This is Craziness

[Calusa]

ok... kudos to whoever can figure this one out....

I have a tank of fish, including a Peter's Elephant nose, Rosy Barb... thing, tigerbarb and danio. That tank is fine and dandy.

I have had probably about 4 bettas in the past MONTH... in different tanks, some getting full sunlight, others getting absoultely none, and everything in between (come to think of it, I tried to breed a pair last summer, and they both died within a week as well) so I am NOT having luck with Bettas. Now I thought that Bettas were easy-keepers, tolerant of poor conditions, etc, etc. I gave water changes, everything a Betta could wish for... yet all have died within 2 weeks. I have an Elephant nose, as previously stated... and I thought those were extremely intolerant of poor water conditions, and he's lived for about 5-6 weeks, quite happily. So why can't I keep 'easy' fish? I don't know where I can get a test kit, so I haven't been able to do that, but we have well water, so it's not F, Cl or any other chemical city water is treated with. Temperatures have been stable. The fish were fed 'cream of the crop' foods such as brine shrimp, and the hikari pellets.

I don't want to kill any more fish, but I really like bettas, and wish I had more success with them again. When I was only about 6 years old, I kept them for years...

 

[William]

Well, its a tough one. Did the bettas show any signs that they were going downhill before they died? Perhaps the barbs were picking on them. Were there ripped fins?

 

[Calusa]

they were in seperate tanks, I was just using my other tank as an example that I don't think the problem is in the water. The bettas were in an unfiltered tank, but I used to use a beryl pipet to feed brine shrip, and also to put a few jets of air into the water, and allow them to be aeriated a bit. About 2 days before they died, they would collapse their fins and just lie against a back wall. Can bettas get stressed from being in a small space, or being close to another (as in those 'betta cubicles' where the 2 hexagons are attached)?

and the first betta that died, and caught my attention, was one that seemed to develop a spot on it's back, then by the time it died, it's entire body appeared to be encircled by a fungus-type thing that looked like a dandilion in the late summer (where all that's left is the seeds, that float away in the breeze).

Thanks for your input!

 

[wotfish?]

ok, no offence intended just my opinion.
Bettas always get the raw deal, yes they do need room to swim ie a decent size tank, and yes they do need a filter and heater.
I have kept and bred bettas successfully, imo they need a min 5 gal tank but pref bigger. They also need regular water changes, no fish is happy in poor water conditions.

they love bloodworm.

sue

 

[Calusa]

none taken-

but, I've kept bettas for over 10 years, and somehow have never had to have a heater or filter, though most of the time I provide a filter.... guess I've just gotten away with the bare minimum. *shrugs*

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Amadaca]

Well, I personally refuse to keep a fish in anything less than the recommended room it requires, & no matter how much like a fish, I wont buy it if my tank doesnt suit its needs.

However, fighters can be kept in very small spaces, altho I wouldnt do this permanently, not ideally anyway. These fish come from tiny puddles to begin with & many aquarium-bred lines live in tiny tanks most of their life. Preferably keep them in a large tank as with all fish, but it is not as cruel to shrink their housing as other species.

As far as the deaths go, remember that fighters are surface-dwellers & very much dislike a lot of water movement, so remember not to implement a filter that creates a lot of surface movement.You said one fish appeared to die of a disease? This may have affected the other fish, even if they didnt appear to catch it. How much time had elapsed between your sick fish's death & the intro of new animals?

Of course, it never hurts to review, & meticulously carry out, the basics for good care of fighters...

1) Keep surface movement to a minimum.
2) Dont house with fin nippers, especially barbs.
3) Utilise bloodworms where possible.
4) Stay alert...fighters will give you signs if something's wrong.
5) Avoid mixing with aggressive fish, regardless of size.