My fish are getting sick, hers stays healthy! Why??

Question

Hi,
This has been really bugging me. I am very faithful about doing a partial (1/4) water change every week on all my tanks. I add the correct amount of dechlor to the water, and make sure its chemistry is close to the tanks. I change my filter cartidges once a month, and feed my fish twice a day. None of my tanks are overstocked, this is what I have-
-1 male betta in 10 gallon w/ power filter set on low and heater that keeps water at 78-80F
-1 male betta in 5 gallon w/ undergravel filter and heater that keeps water at 78-80F
-2 male bettas in divided 10 gallon w/ heater that keeps water at 78-80F and 2 small power filters
-1 29 gallon w/ 12 female bettas, a heater that keeps the water at 76-78F, 4 bronze cories, and 1 small dwarf pleco w/ 55 gallon power filter

This is what she has
-1 male betta in a 2.5 gallon w/ no heater or filter
-1 male betta in a 1 gallon w/ no heater or filter
This is how she takes care of her fish- either adds way too much or not enough declor, when she adds new water, it is not close to the temp in the tank, changes thier water maybe once a month, usually every other month. I have kown her for a year, and her fish have never been sick! Why? I have dealt w/ dropsy, swim bladder, ick, fungus, internal bacterial infection, etc.
Please though, know saying what a bad betta owner she is. She really does love her little guys, she just doesn't read book after book on fish care and her life doesn't involve fish on a high priortory.

Answer 1

Try not to feel bad! You're really doing so much right and it's obvious you care about your fish. How long have you had them? It occurs to me that you have a lot more fish than she does and some fish are just healthier than others. If you got ONE sick fish and put it into the tank with healthy fish, there's a chance they'll all get sick. But really, keep doing what you're doing and don't worry about her.

The only things:
-*- You didn't mention a gravel vac routine. No matter how often you change your water, poop is going to build up in the gravel as well as any uneaten food and foul the water. Bettas also have so much fin, that it's easy for them to get finrot from that when they spend any time at all resting near the bottom.
-*- The only reason you should have to change a filter cartridge is if it has carbon in it. Everything else (sponges, ceramic, etc) is rinsable and can be reused until it's literally falling apart. And only rinse until the solid gunk is off of it. It doesn't have to LOOK pretty to work; in fact, your cycling bacteria live in the sponge, and it's probably you're re-cycling your tank once a month, which is a lost of stress on your fish.
-*- Whenever you add a new fish, quarantine it first in a small extra tank (even just a 2.5 will do with the fish you have) for a couple of weeks, to watch for signs of ich or infections.
-*- How old is your undergravel filter? Those have to be totally broken once in a while and cleaned or they get cruddy. That's why I don't use them.

Oh, and DON'T lower your tank temps. Goldfish like 70 or below, not bettas. Your temps are perfect.

Good luck!

Answer 2

You may be killing your fish with kindness. What Ammonia and Nitrite levels are in your tanks? In an established tank they should both be 0 [zero]. Also, I'd recommend:
1. tank filters that move a lot of water [I personally don't like under-gravel filters].
2. Set the heaters closer to 70°F or lower for the Bettas.
3. Feed them once a day, an amount that is completely eaten in one or two minutes.
4. When you do the weekly ¼ partial water changes, vacuum [ask at an aquarium shop if you haven't already got one] the substrate gravel of decaying food and and fish waste.
5. DON'T change the filter sponge every month. Just squeeze out the muck or wash it in your old tank water [NOT with tap water] and put it back in. A lot of good bacteria is contained in that filter media.
Alternatively just do what your sister does with the Bettas.
Good luck and I hope it goes well.

Answer 3

Never do a 100% waterchange on your tanks

25% weekly is perfect

I would check the ammonia first, if it's off chart do a 50% waterchange right away, i guess you have a sick female betta, just guessing, haven't read your other Q yet

fin rot is from bad waterconditions, even if you do a weekly partial, you may still have high ammonia in there, which needs to be taken care of

Personaly i also put 1 tablespoon aquarium salt to 5 gallon a week, which keeps diseases at bay as well

http://www.healthybetta.com/articles/Illness%20Diagonsis/finrot.html


Hope that helps
Good luck


EB

Answer 4

if your fish are getting sick then your not doing the right things.

Two things stand out from your question.

1/4 water change and once a month filter cleanage.

My question to you is why....

That is too little which is causing your fishes to get sick. From your other question again, poor water quality leads to dropsys and if your bettas are always getting dropsys and dieing, then your not doing something right.

You need to increase your water changes to somewhere around 50%. I personally do a 100 % water change.

You need to clean the filter once a week or once every two weeks. The fishes can handle the double cleanage, and a filter isnt going to help unless it is clean.



Edit: dont worry what she is doing, there are plenty of exceptions to fishkeeping, you really should focus on what your doing and learn how to correct it.

Answer 5

Don't take Air Borne, lol, that stuff does not paintings and they are being sued for fake commercial. Anyways, the fine option to keep healthful is continuously wash your palms for a minimum of 20 seconds to kill the entire germs and maintain your palms away out of your face up to you'll considering the fact that you'll capture the germs for your palms and whilst you rub your eyes you'll be able to get inflamed by means of the germs and get ill. Drink plenty of water too and keep away from ill persons!