Not a newbie, but bettas keep dying!

Ms.Bubbles

Ms.Bubbles

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Sep 26, 2005
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I am mystified as to why my bettas keep dying. My first betta lasted 1 year, my second 6 months, and the latest one died after only a few days. They always begin with good colour, and after a few months begin to lose it and fins begin shrinking...next thing you know they've passed.

Water is around PH 8 (I don't tinker with the PH). Ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrates around 5. The first betta's tank was filtered, 2nd & 3rd were in a non-filtered but heavily planted tank that was balanced so that all ammonia/nitrite remained constantly at 0. First tank was unheated, but remained in small warm room that was a pretty constant 74 degrees, 2nd betta's tank was heated to a constant 78 degrees.

The first filtered tank I did 25% water changes every week. The 2nd planted tank I changed about 40% of the water every week (due to cloudy tank from overfeeding I suspect).

There were no other fish in the tank. Feeding was few flakes every day, freeze-dried bloodworms twice a week or so.

I'm not buying from a breeder, just a local pet store (that also supplies to Walmart).

Any ideas about what's going on & what I'm doing wrong here? I've got a guppy and an endler in another tank who are doing fine...
 
Could be poor quality fish, especially you latest one. Also, if your last betta died in only a few days after introduction, an acclimation issue to the pH of 8, which could have been way off from the LFS's could have caused enough stress as well. You can call the LFS and ask them what their pH is.

My wife keeps bettas, and I know she really has to dump her 2.5 G tanks out completely to (they are all unfiltered) clean them enough. She doesn't gravel vac, but instead does this 100% WC and gravel rinse every 10-12 days or so.

The cloudy water is a good indication of poor water (as you know), so the WCs were good. I know my wife feeds her bettas 3x a week.

Oh yeah, we have our bettas up agianst our fish tanks so they stay active - I know this is a factor too. Again, I'm sure you know ...
 
First of all the betta should always be in a filtered tank regardless of what anyone may tell you about this fish not needing that. It is also advisable that the tank be heated to around 78 degrees on the farenheight scale since they are tropical fish. Water changes need to happen every week in these tanks for these fish just like any other fish you may keep. If the water was cloudy from what you suspect was overfeeeding and the tank is not filtered (regardless of ther fact that it had live plants), then something may have been out of balance and the betta did succomb to it. Try keeping a betta in a filtered and heated tank with regular water changes and see if that makes a difference.

Marinemom
 
Marinemom, I already stated in my post that
a) first betta tank was filtered
b) 2nd betta tank was 78 degrees
c) I did water changes every week

ct-death, you could be right about acclimatization, I don't think I was as vigilant as usual on the 3rd betta, but the 1st and 2nd ones were acclimatized carefully, and did survive well past the early acclimatization stages, but not ever more than a year...
 
Hmmm, got me stumped, maybe try another store if you are inclined to stay by the Bettas. I have found that the Bettas are not as hardy and all tolerating as is reported on most sites. I am hoping that the fry I am raising will be of a hardier strain, since I am not dosing them with medications and leave them in a normal planted tank fed with live Cyclops and water fleas!
 
Its not impossible to have a non filtered cycled tank. My bettas are each in planted, yet non filtered 2.5g tanks. I have no ammonia or nitrites, and preforma weekly 50% water change.
 
what size tank?
 
I'm with you, Nomad. My betta has been living in an unheated 1g Mini-bow for over a year and he's still as spunky as ever! He even jumps out of the water to pick the food off my fingers! I do weekly 50% water changes.

I believe that as long as you keep after the water quality, bettas can live happy and fulfilling lives in unheated, unfiltered tanks/bowls. (Providing you have a nice warm house of course)!
 
musho, all 3 were in either 2.5 or 3 gallon tanks.

nomad & kjr, I agree. I know of people who have planted but unfiltered tanks with healthy fish (and I've done it successfully with guppies & endlers), and I've also read many cases of people who even had bettas live 3 years in a bowl with 100% weekly water changes!

That's why I'm so confused here.
 
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