Fish Lovers 3.0 [new poll]

[PeachFuzz]

Sorry that this has taken so long. Here are some photos of Paragon as he looks today, which is so much worse than he looked when I first noticed. It's scary how quickly this seems to be progressing. If this is too picture-heavy, then I am terribly sorry.

-snip-

For reference, this is what he used to look like. The comparison is devastating.

-snip-

That's tail biting. Bettas bite their tails for many, many different reasons, some fixable and some not. Can you post a photo of his tank? He might be stressed/bored if there's not enough plant cover. Do you check the water parameters regularly? Is the tank cycled? What's the temperature?

[Kat]

Unfortunately, I have to borrow a camera to take photos with (my phone's camera is so terrible, it might as well not even exist), but I can borrow a friend's again tomorrow to take pictures of his tank setup.

He's in a heated 3 gallon right now. Not cycled. Temperature usually stays around 78 degrees. I was planning on switching all of my boys over to filtered 10 gallons, but if he isn't even feeling secure in his heavily planted 3, then perhaps not? While he has plenty of plants, he doesn't have a cave, but I can pick something up tomorrow. Should I get a reptile coconut hut? I've seen those in betta tanks before. His tank isn't filtered right now, but I do frequent water changes and also clean out the bottom of the tank each day with a turkey baster. I've never tried showing him his reflection before. I think that I'll try that. It's good that know that he doesn't have some terrible disease, but it's still very upsetting to learn that he is biting. I feel awful.

Thank you for all of your help, though. I really appreciate it.

[oliver,]

So I might buy a betta fish off of ebay, but I don't know how reliable it is. I am looking to buy this pretty boy, but I need some info. Is Ebay reliable? Has anybody had any experience with them? (Good or bad) Thanks for any info you might have!

[Keletheryl]

Well, i've been successfully keeping minnows with my fire bellied toads.
I originally bought some small ones to feed to my frogs... then they didn't eat them. Now there's about 6 in my tank and they've been living there for like almost a month now with no deaths.

I dunno how they're doing it, but I ran out and got fish food so they can eat something. I guess I have a frog/minnow duo now.

[Keletheryl]

Also here's my little noot-noot King Arthur and his bubble nest cause hes a happy noot.

[; pyrrhic ;]

So I might buy a betta fish off of ebay, but I don't know how reliable it is. I am looking to buy this pretty boy, but I need some info. Is Ebay reliable? Has anybody had any experience with them? (Good or bad) Thanks for any info you might have!

Most of the breeders on Ebay are very reliable. However, that fish is in Thailand. The way most international betta shipping works is someone in Thailand or Indonesia ships the fish to a "transshipper" in America or England or Australia or whereever you reside. That shipper turns around and ships to the buyer. However, I don't know how that particular seller does things but the "Free Standard Shipping" on the page worries me. Your betta will not survive standard shipping, especially in the winter. Contact the seller and ask about other shipping options. Over-night/Express/Two-day shipping is usually the only shipping where sellers guarantee live-arrival and replace the fish if it is DOA or give a refund. This shipping can get expensive, and can cost up to $35 or more. So just contact the seller with info on where you live and ask!

Unfortunately, I have to borrow a camera to take photos with (my phone's camera is so terrible, it might as well not even exist), but I can borrow a friend's again tomorrow to take pictures of his tank setup.

He's in a heated 3 gallon right now. Not cycled. Temperature usually stays around 78 degrees. I was planning on switching all of my boys over to filtered 10 gallons, but if he isn't even feeling secure in his heavily planted 3, then perhaps not? While he has plenty of plants, he doesn't have a cave, but I can pick something up tomorrow. Should I get a reptile coconut hut? I've seen those in betta tanks before. His tank isn't filtered right now, but I do frequent water changes and also clean out the bottom of the tank each day with a turkey baster. I've never tried showing him his reflection before. I think that I'll try that. It's good that know that he doesn't have some terrible disease, but it's still very upsetting to learn that he is biting. I feel awful.

Thank you for all of your help, though. I really appreciate it.

Don't feel bad! Just like some people, some bettas are just prone to anxiety and stress. You're doing everything you can for him. I would say no to the coconut hut just because I have no idea if that would mess with the water at all or if he would try to eat the little coconut fibers and if that would be bad, but I've never tried it. It could be great for him, I just honestly don't know. The temperature is good, it could be a little warmer but it's not bad. Like you said, though, if he's not feeling secure in the three gallon then a 10 gallon might stress him out more. That being said, it could also be the other way around. He may feel claustrophobic in his current tank, and I've seen tail biting improve when moved to a larger tank. There's really no way to tell which would be best for your individual fish, you just need to experiment. Seeing as he just recently started this behavior I think he could come out of it too. He may not, but the odds seem good.

[satuurnity]

Hello there. I've noticed little white spots appearing on the eleven tetras I bought last weekend (my first fish) and after searching around online I'm worried it's ICH. All the fish are eating and swimming normally, but their gills are a little red (they were like that when I bought them) and one or two are a little fat? Here are some pictures. I tried to get as many as I could but my iPad isn't too good of a camera. If you can't make anything out this is kind of what the spots look like.

And my water parameters right now are:
Size: 54 litre/10 gal
Ammonia: 0.1 mg/l
Nitrite: x
Nitrate: x
PH: 7.5
Temperature: 81Fh or 27 C

(I'll add the X's later today. I was doing my ammonia test when my last test tube broke on me after I put the lid on. I've had three tubes and in the space of a week broken them all. I was doing it properly though, so let me just say I wouldn't recommend buying this. Could anyone recommend a better test kit? Thanks!)

I haven't done a clean yet but my plan is and has always been 25% every Friday. I've been feeding them Aquarian tropical flake food once at around 7am when I wake up and 4.25pm when I get home, and making sure they eat the majority. On Monday's I decided to give them Interpret freeze dried blood worms at 4.25pm instead of the flakes, and I'll be doing this every week to supplement their diet. They seemed to really enjoy them x

As I said before I cycled the tank for a week (I was dubious as to this not being long enough but some members on here told me this was okay if the instructions on my tank start up told me so) with this kit, before adding the fish. I floated them in the water for half an hour, added some tank water, floated them for another fifteen minutes and then so I didn't get much of their old water into my tank I carefully guided them out with a cup as I don't have a net (don't shoot me, I couldn't afford it and I know it was silly :c ). They seemed quite docile and stayed together, but after they had been fed they perked up loads and seem to be fine.

In my tank the only plants I have are Anubias, Moss balls, java fern, and hair grass. There's only a few so I'll be getting more as soon as I can afford it (next week). Concerning lighting, I leave it on all day and turn it off all night.

Thank you so much if you can help me!

[PeachFuzz]

Hello there. I've noticed little white spots appearing on the eleven tetras I bought last weekend (my first fish) and after searching around online I'm worried it's ICH. All the fish are eating and swimming normally, but their gills are a little red (they were like that when I bought them) and one or two are a little fat? Here are some pictures. I tried to get as many as I could but my iPad isn't too good of a camera. If you can't make anything out this is kind of what the spots look like.

And my water parameters right now are:
Size: 54 litre/10 gal
Ammonia: 0.1 mg/l
Nitrite: x
Nitrate: x
PH: 7.5
Temperature: 81Fh or 27 C

(I'll add the X's later today. I was doing my ammonia test when my last test tube broke on me after I put the lid on. I've had three tubes and in the space of a week broken them all. I was doing it properly though, so let me just say I wouldn't recommend buying this. Could anyone recommend a better test kit? Thanks!)

I haven't done a clean yet but my plan is and has always been 25% every Friday. I've been feeding them Aquarian tropical flake food once at around 7am when I wake up and 4.25pm when I get home, and making sure they eat the majority. On Monday's I decided to give them Interpret freeze dried blood worms at 4.25pm instead of the flakes, and I'll be doing this every week to supplement their diet. They seemed to really enjoy them x

As I said before I cycled the tank for a week (I was dubious as to this not being long enough but some members on here told me this was okay if the instructions on my tank start up told me so) with this kit, before adding the fish. I floated them in the water for half an hour, added some tank water, floated them for another fifteen minutes and then so I didn't get much of their old water into my tank I carefully guided them out with a cup as I don't have a net (don't shoot me, I couldn't afford it and I know it was silly :c ). They seemed quite docile and stayed together, but after they had been fed they perked up loads and seem to be fine.

In my tank the only plants I have are Anubias, Moss balls, java fern, and hair grass. There's only a few so I'll be getting more as soon as I can afford it (next week). Concerning lighting, I leave it on all day and turn it off all night.

Thank you so much if you can help me!

Looks like ich, which usually shows up on the fish as a result of stress and/or bad water conditions. Definitely get those nitrite and nitrate readings as the root of the problem could be a nitrite/nitrate spike which will happen in an uncycled tank and can be deadly if not addressed promptly.

While looking for the cause of the ich (or cause of the appearance of the ich I should say, considering the actual parasite is not a problem in a tank unless the fish's immune system is weakened) you will want to begin treatment. What has worked for me (others have different experiences):
Raise temperature to 86 degrees (slowly, 1 degree per hour to give fish time to adjust) - this speeds up the parasite's life cycle.
Seachem Paraguard OR Kordon Ich Attack (there are other meds, these are simply the ones I have used that are plant safe)

For a test kit, I recommend the API Freshwater Master Test kit.

[satuurnity]

Hello there. I've noticed little white spots appearing on the eleven tetras I bought last weekend (my first fish) and after searching around online I'm worried it's ICH. All the fish are eating and swimming normally, but their gills are a little red (they were like that when I bought them) and one or two are a little fat? Here are some pictures. I tried to get as many as I could but my iPad isn't too good of a camera. If you can't make anything out this is kind of what the spots look like.

And my water parameters right now are:
Size: 54 litre/10 gal
Ammonia: 0.1 mg/l
Nitrite: x
Nitrate: x
PH: 7.5
Temperature: 81Fh or 27 C

(I'll add the X's later today. I was doing my ammonia test when my last test tube broke on me after I put the lid on. I've had three tubes and in the space of a week broken them all. I was doing it properly though, so let me just say I wouldn't recommend buying this. Could anyone recommend a better test kit? Thanks!)

I haven't done a clean yet but my plan is and has always been 25% every Friday. I've been feeding them Aquarian tropical flake food once at around 7am when I wake up and 4.25pm when I get home, and making sure they eat the majority. On Monday's I decided to give them Interpret freeze dried blood worms at 4.25pm instead of the flakes, and I'll be doing this every week to supplement their diet. They seemed to really enjoy them x

As I said before I cycled the tank for a week (I was dubious as to this not being long enough but some members on here told me this was okay if the instructions on my tank start up told me so) with this kit, before adding the fish. I floated them in the water for half an hour, added some tank water, floated them for another fifteen minutes and then so I didn't get much of their old water into my tank I carefully guided them out with a cup as I don't have a net (don't shoot me, I couldn't afford it and I know it was silly :c ). They seemed quite docile and stayed together, but after they had been fed they perked up loads and seem to be fine.

In my tank the only plants I have are Anubias, Moss balls, java fern, and hair grass. There's only a few so I'll be getting more as soon as I can afford it (next week). Concerning lighting, I leave it on all day and turn it off all night.

Thank you so much if you can help me!

Looks like ich, which usually shows up on the fish as a result of stress and/or bad water conditions. Definitely get those nitrite and nitrate readings as the root of the problem could be a nitrite/nitrate spike which will happen in an uncycled tank and can be deadly if not addressed promptly.

While looking for the cause of the ich (or cause of the appearance of the ich I should say, considering the actual parasite is not a problem in a tank unless the fish's immune system is weakened) you will want to begin treatment. What has worked for me (others have different experiences):
Raise temperature to 86 degrees (slowly, 1 degree per hour to give fish time to adjust) - this speeds up the parasite's life cycle.
Seachem Paraguard OR Kordon Ich Attack (there are other meds, these are simply the ones I have used that are plant safe)

For a test kit, I recommend the API Freshwater Master Test kit.

Thank you so much for your help x
As my test results still aren't available until the test tubes I ordered arrive (an alternative with the tablets I already have until I can afford the API master), here are the ones from the day before yesterday:
Ammonia: 0.1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0-10 range
PH: 7.5

I have just raised the temperature to 28C (gradually) and before that done a 25% water change. I then added Interpet white spot treatment. I'm planning on buying some API aquarium salts and some air stones, as well as adding more plants for them (vallisneria spiralis). Could you recommend anymore ways to relieve their stress whilst they're undergoing the medication?

Thanks again!

[misted]

Ok so there's like like a truck full of algae on my tank (it's not harmful algae) and I need motivation to clean it. There's so much ;v; *cries* well that's what you have to deal with after a 3 week holiday.