new betta fish HELP!!!

[horselover09]

hi!! I'm a new fish owner and I just bought a blue betta fish. Well, he died the 3rd day I had him...I don't know what I did wrong. I bought a 1 gallon tank for him with an air pump and spring water, I fed him these betta pellets, and just this morning his fins started to get off color(sort of brown), and he just died. Does anyone know why he may have died??? thanks for your help!

[Bettachris]

i have a few ideas.

but first, what are your water parameters, like ph, ammonia, nitirites, nitrates temp.

if you do not know, i suggest getting a water testing kit as in the furture it will be so important.

---

but another thing stood out, i don't usually aggree with using bottled water. it doesn't have enough minerals in the water to support the betta. While tap is often bad, but water conditioners like stress coat will make tap water chlorine free and good for fish.

---

dont forget that you can do everything right and you can still end up with a dead fish.... why... b/c dont forget that sometimes the fish can be sick and sometimes it isn't always visible.

So please dont get discouraged and dont give up.

---

if, or when u go to a lfs i would get:
stress coat,
hikari betta bio-gold food,
test kits.

---
betta tips:i been researching bettas for over 10 years and been breeding for 9 years, so if u have any questions on anything just let me know.

-in the wild bettas are naturally short finned, not long finned like seen in a local fish store. It is important to keep the water not on clean but, still. Bettas dont like a strong current because their long fins will pick up a draft making it harder to swim.

- bettas are carnivours so pellets are ok as a staple food, but once and awhile it would be a good idea to feed them frozen blood worms(one at a time), but for freezed dried foods, make sure u dont feed them this everyday as it isn't really good for them everyday, much better as a once a week food.

You will hear that people feed them peas, but i have found that their are alot of people that often have beens with drospy or constipation due to peas, and it is the last thing they would have in the wild, so i wouldn't.

- bettas are warm water fishes. in the wild, bettas live in shallow rice paddies where the water heats up fast in thailand. so if your betta seems sluggish at times it might be due to the cold water. and since the water is cold the digestive system slows down causeing bowel problems. so warm water is important.

- dont forget your weekly water changes. in a small tank like a 1 gallon, ammonia and other toxins will make the tank bad. so weekly water changes.

I would also recommend getting some old soda bottles etcc... that are cleanned out to hold just tap water for a feew days, that way you can add that water into your tank during water changes, and it will be better than tap.

-tankmates, really one betta by itself is fine, as u know 2 males usually will fight. but i have had two males together with no problems, but it is recommend to betta experts who can know what the betta will do b4 it does it., female bettas can be just as aggressive as males, and are best left alone. females should only be come incontact with durring breeding. Really anything else wouldn't fit in a 1 gallon so i would just leave the betta by itself.

common fish you will hear are:
snails- good, but snails produce alot of waste
shrimps- again will produce alot of waste
cherry barbs- best left for a ten gallon.

etc.. alot of these fishes are best left for larger tanks, so i would recommend leaving the ,male betta alone.

--- dailiy---

i would use a mirror to let the betta see itself for about 15 mins aday, that way the betta will flare and try to attack, giving it both mental and phsyical expercise.

---illness---

if u see any signs of illness, just let me know and i will tell you what it is, and how to treat it.

again even if u dont end up getting another male betta, just ask me any questions if uever decide to get a new betta or a new fishtank.

[horselover09]

I don't know the water parameters. also, I'm going to get a new betta soon, but how should I acclimate my betta to the water...how long do you reccommend I let him wait in the water(in container I buy him in) before letting him actually in it? thanks!

[Bettachris]

bettas dont tend to be that picky on water parameters but again if this one dies, than i would check it.

i usually let my fishes float for about 2-4 hours.