Okay thank you Demeter32, I'm just worried because he changes a lot every week, this week his white domination is heavier than yesterday by about 5-10%. The API aquarium salt for freshwater aquariums I only have 2/5ths the recommended level because I know bettas are a bit more sensitive, just under 1/2 a teaspoon for 2 gallons, where it recommends 1/2 a rounded teaspoon for every gallon.
NickAu The answers are these
2.2 gallons
Has it got a heater? What is it set to?
26c 78.8f (I cant change this, from the kit, but this is the constant temperature according to an internal and external thermometer)
Has it got a filter? - How strong is the current?
yes, 170g but it is low flowing and doesn't cause much current at all (plants dont waver more then a tiny bit)
Yes, I test the levels every 2-3 days
How often do you change water? - How much water do you change?
Originally 1/3 every Friday but now 1/3 every Friday and Tuesday since I didnt know if that would help.
Do you vacuum the substrate?
Yes.
What additives or chemicals do you use? Eg De Chlorinator?
I used API quickstart and API Betta Water Conditioner in the amount recommended for the water amount being changed.
Do you use tap or bottled water? If bottled water please give us the brand.
I use tap water, which in my hometown is very clean. in a new house with new pipes. we read no chlorine in it. but the betta quickstart gets rid of any in any case
Do you have a water test kit? - Can you tell us the readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?
PH - 6.8
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 10ppm
KH - 2 drops (I know this is low but the ph never changes despite the lack of a proper buffer, any advice?)
GH - 6 drops
The KH for my regular tap water is the same, but the GH is 3 drops
When you clean the tank can you tell us exactly what you do.
Rough vacuum the gravel, not suck it clean but do a nice clean to pick up any loose fish waste. Removing 1200-1400ml. I then empty some of that water into a small holding container approx 500 ml rectangle and move my betta into that. I then float a thermometer in that container, and add to his tank the missing water to fill it back up, adding a total of 8 drops quickstart, 2/5 of a ml, and 20 drops, 1ml, of betta water conditioner, and 5-6 aquarium salt crystals in the added water, done in two batches (650ml water, 4 drops quickstart, 10 drops betta water conditioner, 2-3 aquarium salt crystals each). I then allow the temperatures in the two tanks to reach 1-degree c difference, I add around 20 ml of the new tank to the container about 5 times over this time, and then move my betta back into his tank, and clean up.
What do you feed him? how much? how often?
Every day he gets 5-8 pellets of betta food "TetraBetta" in the evening around 6 pm. On Thursday he is not fed, on Wednesdays, he is given either half a pea or some freeze dried brine shrimp instead of the pellets.
Any tank mates? What sort how many?
None
How long have you had the Betta? - Has he got a history of illness?
4 months, and not to my knowledge.
Any plants or decorations? Please give details?
Can you provide a close-up photo of the fish?
Can you provide a photo of the tank?
Yes, he has a consistent plastic?/rubber? plant like thing, and currently has a very fake looking happy whale shark. But I did change his tank yesterday/today as I decided that it might be a decoration. causing havoc with the chemistry. I removed a betta leaf hammock after reading they can rust into the water. A plastic sword plant. and a Chinese arch gate thing that had cracked along the top (no pointed edges, just a crack) these have all been chucked out
Currently, he just has the shark and rubber plant, and some live plants I added today. A small potted Anubis in a ceramic pot, some java moss, and a small Ambulia.
For a closeup on the fish the best I can manage is the photo I already posted.
as for the tank please ignore the mess, I had company coming over about 10 minutes after I got home So I didn't have time to make all the new plants look nice. but he is enjoying resting on the java moss. And is very curiously inspecting everything and swimming between all the gaps.
