New Set Up, Looking For A Betta

[Blondielovesfish]

With the nutrafin cycle, are you just adding the required amount daily? 
Nutrafin cycle is often one of the products considered as a waste of money, some people have had success with it, but the majority don't
IMO it would be best for you to add 3ppm ammonia and do the cycle that way. If you want, you can continue using the nutrafin stuff, as it can't do any harm.

 

[rodders666]

Hi, yes just following instructions on packaging. It's the first time I've done cycling with chemicals I normally feed the tank.
I will pick up some ammonia from the lfs and give it a go

 

[rodders666]

So, this is Walter
a.k.a. Walter White The Blue Meth Betta.

He's a Crowntail my wife spotted in lfs that looked in need of rescuing...he has a bit of fin damage, you can just make it out.
He looks blue, until you take a photo and the flash brings out more green.

First attempt at photographing a fish, so apologies, lol

 

[Ninjouzata]

Very lovely coloring! Lots of warm clean water will heal him up.

 

[AquaPit]

Nice Tank! Good Job!

 

[ag-au]

Betta's are labyrinth fishes, this means that they have lungs like humans in a sense they breathe air out of the water. This allows them to do better than most fish that breathe mainly through water in bad water conditions. This doesn't mean that they should be subject to poor water conditions!  Fish NEED filters! They are little waste machines! I dig the set up! Great scape. And if you want to try a different type of betta, check out "King" or "Giant" bettas! The "Elephant ear" betta is pretty, too!

 

[rodders666]

I did look at 'Dumbos', and I was due to meet a breeder as I had set my heart on a beautiful Butterfly Rosetail and/or a gorgeous Super Delta. But, the boss saw this little chap and wanted to take him home.

He actually looks a lot better today, the 'injured' part has fallen off (if that's possible) and he's swimming around a lot more rather than hiding in the plants or his pot.

ag-au, I am aware of the Labyrinth, I have researched Betta's for months before purchasing. And I agree, filters are needed for all fish.
My tank has been set up for two months, it has undergone numerous tests (I use the API master kit) and frequent water changes in the run up to housing a fish. I am also doing small frequent changes, approx 10% 3 times per week to avoid fluctuations in the temperature.

I will update with a new pic once Walter has fully settled in

 

[fluttermoth]

I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but it's very likely your tank isn't cycled, unless you did source some ammonia and use that.

Are you testing for ammonia and nitrite every day?

 

[rodders666]

Tank is fine, used a live bacteria source and bio media from existing set-up.
Tested on bi-daily frequency, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite. My nitrate level was hitting 50 so did water changes, now it's steady at around 10.

I'm not new to fish, just to Betta fish.

 

[fluttermoth]

That's all good then; I just had to check

I tried some Nutrafin Cycle a couple of years ago (got it with a tank, wouldn't have bought it) and it did absolutely nothing!

 

[Blondielovesfish]

He is a very beautiful boy! I bet he loves your tank too!

 

[rodders666]

unfortunately it seemed Walter came to me with some fin rot, which despite my best efforts and with the help of King British turned into a secondary infection of fungus. It was covering his body within 24 hours of fungus first signs. I took him to LFS who treated with salt water but poor Walter didn't make it

I have done a complete clean out of tank and I am now re-cycling it.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Oh no! I'm so sorry
 
What have you done with the tank lately?

 

[betta fish]

Aww that's a shame he was a stunner, since you are a beginner with bettas maybe try with the easier types first? I find veiltails (the type you see most often in petshops) and plakats the hardiest of them all, sometimes you can find real gems in your lfs but you just have to keep looking, saw a couple of nice plakats in my local including a marble but they were priced at 19.99 each! I got a dragon plakat from them a while back and that was only £6 so not sure why the price hike perhaps these are halfmoon plakats? I found a lovely veiltail (the fish currently in my avatar) in my petsathome recently and just had to buy him, he's a lovely orange colour with blue highlights in his tail, just make sure any future purchases you get are healthy, spend some time watching the fish and looking all over at it's fins etc, bettas do sucumb quite quickly to things and they don't deal with stress at all well, goodluck in finding your new pal