New Crown Tail Betta "Mom" by accident....but totally in LOVE!

[Turpentine]

I am just going to paste my first post in here....sorry for the repeat

Recently my son left town to say, "Mom...take care of Sweet Cheeks". I had no clue! A sweet little Crown Betta in a soiled tank of 5 gallons now has a 10 gallon filtered heated planted fish wonderland with some cardinal tetras and two fancy guppies! I am learning loads every day, and try to educate myself on diet and tank needs to keep this guy the happiest he can be! He enjoys a diet of frozen brine and freeze-dried mysis along with flake food. He snubs his "nose" at those nasty pellet things my son said he would only eat before...I can't imagine why!

I pray that I am doing everything right...I added aquarium salt the other day for the first time...I've read mixed reviews...he has a torn pectoral fin...I was told this would help heal him. He seems to be fine but I am still very concerned. I would like to move up to a 20gallon tank as well. It seems more humane. More space for my little prince to swim about!

Any comments would be appreciated!

It has been a week since I added that salt. I lost the pleco...and have done another water change because I am totally freaked about sweet cheeks now. He still has a voracious appetite and swims around happily, seems absolutely fine. but, I am a new fish owner...WHAT DO I KNOW??? WHAT REALLY IS FINE? UGH!

I get the whole concept of aquarium salt, but the package does not tell you so much as to whether you should pre-dissolve it or just allow it to dissolve on its own in the tank? oy....I feel like a murderer.

a fish killer.

[dinosauricon]

As long as the water quality is good he'll heal just fine.

How much salt did you put in the tank btw? Plecos can be somewhat sensitive to salt.

[Turpentine]

The amount said for a 10gal tank! Ugh too much for first time. Hence the immediate dilution by 20%. Then again in two days by another 30%.

We are at an ~50% solution now and all fishes seem to be in good order...all eating quite well!

Sweet Cheeks is actually becoming more feisty toward the other fish during feeding which I am assuming is a very good thing! I think this means he is feeling better...on the mend from being in such a poor environment for such a long time before.

[wongce]

I kept bettas when i am young...eh lets not talk about age..LOL , If i am not mistaken, there is no need to put salt into your tank if there is nothing wrong with your betta, I personally find pleco hard to kill, maybe it is not healthy in the first place...

Eh, just do a weekly water change, suck up the fish waste( if possible), feed the fish... betta is one of the less demanding fish...but too bad it it not a community fish...

note to add in anti chlorine/ water conditioner, age the water(if possible) prior WC.

[tetrakid]

Salt treatment is best carried out in a separate small container. The fish should be immersed for a short while in the salt-treated water, but not for too long. It only suffice just long enough to let the salt kill the harmful bacteria on the fin wounds.

[Turpentine]

Yes. I age the water for a week first. And the reason I added the salt was because of his torn pectoral fin. I really think I just shocked the pleco. Poor guy.

[Turpentine]

Again...Tetra to my rescue!

[Turpentine]

Do you dissolve the salt? Or just let it sit at the bottom of the container. And would you use tank water or preconditioned water? Seems like a bit of a shock to the poor guy! And how long would you immerse the little guy in the salt solution?

Do the pectoral fins ever grow back?

[tetrakid]

Never add salt to a fish tank.

If salt treatment is required, it is to be done separately, in a sparate small container with the correct amount of salt well dissolved beforehand. Putting salt directly into the tank is dangerous for fish as the strong chemical action will injur the fish's delicate apparatus beyond cure, especially if they gobble up the salt grains.

I suggest you stop using any salt at all, as salt and chemicals (salt is a strong chemical) is only meant for very experienced hobbyists.

Do you dissolve the salt? Or just let it sit at the bottom of the container. And would you use tank water or preconditioned water? Seems like a bit of a shock to the poor guy! And how long would you immerse the little guy in the salt solution?

Do the pectoral fins ever grow back?

[FBW]

Do you dissolve the salt? Or just let it sit at the bottom of the container. And would you use tank water or preconditioned water? Seems like a bit of a shock to the poor guy! And how long would you immerse the little guy in the salt solution?

Do the pectoral fins ever grow back?

I would just throw my salt into my aging container or just into the container my Betta is living in, Bettas are hardy so don't worry too much about it as long as it is feeding well and swimming around actively...yes it will heal if given good water condition

[Turpentine]

I couldn't agree more Tetra. Thanks.

Never add salt to a fish tank. The Biologist in me said no...all along. It just didn't seem right. I want to go tell that fish store off. Do you have a good book you recommend for freshwater aquariums?

If salt treatment is required, it is to be done separately, in a sparate small container with the correct amount of salt well dissolved beforehand. Putting salt directly into the tank is dangerous for fish as the strong chemical action will injur the fish's delicate apparatus beyond cure, especially if they gobble up the salt grains.

I suggest you stop using any salt at all, as salt and chemicals (salt is a strong chemical) is only meant for very experienced hobbyists.

[Turpentine]

whoa....hahaha half of my response ended up in your quote! sorry!!!

Never add salt to a fish tank. The Biologist in me said no...all along. It just didn't seem right. I want to go tell that fish store off. Do you have a good book you recommend for freshwater aquariums?

[tetrakid]

No one need books these days. The information you need is abundant all over the Internet. Just search with the right words and you will be satisfied.

[stormhawk]

There are many guidebooks for a beginner to a freshwater or saltwater tank. Visiting your neighbourhood bookstore should be a good idea. I bought an earlier copy of this publication from Dick Mills:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Interpet-Bum...6773255&sr=1-5

The one in the link is the Bumper version but very informative for a first time fishkeeper. While it is not necessary to have a guide book on hand, it does help in certain situations. Besides, they make a rather good read.

[Turpentine]

Thank you. Will check it out.

Today my Sweet Cheeks jumped ship. I came home and found him out of the tank. I am horrified and deeply saddened.

[felix_fx2]

Sad to hear about the loss

[wongce]

Its indeed sad to hear about your loss, i hope this does not stop you from getting another fish and restart the hobby. Maybe this time you should get a cover/ mesh/ crate to cover the top of the tank just to make sure the next fish does not jumped out...

[Turpentine]

Sad indeed. My 20 gal that I have has a cover. I was setting it up this weekend for him. Ugh.

[Turpentine]

Before I do sart with a new Betta, is it common behavior of this beautiful guys to frequently "bob" their heads up at the top of the water several times? I am concerned maybe this was a water quality issue? Although the guppies and tetras still are quite happy, I am so hesitant about adding another Betta. Maybe this is how the overboard action proceeded to occur?

[Turpentine]

"start" and "these"