Post by dragonflower on Jan 3, 2006 0:09:24 GMT -5
Hi all, I'm new here. I've had my betta since last summer. I just recently discovered I was not doing anything right for him. I had him in a plastic bowl w/ a plastic plant and kept him in the air conditioned room and feed him flake food once a day. I also changed the water about every two weeks.
Now, he's in a 5.5 gallon tank w/ a filter and heater. I slowly warmed up the tank every few days and the thermometer says it is now 77`, even though the heater is at 83` (they are on opposite sides and corners of the tank). I also have a swim through rock for him and two silk plants. His food is Hikari Betta Bio-gold and he gets 5-6 pellets in the morning and night and about 3 in the afternoon. He seems happier now. He swims around all the time and will come to my hand when I am testing his water and swim to the top when I walk by (begging for food?)
I am still cycling his tank. The ammonia levels are at 0, Nitrate levels are at 0, but the nitrite levels are always high. I do about a 40% water change every two days to try and get the levels accurate. When I do a water change, I put Stress Coat in the water.
His fins are looking better and his color is returning. He was looking terrible in the old bowl and his fins were getting so short. I think they are growing back because they seem longer now.
What else should I / could I be doing for him? I want him to be happy and healthy. I have a lamp next to his tank, and it's always on. Should this be turned off when I go to sleep? Do I need to move things around to keep him occupied?
Thanks!
Now, he's in a 5.5 gallon tank w/ a filter and heater. I slowly warmed up the tank every few days and the thermometer says it is now 77`, even though the heater is at 83` (they are on opposite sides and corners of the tank). I also have a swim through rock for him and two silk plants. His food is Hikari Betta Bio-gold and he gets 5-6 pellets in the morning and night and about 3 in the afternoon. He seems happier now. He swims around all the time and will come to my hand when I am testing his water and swim to the top when I walk by (begging for food?)
I am still cycling his tank. The ammonia levels are at 0, Nitrate levels are at 0, but the nitrite levels are always high. I do about a 40% water change every two days to try and get the levels accurate. When I do a water change, I put Stress Coat in the water.
His fins are looking better and his color is returning. He was looking terrible in the old bowl and his fins were getting so short. I think they are growing back because they seem longer now.
What else should I / could I be doing for him? I want him to be happy and healthy. I have a lamp next to his tank, and it's always on. Should this be turned off when I go to sleep? Do I need to move things around to keep him occupied?
Thanks!
