Fish Filter Issues, Pt. 2
Thanks so much for your help! The sponge is a great idea.
<Not a problem!  Glad to help.>
We have Daryl in hanging breeder tank in the regular tank. We added Maracyn.
He ate supper and seems to be doing much better.
<Nice chatting, Ryan>

Betta & 10 gal home
Hi Chuck.. thanking you again for finding time for me & my Betta...but for now I need to set aside the aquarium dilemma.
I have found on 2 occasions what looks like a black piece of hair, but it doesn't move. First time it was size of eyelash, 2nd time its nearly twice that size (very thin but tubular and perfectly straight) totally alien
from his normal stool-if it is a part of his stool, doesn't look like his regular stool movement at all. I'm hoping its not a parasite since I'm planning to place him in an aquarium w/ plants by himself.
I have fed him on occasion wild fruit flies I killed myself and brine shrimp.
Could the fruit flies have had parasites, when I squashed them they had red blood to my surprise!
I don't have a digital camera now - so I cant send a pix
< I suspect that what you are finding is the exoskeleton of the fruit flies that are indigestible to your Betta and simply passing through. I would not worry about it.>
And these past 2 days he spit out his Betta bite pellets & Hikari brand pellets, maybe his loss of appetite is coincidental. Maybe its his way of telling me he wants live food!--don't know---
< Could be fat and sassy and can wait for the good stuff. Wait a couple a days and see how he acts. If the water has cooled down then that would make a difference on his appetite too.>
(A separate ques. How many brine shrimp would you feed him per serving he is an adult Betta?)
< Only enough so that it can eat in a couple of minutes. No more!>
Eagerly awaiting your response
I writing to you from NYC its 4:15pm now if you cant respond by 6:30pm to this email address: XXXX@dot.nyc.gov can you then Email me at XXXX@hotmail.com, since for the next 3 days I wont have access to the 1st address,
And thank you again *smile*
Diane
Ps just the other day I went to "Petland" - and was very saddened to see 6 tiny bowls with gorgeous Bettas sitting listlessly and dejectedly in their confines. It really upsets me how pet shops are marketing these poor little souls  - its very cruel.
< Keep in mind that these are temporary setups and not designed for long term residence . It fact many Bettas are usually sold in the first week they arrive at the shop.>
I cant help but to feel I'm doing a justice for my Betta at home - he has a 2 gal to himself - and he has quite a bit of energy. (even though I'm guessing parasites) They are lovely animals, they're very curious and love to inspect the newness of everything they come across
< Welcome to the world of tropical fish keeping. You are truly a hobbyist because you watch your fish and not just look at them.-Chuck>
Regards Diane

Betta system
Hi Chuck
Thanks to your recommendations I will house my 1 Betta splendens alone without Otocinclus
I'm getting a 10 gallon aquarium a small Marineland (brand-if possible) outside power filter with the bio wheel sand for substrate a few plants that you've mentioned...You've mentioned to "tie" the java fern (attractive plant) to driftwood - if I want a plant that seems grounded-will the roots take hold on the wood being that they can't in sand?
< Java ferns roots often rot in sand so many aquarists tie them on to rocks and driftwood fore awhile until the new roots take hold.>
The plants you've mentioned: hornwort, Naja grass are all floaters? - do any of them have long reeds that grow down to bottom.  And sand is preferable to gravel for my Betta being more good bacteria can colonize..
<These floating plants eventually will send down runners that will root in the gravel. Probably not where you want then. A good choice for a plant that is anchored in the sand would be a Crypt wendtii. Not too particular about light or water. Grows best in a Fluorite substrate by SeaChem. I have one in a 50 gallon tank that gets to be the size of a basketball every year under ideal conditions. It won't grow that fast in a small 1o gallon>
I'm glad you've mentioned these varieties of plants I'm not clear on the "Pothos plant" you mean to just have its roots in tank - the plant itself is not submerged in water?
< You can get then at any nursery. Wash off the roots or break a stem off and place the lower end it in the aquarium in the corner out of the way were it will get some indirect light. Eventually it will start rooting and the plant will take off.>
would I have to secure the plant tie it to something,
<They do like to grow so a trellis of some sort would help support it.>
you like the Pothos cause its roots suck up the nitrites very well. Just trying to picture the image - hope it wont be an eye sore.
< This plant is not needed, but it is an option. It is just a suggestion to try something new. Other people have done this in those jars/vases with a Betta in the bottom and a plant growing out of the top. It is the same idea.>
So I take it you recommend "sand" for substrate and the plants that go with it for my one Betta in 10 gal tank. Just noticing the plants seem to be mostly floaters  - I would like some long reed-like or plants which start from bottom-up-(rooty plants) if that's possible with sand.
< The Val's or sag's produce long grass like leaves and many runners. The do well under bright light conditions, but may require occasional fertilization.
You've also mentioned when I vacuum - to do 1/2 the tank 1st my Betta will move to other side. Do you mean I should vacuum only 1/2 the sand for a week then the other (side) 1/2 sand following week?
< Just alternate from side to side every time you do a water change. This will keep the bacteria healthy and the sand clean.>
I called my aquarium store they don't carry Bio-Spira by Marineland, they carry: "stress zyme", "cycle" and "Bactervital" which would you recommend?
< The rest of these are all equal in their effectiveness.>
this might seem like silly ques. - sand wont irritate his gills -do I need a certain grade of sand maybe medium?
< Bettas are not sand sifters. Some species of fish do mouth sand and gravel for food but you don't have to worry about this with Bettas.>
And is it better to use a starter solution for cycling along with my one Betta I'm buying the whole package any day now being that fall is setting in thanks again Diane
< The starter solutions would definitely help.-Chuck>

A sick Betta environment
Hi.  I hope you can help us.  We just got home from a 3 day trip and noticed our Betta (Zeta) was not acting normally.  He was laying on the bottom of his tank, quite unresponsive and lethargic.  Then he suddenly started darting around with his back sort of arched.  Almost as if he was having some sort of convulsions.  He keeps doing this in turn with just laying around...and sometimes laying sideways.  He also seems as if he is gasping for air.  Our house/pet sitter said he would not eat anything the past 2 days.  We immediately took him out of his tank and put him in one of his older tanks with de-chlorinated water.  This hasn't improved his behavior yet.  We've had him since last December so he's not very old.  I've looked at some sites on Betta illnesses, but none really have his same symptoms.  There is no fungus in the tank, no spots on him. in fact, he looks totally healthy except for the symptoms I've told you about.  Please help us to determine what is wrong with him and what we can do to help him. He is usually a very active, social fish and we don't want him to have any sort of pain or discomfort.
Thank you,
Pam
< Chances are that the food that he wasn't eating was decomposing and causing an ammonia spike that has chemically burned his gills and has caused him some discomfort. It will take awhile for the gills to fully recuperate.  So be patient and keep the water clean. Feed only enough food so it will be all gone in a couple of minutes. I never have any body feed my fish unless I am gone longer than a week. Untrained help usually causes more problems than they solve.-Chuck>

Betta 14 Aug 2004
Hi, <Hi Natalie, MacL here with you>
I bought my fighting fish about a month and a half ago. It lives in a small quarter gallon fishbowl without a plant or gravel and I change the water frequently (about half the tank, two times a week) and use a dechlorinator. <Good Job!>
I also feed it daily with Nutrafin Max. The instructions on the back of the package said to feed the fish as much as it would eat in two minutes, two or three times daily. <They like to sell food. And I'm not saying its not a quality food, you just have to realize what they are in business to do.> However, the worker at the pet shop said to feed it two to three flakes, once a day.  The sizes of the flakes in the package vary dramatically (especially as they break down easily) and I felt that this was an inaccurate measurement of servings. <Very wise!> When I feed my fish, it never stops eating. I feed it about a pinch each day and it finishes it in significantly less than two minutes, but it is a lot more food than the recommended two to three flakes, and substantially more than the amount that my sister feeds her fish. <I'd definitely consider cutting back.> However, it has refused to eat anything in the last two days and I have had to clear the old food out of the bowl.  It has also changed from its initial dark red colour to a light brownish yellow. <My guess would be its experiences an ammonia rise and possibly a ph drop.  You should do a water change and it should help him immensely. Any time you see him stop eating or anything like that the first thing to do is a water change.> Its body is almost translucent because it is so lightly coloured and is yellowish.  It doesn't move much anymore.  I have heard that fish are more lively in warm water, and although I live in Canada, it is summer now, and the room temperature is around eighteen to twenty degrees Celsius.  When I first got my fish, it was always moving  rapidly around its bowl and very lively, now it barely moves and sometimes it looks dead. <They do sometimes just sit there like they are dead, very scary.> Should I be
heating the tank? <He should be fine without, you might consider putting him under a light during the day to give him some additional heat if you are concerned but not in the window.> Have I been overfeeding my fish? <I think perhaps a tad, a flake is probably all necessary during a day.>  Is my fish constipated?
  Should I move my fish into a proper tank with gravel and a plant?  <It would be great but not necessary. He will be fine in his bowl.>  Is it sick? <I think he's suffering from pollution in his tank, but you will fix that with a water change.> Will it die soon? <Hopefully he will have a long and healthy life. Good luck, MacL>
Thanks.

Converting from bottled to tap water
Dear Crew:
My Betta Stewie (the Scooter) is doing fine. He is in a Hex 5 aquarium with aquarium salt and stress coat as the only additives. All chemical tests are on the mark. The Ph is between 7.2 and 7.6. My conditioned tap water with aquarium salt and bowl buddies (easier to treat one gallon size jugs) has a Ph of 6.8 to 7.0. How can I convert him gradually to the tap water?
Thank you,
Sue Kennedy
< Every time you do a water change use the tap water. Start out doing small ones say 10 to 15 % and gradually increase it to 30% as part of your normal maintenance.-Chuck>

Betta needs safe filter 10gal home
hi Chuck or whomever is on today
Pls answer this as soon as you can---I'm very grateful just a few ques before I get my 10 gal tank today---for my adolescent Betta splendens I'm hoping its a good size for him ---that he won't get spooked by all the
space. I'm purchasing a 10 gal tank for my Betta---you suggested 50 watt heater...should I get a submersible?
< Not needed. Just make sure it is a good quality name brand heater like Ebo-Jager or Marineland. Make sure that you let the heater sit in the water for awhile to let the temperature of the heater and the water equilibrate.>
is it best to get the long tank or is standard just fine...re: depth of tank .  don't want to tire him out when swimming from bottom to top
< The tank preference is totally up to you. With a few floating plants your Betta will be happy in any tank.>
mostly concerned about filter....went to pet shop they recommend hanging filter w/carbon cartridges...would this be best I've read horror stories online Betta splendens fins or Betta himself drawn into the intake tubes of filter...do I need to make adjustments to  the tube or do I need a sponge filter  I'm hoping these filters aren't noisy and if they are should I get whisper one.   if the hang on carbon filter is best...do I need to put a live java fern to quell water turbulence or to protect Betta from water forces...bottom line I'm looking
for effective filter with minimum water turbulence/noise for my finny friend.--hope this sounds like ideal setup for him--
< I would recommend the Marineland penguin series filter. The BioWheel contain all the bacteria you need to keep the fish waste under control and are easy to service. Get the model that will pump like 30 to 50 gallons per hour. To protect your Betta I would get a dark colored prefilter sponge to cover the intake tube. Another idea would be to cover the intake tube with a larger clear tube and cut slots in the side to allow water in but not at such a great force so that it will suck up your Bettas fins. Your Betta will appreciate floating plants too. While providing cover they will keep the surface of the water nice and calm. With this set up you Betta should last for years.-Chuck>
PLEASE RESPOND ASAP MUCH APPRECIATED  as I'm getting a lift to pet shop this afternoon to buy tank/filter etc...by the way I'm also getting fluorescent lighting so tank wont overheat
thank you again---Diane

Bettas and Bass (sound)
Hi,
I would like to know how well Bettas can hear.  Are they bothered by loud noise or base?  Mine doesn't seem to be annoyed by the two, but I want to make sure I am not hurting him as I am enjoying my music!
Thank you, Tadeja
<<Hello. Fish can be adversely affected by the vibrations of loud music, too much bass can most likely damage the sensitive, tiny, ocular bones in small fishes. Loaches and tetras, for example, are quite sensitive to sound, their ocular bones are attached via nerves to their swim bladder. Fish that tend to swim in schools do so by vibration and can actually "hear" the fish swimming near them, and hence the direction they are going. Sight is secondary in many, many species of fish. They navigate by lateral line and sensitivity to the
water pressure around them.
If you have ever spent any time diving underwater, you will understand how well sound carries, and even the slightest noise is heard by all, heard by us, too, and our hearing is only half, if that, of what fish can hear.
You should be careful with your sound system, I know it's not easy, and the sad part is, no one pays attention to stuff like this. People will play their TV's loud, their sound systems louder, and they think that because their fish are still swimming around like normal that it doesn't affect them.
Tell me, can YOU tell a deaf person with hearing damage just by looking at them across the room? No, indeed. -Gwen>>

Betta Color Change
Hi, I have a male Betta and have had him now for probably 3mos.
He is in a tall vase with a plant in the top , the roots are in the water.
Things have been great. I change the water once a week and let the tap water sit for 24hrs before I put him in it. Recently he is turning pale, silverish in color. Any ideas? Should I be using something in the water?
Thanks, Geoff
<<Hello. The color change could be normal, or it could be indicative of an illness.
I have no idea: you need to give me more information.
First, you will need to test your water and tell me the results. Do an ammonia test, and it should be lower than .25 ppm, or trouble will arise. Also any other info, such as does he still eat, does he do anything that he didn't before, such as hide a lot, or stay in one place? What is the temp of the water, and does the temp fluctuate? Keep a thermometer in there for a few days, and check the temp in the morning, afternoon, and evening. The temp must remain as stable as possible.
Has your city recently started adding chloramines to the source water? Chloramine, unlike chlorine,
does NOT gas out in 24 hours. You may need to use a good dechlorinator. Also, is there any sign
of Finrot? -Gwen>>

Betta Fanatic Needs Advice
Okay...I am a Betta fanatic!  It all started with my Dad's girlfriend, who is also a Betta lover (she has had her for three years!), told me about a purple and black Betta she saw.  Apparently the little bugger cost the owner $200.  I couldn't believe it so I did a little search on the Internet and the next thing I know is that I found myself wanting a just not a purple Betta but a half moon purple Betta.  Well, I found one and bought it and yes it was quite pricy.
So now that I have invested in Mr. Purple Price, I must make sure he is happy in his new home or my
investment will go down the toilet (literally).
So my question is this...what is the best aquarium setup for a Betta?  I already have one in a tank.  He
is Mr. Blue Buck.  I bought him for $3 at Wal-Mart.  He is a lovely little thing but quite shy. He hides when
he see me coming; otherwise he is pretty healthy!
Anyway, he is in a 2.5 MiniBow with a Penguin Mini Power filter.  The light keeps the temp around 80
degrees.  During the night when I turn it off it fall to about 75 degrees.  The filter seems to circulate the water too much so I turn it on for 30 minutes once a day to clean the water and exercise Mr. Blue Buck.  
For Mr. Purple Price, I was thinking about buying another MiniBow but this time a 5 gallon.  But then I
ran across Marineland's Eclipse systems with the built in power filters in the lid.  I was think about buying
a 3 or a 6 gallon one.  But then I started to think about buying a 10 gallon tank and dividing it up into
5 gallons with a Plexi glass divider (with holes for water circulation, of course) and keeping both Bettas
in the same tank.  So I did a little more internet research on the topic and now I don't know what to think. Can you give me advice on how to create the perfect environment for not only the Mr. Purple Price but also
Mr. Blue Buck?  Am I at least on the right track?  
Thanks for your help, Kathryn, Alaska USA
<<Dear Kathryn, congrats on the new Betta addiction! Aren't they great little fish? I have always loved these, the way their little bodies move, the long, flowing fins...these are truly gorgeous fish. Anyway, you are on the right track with the small tanks. I have found that they prefer small quarters (not TOO small, though) since, in large tanks, they tend to hide due to the fact that most of these fish are being bred and raised in small tanks and are not at all used to large tanks, they seem to lose their confidence and hide all the time. I suppose they feel too vulnerable in large tanks. I would probably go no larger than a 20g, depends on the fish though. Some are bigger wusses than others...:)
I am ambiguous on the whole two-Bettas-in-one-tank thing...they do flare and look pretty when kept together with a clear separator, but the constant presence of another male can be stressful to them, so excellent water quality and good foods must be given to make up for that stress. Too much stress from too many things will cause them to become ill more often. The trick to keeping any fish healthy is to minimize as much of the stress as possible. Hence, keeping them separate reduces their stress, keeping their water clean reduces their stress, etc. So, you may draw your own conclusions and act accordingly. Best of luck with your new pets! -Gwen>>

Betta, light hood in tank, trouble
Dear Chuck (or whoever is on this evening):
Yesterday, my toddler missed a step when climbing down the step stool she uses to watch the fish, and, in doing so, knocked the light fixture into the water when she instinctively tried to grab the first thing handy-which was the glass cover under the fixture. The glass canopy had a long shard that broke off, but as far as I can tell, that only happened when it hit the floor, and no glass when in the aquarium.  As to the light, obviously the first thing I did was unplug the light, then I pulled it out and checked to see if my Betta was okay.  (I house him in a 10 gallon tank by himself).  He appeared to be, but this evening, when I was observing him, I noticed what appears to be fin damage.  The odd thing is that there haven't been any
pieces of it floating in the water, and my experience with a former Betta was that you would come across these when there was a problem of this nature.  I immediately took out the carbon filter and added Melafix to the water, and plan to do a water change in the morning, and keep this up for 6 more days or until I see improvement.  I saw no evidence of electrical shock at the time of the accident, but is it possible that he's had a delayed shock reaction to what happened?  Could his fin damage be due to emotional distress, or do you think that the lighting fixture possibly landed on his fins?  Again, my question still stands, wouldn't I have found pieces of the fin floating on top of the water or on the substrate?   Your thoughts?
< I think he was startled when the roof caved in and may have tried to hide and duck and cover somewhere in the tank. In the process of finding somewhere safe to hide he probably caught the fin on a rock or something and tore it. He probably ate the piece of fin if he found it. Your procedures will definitely help the fin grow back but it may not be as straight or as long when it does.-Chuck>
Cyndy Monarez/Thomas Nelson

Water For A Betta - 08/05/2004
What type of water should I use for a male Betta fish in a fish bowl with a plant?
<Just conditioned tapwater will do fine.>
Arrowhead type bottled water or distilled water?
<If these are the ONLY options, do NOT use distilled water; at least use drinking water.  However, it would be better for the fish (more constant pH, etc.) if you simply use tapwater - just be sure to use a conditioner that removes chlorine and chloramine in the water before using it for the Betta.  Wishing you well,  -Sabrina>

Betta system
So, I have a 2.5 gallon tank on my desk at work that was previously home to one magnificent blue Betta (Albert) and pretty heavily planted.  I have a Whisper power filter.  I'm not sure the names of the plants, as I accidentally threw out the little care cards.  I have 2 Anubias, one I don't know what it is (But it's shrub like and has little round leaves.  Reminds me of clover) and one Banana plant.  I can't give you water specifics because I don't have my own kit yet (PAYDAY!) but the LFS says the water quality is great.
Recently I have developed an algae situation.  Its green, it's on the plants, some of the gravel, the back glass and the petrified wood.  So, what do you do when you have algae?  You buy an Otocinclus, right?  Well, I did.  He's a really little one (not even an inch long), and wouldn't you know it, Albert now spends his day harassing this guy.  The poor little thing can't do his job!  He spends his day hanging out around the filter, trying to ignore the flaring idiot.  They way I see it, I have 2 options.
1) Take our new friend to the store and give him back, and handle the algae problem with more plants
or
3) Get more Otos.  My thinking on that is Albert will not be able to go after all of them at once and ha may eventually ignore them if he has to deal with three of them.  I could be wrong.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
< Unfortunately Bettas are very territorial towards other fish and this includes your little Otocinclus. I would try more Otos for now. Your reasoning is sound and worth a try. Try vacuuming the gravel with a 50 % water change to remove the excess wastes that are creating the algae problem.-Chuck.>
Rich Conroy

Cleaning gravel in Betta tank
Hi there --
First, thank you so much for all the information on this site!
I've been poking around the 'net looking for clues to help my Betta -- suddenly listing a bit and exhibiting a lot of gill activity.
I think I found those clues here, but I also want to completely clean his tank -- there's usually green algae, but recently the algae on the gravel is looking darker, nearly black, and grows back really fast after a tank
cleaning. I saw on another site a mention of using alcohol to clean the tank and the gravel; and a mention on your site of using chlorine bleach to clean decorations; and another about using vinegar for deposits.
Before I do something that's going to hurt our Betta, can you chime in on what you consider the best way to clean his environment?
< Pour everything into a 5 gallon plastic bucket. Take the tank out side and give it a good rinse with a high pressure garden hose. Wipe the algae down with your hand or a mildly abrasive cloth. Try it our in an area that is not easily seen. Plastic can scratch and you don't want that. Rinse off the ornaments too. Take the gravel in the bottom of the bucket and agitate it with the garden hose until the gravel is clean. Put everything back in the tank with fresh treated warm water. Now watch the food. Feed him only enough food so that everything will be eaten in two minutes! The live plant will help filter the fishes waste.-Chuck>
He's in a plastic
Betta tank with a small light for heat; the bottom is lined with the gravel that came with the tank; we added a clump of live grass, which he loves; and there's one decorative glass fish suspended by a plastic bubble.
Thanks for your help,
Terri

Alpha Betta
Hi - 
I've been searching online this morning for help with my new betta, and just came across your great site - I hope you can help me! I'm very new to all this, so sorry in advance if this is a dumb question:-). I just got my first Betta from Petco last week, and he's living in a 1-gallon tank w/a bottom filter, a plastic plant, and a rock with a hole that he can swim through. The aquarium also came with an air filtration system, but I've kept that off because the bubbles seemed to scare him after a while (at first he was playing in them!). He'd only been in his new home for a day or so when I started getting a little worried - his color is still gorgeous (bright blue) and he doesn't have any spots/discoloration that I can see, but he's acting *crazy*! He'll swim to the top of the tank then 'dive-bomb' down to the rocks and just avoid smashing his head in...he wriggles around a lot near and through the rock (almost like he's scratching?!)...he'll rapidly 'pace' back and forth along the back of the aquarium . I know Bettas are supposed to have lots of personality, but is this normal?:-) At first I thought it was just him adjusting to the new environment, but it hasn't really gotten any better. Am I overreacting? I just want to be sure and catch anything that comes up rather than waiting too long. THANKS! 
< Bettas come from slow moving shallow water in southeast Asia. They have a breathing organ that allows them to take oxygen straight from the air. They really don't like fast aerated water so it won't hurt to turn off the air. In doing so however it will disable the filtration system, so I would do away with the undergravel filter plate. If you ever decide to change to a different fish then you may need this system again. Without a filter the fishes waste will build up on the bottom so be prepared to change some water. Probably 1/2 a gallon a couple times a week should be fine. Bettas do like heat so make sure you keep the light on or at least get a small heater. I would also add some floating plants to give him a refuge. Live plants like hornwort would be worth a try. Even plastic plants would work. Your Betta should calm down with the plants. If not try moving the tank away to an area with not too much foot traffic and out of direct sunlight. Make sure not to over feed. Your Betta is not that active and only requires a small amount of food.-Chuck>

Safe store bought tank decor? (03/05/04)
Hi and thank you for your wonderful web site. I just discovered it today! I hope you can help me with my question!     
<Hi! Ananda here to try!>
Until now I have always had my small 1 1/2 gallon tank set up with a few plastic plants and some rocks but,... since my Betta of 3+ years recently went the great fish bowl in the sky I decided to change things up a bit with a new Betta. New Fish new decor!
<Yay! It's always fun to redecorate the tank.>
Last night I went and purchased a new Betta and some tank architecture and when I got home I set up the tank. I soaked the architecture in treated water for about 2 hours and gave it a thorough scrubbing.  After I completed the tank set up I noticed the water faintly smells of ???? My best guess would be resin or some sort of compound the decoration is made from.
<Or something that was sprayed on the decoration as a "fixative", or something similar.>
Needless to say I am unsure if it's safe for the new Betta and so my new Betta is still sitting in the plastic container he can home from the store in. Help what do you think?
<I would put the Betta in the tank with the old stuff, and keep the new stuff in a bucket -- dump the smelly water, refill the bucket, let sit several hours or overnight. Rinse and repeat until the water in the bucket does not stink. At that point, it should be safe for the fish. If you are uncomfortable with how long it may take to get to a non-smelly state, you might bring it back to the store and explain the issue to them and try for a refund. --Ananda>

Can a Betta live in a vase with a plant at the top?
My wife just put our Betta in a big clear vase with some fancy clear marbles in the bottom and some kind of bare root plant at the top.  there's a cover over the top of the vase with a whole in it for the plant's roots to be in the water, and some more of the marbles around the edge of this cover...Can our beta live like this?
<These vases are sold all over the place and I have seen Bettas live quite a long time in there provided you keep the water clean and he's fed well.?
It looks like he wants to get to the top, but the roots are in the way.
<make sure the Betta can get to the surface of the water!  If there is no airspace in the vase then your Betta will not be able to get the air it needs.  Bettas are one of those few fish that can "drown" in the water.  They are air breathers, and need to be able to get air from the surface.  So, make sure that you give it some room to get to the surface.>
It's nice and artistic-looking, but I am concerned for the fish.
<They can be very pretty, but I still like seeing my Bettas in tanks with filters.  Mine are all happy, and I worry much less. -Magnus>

Betta question
I just bought a male Betta fish 5 days ago on the second day I put one of those plants that sit in the top of the fish bowls in his tank and now all he does is sit at the top of the tank and poke his head out of the water every now and then.  all he does is lay on the plant. what can I do?
<<Hello there. Is he eating? Does he have tiny white spots on him anywhere? Firstly, you need to make sure you are doing regular water changes. What size is the bowl? A water change every other day should help. Also, make sure he is not too cold, as cold water will lead to bacterial infections like Columnaris. -Gwen>>

Betta Vase
Hi. I have a Betta in a huge vase....large bottom with smaller top. It probably holds about 4 gallons of water. Anyway, my Betta shares his vase with a bamboo. Both have been doing fine. Today my boyfriend, trying to be nice, cleaned the vase for me. The Betta has been in that vase with the same water for a few months. I only add bottled water when I notice the water level is low. Going on, my boyfriend proceeded to put my Betta back in the water and it was extremely cold. I took him out and added some warm water, but he was exposed to that cold water for about 10 min. tops..........he is laying at the top on his side :(I did not know that the water should be treated or that my fish can eat other things than his flakes. I have many pets and feel like an irresponsible pet owner. Can you give me some advice how to help him? 
Thank You
Shelli Street
>>Hello Shelli, sorry for the delay. How is Mr. Betta doing? There is not much you could do, but if he survives, you need to keep an eye open for any signs of ich. It will look like someone sprinkled him with salt. If he gets it, you need to treat him in a separate bowl, so as not to endanger your plants. Remove him, and enough water from the vase to fill the new bowl, and treat him there. Go to your Local Fish Store and buy an anti-parasitic medication, like Quick Cure, or Super Ich Cure. For future reference, you should always do your water changes at the exact same temp as the water he is already in...buy yourself a thermometer at the fish store, and make sure his clean water is the same temperature as the old water. -Gwen<<

Daughter housing show stock-wants wet/dry
My daughter wants the ultimate filtration method for her two 30 gallon custom tanks that she has assembled next week. She wants them to share the system. She is really wants to purchase wet/dry as her method. She is also planning a blackwater "pond" for the Florida room. She wants perfect (as possible outside nature) water parameters kept without daily maintaining. The fish are anabantids, not picky.  Mostly Bettas in special divided tanks with a tube that moves the water current through. She is going to plant it heavily and doesn't plan to have more than a dozen fish sharing this environment  2 divided males a main area of 3-5 compatible females, cleaners (she wants SAE for cleaners), ghost shrimp and maybe a few cardinal tetras for flash and activity. She is not concerned with over filtration since she may convert this set  up to marine later.
<Ah, a useful "clue">
She is working with more inbred and therefore delicate strains. The plants she has in the 20 gallon. The rest she has 2/10 gallons all over my house. Auuugh! Lucky dad is out of the states! And with fish costing 60-150 each...I'd leave nothing to chance either. Her theory is the unnatural delicacy  and the fact that more Bettas are being posted with ich, cotton mouth and parasites; is not simply inbreeding but the small space that they develop in with the constant stress of being right next to a competitor with no where to hide if you are the loser.>shrug< Maybe> My granddad's Betta splendens in the 70s were near bullet proof and he had a good dozen males in a planted 5 ft long tank that only postured and squabbled like Danios. They usually lived a good 5 years before being retired to his 3000 gal river pond in his back yard.
<Wow, anything over three years is very good for a Betta lifespan>
Though most think she is swatting a fly with a Buick and that Bettas are not "worth" the expense, she considers them her "wards". If she wants her 80 dollar fish to live happy..... who am I to say "go cheap" ? Anyway.... She wants to move the 60 gallons in a steady flow without being a rip tide, what size unit or brand model would suit her demand?
<Something of a total gallonage of twenty or more... to function for the marine use later... and a diverting mechanism for the pump at this point>
We have a predator tank and she would rather send her culls there than the "ignoble fate of the megastore fish" (^.^ sheesh,  I just had Barbie as a kid and helped clean tanks..eeew!).  The tanks are planned currently as 18 x 34 x 12. Custom builds. She has stock credit on hold till they are cycled for a minimum of 4 weeks. She is paranoid.
Heh! But it is her nickel and they are her babies and I applaud responsible care. I just am trying to help her decide to get more bang for her buck, rather than get the first "perfect set-up advertised". I can get her to hold off till this weekend and then she will buy the system she decided (how I found your site. the search for info on a Pro Clear pro75 vs. the in tank Fluval BioLife55).  She wants to keep it under a 150 if possible and two units from companies that are known have been found at that price.  
<Perhaps with a bit of shopping, bargaining>
All your wet/dry info always has marine tanks involved and a suggestion to change to live rock; not good for freshwater I am afraid Thanks!
JR King...mother to the future kingpin of the International Betta Society and who got some fish for Christmas. and has a good 100 Gourami fry survivors...eeek!)
<I would post your query re brands, makes, models on our Chatforum: http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/ for more up-to-date info. here. Bob Fenner>

Re: Daughter housing show stock-wants wet/dry
Thank you guys!
For your brief and helpful comments! And stellar response time! It helped quite a bit!  She has decided to keep each one separate. She adjusted the dimensions a few inches for in-tank wet/dry. She bought 2 bio life 35's NIB for 70 bucks. The tank maker has made a " flow-break" to control current from the BioLife that runs through the dividers in a strategically perforated clear tube. and Ack! I have a headache!
<You're "talking the talk"!>
She decided that when she gets her tangs late next year she will just start from scratch and get a wet dry that sanitizes the water?   Geez, when I think of the primitive fishkeeping in the 60s and 70s! I wonder that they stayed alive! Come a looong way fishy!  Gratefully, JR King (future Mom of a fish keeper extraordinaire'')
<Indeed. Be chatting, Bob Fenner>

Temperature for a Betta
Hi guys (and gals),
<A gal for yah today!>
First of all, I want to thank you and congratulate all of you for running such an informative site.
<And thank you for the kind words!>
I've been pouring over all the articles and FAQs for the last week or so before I buy a 29 gal tank soon. I've learned a lot so hopefully I'll be able to avoid a lot of beginner mistakes.
<Ah, wonderful to hear!>
I have two questions for you:
1) I recently, like 2 days ago, bought a male Betta and am currently keeping him in a 1-gallon glass fishbowl shaped like a, uh, fishbowl :-).
<Hmm, sounds fishy....  Sorry, couldn't resist ;) >
My problem is that since I live in Northern California, it gets pretty cold in my room this time of year during the day (when I'm at work). At night it's warm enough because I turn the heater on / build a fire. I know that a 1-gallon tank is too small for a heater, but do you have any suggestions as to keep the water temp up? It hovers around 64-65, and keeping my room warm throughout the day isn't really an option. I'd like to get it to mid 70s if I can.
<Without using a heater, I'm not sure how to do this....>
Is the temperature fluctuation even worse than a steady cold temp?
<IMO, yes.  However, a steady cold temperature for too long could be quite bad, perhaps even fatal, for your tropical pal.>
What is the smallest sized (read: cheapest) tank that I can have and still have a heater?
<I'd try to aim for 3 gallons plus; you can find five-watt heaters at Wal-marts for small tanks, but I don't think I'd try to use a heater on a one-gallon bowl; the risk of overheating is just too great.>
If I go with a slightly larger tank, i.e., 5 gallons, can I put some Japonica Shrimp in there to keep the algae down or would those just be appetizers for Hurley (the Betta)?
<This sounds like a wonderful plan.  I'd like to comment - please be very cautious of incandescent lighting, if you choose to have a lit tank!  Incandescent bulbs produce a lot of heat, and can easily overheat a small tank, especially in the summer.  That's typically all that's available for smallish tanks (as far as tank kits go), unless you look at Eclipse/Regent type tanks.  Though, the Eclipse/Regent setups would be excellent for you and your finny friend, and his shrimpy roommates - complete with filtration and lighting, the 3-gallon and larger models of these tanks really are worth the extra cost, especially for beginners.  Worth looking into, at least.>
I don't know how they are with crustaceans as tank mates, and I couldn't find it anywhere.
<Heh, well, some Betta guys are wonderful with tankmates, and some are a terror - really, it could go either way.  For the most part, though, a few shrimp would likely be perfectly safe from him, even if he's quite aggressive.  Try to provide plenty of hiding spaces for them, and they should do quite well.>
Oh, and like I said, I live in No. Cal. so the tap water (treated of course - told you I've been doing my homework *grin*) is pretty hard and has a high pH (mid 8s, according to test strips).
<Heh, hailing from silicon valley myself, I hear yah on that!  mid-eights in the winter, mid-NINES in the summer.  Not fun.  Not at all.>
Does the hardness and/or alkalinity of the water affect temperature retention?
<Hmm.  My best answer, "no".  Or, at least, "not enough to say so".  I'm sure it does to some degree, but I'm also pretty sure it is insignificant.>
2) In the 29-gal tank I plan on acquiring soon,
<Yay!  Sounds like fun!>
I think I've finally decided what the inhabitants are going to be. I was going to cycle it with some (6ish) White Clouds
<Consider a fishless cycle, if you can.  Otherwise, white clouds definitely are a tough fish!>
and then slowly add 6-8 Green Tiger Barbs, 8 Harlequin (or Scissor Tail if I can find them) Rasboras and 2 Dwarf Gouramis. Do you see any problems with these fish?
<I would skip the dwarf Gourami, for sure.  With the tiger barbs in the mix, they'd be nipped to shreds, I can assure you.>
I know the Tiger Barbs are nippy, but everything I've read seems to say that they will be fine in a school that size.
<Mm, to some extent, yes; but they *will* still nip anything in sight, especially slow-moving pretty Gourami fins.  The other fishes (Rasboras, white clouds) will be fine with the tigers.)>
Also, do you have any recommendations for algae eating organisms? Shrimps? Otos? SAEs?
<Personally, because I'm passionate about them, I'd go with shrimp.  For one, they are simply amazing, wonderful animals to watch, and some varieties that are now becoming available in the US are utterly gorgeous.  Shrimp also add very little to the bioload of a tank - er, that is to say, they don't poo a whole lot.  It is, of course, up to you/your tastes.>
I plan on this a being lightly to medium planted tank. Are there any plants I should avoid?
<Depends completely upon your setup.>
I'd like to keep the plants as simple as possible, no laterite or CO2 injections or anything like that (for now...  :-) But hey, this is my first serious tank).
<I'd stick with tough, low-light plants, like Anubias sp., Vallisneria sp., java fern (Microsorium pteropus), java moss (Vesicularia dubyana), Anacharis/elodea/Egeria....  for starters ;) >
Like I said before, my tap water is high pH and pretty hard...
<"Liquid rock".>
I think I can lower it to mid 7s, which is OK, if at the upper limit, for my (soon to be) fish according to Fishbase.
<Might try using peat moss to assist with this - I find it extremely effective in my tanks (down to 7-ish from 9-ish in the summer!).>
Do you see any problems with my plans/stocking scheme? Any comments?
<Just as above.>
Any feedback is greatly appreciated. OK, I know this is more than two questions, but I got carried away. :-)
<Heh, no problem, that's why we're here!>
Thanks again, and keep up the good work!  -Tyler
<Thanks much, we'll do our best.  -Sabrina>

Hexed Mini-Hex (1/20/04)
I received a 2.5 gal hexagon tank for Christmas it came with water conditioner an undergravel filter and pump. I set it up and let it run without fish for 2 weeks. <Actually a good idea to put a pinch of food in there to generate nutrients for bacteria.> that's where everything I did right ended.
I went to get a single male Betta <good plan> for the tank (because I thought they had to live alone) When the store attendant pointed out all the fish that would live with the Betta I wanted them all! <They just wanted your money...> On her recommendation I came home with 4 small zebra Danios 2 ghost shrimp the male Betta and a heater, they also recommended adding a small algae eater when algae started to develop. <...and they got it.>
Through the 1st week everything was normal ( I found out through research) the water clouded then cleared on its own which I understand it part of the cycle process and the water tested ok for a cycling tank. <Yes, but not normal for a tank with fish in it.> Into week 2 the Betta became lethargic laying on the bottom with an occasional swim to the top for air and back down again. I suppose this is a good time to mention that I also way overfed these poor little guys (They always seemed hungry and I didn't want them to starve). 2 days ago a test of the water showed the
ammonia and pH through the roof, searching the web for answers led me to believe a 50% water change with vacuuming would help the problem. <A temporary fix> things seemed better in the tank for a day, when I retested the water today the results were the same. So a trip to a different pet store <steer clear of the other one in the future> this morning sent me home with Amquel <helps a bit>, ph down <why?>, and an undergravel upgrade kit with a carbon insert. <Zeolite would be better for ammonia>
I added the ph down and the Amquel, the carbon filter attachment is
for a 1" lift tube which they assured me was standard but it seems my lift tube is only 1/2". so my 1st question: I have the top with the carbon insert sitting over the lift tube is this inhibiting the way the filter works or is it still working properly? <Should work some, but flow through it will not be ideal.>
2nd the water seems to be clouding again is this normal? <No. You need good bacteria. If you could get a hold of some Bio-Spira, this may help.>
3rd the Betta seems happy and active again, the ghost shrimp are
more active then they ever were climbing the sides of the tank up and down and the Danios have all gone to top of the water. Is this normal behavior? <Danios love to swim actively in the upper tank. They are very active and do not belong in such a small tank. Also, they will stress your low-moving Betta out. Were I you, I would return them and stick with just the Betta in this tank. The "algae eater" you bought is likely the king that will suck the skin off of your Betta when it grow bigger. Otocinclus would be better.>
Last should I be doing something else at this point or just wait and see what happens? <Patience is important. Consider doing what I mentioned above. Buy a good book about freshwater aquaria or a good book about Bettas.> Thank you for your help! Cathie

Betta light 24/7? (12/29/03)
Hello
<Hi! Ananda here tonight...>
I have recently bought a male Betta, and I have him in a 4 litre tank 8.5 inches tall by 6.5 inches wide.  The tank has a two piece lid, one which sits right on the tank, which has 2 air holes, and another hood which is attached at back of the tank, which can be left open ( I have it open almost all the way.  There is an incandescent bulb in the hood.  As he is a tropical fish I have been leaving the light on to make sure the water is warm enough ( I live in Ontario Canada).  Will leaving the light on 24 hr/day cause him any problems?
<Bettas and other fish don't have eyelids, so keeping them in tanks that are always lit is going to make it difficult for them to get any sleep. I would suggest getting a small (25 watt) heater for the tank. I've seen some that are small enough for even tanks this small.>
I found lots of information on your site, just not this particular subject.
Thanks,
Maryann  
<You're welcome. --Ananda>

Betta's First Day Home
To whom it may concern,
<Hi, Peter,>
Today we got a Betta fish. I rinsed the tank (about 1/8 gallon in size) with tap water and then filled the it with bottled water. I then put my fish in and after about one hour, I came to check on the critter. It was at the bottom of the tank (still alive) and almost never swimming around. I know this is the first day but is it normal for the fish to do this?
<No, not at all.>
Also I'm worried about the little amount of chlorine from the tap water. Will this harm the fish?
<I sincerely doubt it.  I trust you did not use any tapwater to fill the tank, correct?  Just the bottled water?>
It's a very small amount of chlorine.
<If the tank was only rinsed in tapwater, agreed.>
I also tried feeding it a little and it still wouldn't budge. I really need some advice from the experts.
<It sounds perhaps that he didn't get a chance to acclimate to his new water.  Was there a temperature difference between the water he came home in and the water in the tank?  It could also be shock from differing pH, in which case, the best thing you can do is let him recover on his own, changing the pH again could cause more problems.  Of course, it is also possible that he may have been sick when you got him.  Is there anything visibly wrong with him, physically?>
Thank you very much for your time!
<Sure thing.  Hope all goes well,  -Sabrina>
Thank you,  Peter

Bobbing for Bettas
Hi there.  
<Hello.>
First of all I just want to say what an excellent site you folks have!  I love it, so MUCH information!  Keep up the great work!
<Thank you for the kind words!>
Ok, now for my problem.  
<Ah, I KNEW there was a catch!>
I have a goldfish (Bob) and a Betta (Bob Jr. no relation) <heh> in a 10 gallon tank and they have been getting along just fine (even though  my goldfish was a total jerk to the black moor that I have).  
<Woah.  Um, so how many fish are there in there, and what?  A goldfish, a moor, and a Betta?  For starters, goldfish are super messy (they poop a lot), and really do need very large aquariums or ponds to thrive.>
However, for the last couple days Bob Jr. seems to just be sitting on the bottom of the tank.  At first I thought he was just sleeping but now I'm getting concerned.  I know he's alive, he occasionally moves to a different part of the tank and he is still breathing.  Is there something I can do for him?  Like I said he's in a 10g tank and it has a filter mounted on the back and proper lighting etc.  
<Well, some questions, first - what are your water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, temperature)?  How often do you do water changes, and how much do you change?  Do you vacuum the gravel when you do water changes?  What do you feed them? Do you see anything physically wrong with the Betta, e.g.., pale coloration, clamped fins, labored breathing, clouded eyes, or anything else amiss?  This information will help us figure out what might be wrong with your little Anabantoid.  It would be a good idea to do a hefty water change, being sure to match temperature and pH with the water in the tank, as I suspect this might be a water quality issue.  I'd also like to mention that Bettas and goldfish do not make the best of tankmates.  The goldfish tend to be very messy, and foul the water very quickly.  Also, Bettas are tropical fish, and really should be kept with other compatible tropical fish, rather than with coldwater goldfish.  You might want to consider a larger tank for your goldfishes, and perhaps get a few tropical tankmates for your Betta, once he's back to his old self.>
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
<Sure thing.  Wishing you well,  -Sabrina>
Drew

Bettas don't like nitrites!
<Hi! Ananda here tonight...>
I have a 2 week old tank containing a Betta splendens (male), 2 zebra Danios, 2 platy and 2 black molly.
<Ack! Your tank is far too new to be holding that many fish. You should have let it cycle first.>
Everything was fine for the first week and a half until the nitrite level raised to about 5ppm. I carried out a 25% water change and then things started to go wrong with my Betta. He started to turn white, loosing his colour, his skin is rough and raised and he sits lifeless at the top of the tank refusing to eat. As the black mollies started to pick on him I put him in a large isolation net but it has made no difference. His fins appear thin and straggly. What can I do? It's my daughters fish and I can't let him die.
<Your Betta can *not* survive in water with nitrites. You need to temporarily move him into his own tank, or, if you must, a bowl or something that can hold at least a half gallon of water. There is a nice little 1-gallon tank with a filtration system for under $10 that I've seen available at chain store pet stores and even Wal-Mart and Meijer's stores. Or if you can't do that, cut off the top of a milk jug! This guy really needs pristine water conditions, pronto, if he's going to survive. You will be doing *daily* partial water changes to keep his water quality good! I would change about half of it a day, or more if necessary. You need to keep the ammonia at zero, too, or his gills will get damaged. Mollies, platies, and Danios are hardier fish, but I would continue with daily partial water changes in the main tank so they are not stressed too much. --Ananda >

Betta bowls
I recently bought a Betta. While surfing your site to find the answers to some questions about overeating, I saw some comments about Betta lily bowls.
<I assume you mean the vase-type containers, with a plant (peace lily, usually) growing out?>
Are they really bad for the fish?
<Well, not directly....  But you'll need to provide as large a volume of water for the fish as you can, and be sure to change a little bit of water out for new dechlorinated water every few days.>
If so why, and is there any way I can safely keep my lily and my Betta together?
<Use only dechlorinated water for your Betta (a trip to the fish store will show you a wide array of things you can choose from - get something that treats tapwater for chlorine and chloramine), make sure when you do water changes to exactly match the water temperature, so as not to shock your fellah, change a third or so of the water every few days, and provide the largest possible container to keep him in.  I've seen some nicely done things like this that had more than a gallon of water volume for the fish.  If done properly, it could be a nice fishy home for your dude.  -Sabrina>

Wild Betta's living quarters
I am confused on this subject.  Two pet store owners have told me that Bettas come from very small muddy pockets of water and may be kept in very confined containers. I just read on several different web sites that they need plenty of room to move around.  Who is right?
<Mmm, actually both. The original Bettas (splendens) do hail from muddy bodies of water... and do possess an ancillary aerial breathing apparatus (the labyrinth organ) to "breath from the air". The recommended larger space is mainly for stability (larger bodies of water stay physically, chemically the same longer... given over-feeding, pollution from same, vacillating room temperature...). Though male Bettas (females are raised in tanks together) are grown out in less than liter volumes, they are best kept in larger quarters>
  It does seem sad that Wal-Mart has them in those extremely small cups all of the time.  Is it cruel to keep them in such cramped quarters?
<Not so much cruel (as the store temperature is kept warm, constant, and am sure that they have excellent programs for (temporary) maintenance... this is the prudent method of displaying, holding, selling these animals... and Betta's are toward the far end of "unawareness" as fishes go... not seemingly mal-affected. Bob Fenner>
Thanks,
Dianne All

Tank Building & Bettas
Hi
Found your web site looking for information about Tank Building and I wanted to pick your brain about building some myself.
I am a squeaky new Betta owner/breeder and am presently running out of room for my growing Betta Fry spawn (60+) and the cool  "designer" Bettas that my local pet stores are now stocking.
I want to build a "grow out" Betta tank and also what my Yahoo/MSN BettaSplendens newsgroup people call a "Betta Barracks"
About the Grow out Tank:
I was thinking to make a sectionable low height tank with lots of water flow that shared a UV filter with the Betta Barracks. I was thinking low because my silly Bettas from the Pet shops so far have
been freaked by the increase in water space after so long in those Betta cups. And if I section it, I can give them the illusion of small space to start and slowly increase it. And I can separate the baby
Males into them if I need to. (My water is pretty hard so I may have all females in this 10week old spawn)
What thickness of acrylic do I need if I was going to make a 30-40 gal low and wide tank?
<How low is low? For 12 inches or less I'd go with 3/16", much higher and 1/4" (could use less, but harder for human hands to manipulate... and not much real savings)>
The tanks on your web side don't seem to have any binders to hold it together. What do you use to seal/mold it to shape?
<They're welded together with solvents (we use Weld-On products, can get from acrylic suppliers)>
About the Betta Barracks:
I've seen pictures of them on various web sites and they seem to be "Beanie Baby" containers with slits on the top to drip water in and a slit on the side to let water out. They don't give dimensions on the containers and since my Bettas won't fit in the Betta Cups anymore, would a half gallon be too small?
<About right>
What sort of filtration does all this need? Where would I get that sort of information? Your web site lists protein skimmers but is that only for salt water?
<No skimmers; do need mechanical and biological filtration... and frequent, partial water changes. Schemes either go with independent (bowl mentality), non-recirculation OR collectivizing the water OR a drip in/ overflow out "open" system>
Also- you live in San Diego. Would you know of some local Betta Breeders, where I can go to talk to them and look at their set ups and purchase some females? I am in Orange County, Ca.
<Please come out to the San Diego Tropical Fish Society (2d Sun. of the month, Balboa Park Casa Del Prado, rm. 101 about 7:30... If I'm not there, ask for Victor Tongco, tell him of our chatting, and ask him to introduce you to John Price who will in turn help you>
Any help would be appreciated,
Cyndi
<Do you belong to the IBC? Other Betta groups? You would greatly enjoy and benefit from such associations. Bob Fenner>

Purified Water? (7/1/03)
Hey, this might be a stupid question... but I'm a 16 year old with only the experience of cats, dogs, and snails. I searched for this in your FAQs but couldn't find anything that could confirm my question for sure.
Didn't want to take risks. So, the question: is it harmful to my Betta's if I use purified drinking water? Like from Deep Rock? I was told from an unprofessional that it has chlorine in it.. but I think they might be
wrong... <As long as its not distilled or has no chlorine your OK.  Cody>Thanks for the help!!

Betta in the Dark
hello, my question is can you keep a Betta in the dark. Now what I mean by this, is I have a Betta living downstairs in my house. It is always warm enough for it, but rarely has any light, and that is only from that lamp I turn on when I am down there. So I would say 19-21 hours of the day it is in almost darkness. Other than when I am feeding it. I want to know if it will be able to live like this or not. thank you  john
<Your fish certainly isn’t going to be happy in conditions and it’s really not healthy for him either. So while he probably could live like this for a while, it’s not at all good for him and will probably adversely affect him eventually. Ronni>

Re: Additional questions about my first message - Bettas have almost constant fin and tail rot
Hi everyone, I wrote a message Friday night; no, I'm not expecting an answer so soon! I just have been doing some more research on the internet this weekend and had some more questions. I asked about a Betta set-up with an Eheim system. Well, what I've found
so far is that Eheim is for huge aquariums! T
<wow... quite the contrary, my friend. Do look at their full product line... they have tiny internal canister/power filters, mini-externals, etc. Have you been to their home site?>
that would be quite a lot of overkill for a Betta set-up!  
<perhaps yes if the tank is really that small>
Right now I'm leaning toward a 5 gallon tank with a heater (I already have the heater; a Visi Therm Deluxe, 25 watt) and partitions. (for my 2 Bettas). Would 2 partitions an inch or so away be better so there's no chance of them seeing each other?
<may still be seen/stressful>
Or will this just impede water flow, with or without a filter?
<definitely will>
The filter I'm leaning toward is a Duetto Multi Filter, with a flow rate of 14 GPH.  
<somewhat weak>
In my old Eclipse System 3, where I had the one Betta (who hated it) the flow rate was 35 GPH. I'm wondering if the flow rate of the Duetto is OK or will I end up taking it out?  
<seems too small to me... what of just a good old-fashioned sponge filter (Tetra Brilliant series or Jungle dirt magnets)?>
I know you can't really answer that; I just wanted your opinion on the Duetto filter. I just saw it online and not in person.
Also, if I may ask Mr. Calfo a question: Do you know of any shops in the Pittsburgh area (I live in the northern suburbs) that are fish-only, with no dogs, cats, etc.,  for sale, or that come in for grooming or vet services? Are you permitted to recommend such a shop?  
<sure... we have nothing to sell... no biases...a free-info/content site>
My severe allergies to dogs, cats, birds, etc., do not permit me to visit pet shops. I live very close to a PetCo and PetSmart but just can't go. (Not that I'd really ask them anything!)
<most shops do at least have birds or small animals. Hmmm... I'm wondering if Poseidon's in Greentree is animal free... they were last time I was there (a year ago!)>
I do have on hand some BettaMax, Maracyn, and MarOxy, but I can't stock every med for " just in case" and I would hate it if I needed something fast.
<agreed>
I would put myself at risk of going to the ER if I went into these shops.  If something happens to the fish, hopefully the meds I have will hold them over until an online order comes. And I know that's not really in the best interest of the fish, so once these fish go to fish heaven maybe the best thing is not to get any more :-( unless I can find a fish-only shop. Thank you very much, once again, for listening! Deb
<Deb... please also consider the fellowship and networking options (emergency phone calls to fellow aquarists) of the local aquarium society: pmas.org
if you needed a medication or advice/support, you can e-mail the clubs mailing list as a member or find help fast otherwise. Do visit their website. Kind regards, Anthony>

Re: Bettas
I have three Bettas, and you are right, they have truly unique personalities.  
<Yep, they really do. It’s amusing to watch the different reactions to something as simple as me approaching their tanks.>
They are all housed separately, two are in 5 gal mini bows, and one is in a 1 1/2 gal. brandy snifter.
<I’m assuming the last is actually 1 ½ gallons. Even so, those are very nice tanks for Bettas. I have one of the 5g Minibows and have been considering getting another soon.>
All are doing well, but I used distilled water and a little Tetra Easy Balance two days ago.  I haven't noticed any changes in my beta. You said not to use distilled water, please tell me if I should change the water now or wait until the next water change.
<If this was only a partial water change you’ll be fine. If it was a complete water change I would recommend doing a partial water change with non-distilled water.>
I know we shouldn't be so nervous about our fish, but they are all unique pets, and I really don't want to lose them.  Thank you for your assistance. As always, Claudette
<Many people can’t understand it but sometimes a fish can be almost as much a part of the family as dogs and cats. The personalities are there, you just have to look more closely for them. Ronni>

Re: Aged Betta
I have a Betta that is at least a year old.  For the past year he's spent his life in a half gallon vase (no plant, just the vase and weekly water changes).  I'd like to move him to a five gallon tank with proper heat, and
filtration, but have been told that doing so at this stage is a bad idea and may send him into shock and kill him, even with appropriate acclimation. What are your thoughts on this?
<<With slow and proper acclimation and if he’s given lots of cover (leafy type plants, a clay flower pot, etc) in the new tank he should be fine. I’ve moved my Bettas around and never had any problems, even with older ones.>>
If I am able to move him, would it be possible to keep one or two tankmates with him in this size system, given that he's never been around other fish before?  Either way, I'm looking in the best way to keep this fish alive and healthy as long as I can.
<<I’d hesitate on this. Anything you could get that wouldn’t pick on him would be prone to picking by him since he’s used to being on his own. Ronni>>
Thanks much!

Fighting Fish
I just bought a "vase" and a fighting fish. The neck of the vase provides a place for a plant, with the roots to be down in the vase so that the fish finds "privacy", etc.....
<Have seen these about... very popular>
I have no idea what type of a plant could be used because the upper portion of the plant would be out of the water....any suggestions would be appreciated. 
<There's a bunch of choices... My fave are philodendrons, but I do have a long list of "bog plants" (often sold as true aquatics, submersed species) listed on our site here: http://wetwebmedia.com/hsepltsagb.htm
though there are many other possibilities. Your local garden center should be able to identify appropriate selections.>
Apparently this is some new thing, I found the "vase" and marbles at a local craft store. The fish was purchased at a "pet store" and the salespersons knew nothing about aquatic or regular house plants!! Why would that surprise me!! Thanks for your help.
<Too much "to know" in this world, for sure... thank goodness for tools like the Internet for making what's known collectively easier and easier to find. Bob Fenner>

Siamese Fighting Fish
Could you please tell me what temperature Siamese fighters live at and when introducing them to a tank with female fighters if any special measures should be taken. Thank you.
<Hmm, as you note, these are "warm water fish"... tropicals. They appreciate water in the mid-70 degrees Fahrenheit to the low eighties... Hence the need for a thermostatic heater. As regards females, I would not keep these in with your males on a continuous basis... as there is too much aggression to be expected here, with the male likely keeping the female from swimming about or feeding. Bettas, Siamese Fighting Fish are best mixed male/female only during spawning. 
Bob Fenner>

Betta splendens
Bob, I just received a Betta as a gift from a neighbor. I really don't want to maintain this fish in its own tank if I can help it. Do you think it would survive in the fireplace tank with the Kissing Gourami and the Loaches?
<Mmm, yes... most likely... or if push comes to proverbial shove you can arrange something like a glass cylinder (hurricane lamp covers work great here) to keep it separated... Two things to look/out for... that it's not getting too bugged by other fishes, and that it's getting enough to eat... In your care I think it will do fine. Bob Fenner>
How about the small tank with three guppies and a butterfly Goby or Goby?.
<Mmm, better in your main tank... Betta's go after male guppy tails... and for certain eat all young.>
Thanks!

Bettas
Bob,
A friend of mine said they got a Betta that had a plant above it and they had a symbiotic relationship. 
<Mmm, yes... these have been very popular sellers the last couple of years>
Is that a mangrove or what kind is it? 
<More likely something like a Spathophyllum, Dracenas... there are many choices>
Also, another friend of mine has a Betta and one of it's gills looks like it's extended out farther than the other. Would malachite help it?
Is that normal?
<Not probably "normal", but not treatable either... a congenital defect. Bob Fenner>
Thanks,
Allyson

Re: Bettas
Is it healthier for the fish to have this? Should I recommend that my friend get this to improve water quality? I hear you don't need to change the water and it provides the fish with nutrients.
<Please refer them here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/betta_splendens.htm Bob Fenner>
Allyson

Re: Bettas
Already did read that section. Did you have a section which referred to those plants and whether they make it unnecessary to change water?
<No my friend... not directly... I have not so mixed feelings re this "designer Betta" movement... this fish is tropical... warm water... and the units improvised don't really meet its needs. I am opposed personally to their popularization. I am sure you understand. Bob Fenner>

Re: Bettas
Bob,
I'll forward the mail. It's easy to add a heater if that's all it is.
So you think water quality is bad and the fish doesn't get enough to eat? 
<Commonly, yes>
I'm thinking of a friend of mine who is a surgeon who barely has time to sleep much less care for much. Yes, I know, a pet rock...but is there any compromise? 
<Life is a series of these>
The thing appeared to live a few years.
<This is a good long time for this species. Bob Fenner>
Allyson

Betta Vase Death Traps
Hi,
I had a question is there a certain kind of root or plant that a betta fish can eat or can you put a plant in a vase and water and just put a beta fish in it??
<I know the setups that you are referring to and no they will not work. Bettas do not eat plants. You can read more about these gorgeous fish here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/betta_splendens.htm
Thanks, Tidy

Tank Building & Bettas
Hi
Found your web site looking for information about Tank Building and I wanted to pick your brain about building some myself. 
I am a squeaky new Betta owner/breeder and am presently running out of room for my growing Betta Fry spawn (60+) and the cool "designer" Bettas that my local pet stores are now stocking.
<I understand. Worked for a couple of years (ostensibly washing bowls) at a Betta facility in Japan as a boy, and bred, raised a few batches in my time>
I want to build a "grow out" Betta tank and also what my Yahoo/MSN BettaSplendens newsgroup people call a "Betta Barracks"
<Old product name>
About the Grow out Tank:
I was thinking to make a section able low height tank with lots of water flow that shared a UV filter with the Betta Barracks.
<Flow doesn't have to be "lots">
I was thinking low because my silly Bettas from the Pet shops so far have been freaked by the increase in water space after so long in those Betta cups. And if I section it, I can give them the illusion of small space to start and slowly increase it. And I can separate the baby
Males into them if I need to. (My water is pretty hard so I may have all females in this 10week old spawn)
What thickness of acrylic do I need if I was going to make a 30-40 gal low and wide tank?
<Practical considerations, mainly ease of working on/with the material supersede structural need here. I would work with 3/16" thick material as a minimum>
The tanks on your web side don't seem to have any binders to hold it together. What do you use to seal/mold it to shape?
<Solvent... mainly Weld-On's products (specifically #40 usually) are utilized to melt the acrylic panels together. Pieces held gingerly in place with tape, clamps while assembling...>
About the Betta Barracks:
I've seen pictures of them on various web sites and they seem to be "Beanie Baby" containers with slits on the top to drip water in and a slit on the side to let water out. They don't give dimensions on the containers and since my Bettas won't fit in the Betta Cups anymore, would a half gallon be too small?
<Not too small, generous actually>
What sort of filtration does all this need?
<Mechanical, biological, maybe chemical>
Where would I get that sort of information? Your web site lists protein skimmers but is that only for salt water?
<Please see the Freshwater Subweb there, perhaps the section on Bettas: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/betta_splendens.htm>
Also- you live in San Diego. Would you know of some local Betta Breeders, where I can go to talk to them and look at their set ups and purchase some females? I am in Orange County, Ca.
<Dave Huie, John Pitcairn, a few others in the SDTFS will definitely know who is "into Bettas" now. Our meeting is the second Sunday night at the Casa Del Prado, rm. 101, every month... about 7:00 PM... there are "Betta Clubs", like the I.B.C. (International Betta Congress) you would greatly enjoy and benefit from being part of. Do use your search engine/s here.>
Any help would be appreciated, Cyndi
<Be chatting, Bob Fenner>

Siamese fighting fish
Hi. I was given a Siamese fighting fish in a vase with rocks. This doesn't seem right to me. What are the needs of this fish?
<Good for you for caring enough, seeking this information>
doesn't it need a larger area to swim in? 
<Actually Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta splendens, are "happy" enough in small volumes. What the real trouble is in these settings is mostly cool and vacillating temperature>
is it a freshwater fish? 
<Yes. Please see this short article on this species by me: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/betta_splendens.htm and the FAQs, link there>
how would I set up a small tank for him? does it need a filtration system? what food does it eat? I've been feeding him Betta Min and he loves it?
<A small aquarium (with a top to prevent launching itself out), heater and a few options at filtration would be great. Please see the short article referred to for practical husbandry input. Bob Fenner>
please help ASAP!
thanks.
Debra Solomon

Variegated Ivy in small fishbowl like tank (Betta)
Hi,
Hope you can help. We just set up a small aquarium at work (in our lab) using a 1-gallon glass chromatography tank. We placed a small variegated ivy
<The terrestrial species, Hetera canariensis?>
cutting in tank and added two small fish, a tiger
<Tiger what? Not a Tiger Barb I hope>
and Betta. Can we add more ivy plants to tank. The tank is narrow , about 4inches, and the plant
cutting hangs very nicely from top. We want to be sure these plants are compatible with fish.
<Me too>
As we do not have a filter or air source we believe the roots of the plant will provide oxygen to environment.
<If it's truly aquatic... but at night it may well cause the demise of the Tiger whatever... The Betta is able to breath atmospherically...>
Thanks for your help. Elaine
<A few important points: These fishes are tropical species... need relatively warm, constant water temperature... And the plant... need to check to see if it is an underwater species... We have "complete answer" type areas for these concerns on our sites... about Bettas: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/betta_splendens.htm
About plants: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/groplts101.htm
Please read through these, the associated FAQs files for sufficient background... many folks lose their livestock, quit the hobby over simple lack of pertinent information... don't let this happen to you. Bob Fenner>

Leaping Bettas
I have a brown Betta which has a little bit of blue on it's fin and I have it in a duel Betta hex next to a red one and the brown one jumps out of his Betta hex what should I do to stop him? e-mail me ASAP
<well... my serious advice is to not use these duel Betta displays which stress and torture male Bettas into this sort of behavior. Betta are solitary fishes and best kept in separate aquariums. Floating plastic or live plants are also necessary. Of course, if that doesn't work... you could just stop feeding them wolf cookies and gorilla milk for breakfast. Best regards, Anthony>

Jumping Betta II
Should I take him to a pet store and get a different one do you think?
<No, I think you should put a lid on it. -Steven Pro>

Betta
Hello. 1st and foremost,,,,,,, excellent site. I'll be setting up my first marine tank in a few weeks and I can honestly say that 75% of the knowledge that I have came from your site. But anyway...about my girlfriend's Betta.  She got one of the Bettas that come in the vase with the plant on top as a birthday gift. This was about 3 months ago. Honestly, I had never even seen these fish prior to her walking in the house with it. Needless to say she has done nothing for the fish in the 3 months. Your site has been a great help. I took it out of the vase after about a week and put it in a 2 1/2 gal tank. I felt bad for the little guy. He's been fine since I put him in there. I started off feeding him the pellets for about a month. I then picked up some bloodworms which he loved. By the way, I was using deer park water for his water changes (every two weeks). I hadn't been using any type of filter up until a week ago. Once again, I felt bad for the little guy, so I bought him a new 10gal home and a small power filter (made for 10gal). I just did the change last night. I only had 6 gallons of deer park so I decided to fill up the remainder of the tank with tap water. I put the fish in and started the filter which has a very small carbon cartridge. The fish was fine for about 2 hours, then I noticed his behavior changed. He started hanging out at the top of the tank in a corner. I tried to feed him but he just ignored the food. I then saw him drift underneath the return panel for the filter. I turned off the filter thinking that this was the problem. Still no luck. I decided to go to bed and just let him get used to his new home. It's now 7:00am and he's still hiding under the return panel. I think I made him sick by putting the tap water in there. Meanwhile my girlfriend is mad at me because she thinks I'm killing the fish THAT DOESN'T EVEN FEED!!!!!!. please help,,,,,,, any feedback would be greatly appreciated. thanks, Demetrius.
<Hey Demetrius, sounds like you are doing your best to give this fish a better quality of life, nothing wrong with that.  Feeding and filtering water is not going to kill the fish.  If you did not treat the tap water with a chlorine/chloramine neutralizer, that could be what is causing the problem.  It could also just be stress from the move to a new tank.  I would add a heater to the tank as well, despite popular belief, these fish like warm water.  Check out the links below for more information, Best Regards, Gage
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/betta_splendens.htm
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/bettafaqs.htm>