bettas with sand???
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1 male betta, 2 gallon hex, undergravel filter, 50% weekly water changes with stale tap water, gravel, lived for about 7 months
1 male betta, 10 gallon, double sponge filter, 20% weekly water changes with stale tap water, sand, lived for about 2.5 months
1 female betta, 10 gallon, penguin 125, water changes unknown, sand, lived for about 3.5 months
1 male betta, 1 gallon, unfiltered, water changes unknown, marbels, lived for about 4 months
The first two bettas listed were my setups. The last two were my brother's and his wifes. All were kept in the same tap water. All were feed different foods. And they were not all bought from the same store. Two developed large growths at there neck area. The other two become stiff and they couldn't move.
Any help would be great. I would really like to get another betta, but I want it to live more than 7 months.
1 male betta, 10 gallon, double sponge filter, 20% weekly water changes with stale tap water, sand, lived for about 2.5 months
1 female betta, 10 gallon, penguin 125, water changes unknown, sand, lived for about 3.5 months
1 male betta, 1 gallon, unfiltered, water changes unknown, marbels, lived for about 4 months
The first two bettas listed were my setups. The last two were my brother's and his wifes. All were kept in the same tap water. All were feed different foods. And they were not all bought from the same store. Two developed large growths at there neck area. The other two become stiff and they couldn't move.
Any help would be great. I would really like to get another betta, but I want it to live more than 7 months.
Wow.. my Betta has lived for more than a year and I'm supposing I got him when he was 6 months old. I just give him plenty of attention and changed his water every other day.
By attention I mean hours of staring at him and actually 'playing' with him. You know, moving your finger around on the glass? I treated him like royalty. He's mostly lived off of bloodworms and Hikari Micro-somethingoranother. He's traveled cross country and only got a bought of fungus I believe twice but that cleared up quickly.
As for all of my pets, I treat them as if they were human. When I ate, my Betta ate. When I went to sleep I covered his container with a cloth so he would too. So in my experience it all seems like the better you treat and interact with your animals the longer they live and feel appreciated.
Oh yeah, Den-Ki was a WalMart Betta.
By attention I mean hours of staring at him and actually 'playing' with him. You know, moving your finger around on the glass? I treated him like royalty. He's mostly lived off of bloodworms and Hikari Micro-somethingoranother. He's traveled cross country and only got a bought of fungus I believe twice but that cleared up quickly.
As for all of my pets, I treat them as if they were human. When I ate, my Betta ate. When I went to sleep I covered his container with a cloth so he would too. So in my experience it all seems like the better you treat and interact with your animals the longer they live and feel appreciated.
Oh yeah, Den-Ki was a WalMart Betta.
Hmmm.... lets see T/A....
How did they die? Did they bloat first (dropsy)?
What is your pH, mine is about 7.9 and my bettas are fine.
Did you get all the bettas from the same fish store?
Are there large temperature changes or are the tanks quite cool?
I don't think sand is the issue, but more likely the way the fish was conditioned before you got them from the LFS. Even with the 'best' setup, store bettas don't often live that long, they are simply mass produced, stressed from too much handling and variations, so they live much shorter lives.
Just keep trying, its a bit of a crapshoot with store bettas. Do your end (water changes, proper diet, activity) and hope you picked a good one.
How did they die? Did they bloat first (dropsy)?
What is your pH, mine is about 7.9 and my bettas are fine.
Did you get all the bettas from the same fish store?
Are there large temperature changes or are the tanks quite cool?
I don't think sand is the issue, but more likely the way the fish was conditioned before you got them from the LFS. Even with the 'best' setup, store bettas don't often live that long, they are simply mass produced, stressed from too much handling and variations, so they live much shorter lives.
Just keep trying, its a bit of a crapshoot with store bettas. Do your end (water changes, proper diet, activity) and hope you picked a good one.
2 of them ballooned up near the neck area. The growths get so large the bettas couldn't swim very long. All they did was swim alittle then float back down to the bottom to rest.
If your pH is 7.9, then no it can't be the pH that is causing all this.
The two bettas that ballooned up were from the same store. The other two were each from different stores.
At least in my two setups, the temperature never changed more than 3 degrees through out the day. And temperatures were always above 76F, and normally near 79F.
If your pH is 7.9, then no it can't be the pH that is causing all this.
The two bettas that ballooned up were from the same store. The other two were each from different stores.
At least in my two setups, the temperature never changed more than 3 degrees through out the day. And temperatures were always above 76F, and normally near 79F.
OK, sounds like the first 2 died from dropsy (internal organ failures), which can be environmental or genetic flaws.
Most of the time, store bettas are at least 1 year old, more commonly over 1.5 years, so the one that lived 7 months might have died from old age.
Remember, bettas are under some of the most extreme stresses, small bags during shipment, lots of handling (vs other fish), so I can only imagine they may live shorter lives than what would be natural for them.
If you get another betta, try a smaller LFS, or call around the stores and ask if any of them buy stock from local breeders. You can also lookup any fish clubs in your area and try to find a breeder. Locally bred fish will be used to your tap water pH and you will have a better idea to to it's age and health.
Some breeders are even willing to give their non-breeding stock (culls) away for free. These are perfectly healthy fish, just not ideal for reproduction due to color or finniage.
Happy hunting!
Most of the time, store bettas are at least 1 year old, more commonly over 1.5 years, so the one that lived 7 months might have died from old age.
Remember, bettas are under some of the most extreme stresses, small bags during shipment, lots of handling (vs other fish), so I can only imagine they may live shorter lives than what would be natural for them.
If you get another betta, try a smaller LFS, or call around the stores and ask if any of them buy stock from local breeders. You can also lookup any fish clubs in your area and try to find a breeder. Locally bred fish will be used to your tap water pH and you will have a better idea to to it's age and health.
Some breeders are even willing to give their non-breeding stock (culls) away for free. These are perfectly healthy fish, just not ideal for reproduction due to color or finniage.
Happy hunting!
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Iggy, you seem to know quite a bit about fish. Do you really believe it is okay to keep any male betta in a fish tank? I read in a book that Bettas should be kept in a bowl and that if kept in a tank, they would die a very slow and painful death. I would really appreciate your feedback as I currently have one male betta in a 5.5 gal tank by himself and another male betta in a 10 gal tank with four zebra danios. Is this set up hurting the betta? Thanks.
Iggy, you seem to know quite a bit about fish. Do you really believe it is okay to keep any male betta in a fish tank? I read in a book that Bettas should be kept in a bowl and that if kept in a tank, they would die a very slow and painful death. I would really appreciate your feedback as I currently have one male betta in a 5.5 gal tank by himself and another male betta in a 10 gal tank with four zebra danios. Is this set up hurting the betta? Thanks.
FishWhisperer,
Hi, you can always just PM (personal message) me any time you need.
No, bettas don't die because they are in a larger tank. More space is fine for them. A betta would live a long life in a properly setup 200 gallon tank, so long as he was alone, and fed.
What kills bettas in community tanks is the other fish nipping or attacking (some other fish gang up on bettas) because bettas are not power swimmers (long fins)
Bettas are territorial and don't like other fish in their space. I imagine the betta in your 10 gallon tank chases the danios every now and then.
Thats not to say bettas need to be stuck in small bowls, a 5 gallon is a GREAT tank for a single betta. I can be heated (25 to 50w heater) and a slow (low current) filter with some taller plants make it a perfect home for a single betta.
If I had the space (with 100+ bettas its tough to find) I would have 3 to 5 gallon tanks for all my adult bettas, heated but not shared, and maybe a small filter.
Hi, you can always just PM (personal message) me any time you need.
No, bettas don't die because they are in a larger tank. More space is fine for them. A betta would live a long life in a properly setup 200 gallon tank, so long as he was alone, and fed.
What kills bettas in community tanks is the other fish nipping or attacking (some other fish gang up on bettas) because bettas are not power swimmers (long fins)
Bettas are territorial and don't like other fish in their space. I imagine the betta in your 10 gallon tank chases the danios every now and then.
Thats not to say bettas need to be stuck in small bowls, a 5 gallon is a GREAT tank for a single betta. I can be heated (25 to 50w heater) and a slow (low current) filter with some taller plants make it a perfect home for a single betta.
If I had the space (with 100+ bettas its tough to find) I would have 3 to 5 gallon tanks for all my adult bettas, heated but not shared, and maybe a small filter.
Iggy, thanks for the reply. I really appreciate it.
You are correct, the Betta in the 10 gal tank chose his side of the tank and would chase the Zebra Danios away when they swam in his area, even if he was on the other side of the tank. I just took him out of the tank the other night because of the information from the book about the betta dying a slow painful death.
Thanks also for the invite to personal message you anytime because you may regret saying that. I am a new fishkeeper and trying to learn everything about fish through the internet, books and this forum. I do promise not to bug you too much but it's nice to know there is help out there. My brother has been an aquarist for 20 years so I do ask him many questions too.
You are correct, the Betta in the 10 gal tank chose his side of the tank and would chase the Zebra Danios away when they swam in his area, even if he was on the other side of the tank. I just took him out of the tank the other night because of the information from the book about the betta dying a slow painful death.
Thanks also for the invite to personal message you anytime because you may regret saying that. I am a new fishkeeper and trying to learn everything about fish through the internet, books and this forum. I do promise not to bug you too much but it's nice to know there is help out there. My brother has been an aquarist for 20 years so I do ask him many questions too.
Yes, Iggy you are correct. The only stupid question is one that is never asked. There is a question from CHill about "popeye" and his betta (See Betta/Gourami Discussion). I answered him with the MelaFix treatment since that is what I keep on hand, but so far, my bettas have not experienced any type of illness (I say this loosely and with crossed fingers.) Please read his message to make sure I gave him the correct information but I thought someone should answer him. I have read about MelaFix on a few forums and thought it may help. PS I put the betta back in the 10 gal tank with the zerbra danios (they are the small danios).
