I have a 2.5 minibow tank and everytime I put a betta in it dies within 3 to 4 months. Why is this? Water stats are p.h 7.8 ammonia .0 nitrite .0 nitrate .0 but they all die but I saved one of them by putting it in a 1/2g fish bowl to treat his fins because he bit them and I think I saved him from dieing to.
Why Do My Bettas Keep Dying In My 2.5g
- Thread starter Durbkat
- Start date
splashluff
Fish Addict
I really couldn't say... it could be a billion different things. Have you bleached and scrubbed the tank completely after you put in each new Betta? Do you use the Whisper filter, and have you changed the filter cartridges after putting each new Betta in? Is there any particular place you always put the tank... like, under an air vent, in direct sunlight, or anything like that?I hope you can figure out what it is!
Maybe one of them had a contagious disease? Did you properly clean the tank each time before putting in new inhabitants? The cleaning process I have found is much more difficult than to be assumed. It sounds like this could be the cause, if everything else seems to be fine, and the fish are fine until they go into the 2.5.
ral
Fish Herder
What is your waterchange routine like for that 2.5 gallon tank?
No I didn't clean the tank after each new betta. And yes it does have a whisper power filter that came with it but the last betta in their I didn't have the filter in their but he died of constipation. Once a month water changes. No I didn't change the filter cartridge between each new betta. And yes it does get some sunlight because its diagonally across from the window but the blinds are always closed and only raised alittle bit so my plant can get some sunlight. No its not near a vent. But the betta that is now in their was fine except that he chewed his tail not sure if he would have died if I kept him in their or not.
splashluff
Fish Addict
Once a month WC's!? whaaaat? I change my 2.5g at LEAST once per week. Definitely scrub it with bleach, soak it in warm water for a day, and next time you house a Betta in there (especially without the filter 
) do WC's weekly! And, to my knowledge, Bettas usually don't die of constipation. They could've had dropsy, or a number of illnesses. If you do think it's constipation, try a diet higher in protein ~ less flakes/pellets and more frozen foods.You definitely need to start doing more frequent water changes, and if you have a fish in there atm I would take him out and do as suggested above. You could very well be putting a death wish on each betta you put in that tank.
I'm really surprised you haven't been changing the water more often, especially since "100% once a week " is practically a mantra in this forum regarding unfiltered betta environments. I was so surprised I thought you were joking at first Durbkat.
SRC
Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants won'
I asked about you nuking your tanks in your other thread and you never responded. 
You should always Nuke your tanks before using them with another fish..especially if a fish has died of unknown (or known) reason in it. Same goes for filters. Throw out the old one and replace it between fish.
2.5 gallons need water changes every 7-9 days, as mentioned. Regardless of if they are filtered. It's next to impossible to cycle a 2.5 gallon tank.
Bettas can and will die from constipation due to bacterial infections..from the waste decomposing inside them...if it's not alleviated within a reasonable time frame.
To Nuke a tank:
STEP 1. Mix up a solution of 1 part clorox to 3 parts water (if you are making a gallon of solution mix 1 quart clorox to 3 quarts water).
STEP 2. Let this soak for several hours...make sure all of the tank is submerged (or atleast make sure it is filled to the rim...so none of the inside is left untreated..it's best to soak it if possible).
STEP 3. Rinse the tank until YOU cannot smell the clorox anymore.
STEP 4. Sit the tank outside for 24 hours and let the clorox evaporate.
STEP 5. Fill the tank with water and let it sit a few hours, then smell the water to make sure all evidence of clorox has been removed. If you still small clorox repeat STEPS 4 & 5 until the corox smell is no longer present.
You should always Nuke your tanks before using them with another fish..especially if a fish has died of unknown (or known) reason in it. Same goes for filters. Throw out the old one and replace it between fish.
2.5 gallons need water changes every 7-9 days, as mentioned. Regardless of if they are filtered. It's next to impossible to cycle a 2.5 gallon tank.
Bettas can and will die from constipation due to bacterial infections..from the waste decomposing inside them...if it's not alleviated within a reasonable time frame.
To Nuke a tank:
STEP 1. Mix up a solution of 1 part clorox to 3 parts water (if you are making a gallon of solution mix 1 quart clorox to 3 quarts water).
STEP 2. Let this soak for several hours...make sure all of the tank is submerged (or atleast make sure it is filled to the rim...so none of the inside is left untreated..it's best to soak it if possible).
STEP 3. Rinse the tank until YOU cannot smell the clorox anymore.
STEP 4. Sit the tank outside for 24 hours and let the clorox evaporate.
STEP 5. Fill the tank with water and let it sit a few hours, then smell the water to make sure all evidence of clorox has been removed. If you still small clorox repeat STEPS 4 & 5 until the corox smell is no longer present.
ral
Fish Herder
The tank is filtered so, it is supposed to reduce water changes.
But I did have a higher frequency of illness in my 2.5 gallon filtered tanks than my smaller 1 gallon tanks so I simply stopped using the filters.
My routine for the 2.5G filtered tanks was a 10% water change every other day so that I could clean the gravel regularly and reduce the nitrites and every month or so I did a 30% change.
The nitorgen cycle is what allows smaller changes in filtered tanks.
Amonia is produced by your betta (it is deadly and the main cuase of fish death)---> The biological filter convert it to a less harmful subtance called nitrates ---> Plants convert the nitrates to the even less deadly nitrites ---> Nitrite levels are kept low by partial water changes.
In even event it did not work for me...
So my 2.5G-3.5G tanks are now given 100% changes weekly with two 30-40% during the week.
But I did have a higher frequency of illness in my 2.5 gallon filtered tanks than my smaller 1 gallon tanks so I simply stopped using the filters.
My routine for the 2.5G filtered tanks was a 10% water change every other day so that I could clean the gravel regularly and reduce the nitrites and every month or so I did a 30% change.
The nitorgen cycle is what allows smaller changes in filtered tanks.
Amonia is produced by your betta (it is deadly and the main cuase of fish death)---> The biological filter convert it to a less harmful subtance called nitrates ---> Plants convert the nitrates to the even less deadly nitrites ---> Nitrite levels are kept low by partial water changes.
In even event it did not work for me...
So my 2.5G-3.5G tanks are now given 100% changes weekly with two 30-40% during the week.
Synirr
"No one is a failure unless you try"
It's practically impossible to filter a tank under 5 gallons because the water parameters fluctuate at the drop of a hat in smaller tanks, so filtering a 2.5 gallon does not reduce the need for water changes. Instead, you could probably get away with doing a 50% water change weekly instead of 100%. I mean Christ, even in filtered tanks most on this forum agree you need to do a 10%+ water change at least once every two weeks!! Once monthly water changes is almost certainly the cause of your deaths, there's no way the ammonia could stay at 0 over that period of time. I do weekly water changes on all my tanks, even the filtered and heavily planted ones, just to make sure the water is perfect for my babies 
ral
Fish Herder
That sounds about right... my filtered 5 and 15 gallon tanks have been fine... always been wondering what I was doing wrong with the 2.5G.
jollysue
Fish Connoisseur
ral, did you mix up your nitrItes and nitrAtes? She asks as she leaves to do water changes in her 3 gals.
bettaBetta
Fish Fanatic
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The pH is rather high too. I don't think it could hurt to try lowering it a bit and seeing how that works, betta perfer it more around 7.0. zdo you de-cholrinate the water and make sure when you change the water that the temp. is fairly close?
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