Bettas fish health

A week is not long enough to tell. It can take several months before a betta snaps and goes on a killing spree.
Guppies are not recommended as tank mates because they have long flashy tails and many male bettas think they are rival bettas.
 
You are doing a fish in cycle, which simply means there are fish in the tank while the filters develop the good bacteria that helps keep the water clean. It takes about 4-6 weeks for the filters to cycle (develop the good bacteria).

Reduce feeding to 2-3 times a week. Don't worry, the fish won't starve. After the tank has cycled you can feed more often.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate 4-8 hours after feeding.

Monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels and do a 75% water change any day the ammonia or nitrite is above 0ppm, or the nitrate is above 20ppm.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

After the tank has cycled, you can feed the fish every day if you like, and do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate once a week.
I did another water change last night and this morning I check the ammonia is still the same level at 0.50ppm same level as last night. The nitrite is at 0ppm, nitrate still the same at 5.0ppm. I'm not sure if the water testing kit is working. Ph is still 7.6
 
I did another water change last night and this morning I check the ammonia is still the same level at 0.50ppm same level as last night. The nitrite is at 0ppm, nitrate still the same at 5.0ppm. I'm not sure if the water testing kit is working. Ph is still 7.6
did you test your water source?
 
I did another water change last night and this morning I check the ammonia is still the same level at 0.50ppm same level as last night. The nitrite is at 0ppm, nitrate still the same at 5.0ppm. I'm not sure if the water testing kit is working. Ph is still 7.6
also, how much water are you removing each time?
 
I did another water change last night and this morning I check the ammonia is still the same level at 0.50ppm same level as last night. The nitrite is at 0ppm, nitrate still the same at 5.0ppm. I'm not sure if the water testing kit is working. Ph is still 7.6
Test the tap water for ammonia, nitrite & nitrate. If you have chloramine in the water supply, the water company might have overdosed with ammonia and that will end up in the tank when you do a water change.

If you aren't sure whether you have chlorine or chloramine in the tap water, contact your water company by phone or check their website and see what they add.

If you can get some distilled or reverse osmosis (R/O) water, test that for ammonia, nitrite & nitrate. They should all be 0ppm from distilled or R/O water, and the pH of distilled water should be 7.0.
 
may I ask why??
Long fancy fin/tail Guppies are effectively intruding males onto a male Betta's territory. A Betta knows not about it being a different species, they only see flaring fins and tails and will do whatever they think fit to remove that intruder...ie...they will eventually tire of warning them off and they will kill them. End of story.
 
Long fancy fin/tail Guppies are effectively intruding males onto a male Betta's territory. A Betta knows not about it being a different species, they only see flaring fins and tails and will do whatever they think fit to remove that intruder...ie...they will eventually tire of warning them off and they will kill them. End of story.
believe whatever you want to, but I currently have a few male Bettas living with guppies(fancy). Not every betta will attack other fish, a lot of people make this stereotype a reality. Studies have shown by separating your betta, you are making him/her more aggressive and territorial.
I find it unbelievable how close-minded people are when it comes to bettas, it's truly terrible.
 
Long fancy fin/tail Guppies are effectively intruding males onto a male Betta's territory. A Betta knows not about it being a different species, they only see flaring fins and tails and will do whatever they think fit to remove that intruder...ie...they will eventually tire of warning them off and they will kill them. End of story.
Yes that is what i understand as well
 
Have you ever witnessed a betta attacking other fish?

I was in a fish shop a few years ago which had a male betta in a tank with guppies. Every guppy had bits missing from it's fins. As I watched, the betta herded a guppy into the corner of the tank then pounced, ripping part of the guppy's fin away. Then he turned his attention to another guppy and repeated the process. The shop worker said he'd only been in the tank since that morning, and she promptly removed him.
I have also seen what one betta did when I accidentally got a woodlouse in his tank, and what another did to the shrimps which shared his tank.


I appreciate that not all bettas will be like this, but when you buy a betta you cannot know what their behaviour towards tank mates will be.
 

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