An Update On Linguini

Hello everyone again.

Thank you for your responses.

I will agree, I don't think I had enough plants in the tank. That is a true point. I had him in the tank for 3 months over the summer. It was heated and filtered. When I say unhappy, he sometimes would sit at the top, not moving too much. He would not dance like he does now, and well act like he had no interest in anything.
In early September, I had to transfer him back into the bowl I was using before. I hate to say that this bowl is not a 3 gallon. I could not find anything like that in my local pet stores. I think that a big part of it could be because there's more hiding places and comfort with the bowl compared to the tank. I provided more unique little things for him to have fun with (in fact, I may need to change it up soon!)
I change his water often though, don't get me wrong. I know he's happy now with what I give him because, well, for one, his tail is fully healed from his previous adventure of tail biting (boy, was that ever a treat). He always dances when he sees me and he really gives me a show when I show him the food. He reminds me of my Jack russel dog in that way. He seems to glow over these past few months with the current living conditions I give him.
Him and I have had quite the adventure since I got him in September of 2008. Trust me, at that time, I was incredibly uneducated in fish care. I really became attached to him though and thus worked hard to care for him as much as I could. We've both had some rocky roads, but he's standing strong today. We both take things one day at a time, but I really do love him! He definitely keeps me company the best way a little fish can!

as a final note for this message...yes, everyone is entitled with their own opinion. And I agree that the internet can definitely cause misunderstanding with what people mean in their words. And yes, everyone is different with sharing their own opinion. I try to live with the idea of listening and respecting everyone's opinion, take it into my own interest, see the truths and flaws, and decide whether my opinion is valuable to the point being discussed. For the most part, I felt a friendly atmosphere from people who were trying to help through the process of my adventures with Linguini and my previous ignorance in fish care at the time. I do speak though of the when I did not feel the comfort of seeking help here anymore because I felt like I was being criticized negatively. And it may also be silly for me to post this thread in the first place as I felt that I needed to share that sometimes, not everyone is absolutely right about what they believe is complete fact. Like soph_betta said, everything has different situations and outcomes. I know all people can do is try to help with their own experience, but there's a fine line where it can be taken to a different level.

Anyways, I don't want to start anything and I hope nothing was taken the wrong way at all. In the end, I feel proud to say that after everything, Linguini is doing splendidly. I wish I could post a recent picture of him to share, but I've gone through some crazy renovations with my computer and such that I don't really have the opportunity right now to get one posted on here. I hope you can just trust that he's doing great! =).

soph_betta, if I could like your posts, I totally would. Thank you!
 
Quick question Klover,
Is you boy overly aggressive or quite placid?
If hes quite placid and friendly them maybe try the tank again but this time maybe with a shrimp or a few pigmy corys and see if hes happier in a bigger space with some mates?
Just make sure you have a back up plan for if he doesnt like it, i.e. a mate with a tank who can rehome the fish if it doesnt work!
 
He's kind of inbetween. He can be protective here and there I've noticed in the past. My friend's mom was looking at him and he flared up completely like he was ready to fight her or something. But he hasn't been that aggressive in a long time. He doesn't like shiny things though. He just kind of does his own thing sometimes, but he really likes attention. He loves attention actually. I'm not sure what you'd classify him as. He's spunky. lol. I'm not really sure how he'd do with other things living with him though...he may not be that happy about it.
 
The reason I suggest 100% water changes (and I suppose I don't literally mean 100%, because I don't take the fish out of the water, so like 95%) is because I prefer to have an ammonia reading of 0 which is unlikely if not changing 100%. Also, I would make sure the temp and pH are identical in the new and old water if doing a large water change as to not stress the fish, which would be an advantage of doing 50-75% (less stressful). I think it really depends on how stressed the fish get over the water changes. In the past I had problems with bettas getting fin rot when I didn't change 100% of the water in unfiltered tanks (Although I currently don't have any unfiltered tanks)
 
Good greif this got a bit out of hand eh? :blink:

Anyway depending on the size of the bowl (anything below 2gals) it will need daily water changes like it or lump it :/ , believe me i know from experience whilst my filter for the bowl was on order. I don't want to sound mean or condecending because thats an awful way to talk to a person all i am saying is that without a filter maintinance is a pain in the backside and even though he may look happy now without daily waterchanges the ammonia will slowly be damaging his delicate gills and without a filter and a small bowl you greatly increase the risk of infection which will ultimately lead him to an early grave, and no one wants that from their pet.
Like i say there is nothing wrong with the bowl at all (why would i dispute my own practice?) but you need to ensure that it is a good size (3gals+) and really very preferably if for nothing else for the sake of conveniance heated/filtered and you need to do it responsibly obviousely as i'm sure you have.
I highly reccomend you try the tank again with far more plants and cover i've kept mine in everything from 3gals to 10gals and the boys who were in bigger tanks prefered to have more cover to feel secure as it replicates the natural enviroment that they instinctively recognize as "safe". He may seem shy for a while but he's just adjusting remember he doesn't know whats going on all he will know is that he is in a new enviroment and that could mean rivals or predators could be presant so he may well act out laying low for abit and doing the characteristic "sulking" we betta keepers have come to recognize. But sooner or later he will notice that his enviroment is safe, clean and not only that it has more room and places to explore! Bettas greatly appreciate stimulation like that.
And if nothing else, the get yourself the largest bowl you can find (often more expensive than tanks though) My 3gal bowl cost me £12 and it wasn't even my intention to put a betta in it, but i saw him fell in love etc. But the point is there are large bowls out there i can find them at 30litres for £20. And if not that then believe me no one is below getting a cheap and cheerfull plastic critter keeper you can get them up to 21litres for a few quid! And heaters are safe to go in them i've done it as have many others. And Get yourself a sponge filter to save on water changes and just improve things for him and also make his care a little easier on yourself :) I also reccomend a small heater or if not then you can buy heater pads/mats tthat will easily slide under or even in the bowl.

I'm not having a go this is just my experience of keeping a betta in a bowl and my opinion. At the end of it all your fish is your pet all 3 of my boy's are special to me as is my new little girl and as a pet owner you form a bond with the creature (no i don't believe they are just fish as some people like to say especially my betta babies) and you obviousley care about your fish and have bonded with him so why not make his life a long happy one and also make his care easier on you, remember more room in a tank means you can create some wonderful aquascapes, and of all my fish my bettas seem to appreciate it the most.

Just my two cents ;)
 
glad to hear Linguini is doing so well :)
im sure your care is wonderful, filter or no filter (waterchanges are most likely being met as he is healing up and thriving under the OPs care).
thanks for sharing your story.
best of luck in school and happy new year!
cheers
 
Wow.... Almost descended into a fight! :blink:

But, yeah; you could try him in the tank again.... The only reason I prefer tanks is because I can put LOTS of plants and rocks and things in. :lol: But I just love decorating things, so.... :)

But anyways, small bowl or not, you should heater him and it looks like you're doing that! :) He's healing up and obviously happy so maybe that's what's best for him after all. <3 I just usually don't like to see Bettas in bowls however as my one friend kept 'em in tiny bowls with only gravel and water and the fish of course (XD), and they all died within a year (or a few months, in some cases), and before that, they were very sick for like 2 months and she did nothing to help them, so.... And she's not allowed to get tanks for her Bettas and she thinks SHE'S right because she goes to Big Al's and she wants what she wants and of course all they tell her is right. :rolleyes:

I've kept Bettas in everything from 2-gallons (the least that I will ever keep a fish in; when I had a Betta with ammonia poisoning I kept her in a 1-gallon jar but the mouth of the jar was too small to do anything with and she died anyway XD Whoops!!) to 10-gallons; Mr. Wimpy Fish is currently in a 6-gallon with four female platies (three might be pregnant! :3 And the other one is.... Idk, just weird XD She looks like a male (sorta) with a female anal fin, and never gets fat, so.... :/ And Libra *WAS* living in a 5.5-gallon that was divided and there was a female on the other side that I was planning to breed him with, but I went on vacation, put in feeding blocks, and came home today to find her dead and 4 ppm of ammonia in the tank. Disaster! Ah!! He's in a breeding trap in my 10-gallon with 3 female Bettas and 2 cories now. And I have a brand new 10-gallon that's currently mini-cycling with 2 pearl danios; it's gonna be home to a breeding pair of guppies and a halfmoon (probs my favourite black one at Big Al's; if not, there's a yellow one and a pink butterfly one.... ;) ) Betta in it.... I'm planning to naturally populate the tank with guppy fry, so.... :lol:

But, yeah! I usually keep them in big tanks, as I've never had a Betta who actually seems to PREFER small spaces, but if one does it'll usually just hide in plants that I provide. ;) No plastic plants, as they're sharp and cut Bettas' fins....!! :blink:

Yeah, I've felt kinda like I'm being dictated by advice sometimes, too. Ah, well; I only came to this site because I thought my female platy was pregnant.... Well, she wasn't, and now I'm a regular customer of this forum. XD I rather like it, though. :D :)
 
Amberleaf, it sounds like you have quite the awesome collection of fish! And at some points from how you described it, it was like a little mini soap opera or something! Your post made me smile though =).

Forestpisces, I appreciate your two cents as well! =)

And yes, this has stirred up a bit of a pot. It wasn't really my intention at all, but I kind of saw it coming anyway due to the situations discussed and presented. But it's totally cool. And I also noticed that some are being a little more careful with what they try to advise which is actually pretty awesome!

I appreciate everyone's words on here. And thank you to the well wishes for Linguini. He's definitely a happy boy! Though I would agree, another betta may not do so well in the conditions and the adventures that Linguini has gone through. I'll admit, he's one tough boy! He just doesn't seem to let anything get to him! And now, he's smiling lots!
 
You know where Bettas sort of have their gill covers? Well, this looks like a little smiling animal mouth! :3

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:lol:

A soap? That's crazy! :3

Anyways, enjoy Linguini now.... While he lasts. MUAHAHAHAHA! :sly:

I don't mean anything by it. >:3 I just mean that, well.... Enjoy him before he goes. Away. To Heaven. Or something. In, like, 3 or 4 years, probs. :D
 
It's always my aim to keep my bettas as long as humanly possible :good: the oldest i've had with me is Djin or haibai (got em both the same day) Djin was bought as a female and was barely past fry stage when i brought him home he was supposed to be the start of a sorority :sly: But he turned out to be a PK male gorgeouse he is too, looks like he may have a hint of spade in him, so aggresive that i'm not allowed my hand in his 5gal :rolleyes: needless to say i made sure i was VERY certain my latest betta (vt female :wub: ) was actually female.
Haebai is the little guy who lives/lived in the bowl now being moved on for endlers and i have to say he loved it in there, looks like he's got a touch of finrot atm soonce he's in the new bedside tank i'll get him straight on the meds :good:
Broke my heart when i lost my Radish, not only was he my first betta but he was my first ever tropical fish. He was in 35litres of filtred and heated water but died suddenly due to un known causes. So sure even though big tanks often mean a decreased risk of infection, you've still got to have a hawk eye to catch things early.

IMO as long as the betta is happy and healthy thats what matters :good:
 
I hate pyscho betta called nero who i loved :wub:

He Killed all 3 guppys and two neons (we thought it was the loaches since then neons had a big chunk bitten out of them :( ) :crazy: And then dropsy got him :sad:
 

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