Please Help!

[Swagger]

I posted this in another section so sorry about double posting.

Hi!

I'll just tell you all what happened and how I got this Betta fish to begin with.
My mother, a very kind person who loves animals, so happened to - when entering the laundry room at her work - stumble upon a fish bowl with dirty brown water which smelled horrible. She thought she saw movement in the bowl and flicked it and there was a living fish in it! The poor litle guy came up to the top and greeted her with his mouth wide open. The person who left the fish behind at least left its food package there too so she could know what kind of fish it was. My mother fed the fish and she soon found out that it had character and was a very curious, fantastic fish and being the animal lover she is, she brought it back home - on a bus - and we just started to look up some info on the fish and found out that first it's a tropical fish and then we found out that they don't actually live in small amounts of water. Going back to when we first went to Petland to ask for advice before seeking the internet, we remembered the worker who said the bowl is more than enough space for Betta fish and they only live 9 months to a year and a half and he even tried to sell us this little bowl with a disco light on top of it for 'party' purposes, saying it would make the fish happier than the bowl it was already in. Well we walked the hell out of there and said the Internet would be much better for actual advice.

So I started to do most of the research but before that I noticed the fish would become extremely lethargic at night time. Seeing how it's winter here, I decided to put a thermometer in the bowl and see how drastc the temperature changes were. I knew right away that it was getting too cold for the tropical fish and it would die if I left it in that bowl. It was too small for it, it was too cold and the warmest area in my place is also the loudest and I knew that it could not hear but it could feel the vibrations from the bass. So I needed a tank with a heater for the guy.

Now my family is not wealthy at all, we're actually extrmely affected by the bad economy - like millions of others - but we did what was right and got the guy a tank at walmart. I'm not a fan of walmart but prices were 1/2 cheaper than at other places. For 100 dollars we got a 10 gallon Aqua-Tech starter kit ideal for Goldfish but it was the best we could find, only $40 and assembled in America. We also got him a heater for 2-15 gallon tanks I believe and 10 pounds of gravel, a package of plants, and a bunch of other minor things like water conditioner and medication.

So here is where we are at now and we're confused about what to do next.

1) The tank has NOT been cycled. Now, I just found out about the nitrogen cycle which you're supposed to do before adding fish and it has my nerves going off the rocker. It seems like the guy is going to be hit with painful ammonia in the coming days/weeks. BUT I did ask around a lot and every single person said the fish would not survive the temperature changes in the bowl - was going down to 65-68F - so I should just put the Betta in the uncycled tank and do 25% water changes once a week. Still, I don't want him being in pain and possibly dying because of this but I'm also not putting him back in that torture bowl.
QUESTION: Can I do the cycle with the fish in the tank without him suffering a great deal of pain by just doing 25% water changes weekly?
2)I don't keep the filter on, just I go in there for about 5 minutes to turn it on, let it run with me holding it high up to get more bubbles in the water. I do this 3-4 times a day. The current literally tosses him into the corner of the tank and stresses him out. We put a bunch of plants in a corner so he could cling on and hide under the current but he refuses to go down to the bottom when the filter is running. He actually picked up a trick where he hides behind the filter outtake and just flares up at us with the "TURN IT OFF!" look. Oh and we tried putting a leotard w/ elastic band over intake but it still is way too much on him.
QUESTIONS: Do we need to keep the filter on at all times? I know the Betta can get oxygen from the air too so I'm confused there. Is the Nitrogen cycle even starting up w/ a filter only running for 15-20 minutes a day? Can I just keep the filter off? He seems to have fin-rot so if I medicate him, do I have to take out the activated carbon filter? I know you need circulation for the medication to mix in with the water and stagnant water will just bring the meds up to the surface and won't work. I'm so confused! Oh and I heard if you leave them in a well maintained tank for a week they can usually heal themselves? If not, then use meds on them after a 1 week period. Any truth in that?

The heater has a waterline so I have to keep the water above the line.
QUESTIONS: How do I do 25% water changes or full water changes(if I medicate him) when the water literally has to be near the top of the tank? Will the water cool down really fast or will it take some time, long enough so I can unplug the heater and quickly take 25% out and put 25% back in? How am I supposed to get the fresh water at the same temperature as the tank water? Can I use the hot water tap(valve) or do I have to use the cold water tap and let it warm up? It's conditioned. It would be a lot easier to use the hot water tap and then let it cool off and quickly add it but I'm not sure if hot water has anything harmful in it.

The tank has a hood with 2 bright fluorescent lights but I heard they don't like sunlight and the lights are BRIGHT so I took 1 out and the other one still keeps the tank pretty bright. He also likes to hide from the light.
QUESTIONS: Does the Betta fish need both these lights on for his health? I also open the curtain a bit so he gets some outside light but not direct sunlight. will the combo of the fluorescent and a bit of outside light give him enough light? Do they need Vitamin D? I live in a poor area and the room the fish is in now is not noisy but the curtain should be kept closed or opened only a bit because people will look in and maybe try to rob us if they see my sisters nice tv and computer and stuff. It has happened before with a gun to my head.

*He had the below symptoms when we first found him*
My Betta has 3 black dots on the side of his body. Looks like they're not lumps or anything but just black dots that are part of his skin. I don't see any new ones popping up so I don't know what they are. My Betta tore a fin on a shell in his little bowl but it seems like it has healed. He does not always have his fins up, as in the Dorsal fin will go down, his caudal fin won't be all poofed out, same with the pectoral fin I believe. But when he sees his reflection everything goes up and he is a pretty #40## big fish. Actually when I think about it, it's probably like half the time that he is not even poofed out. You can tell he lost color, especially on the dorsal fin. Looks clear/grey on a large area of it. He is not all hyper in his new tank. The first day he would not even leave the corner and now he goes around the whole tank but he also rests a lot. Perhaps he is bored or this is an illness or maybe he is scared of the tank or he might be old. He does not move around really fast, just sorta takes his time to get there unless you open the hood then he thinks its time for food and he rushes over and almost begs for food.
QUESTIONS: Are the 3 black dots normal?
How did he heal his torn fin and if he is able to do that, is he healthy?
Should the fins always be up? Or do they often swim around with them kinda down/kinda up. He can put them all up when he sees his reflection so I don't think it's clamped fins.
What about the losing color part? I don't think it has changed much since we first found him. But you can tell it's not his natural color. Looks like he had some blue in there before it faded out.
time period to get used to new tank? Is he going to be all hyper when he gets used to the tank? Do you think he is scared and that is why he is not showing all of his fins off and going around all fast, exploring every single thing?

He will often rest with his head up higher than his behind. Is that natural or is something weighing him down? I'm thinking maybe constipation as I have not seen him go to the bathroom very often, not at all in his new tank. I have fed him a Pea, he loved it and ate it like a savage, but it did not make him have a bowel movement, so I'm asking how often do they deficate and should I feed him another Pea or just not feed him for a few days? I got the temperature at 77-78, do you think I should up it to 80?

Many, many more questions I'm sure. Just I need to relax for a bit because this has taken a lot out of me. I'm attached to the little dude now and he comes up to me all the time and watches me and is so curious. I just want him to have a good life.

Thanks!

 

[jmiller]

Welcome.

Start by reading this: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/32461-betta-basics-and-care/

It will answer most of your questions. If there is something you don't understand or have additional questions on after reading it then come back and ask away.

 

[erk628]

Ok I'll help were I can! First off a betta really don't need a 10 gallon you could have went with a 5 gallon that would have been less then half what you paid. But seeing how you have already bought it and are using it it will be fine I'm sure the betta will love it.

The first thing your going to need to do is get yourself a good "liquid" test kit. Most of us on here us API master liquid test kit. You want to make sure you get the liquid test kit and not the strips because the strips are really inaccurate. You can find this at your LFS(local fish shop) but you can order one on ebay for a lot cheaper. These usually last 5 years before expiring and if all you have is one tank with a betta it will last you five years. This test kit will be used to see how your cycle is going and lets you know if anything is wrong with your water.

When we talk about cycling a tank what were really cycling is not the tank but the filter. I'll give you a quick crash course on how the cycle works. When your fish poos or when you feed your fish and all the food isn't eating ammonia will soon be present in the water from the poo and food. Once this happens a type of bacteria will start to grow on your filter media in your case sponge or filter pad. Once this type of bacteria is present it will begin to multiple forming a colony. What this bacteria does is it feeds on the ammonia that is present in the water. When you test your water for the first time you will notice that the ammonia in the water will be high on the color card. Any presents of ammonia is toxic to fish. After a couple weeks usually once the cycle starts the bacteria that feeds on the ammonia will get a colony big enough to handle the ammonia load that it is giving on a daily basis. Now after a couple weeks your ammonia will eventually drop to 0 on the color chart then the next step of the cycle will start. Now this first bacteria when it eats the ammonia and coverts it into nitrites which is also toxic to fish. Once this bacteria starts to produce this another type of bacteria will start to grow on your filter. What this type of bacteria does is it feeds on the nitrites. Now this step in the cycle usually takes twice as long as the first step because this type of bacteria multiple at a slower rate. Eventually the colony will grow big enough to handle the load its giving. Now this type of bacteria takes the nitrite and converts it into nitrates which usually kept under 100ppm is not toxic to fish. Nitrates can be reduced by water changes. To get a more indepth explanation I strongly suggest reading the links in my sig below.

Now as for the filter this needs to be running 24/7 the only time you should ever turn it off is when doing water changes. Without the filter running 24/7 your tank will not cycle the bacteria in the filter needs it to run or they will begin to die. Now as far as the flow bothering the fish there are ways to slow the flow down or to help block it but I'm not sure how so I'll let others comment on that.

Once you get your test kit which I would suggest doing that ASAP any time you see your ammonia or nitrites get above 0.25ppm you will have to do a water change. Then wait for an hour and test again and if need be do another water change. You will more then likely have to do several water changes a day until the tank cycles which usually takes a month or longer.

When doing water changes always turn the heater off. When putting the water back in try to match it using your finger from the tap to whats in the tank. When done turn the heater back on.

So get that test kit ASAP and I suggest you read the links in my sig lots of useful information there.

 

[loraxchick]

hi there. and welcome! so glad that you are doing the right thing for the little guy. im gonna reply in color to your questions so it is easy to see with all your text. you have some very good questions for beginning with bettas!

I posted this in another section so sorry about double posting.

Hi!

I'll just tell you all what happened and how I got this Betta fish to begin with.
My mother, a very kind person who loves animals, so happened to - when entering the laundry room at her work - stumble upon a fish bowl with dirty brown water which smelled horrible. She thought she saw movement in the bowl and flicked it and there was a living fish in it! The poor litle guy came up to the top and greeted her with his mouth wide open. The person who left the fish behind at least left its food package there too so she could know what kind of fish it was. My mother fed the fish and she soon found out that it had character and was a very curious, fantastic fish and being the animal lover she is, she brought it back home - on a bus - and we just started to look up some info on the fish and found out that first it's a tropical fish and then we found out that they don't actually live in small amounts of water. Going back to when we first went to Petland to ask for advice before seeking the internet, we remembered the worker who said the bowl is more than enough space for Betta fish and they only live 9 months to a year and a half and he even tried to sell us this little bowl with a disco light on top of it for 'party' purposes, saying it would make the fish happier than the bowl it was already in. Well we walked the hell out of there and said the Internet would be much better for actual advice.
that is AWFUL! how could someone do that? all my guys are rescues of similar circumstances but NOT that bad. lucky fish to have you find him!

So I started to do most of the research but before that I noticed the fish would become extremely lethargic at night time. Seeing how it's winter here, I decided to put a thermometer in the bowl and see how drastc the temperature changes were. I knew right away that it was getting too cold for the tropical fish and it would die if I left it in that bowl. It was too small for it, it was too cold and the warmest area in my place is also the loudest and I knew that it could not hear but it could feel the vibrations from the bass. So I needed a tank with a heater for the guy.

Now my family is not wealthy at all, we're actually extrmely affected by the bad economy - like millions of others - but we did what was right and got the guy a tank at walmart. I'm not a fan of walmart but prices were 1/2 cheaper than at other places. For 100 dollars we got a 10 gallon Aqua-Tech starter kit ideal for Goldfish but it was the best we could find, only $40 and assembled in America. We also got him a heater for 2-15 gallon tanks I believe and 10 pounds of gravel, a package of plants, and a bunch of other minor things like water conditioner and medication.
what is the wattage on the heater? is it adjustable?

So here is where we are at now and we're confused about what to do next.

1) The tank has NOT been cycled. Now, I just found out about the nitrogen cycle which you're supposed to do before adding fish and it has my nerves going off the rocker. It seems like the guy is going to be hit with painful ammonia in the coming days/weeks. BUT I did ask around a lot and every single person said the fish would not survive the temperature changes in the bowl - was going down to 65-68F - so I should just put the Betta in the uncycled tank and do 25% water changes once a week. Still, I don't want him being in pain and possibly dying because of this but I'm also not putting him back in that torture bowl.
QUESTION: Can I do the cycle with the fish in the tank without him suffering a great deal of pain by just doing 25% water changes weekly? without a liquid test kit i would do 2X 25% a week. 10 gal is a lot of water for one betta and will dilute the ammonia for him. do you know ANYONE with a fishtank that's been up and running for 4+ months? you could ask to have some of their media to place in your filter. give them some of your "new" media to replace what you take. dont take more than 1/3 of the media.

2)I don't keep the filter on, just I go in there for about 5 minutes to turn it on, let it run with me holding it high up to get more bubbles in the water. I do this 3-4 times a day. The current literally tosses him into the corner of the tank and stresses him out. We put a bunch of plants in a corner so he could cling on and hide under the current but he refuses to go down to the bottom when the filter is running. He actually picked up a trick where he hides behind the filter outtake and just flares up at us with the "TURN IT OFF!" look. Oh and we tried putting a leotard w/ elastic band over intake but it still is way too much on him.
is the filter adjustable? if yes. turn it wayyy down. if no, take some filter sponge/floss and tie it on the intake. will be better than leotard material.

QUESTIONS: Do we need to keep the filter on at all times? I know the Betta can get oxygen from the air too so I'm confused there. Is the Nitrogen cycle even starting up w/ a filter only running for 15-20 minutes a day? Can I just keep the filter off? He seems to have fin-rot so if I medicate him, do I have to take out the activated carbon filter? I know you need circulation for the medication to mix in with the water and stagnant water will just bring the meds up to the surface and won't work. I'm so confused! Oh and I heard if you leave them in a well maintained tank for a week they can usually heal themselves? If not, then use meds on them after a 1 week period. Any truth in that?
carbon is useless in a tank unless removing meds (with fresh) or removing tannins from something like driftwood. it loses its ability ot bind materials after about 5 days or so. after that, it is just another surface for bacteria to colonize. a filter isnt necessary to move the meds around-the heat from the heater will make circulation through convection. but a filter is really necessary for overall long term health of the fish. clean water 90% of the time with good diet and proper temps will heal a fish on its own. in all likelihood it was the ammonia in the bowl that "burned off" his fins. clean water will be your best remedy.

The heater has a waterline so I have to keep the water above the line.
is the heater submersable (it should say on the package). if yes, than you need to keep the water above this line. most folks say unplug the heater for waterchanges, but i dont. just dont let it sit for a long time un-submerged and dont pour water directly onto it. also it is better to have a heater on the diagonal rather than up and down, with the bottom right near the substrate (bottom). this is only if it is submersible which i assume it is being sold as a kit.

QUESTIONS: How do I do 25% water changes or full water changes(if I medicate him) when the water literally has to be near the top of the tank? Will the water cool down really fast or will it take some time, long enough so I can unplug the heater and quickly take 25% out and put 25% back in? How am I supposed to get the fresh water at the same temperature as the tank water? Can I use the hot water tap(valve) or do I have to use the cold water tap and let it warm up? It's conditioned. It would be a lot easier to use the hot water tap and then let it cool off and quickly add it but I'm not sure if hot water has anything harmful in it.
to match temps some folks go through great lengths to make sure it exact (using thermometers). using your hand to gauge if its the same temp is adequate. you can use the hot tap mixed with cold using water conditioner to get rid of chlorine and chloramine. then just gently pour it into the tank. hot water tap will not harm your betta.

The tank has a hood with 2 bright fluorescent lights but I heard they don't like sunlight and the lights are BRIGHT so I took 1 out and the other one still keeps the tank pretty bright. He also likes to hide from the light.
bright lights are fine. he is used to living in a dirty tiny bowl. al the new surroundings will take time for him to get used to. bettas are known to sulk after introduction into new places. the filter current is probably more bothersome really.

QUESTIONS: Does the Betta fish need both these lights on for his health? I also open the curtain a bit so he gets some outside light but not direct sunlight. will the combo of the fluorescent and a bit of outside light give him enough light? Do they need Vitamin D? I live in a poor area and the room the fish is in now is not noisy but the curtain should be kept closed or opened only a bit because people will look in and maybe try to rob us if they see my sisters nice tv and computer and stuff. It has happened before with a gun to my head.
the lights are more than enough. keep the curtains closed.

*He had the below symptoms when we first found him*
My Betta has 3 black dots on the side of his body. Looks like they're not lumps or anything but just black dots that are part of his skin. I don't see any new ones popping up so I don't know what they are.
probably just darker scales. but watch them for any redness or white lumps or if he gets more of them. also for him scratching himself against things in the tank.
My Betta tore a fin on a shell in his little bowl but it seems like it has healed. He does not always have his fins up, as in the Dorsal fin will go down, his caudal fin won't be all poofed out, same with the pectoral fin I believe. But when he sees his reflection everything goes up and he is a pretty #40## big fish.that's called flaring. they do that as a display to other males (look how big i am) to defend their territories. he is probably doing it to his reflection. i have one that flares at everything. its nice to see! means he is active (and probably relatively healthy, especially with that nice new environment. it is bad when they fins are held really tight against their body (its called clamping-could be illness). droopy sounds good tho.
Actually when I think about it, it's probably like half the time that he is not even poofed out. You can tell he lost color, especially on the dorsal fin. Looks clear/grey on a large area of it is it fluffy or fuzzy i n appearance? is the different color at the tip or in a patch?
. He is not all hyper in his new tank. The first day he would not even leave the corner and now he goes around the whole tank but he also rests a lot. Perhaps he is bored or this is an illness or maybe he is scared of the tank or he might be old. He does not move around really fast, just sorta takes his time to get there unless you open the hood then he thinks its time for food and he rushes over and almost begs for food. sounds like normal betta behavior to me

QUESTIONS: Are the 3 black dots normal?
How did he heal his torn fin and if he is able to do that, is he healthy?
Should the fins always be up? Or do they often swim around with them kinda down/kinda up. He can put them all up when he sees his reflection so I don't think it's clamped fins.
What about the losing color part? I don't think it has changed much since we first found him. But you can tell it's not his natural color. Looks like he had some blue in there before it faded out.
have his fins gotten longer? new growth is clear and then colors up over time. if his fins were really damaged from poor water it could just be new growth. pay attention to the growth (if it gets bigger) or if it seems fluffy or fuzzy.

time period to get used to new tank? Is he going to be all hyper when he gets used to the tank? Do you think he is scared and that is why he is not showing all of his fins off and going around all fast, exploring every single thing?

He will often rest with his head up higher than his behind. Is that natural or is something weighing him down? I'm thinking maybe constipation as I have not seen him go to the bathroom very often, not at all in his new tank. I have fed him a Pea, he loved it and ate it like a savage, but it did not make him have a bowel movement, so I'm asking how often do they deficate and should I feed him another Pea or just not feed him for a few days? I got the temperature at 77-78, do you think I should up it to 80?
leave the temp. it is normal for long tailed bettas to swim with a heavy tail. does he look swollen in the belly? if hes fat then skip a day or two of feeding. peas were good. and bettas poop as much as you feed them. so if you only feed a bit, they should only poop a bit. the filter may be sweeping some up too which is hwy you may not be seeing a lot.

Many, many more questions I'm sure. Just I need to relax for a bit because this has taken a lot out of me. I'm attached to the little dude now and he comes up to me all the time and watches me and is so curious. I just want him to have a good life.

Thanks!

hope that helped a bit. he seems in good hands. any more questions feel free to ask!
cheers

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Swagger

Welcome to the forum.

I just wanted to let you know that I found your duplicate thread and removed it. The answer one of our members made on it has been moved into this one.

It looks like you are in good hands here. Good luck with your new fish. I hope you will continue posting so we can follow your progress.

 

[Swagger]

Thanks for the reply!

Ok I'll help were I can! First off a betta really don't need a 10 gallon you could have went with a 5 gallon that would have been less then half what you paid. But seeing how you have already bought it and are using it it will be fine I'm sure the betta will love it. Well the 10 gallon starter kit was only 5 dollars more so we opted for that over the 5 gallon one. My mom wants to put at least 1 other fish in the tank down the road but I'm not even thinking about that right now

The first thing your going to need to do is get yourself a good "liquid" test kit. Most of us on here us API master liquid test kit. You want to make sure you get the liquid test kit and not the strips because the strips are really inaccurate. You can find this at your LFS(local fish shop) but you can order one on ebay for a lot cheaper. These usually last 5 years before expiring and if all you have is one tank with a betta it will last you five years. This test kit will be used to see how your cycle is going and lets you know if anything is wrong with your water.I'm looking at walmart.com right now and they have API Master Test Kit. It includes 5 tests:
- pH, High Range pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate. It is $17.64. I'm jumping on it as I saw that kit at Petland for over 30 bucks.

When we talk about cycling a tank what were really cycling is not the tank but the filter. I'll give you a quick crash course on how the cycle works. When your fish poos or when you feed your fish and all the food isn't eating ammonia will soon be present in the water from the poo and food. Once this happens a type of bacteria will start to grow on your filter media in your case sponge or filter pad. Once this type of bacteria is present it will begin to multiple forming a colony. What this bacteria does is it feeds on the ammonia that is present in the water. When you test your water for the first time you will notice that the ammonia in the water will be high on the color card. Any presents of ammonia is toxic to fish. After a couple weeks usually once the cycle starts the bacteria that feeds on the ammonia will get a colony big enough to handle the ammonia load that it is giving on a daily basis. Now after a couple weeks your ammonia will eventually drop to 0 on the color chart then the next step of the cycle will start. Now this first bacteria when it eats the ammonia and coverts it into nitrites which is also toxic to fish. Once this bacteria starts to produce this another type of bacteria will start to grow on your filter. What this type of bacteria does is it feeds on the nitrites. Now this step in the cycle usually takes twice as long as the first step because this type of bacteria multiple at a slower rate. Eventually the colony will grow big enough to handle the load its giving. Now this type of bacteria takes the nitrite and converts it into nitrates which usually kept under 100ppm is not toxic to fish. Nitrates can be reduced by water changes. To get a more indepth explanation I strongly suggest reading the links in my sig below. Made things a lot clearer and I'll make sure to read those links in the morning!

Now as for the filter this needs to be running 24/7 the only time you should ever turn it off is when doing water changes. Without the filter running 24/7 your tank will not cycle the bacteria in the filter needs it to run or they will begin to die. Now as far as the flow bothering the fish there are ways to slow the flow down or to help block it but I'm not sure how so I'll let others comment on that.

Once you get your test kit which I would suggest doing that ASAP any time you see your ammonia or nitrites get above 0.25ppm you will have to do a water change. Then wait for an hour and test again and if need be do another water change. You will more then likely have to do several water changes a day until the tank cycles which usually takes a month or longer.

When doing water changes always turn the heater off. When putting the water back in try to match it using your finger from the tap to whats in the tank. When done turn the heater back on. A lot less stress on me now as I can just feel with my finger for approximately the same temperature instead of having to get it exactly correct.

So get that test kit ASAP and I suggest you read the links in my sig lots of useful information there. Will do

 

[Swagger]

hi there. and welcome! so glad that you are doing the right thing for the little guy. im gonna reply in color to your questions so it is easy to see with all your text. you have some very good questions for beginning with bettas!
Hello and thanks for the great reply. You seem to have a huge knowledge base in regards to betta fish! I'm sure there will be more questions coming

that is AWFUL! how could someone do that? all my guys are rescues of similar circumstances but NOT that bad. lucky fish to have you find him!I don't get how some people can do this type of stuff to animals but his/her loss is my family's gain.


what is the wattage on the heater? is it adjustable?Hagen Elite 50W heater for up to 10 gallons and yes it is adjustable. I tried it on full blast and it reached a 86F I believe, possibly 88F at one point. It is not submersible and you fasten it to aquarium rim. The water line is high so the water is pretty much up to the brim. Luckily, he is not a jumper or I hope not but I put a little net to block him from hitting the light area if he does ever jump.



without a liquid test kit i would do 2X 25% a week. 10 gal is a lot of water for one betta and will dilute the ammonia for him. do you know ANYONE with a fishtank that's been up and running for 4+ months? you could ask to have some of their media to place in your filter. give them some of your "new" media to replace what you take. dont take more than 1/3 of the media.
I know a guy who has a 120 gallon tank I believe but he breeds these little exotic sharks and I don't think he would be up for that. I also have a friend who has a huge shrimp tank with about 200 shrimp in it so maybe that would work? I don't know if he would be up for it though as he also sells the shrimp for $20 a pop. I'll give the betta a 25% water change when I get back from class tomorrow


is the filter adjustable? if yes. turn it wayyy down. if no, take some filter sponge/floss and tie it on the intake. will be better than leotard material.Nope, the filter came with the kit and it is not adjustable. I will try the filter sponge and hope it works! If not, I'll have to get creative and perhaps make a peaceful spot out of plants or something. It's just the current is really strong.


carbon is useless in a tank unless removing meds (with fresh) or removing tannins from something like driftwood. it loses its ability ot bind materials after about 5 days or so. after that, it is just another surface for bacteria to colonize. a filter isnt necessary to move the meds around-the heat from the heater will make circulation through convection. but a filter is really necessary for overall long term health of the fish. clean water 90% of the time with good diet and proper temps will heal a fish on its own. in all likelihood it was the ammonia in the bowl that "burned off" his fins. clean water will be your best remedy.
Poor guy must have been suffering a lot. Burned fins? that sounds horrible. I'm going to try the sponge and see if it works well and then I'll keep the filter on as I now understand its importance


is the heater submersable (it should say on the package). if yes, than you need to keep the water above this line. most folks say unplug the heater for waterchanges, but i dont. just dont let it sit for a long time un-submerged and dont pour water directly onto it. also it is better to have a heater on the diagonal rather than up and down, with the bottom right near the substrate (bottom). this is only if it is submersible which i assume it is being sold as a kit.This heater is vertical and pretty ugly lol. It also did not come with the kit. They never even put a heater in the kit!


to match temps some folks go through great lengths to make sure it exact (using thermometers). using your hand to gauge if its the same temp is adequate. you can use the hot tap mixed with cold using water conditioner to get rid of chlorine and chloramine. then just gently pour it into the tank. hot water tap will not harm your betta. Finally I can feel the stress melting away. This is looking more and more like a fun adventure. I can just judge with my fingers to get the temperatures as close to each other as possible and using the hot water valve helps a lot. Basically I'll siphon out 25% of the water and then right away put the fresh, conditioned water in. But with this heater I'm pretty sure I'll have to turn it off while I do the changes.


bright lights are fine. he is used to living in a dirty tiny bowl. al the new surroundings will take time for him to get used to. bettas are known to sulk after introduction into new places. the filter current is probably more bothersome really. The filter seems to be the biggest question mark right now. I hope the filter sponge does the trick! Also he is exploring more and more. I saw him go down to the bottom to stare at these shiny marbles and he licked a few of them and wrapped himself around one. He must like the feeling of the marble or something. Also, there is a huge plant in the middle of the tank and it looks like tall grass with flowers in it and he stuck his head in a flower and then started to swim through the grass. The bottom of the grass is red and is almost the exact same colour as him so it can be very hard to spot him when he's hiding in there. He is blood red on the fins w/ a pink/light blue mixture on his body and there is some blue mixed in various spots on the fins.


the lights are more than enough. keep the curtains closed.
Good news! I'm always on guard when this rooms curtains are open.

probably just darker scales. but watch them for any redness or white lumps or if he gets more of them. also for him scratching himself against things in the tank.Will do and I looked before and saw no white lumps or redness but I'll get another look at it tomorrow with the bright lights shining on him. Also, I don't see him scratching himself against objects.

that's called flaring. they do that as a display to other males (look how big i am) to defend their territories. he is probably doing it to his reflection. i have one that flares at everything. its nice to see! means he is active (and probably relatively healthy, especially with that nice new environment. it is bad when they fins are held really tight against their body (its called clamping-could be illness). droopy sounds good tho.
When he flares, it's like he is trying to establish dominance over me but I just put my finger near him and he backs away but then comes back and he will repeat it. He acts bold and then chickens out and then he MUST show me how he was not actually scared. One time I looked away and he was going insane, splashing the water and doing whatever it took to get my attention until I turned around and let him put on a flare dance to show off how strong he is or something. This little guy has so much personality

is it fluffy or fuzzy i n appearance? is the different color at the tip or in a patch?No change in texture, just color. I'm pretty sure the clear/grey starts at the end of the dorsal fin and moves down pretty far. It is noticeable but it also looks the same as when we first found him. I think you might be right on with the droopy

He does not move around really fast, just sorta takes his time to get there unless you open the hood then he thinks its time for food and he rushes over and almost begs for food. sounds like normal betta behavior to me It's crazy how wild they go for food.
Heck, he watches me eat and if I bring the plate close to the tank he will stare at it and get all hyper. Then it's like he is pouting. What an awesome kind of fish.


have his fins gotten longer? new growth is clear and then colors up over time. if his fins were really damaged from poor water it could just be new growth. pay attention to the growth (if it gets bigger) or if it seems fluffy or fuzzy. I actually think he has gotten a bit bigger and it makes sense if it's new growth and has yet to develop color. I will monitor that one closely as I hope it's nothing bad.



leave the temp. it is normal for long tailed bettas to swim with a heavy tail. does he look swollen in the belly? if hes fat then skip a day or two of feeding. peas were good. and bettas poop as much as you feed them. so if you only feed a bit, they should only poop a bit. the filter may be sweeping some up too which is hwy you may not be seeing a lot. He looks awkward when his head is above his back end but I must admit, his back tail/fin is huge so I can see how it would weigh him down. He does look a bit swollen in the belly so I will take the advice and not feed him for a few days. I actually did not even feed him today and I won't feed him tomorrow and then I'll give him little chunks of a pea the day after and if nothing happens after that then I'll be all worried again.

hope that helped a bit. he seems in good hands. any more questions feel free to ask!
cheers
That helped A LOT. Thank you so much! I'll keep you all updated as the kind moderator, Inchworm has asked. I'm sure I'll have a million more questions if the above links don't help me out 100%

awesome forum here.

Class in 3 hours! I'm off to bed.

 

[loraxchick]

what is the wattage on the heater? is it adjustable?Hagen Elite 50W heater for up to 10 gallons and yes it is adjustable. I tried it on full blast and it reached a 86F I believe, possibly 88F at one point. It is not submersible and you fasten it to aquarium rim. The water line is high so the water is pretty much up to the brim. Luckily, he is not a jumper or I hope not but I put a little net to block him from hitting the light area if he does ever jump.
i only have a lid on one of my betta tanks. neer had a jumper, although some folks swear they are prone to it...heater sounds appropriate-you can turn it down to around 78-80. 86 is pretty high (useful for treating certain diseases) but high temps lower oxygen content in the water. while bettas do surface breathe, their primary source is still from their gills and the dissolved O2 in the water. may be fine now with the good filter flow, but once you turn it down he might be going to hte surface more and more the breathe if the O2 level is not optimal in the water (more flow=better turbuence=more dissolved o2). pity that the heater is not submersable. are you positive? what kind of heater is it? (really strange to see non-submersable heaters these days). makes sense the kit didnt coem with one as was marketed as a "goldfish tank" and goldfish are coldwater (ie dont require a heater)


without a liquid test kit i would do 2X 25% a week. 10 gal is a lot of water for one betta and will dilute the ammonia for him. do you know ANYONE with a fishtank that's been up and running for 4+ months? you could ask to have some of their media to place in your filter. give them some of your "new" media to replace what you take. dont take more than 1/3 of the media.
I know a guy who has a 120 gallon tank I believe but he breeds these little exotic sharks and I don't think he would be up for that. I also have a friend who has a huge shrimp tank with about 200 shrimp in it so maybe that would work? I don't know if he would be up for it though as he also sells the shrimp for $20 a pop. I'll give the betta a 25% water change when I get back from class tomorrow.
sounds good. try to do it the same days every week so you get into a routine. so say. fridays and tuesdays? surely some one would give you a little chunk of their media (really the BEST thing for a new filter. even a small bit like a 2X2 inch piece or so. someone raising sharks would need a LOT of media. their filter wouldnt even notice a small section being taken. would be best if you could get your hands on enough to completely fill your filter. then youd be able to resaonably say that your filter can "handle" the load of one betta. then you would only need to do a 25% waterchange and clean of the substrate once a week-10 days in a 10 gal tank. good news for you


is the filter adjustable? if yes. turn it wayyy down. if no, take some filter sponge/floss and tie it on the intake. will be better than leotard material.Nope, the filter came with the kit and it is not adjustable. I will try the filter sponge and hope it works! If not, I'll have to get creative and perhaps make a peaceful spot out of plants or something. It's just the current is really strong.
the sponge over the intake *should* work fine. can you position the outflow so it hits the tankwall? if the filter hangs off the back of the tank, you can also try stuffing more media inside (more media to flow thru will cut the current this way as well as the sponge on the intake<---this will also help to protect the fins of the betta should he get too close and the filter is able to suck in his fins. happens sometimes as they are very curious little critters.

carbon is useless in a tank unless removing meds (with fresh) or removing tannins from something like driftwood. it loses its ability ot bind materials after about 5 days or so. after that, it is just another surface for bacteria to colonize. a filter isnt necessary to move the meds around-the heat from the heater will make circulation through convection. but a filter is really necessary for overall long term health of the fish. clean water 90% of the time with good diet and proper temps will heal a fish on its own. in all likelihood it was the ammonia in the bowl that "burned off" his fins. clean water will be your best remedy.
Poor guy must have been suffering a lot. Burned fins? that sounds horrible. I'm going to try the sponge and see if it works well and then I'll keep the filter on as I now understand its importance
well he surely isnt "suffering" anymore. hes got a living #21#### in a 10gal tank! just keep his water clean

is the heater submersable (it should say on the package). if yes, than you need to keep the water above this line. most folks say unplug the heater for waterchanges, but i dont. just dont let it sit for a long time un-submerged and dont pour water directly onto it. also it is better to have a heater on the diagonal rather than up and down, with the bottom right near the substrate (bottom). this is only if it is submersible which i assume it is being sold as a kit.This heater is vertical and pretty ugly lol. It also did not come with the kit. They never even put a heater in the kit!
hey-if its dong its job then its a good heater also-makes sense the kit had not heater as was sold as a (coldwater) goldfish kit (and just for info-goldfish need MUCH bigger tanks and huge filtration than a 10 gal)

to match temps some folks go through great lengths to make sure it exact (using thermometers). using your hand to gauge if its the same temp is adequate. you can use the hot tap mixed with cold using water conditioner to get rid of chlorine and chloramine. then just gently pour it into the tank. hot water tap will not harm your betta. Finally I can feel the stress melting away. This is looking more and more like a fun adventure. I can just judge with my fingers to get the temperatures as close to each other as possible and using the hot water valve helps a lot. Basically I'll siphon out 25% of the water and then right away put the fresh, conditioned water in. But with this heater I'm pretty sure I'll have to turn it off while I do the changes.
sounds correct pity about the heater and yes-it IS a fun adventure. dont be overwhelmed by all that needs to be learned as far as cycling etc. for now just stick to water change routine, good food and fun interactions with the guy. they are CRAZY personable. so silly at times. i love bettas for this reason.


bright lights are fine. he is used to living in a dirty tiny bowl. al the new surroundings will take time for him to get used to. bettas are known to sulk after introduction into new places. the filter current is probably more bothersome really. The filter seems to be the biggest question mark right now. I hope the filter sponge does the trick! Also he is exploring more and more. I saw him go down to the bottom to stare at these shiny marbles and he licked a few of them and wrapped himself around one. He must like the feeling of the marble or something. Also, there is a huge plant in the middle of the tank and it looks like tall grass with flowers in it and he stuck his head in a flower and then started to swim through the grass. The bottom of the grass is red and is almost the exact same colour as him so it can be very hard to spot him when he's hiding in there. He is blood red on the fins w/ a pink/light blue mixture on his body and there is some blue mixed in various spots on the fins.
just be sure he isnt scratching himself on the decoration (a really quick "flick" agains stuff in the tank...could be sign of parasites if they are frequently doing this. but sometimes they get an "itch" so the occasional flick is ok-just not all the time. also-be careful if you have plastic plants. they often have very sharp jagged edges in them which can snag the bettas flowing fins and cause tears/rips. if you are uncertain take them out of the tank and run a pair of pantyhose over them .if they snag=no good. some folks find the sharp pieces and use a nail file to make them round so as not to snag fins. just a heads up. also bettas like LOTS of cover. they love to wriggle thru plants and tight spaces. some like caves to hide in/rest in and these can be made out of half a coconut shell with a little door cut into it, or from slate, or even a terracotta flowerpot on its side (they make some pretty tiny ones these days). just some more info.

the lights are more than enough. keep the curtains closed.
Good news! I'm always on guard when this rooms curtains are open.
YIKES! yes-no need for sunlight. bright lights from the tank wont hurt him. you may want to try live plants

probably just darker scales. but watch them for any redness or white lumps or if he gets more of them. also for him scratching himself against things in the tank.Will do and I looked before and saw no white lumps or redness but I'll get another look at it tomorrow with the bright lights shining on him. Also, I don't see him scratching himself against objects.
again all sounds good
that's called flaring. they do that as a display to other males (look how big i am) to defend their territories. he is probably doing it to his reflection. i have one that flares at everything. its nice to see! means he is active (and probably relatively healthy, especially with that nice new environment. it is bad when they fins are held really tight against their body (its called clamping-could be illness). droopy sounds good tho.
When he flares, it's like he is trying to establish dominance over me but I just put my finger near him and he backs away but then comes back and he will repeat it. He acts bold and then chickens out and then he MUST show me how he was not actually scared. One time I looked away and he was going insane, splashing the water and doing whatever it took to get my attention until I turned around and let him put on a flare dance to show off how strong he is or something. This little guy has so much personality
sounds like a nice fun fish. bettas all have their own personalities. some flare like mad, others are chicken. have fun interacting with him-and not JUST at feeding time
is it fluffy or fuzzy i n appearance? is the different color at the tip or in a patch?No change in texture, just color. I'm pretty sure the clear/grey starts at the end of the dorsal fin and moves down pretty far. It is noticeable but it also looks the same as when we first found him. I think you might be right on with the droopy
by droopy i was referring to your descriptopn when not flaring. to me color sounds fine-likely new growth...how long has he been in your care and in the big (clean) tank? regrowth can be quite dramatic!

He does not move around really fast, just sorta takes his time to get there unless you open the hood then he thinks its time for food and he rushes over and almost begs for food. sounds like normal betta behavior to me It's crazy how wild they go for food.
Heck, he watches me eat and if I bring the plate close to the tank he will stare at it and get all hyper. Then it's like he is pouting. What an awesome kind of fish.
very quickly they realize that people=food. they love to beg. they do their wiggle feed-me dance. bettas are not particularly fast swimmers, although can move pretty fast in short bursts should they feel the need to. mostly they lazily "patrol" around the tank. comfy old bettas are particularly lazy! again, all seems just fine with this info above. dont give into his begging. feed with a good routine. what kind of food are you feeding him? feed small amounts. a well fed (and not fat) betta should have a rounded belly. pot-belly or looking as though theyve swallowed a marble is too fat.bettas will eat way more than they need to-they are greedy feeders!!!

have his fins gotten longer? new growth is clear and then colors up over time. if his fins were really damaged from poor water it could just be new growth. pay attention to the growth (if it gets bigger) or if it seems fluffy or fuzzy. I actually think he has gotten a bit bigger and it makes sense if it's new growth and has yet to develop color. I will monitor that one closely as I hope it's nothing bad.
if no fluff or fuzz then sounds fine. again, just keep an eye out.



leave the temp. it is normal for long tailed bettas to swim with a heavy tail. does he look swollen in the belly? if hes fat then skip a day or two of feeding. peas were good. and bettas poop as much as you feed them. so if you only feed a bit, they should only poop a bit. the filter may be sweeping some up too which is hwy you may not be seeing a lot. He looks awkward when his head is above his back end but I must admit, his back tail/fin is huge so I can see how it would weigh him down. He does look a bit swollen in the belly so I will take the advice and not feed him for a few days. I actually did not even feed him today and I won't feed him tomorrow and then I'll give him little chunks of a pea the day after and if nothing happens after that then I'll be all worried again.
sounds good!

any other questions/concerns or comments welcome
he seems like a very lucky fish who is healthy. he is lucky to be so after the horrid bowl conditions he was found in. but fish are more resilient then we give them credit for. so i hope you can relax a bit and ENJOY the fish. they are so much fun to interact with with a GREAT personality!
all the best
CHEERS

 

[Jonty]

Best advice is to keep going with those water changes!

By the way, you want the heater at around 76-80 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

[Swagger]

i only have a lid on one of my betta tanks. neer had a jumper, although some folks swear they are prone to it...heater sounds appropriate-you can turn it down to around 78-80.The heater is at 78 but it can reach 86-88 86 is pretty high (useful for treating certain diseases) but high temps lower oxygen content in the water. while bettas do surface breathe, their primary source is still from their gills and the dissolved O2 in the water. may be fine now with the good filter flow, but once you turn it down he might be going to hte surface more and more the breathe if the O2 level is not optimal in the water (more flow=better turbuence=more dissolved o2). pity that the heater is not submersable. are you positive? what kind of heater is it?It's a clip-on type of heater. You can't put it all the way to the bottom of the tank it has to be fastened on top in the corner of the tank. I guess that's Walmart for you, but it seems to work well. Hagen Elite 50W heater for up to 10 gallons (really strange to see non-submersable heaters these days). makes sense the kit didnt coem with one as was marketed as a "goldfish tank" and goldfish are coldwater (ie dont require a heater)


without a liquid test kit i would do 2X 25% a week. 10 gal is a lot of water for one betta and will dilute the ammonia for him. do you know ANYONE with a fishtank that's been up and running for 4+ months? you could ask to have some of their media to place in your filter. give them some of your "new" media to replace what you take. dont take more than 1/3 of the media.
I know a guy who has a 120 gallon tank I believe but he breeds these little exotic sharks and I don't think he would be up for that. I also have a friend who has a huge shrimp tank with about 200 shrimp in it so maybe that would work? I don't know if he would be up for it though as he also sells the shrimp for $20 a pop. I'll give the betta a 25% water change when I get back from class tomorrow.
sounds good. try to do it the same days every week so you get into a routine. so say. fridays and tuesdays?You read my mind. Yes, I'm doing changes on friday/tuesdays surely some one would give you a little chunk of their media (really the BEST thing for a new filter. even a small bit like a 2X2 inch piece or so. someone raising sharks would need a LOT of media. their filter wouldnt even notice a small section being taken. would be best if you could get your hands on enough to completely fill your filter. then youd be able to resaonably say that your filter can "handle" the load of one betta. then you would only need to do a 25% waterchange and clean of the substrate once a week-10 days in a 10 gal tank. good news for you I'm going to get my hands on some of that shark tank media. I already asked and my friend did not seem to mind actually, so that's awesome.


is the filter adjustable? if yes. turn it wayyy down. if no, take some filter sponge/floss and tie it on the intake. will be better than leotard material.Nope, the filter came with the kit and it is not adjustable. I will try the filter sponge and hope it works! If not, I'll have to get creative and perhaps make a peaceful spot out of plants or something. It's just the current is really strong.
the sponge over the intake *should* work fine. can you position the outflow so it hits the tankwall?I can't position it so it hits the wall or anything, BUT I did manage to secure some strong material under the filter so it's raised up a bit and actually goes into the water like a waterfall which creates a large amount of bubbles all the way to the bottom of the tank and it seems to cause a huge distraction in just the area near the filter outtake now and he can go to the corner and rest much easier. Before the outtake was literally touching the top of the water level and it would create waves of water crashing into the poor guy. if the filter hangs off the back of the tank, you can also try stuffing more media inside (more media to flow thru will cut the current this way as well as the sponge on the intake<---this will also help to protect the fins of the betta should he get too close and the filter is able to suck in his fins. happens sometimes as they are very curious little critters.I'm going to do that(put more media inside), thanks

carbon is useless in a tank unless removing meds (with fresh) or removing tannins from something like driftwood. it loses its ability ot bind materials after about 5 days or so. after that, it is just another surface for bacteria to colonize. a filter isnt necessary to move the meds around-the heat from the heater will make circulation through convection. but a filter is really necessary for overall long term health of the fish. clean water 90% of the time with good diet and proper temps will heal a fish on its own. in all likelihood it was the ammonia in the bowl that "burned off" his fins. clean water will be your best remedy.
Poor guy must have been suffering a lot. Burned fins? that sounds horrible. I'm going to try the sponge and see if it works well and then I'll keep the filter on as I now understand its importance
well he surely isnt "suffering" anymore. hes got a living #21#### in a 10gal tank! just keep his water clean Will do, I'm committed to this!

is the heater submersable (it should say on the package). if yes, than you need to keep the water above this line. most folks say unplug the heater for waterchanges, but i dont. just dont let it sit for a long time un-submerged and dont pour water directly onto it. also it is better to have a heater on the diagonal rather than up and down, with the bottom right near the substrate (bottom). this is only if it is submersible which i assume it is being sold as a kit.This heater is vertical and pretty ugly lol. It also did not come with the kit. They never even put a heater in the kit!
hey-if its dong its job then its a good heater also-makes sense the kit had not heater as was sold as a (coldwater) goldfish kit (and just for info-goldfish need MUCH bigger tanks and huge filtration than a 10 gal)
Yeah the heater seems to be working pretty well and it has a 1 year warranty. I went down there last night while my sister was sleeping but I had to check the temperature to make sure and yeah it was right on 78. Also, he was sleeping in the corner and looked like a suspended alien I did wake him up though and he stuck his tongue out and then went down to hide in a plant. Also, I do remember seeing some HUGE goldfish so I was wondering that myself in regards to how they can fit in a 10 gallon starter kit which is 'ideal for goldfish and other freshwater fish' Seems like it's all about the dollar and not what is actually good for the fish.

to match temps some folks go through great lengths to make sure it exact (using thermometers). using your hand to gauge if its the same temp is adequate. you can use the hot tap mixed with cold using water conditioner to get rid of chlorine and chloramine. then just gently pour it into the tank. hot water tap will not harm your betta. Finally I can feel the stress melting away. This is looking more and more like a fun adventure. I can just judge with my fingers to get the temperatures as close to each other as possible and using the hot water valve helps a lot. Basically I'll siphon out 25% of the water and then right away put the fresh, conditioned water in. But with this heater I'm pretty sure I'll have to turn it off while I do the changes.
sounds correct pity about the heater and yes-it IS a fun adventure. dont be overwhelmed by all that needs to be learned as far as cycling etc. for now just stick to water change routine, good food and fun interactions with the guy. they are CRAZY personable. so silly at times. i love bettas for this reason.I changed his water today, took less than 10 minutes. and he did not get stressed at all because he can just hide.


bright lights are fine. he is used to living in a dirty tiny bowl. al the new surroundings will take time for him to get used to. bettas are known to sulk after introduction into new places. the filter current is probably more bothersome really. The filter seems to be the biggest question mark right now. I hope the filter sponge does the trick! Also he is exploring more and more. I saw him go down to the bottom to stare at these shiny marbles and he licked a few of them and wrapped himself around one. He must like the feeling of the marble or something. Also, there is a huge plant in the middle of the tank and it looks like tall grass with flowers in it and he stuck his head in a flower and then started to swim through the grass. The bottom of the grass is red and is almost the exact same colour as him so it can be very hard to spot him when he's hiding in there. He is blood red on the fins w/ a pink/light blue mixture on his body and there is some blue mixed in various spots on the fins.
just be sure he isnt scratching himself on the decoration (a really quick "flick" agains stuff in the tank...could be sign of parasites if they are frequently doing this. but sometimes they get an "itch" so the occasional flick is ok-just not all the time.I have been watching him for this and he did it in the old tank sometimes but I think it was because the tank was so crammed but in this tank he is not ever doing that. He was exploring the plant for the first time, thoroughly exploring it, every single part of it. He has moved onto another plant now. I don't ever see him rubbing against plants or anything he just looks curious. also-be careful if you have plastic plants. they often have very sharp jagged edges in them which can snag the bettas flowing fins and cause tears/rips. if you are uncertain take them out of the tank and run a pair of pantyhose over them .if they snag=no good. some folks find the sharp pieces and use a nail file to make them round so as not to snag fins.The plants are silk I believe. They feel really soft and nice. just a heads up. also bettas like LOTS of cover. they love to wriggle thru plants and tight spaces. some like caves to hide in/rest in and these can be made out of half a coconut shell with a little door cut into it, or from slate, or even a terracotta flowerpot on its side (they make some pretty tiny ones these days). just some more info.I'm going to try the coconut shell thing. Also, I'll make sure to get many more plants in there as there are some bare spots and like you said, they seem to love tight spaces because he's often in the area of the tank that has a bunch of plants, even plants stuck to the side of the tank and a betta leaf which he rests on and besides the plants look awesome so I'm going to enjoy picking more of them out.

the lights are more than enough. keep the curtains closed.
Good news! I'm always on guard when this rooms curtains are open.
YIKES! yes-no need for sunlight. bright lights from the tank wont hurt him. you may want to try live plants

probably just darker scales. but watch them for any redness or white lumps or if he gets more of them. also for him scratching himself against things in the tank.Will do and I looked before and saw no white lumps or redness but I'll get another look at it tomorrow with the bright lights shining on him. Also, I don't see him scratching himself against objects.
again all sounds good
that's called flaring. they do that as a display to other males (look how big i am) to defend their territories. he is probably doing it to his reflection. i have one that flares at everything. its nice to see! means he is active (and probably relatively healthy, especially with that nice new environment. it is bad when they fins are held really tight against their body (its called clamping-could be illness). droopy sounds good tho.
When he flares, it's like he is trying to establish dominance over me but I just put my finger near him and he backs away but then comes back and he will repeat it. He acts bold and then chickens out and then he MUST show me how he was not actually scared. One time I looked away and he was going insane, splashing the water and doing whatever it took to get my attention until I turned around and let him put on a flare dance to show off how strong he is or something. This little guy has so much personality
sounds like a nice fun fish. bettas all have their own personalities. some flare like mad, others are chicken. have fun interacting with him-and not JUST at feeding time My sister studies near him and likes to play some games with him, plus so do I and even my parents are starting to talk to him in the morning. He builds on you.
is it fluffy or fuzzy i n appearance? is the different color at the tip or in a patch?No change in texture, just color. I'm pretty sure the clear/grey starts at the end of the dorsal fin and moves down pretty far. It is noticeable but it also looks the same as when we first found him. I think you might be right on with the droopy
by droopy i was referring to your descriptopn when not flaring. to me color sounds fine-likely new growth...how long has he been in your care and in the big (clean) tank? regrowth can be quite dramatic!My bad, I typed in droopy and went to a site where someone said his betta fish's Dorsal fin is not always up and another person replied with saying its droopy and yet another person said it's just the type of finnage that the betta has and it's natural. I think it is new growth as the ends are all healing up and they're clear at the moment but I do see a tiny bit of red starting to come in it's just the dorsal fin that is slower at regrowing but it is still moving along. I have had the Betta for 8-9 days and he was put in the new tank 3 days ago. His old bowl was cleaned 3 times and I took all the seashells out and there was a sharp glass object in the tank when we first found the guy...

He does not move around really fast, just sorta takes his time to get there unless you open the hood then he thinks its time for food and he rushes over and almost begs for food. sounds like normal betta behavior to me It's crazy how wild they go for food.
Heck, he watches me eat and if I bring the plate close to the tank he will stare at it and get all hyper. Then it's like he is pouting. What an awesome kind of fish.
very quickly they realize that people=food. they love to beg. they do their wiggle feed-me dance. bettas are not particularly fast swimmers, although can move pretty fast in short bursts should they feel the need to. mostly they lazily "patrol" around the tank. comfy old bettas are particularly lazy! again, all seems just fine with this info above. dont give into his begging. feed with a good routine. what kind of food are you feeding him? feed small amounts. a well fed (and not fat) betta should have a rounded belly. pot-belly or looking as though theyve swallowed a marble is too fat.bettas will eat way more than they need to-they are greedy feeders!!!My mom almost gave in but I told her how important it is to not overfeed the fish especially if it's constipated or possibly constipated. We feed him HBH Betta Bites & Betta Treat also he gets Peas twice a week. He goes crazy for both but I think he likes the peas more. Also he gets no food 1 day out of the week. Should I have more variety?

have his fins gotten longer? new growth is clear and then colors up over time. if his fins were really damaged from poor water it could just be new growth. pay attention to the growth (if it gets bigger) or if it seems fluffy or fuzzy. I actually think he has gotten a bit bigger and it makes sense if it's new growth and has yet to develop color. I will monitor that one closely as I hope it's nothing bad.
if no fluff or fuzz then sounds fine. again, just keep an eye out.Will do



leave the temp. it is normal for long tailed bettas to swim with a heavy tail. does he look swollen in the belly? if hes fat then skip a day or two of feeding. peas were good. and bettas poop as much as you feed them. so if you only feed a bit, they should only poop a bit. the filter may be sweeping some up too which is hwy you may not be seeing a lot. He looks awkward when his head is above his back end but I must admit, his back tail/fin is huge so I can see how it would weigh him down. He does look a bit swollen in the belly so I will take the advice and not feed him for a few days. I actually did not even feed him today and I won't feed him tomorrow and then I'll give him little chunks of a pea the day after and if nothing happens after that then I'll be all worried again.
sounds good!

any other questions/concerns or comments welcome
he seems like a very lucky fish who is healthy. he is lucky to be so after the horrid bowl conditions he was found in. but fish are more resilient then we give them credit for. so i hope you can relax a bit and ENJOY the fish. they are so much fun to interact with with a GREAT personality!
all the best
CHEERSI'm on top of it now. It was just a lot of stress because I was unprepared but I feel as though I can easily take care of him now. I have learned a lot and have a new hobby out of this. I'll be getting more tanks down the road.

No doubt I'll be around these forums fairly often. Good community and I'm sure there will be many more questions, especially when it comes down to getting more fish and if something happens to this little guy. I'm extremely surprised and happy that he was able to live in that bowl for that long without dying from the termperature fluctuations or the ammonia or probably many, many more things which could have got at him. He tore a tin in that dirty bowl which made it easier for bacteria to get in, I'm sure, but he didn't get anything it just healed right up. Or I hope he didn't get anything... maybe some of these problems take longer to notice.

Thanks!

 

[loraxchick]

everything sounds great!
will be good once you get the mature media. after 2 weeks of introducing this you can cut waterchanges back to once a week.
for variety, try to find frozen bloodworms. feed him a few (like 3) 2X a week in replacement of the normal pellets. with peas and a fast day.
everything else sounds ace! once that flow is reduced he will be in betta heaven!
over the next couple of months you can start to think about tankmates. but get a grsp for the basic maintenance/husbandry first.
very happy for you and the fish! great outcome to a great story.
cheers