A Speck Of Advice To All New Betta Owners.... And Senior Betta Owners.

[zophie]

Hey,

I have just learned something the hard way.
Let's start at the beggining. I have a CT named Kenji. He is the most active betta I know, zooming around my tank, flaring non stop etc. Not the type of fish you could keep with other fish. So anyway, one day I saw a betta fish with a fake cave. I decided to get one for Kenji. When I got home, I realised that the cave was pretty big. So I just ditched all my stuff (plastic plants, no fishing sighns etc.) and plopped the cave in. It took up all the space. When I put Kenji back in the tank,

HE WAS SHOCKED.

And that's what almost killed him.

He swam around, and was like "Whats all this stuff?" then he swam over to the corner, and just stayed there. So I was begginign to think this was weird. Kenji never stayed in the same place. So I watched him. He stayed like this for about ten minutes. Then suddenly, his side fins stopped moving. I, being me, started to cry, I felt just horrible. I had just killed my fish. Then I looked down at him. Suddenly, he shot headfirst into the heater. He was propelled backwards, and lay dazed in the water. I was so scared. Then he got up, and went back to his corner. Soon his fins stopped moving.
I knew he was going to die soon.

I watched for ten more horrible minutes. Then he swam the middle of the tank, and slowly started to tip bakwards.

I , being me, screamed, and ran out of the room. I was crying and screaming crazily. Then I looked back into the room, and herd

KWA-THUP!

Guess Kenji was not dead, and had propelled himselfe into the heater again, this time with so much force I was sure he would kill himselfe.
I moved the heater and Cave out of the tank so that it was empty. i was just about to start crying, when I got a call from my boyfriend. His mother was dying,, and neede me there. So I packed my stuff, took one last look at Kenji, and ran out the door.


2 hours later..


I come back in to the house. I am to afraid to see Kenji. Slowly I creep up to my room... I look into my bedroom, and ther is....


KENJI, MY BELOVED BOY, BACK TO NORMAL.

Me, being me, scream in delight, and run around the room. He flares and look happy. I am just about to put his old decorations into the tank, when I remember something... change of enviroment is what almost killed Kenji.

so for now, Kenji's staying in a empy tank---- For Now.

Moral of this true story:

Never change the enviroment of your betta- no, any fish- without giving a heads up.

Zophie


PS: Everything is true! Promise!

 

[anwhyte]

thanks for sharing.

 

[VaegaVic]

I can't help but think some of that was ridiculously over dramatised, or poorly written.

I very much doubt a change in environment would shock him as much as you said, perhaps he would be a bit timid at first, the same as all new fish are when they go into a new environment, but if your story is to be believed (which I sincerely doubt), then you're basically telling us not to change the tank in any way, shape or form with existing fish. This could in turn be likened to adding new fish to a new environment, so basically as the fish is not used to the new area he would be a new fish, so we shouldn't add fish to a tank at all?

Shall we just kill the hobby then?

How on earth are we supposed to give a heads up? Post them a letter?

I think a better moral of the story is to never change everything at once and just do it gradually, although again, I don't see a point in this as fish love change.

 

[BethK]

No offense but changing an environment shouldn't be an issue with bettas or fish in general. How small/big is your tank, as you say that the cave took up most of the space.

I am constantly changing my plants around, adding new things, taking things away with my bettas (male and females), with no issue.

 

[CrystalClear16]

I can't help but think some of that was ridiculously over dramatised, or poorly written.

Oh come on, there is no need to be so mean. I agree with what you are saying about the positives of changing environments but is it really necessary to be rude?

@zophie: Don't be scared to change your tank around a bit, otherwise he will get bored. Don't let a bad few hours put you off.

 

[loraxchick]

i agree that changing the decor in the tank is actually good for bettas on other fish in general. sorry you had a scare tho. i would be more worried about chemicals on the decor if the fish had in fact not lived thru the tank change. not the actual change of scenery. im constantly changing my tanks to keep them interesting for me and my fish. bettas love to explore and investigate anything new.
all the best
cheers

 

[zophie]

I'm sorry if know one beleives me, but I am really telling the truth, and it was really scary for me. I beleive that it is good to change the enviroment of your fish, but I think you should slowly and carefully change the enviroment,not just smak him/her into it.

Okay?

 

[OldMan47]

I think we all believe you were scared by the experience. That does not mean that a betta or any other fish cannot adapt to changes in the decor in their tank. Rather than worry about the arrangement in your tank, I would be looking at the effect your new ornament had on the water's quality.

 

[zophie]

I think we all believe you were scared by the experience. That does not mean that a betta or any other fish cannot adapt to changes in the decor in their tank. Rather than worry about the arrangement in your tank, I would be looking at the effect your new ornament had on the water's quality.

yeah, that was proboly it. I chose the cave out of a tank in the fish store- I bet the water chemistry was alot different thn mine- also, the cave looked pretty big in my 2 gallon, I don't think Kenji was so used to hav]ing such a big thing in his territory~!