Plant order came in today :) Sad Update

[lljdma06]

Hey people,

I just got my shipment from Plants.com in today, and all I can say is Wow!


Anacharis that was supposed to be 8 inches was 12 inches long and super big! I also got Wendtiis, Ambulia, and Wisteria. All the plants arrived healthy and gorgeous, so I put them in my tanks. Took quite a bit of rearranging , but it's settled down a bit. I removed the yucky background and hopefully the anacharis will grow and cover the back, that should look cool. Will do more aquascaping when I do my water changes on Saturday, rearranging and such.

Well, about now, you're probably asking why didn't she post this in the plant or tank board. As it turns out, I didn't have the heart to throw away perfectly good java fern, so I crammed it all in my 1-gallon betta tank that was for my office. It's like 6 plants, with some tiny extra Crypts thrown in for good measure. No fish in there, just plants with airation and light. I even have an extra power strip floating around. I'll probably end up blowing up my apartment.

So what I'll do tomorrow is probably buy some cheap 2 gallon critter keepers with cheap filters, rearrange my large grow light so it's lower, and buy more bettas. Yes, the MBS is growing worse. These setups won't be half as fancy, but I figure the bettas will not mind much as long as the water's clean and there's plenty of food.

I had forgotten how much fun this was. I will keep everyone posted and provide new pics, but I think I've already exhausted my picture quota for August and I have to wait for my next billing cycle to send more pics from my camera phone.

 

[xxSarahxx]

Serious MBS!!! I'm happy for you though!
I look forward to seeing your new boys!

 

[Naughtygirlrlw]

The plants sound awesome! You are now officially addicted!

 

[lljdma06]

The plants sound awesome! You are now officially addicted!

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Thanks, unfortunately, I'm holding off on any betta purchases for the time being. Fafner's not doing so hot. He's just sitting on one of the Wendtiis gasping for air. I checked my water and it's perfect across the board so I'm stumped. Just in case, I did a water change. I should cover my bases. He has no spots, no lesions, nothing. Fassolt and all the other fish are fine. I'm wondering if I should move him, but I don't want to stress him and the other fish are not bothering him. I'm hesitant to treat him unless I move him, with all those plants...

I just checked on him. There's definitely something up with his swim bladder, he's swimming upside down, and very erratically. That sucks. I think it really doesn't look good for him right now, so I'll just leave him in peace. Funny, he was fine last night and I just noticed this today. But with all the plants, it's really hard to find everybody right away, and all my bettas like to hide once in a while. But, Faf's not hiding. He was a really small HM and he never grew like Fassolt did, so I'm wondering if that's got something to do with it. Man, this sucks!

Sorry this thread is turning morbid....

 

[Naughtygirlrlw]

Poor Fafner Do you think he might be constipated?

 

[lljdma06]

Well, I'm sad to report that poor Fafner didn't make it. He swam a little, and then had what looked like convulsions, and then died. I looked at his body and can see nothing on him, so whatever it was, it must have been internal.

It was really wierd. I removed him and will probably freeze him, as flushing is not appealing to me.

I didn't have him very long (a month, since I started posting on this board), which now makes me wary about my other bettas from that store, but they really strong. He was my smallest fish, about an inch long, not including fins, so he was rather small. My others are all close to two inches and one, Froh, is about 2.25. All are doing great. I was about to get peas for him and everything. Will still probably invest in frozen peas, as it may prevent further trouble, if it was indeed a horrible case of constipation, as I suspect it may have been.

I will go ahead with the tanks weekly maintainance tomorrow. I think what my fish need now is a sense of normality, and trying to rack my brain and do too many crazy things is not good either.

My friend and I are going shopping tomorrow, and if I rescue a new guy, I'll let you know, as I tend to buy very quickly after I've had a loss. Doesn't make Fafner any less special, it's just what I do. I still have pics of my first Loge that I had for two years.

Take care and sorry to have turned what was such a happy thread into something sad.

 

[Naughtygirlrlw]

Awwww, I am so sorry to hear about Fafner.
(He is in fishy heaven singing his favorite opera)
He was a beautiful lil' guy, may he RIP

 

[wuvmybetta]

Something's not right here... Do you think it had something to do with the plants?

 

[SPLiSH]

Oh lljdma, I'm sorry about Fafner. little guy.

My tiny (as in under an inch) female Pearl is showing the same symptoms... it's all in my other thread. I hope she doesn't go too...

Do you think the plants, as wuv said, had anything to do with it?

 

[lljdma06]

Oh lljdma, I'm sorry about Fafner. little guy.

My tiny (as in under an inch) female Pearl is showing the same symptoms... it's all in my other thread. I hope she doesn't go too...

Do you think the plants, as wuv said, had anything to do with it?

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The other fish are fine and are showing no symptoms. In fact, Fassolt's never looked better, as is Donner. They were paler and showing fear bars before the addition of the plants, and now they are much more extroverted, knowing they have a place to get away from it all. And the bridget rasboras who would always hide are all over the place and much more happy, at least to me. Plants have been a plus so far. But I will continue to monitor my fish very closely, and be extra diligent about water changes and quality. For all I know, it could have been the change in environment that triggered Fafner's illness. I did have to rearrange things quite a bit in the tank. So it may have been the plants but in a roundabout sort of way.

Ya know, Fafner was a tiny little guy, and now that I've read the thread on poor Pearl, Fafner's symptoms were exactly the same, even to the same terrible swimming motion to get air. The unfortunate thing is that I didn't catch it quick enough. Nearlly impossible with all the plants I've got. It took almost 15 minutes of continuous watching to find and count my pygmy corydoras today. I have two and am starting to build a small school for Fassolt's side. He absolutely loves trying to figure out what they are, no nipping, just looking and saying, "Hey Mom, what are these guys, I can't tell?" The corys are also schooling with the Bridget rasboras and are small enough to sneak over to what was Fafner's side.

Just to be safe, tomorrow, I'm going to offer to buy a friend lunch (I don't have a car) and go to the lfs and invest in a small and shallow hospital tank, and perhaps some different types of food for the bettas, including some frozen peas. I can't treat entire tanks with all my plants. Those plants, though much cheaper than going to the LFS still cost me a pretty penny and for me, an avid gardener, I'd rather not hurt my plants if I don't have to. Any recommendations on some good quality foods from the US?

Take care and thank you for your support, poor Faf will be missed. But as always, you must learn from these experiences and move on.

 

[FishEnthusiast]

I am so sorry to hear of your loss.

 

[lljdma06]

I am so sorry to hear of your loss.

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Thanks a bunch guys, I really appreciate your support. I think I may just lift the divide and not place another betta in with Fassolt. It would allow the rasboras and the corys to use the whole tank, and I think, then I can build both schools and the tank will look quite nice. I can't wait until the anacharis reaches the top. I wouldn't be surprised if the rasboras decide to do it again. But that's a story for the cyprinid section. Fassolt's a lucky dude, not everyone gets 15g to rule over. Poor Fassolt doesn't get such a happy ending in Das Reingold. He's killed by his brother Fafner for a golden ring. Then Fafner turns himself into a dragon to guard his horde of gold, and is killed by Siegfried in the third opera of the cycle.

 

[lljdma06]

Now that doesn't mean that I won't get more bettas...I still suffer from a severe case of MBS, I just think I now have MRS and MCS (Multiple Rasbora syndrome and Multiple Corydora syndrome) as well. I am very, very sick. I also have MTS (Multiple Tank syndrome). I'll post a new thread about what today's trip to the LFS brings me.