Freshwater BeginnersA place where freshwater aquarium fish beginners can go to post their questions and hopefully get responses from those more experienced. Also check out the Freshwater Fish Beginner's Guide and Aquarium Setup Guides. Setting up a new freshwater aquarium can be a rather large project and you want to make sure you do it right the first time. If you need help with your fish tank please don't be afraid to ask questions. That's what this fish forum is all about!
Hi all, this is my first post,probably of many on this forum. I'd like to thank everyone in advance for the wisdom you might bestow upon this fish tank newbie.
Let me jump right into it.
My girlfriend bought a beta and set things up while i was at work,all same day,and i came home and we had a new fish in a small betta bowl- Our first fish for either of us.
I'm really not sure what steps she took to prepare the tank,though she doesn't know about the nitrate/ammonia cycle for sure. I know she treated the water,and that our test kit showed the water was good. Overnight, our betta jumped out- we found him on the ground the next morning,put him in the water again. He was dead about 24hrs later
So,we went to the store and picked up a 5 gallon tank and set it up. We did not rinse the white gravel that we put in! Newbie mistake and i caught it only after we put our new fish in - so that is the first point i need help on. The water is slightly cloudy and im not sure if its from the unwashed gravel or possibly this next point
We did not let the tank cycle fully (and im still not sure how to fully do this).... we set it up and let the filter and heater run. About 8hrs later,when the temp was right(at 79) we slowly added our new fish into the aquarium.
Our new guy is great- he seems very active,but I've got a few concerns since we lost our first fish so quickly. My girlfriend was,and remains really devastated.
We've had him for 3 days now. Coming from a newbie,he looks very happy. However, I am concerned on the following topics
- The water has a slight cloud to it. I tested the water just now and it shows my pH at about 7, but there is a slight discolor to the ammonia strip- the chart labels it as a level that might cause stress to a fish.
-This fish has a hugely different and more active personality to fish1. He swims all over the tank all the time, slowly or quickly,it varies. I am concerned that he spends quite a bit of time at the walls of the tank,swimming up and down with his snout to the wall, (like hes looking for a hole to get out of?) I am worried he isnt happy with the water conditions ,possibly from the cloudiness , possibly from the slightly increased ammonia levels. We have had a couple beta bits sink to the bottom- i suppose we need a gravel vacuum for this since we've lost where they are. The box of the tank boasts that its filter will help with uneaten food- is this true?
-This tank has a fliter,and it creates a rather notable current, especially for a fish measuring only about 1.5 inches long with his tail stretched out. He seems to enjoy the exercise, but this is a newbies observation. Should i let the filter pump run 24/7 or should i give him a rest?
-He likes to hang out by the pump. I've caught him more than once resting up against or near to the pump and or heating device - both being rods that dip into the water like a stick would. Is he doing this to rest from the current? or possibly because he likes the vibrations? Not really sure what to think of this....the temp of the tank seems uniform even when i move the thermometer around to the other side it doesnt really seem to vary.
Not sure what else you might need to know guys,ask away!- He's eating well and his colors are bright. He seems to spend a little time each day resting at the bottom, sleeping i suppose?
To summarize- I am worried we added him too quickly and that the ammonia cycle is going to kill our new friend within a week. I was going to hold off on changing the water until friday but perhaps i should start doing 25% changes every other day,or twice a week, till the water clears and the ammonia level drops back down to a safer level?
I'm really sorry about the loss of your first fish. I know it's rough.
You did the right thing getting him his own 5g.
It sounds like the cloudy water might be from the gravel, if it is, it should clear up in a few days.
Here's a basic explanation of the nitrogen cycle:
First your ammonia (from fish waste and left over food) 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.
Ammonia and nitrites are toxic to your fish.
So until your cycle is complete, you need to keep the levels down with daily water changes
When you having readings of 0 on both ammonia and nitrites with some nitrates showing, your cycle is done.
Using Prime as your water conditioner will detoxify the ammonia for 24hrs between water changes but still make it available for the beneficial bacteria.
Water changes and Prime will be your best bet to get your little guy through the cycle.
Your betta will pick a spot he likes to sleep and rest, it sounds like that's what he's doing. It'll take a little while for him to get used to have such a nice big place to swim after being in a little cup.
It would be a good idea to get gravel vacuum not only does it help with left over food, but also fish waste.
Oh, here's a good link on betta care:
First of all,I've been reading thru the forum and i noticed your picture of a cat in a fish tank earlier. I knew from then you would be a source of great knowledge.
Not sure about a name,ill see about a picture- he's gorgeous red with 5 or 6 rows of white flecks going down the length of his body... We picked him out for his active nature- it looked like he was about to explode from his little cup so it shouldn't surprise me that he looks like hes trying to burst out of his 5g tank.
Only question you've left me with for the moment,is how much water should i change at a time? maybe 25%? I'll read the link you sent me when i wake up again,I've literally lost sleep over the cloudy water and am about to go back to bed for a couple hrs.
Thanks much,and and more advice is much appreciated
Getting that aqaurium set up with the cat around was a real trick. He loved it in there. lol
Your betta sounds beautiful! You're really doing well, so get some rest.
50% is a good amount, by changing 1/2 the water, it cuts the ammonia in 1/2.
Start with the changes today so he'll be more comfortable.
They like plants to swim around and a cave he can play in.
You can test the decorations with a stocking, run it along the edges, if it snags, it can snag the bettas beautiful fins.
Last edited by Lucy; October 30th, 2008 at 09:53 AM.
Dan, getting cloudy water in the beginning is very common. Your cloudiness is very well from not rinsing the gravel before putting it in the tank, but it should settle down in a few days and your water should clear up.
But, your water will most likely cloud up a couple times during the cycle. As the bacteria the converts the ammonia to nitrites grows in numbers, it creates a "bacteria bloom" that will clould your tank for a few days. Eventually it will clear up only to cloud up as the bacteria that converts the nitrites to nitrates "blooms". But after a few days it too will clear up. This cloudiness is not harmful to your fish in any way, it just looks bad.
Sounds like Lucy has you on the right track, so good luck and happy Betta keeping!
Welcome to fishlore! Glad to have you as a part of our BETTA family.
the only thing you didn't mention in your set up is if you used a water conditioner/ de-chlorinator when you set up the tank. this is VERY important, so hopefully you used something.
Hi Dan, welcome to fishlore.
Lucy and jdhef gave you wonderful info.
I'd like to add that usually when a fish goes up and down the glass like that it means he's bored. Is there decor in his tank for him to play with? Bettas love plants to rest on, and caves and tubes to explore.
As far as decor goes, not much...we've planted a few bulbs, and there is a plastic plant we bought with 6 or 7 leaves he will swim in and out of on occasion. There is a bit of empty space though,i think today i'll look at something to get him that he can swim around,or a few things maybe.
As far as decor goes, not much...we've planted a few bulbs, and there is a plastic plant we bought with 6 or 7 leaves he will swim in and out of on occasion. There is a bit of empty space though,i think today i'll look at something to get him that he can swim around,or a few things maybe.
ok COOL!!
some people like more natural landscape, me, i use Hamster tubing and my bettas LOVE IT!
here's how some of my betta tanks look
This is NOT my betta fish- i was on youtube looking at betta videos and came across this one. He looks very much like my little guy in color and shape. My guys fins are a little larger compared to his body i think and is even more vibrant red on the fins perhaps
Did a 50% water change over night, ammonia levels are back down this morning and he seems like a happy camper....
he's still spending a lot of time at the wall of the tank, the one facing the couch where we watch TV ( though,even when im on the other side of the room he seems to want to spend most of his time riding up against the wall facing the couch)
I think he's doing well,the water is a little more clear today and he's still eating well. So paranoid after what happened to our first fish...
Going to do what i can to post a video tonight for y'all
welcome to fishlore!! most have covered your questions but for your current I just wanted to add, that you can put a sponge over the intate and outtake valve to slow it down..sometimes these boys need time to build up their fins from a cup to a tank....goodluck and we cant wait for pics!
He looks like he is happy and healthy and his fins are in good shape and he is gorgeous. The really important thing is going to be those water changes. If you keep the ammonia level down for him he will do well and live through the cycle process but if you relax on the water changes and let the ammonia build up that is the main cause of death in bettas. People are told that bettas can live in water of poor quality and the truth is really that they are tropical fish the same as any other and cannot live in their waste any more than any other fish. As soon as the filter is set up to handle the ammonia, either through the use of Biospira or through water changes or through using one of the other agents that offer instant cycles (all of which are expensive), he will not need daily water changes anymore. Then you will only need to do weekly changes but he will still need to be given love and attention to keep him happy as bettas are very dependent fish and need the love of their humans to keep them happy. they have personalities that develop as you spend time paying attention to them and talking to them and getting to know them. They differ from other fish in this way. He will become more of a pet to you as much as you want him to be.
Very nice little guy. Personally I'd add a little cave structure for him to keep him interested. I'm not one for the kitschy aquarium decor in stores, so for my guy I just took two pieces of rainbow slate from the store and leaned them against each other like /\. Looks very nice and sounds like you've really taken a liking to him. Welcome to fishlore!
Wow he's a pretty boy, I've never had a red and he really looks sharp. I like the substrate in the tank. Sounds like he's getting settled in so welcome to fishlore and good luck!
hey! this is donut's girlfriend.
we went to the aquarium store today here in town, called "The Fish Place"; ive always wanted to go in there but never had a reason until recently!
we did buy a little house for him to swim around and we put a little rock at an angle in his preferred resting place to give him a cozy corner.
we got some tank water for when we do a partial water change
and we got some ammonia reducing gravel that we scattered at the bottom
Mugen spends a lot of time flitting around the front of the tank so i think we might try moving it to see if its a reflection problem or he just likes looking at us when we are in the living room, of course i dont see what he does when im not home or when we sleep
also a question about lighting at night:
its really really dark in our living room so i put a little blue LED nightlight on a shelf nearby to give him a bit of light over night ... is this okay? or should i be less worried about him bumping into things at night only because i do? lol
yall have been so helpful and anything else to add would be really appreciated!
You don't have to worry about him bumping into things.
You'll probably find he'll find a comfortable spot to sleep at night.
Becareful with ammonia removing products.
In order for you tank to cycle there has to be ammonia to help develop the beneficial bacteria that will grow and eventually process the ammonia.
Using prime as your water conditioner will detoxify the ammonia for 24hrs between water changes but make it available for the bacteria.
Yesterday i began to take note of Mugen's head, or chin really.
It seems to be that the area under his head and just behind his gill has a white patch, on both sides, that extends all the way under his chin to his mouth.
When i shone a light on it tonight , the patch turned to a copper color. And,it appears that one of his scales is falling off. I thought it was ICH at first,but its only the one scale and its appeared within the last couple of hours- He didnt have it before we did a 50% water change 3hrs ago. For this water change we used half the regular water, and the other half aquarium water we grabbed at our LFS . I tested everything and both the waters seemed to match almost perfectly,though the aquarium water has more Nitrates than what we've been using or have had in our tank.
Mugen is spending probably 95% of his time swimming up against the wall of the tank up and down, or in the corner with his head shoved in,swimming up and down...
Ive read online that velvet causes the fish discomfort and itchiness. We've tried to get pictures but nothing is turning out well enough to post with any success. If you look at the video we posted you can kind of note the whiteness under his chin, especially in the first couple seconds of the video. When i shine a light directly on this it takes a copper color, same with the patches further up on his gill area. Heres' the link again
To recap, im worried he's got velvet,or some other disease on his head,because his white coloring turns a rusty copper color in direct light, and a scale is falling off. And his almost 24hr/day rubbing against the tanks walls.
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Hi Donut welcome to Fish Lore.
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