i have a fish problem. UPDATED WITH SAD NEWS.

[eakers]

my beta (aka fighting fish) wont eat!

i have tried everything.

please help save my fishies life.

*kat. <-- loves her fish.

 

[geno]

Umm did they just stop eating for no reason? I'm no fish expert - maybe the water temp is off or somehting?

 

[pulse8]

Stop trying to feed it salmon. That might help.

 

[eakers]

the pellets.

i was feeding it goldfish food cuz thats what my friend gave me with it but then my dog ate it and the lady at the pet store said to buy the pellets.

she ate that for a while but now shes not eating at all.

shes also making lots of bubbles along the top of her bowl and trying to jump out of the bowl.

why does my fish hate me?

*kat. <--

 

[Locutus of Board]

Massengil

 

[Alienwho]

It's a fighting fish? Maybe it will only eat it's own prey

 

[Wallydraigle]

Betas are one of the most mistreated fish kept by people. Those little bowls are really beta torture chambers. Betas live in rice paddies in the wild and they have special labirynth organs so that they can breath air. But after a while in the little bowl things get bad and it's even too much for betas. Most other fish wouldn't last a day or two in there. They are best kept in a real aquarium. If you must keep it in the little beta bowl, definitely change half the water twice a day, and keep it from getting too hot. Hot water holds less oxygen than cool. My guess is that in the hot weather the water has so little oxygen that the beta is exhausting itself and just doesn't have the energy to eat. Do a water change and make sure the water isn't too warm and see if it gets better. Good luck!

 

[Monel Funkawitz]

<< i have tried everything. >>



Steak?

In all seriousness, Betas are pretty as hell, but they do not live long. They are out of their ideal environment. If you want fish that live long, get setup with a real fresh water tank. Pleco, swordtails, freshwater sting rays, etc. I can set up a fresh water tank that rivals most salt water setups.

 

[nomahe]

Have you checked your PH? It sounds like they are trying to get oxygen from the top of the tank.
When's the last time you changed their tank? If it has been more than 5 days do a 30% water change and then check PH and if you have to do another 30% change. I do a 50% water change twice a month, but it's not recommended to do that much at once. Go to your local fish shop and tell them the problem and they can help you.

 

[tigerbait]

1) Get some Cichlids.
2) Feed Betta to Cichlids.


Definitely do a water change. And add some air. And get a real tank like Monel said.

 

[eakers]

<< Betas are one of the most mistreated fish kept by people. Those little bowls are really beta torture chambers. Betas live in rice paddies in the wild and they have special labirynth organs so that they can breath air. But after a while in the little bowl things get bad and it's even too much for betas. Most other fish wouldn't last a day or two in there. They are best kept in a real aquarium. If you must keep it in the little beta bowl, definitely change half the water twice a day, and keep it from getting too hot. Hot water holds less oxygen than cool. My guess is that in the hot weather the water has so little oxygen that the beta is exhausting itself and just doesn't have the energy to eat. Do a water change and make sure the water isn't too warm and see if it gets better. Good luck! >>



i totally agree, the tiny little bowl my friend gave it to me in, i couldnt bear to keep it in there. its in a big bowl now and has plenty of room to swim and a little egyption head to hide in.

*kat. <-- going to clean her fish bowl.

 

[Yo Ma Ma]

<< Betas are one of the most mistreated fish kept by people. Those little bowls are really beta torture chambers. Betas live in rice paddies in the wild and they have special labirynth organs so that they can breath air. But after a while in the little bowl things get bad and it's even too much for betas. Most other fish wouldn't last a day or two in there. They are best kept in a real aquarium. If you must keep it in the little beta bowl, definitely change half the water twice a day, and keep it from getting too hot. Hot water holds less oxygen than cool. My guess is that in the hot weather the water has so little oxygen that the beta is exhausting itself and just doesn't have the energy to eat. Do a water change and make sure the water isn't too warm and see if it gets better. Good luck! >>

The bowls are not the greatest, but I've seen something even worse now - rooted water plants in a vase with a little beta fish swimming amongst the roots - gawd awful. I wonder what idiot though that combination up? Makes the little bowl look like a palace in comparison.

 

[nomahe]

<< the tiny little bowl my friend gave it to me in, i couldnt bear to keep it in there. its in a big bowl now and has plenty of room to swim and a little egyption head to hide in. >>


I missed the part that it was in a bowl. Get a tank man. You can't keep it alive by being in a frickin' bowl. Even if you could, that's the equivalent of you staying alive the rest of your life by being in prison. I can't imagine the Nitrite levels in there.

 

[Wallydraigle]

I've seen those vase things and they make me sick. It's not good for the fish or the peace lily. I'm not a PETA freak by any means but some of the stuff people do to other living things out of stupidity just amazes me.

 

[yobarman]

yo-ma-ma...i saw those things to. it was so stupid because they came with little name tags that said the fish can live off the of the roots of the plant and the plant lives off the fish poop or some sht..it was really dumb. most of the fish died within days.

 

[Vincent]

Bettas are bubble nesters. They make nests of bubbles at the water's surface for their eggs and fry.

If your fish is colorful and has long fins it must be a male.

 

[frizzlefry]

I have a couple betta fish. Have you tried any type of medication? Its usually not needed. Soemtimes my blue one just doens't want to eat. It'll eat a little bit. Could be a couple things. Is it still pretty active? OR is it kinda lazy and justs sits at the bottom and only goes up for air? Is the fish bloated? Does it have any discoloration aroudn the gills? Does it have a hard time breathing properly? Jsut a few questions. I've had to treat my fish a couple times for some problems. One of the best things you can do is go get some water treatment and there's this other stuff that's kinda like slime. They sell it as a package of two bottles and Petsmart or Petco. Anyways, PM me if you have any questions.

Hope its ok.

 

[Wedesdo]

get at least a real 10 gal tank for the poor fish... wal-mart has a basic system for $30, i think... really worth it.

 

[eakers]

okay, this is why people should never give pets as gifts. i have a 20 gal tank but no where to put it, so i have it large bowl, one of the biggest you can buy at the pet store, its suitable for goldfish or so they say, i feel its a good size for a little fish like my beta and i know how bad bowls are for oxygen and nitrate levels bu i simply have no space for a tank.

i was told it was a girl fish cuz it has a small tail but the bubble making has me thinking otherwise.

*kat. <--

 

[pillage2001]

Try worms. I'm sure you can get it in petshops. Small worms. I'm not sure if you can get it in the States. Ask the petshop owner to give you the type of worms that are for the betas. I'm sure they'll feast with it.

 

[C'DaleRider]

Is your bowl filled to the top? If it is, you may want to take some of the water out......the bowls are notorious for having very little surface area on top if filled. The amount of surface area exposed to air is directly related to how quickly the O2 is replenished in the tank, hence why you don't find real aquariums with narrow tops.

You may also want to obtain a very small, cheap air pump to create bubbles in the water. The bubbles don't actually put O2 into the water but instead create surface turbulance which does enhance O2 exchange. Still water is the worst for moving oxygen into the water.

 

[GasX]

The males are colorful the females are (for lack of a better word) fish colored. The bubbles are for a nest to protect fry. The usually make them after nesting.

If you don't want to get a tank, at least get a bubble to oxygenate the water. If the fish won't eat, give it a day and try a little bit of food.

also, fish die (a lot) get used to it

 

[Muadib]

The same thing happened to my beta at work. Sad to say, but he didn't make it. Good luck with yours though.

 

[eakers]

welp this morning i awoke to fishie dead.

im sure shes in a better place now.



*kat. <-- misses fishie.

 

[Pretender]

that's why god invented toilets.

rip, mr. fishie

:frown: