Just can't keep bettas?

Question

I have come to a conclusion, I cannot keep bettas. From this day on I shall no longer purchase these creatures for they have all ended up finding an early demise. No matter what condition I keep them in. My latest tradegy (RIP Phineas) was found in the filter of his 2.5g heated tank. Chem levels were all good. *sigh* Poor thing.

Has anyone else come to a type of conclusion like this? You just can't properly take care of... or whatever.

Actually, bettas do require heated tanks and filtration. They are tropical (there comes in the heater) and you can't just keep them in stale water.

I am not new to the fish keeping hobby. I've actually been keeping goldfish (and now platys and mollies) for 9 years (I had 2 goldies live for 8 and 1 for 9 years).

As I have said before, I am NOT new to fish keeping.

I check nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, PH, etc. etc. I do regular water changes and keep everyone happy.

I did not have my past bettas in this tank. This tank was cycled before my betta was added. The tempature was kept at a constant 78f.

Answer 1

I strongly agree that they need tanks of 2 gallons minimum, and heaters. They are tropical, so unless your home is always at 75 degrees or more, they need a heater. And filters are good, and provide a good place for the nitrifying bacteria to live, but the current should be low (sponge filters are the best...very little water movement). Fast current can stress a betta and cause it to succumb to disease. And yes, they do live in rice patties, but these are far from the puddles people seem to think they are. They are often a couple of feet deep and span many miles, so they are in no way small, and a 10 gallon tank is a much better approximation of a betta habitat than a tiny bowl. There is simply no logic to a smaller space being better...they are harder to control ammonia and other nitrogenous compounds in, the temperature fluctuates too much, and they allow too little room for movement. Bettas are smart, curious creatures that need room to swim, soft plants to lay on, and things to explore and play with (they even like moving marbles across a sand substrate with their noses).

As for the deaths, I agree with darkangel. Pet store bettas are often old and ill (they are sold by the commercial breeders after they have passed breeding age, and with a life span of little more than 3 years usually, that doesn't leave much life). Look for young ones, buy from reputable breeders, and look for healthy specimens.

Also, you say your "chem levels" are good, but make sure you are checking ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, not just one or two as many people do. The first two should never be over 0ppm, and the third should never be over 40ppm (20ppm is a better place to aim for).

Answer 2

You tank setup seems ok but what water parameters are you keeping it in? Sometimes the fish that end up in US stores are so badly weakened by transit and diseased, they have no chance of surviving long term.

Have you tried buying from a breeder?

It sounds like your fish have been dying from disease to me. The fact that you have lost several in the same water is a good indication something is very wrong there.

Betta_Flare on Livejournal or UK Betta Forum are the best for info and help. Take some water tests of you tank and post them for analysis. Top tips for buying a betta include only selecting fish with full, long finnage (no black edges). Fat bodies and evidence of bubble nests. These will be the healthiest fish.

Keep the filter current low and heat at around 23-26degrees celsius. Treat the fish with Melafix and a little aquarium salt when you first get him to boost electrolytes and cure any store contaminations. Check water daily for ammonia build up for the first week or so if the filter is new.

Don't give up - just get help!

Answer 3

I agree with Harley. Small bowl, one fish, no heater. I use a turkey baster and gently suck about 2/3rds of the water out without removing the fish. I do that weekly. Then I put room temperature treated water (anti-chlorine drops) gently back in the bowl. Some food is too hard for them. Look for the Betta Bits that are soft. Do not over feed. Put a very very tiny amount in every day but super tiny. If you can find the soft Betta Bits it will be hard to see but try 3 or 4 little tiny bits. A teeny tiny bit of crushed flake OCCASIONALLY too. Do NOT overfeed. Do not remove them when cleaning. You will find the turkey baster will suck up the debris that is on the gravel. Only put authorized fish decorations, not something you think is pretty. If it isn't made for a fish tank it can posion the fish. The least you fool around with Bettas, the better they are. Good luck. Don't give up. I have had great success and we had one at the office for years. I think he just got old and died.

Answer 4

Hey - asshats - bettas do perfectly well in larger tanks. I have one in a 20-gallon with a guppy, and one in a 55-gallon with 15 fish and 3 frogs. In fact, to you people quoting their natural habitats as rice "patties" and puddles, take this on for size:

http://www.bettadreams.com/ricepaddies.html

Oh, and while you asshats (no, not you Zoer or any of you actual knowledgeable betta people) are at it, read up on proper betta care:

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1918&articleid=2340

Zoer, listen to the non-asshats. They actually know what they're talking about. To the rest of you, sorry if I've offended you, but I'm getting pretty sick of you people that have no clue what you're talking about opening your mouth and spouting falsities. Do some research before you answer questions. Heck, do some research before you buy your fish - they're trusting you with their lives, the least you can do is provide the best possible life for them.

EDIT for Charis: Now that I think of it, the heaters that are designed for the smaller tanks are only supposed to raise the temperature of the water 4 to 6 degrees above the room temperature. Now unless her heater malfunctioned (which is always a possibility), I highly doubt she fried her betta.

Answer 5

Even as you insist on a few things you have them a little off. Bettas are happy in a heated aquarium and they are tropical fish however you CANNOT heat anything smaller than five gallons. The water temp changes to fast and can easily go to high. You probably cooked the fish. Depending on the size of the aquarium and how often you change the water depends on whether you need filtration. My bettas live happyil in one gallon bowls that are not heated or filtered. I change the water entirely at least once a week.

Answer 6

Boy do I hear you! I got a betta for our Grand baby and the darn thing died. After 3 more tries I have finally found the solution.
Get a small beta container. One with a slotted lid. Betas need small containers and lots of air.
They should not be in larger containers, nor heated or filtered containers.
Change their water once a week.
They are not long living fish but we have found that this is the best way. We have had one now for over a year and no problems.

Answer 7

teh natural betta habitat is rice patties, meaning very little space. they tend to do really well in smaller environments. as a fish hobbyist, i keep bettas as strictly decorative. like in a glass hanging on the wall or on a desk to add some colour and movement to an otherwise drab space. just change out half the water every week or so and they should do fine.

Answer 8

A small tank is harder to keep in balance with fish. It sounds crazy, but the larger the tank the easier it is to keep fish alive.

Find the right kind of fish for that size tank. Bettas aren't a good fit for your setup.

Answer 9

We got a beta for my daughter over a year ago, and it lasted almost 2 months. Not very long lifetime for a fish I know. It wasn't in a heated tank though, just a large bowl that we cleaned every couple of days. I think they should warn people when buying them, but of course the pet shop owners/operators want them to sell well.
I'm really sorry for your loss. Maybe try goldfish or another type of pet?

Answer 10

My fish, Mithril is kept in a small .75-1 gallon fishbowl with minimal light, no heater and no filter and he is healthy and 2 years old...try taking away filters and heat...if the filter is too strong it can hurt the betta, and they do not need the heat, they are adaptable, they are from asia, also 2.5 gallons can be too large for a single solitary beta, they live in mud puddle in rice paddies in asia...