eBetta.com

Hello fellow bloggers,

I have a mystery I need help solving! One of my bettas is turning white. It is slowly spreading from his dorsal fin all around his body. It isn’t a fungus or sickness. Nothing is growing on him. He is active, healthy and eats like a piggy. His tank stays at a reasonable temperature and he gets weekly water changes. Is this from old age? He has been living close to a year.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

K

Well, I have 4 bettas. One is recovering from fin rot and now two more are in the very beginning stages. I put a little aquarium salt in their tanks ever weekly water change and keep the temperature steady. They get wonderful water changes and still get fin rot. Is this because bettas are just really prone to getting it? I thought I was being a good mom and taking care of my babies. But no such luck. I am getting meds today, so they will be on the road to recovery. But blah. Fin rot sucks.

Happy holidays!

K

Edit: found a nice little fish store close to my town that I had no idea was there! Picked up some meds the owner swears by and started treatment yesterday. Keep you posted!

Okay, I have had enough of the questions about keeping male betta fish and female betta fish together. Just about everyday someone asks me this: “Can I keep my male betta fish with a female betta fish?” or “Why are my male betta fish and my female betta fish always ripping each other fins off?” or any variation of these questions.

From now on everyone he emails me this question is getting sent to this page.

No you CANNOT keep them together. They will kill each other. Don’t worry, they won’t get lonely either – obviously they don’t like to be around other fish.

Almost immediately after I say they can’t be kept together people always ask “Well then how do they breed?” For that answer you need to look at this page: http://www.ehow.com/how_2002252_breed-betta-fish.html

This question comes from Unoe

i jus bought my betta bout a few days ago and today i bought some neon tetra for the tank as well, i got three of them and they seemed fined until i went home a put them in the tank they all seemed to get along my betta left the others alone and no harm done, i went out and when i came back i noticed that i only saw two of the three neon tetras in the tank the third was at the bottom dead, is it possible that it died of disease or jus stress, because it kinda was the runt from the three,and he stayed on the top of the tank, and never went down he jus stayed there gulping, so i jus thought he was jus retarded, im jus concerned bout the other fish are they gone be ok, cuz when i took em out he wasnt stiff, he was jus limp, does that mean he died from something else and not that neon tetra disease i’ve heard about?

No, The neon tetra probably died because the betta killed it. Betta’s can sometimes get along with other fish for a short period of time. But a small fish like neon tetras becomes easy targets. I have seem people feed those kind of fish to betta’s before. It is just not a good mix. The guy at the pet store shouldn’t have told you to do that.

I have been gettting tons of emails and comments about betta fish with lots of interesting questions. I will attempt to answer some of them here.

I am always asked: What is the best store to buy betta fish?
My opionion is the petco is the best corporate/chain pet store for betta fish selection and quality…

Also guys (and gals) you may want to take a look at your local FISH store… the kind that only specialize in fish. Not any kind of chain. That is where you can find the truly spectacular betta fish you see posted here from time to time.

I live in Florida and there are a TON of fish stores around me that have an amazing betta fish selection. I know a couple owners of these shops personally that give me a call when they have something they know I’m loooking for.

Please consider searching for a fish hobbiest store in your area before going to the chain pet store for betta fish.

ok tomorrow I’m going to get two bettas, 1 female and 1 male. I have two separate 1.75 gal. tanks w/ two plastic plants and a cave. They will each have a filter and I put the chemical in that you need one drop of for tap water. I have the right food, too. I keep reading that you need a lot of space for bettas, but a couple of years ago we had bettas in the same conditions, but they didn’t last long, I’m not sure if it’s because the store I got them from just had them in l a cup of water in plastic bags…. or am I doing something wrong please help!

Also, I was wondering if there’s enough room for a different fish or something to put into the females tank? help!

1.75 gallons is enough rooms for betta fish… I have seem them kept for a very long time in very some jars/containers (not that they were happy).

Also, are you sure you have the right food? Some pet store sell those betta flakes that betta just seem to hate. Try pellets if you can.

As for keeping different fish with females – I would not suggest it. They are still pretty agressive and could potentially kill the other fish.

O also I know what you mean about the people and what they tell you!
1.They told us that guppies were very hardy and did not need the special chemical for tap water or could be put in the tank right away!
2. They told us to wash the tanks with soap, but luckily we knew better.
3. They told us you could a male betta in with different fish….We got him out in time.
That has been a few years ago and I want my bettas to be happy and healthy

4. Also do I really need a heater?

1. Correct! Guppies are not that hardy.
2. Correct! Don’t use soap ever.
3. Correct again! Male bettas are extremely aggressive.
4. Nope, Not unless you keep your house cold. They enjoy temperatures in the upper 70’s and 80’s. I suggested this to someone who kept there house at 70-72 f.

I also read that you should not put rocks in for bettas, because a tank like mine should be cleaned often and the rocks make the tank dirty or something Maybe I’m just thinking to hard idk!

You can keep rocks with you betta. Just be sure to clean them from time to time. I personally don’t because I don’t like to spend a lot of time cleaning the betta tanks. Rocks are good though.

o i read that i need to clean the tank 2-3 times a week, is that true?

Well.. if you have a filter that often is not necessary. I clean my tanks once a week with no filter. But some people prefer more often.

This is the best website I’ve found so far and want to make sure I’m doing everything right! I read somewhere, it might have been wikipedia that said black bettas don’t live nearly as long as the others is that true?

Never heard that before. I have had a black betta fish for a very long time. Also… it may be kind of hard for you to find a black betta fish as they are somewhat rare to see in stores.

Aqua has been acting a little weird lately like not making bubble nest, little sluggish, and not eating. Just wondering what wrong with him if you know please tell me . This is the one I got at petco the worst place to buy bettas

Absolutely! We’ve all experienced with our Bettas how they spit out certain foods, but gobble down others before you can get it completely in the tank. Fish have Tastebuds. These Tastebuds are located in their Mouth, on their Lips and in surrounding areas on their Heads.

Their Tastebuds act as receptors. The receptors signals the brain that they are in contact with food. And in many cases, the Fish can smell the food, even if they can’t see it.. In addition, the Fish use their sense of Smell, in connection with their Tastebuds to detect food.

Note: Many times, I’ve dropped food in that tanks, and the Betta didn’t see it. But he finds it within a minute. It’s those Tastebuds and Nostrils at work.

A piebald betta is nothing more than a marble betta, but with the head having a flesh like color. The color of the rest of the body is not important for a betta to be classified as a piebald.

Although Bettas do not require as much water as gold fish or other tropical fish, they should not be kept in a container or tank that is too small. Generally, anything below one gallon is too small for a Betta to live in and would require very frequent water changes – once every two days – that are stressful for the betta and too time-consuming for you. Remember, Bettas are living organisms that produce waste, which can accumulate to dangerous levels if the container is not large enough to accommodate their metabolic load.

Incredibly Well! In fact due to the placement of the Eyes on the Body, Fish can see better than humans. They have an almost peripheral viewing field of 360 Degrees with just the slightest of a blindspot.

The Fish Eyes are similar to humans. They have an Iris, Cornea, Retina and Lens. Their Retina allows them to refract light. And their Lens can move back and forward to allow them to see both near and far. They have remarkable underwater vision that allows them to see at great depths and distances. Their Vision comes in handy. It allows them so see their predators “before” they become lunch.

Note: Some Fish can see in Colors. The perception of Color, varies by Species. Betta Fish can see in color.

Many Scientists disagree on whether a Fish can actually feel pain. While it’s noted that Fish have the Neurological and Psychological ability to feel, Scientist don’t believe they have the higher brain functions to process this sensation of feeling as being pain.

However, they all agree that Fish have Sensory Receptors that simulate the sense of Touch/Feel. Therefore, they can use these Sensors to Touch, but what they actually “feel” is still up for debate.

If you forgot to cover your Betta’s home, there is a good chance that he may have jumped out. Do not dispose of your Betta, even if he seems dried up. Since Bettas are equipped with a labyrinth organ, they can survive even after being virtually dry. Carefully pick up your Betta. If he jumped out recently, his slime coat may stick to the surface – gently sprinkle some water on him until you can pick him up without force. If you skip this step, you may damage his scales and expose him to a myriad of diseases. There is no need to add water if the fish can be easily removed. Place him back in his tank and do not feed or disturb him in any way for 24 hours. It may take him a few hours to recover, so do not panic if he doesn’t move. After 24 hours add a protective antibiotic, such as BettaMax to his water. You may feed him at this time, although he may not accept food for days due to the stress of being without water. Remember – ALWAYS cover your Betta’s home!

There are a few things to consider before installing a filter.

1. Tank size – if your tank is under three gallons, filters should not be installed under any circumstances. The disturbance from the current will tear your Betta’s fins and cause him undue stress.

2. Betta’s sex – females can generally tolerate air currents much better because of their small fins.

3. Type of filter – power filters and under-gravel filters should not be used in tanks under 10 gallons. Small filters with adjustable current are much better tolerated if set to the lowest current.

4. Individual Betta – if you’ve had more than one Betta, you know that Bettas tend to have very individual personalities. Some fish will thrive in filtered tanks, while others become sick. Observe your Betta very closely after the installation of the filter – look for signs of fin rot, lethargy or swim bladder problems; if you see any abnormalities, take the filter out immediately.

Yes, Fish can Smell. In fact most of them have Nostrils. Their Nostils have Sensors that can detect odors in the water and sends the signals to their brain. These same Nostrils can detect the blood from other Fish as well. Sharks rely heavily on their Nostrils, as they can detect food over long distances.

Fish also use their sense of Smell to detect the smell that females emit. This detection of the female scent is said to signal the “willingness to breed”.

Yes, and No. Bettas can be kept with other fish, however, remember that male Bettas are VERY territorial toward any fish that they think is another male Betta invading their territory. Though each Betta is a distinctive individual and will have his own personality, here are some ways to identify potential problem fish: fish with large amounts of red or blue coloring (i.e. Swordtails), fish with long, flowing fins (i.e. Guppies, Angelfish, High-Fin Tetras, Sailfin Mollies), fish with similar shapes (i.e. Gourami, Dwarf Gourami, Female Bettas). Also, watch out for fish that will nip and tear the Bettas fins, as this can result in infection or fighting and will cause stress. I do not recommend you keep your betta with any other fish.