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Post by festae on Jun 3, 2006 13:51:04 GMT -5
My betta lives in a 1 gallon bowl. I think it's starting to develop some white spots because of the hot weather. (It gets colder at night: temp. fluctuation). Is it alright to treat 2 & 1/2 teaspoons of salt per gallon for a betta, and for how long? Also, is there anything I can do to avoid the temp. fluctuation?
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Post by abm on Jun 3, 2006 21:10:43 GMT -5
A one gallon tank can safely use a 25 watt heater...won't help if your house gets above 80, but it'll keep the nighttime temps stable  Obviously, keep the tank away from windows and drafty spots - it doesn't take much to alter the temp in a small tank. I'm currently dealing with a case of ich and I'm finding Rid Ich+ to be extremely easy to use and very effective. I'm not using any aquarium salt at this time; not sure if the two can be combined or not. Just a personal comment  The dosage you mention sounds very high from what I used (about 1/2 tsp per gallon) but I wasn't using it to treat illness, it was just a regular additive. |
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Post by nj2tou on Jun 4, 2006 22:01:37 GMT -5
I've had my baby for all of ONE day and he's got a few tiny little spots on his fins. I'm so depressed. I've done everything to get his tank perfect and this happens. sigh... Sad thing is, I went to the petstore today to get some live plants, Novaqua and a net and looked at the ich meds and aquarium salt, but certainly didn't think I'd need them this soon. Guess I'll be making a run back to the pet store in the morning.  |
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Post by amanichen on Jun 5, 2006 7:43:13 GMT -5
I've had my baby for all of ONE day and he's got a few tiny little spots on his fins. I'm so depressed. I've done everything to get his tank perfect and this happens. sigh... The ich came from the store, not your tank. |
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Post by nj2tou on Jun 5, 2006 19:55:26 GMT -5
Yeah, I know, sigh... wish I had thought to quarantine him before I put him in the tank. Hopefully I'll be able to kill ALL the buggers and that not many will get embedded in the gravel.
Would the majority agree that the best treatment is salt?? I really don't want to use unnecessary chemicals. My ph is great, no ammonia or nitrites/nitrates showing yet and I added a bit of Novaqua last night. I got some aquarium salt, but was afraid of the chemicals in the ich meds. I want to use the safest, least stressful treatment for him.
If salt is the best thing to use, once the "bad" levels start to show up and I do a partial water change, I assume I put the recommended dosage in the replacement water, correct? Meaning, if I replace say a gallon of water, I'd put the dosage for a gallon in that and then add the water to the tank.
The box says "a rounded tablespoon for every 5 gallons or 1/2 rounded teaspoon per gallon", so with my Eclipse 6 gallon, I'd put in a tablespoon and a half teaspoon.
thanks for your help guys!
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Post by nj2tou on Jun 6, 2006 22:08:13 GMT -5
ok, well, I did the salt thing last night, putting a teaspoon per gallon of aquarium salt in his tank and I'm keeping his tank a bit warm - 83 degrees. He was quite active this morning, even though I think he might have been constipated - the back end of his lower half seemed to be bulging a bit. On the way home I got some peas and a filter thing to slow down the turbulence the eclipse filter causes and when I got home found him VERY quiet and lethargic seeming. He's pretty much staying at the top of the tank and coming up for a gulp of air every now and then. I don't notice the bulge any more and I couldn't get him to eat the pea. The tank was this warm yesterday and he was much more active, so I don't know that it's the temperature. He's actually even letting me touch him. I don't know what to do. I hope he's gonna be ok.  |
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Obviously, keep the tank away from windows and drafty spots - it doesn't take much to alter the temp in a small tank.
The dosage you mention sounds very high from what I used (about 1/2 tsp per gallon) but I wasn't using it to treat illness, it was just a regular additive. 
