Using Reverse Osmosis Systems For Fish tank Water Quality

RO (Reverse Osmosis) and Deionization necessary for the production of pure water for use in freshwater or saltwater aquariums.

Reverse Osmosis is a separation process that uses your household water pressure to force water (a solvent) through a membrane filter that retains the waste or solute on one side of the filtration process and allows pure water to pass through to the other side. Among other things, Reverse Osmosis is used for drinking water in homes and restaurants, but it is also one of the most important advances in our aquariums’ success, especially in Reef Ocean Systems!


- Manifold Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment System
- 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis Undersink Water Filter System 50 GPD With Storage Tank

Ever wonder why your friend's fish tank is cleaner than yours? Or how come you have to clean twice as much as him when you both use the same products and have the same kind of fish? It's probably because he is using some type of water filter but not just any kind - it's most likely a reverse osmosis (ro) system. A reverse osmosis system will remove a very good majority of impurities out of the water. Impurities like phosphates, nitrates, and heavy metals exist in most water sources even in bottled water.

Many tap water sources contains phosphates and nitrates which is the main food source for algae. When there is an abundance of these elements, algae will tend to grow very rapidly and stick to your glass making you spend your valuable time on cleaning the glass. Copper is another notorious element found in tap water which comes from the copper plumbing. Copper is can be very toxic to invertebrates and should be removed quickly to prevent any illnesses or unfortunate deaths within your aquarium. The best way to combat these impurities is by using a reverse osmosis system coupled with a mixed bed deionization (DI) filter. A reverse osmosis filter alone will remove about 95-98% of the impurities and the mixed bed DI filter will catch anything that is left behind. Together both will remove about 99.9% of impurities.
Another related problem to untreated water is the effects of pH conditioners. With untreated water, pH conditioners tend to be less effective due to the amount of impurities in the water. Reverse osmosis (ro) water coupled with mixed bed DI filtration will typically have nero zero TDS (total dissolved solids) in the water making it much easier for you to pH balance. With RO/DI water, you will be able to use less pH conditioners and minerals for pH balancing than with untreated water.
It requires very little maintenance and will help with saving time and costs. When the filters for the filtration system is serviced regularly, the costs in the long run outweigh any short term immediate bandage. Almost any standard reverse osmosis system on the market can be turned into an aquarium ready system simply by adding a mixed bed di filter. So join your friend and try using a reverse osmosis system with a DI filter. You will be surprised at the quality of water that you get.

So You Just Got Your First Betta Fish - Need Help?

On the Other Side, originally uploaded by chasing the rain.

Hello Nippyfish Readers (new and returning) and welcome to the busiest time of the year to be a Betta Fish blogger. Mid December kicks off an upswing of visitors to the blog and the Nippyfish main site as people receive well-meaning (if not poorly-planned) bettas as holiday gifts. The first flood of people are those who have turned to the web to learn how to care for their new pet and have landed here. I say to you, Welcome and congratulations on receiving your new betta fish.

First I should tell you that Nippyfish.net was born in 2004 as a place for me to assemble reliable betta care tips and advice based on science and personal experience. There is so much misinformation out there on the web that I was finding myself overwhelmed. I vowed to put together my own site where facts are listed as facts and opinions are noted as just that. You can take from it what you want and hopefully it will help ease the stress of learning to care for this complex and sensitive animal. Here are a few links to get you started. Also, this blog is a good resource as there are hundreds of Q&A and helpful articles listed. Use the search bar above to find what you are looking for or browse the drop-down menu to the right.

Betta splendens 101 – The basics about Betta Fish
Choosing a Tank – Don’t be fooled, a small open bowl or vase is not a safe environment for any fish
All About Water – Learn the basics of water testing and need-to-know water chemistry info for betta fish owners
Feeding – Overfeeding or underfeeding are common beginner mistakes. Learn what bettas eat and how much to feed.

The second flood of visitors to this site will come in January. This group I affectionately call the “ALL CAPS, HELP! PLEASE READ THIS EMAIL” group of Nippyfish readers who have rightfully worked themselves up into a panic because the betta they received for Christmas/Chanukah is sick or dying. The reason they are in this situation is not their fault and is usually the result of a well-meaning friend or relative who gave them the fish and relayed inaccurate advice from the fish store clerk about its “proper care.” Don’t get me wrong, I love fish store clerks – many read this blog and passionate ones often know more about fish keeping than I do. For every one of those clerks, however, there are 10 who have learned everything they know about bettas from 8.5x11 pamphlet provided by their store (if they’re lucky).

If you have found yourself here with a sick fish I first want to tell you that I was you once and totally and completely feel for your situation. Chances are you received this fish because your friend/family member recognized that you are an animal lover and saw you as a responsible pet owner. Because you are loving and caring of animals you are freaking out and either blaming yourself, the fish store, or cruelty of the universe for the sickly-state of your betta. Hang in there, many betta fish diseases are curable and even if the worst happens and he doesn’t make it, you should be proud of yourself for doing the right thing and researching the needs of your pet.

You should start by reading the links in the section above and then check out our disease info here:

Illness and Disease – A guide to the most common betta fish diseases and treatments.

Ok my friends. The holidays are almost here and I am anticipating your emails. I will be traveling a lot enjoying my time off but will do my best to get to as many emails as possible. Please don’t overstress and do enjoy your new pet. Bettas are extraordinarily interesting animals and have a lot to teach us. But a word of warning- they are addictive.

Happy Holidays!

Punishment for Fighting Betta Fish

thai fighting fish ring, originally uploaded by revs&audy.

caption: The photo above is of a betta fish fighting ring in Thailand

I was having a really interesting conversation on Twitter today about betta fish fighting for gambling/recreation purposes. It’s no secret that Nippyfish does not tolerate animal fighting for sport and I am happy to say most of world doesn’t tolerate it either. When we talk about fighting bettas it is usually in reference to deep-seeded traditions ingrained in far-away countries or to naive high school/college age boys here in the US.

I was interested to hear today that betta fighting in Indonesia, one of the countries where wild bettas originated, is a high-stakes underground business where wagers can get pretty intense. I was pleased to hear; however, that the law in Indonesia does not take animal fighting or gambling lightly. Both offenses are punishable with jail time. When I heard that I couldn’t help but feel satisfied. Perhaps because I have never once heard of anyone being punished for fish fighting here in the US. Even dog fighting, which is as heinous as it is violent, rarely ever ends with any meaningful punishment. Maybe a few months in prison at best and a fine. We have so far to go in protecting our animals in this country. We could stand to take a page from the book of our eastern neighbors.

This leads me to ask, has anyone ever heard of someone getting busted for fish fighting? Have any of our readers ever been busted? I suspect nobody has ever done hard time but what about school suspension, expulsion or loss of some privilege? If the law doesn’t take it seriously, does our school systems? Our teachers? Our parents?



Thanks to Fajar Jasmin who shared his knowledge of betta fighting in Indonesia with me over Twitter. Please take a moment to check out his incredibly poignant blog about his life –Unquote – it is sure to pull at your heartstrings and is my new favorite blog.

Since we have readers from all over the world, we would love to hear about betta fighting in your country and what is or isn’t done to prevent it. Be sure to let us know what country you are from.

Helping New Betta Fish Owners Start Off Right

Betta1, originally uploaded by ~VLC~.

Q: JP wrote,

Hi Christie!

I recently discovered you site and have a few questions....

A couple of days ago, I received a betta fish for a Christmas present. I am very excited, but want to make sure that I take good care of him. I got a small bowl with him... but its only 1 gallon... I know you said 2.5 was the smallest you would go. What do you think? Also I’m worried about temperature. Do they sell water heaters for small fish bowls?

If you could answer my questions that would be great. Thank you!

A:

Good for you for taking the time to research your new betta fish. This is the busiest time of year for me as I get tons of emails from new fish owners who have received a betta for the holidays.

To get to your question; it is difficult to keep a betta healthy in a small unfiltered and unheated bowl. Success is based more on luck and good genetics than anything else. Initially, keeping your betta in a small bowl may seem like the easiest thing to do but in actuality you are setting yourself up for difficulties from the beginning. Small volumes of water are unstable. They quickly fill with toxic ammonia from fish waste and the temperature in small bowls is especially erratic. Fish, more than anything, need a stable environment to thrive. A 1 gallon bowl needs constant attention, water changes and testing and even if you have the time to do the work it can still be impossible to keep stable.

I recommend doing it right from the beginning, which is really easier than you may think. There are lots of great starter aquariums available for not a lot of money. I recommend the small 5 gallon Aqueon Mini Bow or the 6 gallon Marineland Eclipse.

They are both sturdy desktop aquariums with an internal filter system, a light and a lid to keep in bettas which are notorious jumpers. Hope this is helpful and that you enjoy your new Betta. Happy holidays!

Betta Tail Injured by Aquarium Net

Undersea Tiki Betta, originally uploaded by pixelator_1999.

Q: DA wrote,

Hello! I have found so much useful information from your site. Thank you for all of the time and hard work that you put into it!

I have had this little guy for two weeks. He was in a small bowl, that I did water changes on every 2 days. When I bought him his tail already had a "fringe-y" look to it, but did not seem to be anything wrong to me. He eats good, and has been acting healthy. I did damage his tail while moving him to clean his bowl, :( It was a rookie mistake, and it looks like someone to a bite out of it. "net happens" is now our slogan...

Two days ago, I got him moved into a 6 gal eclipse tank. He LOVES it! I didn't know bettas were such active fish. He has been playing in the current, and just having a great time. My question is that I am worried about his tail....is it getting fin rot? or am I just being an over protective mother?

I have been using stability everyday to build up the good bacteria in the tank. (It says to use it for the first 7 days) I also used Prime, and 1/4 teaspoon of aquarium salt. I tested the water today. PH 6.8. Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, Ammonia 0. Tank temp is holding steady a 79 degrees. Right now all I have are a few silk plants, and gravel. I want to do a planted tank later. I have not done a water change yet, will do so when ammonia levels rise. He is getting pellet food, 3 to 4 pieces everyday, and freeze dried blood worms a couple times a week. At this time he is the only fish in the tank.

The only other thing I can think to add, is that he only flairs on one side. It looks like a deformity. When he sees himself in the mirror, he gets all "puffed -up" and flairs, but only his right side opens up. Have you ever heard of this before?? It doesn't seen to bother him, and he acts normal...so I figured birth defect.

DA's Betta Fish


A: Wow, D, your new 6 gallon tank set up sounds great and your water parameters are spot on for your betta fish. For a “rookie” as you called yourself, you are certainly on track for success.

Thanks too, for sending the photos of your betta fish. I can see exactly where you clipped his fin with your net. The good news is I don’t think it is turning into fin rot. On the contrary, it appears he is growing some new fin tissue. In the photo below you can see some very fine cellophane-like webbing beginning to grow where he lost the chunk of fin. That is new growth. It will likely take a couple of months before he has his fin completely healed but as long as you keep his water clean and your betta healthy, you should notice rapid improvements in the next couple of weeks.


Betta fish tail fin regrowth

Of course, I should mention that new fin tissue is extremely fragile. It is not unusual for bettas to lose their new fin growth due to reinjury or fin rot. Be gentile with that net during water changes and keep his water warm, clean and stable.

Best of luck


Photo of DA's Betta

Episode 1 - Water Changes and Betta Behavior

Hey gang,

Welcome to the first ever Nippyfish: A Betta Blog video blog. Today I tried answering our reader email over video but am also including written info for your reference. Let us know what you think.

Q: PM wrote,

Thank you so much for posting a lot of useful information online. I just got my betta fish a week ago and have been following your advice. He's doing quite well.

I have questions about my betta and would be very appreciated if you could get back to me.

1. I bought an ECLIPSE SYSTEM 3 (3-gallon tank with filter). I am wondering how often should I change the water and how much water should be taken out? Also, should I take my betta out of the tank before cleaning or just leave him in the tank?

2. I have been feeding my betta with Hikari Bio-Gold pellets. I feed him 1-2 pellets per day. I am not sure if I am feeding him a proper amount or underfeeding him.

3. My betta fish is relatively small -- about 1 1/3 inch long without tails. Is he normal?

4. I read your profile and found that you live in San Diego and I think you definitely could answer this question. I live in Santa Barbara and the weather fluctuates between low 50s to low 70s degree F in one day (outside temperature). I called the local pet stores and they said I can just keep him in the room temperature and he will be fine. Well, some online websites say that the best temperature of betta fish is 74-78 F because at this temperature range, a betta can live long. I am wondering whether I need a thermometer for my betta fish

5. After reading online, I found that flaring means he's angry because his territories has been invaded. But, how about the other kinds of behavior? I had him wag his tails vigorously at times without flaring. Do you know what this sign means? By the way, do you have information about betta fish behavior?

I am so sorry I am asking so many questions! It is because I trust you much more than other folks who set up betta websites just to sell their products. Thank you so much in advance!

A: A three gallon can either be cycled or you can do complete 100% water changes. If yo choose to clean the water completely each time, start by testing your water daily with an ammonia test kit. How often you need to change your water depends on a lot of factors so each tank is different. See how many days it takes for your water to register trace amounts of ammonia. If it takes 9 days, you know to change your water every 8 days before ammonia becomes an issue. Repeat the test periodically. If you do 100% water changes obviously you will need to remove your fish. In a cycled tank you can just change 10% - 20% of the water weekly and can leave your fish in the tank during cleaning.

1-2 pellets is probably not enough to sustain a growing betta over time. I suggest trying 2-3 twice per day and monitoring your betta. If he does well with that amount try adding another two pellets feeding no more than 8 - 10 in a day (split over a couple of feedings). If you betta shows signs of bloating you are feeding too much.

1 1/3" is a normal size for betta fish purchased at the store. These days it is common to find bettas for sale that aren't quite full grown. Over the next several months you will likely see you betta grow until he reaches about 2 - 2 1/2 inches.

I do recommend purchasing an inexpensive thermometer for your aquarium. Monitor your water temperature daily and watch for drastic fluctuations. Aim for a stable temperature around 78˚F. If you find your temperature fluctuating too much from day to evening you may need to consider a small aquarium heater.

Tail wiggling isn't completely understood but appears to be a good thing. Most bettas will wiggle their tails when you approach the glass or go to feed them. It appears they are begging for food. Tail wiggling seems to be most common in strong, healthy bettas with lots of energy and a good appetite so I would consider it a good sign.

Thanks so much for writing in and for being my very first betta fish video blog victim... I mean... participant.

Heating Small Betta Fish Bowls

Fish Bowl-6, originally uploaded by Melissa Alicia.

NS wrote,

Hey. I just arrived at my college today and got a fish. I'm currently housed in a triple which leaves very little room for a fish. Before heading out to the store to get my new little bud I was just wondering what type of heater i should use on my 1 gallon corner tank? The tank has an undergravel filter, and live plants will be going in with it to help keep it a healthy and natural place for my new study buddy. :)

Please help me out. And unfortunately until I get a new housing assignment my lack of space is causing me to keep this small tank.

A: Congratulations on your new betta and adventures in college. I too lived in a triple as a Freshman and know how tight the space is and just like you, I got my very first betta in college too. They make for a great dorm-room pet as long as your roommates are cool about them.

One gallon tanks can be difficult to heat. The small water volume leaves it open to severe fluctuations and most aquarium heaters aren’t made for such small containers. If your room is quite cool you may be able to use the Hydor Mini-Heater. At just 7.5 watts it is one of the only water heaters made for tiny aquariums. It is important to note that these heaters do not have an automatic shut-off when they reach the desired temperature like most aquarium heaters have (for larger tanks). This means you could easily overheat your water posing a danger to your fish. If you choose to go with a mini-heater you should absolutely have a thermometer in the tank and you should check it frequently. On warmer days you may need to unplug the heater completely.

Your other option is to go without a heater at all. I typically do not recommend this, but if you keep your Betta in a warm, stable location it may be a safer alternative especially if you can’t be around enough to monitor the Mini-Heater.

Mini-heaters can be hard to track down. If you can't find one at your local fish store you definitely can find them online. Good luck.

Curing Dropsy in Betta Fish

Alla luce dell'attacco - Betta splendens (Pesce combattente) - The Royal Discus, originally uploaded by Michele Pelosi.

I received a wonderful letter from a reader describing how he successfully beat Dropsy in his Betta fish. As many of you know, Dropsy is symptom of another underlying illness which manifests as severe abdominal swelling or general body swelling leading to protruding (pineconing) scales. It is believed that these symptoms are the result of internal organ failure and the subsequent fluid buildup in the body. Dropsy is common in many species of aquarium fish and is usually fatal in Betta splendens. Thanks to Angelo for sharing his story with our Nippyfish readers.

Good day! I've been an avid reader of your blog and website and pretty much took to heart everything you noted on Betta care.
I just wanted to share an experience with Dropsy and how my fish unbelievably made a recovery from it. I hope others who have their pets affected by this can benefit as well.

I never used to have any problems with my Betta, Manny. He stays in a 2.5 Gallon Tank with a HOB filter, with no substrate or decorations since anything added to the tank other than the filter never seemed to agree with him... whether they be rocks, live plants or anything plastic. He was a happy fighting fish, swimming actively and playing with the current from the filter for days on end. One morning I saw him floating on his side one morning when I came to give him his food. His scales were raised, there was a certain redness under his gills, and his tummy had a slight swell to it... at that point I figured it had to be Dropsy plus some other infection that I couldn't tell. My first three Bettas all died of Dropsy, and I felt bad knowing I might lose him to this one too. Nonetheless, I took him from his tank and put him in his 16 oz. hospital bowl where I know the measurements of his meds would be more exact. I took out the aquarium salt (1 teaspoon in 1.5 gallon containers) from his usual water mix, and put in Epsom salt in its place. I also got some Betta Revive and put in a drop to go with the mix. I made the transfer and prayed for the best. He was still floating on his side for the first few days, but he was eating so I figured there was still a chance.

I did this routine everyday for two weeks, (despite the fact that the note on Betta revive said it should be discontinued after a week) changing his water every one or two days as I could, applying the same mix. From floating on his side, he started swimming upright and then just lay down on one side at the bottom of the bowl the next few days. I felt sorry for him since he looked like he was in a lot of pain. He would only respond to food, and he wouldn't really move for the rest of the time. I did see some physical improvements; his scales eventually returned to normal, the redness under his gills disappeared, and his belly returned to its normal size. He still seemed pretty weak, since he still wasn't moving about.

This morning I checked, and he looked completely normal. Granted, he wasn't as active as his old self was, but he looked better than he ever had since he got hit by Dropsy. He was eating (dashed off with a pellet of Hikari Bio-Gold in his mouth), and responded quite well when I waved my hand in front of his hospital tank. I have yet to move him in his old tank, but it does seem like he's made a remarkable recovery.

To everyone that has Bettas suffering from Dropsy... it's important to catch this very early on. I think I may have been lucky that I got to see this early in Manny, with his scales partially raised and his tummy swelling just slightly. I doubt I could've made much of a difference if I caught it in its later stages. There were points that he looked worse before he got better, but as long as he's breathing, eating, and moving... he has a chance. Don't give up on his water changes and inspect his condition every day.

For reference, the recovery package included:

- 1 16oz Mini Bowl or Tank
- 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt for 1.5 gallons of water
- 1 drop of Betta Revive per 16 oz.
- Water treated with the usual anti-chlorine and aged for a day or two near the tank so the temperature would be consistent.

I live in the tropics, so the temperature often ranged from 27-32 C degrees. I did 100% water changes every one to two days as my schedule allowed, since I got so swamped with work deadlines that time.

I didn't change his diet with this, feeding him smaller amounts of BettaMin Tropical Medley flakes and (1 pellet, soaked) Hikari Bio-Gold alternately. Fast him every 6th or 7th day to give his digestive tract a rest.

Prayers definitely helped too. :)

In any case, I'm moving Manny back to his old tank today. I'll have to taper off his dosage of Epsom salt so as not to make it sudden. Then I'll likely reduce the aquarium salt or remove it altogether.

I hope others would be able to use this information. Thanks again for such an informative blog, and I hope this info adds a bit more to help Betta keepers everywhere!

Best regards,
Angelo

There is a great lesson to be learned from this story. Animals are amazingly resilient and have inalienable will to survive. I admire Angelo’s dedication to the treatment of his pet. I too have seen some amazing recoveries and believe deeply that we have a responsibility to care for our fish when they are sick and to take whatever steps are necessary to provide a safe and stable environment for them.

Thanks again for the email Angelo.

A photo of Manny provided by Angelo

Woops! Betta Food Dumped into Fish Tank

my gold crowntail, originally uploaded by louie imaging.

Q: EB wrote,

I’ve had my betta fish for a couple months; it was a gift from a friend. Usually he shows the usual healthy signs but I noticed that his color has dimed and he doesn’t have that shininess to him anymore. His eyes aren’t clear and seem clouded. He also seems a little uninterested in food but he will eat. One day I was gone and my sister poured a bunch of dried food into his tank (like over 25 pieces) when I had already fed him that day. I didn’t notice all the food floating in his tank until night time, so I cleaned it out right away. My sister said she saw him eat some so I was afraid that he overate and that he would die. He is still alive showing the same unhealthy signs. He still makes bubble nests but he seems even more uninterested in things and when I go to feed him he will attempt to eat but it’s like he can’t see very well because he will miss getting the food in his mouth several times, Today he only ate one piece of food and he will look at the other pieces but it’s like he gives up on trying to get it. So I found the Nippyfish site and thought about writing you. What do you think I should do to get him healthy again?

A:You did the right thing by changing the water as soon as you noticed all the food had been dumped. (I’m guessing you have a little sister. People email about these things all the time.) While it is possible he overate that day it is not likely that he could eat himself to death. Bettas are opportunistic in that he took advantage of all that extra food by pigging out not knowing when his next meal was coming. Now he is overfed and feeling sluggish, not to mention he spent the day swimming in dirty fish-food water. I recommend keeping his water clean, like you have been doing, and giving him a break from food for one or two days. Bettas, being cold-blooded animals, won’t die from a day or two without food. After a couple of days (after he poops), offer him a small amount of food again.

The cloudy eyes could be caused by the food breaking down in the water, particularly if the tank is quite small. Keep his tank clean and increase your water changes. In a week or so his eyes should begin to clear. If his eyes get worse or he shows any signs of swelling in the eyes you may need to treat for a bacterial infection, but as for now I recommend concentrating on keeping his water clean. Also, the cloudy eyes could be the result of chlorine burns. If you are not, make sure you are treating your tap water with a dechlorinator. (I am guessing you probably already are.) If his symptoms don’t improve in a week you should see about testing your tank water with an aquarium water testing kit. I hope he feels better soon.

Treating Stubburn Fin Rot in Betta Fish

Shelbi with Fin Rot. Image provided by BS
Q: BS wrote,

My betta fish Shelbi has fin rot now. His water is and has been pristine with the parameters at their perfect spots. He had blackened tips when I bought him but I thought it was just his coloring. Now his fin tips are damaged and broken. I did water changes and checked his water repeatedly before getting medications to see if he could heal himself but he just got worse and I didn't want to waste time while his tail dissolved away. I kept him in unmedicated, clean water for a month and a half. When it just kept getting worse, I went to the pet store and bought T.C. Tetracycline and Maracyn-Two. My other fish, Ember had gotten fin rot now, too because I didn't have another tank to separate him from Shelbi. Ember cleared up almost immediately and I bought a hospital tank for Shelbi. Shelbi has gone through two Tetracycline treatments to no avail. I started Maracyn-Two yesterday and no improvement yet. What else can I do? I have attached a couple pictures of his fin rot. Will his tail grow back the same as it was? Right now it looks very tattered and short and the fin rot is progressing, fast. How long does it take to grow back and regain color?

Also, I went out of town for a week and when I came back, Shelbi had a white speck on him. (it's actually not really white, it's kind of gray). It's not protruding or clumpy or anything, just a white speck, so I don't think it's ich. I have also attached a picture of it. What do you think it is?

Poor Shelbi has had a rough time lately, I am trying to do my best to take care of him!


His hospital tank is:
-10 gallons
-heated to 79 degrees
-medium sized gravel
-unfiltered/uncycled
-silk plants and cave
-I clean it once a week
-all perimeters are right

Thank you so much for all of the help you have given me with Ember and Shelbi. It has been so great to have someone like you to go to with questions for a reliable answer.

Shelbi with Fin Rot. Image provided by BS

A: Wow, that Shelbi is one beautiful fish. I just love his color.

Fin rot, while not typically life threatening, is still a very tricky illness because it can take a long time to overcome. Torn fins or fins that have been nipped by another fish tend to regrow quickly once the problem has been addressed. Usually within a few days new tissue growth can be seen and significant regrowth can be observed within a few weeks. Fin rot, however, is different as it is characterized as fin tissue loss due to a bacterial infection. It is not uncommon for the regrowth to be much slower or for multiple relapses to occur once new tissue has begun to take hold. Some betta keepers battle fin rot for months before they get a good handle on it.

When the fins do regrow, you may notice some slight differences in color (usually minor) or you could see a curling of the rays, especially in crowntails. This curl is usually permanent and while it may not win any awards for your fish, it will not affect him in any other way.

Fortunately, based on your photos, Shelbi’s fin rot is very minor and your hospital tank set up seems like a good healing environment. You may find, once he is finished with this course of antibiotics, that you can continue to monitor him in his usual aquarium.

Things to watch out for while he is mending:
1. Any ammonia or nitrite in the water
2. Fluctuating pH
3. Organic debris collecting where the fish may drag his tail
4. Water that is too cool or fluctuates greatly
5. Tank décor or other fish that may tear his fragile fins

If you find that his fin rot continues to worsen you may need to dig a little deeper into the cause. For example, how is your tap water treated? Are you using a water conditioner that neutralizes chloramines and heavy metals as well as chlorine? Are there other stressors that could be creating a hazard? What is your pH level from the tap as well as in the aquarium? If it is fluctuating, have you tested your carbonate hardness (KH)? It might be that we just need to take a closer look at some of the other water parameters.

You can always email me the results of your water tests and I can look them over too to see if there is anything unusual or missing from your test regimen. Let us know how he is doing. Hopefully he is responding to the Maracyn-Two treatment.

The white spec is another story. It is really difficult for me to see what is going on there. It could be the early signs of a fungus-looking bacterial infection or an actual fungus. I did see a case recently where the betta was loosing pigment and his scales around his head were turning white (not raised or fuzzy). It wasn’t anything I had seen before but would be curious if you think it is the same thing. Does it look like the scales themselves are changing color or falling out?


Shelbi with White Spot. Image provided by BS

Can PH Fluctuations Lead to Illnesses in Betta Fish?

DSCN9841, originally uploaded by starlessdesigns.

Q: C wrote,

Remember me? I emailed you awhile back about my male fish named Sushi. He had the mysterious disease. He finally had gotten better with the inside/outside anti bacterial food. He was all back to normal. But that only lasted about 3 weeks or so.

I have been doing the water changes AND I got the test stripes to test the water regularly. Problem is the PH will NOT come down. Even after fresh changes. I bought the PH DOWN. It does NOT help. I did it in stages, so it would not stress him out. It says on the bottle that some tap waters are so resistant to the PH down that it may not work. I checked it again this morning, and every time it’s HIGH PH. Highest there is, so the alkalinity is also high. Everything else is OK though.

Well, he now has fin rot. He has lost at least 70% or more of his fins! He has a few white dots on him but not all over like ICH does. He is still swimming up top and he eats like a pig but now has the white spots/dots and fin rot. This is NOT the cheese grater white like last time... its actual spots, like salt. But again, only about 5-6 spots only.

What now!!?? I am going nuts? I don't know what to do about the spots/rot and can't get the PH down. Suggestions? I appreciate everything and your time!!

A: It’s nice to hear from you but I’m sorry to hear Sushi is not feeling well again. It sounds like there are a few things going on here. First, I believe it is better to deal with a high pH that is stable then mess with changing the pH. The fluctuations can be very dangerous to your fish. PH Down really doesn’t work and could even be a major contributing factor to Sushi’s fin rot and what I believe may be Ich. As you know I also live in southern California and just like you I have very alkaline pH. In fact, I have to buy a HIGH RANGE pH test kit just to get proper results because the regular one doesn’t even go high enough to give me an accurate reading. My tap water (from the faucet) is 8.2. It will often come down a bit, once the water stands for awhile, but the new water from the faucet has a very high pH indeed.

There are a few reasons why pH DOWN doesn’t work. First, the ability for the pH to fluctuate is determined by its buffering capacity or KH. (KH is also called Carbonate Hardness). The KH is what keeps the pH stable. Unless the KH is very low, the pH will just bounce right back to where it was. Making the pH bounce from high to low and back again is extremely dangerous to fish and in some cases has been known to kill off entire aquariums. When this happens, aquarists call this a “pH crash”. Another reason why you can’t keep the PH low is because you are regularly changing your water with new clean water that happens to have a very high pH. Of course you have to continue with regular water changes so may have little choice but to deal with less than perfect pH.

Regarding your white spots, it does sound to me like Ich. Seeing 5 -6 spots could be the early sign. If left untreated the spots (parasites) will fall off and reproduce only to come back as 10-20 spot and then progress from there until your fish is in serious shape. Luckily Ich is easily treatable. I suggest Rid-Ich+ which has always worked great for me personally and can be found at any pet store that carries fish supplies. Ich parasites are common but typically infect stressed fish.

Fin rot, however, is a bacterial infection and occurs most commonly as the result of poor water quality but may be the result of stress. When fin rot progresses to the point of 50% fin loss or more I generally recommend an antibiotic like tetracycline or Maracyn-Two. As always with antibiotics, be sure measure the doses carefully and administer the full course to help avoid antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. If you decide to treat for both Ich and Fin Rot at the same time, read the packaging on both medications carefully to be sure they are safe to use together.

I hope Sushi feels better soon.

New Betta Fish is Sluggish and Not Eating

Red Rum ( Half Moon Betta ) !, originally uploaded by q8phantom.

Q: H wrote,

Hi there -

Firstly, I wanted to say that I've been reading your (beautiful) site for a while now, before I bought my first betta, and it helped tremendously – many thanks!

Secondly - I'm hoping you can give me some advice or suggestions. My betta came home on Saturday of last week, with four WCMMs (White Cloud Mountain Minnows), from a really good LFS (all of the fish there are beautiful – well cared for, alert, interested in their surroundings and playful - and the store owner and I spent some time discussing the ailing plakat in the shop's hospital tank). The betta had been in with a tank full of neon tetras, and had been absolutely unperturbed - they left him alone, and vice versa - so I'd no compunctions in letting them all move into their new home (63 litre Juwel Rekord tank) together. It's well planted, has an inch or so of gravel substrate and two big chunks of bogwood. For the first three or four days, all was great - they were all as bright and alert as they had been in the shop, and were all eating well. Around Wednesday afternoon, the betta started to display less interest in food. Overnight he became increasingly listless and remains so now.

The tank is fully cycled, and the ammonia and nitrites have both been 0 consistently (I've been monitoring it carefully). The nitrates have been high so I've done several largish water changes, but the result remains high (40-50). Until Tuesday this didn't seem to be affecting any of them, so I stuck to water changes, but yesterday I tried adding several doses of Tetra EasyBalance which professes to have nitrate minimizing granules in it. It doesn't actually seem to be minimizing anything, but I figured it was worth a shot.

I use Seachem Prime as a dechlorinator, but try to avoid too many additives, so it's just been the Prime and the EasyBalance.

I've made sure that the water has been up to temperature by boiling a kettle and adding it to my bucket of tap water, before adding the Prime and adding it to the tank, to ensure no nasties from the hot water pipes infiltrate the tank.

I did a really big water change today, which cleaned out a load of plant debris from a few of the aquatics which haven't quite made it, and pruned a few others, but the nitrates remain around 25-50 (I'm using the API test strips).

The betta remains listless, hanging out in the foliage near the surface of the water. He's not eaten since Wednesday, when I tempted him (for the first time) wih a mouthful of Tetra Fresh Delica whole bloodworms "in a nutritious, vitamin-rich jelly". This was a one off - ordinarily he gets Hikkari pellets or what I assume are freeze-dried bloodworms, courtesy of the LFS, both of which he was eating happily until Wednesday. His change in demeanor coincides with this meal, but I can't see any obvious signs of infection (but then, I'm more used to checking for infection in creatures
with fur). He almost looks a little "tucked up" (a term I ordinarily associate with horses) - could he be constipated, d'you think? Attached is a pic I've just managed to snap as he came out of his foliage for a brief spell.


Photo of actual Betta by reader

This is pretty much straight out of the camera - I boosted the exposure slightly to get rid of the shadow on his belly, but his colours haven't really changed since I got him. I can't see any spots, light or dark, or discoloration, and I can't see any sort of damage to his fins, or any bloating, either. He's really just thoroughly disinterested in everything.

The minnows, of course, remain bright and bouncy!


A:
I read your email and looked closely at the photo of your betta that you sent me. From the photo, I can not see anything obviously wrong. On the contrary, his color, size and shape are good and his fins are spread normally. He looks healthy. That said, obviously listlessness and loss of appetite are not normal and you are right to be concerned.

High nitrates over time certainly could be the problem. Test strips are not particularly accurate, but if the actual nitrates are hovering around the 50 ppm mark, like they say, I believe they can be a factor. Unfortunately products claiming to reduce nitrates don’t really work, as you noted yourself. Water changes are truly the best (and most cost effective) means for reducing nitrates. Continue with your frequent water changes until you get them under 20 ppm. Even once they are there, a change in your betta’s behavior may not be immediate.

I am also curious about your water temperature. You mentioned that you heat the water during water changes to match the new water with the tank water, which is great. What is the water temperature typically at and how much does it fluctuate throughout the day/night? Do you have an aquarium heater running? Water that is consistently too cool will certainly lead to sluggishness and even appetite loss as the fish’s metabolism slows down. If possible, run an aquarium heater at around 78F (25.5C).

You may also benefit from testing your water’s pH level. Fluctuating pH or pH that is extremely high or low (alkaline or basic) may lead to similar behavior. If it is normal and consistent it is one more thing you can rule out.

Fish food born illnesses are possible. They tend to be more common when the foods are wild caught or when not properly stored. For example, when frozen foods are left to thaw and then refrozen or are unrefrigerated for longer than they should be. If kept properly, most manufactured products especially brand names like Tetra, are pretty safe.

Hopefully I was able to give you a few things to consider. I know it has been some time since you wrote so if you get a chance, let me know how the little guy is doing. Hopefully he is feeling better.

Nippyfish - Swimming Upstream

Hi readers. Sorry I have been absent these last two weeks. I am in the process of buying a house (yay, more fish!) and have a killer deadline looming at work. My email is overflowing with reader questions which I will get back to answering next week when life slows down a bit.

Thanks for hanging in there everyone. In the mean time, if you have a fish related question try using our search engine bar above. We literally have hundreds of common betta fish questions answered here on the blog and tons of great information to help you.

And for everyone leaving comments; I am reading them and enjoying them every day. Thanks for participating and sharing your thoughts at Nippyfish: A Betta Blog.

Thanks,
Christie

Betta Fish Twitching

Close Up of Sara, originally uploaded by shagajr.

Q: AH wrote,

I have a question about my betta fish and, because your site is so informative, I thought you would be a great resource. I’ve had my little betta, Sam, for about 3 weeks. He lives in a 2 gallon tank filled with tap water and conditioned with TopFin Betta Water Conditioner. I have a thermometer and his water temp is usually between 76 and 78 degrees. I have a small filter that I run once a week. When it’s running, the current is so strong that he struggles to stay in one place, but his tank is clean. Every day I feed him 3 freeze dried bloodworms and he’s happy about that. He seems healthy, he swims a lot and he greets me. The past couple of days though, his swimming seems different. He seems a little jittery. Almost like he’s twitching. I haven’t made any big changes to his environment or water and I can’t seem to figure out why he is swimming like that. Is this normal? I did a little research and he doesn’t appear to have an illness. He has very colorful scales, long and colorful fins, no fungus, dark eyes and I don’t see any white spots. Maybe you can help me. I just want to make sure he is comfortable and happy.

A: If your betta fish begins twitching irregularly it may signify an external parasitic infection like Ich or Velvet or may be an indication of water quality problems like the presence of ammonia or chlorine irritation. Whenever your betta’s behavior changes from what is routine, it is a good idea to give him a thorough look over and test your water parameters. Ich has the appearance of small white salt like granules stuck to your betta’s head, body and fins. They are easy to spot and if untreated can become serious. Velvet is a similar parasite but harder to see with the naked eye. It often appears as a rust colored dusting on the betta’s head and body. It can also look brownish, gold or red in color. It is often easier to see with a flash light as the parasites will sometimes have a little sheen to them. Again, it appears more like a sprinkling of fine powder.

You should also test your water for dangerous toxins like ammonia, nitrite and nitrate with a freshwater aquarium test kit. If you don’t have one, call your local fish store to see if they will test it for you for free if you bring in a sample. Most will do free water testing for their patrons. Rapid changes in pH may also lead to behavioral changes like twitching. It is always good to have a pH test kit handy as even small variations in pH over a short time can be problematic. While I do not recommend pH adjusters like pH Up or pH Down, it is good to know if your pH is fluctuating. Often, simply allowing your new change-water to sit overnight in a container will be enough to stabilize the pH before your water change and will do it without harmful pH chemical agents.

Betta's Head Changing Color

Blue Fighting Fish, originally uploaded by Rae134.

Q: DH wrote,

I have had my betta Lapis for a little over a month now, and he's been through quite an ordeal. About a couple weeks ago he managed to get stuck against the old filter system I had in the tank and ripped his caudal fin to shreds. He's healing from that, thanks to help from my local mom and pop fish store's help. Up until Friday he was in a 5 gallon tank, but I had to replace it that morning because the 5 gallon was leaking. He is now in a 10 gallon tank, and this one has a light. I turned it on only for a few moments (honestly don't use the light, don't like the idea of algae growth) and noticed for the first time that his face is duller than the rest of his body. There appears to be no signs of ick, velvet, or cotton wool. He's swimming around like normal, eating normally, so there doesn't seem to be anything WRONG with him. I read on a website that they sometimes lose their scales due to stress, but that they might heal back. Is that true? Should I start another Melafix treatment? (I was using less than a half dose for a while for his fins; the small amount because I wasn't sure if he would be allergic or not)

Oh, and I forgot to mention he's now in a 10 gallon hexagonal filled only a little more than halfway. There's still an adult's hand-length from the top of the water to the top of the aquarium. I was worried about the water being too deep if I filled it up any more than that. He's also got a brand new Marineland Visi-therm submersible rated for a 10 gallon tank, and a Hydro-Sponge 1 sponge filtration system (which I put in after the old filter chewed up my poor baby). I live in a dorm-style apartment so unfortunately he's stuffed in my room, where I'm often moving about. I read somewhere that too much activity might stress him out... should I make a fabric cover for his tank so that he can have quiet times or something? Would that help him de-stress?

I'm including a link to a picture of what I mean about his scales. You can also see how his caudal fin is still a little tattered... it's amazing that it's healed so well in just about two weeks. I'm glad I didn't listen to one of the other betta enthusiasts online because he was pushing the use of antibiotics and saying that Melafix wouldn't do anything. (I think he was wrong on that one.) This is Lapis Lazuli or "Lapis" for short. I named him that because his coloring often reminds me of the precious stone.

Also, I noticed on your website you suggested that people not add unnecessary chemicals to the tank, yet quite a few betta enthusiasts have recommended API Stress Coat as beneficial to keep the water conditioned for bettas. Should I discontinue using this? I'm on city water and I worry about the chlorine.

A:Thanks for writing in and for sending the link to the photo of Lapis. The good news is I don’t see anything out of the ordinary and your betta, from the photo anyway, looks completely healthy. The dark coloration around his head is very common among bettas and is completely normal, especially for blue betta fish. After bettas adjust to their new surroundings they often begin to show their true colors and most often this means their colors get darker and more saturated. I believe you are just seeing Lapis with his natural and healthy coloration. Even his fins look almost completely healed. You may also find that the light will affect your betta’s coloration. Turning a light on will tell your betta it is time to wake up and hunt. During the day, your betta’s color will darken and become richer. When it is dark they will go to sleep and become pale. While you don’t need a light in your betta tank it is good to make sure he is getting at least ambient room light so that he can maintain his natural rhythm of waking and sleeping.

You can also feel free to fill up that 10 gallon aquarium. While Betta fish may be able to survive in shallow water they by no means require it. It will give him more room to roam and enjoy his surrounding and give you a little more time between water changes. Ten gallon tanks are great for bettas. It’s what I use at home too. You might even get an itch to add a small tankmate or two down the road, which you will be able to do once your tank has cycled.

Oh, and regarding your water conditioner question... A conditioner that neutralizes chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals is absolutely necessary if you water has them. That is something you want to keep using.

Thanks for writing in.

Photo of Lapis by DH

Betta Fish with Lump on his Head

Lump on Betta's Head provided by LH

LH wrote,

I’ve seen your site and figured I’d get an opinion on my fish if you don't mind taking the time. I’ve had him since the end of January and about a month after I got him, he had a spot on his face that just grew. I thought it may have just been a scrape but it hasn't gotten better, just worse. I tried to avoid medications because I’m scared of them doing more harm then good, but the lump on his head just seemed too big and kind of cottony so I treated him for fungus. It didn't really help much. For the most part he has been on a diet of brine shrimp. He lives in a filtered 5 gallon tank that and I do about an 80% water change every 2 weeks and treat the water with aquarium salt. His appetite is healthy, but I would really like to do something about his problem before it gets too bad. Lately I’ve been trying salt baths, but over the last one, he lost too much colour too quickly. Today (before said salt bath) I had noticed that little white bits were a part of his lump too. I took some pictures, I will enclose the best.

A follow up with your opinion would be appreciated. Thank you for your time

(He doesn't have any other dots on his body, those are just bubbles) he also had a bit of fin rot off and on, but it never got too bad. Right now his fins are in good shape. He a little bit lethargic and has trouble keeping balanced, but he is still enthusiastic.

A: Most betta illnesses can be easily identified but occasionally I get one that really stumps me. The Nippyfish reader above sent in this photo of her betta showing an unusual lump on his head with specs of white. I have speculated that it could be a tumor or perhaps a parasitic infestation of some sort. Despite what you may read on some websites, tumors are not very common among bettas. Most of the time lumps can be attributed to constipation or fluid retention which is commonly misdiagnosed as a tumor. This, however, is neither of those. The white specs are also unusual, which makes me think it could be parasites. Is it possible the lump is filled with some sort of bug which we are seeing poking through the scales? Perhaps gill flukes? It does appear to be near the gills but it is hard to tell if it is an infection of the gills specifically. Could the white we are seeing be the result of slime coat build up from the salt baths? I am just tossing out ideas because truthfully I don’t really know what has caused this. I’d love to hear our readers’ thoughts and ideas as well. Have any of you seen this in your fish?

Betta Fish Won't Eat From the Surface

Happy Chinese New Year Everyone!!!!, originally uploaded by louie imaging(busy).

Q: EW wrote:

I have had betta fish before, and I get them from my local pet stores (in those horrible little bowls) I usually have to wait a couple days for the betta to start eating and acting like a normal betta, but my most recent, Rudy, will not eat food from the surface. He really likes the food as it is falling to the water, but he won't look up to the surface when I feed him, I am worried only because this has never happened before and I don't want him to be underfed b/c he won't go to the surface to find food. What should I do?

I have tried pellets, flakes, bloodworms and brime shrimp. He likes the flakes when the sink, but then the water gets filthy faster.

A: If it is important to you to feed your betta at the surface then you can try conditioning him by feeding the same type food consistently at the same location. If needed, try several times per day until he anticipates food at that location. If after a few days your betta hasn’t picked up on the new plan then you may want to cater to his instincts and allow the food to sink. Food that sinks won’t necessarily foul your water any quicker then floating food. The issue is rotting organic debris. As long as he is eating the food and not allowing it to decompose in the tank, you should be able to get by with your regular water changes. If your betta is leaving some food behind you can remove it 15 to 20 minutes after your initial feeding with a turkey baster. You may also want to look for other things that may be keeping him from noticing the floating food, like bright overhead lighting, strong filter current or dense surface vegetation. It could be that he just isn’t seeing the food until it has begun to sink.

Elevated Ammonia Levels in Empty Aquarium

2006-10-18 20gallon freshwater, originally uploaded by caseylrauth.

Q: CD wrote,

I've started my cycling experiment with a 1 gal betta bowl (no fish, of course - he's in a different one). So far, so good. The ammonia got up to over 1.0ppm (not quite 2.0, but greener than the 1.0), and today it was down to the 0.5ppm color. I've added more old tank water (searched for two weeks, but couldn't find any ammonia to buy), and so now I have another
question - what do I do to test for nitrates? Do you know of anything that is better than strips, or are strips ok for what I'm doing?

When I started the cycling bowl, I thought I'd try something else. Here's the back story: when I first set up my bowl, it got murky within two days. Curiously, it did that again when I used new rocks in my fish bowl. I tested the ammonia, even though it had only been like 3 days, and sure enough, the ammonia was already at 1.0ppm. The only thing different from previous water changes (where the level was bearly even 0.5ppm after 8 days) is the new aquarium gravel. This has got to be it, but why? And if it's causing dangerous levels of ammonia in my system, shouldn't there be some warning on the package or something?

A: Ammonia itself is formed as the result of decaying organic matter. If you are not adding the ammonia yourself from a bottle or getting it from something alive (or once alive) in your aquarium then it must be coming from an outside source like your water. Rocks and gravel are not organic and cannot produce ammonia. It is not unusual, however, for your water supply to have some ammonia in it. There are a few common reasons why you may detect ammonia in your water even if you are not adding anything that creates ammonia (like fish or decaying plants or fish food).

1. Existing ammonia in your water supply. Many of us will find ammonia in our tap water if we test it directly from the sink. Registering .25 - .5 ppm (parts per million) is very common but others have indicated even larger concentrations of ammonia of up to 1.0 ppm directly from their tap water. It is a good idea to test your water from the tap a couple of times per year, especially in the spring when municipal water companies flush their water supply (sometimes this means an influx of chlorine or a spike in pH).

2. Another reason for finding ammonia in your tank when you haven’t added any fish or ammonia directly is the type of water conditioner you are using. First you need to understand how water is treated. These days most water is treated with chloramines. Chlorine is used too but the disadvantage of using chlorine is that it doesn’t last long. Once exposed to air chlorine quickly breaks down and no longer protects your drinking water from harmful bacteria. Chloramines are created from chemical bond between chlorine and ammonia. The old way of conditioning tap water for aquarium use was to just let it sit out in a bucket with an airstone in it. The chorine would break down after one day and it was safe to use. With today’s chloramine treated tap water the aeration method is no longer safe. Now we need water conditioners that treat chlorine and chloramines to make the water safe for our fish. Not all water conditioners are created equal. Some will break the chlorine/ammonia bond and neutralize the chlorine leaving the ammonia (NH3) in the tank. As you can imagine this ammonia is dangerous for your fish. I like to recommend Kordon’s AmQuel+ and NovAqua or a similar conditioner that not only breaks down the chlorine but also binds the ammonia into a non-harmful form. We call this binded form, which is not toxic to fish, ionized ammonia or ammonium (NH4+). If you don’t use a water conditioner that binds the ammonia then that ammonia will register on your ammonia test kit. You are basically creating the ammonia by separating the chlorine/ammonia bond every time condition your water.

3. The third reason you may be seeing ammonia in your empty tank is due to the type of ammonia test kit you are using. There are many brands of ammonia test kits and methods for testing ammonia but some test kits will test for just dangerous NH3 Ammonia while others measure the total ammonia; both NH3 and NH4+ ammonium which was described above. Ammonia test kits that measure both use the Nessler method. These test the total ammonia both harmful and binded form. If you add water conditioner to your aquarium that binds dangerous ammonia a Nessler based test kit will still register it on the test. This type of test kit might be useful if you are really interested in seeing what is going on in your tank while it is cycling. The nitrifying bacteria in your tank will consume both the dangerous ammonia (NH3) and ammonium (NH4+).

If you don’t realize you are using a Nessler test kit you may be worried at the amount of ammonia you are seeing when really it is the nontoxic form that is registering high. The type of test ammonia test kit most people use is a Salicylate based ammonia test kit. This type measures only the dangerous ammonia (NH3) in our aquariums. I have sent an email to Aquarium Pharmaceuticals to get an official response regarding how you tell from the package if the test kit is Nessler or Salicylate based. I am curious if the box says NH3/NH4+ if it is Nessler based. I should hear back within a week and will repost.

To answer your question about nitrate test kits: when you are getting started dip-stick tests are fine. They are cheap and convenient and personally I believe that water testing is such an important part of fish care that I never want to discourage anyone from doing it. Reagent based test kits are better as they are definitely more accurate. Reagent based kits come with a test tube and one or more reagent bottles with various liquids for testing. The cost varies quite a bit on those depending on the brand and the type of test you are running (anywhere from $6 to $30 per kit- the higher price tag is usually for saltwater tests.) I use these kits and swear by them. That said; dip-stick tests are still better than not testing at all.

Betta Fish Poll Results: Which Common Betta Illness has you Stressed?

tema röd, originally uploaded by miluhe.

In the last Nippyfish Poll we asked our readers; which common betta illness has you stressed? The results are in and they are all over the board.

54% (13 Votes) Fin Rot
25% (6 Votes) Swim Bladder Disorder
12% (3 Votes) Parasites (Ich, Velvet, Etc.)
20% (5 Votes) Fungus (Cotton Wool or Others)
20% (5 Votes) Dropsy
16% (4 Votes) Bacterial Infection (Septicemia, Popeye, open wounds)
8% (2 Votes) Other

It’s no surprise that more than half our readers are battling fin rot. Bettas, with their long and flowing fins, are prone to this bacterial infection which is caused by poor water quality. To prevent fin rot, test your aquarium water regularly for ammonia, keep up with your regular water changes and remove any uneaten food and waste from the tank bottom and anywhere that your betta may drag his tail fin. Most fin rot is minor and is treatable without medication. Minor fin rot consists of lightly tattered fins, bloody fin tips or pin holes. More severe fin rot may need to be treated with a wide spectrum antibiotic. We define severe fin rot as rapid or significant fin loss (more than half the fin has fallen away).

This weeks Betta Poll: Do you name your Betta Fish?

Selecting the Proper Sized Aquarium Heater for Your Fish Tank

Soma, originally uploaded by J Koyanagi.

Q: MS wrote,

Great blog, I wonder if you could give me a little advice please.

I have a 5.5 gallon filtered aquarium with 1 betta. I am heating it with a 25w Hagen Elite which says on the pack it's right for the volume of water. Trouble is even when I turn it down to it's lowest setting I can't get the temperature as low as I'd like. I understand perfect temperature is around 80°F but on it's lowest setting the heater is holding the water at 86°F. Do you think my heater is broken or just not suitable? What would you recommend?

A: I too have found that most aquarium heaters tend to overheat rather than underheat. In fact I am dealing with the exact same thing. My new 100w heater, suggested for 30 gallons is keeping my water at about 80F even though it is set to the lowest it will go, which is 68F. This isn’t unusual as I recall my previous heater held my tank steady at 78F when it was set to just 70 degrees.

Aquarium heater manufacturers are making their recommendations based on actual water volume rather than the tanks maximum water volume. Once you add substrate, decorations and equipment much of the water volume is displaced. After taking into account all the displaced items in my aquarium my 30 gallon tank is really only about 25 gallons at most. In my case I probably would have been better off going with a 75 watt heater instead.

In your case, once you identify the actual water volume you may find that a 7.5 to 15 watt aquarium heater will better suit your needs. There is a little bit of guess work involved, which is why it is important to buy a heater with an adjustable temperature dial. Some circumstances out of your control can also affect the temperature including the ambient air temperature and your specific heater’s efficiency. Not all models are created equal so one 25 watt heater may warm your water more efficiently than another.

It can be a little tricky to find these mini heaters, at least here in the U.S. PetCo used to carry them but I couldn’t find them the last time I looked (quite some time ago). You may have better luck where you are. Either way, you can always find them online. You would think they would be more prevalent with the popularity Betta splendens and other small tropical fish.

Shatterproof Aquarium Heater is my new BFF

I have gone through many different aquarium heaters over the years and my reason for buying a new one is always the same… because I have smashed the old one to bits. Any glass that goes in my aquarium will inevitably explode into a thousand tiny shards to nobody’s fault but my own. My old Ebo Jager 100 watt semi-submersible is the latest to fall prey to my carelessness. I decided last weekend to do a really thorough scrubbing of my larger aquarium – a spring cleaning if you will. I took out all of the tank décor and removed the heater so I could really scrape the glass clean in those hard-to-reach areas. Balancing the heater on the top of the tank I momentarily though better of its chosen resting place but dismissed my initial concern vowing to “pay attention to what I am doing and it will just fine sitting on the edge of the tank.”

Of course, 10 minutes later as I was wrestling with a particularly stubborn patch of lichenous algae I unintentionally elbowed the heater off the tank, across the room and into the wall with such gusto that I actually heard the impact even before my reflexes respond. I could even hear the light tinkering of tiny shards as they fell down the wall, across the furniture and onto the floor, like the sound of miniature wind chimes. The heater slid behind an old mirror coming to its final resting place out of immediate view. Oh the horror. Aquarium heaters, relative to the rest of the hobby, aren’t particularly expensive but Ebo-Jager has a reputation for being pretty top-of-the line, at least in terms of what you can easily find at your local fish store. When I bought it more than a few years ago I was sort of proud of it. Most of my aquarium supplies are hand-me-downs bough on Craigslist or from tropical fish club meetings and here I was investing in a nice new piece of equipment that would last me for years. I suppose I’m lucky I didn’t break it sooner.


The nice surprise is yesterday; my hunny (Mr. Nippyfish) called to say he was going to pick me up a new heater for my tank. He was the first to come running when he heard the eruption of glass hitting the wall and my subsequent string of four-letter words. I was more than pleased and when he asked what brand I liked (he’s not a fish guy) and of course went on about wanting another Ebo-Jager to replace the broken one. When he got home, however, what awaited me was a Marineland Visi-Therm Stealth Shatterproof aquarium heater. Hmmm, ok. I have had Marineland Visi-Therm heaters before. I’ve shattered many of them in fact. Back in the day they weren’t known for being particularly accurate and did have some problems getting stuck “ON”. They also didn’t used to be shatterproof. Still, I have never had a shatterproof heater before and I have to admit, if there was ever an ideal candidate for one, it would be me. Besides, it’s been awhile and this new heater will give me the chance to provide another product review. Tonight I will turn the heater on and will watch it closely over the coming weeks and months and with some luck for years to come.

Skittish Betta Fish Too Fightened to Eat

, originally uploaded by prismaviolet.

Q: JY wrote,

I’m really hoping you can help me. I’ve had bettas before, but I’ve never seen anything like this. I’m at a total loss as to what to do. About a week and a half ago my betta, Billy Pilgrim, began acting like he was very scared of me. He has stopped eating, and anytime I walk up to his tank he goes crazy and swims around really fast until he finds his little cave and hides in it. He lives in a 5 gallon filtered tank. I don’t have a heater because I live in Florida, and his water temperature generally stays between 78 to 80 degrees. I’ve tested his water many times. Nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, and kh are all good. The ph is at 7.8. I did a partial water change, but it didn’t help. He has none of the physical symptoms of any of the typical diseases and seems to be swimming around just fine when I’m not near his tank. I can't really tell if he's lethargic because he won't come out of his cave when I'm in the room. The other day he began flaring at his reflection in the thermometer and began building a bubble nest. I thought these were good signs, but he stopped when I walked by his tank. I've only had him for a few months. I’m afraid he’s suffering and slowly starving to death.

A: Some bettas are more skittish than others. It sounds like your betta is fine until he sees you come near and then ducks for cover. This really isn’t anything to worry about as long as he is carrying on normally when he is alone. Flaring and bubblenest building are all good signs that he is healthy. There are a few things you can do to coax him out. First, approach the tank cautiously. Avoid heavy stepping, rapid movements and loud noises around the aquarium until your betta becomes more comfortable. Be consistent with your feeding. When you approach the tank drop a small piece of food in and wait quietly until he comes to retrieve it. If he is too frightened to pick up his food, walk away for 15 to 20 minutes. Come back to make sure he has eaten. If he has not eaten, remove the uneaten food and try again later. If you are worried that he is not eating at all you may have greater luck with live wiggly worms like black worms or blood worms, which you can purchase at many specialty aquarium stores. There is some extra care involved with keeping live foods, but they are hard for bettas to resist. If that is just too gross for you to handle, you may also find better luck feeding your betta frozen fish food. This may be temping enough for your betta to look beyond his fear. Over time, he will make the connection between you and food.

Changing his surrounding may also help him to relax. Adding a few extra plants (real or fake) to his tank and moving the tank to another location may help change the way he sees you when he looks out of his aquarium. It could be that with the lighting and tank location that you look intimidating when you come near. If this is not an option, try feeding him after dark with the room lights off and the tank light on. I have some skittish fish in my marine tank and the only way I can really watch them is after dark. When the room lights are off you can see them but they can’t see you.

Betta fish, Billy Pilgrim provided by J.Y.

Marble Betta Fish - Color Changing Genes

, originally uploaded by prismaviolet.

In our last article we spoke about bettas that naturally change color over time. A Nippyfish reader wrote in concerned about some pretty serous color changes. Well, she sent in some photos of her betta fish and it became immediately obvious that she has a Marble Betta. “Mable” is used to describe a type of betta fish by its physical “marbled” appearance but more importantly by the special genes they have called, jumping genes or Transposons as they are now called.

These Transposons are what make marble bettas notorious color changers. Genes are responsible for a variety of things. With bettas, we study genes to understand and modify (through breeding) particular traits like color, pattern and fin style. A royal blue betta is blue because it has the blue gene. Transposons have the ability to do two important things that affect a betta’s color:

1. Insert itself into another gene and change its function. For example, it can insert itself into that same royal blue gene effectively saying “you no longer produce color” therefore changing its function. The gene no longer acts to produce the royal blue and the betta becomes colorless in part. Some jumping genes can also change the color which means some bettas can go from one color to a completely different color over time.

2. The second important function of a jumping gene is its ability to… well… jump of course. Through the chromosomes these genes can move reinserting itself into other genes. This is what allows a marble betta to change continuously over the course of its life. Let’s go back to the example of the royal blue betta. The blue gene was overridden by the Transposons creating a loss of pigment. When the jumping gene moves on, the blue gene returns to its normal function and the blue pigment returns. When the jumping gene moves to another location, it may then override the function of the new gene.

It is my understanding that the Transposons is a genetic trait specific to marbled bettas, which makes them more likely to illustrate a greater variance of color change throughout their lives. For hobbyists, keeping marbled betta fish is fun and exciting. For betta breeders, these can create unique challenges as it is difficult to predict what they will get. Over time, some marbled bettas may turn completely solid or loose color entirely.

Our Reader's marbled betta fish 6 Months ago

The same betta 3 months ago

The vary same betta today

Bright Colored Betta Fish - Vibrant Healthy Bettas

Gold Betta, originally uploaded by sponytales2000.

Q: D wrote,

I've looked around the net quite a bit and haven't found an answer to this one. As you're the enthusiast, perhaps you'll know. My betta started out life completely white with a red dot on his tail. After finding a nice home in my 20g tank with a few other social fish, he blossomed and turned gorgeous colors. And what I say turned, I mean it! He's been many different colors; the only thing that's been constant is that little red dot. At the moment, he's mostly all black including his lips. Is this normal? Please tell me my fish is just super happy and putting on a gorgeous display for my family and me. I'd love to hear what you think.

A: It is not at all unusual for bettas to change colors over the short and long term. Betta fish that have been living on a store shelf are often pale versions of themselves. This bland coloration is the result of stress caused by a small container, poor water quality and low water temperature. Once the fish is acclimated to a better living condition their true colors will come out (both literally and in terms of personality too). Within the first few days and weeks in clean warm water the fish will become bright and lively. This is a signal to you that you are doing a good job caring for your betta.

Bettas may also change color over the long term. Over the years your betta’s dominate color may begin to change. In some fish this change may be slight. A bright red betta, for example may begin to show some black coloration around his head but will often stay mainly red. Other bettas may show more extreme color changes. I had a green and blue betta that over the years transformed into a dark red. I have also seen young white bettas over time develop striking blue or pink coloration in their fins.

Often bettas will change color in certain parts of the body. Most common areas for color change are the head region. The crown of the head will often change to a dark black in darker colored bettas or a yellow or rust color in lighter betta fish. The area under the mouth often changes too. As a betta ages you may notice a graying or blander coloration. Betta fish keepers often refer to this as the “betta beard,” a sign that your fish is becoming an old man. The fins often change color too, particularly the tail fin (also called the caudal fin), the dorsal and anal fins. The pectoral and pelvic fins don’t typically have noticeable color changes.

Rapid color changes from bright vibrant color to dull or pale color may be a signal that your betta is sick. If you notice this sort of color change keep an eye out for other signs of disease and test your water.

It sounds to me that your betta has been through quite a change. I don’t think I have ever seen a betta go from white to black. If you have photos from before and after email them in and I will post them on the blog for all to see. This goes for any of our readers. Feel free to send in your color changing betta photos.

Here are mine:
Christie's Betta at 1 Year Old
Christie's Betta, Flash, at 3 Years Old


Christie's Betta, Bone, when I first got him.
Bone, later in life showing his golden crown.