Max the Betta

[Fish4dawin]

Well, hello Max!
I am also learning about Bettas. They are full of personality!

Indeed they are. My female betta hasn't been eating as much as usual (she has been eating but only a few of the bug bites I put in, but she followed my finger around on the outside of the glass. Eventually I gave up trying to put the food through the flap, so I lifted the lid off and fed her that way. Only then would she eat a few of the bug bites. What should I feed her because she's not eating as much? @Colin_T?

 

[Utar]

Indeed they are. My female betta hasn't been eating as much as usual (she has been eating but only a few of the bug bites I put in, but she followed my finger around on the outside of the glass. Eventually I gave up trying to put the food through the flap, so I lifted the lid off and fed her that way. Only then would she eat a few of the bug bites. What should I feed her because she's not eating as much? @Colin_T?

Have you tried frozen brine shrimp, of course you thaw it out first. I got Max to eat a few of these the second day. One thing I have noticed is the lights on the tank where too bright for Max, he was hiding in an attempt to get away from the lights. I didn't know this until I turned the lights off and then saw him come out and swim around more.

 

[Fish4dawin]

Have you tried frozen brine shrimp, of course you thaw it out first. I got Max to eat a few of these the second day. One thing I have noticed is the lights on the tank where too bright for Max, he was hiding in an attempt to get away from the lights. I didn't know this until I turned the lights off and then saw him come out and swim around more.

What brineshrimp do you get? Can I see the packaging?

Eclipse (who is my betta) likes to hide amongst the plants so I don't think it's the light. She likes to hang out near the filter.

Also is this a bad thing. When I got her, she was pretty much a platinum aprat from her head which had a dark splotch of grey. Now she's almost fully grey. Is this age or has something gone wrong with her. There is no external issues.

 

[Sgooosh]

I have yet to setup the 20 long but it is in the plans and soon, I have to wait for better weather. It is cold raining and just down right nasty outside today. I will need a few things for the 20 long for Max's permanent home, heater, sponge filters etc. oh and build another stand for it. So for now Max will just have to hang in the 29 gallon. I need the height of the 29 the extra six inches for tetras etc. When I get it all ready I plan on testing Max out with a few different tank mates, to see if it will be ok, if not the tank mates will go into the 29 gallon.


You are probably right, I am going to do some research on leaves for betta's to see if oak leaves might work.

any updates?

 

[eatyourpeas]

Indeed they are. My female betta hasn't been eating as much as usual (she has been eating but only a few of the bug bites I put in, but she followed my finger around on the outside of the glass. Eventually I gave up trying to put the food through the flap, so I lifted the lid off and fed her that way. Only then would she eat a few of the bug bites. What should I feed her because she's not eating as much? @Colin_T?

I have been feeding all my critters different foods so they don't get tired of the same thing, or always expect the same thing. Morocco gets fed Cobalt Betta Pellets, frozen bloodworms, Mysis shrimp, and occasionally, my finger. Basically, anything at the surface. If it sinks, he is not interested.

 

[Utar]

any updates?

Well yes lol.... Max is doing great and eating now. Today I worked some on his tank. At first I tried the Aquaclear 70 HOB, but it was too much for him, it blew him around in the tank, so I unplugged it. Today I installed another double sponge filter, which makes two in this tank now, one on each end of the tank. I setup my old Aquaclear 50 to have a go, and it doesn't seem to be bothering him quite as bad, but I have it turned down on its lowest setting. I also took out the bubble wand, I don't think it is really necessary for a Betta, besides the sponge filters have bubbles.

 

[Utar]

Something occurred to me today I fine funny. Now you will have to have some age on you to understand this one. I have a Betta named Max, so Betamax which is an old VCR type tape machine from back in the cave man days that we used to use to watch movies.

 

[eatyourpeas]

Well yes lol.... Max is doing great and eating now. Today I worked some on his tank. At first I tried the Aquaclear 70 HOB, but it was too much for him, it blew him around in the tank, so I unplugged it. Today I installed another double sponge filter, which makes two in this tank now, one on each end of the tank. I setup my old Aquaclear 50 to have a go, and it doesn't seem to be bothering him quite as bad, but I have it turned down on its lowest setting. I also took out the bubble wand, I don't think it is really necessary for a Betta, besides the sponge filters have bubbles.

I believe I read somewhere that air bubbles are not essential for Bettas. The come from very quiet waters and go to the surface a lot since they are labyrinth fish. I covered the output of Morocco's filter with a sponge so I can still have a little agitation for the plants and to break the biofilm, and that seems to work.

Very happy to learn Max is doing very well.

 

[eatyourpeas]

Something occurred to me today I fine funny. Now you will have to have some age on you to understand this one. I have a Betta named Max, so Betamax which is an old VCR type tape machine from back in the cave man days that we used to use to watch movies.

Ha! Betamax were the modern ones for me! I started with 2", 1" and 3/4" tape back in the day! I think I still have my demo reel somewhere in Beta format. ?

Betamax was the proprietary Sony format. Way better than VHS!

 

[eatyourpeas]

Never occurred to me to name a fish "Umatic" ?

 

[Utar]

Did some more work on his temporary tank today, added some more stuff for him to explore. Betta Max did eat some today, so that's good. Most of the day he just zips from one end of the tank to the other, he will rest awhile somewhere, like on a leaf or up against driftwood. Then off he goes again.

He is so tiny not much bigger then a good size guppy, guess he is still young and only in his teens, fish age wise.

 

[Fish4dawin]

Did some more work on his temporary tank today, added some more stuff for him to explore. Betta Max did eat some today, so that's good. Most of the day he just zips from one end of the tank to the other, he will rest awhile somewhere, like on a leaf or up against driftwood. Then off he goes again.

He is so tiny not much bigger then a good size guppy, guess he is still young and only in his teens, fish age wise.

Will you move him to another tank or will you keep him in there and add some friends (neon tetras or corys)

 

[Utar]

The 29 gallon his is in has been up an running now for over two months with nothing in it but plants and driftwood. It has long been cycled and I have been feeding it a bit of liquid ammonia. But I wanted shrimp and tetras in this tank, just been dragging my feet on getting any shrimp. I already have the tetras in my 55 gallon with my Angel Fish, that I wanted to move over to the 29 gallon.

I thought about getting some shrimp and give it a go with Max, but that would be a gamble. But right now he is so tiny, it might be ok, what is your opinion on shrimp with Max.

 

[eatyourpeas]

Like you say, it is always a gamble. Large Amano may work, but I would be ready to move them if Max becomes MadMax.

 

[Fish4dawin]

Like you say, it is always a gamble. Large Amano may work, but I would be ready to move them if Max becomes MadMax.

I agree with you @eatyourpeas. Otocinclus could work but they are very finicky about parameters.