Hello - nice to read some of your informative posts. We moved from Montreal to Vancouver two years ago and I can't keep a Betta alive here (10 g tank). I've had several before in 3.5 g tanks in Montreal - other tanks in montreal with African Cyclids - also no problem. Decided I wanted to start with one Betta and see if I still want to do the work associated with having fish. Started with a 3.5 g bow tank but didn't like it and had room for 10g on my desk - for a desk buddy, so I traded the 3.5 for the standard 10g style tank - with filter and heater set at 80. Thin layer of fine white aquarium sand bought from fish only pet store (informed staff). A few thin long leafed live plants. 4"x4"x4" square Black glass vase on it's side as a 'cave'. One upside down tall/thin never used beer glass with flat rock on top as a resting
zone (the bettas loved that for resting near the surface or sleeping at night). Black rocks are from petsmart.
I've now killed 3 bettas - first one lived 1 1/2 months - next one 4 weeks - last one 3 days
First Betta I was doing water changes of 50% once or twice a week and checking water constantly - it was definitely cycled. Once cycled I was doing 25-30% water change once a week and testing the water - all good - PH a little low. Each fish behaved the same way for a week or so before dying - hanging out in a more or less vertical position and hiding behind the filter - more and more until dying. Each was very active - seem happy to be out of a cup (fish were from Petsmart) and into a 10g tank - moved them slowly over an hour floating their cup in the 10g tank - adding a bit of the aquarium water to the Betta cup every 5 minutes - let them loose after an hour. All well for 3 weeks for the first one - robust - swimming all over - swimming over to me to get food - following my finger along the tank - eating well (betta flakes and betta pellets - seemed to always spit out pellets although better if I crushed them - LOVED the dried bloodworms mixed in with the Betta flakes).
Although the water checks out in all the Petsmart water checks (I kept taking in samples), I'm wondering if there is something else in our water that the Betta can only tolerate for a few weeks. There were no marks, no bloating - no signs of anything on any of the 3 Betta.
Last fish I added two 1" ridged white clam shaped shells (on advice of supposedly knowledgable clerk in Petsmart - she seemed to know a lot about Bettas) that I had for years - picked up on the beach in Florida - boiled for over 10 minutes.
The only thing that makes me suspicious about the water here (Langley, BC outside Vancouver in the Fraser Valley) is we need to run it for 3 minutes before drinking it - otherwise it looks a bit cloudy and doesn't taste as good.
My next door neighbor told me his wife has kept Bettas but she always boiled the water then let it sit to cool down - always kept a bucket of prepared water. He said she thought everyone everywhere had to boil all aquarium water - not due to knowledge of anything wrong with our water.
The 10g sits fishless on my desk - would love to get another but can't stand to see another die - especially upsetting after seeing one in a friends 7" orb that lived in mostly dirty water for 3 years.
I asked the clerk at PetSmart (she's not shy to disagree with some of the stores practices) if all the bettas that leave their store die in a few weeks and she said it comes in batches - some batches don't seem to do well but most they don't hear of any problems - and expect to as they offer free replacement for several months if your fish dies - or at least the Bettas.
There are no other fish in the 10g tank with the Betta - no fish, no snails - nothing.
I turn the aquarium light off all night - and part of the morning & evening as I noticed algae on the sand growing faster when it was on all day and all evening - the desk and aquarium are not near a window.
If anyone has any ideas I'd appreciate help.
Thank you,
zone (the bettas loved that for resting near the surface or sleeping at night). Black rocks are from petsmart.
I've now killed 3 bettas - first one lived 1 1/2 months - next one 4 weeks - last one 3 days
First Betta I was doing water changes of 50% once or twice a week and checking water constantly - it was definitely cycled. Once cycled I was doing 25-30% water change once a week and testing the water - all good - PH a little low. Each fish behaved the same way for a week or so before dying - hanging out in a more or less vertical position and hiding behind the filter - more and more until dying. Each was very active - seem happy to be out of a cup (fish were from Petsmart) and into a 10g tank - moved them slowly over an hour floating their cup in the 10g tank - adding a bit of the aquarium water to the Betta cup every 5 minutes - let them loose after an hour. All well for 3 weeks for the first one - robust - swimming all over - swimming over to me to get food - following my finger along the tank - eating well (betta flakes and betta pellets - seemed to always spit out pellets although better if I crushed them - LOVED the dried bloodworms mixed in with the Betta flakes).
Although the water checks out in all the Petsmart water checks (I kept taking in samples), I'm wondering if there is something else in our water that the Betta can only tolerate for a few weeks. There were no marks, no bloating - no signs of anything on any of the 3 Betta.
Last fish I added two 1" ridged white clam shaped shells (on advice of supposedly knowledgable clerk in Petsmart - she seemed to know a lot about Bettas) that I had for years - picked up on the beach in Florida - boiled for over 10 minutes.
The only thing that makes me suspicious about the water here (Langley, BC outside Vancouver in the Fraser Valley) is we need to run it for 3 minutes before drinking it - otherwise it looks a bit cloudy and doesn't taste as good.
My next door neighbor told me his wife has kept Bettas but she always boiled the water then let it sit to cool down - always kept a bucket of prepared water. He said she thought everyone everywhere had to boil all aquarium water - not due to knowledge of anything wrong with our water.
The 10g sits fishless on my desk - would love to get another but can't stand to see another die - especially upsetting after seeing one in a friends 7" orb that lived in mostly dirty water for 3 years.
I asked the clerk at PetSmart (she's not shy to disagree with some of the stores practices) if all the bettas that leave their store die in a few weeks and she said it comes in batches - some batches don't seem to do well but most they don't hear of any problems - and expect to as they offer free replacement for several months if your fish dies - or at least the Bettas.
There are no other fish in the 10g tank with the Betta - no fish, no snails - nothing.
I turn the aquarium light off all night - and part of the morning & evening as I noticed algae on the sand growing faster when it was on all day and all evening - the desk and aquarium are not near a window.
If anyone has any ideas I'd appreciate help.
Thank you,