Betta Care

[willowmidnight]

I am compleatly new to fishkeeping so I dont know a lot.

I was given a betta with a tank, stones, water conditioner and food yesterday. He was a gift from the pet store where I have recently been voluenteering.

When I set up the tank I was careful to rinse everything well, and added the water conditioner to the new water.

I noticed today that when he swims down to the bottom of the tank he floats back up again instantly. He tries every now and then, but mostly floats at the top of the tank

I didn't get a chance to see him swim at the store because the fish orders had just come in, and the bettas all came in tiny containers. It was my last day and they said for me to pick one as a thankyou gift.

Also I am concerned as my tank didn't come with a heater or filter. At the store the tanks were not heated either, but they were filtered. I plan on doing a 50% water change once a week. Do I need a filter and heater for him?

Sorry I can't give you water parameters but as I said he was a suprise gift and I only got him yesterday night

The tank I have him in is 3 litres

 

[Easy]

I am compleatly new to fishkeeping so I dont know a lot.

I was given a betta with a tank, stones, water conditioner and food yesterday. He was a gift from the pet store where I have recently been voluenteering.

When I set up the tank I was careful to rinse everything well, and added the water conditioner to the new water.

I noticed today that when he swims down to the bottom of the tank he floats back up again instantly. He tries every now and then, but mostly floats at the top of the tank

I didn't get a chance to see him swim at the store because the fish orders had just come in, and the bettas all came in tiny containers. It was my last day and they said for me to pick one as a thankyou gift.

Also I am concerned as my tank didn't come with a heater or filter. At the store the tanks were not heated either, but they were filtered. I plan on doing a 50% water change once a week. Do I need a filter and heater for him?

Sorry I can't give you water parameters but as I said he was a suprise gift and I only got him yesterday

The tank I have him in is 3 litres

I am by no means an expert but did you cycle the tank? I just found out the hard way how important it is to have a properly cycled tank. Without a cycled tank the fish most likely will die.

 

[willowmidnight]

Thats with a filter isn't it? No but I think he should be fine, how long would it take for him to pollute his tank so much that it makes him sick like this?

I am hoping that if I fast him a couple of days and do regular water changes he will get better.

I am off to a different pet store to get a a water testing kit and a bigger tank, so I can get a heater and filter in it. Also need to buy some proper food as I think the flake food may have caused this. not sure really

 

[twinklekink]

Hello!
three litres is okay for 1 betta but it is likely he will do a lot better with a heater.
Also, if you do add a filter you will need to cycle it or add cycled media to it before it can be in a tank with fish in it.

 

[Cazgar]

In a 3 litre unfiltered tank, the likelihood is you won't be able to keep him healthy without daily water changes.
Imo 3 litres is way too small, if you can afford it, get him a bigger tank with a filter & heater.
Have a look on eBay or similar, you can often pick up bargains.
Your Betta will be much happier in a better set up

 

[Rummynose]

I am compleatly new to fishkeeping so I dont know a lot.

I was given a betta with a tank, stones, water conditioner and food yesterday. He was a gift from the pet store where I have recently been voluenteering.

When I set up the tank I was careful to rinse everything well, and added the water conditioner to the new water.

I noticed today that when he swims down to the bottom of the tank he floats back up again instantly. He tries every now and then, but mostly floats at the top of the tank

I didn't get a chance to see him swim at the store because the fish orders had just come in, and the bettas all came in tiny containers. It was my last day and they said for me to pick one as a thankyou gift.

Also I am concerned as my tank didn't come with a heater or filter. At the store the tanks were not heated either, but they were filtered. I plan on doing a 50% water change once a week. Do I need a filter and heater for him?

Sorry I can't give you water parameters but as I said he was a suprise gift and I only got him yesterday night

The tank I have him in is 3 litres

Personally I would not use anything less than 5 gallons (just about 20 litres) for a Betta. It will actually be a lot easier to maintain good water quality, keep your Betta healthy, designing with decorations and plants and adding equipment such as filter and heater.

It is absolutely beautiful to see a Betta actually swim and not having to hover in one place!!!

 

[Rummynose]

I tried to hang on a picture but I think it was too big!

 

[twinklekink]

If you decide to keep him in 3 litres DON'T change the water daily. There will be too much disruption for him. If you cant set up a small external filter or small internal then change the water every 3 days using 3 day aged water with IAL.
Age the water with a pump to make sure it does not go stale. Using fresh water may stress your betta.
There is a thread on here for a DIY canister filter for pico tanks - its an easy build and really would help your betta out.
here is the link
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/364134-pico-filter/page__p__3037317__hl__pico__fromsearch__1#entry3037317

If you filtered your tank you would still have to change atleast 50% of the water once a week due to it being small and therefore ammonia etc builds up quicker. Also, it may be worth making a small spray bar if you do use a filter as it could cause a lot of flow in a small tank and bettas like slow moving water.

Hope this helps

 

[Rummynose]

Should you get a filter, ask if they could give you some media from their used filters. The bacteria which grow on there is what would help you to establish a bacteria colony in your own filter, that's what makes your filter "cycled"! You could also try to find someone in your area who is willing to donate some used media. Make sure though, that the fish in their tanks are healthy, so you don't end up transferring anything to your tank.

A cycled filter will convert the fish's waste into the end product Nitrate, which you then remove by doing weekly water changes (most people change anywhere from 30 to 50% of the tank water)! The fish waste is toxic for your fish, there are two that you have to watch out for in your tank: Ammonia and Nitrites. The third, Nitrate, is the end product from the bacteria, and can be toxic if you let it get too high in your tank!

It is adviseable to get the liquid test kit (not the dip sticks) so you can stay on top of things in your tank. The most important tests are Ammonia and Nitrate, a test for Nitrite (the second stage during the cycling process) is also important but sometimes that stage is so short lived that many people miss it!

Make sure you don't add any water with chlorine or chloramine in it, that would kill the bacteria. If your city treats the water with these chemicals you need to buy a bottle of dechlorinater which you add to the water before you add it to your tank!

Freshwater fish love fresh water, and leaving too much time between water changes can mess up your tank's water chemistry and cause you trouble in the long run!
I know there is a lot of info right now for you to go through, but don't worry, it sounds harder than it is, and you can always come here to ask for help.

 

[willowmidnight]

I am trying to get a bigger tank for him, hopefully will have enough $$$ by the 30th. I have a little air pump that has a sponge filter and space for other media. I will go to the fish store and ask if I can have some of their media.

I'll do a water change tommorow.

My main concern is the problem of the swim bladdder. Could this have been caused by the trip home?

 

[Rummynose]

He may be acting like that because of the build up of ammonia in your tank!?

Ammonia burns the fish's gills, sort of like smoke does for us. Longterm exposure to ammonia can lead to organ damage and death. You need to check your ammonia levels especially when you have a tank with no filter or a new filter. Ideally you want a reading of 0 ammonia, keep the levels as close to that as possible, and don't let it get above .25 because at that level, especially longterm, it has damaging effects.

The temperature is also very important for tropical fish. When you put your Betta into his new tank, did you acclimize him to the new water?

 

[twinklekink]

Swim bladder is generally due to consitpation in bettas. Change half the water (just to be on the safe side - and make sure it's the right temperature before adding it back in!), feed him some cucumber or a pea and then do not feed him for a day or two, see if that helps

 

[twinklekink]

 

[Rummynose]

How is your Betta doing today?

 

[willowmidnight]

Still no better, but no worse either. I did a 75% water change the other day.
I purchursed a small filter, and some tank decor. Still have to get a heater, water test kit and a larger tank, but I am out of $$$ now

He has learned to use the decor to brace himself against, so he doesn't just float back up, amd is swimming a bit more. I think having things to hide behind helps.

I will try feeding him a bit of pea tonight

Thankyou for all your help, it is much appreciated