The water is freakishly dirty, the bettas are abused, and they each live in freakishly small betta vases. What can I do to make them feel at home? Should I change their water? Should I get small tanks for them? I have the food and stuff, and I am not going to the petstore today, should I just change their water? Give them something special? Put them in a bigger vase for right now? What should I do? Huury, I only have 10 minutes....
2006-09-09 05:27:18 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
P.S. THESES BETTAS ARE HUGE. GIGANTIC. BARELY HAVE ROOM IN THEIR VASES. NOW SHOULD I GET THEM NEW TANKS?????
2006-09-09 05:31:35 · update #1
And will the bettas be ok in completely new water????? Will they die???? HELP!!!!!
2006-09-09 05:37:23 · update #2
Take a deep breath. Remember betta are tough. These guys have lived this long. Now go read betta talk. Concetrate on getting them dechorinated clean water. Keep the new and old water temps the same. Larger quarters can wait if you don't over feed, and keep the water clean.
2006-09-09 06:56:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
At a minimum change the water first. Make sure if you have different water than your friend you acclimate the bettas to it. If it is horribly dirty than it may be better to do a half water change not worry about the acclimation and then 30 minutes later do a full water change. Put each betta in a at least a gallon bowl. That is the smallest they can be happy in. Let them swim for a an hour and then feed them. Make sure you don't leave any food in the water or it will get cloudy. Change the water every other day to "cleanse" their systems of anything nasty that may have been soaking in. Do the every other day water changes about 2-3 times (so about a week) it will get them refreshed. If you want to give them something special give them blood worms. (dried). Keep an eye on them for diseases and leave them in peace for a few days to settle in. Happy fishing! and Good Luck!
2006-09-09 12:34:34 · answer #2 · answered by Charis 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is amazing the conditions in witch they are taken from in the wild. They are fine don't do to much to quick or you will harm them. they can live less then a teaspoon of water and that can be so polluted it is mind boggling. People tend to over attend to these fish. The number one killer is over cleaning I know we all want to see the fish but they water does not have to be sparkling clean. This is not true with other types of fish just these Betta's. Ensure that when you change there water never change more then 25% at a time and when you do this ensure to use a product that removes chemicals such as chlorine and cloramines you can buy this in any pet shop I personally use Prime to me it is the best out there. You can do a water change each day until you are happy with the quality that you have then stop and do them only weekly or even biweekly. Good luck with your new pets. Also if you need any other questions answered you can email me directly at barrygeller@yahoo.com
2006-09-09 12:39:31 · answer #3 · answered by Barry G 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
ok,
1. yes, change their water. if they go to the bottom and lay down, their fine. mine did that too. the water is just refreshing and maybe a little cold if they do taht. (taht!)
2. DON'T PUT THEM TOGETHER!
3.um...vase? howbout an actuall bowl?
4. they are fine with all other fish but bettas.
5. no, nothing speciall, but maybe a plant. i suggest edible kinds.
6. you spelled hurry wrong. :-P lol.
7. feel @ home? they only have THREE SECOND MEMORIES!
8. um...
9. if they are with other fish, they will be the boss, unless other fish are bigger then them, but even still, they are normally boss, cuz usually they are more active.
10. you know me, so u can ask any questions you have to me any time. always here for ya!
2006-09-09 14:40:58 · answer #4 · answered by ~Pom!~ 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If the water is "freakishly" dirty, than I suggest you clean it and replace it with fresh water. Keep them in their vases as of the moment, and then when you get the time and money, you can put them in another vase -separately, of course.
2006-09-09 12:34:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
DO NOT CHANGE THE WATER unless you have chlorine remover or distilled water. The chlorine will kill them instantly. They live in just about any container.
I believe if you own a pet you should take care of it properly. Yes they should have a larger container and proper Beta food. They don't need much, are easy to take care of. I have two. I bought the containers with an air filter and light for only $10. They have lived for years!!!!
2006-09-09 12:31:50 · answer #6 · answered by jelly-bean 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Follow what sabersquirrel said.
I just want to add, Never use distilled water. I cant believe people are still recomending it. Id love to be able to drown each person that recomends it in distilled water. Distilled has nothing in it, and fish need some minerals to live. ALways use dechlorinated tap water or spring water.
2006-09-09 23:27:50 · answer #7 · answered by lady_crotalus 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get them a new tank but DON'T keep them together if they are males. Change the water, yes, but don't forget to add some of the old water so that the fish don't suffer the shock of a completely new water. Shock can damage their swimbladder and can even kill them.
If you are using tap water, please add a de-chlorinator.
2006-09-09 14:11:49 · answer #8 · answered by oops1388 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
here is some info!!
ACCLIMATING A NEW FISH
What to do now that you’ve purchased your new betta? You need to take it home and slowly get him/her acclimated into its new home. To do this, you should prepare the tank the betta will be going into (making sure the temperature of this tank is room temperature (dechlorinated) water), and then slowly introduce water from the new tank into the holding container the betta came home in. Scoop a few tablespoons of water into the cup every 5 – 10 minutes for about 60 minutes.
NOTE: if you brought the fish home in a bag, it is recommended to place it into a cup for easier acclimation. Plastic solo cups work well for this purpose.
After the 60 minutes, the fish is ready to be carefully lowered into its new home and released!
DIET
Pellets:
HBH Betta Bites, Hikari Betta Bio-Gold
Flakes :
Should be specifically designed for bettas – high in proteins
NOTE: For young or very small bettas, flakes OR crushed pellets are a safer option – to avoid choking.
Frozen foods :
Adult Brine Shrimp, Blood Worms, Black Worms, Krill, Mosquito Larvae, Peas (*great for relieving constipation – see below)
Live foods:
Any of the above mentioned frozen foods can be fed live to bettas, but do run the risk of carrying parasites. Other live foods such as crickets, beetles, moths, etc. CAN be fed to bettas, however you must be 100% positive that the bugs have not been exposed to any pesticides, which can harm or kill your betta.
*Frozen pea preparation – place a small amount of dechlorinated water into microwaveable dish. Place a few peas (usually one pea is plenty for one betta) into the dish. Microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave, cool, remove shell, chop. Feed very small pieces to betta. Usually 2 - 3 pieces is plenty. Avoid feeding other foods to betta for 2 – 3 days. This should get things moving pretty quickly.
TANKMATES
It is important to remember that while most of these recommended tankmates may work fine with most bettas, some bettas do not tolerate any moving creatures in their tanks, and therefore caution should be exercised when adding any new creature into a betta tank.
The following are considered possible tankmates for a betta (male or female):
White Cloud Mountain Minnows
African Dwarf Frogs (NOT Clawed Frogs)
Large Snails (large enough so betta can not eat them)
The following are NOT recommended as possible tankmates for a betta:
Guppies, Mollies, Tetras, Gouramis, Platies, Neon Tetras, African Clawed Frogs, Barbs, or any other brightly colored fish that a betta might mistake as another betta.
AT NO POINT SHOULD TWO MALE BETTAS BE IN THE SAME TANK.
AT NO POINT SHOULD A MALE AND FEMALE BETTA BE PLACED IN THE SAME TANK – except when spawning.
It is acceptable for two males to share a DIVIDED tank, so long as the males are not constantly flaring at each other, causing stress. Giving a betta its own tank is generally the best idea.
TANK SPECIFICATIONS
The ideal tank for a betta will consist of silk or live plants to rest on, some sort of “toy” which could include a bridge, arch, cave, or even a makeshift toy such as a piece of pvc pipe. Bettas are extremely curious creatures and will stick their heads into anything. Make sure that any “toys” which are introduced into the tank has are no holes which a betta’s head could get stuck in. This can cause drowning and/or death, should a betta become too curious and stick its head in.
Make certain there are no open gaps anywhere along aquarium lids –bettas WILL jump – right out of their aquarium and onto the floor, if given the chance. Bettas do prefer tropical temperatures, ranging from 75 – 80 degrees. However, it is acceptable to keep a betta at a steady room temperature of 72 degrees or above. Constant temperatures are essential to keeping bettas healthy.
TANK MAINTENANCE
Regardless of tank size, ALL betta tanks require regular cleanings. ALL WATER that is introduced into a betta tank should be dechlorinated by liquid dechlorinator AND/OR aging, no exceptions.
The following water changing schedule is recommended:
1/2 to gallon to 2.5 gallons – 100% water change every 3 - 5 days
2.5 gallons to 4 gallons – 100% water change once per week
Larger, cycled tanks (established tanks that have been running with a filter for several weeks) – replace 20 – 30% of the water once a week, and gravel vacuum the tank every 2 weeks
NOTE: During 100% water changes, betta should be removed into a holding container (cups that bettas are purchased in from chain stores, solo cups, etc. make good choices) during the water change. Be sure to cover the cup to avoid a jumping betta! DO NOT use a net on a betta with very long fins. This can cause tearing and shredding of fins. Rather, use a cup and gently lower it in the water to catch the fish. Some, or most, of the water will need to be removed first to allow for catching of the fish.
Also during 100% water changes, wiping the tank out with a paper towel, rinsing décor and rinsing gravel or marbles is necessary.
NOTE: When changing water, there are 2 ways to prepare dechlorinated water – ideally, water should be dechlorinated and aged for 2 – 3 days in a holding tank before using for water changes. Sometimes aging water is not practical, so simply dechlorinating tap water is acceptable. ALWAYS make sure the water that the fish is going back into matches the temperature and PH of the water they came out of.
BETTA ILLNESSES
Bettas are susceptible to many illnesses. Some are easy to treat, others are virtually impossible. Some common signs of illness include: clamped fins, swollen or bulging eyes, shredded, torn or bloody fins, general listlessness, white spot, gold dustings, swollen belly, pineconing (or puffed out scales), and many more. With any illness, it is a good idea to begin research immediately. There are many great forums on the web which offer great advice and answers to many betta-related questions.
2006-09-10 14:44:09 · answer #9 · answered by Rainy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bettas thrive in small environments, but you should probably clean the water and give them some food right away.
2006-09-09 12:29:56 · answer #10 · answered by gimme_danger 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋