Horrible, Horrible News

[ZeeZee]

RIP Gerard. This is the oddest case of death I've ever had. So I do all my betta's water changes every week, but a few days ago, it looked like Gerard had dropsy!!! So, I changed his water again, added aquarium salt, and left him. He was doing good up to yesterday, I thought he'd really pull through so I could go out and buy medication today, as I just got some money, but then, this morning, I woke up and found him dead.

Gerard

*Sigh* He was one of my favorites.

you have my sympathy

 

[afireinside]

Sorry to hear of your loss .

Also , I think below your avatar you mean to say "formerly known as oppositearmour" , perhaps I'm wrong though.

No, it was oppositearmor. I'm in the USA, there's no "u" in it.

 

[catsmakemebark]

Betta's DO NEED bigger tanks! If you look around a bit you would see that the standard size for a betta tank is 10 gallon's with possibly a few other fish. The bare MINIMUM is 5 gallons and even that is VERY small. It is cruel too keep a betta in anything less than a 5 gallon.

Pet stores sell 5 gallon bowl that say "Goldies New Home" or something like that, but just because it says goldfish or goldie on it dosn't mean it is perfect for goldfish. Goldfish NEED 100+ gallons, just as a betta needs a 5+ tank.

You are following a breeder standard and the breeder standard is always wrong and in humane. The breeder's standard is for the money NOT the living breathing being. How do you know for sure that your betta is happy? Say you were living in a bathroom, would you be living your life to the fullest if you were fed every day and had the toliet flushed every week in your bathroom. You would want more, am I right? Well what makes you think a betta dosnt want anything more than a bathroom?

 

[K.J.]

I don't agree with you, cats. I had a betta in a 10g, after a while I moved him to a 2.5 He swims around plenty, and he makes bigger bubblenest more often. And you cannot compare bettas to humans, while bettas are intelligent I'm afraid they simply cannot compete with humans and anyone can agree with me on that, not to be cruel to bettas but really... could a betta figure out 18 x 18? I'd doubt it.

They like it, I'm sure, I would also like to have a room the size of a football field to house more tanks, but do fine in the one I'm in. (okay, understatment, I don't like the fact that I can't put more fish in but I'd rather undercrowd it than overcrowd.) Our pet store, out petsmart, DOES NOT sell 5 gallons and having 8 ten gallons is dumb. I mean, if you have one betta it's fine - luxure it, but the hobby will get more addicting. Personally I don't like to keep bettas in anything smaller than a 2 gallon.

 

[SPLiSH]

Betta's DO NEED bigger tanks! If you look around a bit you would see that the standard size for a betta tank is 10 gallon's with possibly a few other fish. The bare MINIMUM is 5 gallons and even that is VERY small. It is cruel too keep a betta in anything less than a 5 gallon.

If the fish is healthy, seems happy and lives out a normal lifespan (2-3 years) in a bowl/small tank, what is the issue?

 

[furryrabbit]

Sorry to hear of your loss .

Also , I think below your avatar you mean to say "formerly known as oppositearmour" , perhaps I'm wrong though.

No, it was oppositearmor. I'm in the USA, there's no "u" in it.

I meant that you might have meant "formerly" known as oppositearmor , instead of "formally" .

 

[tank212]

There is nothing wrong with keeping bettas in a smaller tank as long as the water is kept clean and your betta is on a good diet. I have had countless bettas in smaller tanks and when I moved them to a larger tank their activity infact decreased.

 

[sparklefuzz]

Betta's DO NEED bigger tanks! If you look around a bit you would see that the standard size for a betta tank is 10 gallon's with possibly a few other fish. The bare MINIMUM is 5 gallons and even that is VERY small. It is cruel too keep a betta in anything less than a 5 gallon.

Pet stores sell 5 gallon bowl that say "Goldies New Home" or something like that, but just because it says goldfish or goldie on it dosn't mean it is perfect for goldfish. Goldfish NEED 100+ gallons, just as a betta needs a 5+ tank.

You are following a breeder standard and the breeder standard is always wrong and in humane. The breeder's standard is for the money NOT the living breathing being. How do you know for sure that your betta is happy? Say you were living in a bathroom, would you be living your life to the fullest if you were fed every day and had the toliet flushed every week in your bathroom. You would want more, am I right? Well what makes you think a betta dosnt want anything more than a bathroom?

Makes a change someone arguing for a bigger tank for a betta and not the other way around. In my opinion, bettas are happier in smaller spaces, not tiny bowls, but 2-5g for instance. I tried two of my bettas in my 10g (at seperate times) and both sat in the corner for 3 days - obviously unhappy. Once they went back into a 2.5g they were wiggling and swimming around all over the place. Thats all the proof I need. I've also read that Bettas like to patrol their tank, and a 10g would tire them out.

 

[halfbloodprincess]

yes . Sorry about your loss . He was a very beautiful fish. I just lost one of my bettas too . He died because he got his head stuck in the rocks at the bottom of his tank. He was being curious. That tought me a lesson to never put those type of rocks in a tank again.

 

[jollysue]

I like Liz's "posh" answer.

Sorry about Gerard, OA.

I find that it depends on the fish. Miss Kinky could not navigate in a filtered tank. The boys have some trouble with their bubbles in a filtered tank. I am lazy so I like to run filters. But I'm guessing that most of my bettas would prefer less water movement.

OA has been keeping Bettas for quite awhile. He has tried different methods I believe; he has learned his lessons the hard way and from listening to his mentors. If a debate is wanted on the best way to keep Bettas, how about starting a thread for that instead of pointing out OA?

 

[afireinside]

Betta's DO NEED bigger tanks! If you look around a bit you would see that the standard size for a betta tank is 10 gallon's with possibly a few other fish. The bare MINIMUM is 5 gallons and even that is VERY small. It is cruel too keep a betta in anything less than a 5 gallon.

Pet stores sell 5 gallon bowl that say "Goldies New Home" or something like that, but just because it says goldfish or goldie on it dosn't mean it is perfect for goldfish. Goldfish NEED 100+ gallons, just as a betta needs a 5+ tank.

You are following a breeder standard and the breeder standard is always wrong and in humane. The breeder's standard is for the money NOT the living breathing being. How do you know for sure that your betta is happy? Say you were living in a bathroom, would you be living your life to the fullest if you were fed every day and had the toliet flushed every week in your bathroom. You would want more, am I right? Well what makes you think a betta dosnt want anything more than a bathroom?

Since when was this an arguement topic. Just forget about it. But one last point. Synirr breeds great bettas, and she does the same exact thing!

Now seriously, cut it out, now. I could techniquely report this as harassment. It's not major, but this also does go off topic.

OP has been keeping Bettas for quite awhile. He has tried different methods I believe; he has learned his lessons the hard way and from listening to his mentors.

That was just for breeding bettas.

 

[The Equillibrium]

Maybe this is a bit ehh..strange, but maybe the bettas have become geneticaly acustomed to smaller living quaters due to the hundreds or even thousands of genartions breed in captivity? I Personally like a min of 2.5 gallon w/ 7.5 watt heater(walmart-$7) and lights.

 

[wuvmybetta]

catsmakemebark- you've presented some arguable betta keeping opinions in this thread- but they sort of came out of nowhere and they seem a bit off topic. I don't think the original poster was looking for the answer as to why the fish died...just stating that he had a deep loss. If you wish to share your betta knowledge, or beliefs in proper tank size, please by all means start a topic. No need to turn this thread in to a debate. And welcome to the forum!

Sorry to hear of your loss, OA. He was a beautiful fish.

 

[Captain Retardo]

That really sucks OA...wasn't he part of one of your breeding pairs also?

BTW- catsmakemebark, I could argue with you but I won't, all I'll say is that OA is a great betta keeper ( I should know, I have seen all of them in person) and even has bred some.

 

[jollysue]

Sorry, OA. Please edit the quote so it says OA. I'm so forgetful.