Normal Behavior? (New Environment)

[pbohart]

Hey guys -

I have a 2.5 mini-bow that I have heated to 80 degrees and declorinated. I just added a male Betta that was being held in a 6 oz plastic cup at the LFS.

Anyway - he swam around a bit....but now has wedged himslef between the heater and the side of the tank. There he sits now - looking like he is "breathing" somewhat heavy.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Patrick

[twoluvcats]

he'll get used to it...but it could take 24+ hours...leave him alone as much as you can...there's a lot of new sounds and activity that he has to get used to...that's probably more room than he's ever had in his life...looks like an ocean to him...behind the heater is a good safe place.

Did you decide to use the filter or not?

[pbohart]

Thanks for the reply. I will give him 24 hours before I really start to worry.....it does bother me that he appears to be having trouble breathing.....but he is the first fish in the tank so there shouldnt be any 3N problems....

On the filter - I was in Asia for 10 days and I had the filter running with the tank full of water (no fish) for the entire time. When I went to add my Betta today I had a change of heart and pulled the filter. I topped off the tank with warm water and added the betta - who seemed fine for about an hour.....now he is hiding.

Anyway - I am just going to do 100% water changes once a week....that should suffice for the lack of the filter.

[pbohart]

Well....so much for the 24 hour theory!

I came in and the guy was a goner.

I am an official betta murderer.

Hard to believe that the guy was happy living in a 5 oz plastic cup....but in my 2.5 gallon tank he up and died.

Possible causes of death:
1. Too much Stress Coat? Looking back, I added a little over a tsp of AP: Stress Coat...that is almost 4 times the recommended dosage. Could that have killed him?
2. Quartz at the bottom of the tank? The gravel I am using at the bottom of the tank is quartz. Is that a problem?
3. A million other things? I have a good 25W Hagen heater...but no Therm...water temp could have been off. I never tested the water params....but it was tap water (dechlorinated).


Hmmmm........

[abm]

Sorry about your fish.

With the Hagen 25watt heaters a thermometer is a must. As you know there is no thermostat, you just twist until it goes on or off, but without a thermometer in the tank you're going by how the water feels to your touch which is not acceptable for bettas. They need a precise and stable temp around 78-80 degrees. Period.

I don't use stresscoat but it does have additives and too much may have harmed him.

Also, there are dozens of things that could be wrong with your tap water. If you chose not to test it, we can't help you figure out what went wrong.

No idea on the quartz.

Before you get another fish, buy a $1.50 suction cup thermometer. They even have them at Walmart.

[amanichen]

Temperature shock, pH shock, stress from moving from a cup to a tank, etc.

Quartz is safe in fish tanks.

Overdosing stress coat by 4X isn't in itself fatal, but I wouldn't go making a habit out of it.