an hour before we moved across the USA. I never got her back *sigh* animal losses are very hard.

The stress coat was good. 8 oz. of water isn't. No critiscism here, but there are 8 cups in a half gallon. When I first had Bettas they were in 1/4 gallon (I'm guilty!). So don't feel to bad, they rarely tell you how to properly care for your Betta. Especially with 8 oz. It would need to be cleaned completley once a day. With 1 gallon bowls, for my Bettas, I clean the entire bowl, once a week. This may be your problem. This has happened to people before. My first male Betta (who was in 1/4 gallon) died of dropsy, I was devastated. I wasn't cleaning his bowl enough. I hate learning the hard way. 

Really, definatley no criticism today! I'm so sorry for you! I wish you better luck next time. With petstore Bettas, unfortunatley, you have to "judge the book by its cover" because when you are just beggining, having an unhealthy Bettas just doesn't go well. Now that I have been dealing with Bettas for 6 years, I go ahead and buy Bettas who have sickneses because I know how to cure them. 

So, on bowls, you should have at least a 1 gallon bowl, which needs cleaning once a week (rocks or marbles, and a cloth plant make a nice addition also). A 2 1/2 half gallon tank is a nice living place, I am currently upgrading my Bettas to 5 gallon tanks, those are nice, 10 gallon is the best in my opinion, I just don't have room right now. 

Good to know you have a helpfull mom! (Thumbs up!). Mine is also helpful. Its good not to be alone in things.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Recently there has been some problems with chemicals for fish tanks going bad because of the hot weather... it could be that. Also how do you know your water does not have chlorine or chloramine? Unless you have well water then you really wouldnt know unless you called the City water provider.


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## mlefev (Apr 19, 2005)

Well the 8oz cup is just wayyyy too small. It's not your fault, since the fish store didn't tell you to put them in something larger. A soda can holds 12 ounces, so that tells you how little water you were keeping the little guy in. 

The stress coat is a great product for fish, especially when you first get them. Many people reccommend adding it to the water every time you change the water, regardless of whether you have chlorine in the water or not (be sure to use a chlorine neutralizer unless you're using well water also). 

Don't feel too badly about losing him, I lost my first betta about 4 months after I got him...he was sick, and I didn't know it.

One of the things to look for when you buy #2 is to make sure they're still swimming around their cups...I've found that those are healthier. Also look for any discoloration, or bloating. 

If your mom will let you buy a 2.5 or 5 gallon tank with some plants and equipment, I think the betta would be happier, but you don't HAVE to have a fully equipped tank to keep a betta. I have mine in a gallon bowl right now, and he's completely happy. Just remember that 128 ounces is a gallon.

Good luck to you. They're precious little fish.


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## Ajreoandoeka (Aug 11, 2005)

*thank you all.*

I really don 't know where I was getting the idea that 8oz was half a gallon....*rolls eyes* I learned that lesson the hard way. I have since been reading around on this forum and other betta care sites, and for the next one I plan on getting a gallon tank with marbles....and I will most likely use bottled water (always the same brand). To those of you who mentioned it, we do have well water...but in 2 weeks I'm moving in to college and will no longer have it unless I ask my mom to bring it to me every week....which I think would be a pain so I plan on buying cases of bottled water. 

If anyone has any advice on the best idea for changing the water on the gallon tank, I'd appreciate it. Such as, should I take the betta out and put him into a smaller container and then dump everything out and clean everything, like rocks/marbles, plants, and all, or should I just change the water. 

I'm also curious about cleaning with soap...is that a good idea or bad?

Thanks again for everyone's help....I'm really glad I joined this forum!


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## sonofbreeder (Jul 17, 2005)

no no soap that will kill your fish for cleaning the tank i just take down half the water and fill it back up just get 1 of those cleaning pads from petsmart or petco or somewhere like that and rub it a lil bit every once in awhile thats what i do but never put soap with fish and never clean anything going in your tank with soap


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## Ownager2004 (Apr 4, 2005)

the best way to change your water would be to buy some dechlorinator and a 1 gallon pitcher. Go fill up the pitcher in your dorm bathroom, bring back to room and add dechlorinator.. stir if you feel the need, let it sit for awhile then change the water.

My advice is also to just siphon the bottom of the tank with standard air hose.. get all the food and crap. Then once you have all the junk move the siphon to the surface and suck in water and air at the same time to clean the film off the top of the water. I usually change about 60% of the water every 3-4 days.

With the decorations dont clean them unless they are an eyesore. They will support healthy bacteria in your tank.


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## lwstinkinsweet (Aug 2, 2005)

i am very sorry to hear about your losses. :console: My first betta was very sick and my dad and boyfriend talked me into taking him back. they told me the people at the store would know what to do for him. now i think he would have been better off with me because i was learning how to treat his three diseases. they probably just put him back into a little cup and put him on a shelf again.  

but it is good that your mom is helpful. my mom just told me to stop talking about "that fish" because she had four other pets and five kids to take care of. well it's her fault for bringing home so many dogs and cats, i didnt do it and its her and my dads fault for well...having so many kids. i didnt do that either. we have a busy house so i guess i can see her lack of concern for my little aquatic friend. but i still love him and she can just stick to caring for our other animals (my siblings included)

that is good to know. i have been cleaning everything inthe tank once or twice a week. i dont have anything to suck up old food with so i have to clean the gravel and everything because he likes to spit his food out if it isnt bloodworms. i am going to get something to suck up the old food, but for now i just do a lot of cleaning. whoo hoo. except the last time i cleaned it he had a pretty good sized bubble nest and when it broke up there was a white gooey substance that appeared in his water. what is that? is it something that he made to hold the bubbles together?


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## Henry (Aug 13, 2005)

Like Mlefev said when your buying a betta always look for the most active one.
Im really sorry about losses. :sad: :fish: :grin:


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