Obviously not audio related but my neighbour asked if i could look after their pet fish, which is just a single blue fish in a bowl, while they're on holidays with instructions just to sprinkle on some food each day.
Anyway the water in the bowl was crystal clear but one morning i noticed the water was mirky with frothy bubbles on top. I did some net surfing but am not sure what to do. After 2 days the water has not cleared but the bubbles have spread out around the rim of the bowl.
Any advice appreciated. I tried to register on some aquarium forums but did not have the brains to answer the registration question.
Thanks, sp
Anyway the water in the bowl was crystal clear but one morning i noticed the water was mirky with frothy bubbles on top. I did some net surfing but am not sure what to do. After 2 days the water has not cleared but the bubbles have spread out around the rim of the bowl.
Any advice appreciated. I tried to register on some aquarium forums but did not have the brains to answer the registration question.
Thanks, sp
Since this is a beta, do a 80% water change first. Then next day do a 20% water change every day till it clears up. If you have a biological and mechanical filtration system, u don't need to do water changes as often. If not, then just do a water change every 5 days as maintenance at 50%. Try also a non fouling or non cloudy beta food
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If your changing water then make sure it is of the same temperature, otherwise it will shock the fish. If your using tap water then perhaps have some ready and standing in a clean container. That will also help chorine to disperse naturally. Don't overfeed either, just a few flakes.
I used to keep coldwater fish as a youngster... a bowl like that isn't really suitable... not your problem I know, your just doing the best you can 🙂
I used to keep coldwater fish as a youngster... a bowl like that isn't really suitable... not your problem I know, your just doing the best you can 🙂
Thanks erik777
Is it just tap water? Can I use a cup to remove the mirky water and then add back the fresh water?
sp
Thanks Mooly too.
Is it just tap water? Can I use a cup to remove the mirky water and then add back the fresh water?
sp
Thanks Mooly too.
Tap water was generally considered fine (UK) but make sure the temperatures are reasonably equal.
Poor betta 🙁
No filter? No heater?
If you leave that water out in the sun for 24 hours a lot of the chlorine should evaporate of it. If you get a bottle of still water from the store that will be fine too.
No filter? No heater?
If you leave that water out in the sun for 24 hours a lot of the chlorine should evaporate of it. If you get a bottle of still water from the store that will be fine too.
After the water has stood next to the bowl you could transfer the fish to the new water and wash all the decorative material in the bowl and then transfer the new water and the fish to the cleaned out bowl.
That is how we used to clean out gold fish when I was young.
They can jump out of the bowl or tank if there is no screen over the top. It happened to one of ours back then and it died before we noticed.
That is how we used to clean out gold fish when I was young.
They can jump out of the bowl or tank if there is no screen over the top. It happened to one of ours back then and it died before we noticed.
Not against you stoolpigeon, but against your moron neighbour: That is no aquarium, that is a torture chamber. Nothing but animal abuse!
Having aquariums since I'm six years old, this is my advice: Go to the pet shop (or whatever one calls it) and get some waterweed (Elodea or Egeria), it's dirt cheap. Put in that f'ing bowl and it eats the poor fishies s h i t and produces oxygen in exchange.
Tell yor bloody neighbour to empathize with that poor being. What kind of life does it have? Darn, that makes me sick 😡
Regards,
Gerd
Having aquariums since I'm six years old, this is my advice: Go to the pet shop (or whatever one calls it) and get some waterweed (Elodea or Egeria), it's dirt cheap. Put in that f'ing bowl and it eats the poor fishies s h i t and produces oxygen in exchange.
Tell yor bloody neighbour to empathize with that poor being. What kind of life does it have? Darn, that makes me sick 😡
Regards,
Gerd
A cup is fine. Beta's are air breathers too and are very durable. If it where me, I would take the beta out and put him in the cup he came in from the store. Do a 100% water change and clean everything in the bowl. Tap water is fine, just make sure you de-chlorinate the water when you refill the bowl. Make sure the temp is the same which would be room temperature. Then every week do a 50% water change, and see if that is enough to keep things clear.
Couldn't agree with you more Groundloops.
People are generally clueless about fish care and most pet shops are only concerned with a quick sale. My first betta died after a few weeks in an unheated bowl sold to me by a "specialist" aquarium shop😡 This failure marked the beginning my other obsession😀
Only rinse the contents of the bowl (gravel etc) in the dirty water, do not rinse them in fresh tap water you'll kill all the good bacteria.
You're doing the best you can mate, glad you looked for some advice.
People are generally clueless about fish care and most pet shops are only concerned with a quick sale. My first betta died after a few weeks in an unheated bowl sold to me by a "specialist" aquarium shop😡 This failure marked the beginning my other obsession😀
Only rinse the contents of the bowl (gravel etc) in the dirty water, do not rinse them in fresh tap water you'll kill all the good bacteria.
You're doing the best you can mate, glad you looked for some advice.
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There are two types of "chlorine" that municipalities use to help keep tapwater safe:
Chlorine will dissipate after several days in an open container and is relatively easy to detect as a chlorine smell to the water.
Chloramine (one of the toxic gases you get when mixing chlorine and ammonia) does not dissipate with standing and has less of an odor because it is a much stronger disinfectant and less is used.
If you are going to do water changes quickly (and I suggest you do for the fish's sake) you need to use some dechlorinating chemical. If your neighbors do not have any, it would be best to get some.
Most fish could probably easily go a week without food.
Your neighbor is probably overfeeding the fish (most people do) to cause such a murky situation.
Chlorine will dissipate after several days in an open container and is relatively easy to detect as a chlorine smell to the water.
Chloramine (one of the toxic gases you get when mixing chlorine and ammonia) does not dissipate with standing and has less of an odor because it is a much stronger disinfectant and less is used.
If you are going to do water changes quickly (and I suggest you do for the fish's sake) you need to use some dechlorinating chemical. If your neighbors do not have any, it would be best to get some.
Most fish could probably easily go a week without food.
Your neighbor is probably overfeeding the fish (most people do) to cause such a murky situation.
If you take a look at the web page "Betta in a Bowl", it's a pretty good site. As other have said you need a water change. It's not a panic, anabantoids (your fish) have an organ above their gills that allows them to take up oxygen from the air. Their natural environment can get pretty nasty. The important points for the water change include:
1. dechlorinating the water - use a "water conditioner" if possible. These lock away the chlorinating chemicals so that they don't effect the fish. You can also accomplish the same thing by aerating a pail of water for about 24 hours (a small air pump with a weighted airstone in the pail- the idea is to break the water surface with lots of small bubbles allowing the gasses in the water to escape).
2. equalize the water temperatures - if you use an airstone this will happen as the degassing occurs. If you want to use a water conditioner, get the water from the tap as close to room temp as you can (again don't panic - these fish are tough and there home environment can include shallow stagnant pools that go through dramatic temperature changes throughout the day). Add the water slowly.
Hope this helps. Returning a healthy fish will probably be greatly appreciated and it may be the start of a new hobby for you (like most of us need another hobby!) - Good Luck
1. dechlorinating the water - use a "water conditioner" if possible. These lock away the chlorinating chemicals so that they don't effect the fish. You can also accomplish the same thing by aerating a pail of water for about 24 hours (a small air pump with a weighted airstone in the pail- the idea is to break the water surface with lots of small bubbles allowing the gasses in the water to escape).
2. equalize the water temperatures - if you use an airstone this will happen as the degassing occurs. If you want to use a water conditioner, get the water from the tap as close to room temp as you can (again don't panic - these fish are tough and there home environment can include shallow stagnant pools that go through dramatic temperature changes throughout the day). Add the water slowly.
Hope this helps. Returning a healthy fish will probably be greatly appreciated and it may be the start of a new hobby for you (like most of us need another hobby!) - Good Luck
Thanks everyone, hopefully my wife will return from shopping with some anti chlorine stuff and I'll start changing the water.
Cheers, sp
Cheers, sp
I hope the little fella survives.
Thanks again for helping.
Well I guess I guess I should add seasons greetings.
sp
Nicely done and good luck, I see the question has been answered quite satisfactorily. If the owner gets all cocky and doesn't want to care for it "borrow" the fish. Yes I'm suggesting this...Its been done before and most fish can fit in trouser pockets.
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I think mind set that you keep male betas in small separate containers stems from how people see them displayed in most pet shops
You can not can not place two males in the same aquarium of course as they will fight .
However, a single male can be placed in a community tank with other fish with no problems .
I always had a beta in my community tanks.
Even a small 5 gallon tank with filtration , etc is better than that small bowl plus you can have some other fish with it .
You can not can not place two males in the same aquarium of course as they will fight .
However, a single male can be placed in a community tank with other fish with no problems .
I always had a beta in my community tanks.
Even a small 5 gallon tank with filtration , etc is better than that small bowl plus you can have some other fish with it .
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