Why are my bettas sick?

[teamfargo]

I have four 5-29 gal. tanks and everything is good there. Have goldfish, cichlids, guppies, cories, etc. I think I got the hang of all these different fish with different needs. However, I am struggling with Bettas.

How can Walmart sell them in Dixie cups and do just fine, but if I bring one home, it is the "the house of death"?

Ok, the specifics. I have two 1.66 hex gal. tanks. One has an undergravel filter with an airstone, glass rocks. The other has/had pea gravel, a silk plant and a green "small world" filter as shown here: http/shoppingonline.jobbankusa.com/Pets/product2972-7.htm

Okay, I've had these two male bettas in these tanks for 1 - 1 1/2 weeks now. I was changing water twice a week: one time, 50% water change with a mini gravel siphon; the next time by putting the betta in a bowl with maybe 15% water and then dumping out the tank water and making sure the gravel is clean.

Now, one had HITH and possibly fin rot, the other has fin rot.

I have melafix, stress zyme and aquarium salt. Used 'em all on the fellas. Took the pea gravel out of the one tank along with the 'small world' filter. I have been using stress coat to treat the water with every water change.


What the heck am I doing wrong? I test the water and it comes out ok....do any of the items I add throw off the readings thus giving me a false sense of security? Are there any minerals found in city water that can do this to bettas?

By the way, I was thinking of trying a betta out in the 10 gal. tank with the female guppies and molly. Are either of these diseases/condition contagious? I am thinking that perhaps I just can't do the small tank right....maybe the betta in a big tank would be ok...dunno.

Oh, has anyone tried a betta in a tank with male guppies? The lfs said it wouldn't work because of the finnage of the male guppies. That is the only other thank that would work with the betta. I don't think the goldfish are a good choice and the cichlids probably wouldn't like the betta either.

 

[xXMrBonesXx]

are the bettas in sight of each other because if they are they might be stressing each other out from constant flaring .. hence why they get sick, and i wouldnt advise putting the male betta in with male guppies .. its not fun watching a guppy get dragged around a tank by its tail

 

[teamfargo]

No they cannot see eachother. I have them close together, but have a big piece of cardboard between the two tanks. I've given them a minute or two of flaring time for exercize like I read on the forums, but that's it.

Ok, so the advice about the male guppies and bettas not making good tank mates was correct. It's gotten to the point that I just don't trust a single thing I hear at the lfs (which is sad. They should have some good advice, but rarely do.) Well, it sounds like one betta for sure will have to stay in the 1.66 gal. hex tank. I can only figure that something about that tank combined with me is the cause. I really have done quite well with my larger tanks with regular filters.

What about the fin rot and HITH....are either tranferrable to my other fish? I would like to treat the bettas in the small tanks with whatever meds are recommended here and on the last day of treatment, perhaps transfer one to the larger guppy/molly tank and see if that works. (Hopefully)

 

[wuvmybetta]

This may sound crazy to some but it's perfectly logical to me
...maybe try turning their filters off?

You do a substantial amount of water changes, your bettas would be absolutely fine without a filter and I think they might just be better off. Only my opinion

As for the HITH and finrot, I'd use bettamax and daily water changes with aged water

 

[teamfargo]

Thanks...I will definately try turing off the filters.

If I do away with the gravel, what is the general consensus on water changes with healthy fish? 50% twice a week? 50% then a complete change?

Okay, for now, no filters, daily (what?) maybe 50% water changes and betta max. I'll have to go pick some of that up. OHHHHH *** just read instructions on the internet: "put one capsul in 1/2 gallon of water to make a concentrated tonic." Would that mean that I keep the fish in either this 1/2 gallon of tonic or use 3 capsules in my 1.66 container? Or would I just take out 1/2 gallon of old water and put in the medicated 1/2 gallon?

Sorry if that is confusing. Just want to use the product like I should.


Thanks again for everyone's help!

 

[wuvmybetta]

No,no,no,no Mix the bettamax in an empty 1 gallon milk/water container using 2 capsules of bettamax and 1 gallon of dechlorinated water and it makes a tonic, you can add about 2 cups to your bettas new clean tank. You can add it directly to their tanks (unmixed) but I don't like to do this because you get a film that covers the surface if it's not mixed well enough.

Daily 50%'ers will be good for the HITH and finrot, it should clear right up. Actually, I think 50% daily water changes would be even better than 100%