Grr...

[TammyLiz]

OK, this is a bad moment for me. I guess I'm just venting because I can't think of a way anyone could help me out. But here's an account of the past bit in my house.
I have shin splints right now so it kills me to walk at all.
My diy dividers that I made just fell apart.
I got 6 bettas I bought on aquabid in the mail.
My daughter is in a terrible mood, following me around the house whining "Please! I want to take a bath!" (she's 3, and now is not the time for a bath) and crying about EVERYTHING.
I walked into the kitchen and see one of my bettas, who I've had for two weeks and had a hard time getting him to eat, is laying on the driftwood on his side gasping!
I went up to the 10 gallon tank I was setting up for the new females and tested the ammonia (which would reflect what is in my tap), and I got a result of 1ppm. I haven't tested the water in the sick bettas tank but I bet that's what he is suffering from! He is in a small tank that has a filter and heater but its uncycled and the water in it is 3 days old.


So I need to...what? Go to the store and buy at least 22 gallons of distilled water? I don't think so! My husband would kill me if I spent $15 on water right now. But I can't just let them all die. I guess they'll be going in old water from my 55 gallon tank and I can add tap to that and hope the bio filter can take care of it before it stresses the fish too much? I probably will at least not lose any fish because of that. It's all I can think to do. My poor legs, and my poor daughter, and my poor fish. I am going to have some words with my water company. This is not the first time it has happened, and I have just now confirmed that it happens after a lot of rain.

I still need some advice on the dividers, or ideas on what I should immediately do with the males while I fix the 10 gallon I was planning on putting them in.

Tammy

 

[catxx]

temporary 1 gallon tupperware containers might to the trick for a day or two until the dividers are fixed. if you can get some somewhere. i'd get some bottled water while you're out too haha!

hope everything gets better soon love!

 

[Taridan]

Well, I can't offer much help with your daughter. XD maybe if you point out to her that right now mommy needs to play doctor on the fish? for the DIY dividers, not sure how they broke/fell apart, unless that was you that posted up there? <- points at other thread anyways, paper clips can help keep them upright in the tanks. as for the tap water... hmm. I'm assuming no amonia down / reducer stuff is at the house? if you have a spare tank and filter, you could establish the filter in one of your other tanks then use that and the spare one to hopefully filter out the amonia and leave it sit a day or two or three before using it with the water changes? <- not sure if that would help in the long run, and knows it probably doesn't help right now.

for the shin spints, I feel your pain... I've had mine since I was like, 12 or so, and every so often they flare up... maybe try some heat thearapy on them? if you can stand the vibrating, I've found one of those foot massagers that get filled with hot water help too.

 

[TammyLiz]

Thanks for the sympathy It actually helps me feel better
I did a 90% water change on the little betta tank in the kitchen with old water from my 55 gallon tank. The others are doing fine because luckily I didn't change their water the other day at the same time as his. He looks better already, not only is he no longer on his side, but he took a couple laps around the tank and went up for some air. He's laying on the bottom now and his fins are clamped but hopefully he will be OK and just needs some time to recover. I haven't added any replacement water to the 55 yet but it hardly matters as removing 2 gallons only amounted to the water line being a little less than an inch below the upper trim. I'll deal with that later.

The new guys are floating in the ammonia-laden tank the females were meant to be put into, still in their little travel bags. After I go to the store and get what I need for the dividers I'll change the water with either old tank water or some distilled water and release the females and float the males in whatever containers I can find until I get their dividers under control. Their bag water doesn't look bad. They were shipped still less than 24 hours ago so they should be OK for another few hours.

It was my thread about the dividers. Sorry if this one seems redundant. Bettagardner's idea was brilliant and I'm going to give it a try.

Things are going to work out after all. My daughter is excited because we're going to stop by McDonald's while we're out.

Heat for my legs? I'll give it a try tonight, and hobble around until then. I have had problems with them since I was in college in the marching band and played the tuba (convertable BBb up on my shoulder, not the sousaphone!). We had 3x/week 2 hour practices and on game days we'd march all around campus, up and down the bleachers, do the whole 15 minutehalftime show, play in the stands with all our muscles cramping 'till the game was over, then march back to the fine arts hall. Keep those toes up! Ouch. But we looked GREAT! Hard core. That was about 6 years ago. The pain has flared up now because I went hiking in the mountains on Monday with my hubby.