UPDATE: My Betta Died... What Exactly do I do now?

[HalfTailedOwner]

My Betta, Bo, has unfortunately died.

I'm gonna be honest, I'm a little crushed. I got him when I struggled with both emotional and physical problems, and it was nice to see him around even though he slept a lot--but otherwise, he swam around and explored my tank when he was awake. If it weren't for my dad's rash decisions... his fins wouldn't have been nipped in the first place and then got infected. I've tried medicating and treating the problem, only for them to add up to nothing. I'm also gonna be honest with it too: I kind of wanted his suffering to end after what happened to him. He just seemed so different, hiding all the time and looking pale most of the time.

I've removed him from the tank and gave him a small funeral, and now the tank is completely empty except for the koi (my dad is STILL not willing to let go of it). What exactly should I do prior to getting a new one?

Thanks in advance, and RIP Bo, my first betta.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I am very sorry for the loss, I know the sting of loosing a betta fish........

Are you wanting to get a new betta? If so, I recommend a 75% water change/ gravel vacuum, and wait about 2-3 weeks before getting a new one. IMO, you can’t just go to your LFS, and pick out a new Bo, you have to take it one day at a time, and then when you feel up to it, go get another one! Good luck!

 

[HalfTailedOwner]

I am very sorry for the loss, I know the sting of loosing a betta fish........

Are you wanting to get a new betta? If so, I recommend a 75% water change/ gravel vacuum, and wait about 2-3 weeks before getting a new one. IMO, you can’t just go to your LFS, and pick out a new Bo, you have to take it one day at a time, and then when you feel up to it, go get another one! Good luck!

Thanks. Will do a water change. Why would I still need to wait even though the tank is cycled?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

The waiting is just a “recovery” process. If you are fine with just going to your LFS and getting another betta fish, then do so! Just for me, it takes me about 2-3 weeks before I can go get another betta fish. (Because I loved the old one so much....) But if you feel up to it, then go for it!

 

[FishGuest5123]

Sorry for your loss. I agree with PheonixKingZ. It takes me some time before I can replace my pets. You need to do what gets you through the grieving process though. Everyone is different.

 

[Colin_T]

In addition to the above, I recommend doing a 75% water change and gravel cleaning the substrate every day for a week, not just a one off time. This will help to reduce disease organisms in the water and should provide a cleaner habitat for any new fish you get later on.

You should always wait at least 2 weeks before adding new fish, if a fish has died. I prefer to wait 4 weeks. This gives the tank time to settle down and for any diseases to show up. If you go out and get new fish straight away, the original disease could affect any new fish, or the new fish could introduce another disease. Waiting for a couple of weeks allows any diseases to show up and you can then treat them if they do. If there are no problems during the 2-4 week period, then add another fish if you want to.

 

[Kritastrophe]

What size tank was Bo in with the Koi? Koi Betta or Koi goldfish/pond fish?

 

[HalfTailedOwner]

In addition to the above, I recommend doing a 75% water change and gravel cleaning the substrate every day for a week, not just a one off time. This will help to reduce disease organisms in the water and should provide a cleaner habitat for any new fish you get later on.

You should always wait at least 2 weeks before adding new fish, if a fish has died. I prefer to wait 4 weeks. This gives the tank time to settle down and for any diseases to show up. If you go out and get new fish straight away, the original disease could affect any new fish, or the new fish could introduce another disease. Waiting for a couple of weeks allows any diseases to show up and you can then treat them if they do. If there are no problems during the 2-4 week period, then add another fish if you want to.

Of course, I will sure wait. Since he died, I do want to make sure the tank is ready in order for another betta. And yes, I am still hit hard over his death I feel like I definitely messed up and that cost him his life, aside from my dad's actions.

The only problem is that there is a koi that is still int he water. My dad is not willing to let them go... what exactly should I do about that?

 

[HalfTailedOwner]

What size tank was Bo in with the Koi? Koi Betta or Koi goldfish/pond fish?

Bo and the koi is in a 10 gallon tank. The tank is more suited to Bo's natural environment--and the koi is a pondfish. I can't do anything with it than keeping it in the tank.

 

[Colin_T]

Start digging a big hole in the backyard and when dad asks what you're doing, tell him your making a pond for the koi carp. He will either get a plastic liner for the pond or freak out.

Personally, I would wait a couple of weeks and then rehome the koi carp. Then do a big water change and gravel clean, then get a replacement fish that is suited to that tank. But keep the koi in the tank for a few weeks so the filter bacteria continues to grow.

 

[seangee]

For koi most sources recommend 1 fish per 1000 litres of water, and most experienced koi keepers prefer 1 fish per 2000 litres. Because they are such messy fish they also recommend that the filter holds 1/3rd of the volume of the pond - so for a 1000 litre pond you should have a filter that holds 333 litres of water in addition to the 1000 liters that's in the pond.

So even if we go with the lower recommendation that is 350 US gallons for a single fish.

FWIW my pond holds 7000 liters and I don't keep koi because IMO it is too small for them.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I agree. Koi get huge and are very messy. They’ll eventually eat anything else you have in the tank.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

IMO, Koi belong in a pond, not a tank.

 

[HalfTailedOwner]

I know--but I wasn't the one to get the koi in the first place. I only intended to have a betta in the tank before my dad bought a bunch of fish. Also, do I need to recycle the tank again, since I'm doing daily water changes and siphoning the gravel?
@Colin_T
@PheonixKingZ

 

[Essjay]

Water changes and gravel cleaning won't uncycle a tank. The bacteria we need are bound to surfaces.

What will uncycle a tank is washing filter media in tap water., or putting un-dechlorinated water in during a water change.