Finally got my betta!

Alright Dave, be ready for questions 24/7. Sorry no pix for now as my camera upload thingy is back in Belgium.

Right: million questions

- what water temperature would you recommend
- what to feed them?
- how to treat finrot. Sure enough, looked in the shop and didn't see it but pretty sure he's got it.

He's in a 72L (14G?), the lucky boy.

He's quite small, light purple with frayed fins. Dont' remember what you call that type. The circle is nowhere near 'full'.

 

congratulations and good luck

 

Thanks, honeyg!

He's had a look around his tank and he can't believe his luck. He's already showing off his fins. It's such a disgrace the conditions they keep them in in the shop.

 

Is only Dave allowed to answer??

- what water temperature would you recommend

78* Farenheit at a minimum, 82* if you are treating for fin rot.

- what to feed them?

I feed HikarI betta bio-gold as the main diet, HikarI freeze dried blood worms, occasional peat treats, and daphnia. I started Romeo and Jett on HikarI tropical micro pellets because they wouldn't eat the pellets at first. I think they were too small and the pellets were too big.

- how to treat finrot. Sure enough, looked in the shop and didn't see it but pretty sure he's got it.

This is a good thread here for the meds and such:

 

- I shalt allow thee to answereth!

jandayi's right on with the temp. 80 is the temp we try to stay at.

Ok.. are you ready for our list of foods that our bettas get? we have: freeze-dried bloodworms, frozen bloodworms, freeze-dried daphnia, vitamin pellets, betta pellets, color pellets, betta flakes, soft pellets with krill in them.. we also regularly feed them frozen peas, thawed and peeled.

Our feeding schedule for the bettas is that they get fed when we have breakfast and dinner (and they know it). each feeding, they get 3 pellets, bloodworms or the equivalent flakes or 3 pellet-sized pieces of the pea.

For breakfast: mon they get pea pieces, tues - friday they get vitamin pellets (except our finicky Sora), sat they get bloodworms.
For dinner: mon they get pea pieces, sat they get bloodworms and tues-friday we cycle through the other foods.
Sunday they get fasted. It's also good to give them a little time between pieces when feeding (it makes it a good time to talk to them and enjoy watching their food-antics). 1 piece at a time.

Basically all of this is to aid in digestion and nutrition for them and prevent constipation. Only Sora is finicky and will only eat daphnia, bloodworms and peas, so he's on a different schedule, but we balance his diet with those 3 foods so that he doesn't get constipation.

The frozen bloodworms are thawed by putting them in a sealable container with room temp. distilled or treated tap water. The frozen peas are thawed with about 50 seconds in the microwave, then they're easy to peel and tear into little pieces. Bettas also like an occasional treat of fruit and it varies from betta to betta what fruit, but all of ours were happy with cantaloupe.

Some balk at worms (or other new foods) at first, some actually don't eat them.. they have unique characters and personalities so you can find all kinds of food likes/dislikes with them.

For finrot, we recommend:
if it's fungal in nature,
is the best med that we have and it's a med you might be able to find there.. just look for the active ingredients.

 

Thanks, you two!

Bit of a disaster. I completely forgot about not putting them in a tank with small gravel and I caught him eating the gravel, and not spitting it out. Is it fatal or not a big deal?

Could you remind me how I tell whether finrot is fungal or bacterial?

 

You should take the gravel out immediately or cover it in at least one inch of larger gravel. Taking it out or moving him to another tank would be the better solution because he might still be able to get at some of it if it's in there. Hopefully he didn't actually swallow it. They cannot ever digest the stones or sand and if it's small enough will eventually make it's way into his intestines and kill him. I really hope he did spit it out and maybe you just didn't notice... This is pretty serious so I wouldn't wait on it.

 

Poo. That's what I thought. I'd actually moved him to another tank with bigger gravel. It's about 2mm thick and I definitely didn't see him spit it out. Can they vomit or are they like horses: if they eat something they shouldn't, that's it?

 

we use the flat marbles from the crafts dept. to keep our bettas from tearing their fins, but didn't realize they'd eat small gravel bits. Hopefully you guy spit it out. how long since he did that?

 

congrats on getting him. Sorry to hear he has been a monkey, I hope he is ok!

 

oooh armadillo I am so happy for you!!! any pictures soon!!!!
p.s u still one day getting a DP?

 

oooh armadillo I am so happy for you!!! any pictures soon!!!!
p.s u still one day getting a DP?

what is a DP?

 

it is a dwarf puffer...and I have a question for you too taz on ur betta post

 

OH! I saw dwarf puffers for the first time in real life when I got Honey. Weird 'figure 8' ones. do you know that type? they said they had killed other fish!

 

we want to get the cute little green dwarf puffers that get to about an inch or so. i've not found figure 8 ones in our area but puffers can be territorial.

arma - how is your little Betta doing? any signs of trouble or does he seem fine?

 

Thanks, LolaGurl and Tazmiche!!! I did get the DP's. Well my man did, rather. It's for his tank. His tank is really cool now: 1 leopard catfish (basically a pretty pleco), 3 DPs (the kind that gets to 1in), and 3 kuhlI loaches.

Right, I'll start a string on the dwarf puffers because I have questions on them too. Actually, we got an ID on DP.com, perhaps that's also a place to ask. We also got some kuhlI loaches!!! Really nice day at the pet store!!

My betta is doing much better. His belly's swelling has gone way down, and he's now exploring his new tank again which, by the way, is b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l (in all modesty ;D), and he is showing off his tail (I think he's a combtail).

I've moved him to our 10G tall hex and I was worried the depth would be too much for him (about 18in!) so now his tank has about 4x 1.5in layers of substrate!
- 1x earth (for the plants, was there already),
- 1x tiny red sharp-edged pebbles (was there already, was my very first substrate when I didn't have a clue what I was doing and figured the more the better),
- 1x blue larger sharp-edged pebbles (again, was my very first substrate when I didn't have a clue what I was doing and figured the more the better),
- 1x gorgeous layer of huuuuuuge round-edged natural-looking pebbles. Verrrrry zen.

He's also got 2 plants (real, from the original setup) + some java moss that is resting on this tall decoration. The tall decoration is so he can rest on it at night so he doesn't have to swim up and down a long distnace all the time for air.

Am starting to think he'll make it. When am totally reassured, I might break my rule about not naming fish and give him a name, but not yet.

 

..it's hard not to name a betta I think.. they are such little characters.

 

Oh am not a biiig fish namer at all, so I might find it quite easy to resist!

Actually, and credit where it's due, Dave offered me loads of ideas and support during that pebble-eating crisis! Ladies and gents, it's for Dave, once again.

 

I'm glad he's ok. Arma you will end up naming him, I said that when I wouldn't name him when I brought my first Betta home the other week but after several hours of 'hI there blue eyes' I realised he had a name that felt right.

Your tank sounds cool, would love to see the pic.

As for Dave he is truly a star, the night I lost Blue he was there listening just when I needed it. (Now Dave don't get TOO big a head!!! LOL)

As for the fig 8 DP's, that may not be their real name. Ugly tadpole like things with big eyes that seem to blink!

 

he he. We'll see about the naming, I guess.

Don't worry about Dave's head, it can't GET any bigger!

Ugly tadpole with big eyes sounds seriously cute!

 

Ugly tadpole with big eyes sounds seriously cute!
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They were VERY VERY cute. If Honey hadn't been boring holes in the back of my head i'd have bought them. Ugly but very funny little things.

How is your boy now? ( I can hear my mum chatting to Honey right now! She is getting a boy for her birthday next sunday, just setting up the tank now!)

 

Cool, Betta bug, when you got us...

He's swollen again. Am trying not to get attached until I know that he'll survive his pebble incident. Want to limit the heartache.

He's clever, though: he's gone into this cone thing that we use to dispense messy food, instead of trying to grab the bits from the side through the netting, he's gone from the bonanza by swimming into it from the top. He made sure he went for air beforehand too!

 

I would try not feeding him for a few days and see how he is. If he is blocked up putting food into him will only make him worse. Don't worry, he won't starve.

 

I was trying to be smart and feeding him peas but he always seems to be looking the other way, so I figured a tiny bit of bloodworm in the same place that I've put the peas. But he's only eaten the bloodworm, and spat it out again... I'll not feed him tomorrow.

 

I was trying to be smart and feeding him peas but he always seems to be looking the other way, so I figured a tiny bit of bloodworm in the same place that I've put the peas. But he's only eaten the bloodworm, and spat it out again... I'll not feed him tomorrow.

It took my guy a few tries to get used to bloodworms....now he loves them, so maybe it's just an acquired taste. Good luck getting your fish all better!

 

I understand about keeping an emotional distance. You are a sensible fish mummy and even though he was a monkey eating pebbles ( when I was a kid I used to shove them up my nose apparently!!) he sounds like he is feeling ok if he is eating, a good sign.
What colour is he?

 

It took my guy a few tries to get used to bloodworms....now he loves them, so maybe it's just an acquired taste. Good luck getting your fish all better!

Thanks, Rick!

 

I understand about keeping an emotional distance. You are a sensible fish mummy and even though he was a monkey eating pebbles ( when I was a kid I used to shove them up my nose apparently!!) he sounds like he is feeling ok if he is eating, a good sign.
What colour is he?

Well that's it. No point in setting myself up for a heartbreak! It's really touch and go at the moment, so I guess I can only keep his water very clean, give him loads of attention and not overfeed him and see what happens. It is my fault as I'd read again and again not to put a betta in fine gravel/sand substrate because they would eat it; but I guess I just didn't think about it. I was really pleased to be able to give him a big home (was a 13G, long) with lots of hiding places.

He's a combtail (I've looked it up now). His fringes are pink and his body up to his rays are pale purple (violet?). The front of his body is very pale 'dirty' pink, with some purply/brown patches (can't work out if that's a disease or not). He's not the prettiest one of the bunch but we'll see how he holds up when he feels better.

 

Ok maybe the substrate may not have been ideal BUT as with ALL pets they have their ways. MR Monkey may have eaten the gravel but another may not have. My horse has to put ANY object she finds into her water bucket! lord knows why, an obsession with cleaning I guess.
As you have said 'we learn from our mistakes'. From what I know as I type he is still here so all is not lost, still have hope. We nutty fishy people are 'willing' him good health. send a kiss from aunty Michelle

 

He he he. Michelle, don't think I don't know what you're doing: we all know you're trying to get me to name him Mr Monkeeeey!

True that they're all different, I just wish mine had been of the Mr Sense-of-Survival-and-Basic-Digestion type (how's THAT for a name? ...)

Your horse sounds fabulous. You're so lucky to have one. Do you get to ride her often? Is she stabled closeby?

Will send Mr Monkey your love!

 

AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! send mr monkey my love !!!

Rosie is about 15 mins away in a fab yard. will post pics one day. She is a real pony character, so cheeky. She is hard to ride as she is VERY lazy but I ADORE/WORSHIP/LOVE her to bits!

'Mr monkey' can be his Aunty Miche's pet name for him when he is well and being cheeky for his mum.

Honey likes me to stroke her tail and top of her head...........2 years ago I couldn't be in the same room as a fish I was so scared!!

 

Isn't that a photo of Rosie on your avatar? Can't really see much because it's a little small but she looks cute.

You stroking honey's head: Really?! That's soooo cool. the only fish I touch are my mollies, but they only come to me for food I think. Still, it's a special feeling that fish trust me enough to touch them, but stroking! Wow, that is sooooo nice.

I am still scared of touching loads of fish. Out of all our species:
- mollies: can't get enough
- betta: I'd love to!
- dwarf puffers: cuuuute, never got to touch them
- otos: yak!
- pleco: yak, wouldn't touch it in a million years!
- kuhlI loaches: yuk! Couldn't bear for one to touch me!

When I was little, my common pleco (my favorite fish back then) fell on the floor and I screamed at my mom to catch him. She was in the middle of the garden but I couldn't bear to touch him, and I was soooo attached to him. She got there on time and he was fine, thankfully. What a girlie girl, honestly!

 

OK, back to my betta. Another question:

- Is Java moss risky for him? It's only on one small area of the surface, but I wanted to hear of people's experiences of betta + java moss combinations.
- Would a betta like stiller waters, or more agitated? At the moment, he's in a reasonably agitated tank and he seems to seek that (he swims around the filter output).

 

Java Moss and Java Ferns are the ultimate Betta plants. They keep the water healthy and Bettas love to sleep on the nice soft moss.

 

Cool. Thanks Phloxface! I'd read that somewhere but I wasn't sure if perhaps I'd gotten confused with another fish species, or fry, or something. I know Java moss is recommended for livebearer fry to hide in, for example.

So no catastrophe stories about the moss covering the whole surface of the water (mine so far is in a nice little clump and has been since yesterday, but nothing holds it together)

It couldnt' sleep on it as it's right on the surface of the water. It'd need to jump out of the water to sleep on it.

Makes you wonder, though. Do bettas come from Indonesia? I thought they were from Thailand but they sure seem adapted to Java plants.

 

Hey Dillo, one thing you might want to try with your betta to try and help the digestive tract are a few small bits of peas. If you happen to have frozen peas around, just run one under some water to thaw it out, peel the skin, and give your betta a few pieces.

And sorry if this has already been mentioned :-X

 

Thanks, Stefan. I tried and he didn't really know what to do with it. So I figured I'd get his attention with more interesteing food like thawed bloodworms, but that kinda defeats the point as the idea is that he doesn't eat so he doens't get constipated. So I'll not give him anything to eat tomorrow and see if the swelling goes down. If it does, I'll know he has actually been eating my treats and the swelling is not the stone, but just food.

I did see him have his first poo today and I guess that's good news.

 

Armadillo............congrats on your new baby & be kind to yourself for making a mistake. Man, bettas are like having babies. I thought they would be so easy...............they are easy to love, but a real challenge to keep healthy I find. they are loveable little turds who will crush your heart with their antics. When I got my first betta I was afraid to put anything into the water when he got finrot. It just seemed weird. Well, I got over that in a hurry................So good luck, hope your baby feels better soon. Val

 

did I ever answer on how to tell the difference in types of fin rot? I believe if it's ragged, that's bacterial and more even is fungal in nature.

your betta sounds like a beauty and Stacy LOVES purple in Bettas (that got Aslan his home). he's a very smart little guy and i've found that sometimes our bettas will spit out a bloodworm but take the next one.. maybe some of them have 'gone bad' or don't taste right to the Betta and gets rejected.

I know it's not 100%, but he REALLY sounds like he'll be alright. i'm really honored that you name him after me. all these compliments.. when I rule this planet, I'll remember you kindly.

taz - i'm amazed Honey lets you touch her like that already. she's obviously taken to you exceptionally, some Bettas never allow that and very few are so quick to. it does remove some slime coating though so if it's something she regularly likes, you might want to get a water additive that enhances slime coating to regularly add to her water.

 

Armadillo............congrats on your new baby & be kind to yourself for making a mistake. Man, bettas are like having babies. I thought they would be so easy...............they are easy to love, but a real challenge to keep healthy I find. they are loveable little turds who will crush your heart with their antics. When I got my first betta I was afraid to put anything into the water when he got finrot. It just seemed weird. Well, I got over that in a hurry................So good luck, hope your baby feels better soon. Val

Thanks, Val! I sure hope you haven't let your human baby eat gravel!