liban605

I'm trying.

Lucy

We all learn from our mistakes. Your betta's not the only one whose gone for a wild ride.
Someone, I think it was Shawnie's betta some how landed on the floor and got licked by a puppy.

I hope Bleuroux's doing ok after his ordeal.

MousePotato

I'm sorry, but that is toooo funny! I can just see my Viviane doing that were I to drop a fish on the floor! She'd be like "what's this? Treat for me?!? <slurp> YUCK!!!"

Back on topic: Liban, I commend your desire to provide a good life for Bleuroux (love the name) and you are getting great advice from Lucy. If I dropped a fish in my kitchen sink I'd be terrified of the bacteria potential! I hope your baby is okay.

I understand that being a teenager under the control of parents makes things difficult, but Lucy is right and your baby needs a tank with a filter and a heater. Maybe you could get your Mom or Dad to read this forum...?

liban605

Well I just got him a new home yesterday, but I didn't put him in it yet. I'll probably put him in at around 6 pm today, and I already put some raw shrimp in it for ammonia. And I did a fifty percent water change today.
I'm going to see if they have test kits at PetSmart, and then if they do I'll probably ask my dad to bring me one on his way home today. My mom understands everything, but I don't really need a filter anymore 1) because of the new home, it makes it cleaner and 2) I hand wash his home.
Bleuroux is doing fine now. I think he'll be back to his normal self once I put him in his awesome new home.
The only thing is that I THINK that his fins are starting to curl. Not a lot, but a little. He also has a thin white stripe on one of his fins, but i'm pretty sure that's been there since I got him. Do you guys think he has ICH (i don't know how to spell it)?
Well I'm going to post some pictures of him so you guys can try to see his fins. It was kind of hard to get good angles though because he gets scared if the camera gets to close to him.

Lucy

Ich would look like grains salt of salt. Keep your eye on him. You can put a few drops of garlic in his water and some Stress Coat to help him.

Reading your post, I'm not sure you understand the nitrogen cycle. I know I didn't when I first started. I had to keep reading it over and over and I still posted questions asking about it.

Your goal is to build up enough benefical bacteria that 'eats' ammonia produced by fish waste and left over food.
The bacteria grows on the gravel, plants, tank surfaces and most importantly on your filter media. (The sponges inside the filter)

Here's a basic explanation of the nitrogen cycle:

First your ammonia (from fish waste and left over food or in your case, the raw shrimp) will rise.
In a few weeks you'll see the nitrite levels rise and the ammonia levels start to drop.
After a few more weeks you'll see the nitrate levels rise and the nitrite levels drop.
When you having readings of 0 on both ammonia and nitrites with some nitrates showing, your cycle is done.

Can you post a link to the picture of his new home? Depending on the size, it'll help to have a filter to keep the cycle going.

liban605

Oh!! Okay. I definitely misunderstood the Nitrogen Cycle. So should I take the raw shrimp out? I thought that we wanted more ammonia in the tank.
I just posted pictures on his new home and of him, so you can check them out.
Thanks Lucy!

Lucy

Ammonia is toxic to fish.
I hope the explanation helped you. I know it's very confusing.
The first time I read about it, I was like, huh?? lol

Your new tank is really cute, but it's not bigger than your bowl.
This is what I'd suggest. Take it back and get the 2.5 or 5g mini bow. I suggested the 2.5 because I'm assuming that's the price range you're in. Ideally, in my opinion, he should have the 5g.
He'll have a lot more room to swim and you'd be able to properly cycle it.

Your mom sounds very understanding, it's terrific she's working with you to help Bleuroux.

liban605

Yeah that definitely helped. I can't open the AquaPal cause it's really tight, but my Dad'll be home soon so he can open it then I'll take out the shrimp.
I would take the AquaPal back, but the thing is that everything's already set up. I don't think they'd let me give it back to them used.
I tried to find a mini bow when I went to the store the other day, but I couldn't find it. I was going to get him a 2.5 gallon.
The thing about swimming space is that I learned that in Japan, and just where the betta fish originate from, they live in small puddles. So I don't think it's too important to have a lot of swimming space. Basically, I don't think it's a NEED. More like a convenience.
I'm really sorry. It's just that for now I'm stuck with the AquaPal. But I'm pretty sure it's bigger than his bowl, and it's definitely nicer. It was so much easier to put the plant in and stuff!!
Thanks for all your help, Lucy. I'm just going to try to make him happy with the AquaPal for now. Once again, I'm really sorry.

Lucy

The mud puddle thing isn't true, but anyway, your welcome and good luck.

liban605

MousePotato

Liban, I know you are trying really hard to do the right thing and that is wonderful! Too many people buy bettas and keep them in horrible conditions. Keeping a fish in a small bowl with no filtration is like keeping you in a small bathroom with a broken toilet and a couple of chainsmokers. Could you survive? Sure, if someone came in twice a day and emptied the toilet and cleared out the smoke, but would you be happy? Would you be healthy? Would you expect to have the same lifespan?

Again, I know you are trying, but please think about what I've written and do that "daughter thing" to dear old Dad where he can deny you nothing (you know what I mean), so you can get a 2.5 or a 5 gallon setup.

liban605

I'll think about it. But I don't want to ask my dad something when my mom already said no. LOL. I'm really sorry MousePotato I DO want to put him in a big tank but for now that's all I've got. :|

Iron waffle

What size is the bowl or tank he's in now?

MousePotato

Ah. Got it. I didn't realize you had already asked Mom. You probably don't want to push your luck. Playing one parent against another is asking for trouble.

HOWEVER... If you have a birthday coming up or if you can save up a little allowance/babysitting/lawnmowing money, this is the 2.5 gallon Mini Bow aquarium you were recommended:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3635102

Here is the 5 gallon:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3635107

Aren't they cool? Apparently, they aren't sold in the stores, so you have to order online. I think I'll get a 5 gallon for when I get my betta. No more tanks until after we move, though, so I will have to make do with my cichlids and admiring the pretties everyone else has.

jdhef

The Walmart near me does stock the 2 1/2 mini-bow. Not sure about the 5 though. So you may be able to find it at your local Walmart.

liban605

Well i'm getting holiday money from my grandpa soon so I might use it for that. But he's really happy in his aquapal thing now. it's about two gallons. but yea the walmart minibows are really cool. but for now he seems ecstatic in his new home, so it's really cool.