Help Please! Having Problems With Our First Betta.

[katielizabeth]

We just got our first betta tonight for our two year old daughter. We originally bought the hex tank from PETCO for some goldfish my husband won our daughter at the fair this past weekend which sadly ended up dying so we decided to take her to buy a betta tonight. My husband cleaned the tank out very well with hot water and cleaned the vase filler which we had at the bottom of the tank. We added the vase filler back in with some betta plants then added water and some de-chlorination solution. We let the filter run for an hour before we put the betta in it. The water was luke warm, not too cold for it. For the last hour or so he has been acting very frantic, swimming fast then going to the top of the tank and kind of floating on his side. I was really worried thinking I killed him at first but then he started swimming again. He is now floating at the top of the tank not moving his little fins but every now and then he will flutter his long fins very fast, then stop. I'm worried we did something wrong and I feel horrible. Can someone please help me out? When I asked the lady in the fish area about the betta's she told me what to do and we did everything she told us to. Only thing we didn't get is a thermometer for the water to see the actual temp but when my husband put some water in a cup then felt it, it felt luke warm like she told us to do. I turned the filter on because I wanted to see if he would move and the current form the filter pushed him around the tank and he was not swimming or moving, but when I turned it off he swam back to the top of the tank on his own. He is now just hanging out at the very top of the tank next to the filter.

 

[TrainRek77]

temperature is pretty important. Use a meat thermometer to just check it. The shock from the change in temperature when you move them from one to another can harm them. But I think you may need to do a little reading in the betta care section.

 

[Tolak]

This link will direct you to some of the best betta information on the forum. Our Beginner's Resource Center, found here, will provide general aquatic information, the most important at this point is understanding cycling your tank.

BTW, welcome to TFF!

 

[katielizabeth]

temperature is pretty important. Use a meat thermometer to just check it. The shock from the change in temperature when you move them from one to another can harm them. But I think you may need to do a little reading in the betta care section.

He died. I'll definitely use a meat thermometer next time before I put a betta in the tank. I tried to use a regular thermometer before I put him in but it wouldn't work when I put the tip in the water. I didn't want to keep him in the container he came in because the lady at PETCO told me he would need to be transferred to the tank tonight. I just feel so horrible I didn't do enough research, but I honestly didn't think taking care of a betta would be very difficult.

 

[katielizabeth]

This link will direct you to some of the best betta information on the forum. Our Beginner's Resource Center, found here, will provide general aquatic information, the most important at this point is understanding cycling your tank.

BTW, welcome to TFF!

Thank you! I am checking it out now. I wish I found this forum BEFORE I got the betta.

Since the fish died in the tank, should I change the water and wash everything in hot water and start all over? Or is it safe to keep the water in the tank?

I think I'll go to a pet store that isn't a chain like PETCO. There's one in town and I remember chatting with a guy that bred betta fish and worked in the store. I'm sure he could help me out and get me all the right stuff, like a water testing kit, to make sure this doesn't happen again.

 

[FishFanatic04]

I'm so sorry. Please Don't feel bad. Bettas are marketed in ways that do not teach people how to care for them. I kept bettas my whole life, thinking they could live in small vases. But they need more care. I don't think the problem was your temperature. Your betta may have already been too stressed when you brought it home. They are a pretty hardy fish, and though they do NEED a heater to be at their best, they are often kept without one.

The best thing you can do is read the information on this forum for beginners and learn about Bettas and other tropical fish. It can be so rewarding. There are some really nice package deals at stores like petsmart and petco, where you can get everything you need...maybe still needing a heater.... I have my Bettas in 3.5g that I got for $25 and then paid for a heater.

Most people here say that 5gallons are a minimum for Bettas, but once you read about fish care, it's really about the maintenance and care you provide. Filters are good for Bettas, mine have adjusted to the water flow, so don't let anything sway you there.

Goodluck!

 

[HannahBear77]

If you dont have a heater there are other ways of heating a tank until you do get one like I'm using a small regular heater use to heat a room to heat up my 4g right now until I get one (hopefully soon) I noticed if you keep the room at say like 72 degrees it will heat your tank up to that temperature

But hey it happens you didn't know sorry for your lost

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Hi there, I'm sorry for your loss. We all have to start somewhere and so many people end up in your situation, you're not alone! If you do some reading around the forum you'll get all the info you need to try again

Best of luck!

 

[pablothebetta]

So sorry for your loss At least you came to the right place and tried to get help for him

 

[OldMan47]

If your tank is too cool for a betta, one way to heat it is to run a normal incandescent bulb over the tank. Before heaters became common, it is the way we all controlled the temperature of our tanks, yes I am that old. We matched the wattage of incandescent lighting to the temperature requirements of our fish and enjoyed quite a bit of success by doing so. It was all experimental, determining the correct wattage and time for lights to be lit but hey, you work with what is available. You will want to regulate the temperature to about 80F, 27C.