Sushi And Ember

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SamB

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Sushi was my fish that got me back into fish keeping.. Ember was an impulse buy fish after I lost a lot in a freshwater tank.
 
Let me start by saying - I am not proud of how I have treated my fish. They have been abused and are not in a good condition and it is my fault. I'm going to be honest about it, I lost track of taking care of them in excitement over my other tanks. Here are some of the tanks I have kept them in: 
 
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Most recently, the two larger of the front tanks. Previously, the smallest. They even shared the smallest for a while with a divider.
 
Again, I am not proud. Sushi, in the larger triangle tank, had a undergravel filter and heater.. but no light. Ember had no filter or heater but a color changing light. 
 
When checking in on all my fish today.. I realized how much I was damaging my beautiful bettas. I'm really upset with myself for it. Here  is their new home in a 10 gallon with a DIY divider:
 
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The tank HAD a HOB filter.. but Ember wouldn't quit attacking it. So. I threw together some DIY intank filters using water bottles and new/old media to jump my cycle and an air pump. The tank also HAD a black background.. but the fish would just stare and flare at it until I took it away. YES, there is a mirror about 6" behind the tank but it doesn't seem to be bothering them at all! Strange fish..
 
Speaking of.. Ember (VT?) is sticking to the back. This is the best picture I could get of him:
 
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I got him when he was still rather young and his tail was still developing. When I put him into this tank, I noticed it looks almost like it's splitting.. is that possible, or is it just damaged?
 
Sushi (CT), on the other hand, is a show off. I can tell he's been self mutilating, which is tragic to me.. poor guy.
 
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As you can see the tank is bare right now. I only used the decorations they previously have had. Priority 1 is getting more cover for them to keep them entertained. Suggestions? 2, I'm going to do 25% water changes every other day to help with the fin issue.. is that right? 3, they are flaring so much right now! Is this normal in a new tank or bigger tank? 
 
I'm glad you've upgrade their homes sam. :)
Puts a chill in the bones how many bettas die in tanks like that. :-(
 
I'm glad you've updated your tank!
You have your substrate (sand?) quite deep which could cause problems as air bubble pockets form and produce harmful gas.
Lot's of small waterchanges will help with the fin problem.
 
Put it behind you relevantsam, they are in a good home now and am sure they will be very happy there!
 
Went to check on them this morning and it seems Ember has gotten a bit more used to the bubble filtration as he is now swimming about the tank and not exclusively in the back! Sometimes they seem to glimpse each other through the small cracks on the sides of the divider and flare up. Will they get used to each other? Do I need to change the divider? Is this healthy for them?
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Blondielovesfish said:
I'm glad you've updated your tank!
You have your substrate (sand?) quite deep which could cause problems as air bubble pockets form and produce harmful gas.
Lot's of small waterchanges will help with the fin problem.
 
 
Thanks, me too! The substrate is deep to ensure the divider goes nowhere. I had a divider fall in a small tank once and it was very scary,  I will stir the substrate, though I can't find proof of anyone actually having cataclysmic bubbles being released. It just seems to be.. someone heard from someone who heard from someone that this happened to someone. Better safe than sorry all the same.
 
Much better!!!  Both boys have some tail issues to clear up but that will do so pretty quickly with very clean warm water.  Keep the tank set for around 80F or so and keep up with your water changes and you should start seeing improvement.  Them seeing each other through the divider is normal and they will calm down after a while.  Mine will have "sparring" times where they flare at the neighbor for a while and times where they ignore the other completely. You can plant some plants next to the divider on either side to help reduce them seeing each other for a while if you want.  Becareful with some plastic plants as they will rip and pick at your betta's fins.  I suggest silk plants if you decide to go fake or preferably with live plants.  Even though you removed the  a background--I would replace it.  You will find after a while with no background that they will be a bit startled and easy to scare.  Plus then they don't have to "guard" their territory from that side once they realize that it is normal for one wall to be black. 
 
Don't feel too bad about your previous indiscretions.  Most betta owners start out the way you did.  With containers way too small and with no heater and very little to no water changes.  What matters is that you improved once you learned what is correct. 
 
Came back from a trip home for the weekend tonight and I saw that both the bettas have calmed down a lot! No flaring, just happily swimming around. They both came up to the front to say hey. Since they were being good.. I rescaped their tank. Here's the new setup.
 
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Sushi! 
 
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And a much friendlier Ember:
 
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Oh those are nice setups. I'm loving the rocks. :good:

Is that a DIY filter?
 
He mentioned they were home-made near the beginning, TT - how did you make them, Sam?
Is the ceramic component reasonably priced?
 
Looking VERY nice Sam!   Keep the water nice and clean and both boys will heal their fins in no time.  :)
 
TallTree01 said:
Oh those are nice setups. I'm loving the rocks.
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Is that a DIY filter?
 
Thanks TT! I definitely love the look of rocks in my tanks.. love how it looked in my 30 and love how it looks here. Next to rescape is my 20, haha. And it is! Ember wouldn't stop attacking my HOB filter and I was concerned for his safety.
Mamashack said:
He mentioned they were home-made near the beginning, TT - how did you make them, Sam?
Is the ceramic component reasonably priced?
 
Yep! I used mini water bottles that I'd soaked in hot water. I drilled 5 small holes in the lid, 5 large holes in the base, and a hole barely smaller than air tubing on the neck and a mid sized hole at a 90 degree angle on the body dear the base. I popped the suction cup (use one with a ridge) into the mid size hole on the side of the bottle, then filled it with ceramic media (I had some already, but it runs about 10-12 dollars a box? I use it in my HOBs.. it's not expensive). I inserted the air tubing to half way across the mouth of the bottle through the small hole on the neck and screwed the lid on. I grabbed some filter padding/sponge and made a hole with my thumb large enough to pop the lid of the bottle in. I inserted the bottle into the pad, then popped it into the tank (it sits upside down). Plugged the tubing into an air pump and it was off and away! Works by sucking in water through the sponge and filtering it up over the ceramic. :D
 
Wildbetta said:
Looking VERY nice Sam!   Keep the water nice and clean and both boys will heal their fins in no time.  
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 Thanks WB!! I'm on a schedule of 25% every 3 days right now. Should I increase that?
 
Unless you see any other signs of them having issues or you get ammonia/nitrIte readings, that schedule should be good.  No need to change it at the moment from what I see.  
 
Was shooting some pics and got a couple of ember and sushi! Here:
 
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@ samb - most of the pics you've posted today I can't see. It's just a little blue ? markin a box. Are you uploading them differently?
 

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