Help save a betta!

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PurpleSmurf

AC Members
May 4, 2005
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Colorado Springs
purplesmurf.com
My sister had a betta in a 1 gallon bowl for just over a week. He was in bad shape after about day three or four (I say ammonia spike, but my dad disagrees) and we found him dead yesterday.

She's planning on getting another fish sometime this week and I don't want this one to go the same way. As a precaution I've siphoned off about 50% of the old bowl's water, refilled it, put a desk lamp behind the bowl on a timer (her room is pretty dark most of the time) and I'm going to add some C-100 (ammonia purifier).

But to make sure the next occupant lives I was wondering how often a still 1 gallon bowl would need to have water changed. I currently have no testing equipment so that route is closed to me for the next week or so.

Maybe I could convince her to get a 5 gallon... =/
 
present the facts, print up info from net. Education is the best thing you can do...or you could stage a protest;)
 
:) I got her and my dad to agree that a 5 gallon would be best, they're also considering a 10 gallon will neons and plattys. I've said I would help maintain and set it up, so it looks like the next inhabitants in her room will survive :). Plus I'll get new fun toys to help with my own tank maintainice. :D
 
I have to agree...bettas are pretty big fish and to have them in little tanks just kills me to see! I know that they say that they can be happy and live long lives...but I have known 4 and none of them have made it past their 3 birthdays in little tanks.

Now I have had 2 myself and both lived 4-6 years in a 10g or larger and looked so much happier chasing other fish and looking for food. My current Betta is in the 40g and he thinks he's Jaws, but still very polite to the other fish and hasn't eaten anything really missed (mostly snails and one baby that I couldn't save in time). Just always remember they are called "fighting fish" for a reason...they are not anyways sunshine and daiseys!
 
When I was about 5 we bred these guys (or something very close, not as colorful). It was really neat. They had fry for about a week and a half and then one day the dad, who had been protecting and cleaning the babies, ate every last one. :'(
 
Office betta in 0.75 gallon is fine

We have a betta in the office in a vase, less than 1 gallon total water volume and he gets water changes once a week. And there is no gravel in the vase, so any waste is siphoned out every few days. He only gets 7 betta bites a day, though he would certainly eat more if allowed to, it would just foul the water. He's been there about one year or so.

IMO, the secret is the java moss in the bottom of the vase. And at waterchange he gets some Prime added for chlorine and ammonia. But the java moss is great for it will take in ammonia or nitrates as long as it gets good light. I do have to take it out and replace with fresh every so often since it does not get any other fertilizers it eventually starts to look bad.
 
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I've got my guy in a 20 gallon with 5 panda cories :) He's incredibly active, I've seen them in smaller tanks and thought they were slow moving, quite lethargic fish! But now, having seen my guy happily swimming about, I'd never settle for putting another in anything smaller than a 10 gallon at least, I just like watching them exploring :) (Do you think it sounds like I could be getting another one? *grins happily*)

D
 
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