Betta problems! HELP!

E

Ed-Luvs-Meds

Guest
#1
Okay, something is wrong with my baby, the betta. This is my and his normal day:
I wake up, turn on his light he zooms around alot and looks about.
I go to school, and turn of his light, he dulls down and goes to sleep or whatever it is bettas like to do.
I return home about 4-ish in the noon, and turn his lamp on and he sits at the front waiting for his food. I feed him, and he eats his food like its his last meal and them goes around the tank like hes all big and bad.
His lamp stays on until I go to bed, but all the time before I go to bed hes going around the tank, like guarding it, lol.
Then I turn off the lamp and he sleeps or whatever, defiantely calms down more and the next day its just the same!
Nothing EVER changes, but lately his behavior has! And its scareing me horribly! He no longer is hyped up, at all, he never guards his tank, he won't eat, or anything; just sits, and is VERY skittish now... I'm wondering why.... I hope he's not reaching the bitter end, if he does I don't know what I'll do... I already have single handedly murdered about 10 feeder guppies, 4 black mollies, 12 goldfish, and some swamp fish... o_O;;; All when I was like 7-9 though....
I MIGHT have a reason for his change though, see, I used to use regular tap water and dechlor it and all, then when he bacame sick last year I changed to mineral/artesian well water, but that ran out for good, so now mother has given me DISTILLED water... she says I won't have to dechlor it or anything, but I think the water might be two hard or something and hes just not wanting to move in it or something... But I dunno... Help..?
I got in trouble last night for whineing over him, but I don't care, they can kiss my butt! ><;;;;
 

Lotus

Ultimate Fish
Moderator
Aug 26, 2003
15,115
13
38
Southern California
home.earthlink.net
#2
Yes, the distilled water is most likely your problem. Distilled water contains no minerals, and as there is no buffer, pH can crash easily. If you want to continue to use the distilled water, you will need to get a product that's used to reconstitute RO (reverse osmosis water) such as RO Right.

Personally, I think dechlorinated tapwater is fine for most fish.