Heather M

I was at Walmart today with my grandfather. I always leave the Walmart fish section depressed and sad for the poor fish, so I don't know why I look, but I just can't seem to stay away. Today I saw one of the most beautiful bettas I have ever seen, other than ones from breeders. One problem: I don't have a tank set up yet. I have a 20 gallon long that I was going to put guppies in, but after I saw that gorgeous betta today... sigh. I think I might have changed my mind. The 20 gallon just isn't an option yet since it isn't set up. I don't even have a stand for it yet. My cousin has one of those horrid little betta aquariums that she might let me borrow as a temporary home for the betta. Even though it's tiny, not cycled, and doesn't have a filter, I think it might be better than the death cup he's in now at Walmart. My brother would let me have some of his waterweed for the aquarium if I ask. Would it be ok to keep him in that tiny tank if I do frequent water changes? Any suggestions of how to care for a betta in this situation? I'm afraid he'll die at Walmart if I don't hurry to rescue him!

Shawnie

its so hard to see them and not want to take them home..but IMO, if you arent ready for one, or have a tank ready, its not much better....do you have everything but the stand for the 20g? you can instantly have a tank running with tetra safestart (bacteria that will cycle your tank) but still needs at least a heater..you can get buy without a filter if you do partial daily changes....what is the "horrid" betta tank ?

Heather M

I was referring to those tiny little betta tanks that aren't really fit for a betta to live in. And no, I don't have nearly everything for the 20g. I still need at least a filter, heater, substrate, hood, and light before I can get fish for it. My brother has as 10g set up, but unfortunately he has endler/guppies, and that definitely wouldn't turn out well, so that isn't an option either.

Heather M

Somehow my thread got closed like an hour after I made it. I hope no one cares that I did this, but I really need your advice, so I am copying and pasting the posts here so you can reply to them. Please hurry so I know what to do! I don't want the poor little betta boy I'm talking about in this thread to die at Walmart!!!

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I said:

I was at Walmart today with my grandfather. I always leave the Walmart fish section depressed and sad for the poor fish, so I don't know why I look, but I just can't seem to stay away. Today I saw one of the most beautiful bettas I have ever seen, other than ones from breeders. One problem: I don't have a tank set up yet. I have a 20 gallon long that I was going to put guppies in, but after I saw that gorgeous betta today... sigh. I think I might have changed my mind. The 20 gallon just isn't an option yet since it isn't set up. I don't even have a stand for it yet. My cousin has one of those horrid little betta aquariums that she might let me borrow as a temporary home for the betta. Even though it's tiny, not cycled, and doesn't have a filter, I think it might be better than the death cup he's in now at Walmart. My brother would let me have some of his waterweed for the aquarium if I ask. Would it be ok to keep him in that tiny tank if I do frequent water changes? Any suggestions of how to care for a betta in this situation? I'm afraid he'll die at Walmart if I don't hurry to rescue him!

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Shawnie said:

its so hard to see them and not want to take them home..but IMO, if you arent ready for one, or have a tank ready, its not much better....do you have everything but the stand for the 20g? you can instantly have a tank running with tetra safestart (bacteria that will cycle your tank) but still needs at least a heater..you can get buy without a filter if you do partial daily changes....what is the "horrid" betta tank ?

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I said:

Quote:
(Originally Posted by Shawnie)
its so hard to see them and not want to take them home..but IMO, if you arent ready for one, or have a tank ready, its not much better....do you have everything but the stand for the 20g? you can instantly have a tank running with tetra safestart (bacteria that will cycle your tank) but still needs at least a heater..you can get buy without a filter if you do partial daily changes....what is the "horrid" betta tank ?

I was referring to those tiny little betta tanks that aren't really fit for a betta to live in. And no, I don't have nearly everything for the 20g. I still need at least a filter, heater, substrate, hood, and light before I can get fish for it. My brother has as 10g set up, but unfortunately he has endler/guppies, and that definitely wouldn't turn out well, so that isn't an option either.
.

JaneAustenAddict

One option would be to put a divider in the 10g tank while you wait for another tank to be ready. And you don't have to put the divider down the middle, you can section off only 1 or 2 gallons and he will be happy.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2753067

I would suggest leaving the filter on the guppies side. Sometimes the bettas aren't strong enough to handle a current right away.

Heather M

My brother's tank is already overstocked. I think everyone would be very cramped and unhappy.

Nick G

If you're going to get a tank set up, why not just bring him home anyway and keep him in the cup until the tank is cycled? At least then you can change his water everyday, and maybe work out a way to fix the cup to the inside of your tank while it cycles, so that his water is heated as well.

Meenu

If you buy him and put him in a betta bowl, do you plan on keeping him in it, or upgrading in a few days?

Heather M

It may be a couple of months before I can get the stand. My uncle said he would build it for me. Besides, I can't help but think that the tiny betta tank would still be better for him than the even smaller cup. Maybe I could float one of my brother's old filter cartridges in the water or somehow affix it to the side of the tank. Would that help at all?

To answer the next post:
I would have to keep him in the betta tank for a while, maybe a few months. Then I would move him to my 20g long as soon as possible. I think he might have a fighting chance in the betta tank. I have a relative who (against my advice) has kept a betta in a bowl for 2 or 3 years. He's not the healthiest in the world, but he's alive. I just want to give this betta a fighting chance. At Walmart, he'll either die in his cup or be adopted by someone who doesn't know how to care for him, where he would end up spending a short, miserable life in a bowl anyway. At least I would move him to a bigger tank as soon as possible.

Nick G

Keeping the Betta in a bowl, and changing his water daily will be a lot better than him staying in a little cup. But I'd reccommend getting a heated, filtered tank set up asap for him if you do decide to bring him home.

Heather M

Everyone, please keep replying to my first question, but now I'm going to add another. If I get him, how much water should I replace daily? I already have some water conditioner since my kid brother has fish, so water changes would not be a problem.

Meenu

Rather than waiting months for the 20g, could you purchase a small 3g for the betta, and then cycle that for him? That could be a permanent home for him; you could then stock the 20g as originally planned when it is ready.

Nick G

I'm not really a Betta expert but I'd guess 50%. Martinismommy or Lucy will be able to answer this better than I can.

Heather M

I don't know... My mom is a little hesitant even to let me have the 20g. I have begun to think of how nice he would look in the 20g with his pretty blue fins lined with white flowing through the aquarium. I could even divide it and get another betta, and they would each still have 10g to swim around in. Imagine what they would think going from a tiny cup to a full 10 or 20g! Betta paradise!

COBettaCouple

When we were first starting out and didn't have lots of extra filter sponges in all the running filters, we went crazy at a betta show and had a number of bettas that needed to go into small, uncycled tanks. I added 1-2 drops per gallon of Prime everyday and did extra water changes during the week. The daily addition of Prime helps with toxin levels and if you can get some Fish Protector, 1-2 drops per gallon of that in addition to the Prime really benefits any fish, especially in an uncycled tank.

COBettaCouple

If that livebearer tank is cycled, taking some substrate from it to put in the little aquarium (in addition to doing daily water changes & using Prime to treat all water) could be a lot of help to him. Maybe even use the substrate to anchor some filter media.

fishtroy

Rescue him! He will be okay in the little betta container but in truth I'd rather you find something larger. You can find betta suitable tanks and (larger) bowls in the oddest of places and they're not too expensive.
I replace all of my bettas water every couple of days as I do not have filters, heaters etc. How is your climate? If you are worried about his water temperature being too cool you can put a warm lamp on his bowl for set amounts of time to heat his water up.
He would like anything better than the cup he is in.
I'd say rescue him asap and do the best you possibly can by him. I trust you to care and to give him a better home than the cordial cup, any upgrade he can get right now is a more positive solution. If you buy him, post some pics!

Martinismommy

If you want him that bad then get him....If you have to keep him in a bowl for a while that's fine...Just do water changes every other day and keep him in a room that doesn't get below 78........I do 100% in my unfiltered tanks everyday...You just need to make sure the water is treated and the exact same temp as what he is coming out of or you will shock him.....Maybe you could look on Craigslist for a small 5 gallon to keep him in....

Hope it all works out for you.....

Heather M

I am trying to talk my dad into taking me to Walmart today. I think he might! I will definitely post some pics when I can. I live in the northern part of West Virginia, and it's getting rather chilly. I have a lamp that is supposed to imitate natural sunlight. I use it to study, and I know from experience that it gets pretty hot. I have burnt my hands on it several times. If I put it far enough from the water so it doesn't make fish soup, it should work nicely.

Meenu

good luck!

Shawnie

heather your other post was not closed...not sure why you couldnt find it but ive merged them together...

EDIT: seems someone locked it but its all open again sorry for any confusion

Heather M

I got him!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy, and I think the fish is too. I was so worried that he wouldn't be there! He was still there, and I got him along with some food, substrate, and a thermometer. He seems so glad to be out of that horrible little cup. I borrowed a decently large bowl from my aunt. I also put some water weed in the bowl with him. I'll post pics soon! He's so gorgeous!!!

fishtroy

Great! He'll be fine, now and then when you walk past try and estimate his water temp and turn the lamp off for a while if either the lamp or the bowl gets too hot. I use this method in winter in Australia and it works. Congratulations new Mommy! Does he have a name?

Heather M

His name is Lord Nelson. Admiral Lord Nelson, of course.

fishtroy

And what colour is Admiral Lord Nelson? & is he a Veil Tail, Crown or other?

bolivianbaby

Congratulations! Can't wait for pics

Heather M

Lord Nelson seems to be a fish after my own heart. When I turned on the lights at around 5:30 this morning, he yawned. (Was that really a yawn? Can fish yawn?) Neither of us like getting up early. Some of my relatives think I gave him a strange name. Then again I give almost all my pets strange names. They're usually either horrendously long (like Admiral Lord Nelson), or in French (like my goat, Madame Chèvrette). For anyone who doesn't know, Lord Nelson was a British admiral. He fought during the Napoleonic Wars. I named my fish Lord Nelson because it's kind of nautical-ish, and I think the name sounds cool. I use the name Nelson as a sort of nickname when I get too lazy to say or type his entire name. Today my mom did something hilarious and depressing at the same time. I was at school and she thought Lord Nelson looked lonely. My little brother had guppy/endler fry in his tank. My mom thought she would do a nice thing for Lord Nelson and put two of the fry in his bowl so he wouldn't be lonely anymore. You can guess what happened: She told me she didn't waste any time getting the second fry out of the tank after Nelson ate the first one. I can imagine the look on her face. She had no idea bettas would eat other fish. If I would have known she was going to give him a "friend," I would have told her they could eat fry. I didn't even think of it.

I am fairly sure he is a veil tail. I'll post a pic soon so you can see his color. I tried to post one today, but the camera keeps dying. I didn't charge it long enough. I'll try again tomorrow or Wednesday.

fishtroy

I think a fish can definitely yawn! I was chatting to Theseus once while we were watching TV (I had moved his container on the table next to where I was so he could get used to me) I turned to him and without thinking said 'this show's boring isn't it?' he looked at me and yawned!
I also have a picture of Philoctetes an old betta of mine yawning. Sometimes I'm not sure though if they are yawning or just mouthing off, cause Philoctetes always seemed a little grumpy.

By the way, don't worry about long names. My mother once thought she'd a buy a fighter and called him Sonny-Shine. I ended up adopting him as I love fighters and Sonny was very pretty but his name did not fit my theme. Mum wanted me to keep with her sunshine theme so when I adopted him I put the name Helios (The Greek Sun Titan) on the end of his name. But then I realised that Helios could not be related in any way back to the Trojan War and at the threat of feeling different from all the other fish I added the name of the Trojan War hero Ajax to the end. So my fishy ended up being called 'Sonny-Shine Helios Ajax'. But as I demonstrated before we kinda just stuck with Sonny.

Heather M

lol!

fishtroy

This is where I don't mention that around the same time I mentioned to Theseus how he came from a tiny cramped container and was rescued to a home where he could swim. He responded by repeatedly opening and shutting his mouth, (he did! I swear!) it looked remarkably like he was complaining about the tiny container, by the way I know, I'm crazy! LOL