The Puffer Forum

sory cant answer your question, but what other fish did you have in there with it? how long? any harm to the beta or the other fish? thanks

In with rasporas no aggression etc. I prob had for 3 yrs ish? Has been with many other fish in those 3yrs or so. Was full grown when I got him so would not like to guess age. The tank was 5 yrs old so potentially 8. The tank was in a poo state when I got it. This may have contributed

It's probably old age. He could have been up to a year old when he came from the pet store - males are often kept back for breeding before they're sold - and a normal betta lifespan is 2-5 years.

Cool thanks for that. Will let him live out his last days in his own tank with just an air pump and daily waterchanges. He will eat only his favourite food. If there comes a time when he struggles in that low flow tank I will euthanise. He had good innings I suppose

Another thing you can do for a betta when they become very weak and are absolutely on their last leg is to lower the water level so they don't have to go far for air.

There's no need for an air pump, though.

the no3 levels in my tank are uncomfortably high at 30(my taps at 20 wich is an issue) what plants will consume alot of this? also in the bowl the levels were much higher (i bought him before i knew what cycling was and was lucky that it cycled itself) and his 2 little feeler fin thingies, the ones that all laberinth fish seem to have (idont know the specific name) have tunrned white at the ends, and the scales on is head are dull in color compared to the vibrance of the rest of him (he is realy a beautifull fish) i think this is a result of n03 poisining am i corect? if so are the efects reversable? they havent gotten worse in the new tank, will they get beter?, he hasnt been sufering or seem sick in this tank and he eats and moves just fine (i cant say the same thing about life in the bowl) a added a little aquarium salt. i have no experience with melafix should i try this? im sory i didnt menton this before i gess i just wasnt on my mind sience heisnt showing signs of stress or weakness, and yes im sure i saw it when he was in the bowl.

Melafix cannot be used with bettas!

Aquarium salt may help along with clean water and good food.

really, oh than good thing i asked before using it! ill keep doing the salt treatment and i plan to get a bunch of plants this weekend wich should take care of my water quality issues any idea if it actually was no3 that caused this, or is it somthing else?

Nitrates don't cause poisoning until they're at very high levels. The reason we do water changes so long before they reach toxic levels is that they're an indication of other water chemistry/fish output things. Errr... Ask RTR about this. He explains it better.

Wisteria eats nitrates like nothing else. It's easy to find and easy to care for. It can be a bit hard to get it to stay rooted - I usually just let it float and it does fine.

i do think that the no3 was very high in the bowl, i overfed him (hes a good begger) and he was owercrowded, and i did close to NO water changes untill irelized what cycling was wich was just a few months ago i think all of that would lead to very high nitrates

heres a pic of the tank, my beta (that ones really bad sience he darts away from the camra everytime i get close to the tank),the mystery plant i rescued, and a randome pic of my gecko. http://s1056.photobucket.com/albums/t377/kslmon/

Sorry. I feel like I hijacked your thread. In new tank with water lowered. Put air pump in for surface agitation. Not looking good. I am thinking if no improvement in 24 hrs I will call it a day. He must be close to 5yrs old if not more. He can get to the surface but struggles even with low water. Enough is enough. Tomorrow eve after dinner it may be time for bye bye

no problem, i hope ur beta gets better. alls well in my tank i just picked up some corys and hes doing just fine also, any input on the mystery plant?

They're already in the tank? Did you consider quarantining?

OMG i totally forgot i always quarentine new fish! i gess i was so preocupied wondering if they would get along that it just didnt cross my mind they seem totaly fine and everything i hope nothings wrong with them ! i forgot to mention this in my last post but do cories glass surf? thats what mine are doing. do you just add tall decor like puffers? or is it that they see another school of cories and decided to follow them? i think my glass is very shiny and reflective to them, my beta likes to get mad at the other beta just like him on the other side (his gills puf up and he fans him self out to look big and scary ) anyway i hope there ok im so brain dead today. why did i not quarintine?! should i take them out now or is it no use.