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After the issues with the last fish I’ve been trying my hardest to make things right by Mickey. We recently went away for a few days and I had my bro in law watch the fish. I showed him how much to feed the fish, but needless to say I came back to a little overweight fishy. After a few days of less food, he is back to normal.

I also changed his water for the first time. I took into consideration some of you suggestions for the water. I used half tap water and half purified water. I used the de-chlorine drops. Well after one week that water is very cloudy all over again. No change in fish behavior but I have reason to believe that maybe my tap water isn’t the best thing. I asked my mother in law who as I said before used to breed fish. She told me I’m not keeping the water too clean, because I keep at least 25% of the same water in when I’m doing water changes. So when I clean the tank again tomorrow we shall see how long it stays nice. I must say I’ve had much stress because I don’t want to kill my fish again.

Have you ever wanted to lessen to your Ipod and watch your betta in another city then you should try the Ipond. good for Betta fish haters.

A TINY fish tank that doubles as a music speaker has sparked outrage among animal activists and aquarists. The iPond – up to 15 times smaller than the recommended tank size for the fish it contains – is proving a hit with Christmas shoppers. One Sydney store has sold out of the $70 device and other outlets are reporting brisk sales. But the RSPCA has called on the device to be banned because it is too small to provide fish with adequate oxygen supplies and a clean environment. The iPond is sold nationally by the Pets Paradise and Pet Goods Direct chains. Users can play their iPods through a speaker built into the bottom of the brick-shaped tank.

The tank’s water capacity is about 650millilitres once rocks are placed in it. Pets Paradise is selling Siamese fighting fish with the iPond. The fighting fish are native to South-East Asia and have a “labyrinth lung” that allows them to take in oxygen from air. Typically they live in puddles and rice paddies.

A Melbourne Aquarium spokesman said Siamese fighting fish required a minimum tank size of 10 litres – dramatically more than the iPond provides. Animal Liberation Victoria’s Noah Mark said he was disgusted by the invention. Studies proved fish had memories well beyond a few seconds and were social creatures that experienced pain and boredom, he said.

“The fish in this thing does not look like it has very long to live and it can barely move,” he said. “Even if it does live it’s not [a] life worth living … it’s really just a torture box.”

Acoustics expert Jason Gedamke said there was no doubt noise from the speaker would escape into the water. “The speaker is directly coupled to the outside of the tank … [so] you are going to have a small level of sound introduced,” Mr Gedamke said.

“It’s the same as putting a fish tank on a speaker.”

RSPCA spokesman Hugh Wirth said despite the fighting fish’s ability to breathe air from the surface, the tank was far too small for it to receive adequate oxygen. The small volume of water would lead to rapid temperature change and this meant the tropical fish would not live long, he said. The iPond should be banned, Dr Wirth said.

Marketing manager for the Pets Paradise and Pet Goods Direct chains, Alyse-Grace Robertson, said the tanks had gone on sale in September and were selling briskly. The group that manages the stores had received one formal complaint about the product. Customers sometimes asked questions about the welfare of fish in iPonds.

“A few people ask, ‘is the fish OK?”‘ Ms Robertson said. The chains were satisfied that fish in iPonds did not suffer.

She said before selling the tanks the chains had consulted the Pet Industry Association of Australia. Output from the speakers was small and fish in iPonds seemed to flourish, she said. A spokesperson for Apple said the company was willing to comment on its own products, but not on accessories made by third parties.

got this off http://www.myfishtank.net/ipond/

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?

The week feeders were the worst mistake I ever made. None of my fish died, thank God for my mom checking on them. the reason they were so bad was the fact they didn’t dissolve, first off. secondly, the colored the water a nasty neon color. so i had to do a full water change and tank cleaning. so in short, week feeders are not worth what you pay.

p.s. today i about crapped my pants, during the water change one Betta fell into another’s tank. talk about a scare.

Well I’m happy to report that the bacteria bloom in my tank has settled down. I did another water change today and the water is all clear. So it seems the drops I bought have worked.

I noticed a lot of people find this blog by searching for the phrase “Betta Jumped Out” or something similar. They are then directed to my article about what to do when you betta jumps out of the tank. Well.. I sure hope you are doing something about your out-of-water fish before looking on the internet for something to do, because that is a lot of wasted time.

Pick The Fish Up - Put It In The Tank. That’s all you have to do.

Consider yourself lucky that you have a betta fish instead of most others. Betta fish have the unique ability to breathe air. So once you put your fish back in the water leave it alone for 24 hours and hope it stays alive. Next time try to keep your betta’s tank covered if it has a high water level.

So you want to raise bigger looking bettas, huh? Here’s a few tips on how to do it. First and most important of all, provided a constant supply of good quality food. This applys to all types of creatures, a constant supply of good food means more nutrition and thus giving it a chance to grow bigger. Next, change the water regularly, make sure that the water conditions are optimum. A cleaner living environment prevents the fish from getting sick. Now the third trick to growing bigger bettas relate to exercise. I find that keeping my bettas in a small tank that has a little water current almost always result in growing bigger bettas. My guess is that in order to stay in one place, the bettas will have to fight the current. In this process, it is actually exercising and we all know what exercising does to a body (look at Arnold’s body from The Terminator!). However, make sure that the water current is not too strong and make sure you provide some resting place for the bettas (a piece of PVC pipe works well) in case they get too tired. One side effect (maybe a good side effect) from this is that when the current is absent, the betta will look as if it’s flaring with all its fins open to the maximum.

Appearance:
White spots Maybe less active, may have stopped eating and his fins may be clumped.

Symptoms:
Dashing against rocks, plants or anything in his container.

Treatment:
Ick is a parasite and is contagious so do a good cleaning and add Coppersafe by Mardel. Raising the temperature to 84F. will help to speed up the cure. You should do more water changes to get rid of the parasite.

Although Bettas do not require as much water as gold fish or other tropical fish, they should not be kept in a container or tank that is too small. Generally, anything below one gallon is too small for a Betta to live in and would require very frequent water changes – once every two days – that are stressful for the betta and too time-consuming for you. Remember, Bettas are living organisms that produce waste, which can accumulate to dangerous levels if the container is not large enough to accommodate their metabolic load.

If you forgot to cover your Betta’s home, there is a good chance that he may have jumped out. Do not dispose of your Betta, even if he seems dried up. Since Bettas are equipped with a labyrinth organ, they can survive even after being virtually dry. Carefully pick up your Betta. If he jumped out recently, his slime coat may stick to the surface – gently sprinkle some water on him until you can pick him up without force. If you skip this step, you may damage his scales and expose him to a myriad of diseases. There is no need to add water if the fish can be easily removed. Place him back in his tank and do not feed or disturb him in any way for 24 hours. It may take him a few hours to recover, so do not panic if he doesn’t move. After 24 hours add a protective antibiotic, such as BettaMax to his water. You may feed him at this time, although he may not accept food for days due to the stress of being without water. Remember – ALWAYS cover your Betta’s home!

Bettas, like any fish, are aware that they are prey animals. In order to feel comfortable, they need to have lots of hiding places. As Bettas are from marshes and rice paddies, they feel more comfortable with ‘soft cover,’ generally provided in the aquarium environment from live or artificial plants. Like most tropical fish, they are more comfortable and will come out more and be more active if you can provide them with 50-75% cover – this means, make half to three fourths of your tank space hiding places. Providing sufficient cover will reduce stress and therefore improve your Betta’s immune system, reducing chance of disease

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For very young Bettas (under 6 months) and females of all ages, 4 or 5 pellets a day is sufficient. For older Bettas, 6 or 7 pellets should be fed. Try to space out their pellets for at least two feedings per day (in the morning and in the early evening), if possible. If you have time to feed only once a day, make sure that it is at least two hours before turning off the lights.

There are a few things to consider before installing a filter.

1. Tank size – if your tank is under three gallons, filters should not be installed under any circumstances. The disturbance from the current will tear your Betta’s fins and cause him undue stress.

2. Betta’s sex – females can generally tolerate air currents much better because of their small fins.

3. Type of filter – power filters and under-gravel filters should not be used in tanks under 10 gallons. Small filters with adjustable current are much better tolerated if set to the lowest current.

4. Individual Betta – if you’ve had more than one Betta, you know that Bettas tend to have very individual personalities. Some fish will thrive in filtered tanks, while others become sick. Observe your Betta very closely after the installation of the filter – look for signs of fin rot, lethargy or swim bladder problems; if you see any abnormalities, take the filter out immediately.

Appearance:
A early sign may be red spots usually at the ends of the fins. The fins will start to dissolving and fall appart.

Symptoms:
The betta may act sluggish and have pale color. Usually because of poor water

Treatment:
You can use “Ampicillex” or “Neosulfex” by Aquatronics. Check your local fish store for medications.

Yes, and No. Bettas can be kept with other fish, however, remember that male Bettas are VERY territorial toward any fish that they think is another male Betta invading their territory. Though each Betta is a distinctive individual and will have his own personality, here are some ways to identify potential problem fish: fish with large amounts of red or blue coloring (i.e. Swordtails), fish with long, flowing fins (i.e. Guppies, Angelfish, High-Fin Tetras, Sailfin Mollies), fish with similar shapes (i.e. Gourami, Dwarf Gourami, Female Bettas). Also, watch out for fish that will nip and tear the Bettas fins, as this can result in infection or fighting and will cause stress. I do not recommend you keep your betta with any other fish.