Betta Still Acting Off

[Slaphppy7]

We have had him 3 months. He was healthy and happy for the first month and a half or so. Then I did a 50% water change and he started acting off.
I have top fin water conditioner and api test kit

Liquid test kit, or strips?

No need to let water "sit", you can add the conditioner & fresh water at the same time

Something about the WC affected the fish, though...you didn't forget to add conditioner, correct?

The Top Fin stuff is OK for now, but get some Seachem Prime, or API Tap Water conditioner, and use that

And, a bigger tank is easier to keep water params stable

 

[Sgooosh]

make sure the top fin is not expired... i had an old bottle and that killed off my fish the second time i tried to start a tank..
(i failed 2 times)

 

[Swusch]

Liquid test kit, or strips?

No need to let water "sit", you can add the conditioner & fresh water at the same time

Something about the WC affected the fish, though...you didn't forget to add conditioner, correct?

The Top Fin stuff is OK for now, but get some Seachem Prime, or API Tap Water conditioner, and use that

And, a bigger tank is easier to keep water params stable

I have the strips and then I take his water to the pet store up the street and they test ammonia for me. I went to buy the liquid test and the store didn’t have it in stock at the time. Correct, I did not forget the conditioner. I’m at a loss for what happened. I had done the change the same as I had previously. The tank is now growing some brown algae stuff as well that wasn’t in there prior to him being like this.

 

[Swusch]

make sure the top fin is not expired... i had an old bottle and that killed off my fish the second time i tried to start a tank..
(i failed 2 times)

Oh gosh! I didn’t think of that but just looked and it’s good until 9/2024.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I have the strips and then I take his water to the pet store up the street and they test ammonia for me. I went to buy the liquid test and the store didn’t have it in stock at the time. Correct, I did not forget the conditioner. I’m at a loss for what happened. I had done the change the same as I had previously. The tank is now growing some brown algae stuff as well that wasn’t in there prior to him being like this.

Brown algae is actually diatoms, shouldn't hurt the fish.

Get the liquid test kit ASAP, you need to be testing your own water...they're on sale right now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/?tag=ff0d01-20

Did you match the tap temp to the tank temp as closely as possible when you did the WC?

 

[Swusch]

Brown algae is actually diatoms, shouldn't hurt the fish.

Get the liquid test kit ASAP, you need to be testing your own water...they're on sale right now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/?tag=ff0d01-20

Did you match the tap temp to the tank temp as closely as possible when you did the WC?

Ordered! I’m hoping it comes before Thursday! I did match as best I could but it was just by putting the water on my wrists. I didn’t have a thermometer for the new water.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Ordered! I’m hoping it comes before Thursday! I did match as best I could but it was just by putting the water on my wrists. I didn’t have a thermometer for the new water.

Good deal with the test kit, we need some accurate measurements of your tank water

Also a good idea to keep one of these on hand, for WC's...we want to match our temps as closely as possible

https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=digita...mometer,aps,95&ref=nb_sb_noss_1&tag=ff0d01-20

 

[Swusch]

Good deal with the test kit, we need some accurate measurements of your tank water

Also a good idea to keep one of these on hand, for WC's...we want to match our temps as closely as possible

https/smile.amazon.com/s?k=digital+pocket+thermometer&crid=TVKGS47IOP3&sprefix=digital+pocket+thermometer,aps,95&ref=nb_sb_noss_1&tag=ff0d01-20

Oh! I have a food thermometer. I didn’t even think of using that. I’ll do a 50% water change tonight and March the water temp.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Oh! I have a food thermometer. I didn’t even think of using that. I’ll do a 50% water change tonight and March the water temp.

You want a digital pocket thermometer that is calibratable, you will also use it to get temps from your tank(s), as well, before doing WCs...to check the accuracy of heaters/glass thermometers that claim to show the tank temp, but can be very inaccurate

The cooking-grade thermometers usually have tiny dials, and are hard to read...especially for my aged yes, lol

The calibratable digital ones are easy to use (and calibrate), and aren't expensive...something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009WE45/?tag=ff0d01-20

As a matter of fact, I need a new one, I've about worn out my old one, which was very similar, so I'm going to order one, myself

 

[Swusch]

You want a digital pocket thermometer that is calibratable, you will also use it to get temps from your tank(s), as well, before doing WCs...to check the accuracy of heaters/glass thermometers that claim to show the tank temp, but can be very inaccurate

The cooking-grade thermometers usually have tiny dials, and are hard to read...especially for my aged yes, lol

The calibratable digital ones are easy to use (and calibrate), and aren't expensive...something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009WE45/?tag=ff0d01-20

As a matter of fact, I need a new one, I've about worn out my old one, which was very similar, so I'm going to order one, myself

Yup! This is similar to mine. It’s a digital one. My tank thermometer said the water was 80 and my digital one said it was 82.5. I turned my heater down some to try to cool it down a little.
When doing the water changes, is it okay that I leave him in the tank?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Yup! This is similar to mine. It’s a digital one. My tank thermometer said the water was 80 and my digital one said it was 82.5. I turned my heater down some to try to cool it down a little.
When doing the water changes, is it okay that I leave him in the tank?

It is perfectly fine to leave the fish in the tank, during WC's, moving him just causes more stress, anyway

Just be gentle when you go about the change, take your time

And get him a 5.5G, when you get a chance

 

[Swusch]

It is perfectly fine to leave the fish in the tank, during WC's, moving him just causes more stress, anyway

Just be gentle when you go about the change, take your time

And get him a 5.5G, when you get a chance

I found a 10 gallon tank in my screened in patio. I’m going to soak it and clean it and find a place in the house for it. The 3 gallon fits perfectly in a nook on my desk but this one is much larger do I need to do anything special to put him in that one?

 

[Sgooosh]

You want a digital pocket thermometer that is calibratable, you will also use it to get temps from your tank(s), as well, before doing WCs...to check the accuracy of heaters/glass thermometers that claim to show the tank temp, but can be very inaccurate

The cooking-grade thermometers usually have tiny dials, and are hard to read...especially for my aged yes, lol

The calibratable digital ones are easy to use (and calibrate), and aren't expensive...something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009WE45/?tag=ff0d01-20

As a matter of fact, I need a new one, I've about worn out my old one, which was very similar, so I'm going to order one, myself

do those temperature laser guns work?

 

[Slaphppy7]

I found a 10 gallon tank in my screened in patio. I’m going to soak it and clean it and find a place in the house for it. The 3 gallon fits perfectly in a nook on my desk but this one is much larger do I need to do anything special to put him in that one?

Well, that was convenient

Don't clean with any type of detergent or soap, use hot water and plain white vinegar...after cleaning the tank and rinsing thoroughly, be sure to do a leak test outdoors before attempting to use it inside your house

Place the tank on a sturdy, level surface, in a location where water leaks won't harm anything, fill to the top, and let it sit for a few hours, to see if you detect any leaks...tanks stored outdoors will many times lose the water-tight seal when the silicone degrades

If it leaks in the least bit, don't use it

Let us know how it goes

 

[Slaphppy7]

do those temperature laser guns work?View attachment 163603

Infrared temp guns are a bit of overkill, for fishkeeping purposes....IMO....