just got new betta/set up, need help please read!

[fcbarrelracer]

B) okay hi everybody!
well i just got a little betta guy from the pet store and he came i one of those little cups, but that little cup is only 1/2 FULL? poor guy, oh yeah and his water is blue? why is that? i also purchased one of those 2.5g lagoon starter kits for him, and set it up, so now i have to wait 24 hours to put him in. my question is 1) should i feed him tonight? and 2) why is his water blue? and 3) how should i transfer him to his new tank? thanks and ANY other info/tips are very well appreciated! thanks

 

[White Whale]

1 - Rinse the tank with cold water
2 - Rinse the gravel well with cold water

Do you have water conditioner like AmQuel+, AquaPlus, or StressCoat?
If you do, then after you do the first two steps, fill the tank with as best room temperature water, put in the water conditioner, mix it with a plastic utensil, let sit for about 15 minutes. Then you can put the betta in the tank.

 

[fcbarrelracer]

yes i did step 1 and 2 and i put in some aquaplus? (something like that) and i also have stress coat, but i didnt put it in. thanks

 

[dixaisy930]

I would say skip feeding tonight. Let him get slightly adjusted to his new surroundings.

The place where you go him probably use this certain kind of water conditioner/treatment for bettas that turns the water blue.

It can be kind of hard to stick a net in there in get him...you could also pour him into the net, but that can be stressful as well. Usually I just lower the cup into the new place completely vertical until he swims out. This way, only a small amount of his old water gets mixed in with the new stuff.

 

[fcbarrelracer]

i'll skip tonight and feed him tomorrow, and thats probably the best way ( i think) to move him too. that way he wnt get stressed
thanks

 

[Inchworm]

Hi fcbarrelracer and welcome to the forum!

Sounds to me that you have answers to your question already!

So, why don't you tell us a little about your betta? What does he look like? What's his name?

 

[Auratus]

The blue water that bettas are in is actually liquid food. Imagine petsmart. Imagine like 45 bettas. Imagine opening each cup every day to sprinkle in 3 pieces of food. Kind of a pain right? So this stuff is like liquid food. That's usually why bettas are such pigs when you get them home. That stuff doesn't really work.

 

[White Whale]

poor guy, oh yeah and his water is blue? why is that? i also purchased one of those 2.5g lagoon starter kits for him, and set it up, so now i have to wait 24 hours to put him in. my question is 1) should i feed him tonight? and 2) why is his water blue? and 3) how should i transfer him to his new tank? thanks and ANY other info/tips are very well appreciated! thanks

The blue water is actually caused by BettaMax. It is an antibiotic used as a preventative to mostly treat listlessness because they are unable to get proper movement in those little containers.

 

[wuvmybetta]

yup, it's blue because of bettamax. I'd go ahead and feed him and move him tonight, he's probably hungry and anxious to get out of that cup

EDIT~
Wish I'd of gotten here sooner because it appears he's spending another night in the cup. Here's what I do when I bring home a new betta (I'm an old hat at it, I have 36 of them,most of them are cup rescues)

Set up the new home with tepid water (room temp) I immediately feed Mr./Ms. betta as soon as I bring them home so their food can digest as I set up the tank and it also gives them a sense that everythings going to be ok...they're not going to starve to death like they thought they were going to an hour before.
Then I dump out half of the water in the cup and add tank water...let it sit for a few minutes while he peers through the glass at his new home. After a few minutes you'll notice how excited he gets about such a spacious place and all the great plants to hide in. Dump out more cup water...add more tank water. By now it should be clear (no more blue), then I float the cup for a minute or two and let him out, done & done

 

[fcbarrelracer]

hi inchworm,
well my new little betta guy is a beautiful dark blue with an outline of red on his fins and part of his body, his fins sre really long, and he has some dark blue spots on his top fins, he's so pretty. he seems really healthy too, oh i havent named him yet, any suggestions? c-ya!

 

[fcbarrelracer]

i think im gonna go to the lps and get some of that bettamax and maybe some other common medications, just in case somebody gets sick or has a yucky parasite or something, the bettamax kept my new guy looking really healthy! thanks

 

[Inchworm]

Hi fcbarrelracer

After you look at him and feed him a few times he'll tell you his name!

 

[White Whale]

i think im gonna go to the lps and get some of that bettamax and maybe some other common medications, just in case somebody gets sick or has a yucky parasite or something, the bettamax kept my new guy looking really healthy! thanks

Actually, you should put him in the tank first - clean, clear water and all - it is what will be BEST for him when coming from that little shotglass. Use medication ONLY in the event something looks amiss. Even though you might be trying to do the right thing, it's best to use medication as the last resort. You really wouldn't want your tank full of chemicals.

Like wuvmybetta, I try to get my new bettas into 'open space' as soon as possible. That way, they can stretch and explore and be relieved from such cramped quarters. However, unlike her, I don't feed them that very same day. I give them a chance to relax and get accustomed to their new surroundings. The stress and excitement may not be good for their digestion, but they won't starve to death if not fed for a day or two. Plus, it would ensure that they will be hungry and eat.

It is all a matter of personal experience.

Good luck with your new beauty and welcome to the family! Where there's one betta, there will be more....

 

[justgottabetta]

too late! i already put him in, but i will do what u guys do when (hopefully) i collect yet another one! hehe im up to 2 males 1 female and 2 froggies!
c-ya and merry xmas!

 

[Inchworm]

Hi justgottabetta

You can't have too many bettas! And frogs are fun, too. Do you have Dwarf African Frogs, or African Clawed frogs? Or something else? Do they live in the same tank with your bettas or by themselves?

There is a link in my signature that has some information about the little frogs that you might find interesting.