luna

Scold me later, I know I should have known better.

- Went to LFS (never going back, I don't like how they handle their animals and fish), just to ask how often they get deliveries of fish, since they're the only ones I've seen with females.
- They said weekly, but they hadn't gotten a delivery this week.
- The problem? The same little girl I saw a week ago was still there, in her awful little Cup of Death, being all cute and active.

Guess who is now acclimating a little betta girl in an uncycled tank?

luna

Well, so far she seems more curious than anything...

Anyways...while we were in the store, I mentioned to mom that she was still there, but that my tank wasn't cycled yet...but that I didn't want to just leave her there to suffer for another week. Mom put forth the idea that, even if it is uncycled, it couldn't possibly be worse than that awful little cup.

I'm following the Acclimating Tropical Fish to Your Fish Tank article, adding a little bit of tank water to her bag while it floats in the tank so she can get used to things.

Is there anything else I should do? I know I'm going to need to do partial water changes and testing the water daily now...

sirdarksol

I see...water changes...many of them...twenty-five percent a day...in your future.
Okay, so you probably know that part.
It kills me every time I go through a Petsmart, Petco, or LFS that treats its bettas badly. On the one hand, I want to rescue all the poor little fish, but on the other hand, I know that giving in to this wish will only condemn more bettas to be ordered by this store. So far, I've been able to hold out, but I've had to picture the lines of betta cups in order to do so. Not good for one's sanity, either way.
It's excellent that you won't go back to this store. I urge you, however, to let them know why. Write them a letter. You don't even have to sign it or give a return address. Let them know that the way they are keeping their bettas is unconscionable. There are only three nearby fish stores that I will buy bettas from. Two keep their bettas in tanks with bottom-feeders and mild-mannered fish like White Clouds. Not ideal, but better than the cups. The third keeps its bettas in breeder boxes in their main tanks. Again, not ideal, but at least the water is circulating. The others of about a dozen nearby pet stores all keep a large stock of betta cups.

capekate

Congrats on the rescue! IMO Im sure your new lil girl will be fine as long as you do those daily water changes in her new tank. All my bettas came home to uncycled tanks and April will be a year Ive had one, the others 10 months and all are doing great.
Just have to be more diligent with the care of them while the tank is cycling.
Good luck with your new baby girl.. Im sure she is very excited and happy as can be to be out of her disgusting lil cup! good for you!

~ kate

luna

Okay, so she's in the tank now, and seems to be exploring and even nibbling at the little bits of "cycle-food" (the flakes I'd been breaking into an almost powder consistency and feeding the tank every 12 hours) as the current from the filter makes them drift by. She was actually hanging out at the top, where the current is stronger, just to graze.

I know bettas are little piggies, but being willing to swim in the current to nibble makes me think she wasn't well-fed. She's checking out the bottom now, too...and discovering that the bits of food that have fallen down to the marbles are easier prey. *snicker* What a cute little thing. I hope I can get some decent pictures of her.

Bonochick

Glad you were able to get her a home, luna! I'm sure lots and lots of bettas go home to uncycled homes (and little bowls) and manage okay...but yours will have a chance to do much better than just be okay.

King_Snuggles

i dont think your going to get yelled at as long as you keep on top of the water changes till everything is cycled. good on you for saving her though.

luna

Well, she seems to be swimming laps around and up and down, nosing the walls to figure out just how much space she's got. I tried to take her picture, but I don't want to crowd her and freak her out too much while she's exploring her new home. Turning off the flash stopped the glare, but didn't really show her off...and she taunts me by only swimming right up front where a picture would be easiest to get when I'm not over there with the camera. What a tease.

Lucy

Wow, what a cutie, good save!
While not ideal, I think your mom was right and obviously you know how to care for her while your tank is cycling and are willing to put in the work.
Has anyone recommended Bio-Spiro? I have no personal experienced with it, but you're supposed to be able to add fish right after adding it to your tank. From what I hear, it is expensive tho.
Many of the more experienced fish keepers here also recommend using Prime as a water conditioner as it locks the ammonia and makes it less toxic to your fish.

What's her name?

luna

I have Prime for my water conditioner, which will help a little. I've also been told that, since it locks up the "food" for the bacteria, Bio-spira wouldn't work properly with Prime...but I can't find it anyways, without ordering it online.

No thoughts on a name just yet, want to see more of her personality first. She is a cute little thing. I'm also happy to report that, while he seemed rather curious and interested in her appearance on his "tv" (I call the tank KittyTV, so I guess the programming has shifted out of reruns and into The Fishie Show), her "big brother" Sylvester doesn't equate the small thing moving in the vat of water with the stinky stuff from a pouch that my mom feeds him.

I know I'm going to have to do daily partial water changes. How much water should I be changing, and what time of day? Should I do it at night, after all of the feeding and whatnot is done for the day...or in the morning, before I do any feeding? I know I have to test the water before it's been changed to get an accurate reading...how often should I be testing? I was going to just be testing for ammonia at this stage in the cycling...but now, should I be testing more parameters?

luna

Okay...sleeping fish are bad for my blood pressure. She's asleep (yes, I'm sure, I watched her long enough to see her move and pop her mouth up to "breathe") just hovering near the surface of the water.

Now I have a headache...why couldn't she decide to fall asleep after I went to bed, so I wouldn't see her and freak out? You'd almost think they do this on puprose.

capekate

Hi Luna
your new little girl looks just like my "Darling" ( her name) did when I brought her home in May. They do grow fast! I would give her two pellets per meal, about two times a day. IMO the females are much more friendlier than the males and smarter lol...
Doesnt really matter when you do the water change. Doing it after a feeding isnt a bad idea either. If you do it carefully and not stir up too much or pour the water in fast she will be just fine while you do the WC.
here is a photo of Darling.. you can see your lil girl looks like her twin!

Good luck and wishing you and your lil one the very best!

~ kate

Attached Images

Darling video 015 001_0002.jpg (18.6 KB, 8 views)

chickadee

You can try to do 25% water changes for a couple of days and test the water after feeding her, but I usually have done 50% and recommend that amount in an uncycled tank if the ammonia ever gets to be in the neighborhood of .5 or so in the test. You will not be able to keep the ammonia at 0 though or your tank will never cycle as much as it would be so much better for her to have it that way. It is too bad that you did not have a small quarantine tank for her to be in that you would have to do water changes in and could keep warm for her with no filter or anything just the 50% water changes. That way you could let the big tank just go ahead and do its cycle and not have to worry about the big water changes. They do get so hard after a while.

Don't get me wrong, I do not think you did a wrong thing. I am just sorry that you are going to have to work so hard because of it. It does not seem fair somehow.

What food did you end up getting for her? It depends on what the pellets are as to what you feed her. If they are the Atison's then she can have 2 to 3 pellets 3 times a day (2 pellets of Betta Formula or 3 of Betta Pro) if she is under 6 mos old. (sounds like she may be if she is under 2" in length) and 4 to 5 pellets (4 of Betta Formula or 5 of Betta Pro) 2 times a day if she is over 6 mos of age. Betta Formula is in the container with the blue lid and Betta Pro is in the container with the pink lid. If she is getting the Hikari Betta Bio-gold then the meals are much smaller. 1 pellet a meal 3 times a day for a baby betta and 2 pellets 2 times a day for an older betta. All bettas need their peas or some form of fiber food for digestive help and prevention of constipation.

chickadee

Congratulations on her she is a very lovely little thing and I am sure she will make you very happy. I am sure you will spoil her and make her the Queen of your tank. She already knows you love her or she would not have responded to you so quickly.

Please do not be so frightened for her. Bettas are more durable than they look. If they were not, how could they take some of the treatment they receive. She is going to be fine.

My first betta got along fine with me being totally unaware there even WAS a nitrogen cycle. I kind of unknowingly did the right thing by changing the water every day just because I wanted him to have a clean tank. It just worked out by accident. For the first few months that I owned him we did not have the benefit of this forum. I got him in July and joined here in the fall. Ignorance on my part did not kill him and you have taken time to find out about the fish before getting one so you are miles ahead of where I was. Relax...take a deep breath...you are a mommy now.

Rose
(cup of green tea for your nerves.)

luna

How much do they sleep? I don't want to wake her up to try to feed her...but I suppose I should change the water regardless.

Oh, and for food, I got some of the Betta Pro (pink lid), some daphnia, and some of the freeze dried bloodworms...which I haven't looked at, but have seen elsewhere that they'd be a little too big for a young betta (though that wouldn't stop the little piggies from trying to eat them anyways).

For water changes, I can siphon off 10% without affecting the functioning of the filter. If I take out more than that at once, The filter pump stops drawing in water and it stops working. I figure, since it is much less disruptive to the fishie and isn't nearly as labor-intensive for me, just doing the 10% a few times a day would be okay. Adding water back in via the filter/bio-wheel seems to be easiest as well...it speeds up the current a little, but if I pour the water in slowly, it shouldn't freak her out too much, and it doesn't add unexpected flow anywhere else in the tank.

Does that sound okay?

COBettaCouple

The way we feed ours is to feed them about 30-60 minutes after turning the tank lights on in the morning and about an hour before turning the tank lights off at night. We turn the room light on/off before tank lights.

If you want to change more than 10% at a time, what you can do is move enough tank water to a big container to be able to put your filter media and biowheel (and the intake tube) in the water and keep it wet. Then you can unplug the filter and change up to 50% at a time. When you finish putting new water back in, you can put the filter stuff back as it was and plug it in. Then scoop some tank water and pour it in the filter to get it started up.

capekate

g'morning Luna.. how is the little one doing today?
I was thinking about your water change routine and one part of it had me worried. Someone correct me if Im wrong. You mentioned putting new water back into the tank via the bio wheel filter. IF using tap water to clean out the filter is a no no that it will kill the beneficial bacteria, then wouldnt pouring new water over the filter do the same thing?

As far as your water level going below the filter intake tube when changing water etc, I just unplug mine I dont bother removing it and adding the extra work. When I am done I then just add some tank water to the filter box after I re plug it. For my small 10g tanks, the filter is not turned off for very long, just a few minutes. I use two buckets, one for the dirty water and one for the clean water. The clean water bucket is filled and ready to go while I am taking out dirty water. Then I just push that aside and start using the clean water right away. It only takes a few minutes this way.
Just another water change routine suggestion...

~ kate

luna

Well, I noticed she was up and about when I checked her tank, so I turned her light on and gave her a little food, which she didn't notice at first, but then when she did see it, she went and nibbled it up. Then she did a little "I'm still hungry, where'd you go" dance at the front of the tank. I know I put in enough food for her, though I didn't see her find and eat it all.

No, no...conditioned water, not straight tap water. I'm not going to pour water with chlorine in it into my filter. Thanks for noticing that and being concerned, though. Actually, having the conditioned water ready when I siphon off the old water is a good idea...should make the process quicker and easier.

luna

COBettaCouple

LOL.. They're VERY good at that. Ours also like to look at me as if to say "um, you forgot to feed me" - even within minutes of their meal.

luna

Okay, she seems to enjoy swimming laps and surfing the current from the filter. She's even figured out, if she misses a piece of food, that she can just wait in a certain spot and it will come right back to her to gobble up...and she's decided, the past couple of times at least, to beg for more food when I open the lid.

Water changes so far today: 10% this morning after her breakfast and 15% this afternoon after a small lunch. I plan on doing at least one more, probably 2, later today.

I've figured out a method that's pretty quick and simple, and she doesn't seem to mind it much. She comes and checks out the siphon, and doesn't seem bothered by it, and I pour the new water in gently enough that she doesn't seem disturbed by the flow.

This isn't set in stone, but if she keeps at the begging the way she was...I may just have to name her Notorious P.I.G.

New picture looks better as a thumbnail...is blurry when zoomed in too far (like it is in the gallery).

voiceless_kat

She is a sweetheart! Great rescue....believe me, I know how hard it is to walk by them, and how good it makes you and the fish feel to rescue them!

Good luck with her. Glad you are enjoying her.

Val

luna

Okay, did a 25%, bringing my total to 50% for the day...and she hung out watching me and "helping" with the water change. I'm not sure if it's just because of the cleaner water, but she seems to be enjoying the water changes.

How much light do you all give your bettas? I don't want to leave her light on all the time, but I also don't want to say "lights out, time for bed" when she's still having fun swimming her little fins off.

LuvaBetta

You sound like you're doing really great! "Premature mommy" syndrome sounds exhausting!

I usually just turn the tank lights on after the room lights have been on 30-60 minutes as was previously posted (sorry, I can't go back and look at who posted it now!), and reverse that at night. I don't think the number of hours of dark vs light is critical. If you're concerned though, put her light on a timer! My work fishie, Mr Bojangles, has his light on a timer so that his day/night isn't dependent on room light, especially on the weekends.

luna

LuvaBetta

You're right, and she'll acclimate herself to your schedule. When she can see, artificially or not, she'll be buzzing around, when she can see you, she'll be buzzing for your attention! Then when the lights go out, she'll sleep. I just tend to want to warn them it's coming, I guess!
I think the only actual requirement is that she have some dark for sleeping, because of the no-eyelids thing.

COBettaCouple

She's a little smart one. The female bettas are so smart and she's learning fast, even for a female betta. She's a lot like our Chloe who is so curious when i clean her tank that she's always getting in the way. Some Bettas actually love when you pour water in the tank and see it as some sort of game.

Our Bettas get 10-12 hrs of lights on usually. They'll try to get more lights on time by dancing and all, but when the lights go out, they settle in for the night pretty quick usually.

luna

That's what I did. I gave her about 12 hours on, then turned it off, and she disappeared pretty quickly...and yeah, she's smart. She's figured out I'm the food source. Granted, I'm happy she likes the pellets, since I was told they could be picky eaters, but...oy.

Yeah, she definitely likes playing in the water. When I add the water to the filter, she surfs her current like usual...so this morning I poured a little in the front, and she swam right up to the flow to check it out and play in it...or maybe she thought, because the top was open, she was going to get more breakfast. What a smart, piggy fish she is!

luna

luna

I had a bright idea not prompted by anyone here...though I'm sure I'm not the first one to think of it. Since I'm supposed to test the water before I change it, but I'm changing it twice a day to make sure I'm not poisoning her, I had the thought if I just hold on to the water I take out in the morning, that's going to be the highest the levels (well, level...still not cycled), and that'd be easier than trying to dip the vials in the tank with her trying to eat and/or play with them.

Even after a longer than planned overnight (I got up a few hours later than I had the previous 2 days, and she looked upset that I hadn't gotten up to feed her), my ammonia was between 0.25 and 0.5ppm. Kind of hard to tell between those two colors on the chart, so I'm not sure which it was closer to. That's where it should be before I change it, right? I know it won't drop down to zero until my tank starts to cycle.