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Betta fish

I just recently got one of them Betta fishes, he is really neat and colorful. I was just wondering if anyone else here has ever had, or does have a betta fish? How do I care for him? Mine seems to not be eating any food either? I don't want to kill him
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So any advice at all would be appreciated.
 
I just did a quick search for the fish on MSN. First link was this, it's a forum for people with those fish. There may be losts of posts there already that could address and questions you may have.
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http://www.bettaaddicts.com/
 
Bettas usually require live food although I some people do have some that will eat flakes. Some site mentioned that flakes are the wrong diet for bettas and it only prolongs their death. They should really be eating live food since that's what they do in the wild. Make sure the water is warm, I believe the fish comes from the tropics and likes warmer waters. Do a little research, follow the advice and you'll have a happy fish
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Hi,

Bettas are fairly easy to keep. They come from Asia, and I believe that in the wild, they live slightly soft, acidic water. In my experience, they can adjust to higher or lower water values, if you avoid extremes. They do need heat, between 25-28 deg. C being optimal. Lighting shouldn't be overly bright, but bright lights can be "filtered" by adding floating plants, which they absolutely love to hang around in anyway.

Usually the main thing I advise for these fish is to be sure they aren't placed with aggressive or energetic fish, which will usually tear apart the betta's fins (or worse). Also, strong currents must be avoided. Bettas are fish of puddles, ponds, and very slow moving streams, and can't cope with strong currents produced by power filters.

Make sure they always have access to the air at the surface of the tank. They need to breathe this air every few minutes, and will die quickly if they can't get it.

I find bettas to be pretty curious about their surroundings, and I offered them plenty of plants, rocks, caves, etc. to explore. They don't seem to do well in tanks devoid of decor.

Odd what you said about flakes. That was the principal diet of most of the bettas I ever had, and they seemed to do quite well on it. They even bred. But usually I did manage to supplement this staple diet with live food of some sort from time to time. Perhaps it made a difference.

Take care!

Chris
 
Originally found these links for my daughter, but you may find them useful also.

This page loads real slow:   Betta Talk

This page loads a lot quicker and show several books with links to Amazon.com where you can purchase them at the bottom of the page:   Aquariumfish.net

Edited 10-23-02 @ 12:15am

This one has a list of several common betta diseases with symptoms and treatments:   Betta Illnesses
 
Did you treat the water with something like stress coat ? If not you must or the fish will die on you .

Dose the fish look like he is gasping for air at the top ? If so you need filter .

If you tell us what kind of set up you have and how you treat the water that will be a big help .
 
I read up on the bettas and it says they do not need any type of aeration or filterization because they are puddle fish, which means they usually live in really small ponds without hardly any aeration.

They go to the surface every couple of minutes and gulp the air that they need. Though I did not use any type of stress coat, people on a betta forum said that it is not absolutley necessary, but I may go to the store and purchase some tomorrow. I have my betta in a small fish bowl (about one gallon) I have had it for about a week now and he seems to be doing ok.

I had originally put him in distilled water thinking that this would be good for him. Well I guess it is really bad for them, it takes all the minerals and such right out of the fish. So after I heard that I immediatley replaced the water with tap water.

He seems to be eating well, and he is looking very healthy and colorful. Thanks for all the tips and links that everyone provided, they were a big help
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TAP water ? Thats the worst thing for the fish the stuff that they put in your tap water will burn the fishs gills and kill your fish .
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You must use water that has been treated or your fish will die fast. Rember Tap water has CHLORINE that will make your fish die a very painfull death.


Who ever told you not to treat the water its not a must is VERY VERY wrong . I have had fish for 15 years. You cant even use untreated tap water in a big pond like mine because it will kill the gold fish .


Put him or her back in the distilled water as soon as you can till you buy stress coat . Any thing is better then useing tap water your fish wont live more then a week in it.
 
Here Read this I just found it at a web site ->

Poison, In Our Water?
Generally, when we think of poisons we do not think of the water we drink. Although safe for us todrink, tap water in most towns and cities is poisonous to fish because of the chlorine that it contains. We need to realize that many animals are different in their response to different chemicals, and we can kill them unintentionally. If the chlorine is not removed it will kill fish.

->Why Worry About Chlorine?
Chlorine is poisonous to fish at very low levels. Imagine adding only one pint of vanilla ice cream to a tanker truck of root beer to make a root beer. float! No one would be able to see or taste any of the ice cream. If this same amount of chlorine (1 pint) was added to the tanker (20,000 gallons), the water would be poisonous to fish. Because chlorine is so deadly to fish and other aquatic animals, it is essential that this form of hazardous waste be
removed.



----------------------------------------------------


Next time you buy a fish its best to talk to the ppl at the pet stores who deal with them . If you did you would have been told right away tap water must be treated.

I really hope you change or treat the water before any more harm is done .
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  • #10
Hi,

It would really help us a lot if you told us how you are keeping the betta right now. What size tank is he in? What temp? Are there other fish with him? (I assume not) Do you have plants in the tank? What exactly are you feeding him? Any details will help us help you.

It sounds like you are not using filtration, and I don't think that's a good idea. If he's alone in a small tank, you should use at least a box or foam filter. The wastes produced by the fish need to be "processed" by the filter to avoid a buildup in the water. Also the agitation produced by the filter, however slight, will promote gas exchange (with the air) in the system which will keep it healthy.

While it's true that wild bettas can live in puddles and such, it isn't the ideal environment, even for them. Add to that that the bettas we get at the pet stores are highly bred and modified forms of their wild counterparts, and are not as resistant to adverse water conditions as the wild ones. Store bought bettas should be kept in clean, well aerated and filtered tanks, just like any other fish you would buy.

I do not recommend using substances on fish unless you know it is absolutely necessary. I have never used Stress Coat on any of my fish, and yet they lived and were healthy. I'm not even exactly sure what is actually supposed to do, beyond the manufacturer's claim of conditioning the skin and slime coat of the fish.

West871 is right that Chlorine is bad for fish. In it's pure form as a gas, it's deadly to people too. It's used to keep bacteria and other harmful micro-organisms from living in our tap water. The reduced levels of Chlorine present in our tap waters obviously do not harm us, but because fish have to live in it, and breathe it through their gills, it affects them quickly and badly.

There is something even worse, called Chloramine, which is formed by Chlorine joining with Ammonia (usually present in trace amounts in aquariums.) It is also often added by many cities to the tap water. This is an even more deadly poison for the fish, and unlike Chlorine will not "evaporate" if left standing.

But that does not mean you can't use tap water. In fact, as you found out, you have to use tap water, at least in part.

There are 2 ways of dealing with Chlorine. One is to fill a clean receptacle with tap water and let it sit for 2 days to let the Chlorine evaporate away. If your city treats the water with Cloramine though, this will not be enough. (You can find out by calling your city's water department)

The other is to use de-Chlorinating products obtained from the pet store. By adding the recommended amount of de-Chlorinator to the tap water, you can use the water right away instead of having to wait. (make sure it's the same temperature as the water in your aquarium though) It would be a good idea to make sure that the bottle also mentions that it treats for Chloramine as well, to be extra safe.

It seems to me that you are relatively new to keeping fish? If so, the biggest recommendations I can make is to do as much research as you can to find out how to keep your fish happy and healthy. I can see you have already started to do this.

The second biggest tip I can give you is not to keep changing things for the fish. While changing 10% of the water weekly is recommended, changing all the water every couple of days can be deadly. Other over-fussing issues such as adding substances (Stress Coat, medecines, certain water conditioners) or constantly redocorating the tank can also harm your fish. Keep your fish in the water that it's in for now. If there was Chlorine present, the harm has already been done, and you'll only be stressing the fish more by doing another water change. You can add a few drops of de-Chlorinator directly to the water to remove Chloramine if you feel it's necessary. Use only a quarter of the recommended dose if you are adding it directly to the tank. He's still a new fish, and needs to adapt to his surroundings, so let him have a clean and peaceful tank to explore.

Hope I haven't overloaded you here. :) The main thing is to A) provide to his needs, and B) relax, and enjoy watching him.


Take care!

Chris
 
  • #11
When I was a kid I had a friend who use to buy gold fish he had a really nice filter system and everything that should make his fish happy. His fish never lived passed a week he must have killed 40 gold fish before he found out it was the city tap water that killed the fish .

There use to be a post at the gw pond fourm but its not there anymore because its to old. The post went into detail of what tap water will do to your pond fish if you dont treat it first .

I use stress coat to treat the water it takes care of the Chlorine . Iv never seen anything that just removes Chlorine made for fish .

Chlorine not only affects the gills of the fish but it also kills the nitrifying bacteria in the biofilter. The resultant spikes of ammonia and nitrite together with the initial damage done to the fish results in the death of the fish 3-5 days after introducing chlorine into the system.

Any pet store that sells freshwater tropical fish probably also stocks a commerciallyprepared compound that contains sodium thiosulfate, which safely inactivates chlorine by a chemical reaction that results in formation of sodium chloride (salt).

And I agree 100% with drosera on the filter. A filter is a good thing to have yes you dont need it but the fish will live a much longer and happyer life with one .




_-West-_
 
  • #12
OK, I was confused. I thought Stress Coat was that stuff I used to see them put into the bags with your fish at the pet store. Whatever it was, it was supposed to condition the fish skin and slime layer, and reduce stress (ya right!).

For what it's worth, I don't use de-Chlorinator. I let the water stand for 2 days. No troubles at all with the fish, including goldfish, various tropicals, brackish water fish, etc. . Perhaps your community adds something else to the water that mine doesn't? Whatever the case, dfalkanger, our debate may be confusing you, so if you're unsure, go with using a de-Chlorinating product. Better safe then sorry. But I still think it's better to get a product that also removes Chloramine.

Take care!

Chris
 
  • #13
It dose make the fishs slim come back it says on it replaces the natural protetive slime. But it allso removes chlorine .Its made with aloe vera the same stuff ppl use on cuts and burns.

Some ppl use tap water on cps 2 and the plants do great for them so you are right on that water is not the same everywere . I know in Arizona a cp would die as fast as the fish would. Arizona water is HARD and full of junk . When I water my plants I get white spots on my windows from the tap water drips drying . Just gose to show whats in the water and its not only here but in fort myers fl and cal . I use to live there as well.

_-West-_
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  • #14
Hi...

I am probably going to repeat alot of things that have already been said, however; These are improtant things and need to be stressed.

1) Contrary to popular belief (and what vendors and breeders will tell you) BETTA DO NOT DO WELL IN SMALL SPACES!! Personally I wouldn't keep them in anything under 2 gallons. They originante in much larger boddies of water, (canals/drainage ditches, incidentaly these are not still and betta don't mind light to moderate current... puddles only in the dry season NOT YEAR ROUND)

2) They DO need filtration. It is not optional, it is essential. There are many factors that take place in natural bodies of water that we don't even concider, wind movement over the water, small currents that hardly preceptable. All of these contribute to the "natural" filtration. If you MUST keep your betta in a "bowl" go to the petstore and get an undergravel filter for "bowls" they cost about $10.

3) The water must treated for chemicals before you use it for ANY fish.

That aside, are you sure that he isn't eating??? Betta don't eat alot. They also tend to "stalk" their food for several minutes, even flake food.

Someone mentioned they need live food... not so, while live food is beneficial for any fish that is carnivourus/omnivourus it isn't essential, and in the case of betta who eat so little probably not practical. I recomend "Hikari Betta Gold" in my 20+ years of keeping betta I have found it to be the one they do the best on. Feed sparingly (about 6-10 grains twice a day) and he will be fine.
 
  • #15
They do not NEED filtration it is to optional. Who told you that its a must ? In the pet stores they keep them in small 8 oz cups till they sell .

The fish would be more happy with a filter but its not a must..

Take a look at this set up this person uses a plant with the fish http://www.thepondgarden.homestead.com/Bettainabowl.html
 
  • #16
Alright, West, if you want to defend the practice of putting them in tiny bowls, fine. But, I'm pretty against it.

WARNING! RANT...


Here's a few more links then. Personally, I see the way bettas are kept in pet stores as extremely bad for the fish.

http://www.practical-pet-care.com/article_view.php?ver=53
http://www.bettastarz.com/bettafacts.htm

The second site states that the water should be changed between every 3rd day to once a week, and that seems to be about how often most sites say that the water must be changed in those little bowls. Remember, changing water is EXTREMELY stressful to fish. They are caught in a tiny net, put in different water, in a strange environmtent, and before they can even realize what is happening, they are caught again, and put back into the same bowl. NOT something you want to do to them to often. Please, for the sake of the fishes comfort, use live plants, a larger tank, and filtration.
In my opinion, a tank that is set up well, is one large enough, and with enough plants, that it has to be changed less than once every couple of months (I've got mine set up so they never need to be changed, but that requires few fish, and many plants, in a decent sized tank). The water quality before the change, and the change itself, can almost be seen as torture for the fish. I mean, the whole experience must be like being abducted by aliens is for a person. When it has to be done, it has to be done, but no reason to do it often. Easier to set up a good tank, for both the people involved and the fish.
 
  • #17
In other words..."Bigga" is "Betta"! LOL!  
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Sorry.....couldn't resist!
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  • #18
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">They do not NEED filtration it is to optional. Who told you that its a must ? In the pet stores they keep them in small 8 oz cups till they sell .

The fish would be more happy with a filter but its not a must..

Take a look at this set up this person uses a plant with the fish http://www.thepondgarden.homestead.com/Bettain....e><span id='postcolor'>

I have thought long and hard about my response to this... and many people are going to be offended, and I would like to say it is your right to be, however I think what I am about to say is important and must be said.

West... when you have a clue what you are talking about then you can argue... until then... don't bother saying anything.
 
  • #19
I have to agree with Maehem on this one.. I've kept Bettas for quite a while and yes, they can "survive" in a cup but it's not good for them. Every internet search I've done comes up with the same information all supporting this. Most people say a 5gallon tank is ideal for Betta.. filtration included. When you look at all those Betta fish in their little cups at the pet store they aren't happy or active. Put them in a tank and they are completely different fish.. curious, active, energetic. How would you like to spend your entire life in a shower stall? walking in circles and having a few bits of food thrown to you once in a while? That's what life would be like in that little cup.
They aren't in puddles year around either. It's a temporary situation and while yes, they can survive it.. they don't thrive in it!
Ok.. I'll stop before I really get started..
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  • #20
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Maehem @ Nov. 05 2002,06:14)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">They do not NEED filtration it is to optional. Who told you that its a must ? In the pet stores they keep them in small 8 oz cups till they sell .

The fish would be more happy with a filter but its not a must..

Take a look at this set up this person uses a plant with the fish <span id='postcolor'>

I have thought long and hard about my response to this... and many people are going to be offended, and I would like to say it is your right to be, however I think what I am about to say is important and must be said.

West... when you have a clue what you are talking about then you can argue... until then... don't bother saying anything.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Maehem I dont have a clue? HA ok well im going to make this reply now Id like to see you try to shut me up ... Your saying everyone is wrong the pet stores are wrong when they tell you that you dont need a filter ..My friend who has this kind of fish with no filter for 3 years he is wrong 2 huh .... And hey even that guy who made that site I posted he is liar 2 huh ?


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[url="http://www.meijer.com/pet/fish/betta.asp"]http://www.meijer.com/pet/fish/betta.asp
                     puts filter Optional key word here OPTIONAL
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http://www.tropical-fish.net/Betta/bettafaq.htm

Do I need a filter?
   Although Bettas can take their water a little harsher than most, if you do not have your Betta in an aquarium with the filter running, change about 50% of the water in your Betta bowl weekly, with water you have either treated, or you have left to stand for 24-48, if taken from the tap.  Although Bettas have a higher tolerance to stagnant water (they come from rice paddies in southeast Asia), water changes and water chemistry management will help keep your Betta beautiful and to live for a much longer period of time.
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Theres another site that says A filter is not a must .

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http://www.elmersaquarium.com/H102FishBowl2gal.htm

puts that its allso a Option for a Fish bowl pump and filter set

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http://home.earthlink.net/~miawoodman/fish/bettacare.htm

Filtration: Though Betta's can live with no filtration and little aeration, they would rather it.


They allso put they CAN live with no filtration


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This fish is not going to drop dead from no filter it is NOT a must it is a Option.



Maehem next time you speek get your facts right or dont even bother to post .


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