eBetta.com

Hello! I am going to get a light for my betta fish tank. My cousin has one for her tank and she loves it. She says it is great and she can see her betta fish a lot more clearly. It fits right on the certain tank that I have. I hope this light will really be a help. I will keep you posted when the light comes in, (The fish shop had to order the light and it didn’t come in yet) and tell you if I like it.

Mickey is doing quite well. He is really thriving in the tank. I haven’t cleaned the tank yet and have been putting nitrous reducing drops in. The real test will be over the next few days as I will be away. I have someone watching the fish so I hope everything goes well. Other than that he likes to play with the bamboo stick and my finger and has been super active.

Most Snails are “Hermaphrodites”. Which means they are both male and female. And they can reproduce by themselves. They don’t need a mate. Although, they can reproduce with mates as well. Snails are used most often in tanks because of their ability to eat uneaten food and all other waste. But some of them can create extra waste as well. Be careful if you put snails in your betta fish tank, as the population can easily get out of control.

Pros
Eat Waste
Some eat Algae
Peaceful
Will eat Dead Fish (hopefully not your betta)
Low Maintenance

Cons 
Create Waste
Reproduce (very) Often
Will eat small Fry
Eat Plants
Bettas may eat the Snails
May be extremely hard to remove

‘Just one biiig bite and…’ photo by Mean and Pinchy on flickr

A few weeks back, I went to the fish store, asking the owner how I should move my Betta’s, when I move. He told me to put them in the cups that you buy them in, in the store. (You can get these for like 25-50 cents at any fish store.) Use a laddle or cup to scoop your Betta out of the tank, they need plenty of water and oxygen. So remember only fill the cup about 75% of the way up so they have plenty of air, and make sure you have a few small holes in the lid of the cup. Place you cups in a box or cooler with a open top, also make sure you put some packing peanuts or newspaper around the cups to make sure the don’t rattle around and spill over. also, make sure you place them somewhere where they won’t get too hot or to cold, NOT THE TRUNK!!And as always check on them occasionally.

Oh and a strange fact I learned when bettas are shipped from sri lanka they are shipped in wet news paper. wierd, huh?

Ok so I know I just said I was going to wait, but I really missed my fishy. So last night I purchased a new Betta. I know its soon but I really missed looking over and watching the fish. I’m sticking to the same ‘m’ names so I’d like to introduce Mickeymoto, or Mickey for short. He is red and blue,and so far he is loving his new tank. Yes I went through all the steps before putting him in and he’s really happy. So here are some pics of him.

Well I’m very sad today. Last night Maxi wasn’t acting his usual self. He wasn’t zipping and darting around the water or begging to be fed. I looked him over carefully but there didn’t seem to be any problems. The water had just been changed on Friday and was clear. I tested the water and everything was normal. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Well as soon as I woke up this morning I just knew something went wrong. And I was right. Maxi was not alive this morning. I just wish I knew what got to him. He was young and I’ve only had him 4 months.

I’m a bit scared to purchase another fish because this is the second one thats died in 8 months. Maybe when we return form our trip I’ll try again. If any of you have suggestions on how to keep the new one alive, I’m all ears.

I know in most areas its starting to warm up so you may think this post is irrelevant. However I wanted to share my experiences with my Betta and the heater. With my first Betta being purchased in October and I live in a colder state I was worried. My friend who originally got me into Betta’s told me how they didn’t move much and looked unhappy when cold. So I started my search for a heater. There are many on the market depending on the size of your tank. I have a 1 gallon tank with only my Betta in it so I wanted a smaller warmer. At first prices were quite expensive, and bulky and I was worried. But I finally found a small under gravel heater at Petco for $15. It was the perfect size for the small tank.Both fishes have enjoyed the warmer water, but now I have to remember to unplug it when it gets warmer. But it was a good investment. And it kept my fish happier.

Make sure to get one that is for your size tank. My mother in law has a horror story of purchasing a bigger heater. She put it in the tank for a bit, but fell asleep. Unfortunately she awoke to cooked fish, so please be careful!