I had a Betta in high school and unfortunately didn't know anything about fish. You guys are going to think I am terribly cruel and looking back, yes I was, but I truly did not know. The reason for me writing this is because I am looking into getting another betta for my community tank here soon and would like to know how my other one died. So, here we go. Please try not to hate me too much after reading this.
I bought a Betta on awhim at Wal-Mart one day and took him home. I was told he would do fine in the little box thing that I bought him in, so yes, I left him in that little bitty, plastic, hexagon thing. I did however, buy him a little plastic stalk looking thing and some gravel. He was a deep red and very fiesty. I named him Diablo and absolutely loved him. Again, I thought I was doing alright by him and that he was in appropriate housing. Well, I had him for about a year, maybe a little longer. Then he started to develop a large lump on his side. I was still doing water changes and was very gentle when I removed him. The lump looked like it would rupture at any moment. I didn't know you could treat fish then, you see. So I just kept an eye on him and continued about my business. It never seemed to hurt him or anything, I mean he never acted any differently and he never lost his appetite. But I got a job traveling after highschool and was gone for a week at a time. Well I continued to care for him when I came home and my mom fed him while I was gone. Alas, though, I called home from out on the road and she told me Diablo had died. The lump was about the size of a peanut(the actual nut itself, inside of the shell.) When he actually died. I always thought it looked like a tumor. Does anyone know what this was and what caused it? Thanks alot. Please don't think of me as a horrible person, I truly did not know. Sorry to have written so long.
I bought a Betta on awhim at Wal-Mart one day and took him home. I was told he would do fine in the little box thing that I bought him in, so yes, I left him in that little bitty, plastic, hexagon thing. I did however, buy him a little plastic stalk looking thing and some gravel. He was a deep red and very fiesty. I named him Diablo and absolutely loved him. Again, I thought I was doing alright by him and that he was in appropriate housing. Well, I had him for about a year, maybe a little longer. Then he started to develop a large lump on his side. I was still doing water changes and was very gentle when I removed him. The lump looked like it would rupture at any moment. I didn't know you could treat fish then, you see. So I just kept an eye on him and continued about my business. It never seemed to hurt him or anything, I mean he never acted any differently and he never lost his appetite. But I got a job traveling after highschool and was gone for a week at a time. Well I continued to care for him when I came home and my mom fed him while I was gone. Alas, though, I called home from out on the road and she told me Diablo had died. The lump was about the size of a peanut(the actual nut itself, inside of the shell.) When he actually died. I always thought it looked like a tumor. Does anyone know what this was and what caused it? Thanks alot. Please don't think of me as a horrible person, I truly did not know. Sorry to have written so long.