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Post by bettafry on Jan 16, 2006 18:59:42 GMT -5
Are heaters for a tank necessary? I never thought they were necessary, since Bettas are cold water fish. I have a 5 gallon tank with a hood, light, biowheel, plants and hidey hole, and I do 25% water changes every two weeks. I just use tap water and let it sit for half an hour with the hood light on. Is this healthy for my betta or should I invest in a heater?
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Post by Rachel on Jan 16, 2006 19:28:51 GMT -5
Are heaters for a tank necessary? I never thought they were necessary, since Bettas are cold water fish. Bettas actually aren't cold water fish, they're tropical fish. To keep a healthy, active betta they require a stable water temperature of about 78-80 degrees F. Investing in a heater is a very very very good idea.  A 25 watt submersible heater is great for a 5g tank. A thermometer is also a necessity to make sure the temperature is where it should be. I notice from your recent posts that your betta had Ich. This is a sign that he is being kept in too cold of water. Is your tank cycled? 25% water changes every 2 weeks isn't very often. Are you using a water conditioner when you change the water? |
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Jilly
Fry
Hope and Vic
Posts: 41
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Post by Jilly on Jan 19, 2006 22:56:22 GMT -5
I only recently started using a heater in each of my tanks, and the older betta has become much more active since I started using it.The brand I got comes in several wattage options and keeps a constant 78 degrees.
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Post by bettafry on Jan 20, 2006 2:11:29 GMT -5
He was pretty active before the heater. I do condition my water, with Splendid Betta's Betta Conditioner, but I think I'm gonna change to NovaAqua the next time I do a 100% water change. I heard if you add more than the necessary amount of NovaAqua, it doesn't harm the fish. I also heard it's a good net dip for inbetween uses. The pet store I used to work for used it in the water not only for our fish but for also spraying our reptiles to humidify them.
I did do 25% changes every two weeks, but since he got sick I did 25% changes every day, thinking I could vaccum any parasites or bacteria leeching onto the gravel or floating around. But then I crashed my cycle and it hasn't been able to re-cycle since I did daily water changes. So I have to start it over again. I wanted to use BioSpira to help but I can't find it anywhere.
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sawcat
Junior Bubble Nester
Posts: 237
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Post by sawcat on Jan 20, 2006 12:31:55 GMT -5
He was pretty active before the heater. I do condition my water, with Splendid Betta's Betta Conditioner, but I think I'm gonna change to NovaAqua the next time I do a 100% water change. I heard if you add more than the necessary amount of NovaAqua, it doesn't harm the fish. I also heard it's a good net dip for inbetween uses. The pet store I used to work for used it in the water not only for our fish but for also spraying our reptiles to humidify them. I did do 25% changes every two weeks, but since he got sick I did 25% changes every day, thinking I could vaccum any parasites or bacteria leeching onto the gravel or floating around. But then I crashed my cycle and it hasn't been able to re-cycle since I did daily water changes. So I have to start it over again. I wanted to use BioSpira to help but I can't find it anywhere. You can use NovaAqua and Amquel together, they are designed for that, although it can be used seperately. That's what I've switched to. Don't know about net dip bit, don't remember any claims about disinfecting on the bottles. There's a couple places you can order biospira online, I need to look through my bookmarks for the links. If you have any privately owned fish stores, you can see if they give filter media for cycling tanks. The one I got advice on (the guy I talked to set up the some 50 or so tanks there and at other stores) showed me the one they have just for that purpose for saltwater tanks. If they do, check to see if they have filters like you're using. If you can get it, it's almost as fast as biospira. When it's cycled again, I'd say do 25% every week. I do that in my cycled 10 gallon, the bucket I siphon into is 2-2.5 gallons so when it's full, I'm done. Some times, if there's alot of debris (I'm still cleaning out hornwort debris a month or so after throwing it out), I'll do another 20% mid week. The cycle has been good and stable going on 2 months now. |
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Post by bettafry on Jan 20, 2006 19:26:11 GMT -5
Well I just got some Amquel and NovaAqua from my LPS. I took my betta with me, since he's been losing scales and nobody can figure out what that thing is on his fin. I was hoping the staff could give me some advice. My boss thinks he's losing skin cuz I've stressed him out with all the water changes and cuz I crashed my cycle; she didnt have biospira but recommended cycle cuz it has beneficial bacteria, which is what I got. I thought about getting stress coat but she says that eats bacteria that I need. I also have a biowheel in my tank, so hopefully that will help with the cycle. She also thinks he looked a little bloated, so I guess he has some constipation. He hasn't eaten anything since yesterday so I'll put him on a 3 day fast. I got some bloodworms for him, if I feed those to him after his fast will he be ok? Or should I go back on pellets? His color is a little faded, his fins are clamped too [im assuming thats from the stress and whatever bacterial infection he has] and hes not as active as he used to be- he looks sad. I'm hoping the bloodworms will liven him up a little bit and bring his color back. I also got melafix for him, since it's a stronger anti bacterial medicine, which I guess this is since that one dot hasn't spread or gotton worse, ruling out parasites. On another note, while I was there I saw one betta that had SBD. That was my first time seeing it in person [rather than from pictures], it was sad. One staffer said that he had only a few more hours to live, so I guess he's had it for awhile. Is SBD fatal or is there a way to help/cure him? edit --> nevermind, I found an article that answered all my SBD questions. bettas.fishjunkies.com/Disorders/sbd.php |
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sawcat
Junior Bubble Nester
Posts: 237
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Post by sawcat on Jan 21, 2006 14:18:44 GMT -5
you can mix up the food. Maybe get a worm in the morning and a couple pellets at night.
He might be just stressed from the trip to the pet store and back, plus with his illness. I know my crowntail always gets freaked when he's removed for a water change.
Melafix is more like Neosporin than an antibacterial. But if yours has open wounds it might help protect them
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Post by vamodel on Feb 14, 2006 20:36:40 GMT -5
I do not use a water heater I have a 1 gallon tank it has a 7 watt bulb I may go to a 4 watt bulb as I can not find 7 watt bulb I like to leave it on all the time. As I know it will not get to hot in there for them I hope same one can HELP me as I need it.
Ginny
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Post by accountingchick on Feb 14, 2006 22:20:47 GMT -5
I do not use a water heater I have a 1 gallon tank it has a 7 watt bulb I may go to a 4 watt bulb as I can not find 7 watt bulb I like to leave it on all the time. As I know it will not get to hot in there for them I hope same one can HELP me as I need it. Ginny As Rachel said on the second post of this thread, bettas need a warm steady temperature of 78-80 degrees and a light bulb will not keep the water at a steady temp. Also it is not good for the fish to have the light on all of the time because they don't have any eyelids. I would recommend that you get a heater. I hope that answers your question. |
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Post by kiara on Feb 21, 2006 1:12:00 GMT -5
I dont have a heater either. I have a 2.5 gallon tank and between the light and the filter it sits around 80dF. However i turn these off at night as the tank is in my room and the temp tends to drop a couple of degrees. this has been alright til now,however as winter is fast approaching i imagine that the temp will drop further. I had a chat to the guy in the petshop today and he told me that the smallest heater i could get is a 25 watt one which would be useless in a tank thats any smaller than 20L. is this true? if it is what should i do?
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bettons
Junior Bubble Nester
Posts: 187
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Post by bettons on Feb 21, 2006 1:16:17 GMT -5
the 25w. heaters are perfect for 2.5 gallons tanks. when I used to keep bettas I had one in a minibow with a 25W heater.
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Post by kiara on Feb 21, 2006 1:22:28 GMT -5
ok....so why would the guy in the shop tell me otherwise? youd think hed want to make a sale if he could, wouldnt you?
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bettons
Junior Bubble Nester
Posts: 187
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Post by bettons on Feb 21, 2006 1:27:20 GMT -5
I don't know what he was trying to do, But I can bet that almost everybody who used a 2.5 G. tank used a 25W heater. Sometimes pet shops can give you the wrong advise just as they can give you a sick fish.
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Post by kiara on Feb 21, 2006 1:32:39 GMT -5
hmmm....i suppose...though he seemed to know his stuff. Hes the only one ive talked to so far that seemed concerned that i keep my fish at the right temperature. He was probably trying to get me to buy a bigger tank.
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bettons
Junior Bubble Nester
Posts: 187
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Post by bettons on Feb 21, 2006 1:34:54 GMT -5
He was probably trying to get me to buy a bigger tank. probably, probably not . you will always find different opinions, and you usually have to ask more in order to be sure. |
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A 25 watt submersible heater is great for a 5g tank. A thermometer is also a necessity to make sure the temperature is where it should be.
