AFFECTS OF PROPANE STOVE ON BETA

Question
This sounds like a bit of a shell game but I will try to keep it simple.

I had a wonderful crown beta that developed grey lips which then spread along his body (looking like stone).  He died quickly.  I had him in a 5 gallon heated tank with a few dwarf frogs and a couple of neon tetras.  He had been in our living room, in the same tank for a few months before anything happened.  Just before he showed any symptoms I had introduced a small puffer fish into the tank (I know, I know but I felt sorry for him at the store, puffer has been moved, won't be doing that again).

I replaced him with a beta I had been keeping in a different building that had been doing fine and with in two weeks the same thing happened.

I then purchased a new 6 gallon tank, with filter and heater, set it up where the original tank (house living room) had been and moved the original tank to the other building.  The new beta in the new 6 gallon has since died (same thing) and the beta in the original tank that had been moved to a different building now has tattered fins and grey color on his body (see picture).

At first I thought maybe it was the food because the only fish affected had been the ones in the living room and they had all been given the same beta food as well as blood worms that I feed the frogs.  Then I thought maybe it was some gas or something coming from our propane heater.  But now even though it's not the exact same ailment the beta in the opther building is sick.

None of the other fish or frogs seem to have any issues.

Water tests today are as follows: Freshwater Nitrate 0 ppm, PH 7.6 and Ammonia .25 ppm (had been 0 ppm,)

I will try to attach pictures.  

Could the water be moving too fast and stressing them?  
Could the gas be causing a problem?


Thank you,

Answer
Hi Kathi,
 Unfortunately the photos didn't get attached.

 It is HIGHLY unlikely that the propane has anything to do with the fish problems.  You would be having major health issues long before the fish if it was the propane.

 One of the sad realities of bettas is that they do not live long and they are not terribly robust fish. They tend to "live fast and die young".  That said, something else seems to be going on here.  A betta does need a filter, but it doesn't want a lot of current.  

 Are you doing regular weekly water changes?  You should be changing 25% of the water once a week, every week.  Are you doing that?

-- Ron C.
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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