Betta Care

[Oddlilninjaboy]

Alright everyone, heres what happened to me:
At the beginning of the fall, I really got into bettas. I searched online, did my research, got my equipment, and finally, got my awesome bettas. I searched far and wide for all different types and different colors. Finally I got them, housed them in all 1 gallon or bigger tanks. Altogether, I had about 12 bettas. I did weekly water changes. Until recently, about 1 month ago, my fish started to die, one by one. I did water changes, but I noticed that slowly each betta started to lose the enthusiasm that I used to see. My first betta died and I decided to keep an eye out for any weird activity. So I watched them carefully and yet two more died. One of them had what looked like silver patches on its gills before it died. I changed all the water and 4 more died, not all at once, but trying to make a long story short. So now I am left with my 5 bettas. I am taking very good care of them as they have all seem to be rejuvenated. Does anyone know what could have possibly cause this? I would like to know what happened to my beloved bettas.

Edit:

Sorry, here is what I am going to do:

When spring semester is over(First week of May) I am going to get a 20-30g tank. I want to make this a community tank with a betta in it. Also I want to start a sorority tank, I hear 3 is the bare minimum. How big should a sorority be and how many can I keep in there? Oh yeah, and whats the best type of freshwater fish can I put with a betta? Preferably in a 20g, considering the space I will have.

 

[sukie]

I have no clue what the silver would be. . . . and sorry for your loss.

Cories are good (for the community tank).

 

[Oddlilninjaboy]

Thanks Sukie!

 

[Never2ManyBettas]

If the silver was shimmery under a light... velvet. If it was just happening on fish with dark heads... possible it was just from flaring and a coincidence.

Lethargic and sudden die off... could be a couple of things. Hexamita is the first thing that comes to mind (the sudden mystery deaths).... the other is Tuberculosis.

I have 10 females in a crazy planted 30g tank. Lots of hiding places at all levels are needed. Ideally..... all females about the same size (spawn siblings being the most ideal). Don't expect them to play nice. Pecking order will mean nipped fins. Weak/sick ones will really be bullied. Sickness can potentially nail them all if it hits the tank. Someone else discribed it perfectly when they said that they all turn into viscious little harpies at 6 months old.

If you feed bloodworms... grindals, white... etc etc.... you have to make sure you really clean the gravel. That stuff gets into the substrate and rots. The live worms really just rot away.

Decorations... just make sure they have 2 openings for escape routes.

 

[sukie]

Ah didn't think of velvet! Good one. . .