Question
Female Beta Tank
I purchased a female beta fish about two weeks ago and brought her home and put her into a PLASTIC 2 GALLON PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN TANK. After being put into this tank she will float to the bottom of the tank and lay on her side. At times as though she is not breathing. Yes, I have read about bladder infection, but if I take her out put her in a small glass fish bowl with nothing in it, she is fine and active, no signs of anything being wrong. Could the plastic tank be key? Also blue aquarium rocks in bottom also leave blue water when being washed.
AnswerHi Shannon,
The rocks should be washed until no blue comes out of them, this is certainly not good for any fish. If possible get rocks that are coated, and will not stain the water. The dye in the rocks are like poison, and are making her sick. She may be stressed by something in the tank...
Here is more information on the Betta, that may help you understand the Betta's needs a little more:
Bettas need 5 gallons of water to be healthy, and happy.
In their habitat the betta may live in shallow waters, but they have lots of room to swim.
Keeping Bettas in small bowls, containers, vases etc, is cruel. The Betta is one of the most mistreated fish on the market.
They need a heated tank. Temperature should be 78-80 degrees. They are tropical fish, and are cold under this temperature. Cold bettas get sick, are miserable, and live unhappy lives. ( Always remember when heating a tank, do this very very slowly..1 (one) degree every two days, as bringing up the temperature too fast would kill your Betta.) The temperature should always be stable. Fluctuating temperature is very bad for bettas, and any other fish.
They should have a silk plant in their tanks, so that they can rest on the leaves They also need a little tunnel or some knick knack that they can go through. One teaspoon to five gallons of diluted aquarium salt may be added to his water, when a Betta is well.
Aquarium salt helps them with stress, and helps with parasites. However if a Betta is showing signs of a swollen tummy, salt should not be used.
They need a varied diet. This is very important. Betta pellets one day, Betta Flakes the next, Daphnia the next, and bloodworms should be given once a week as a treat.
He should be given one well cooked frozen cooked pea a week, and on the day you give him the pea, he should fast.
A betta is prone to constipation, and constipation leads to Swim Bladder Disease. A frozen cooked pea a week keeps them from getting constipated. Always remove the outer layer of the pea, and cut it into small pieces feeding it to your betta one piece at a time.
They should have 2-3 small meals a day, and not one big meal. We must remember that their tummy is the size of their eye.
Example: 2 pellets for one meal.
Water changes are very important. Water changes must be made every week without fail with a good water conditioner such as Aqua Safe or Stress Coat. There is also a conditioner made especially for bettas. If you do not have a filter, change all the water in his tank weekly.
Never put two bettas in the same tank, they will kill each other...male or female. The Betta male is a loner. Females can be kept together in a big enough tank.
When treated well, a betta can live up to 8 years, if you buy him when he is very young. (Unfortunately we do not know their age when we buy them at the Pet Store which is why some bettas die two or three years after we have bought them.)
He's an intelligent little fish, and should be treated with kindness.
Too many vendors know nothing about the betta, and don't care...so don't give good information on how to keep them.
They are there to sell, and will say anything just to make a buck. They send you home with your bought betta, telling you a small bowl is perfect, and bloodworms! The poor customer thinks he has everything he/she needs, and then the fish gets sick, money is spent to cure him, and eventually the fish dies.
This turns my stomach over. Unfortunately there are no laws to protect fish.
Bettas kept in small bowls, one gallon tanks, and vases, will get sick, and are very hard to cure in such little water. They end up dying, and
that hurts the person who has grown so attached to them. They don't deserve to be treated this way.
This is how a Betta should be treated. If treated this way, you will have your friend for a long long time. I have bred them, love them, and know what is good for them.
If you have anymore questions, do not hesitate to write me.
Lynda
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