why do my bettas die?

[PhishPhreek]

Re: why do my bettas die?

You mean you have to do water changes???  (just kidding)

Just as a side note, I did not have this problem years ago when I lived in a different state and kept bettas in my community tanks, so it could be something to do with Houston's wonderful  water quality (maybe I should do something to it that I'm not doing now).

The local water here in Houston comes from the muddy brazos river. The water company has to add a lot of lime to the water to make the mud settle out so we have a hardness of 200. They also add a lot of chlorameans to the water to kill all the little things that grow in the water. By treating it with amquil & salt and  ageing it in a 55g barrel with oak leaves, almond leaves or Peat in the bottom, I get useable fish water

If you want to use RO water, for long term fish health, you will need to add minerals back to your RO water after you make it.

What passes for "spring" water has always amazed me. Read the fine print on the label.

Which one is better?  Hard to say. But you can do side by side testing. 8^D

It all depends on what you're willing to pay for water quality. (time & money)

[AnotherWoogie]

Re: why do my bettas die?

So java moss for the babies and java fern for the adults - got it. I'm gonna try this out when I get back to Plano : )  I mean, I've always had java moss for the babies (don't worry, I'm not that bad of a mother!!!), but I never though of the java fern for the adults. Personally I've never really liked the look of it, but I have it in my 30 gal at home and it's growing on me (and my tank!!!), so I think I'll try that out.

Thanks for answering all my questions, phish.

And Lucy, I hope you figure it out!! I know that College Station water REALLY sucks so I use a water purifier (like Brita) and then add salt and dechlorinator and let it sit for about 30 minutes before I do water changes. Maybe that will help? I dunno - but I agree that the water down here is HORRIBLE! I refuse to drink it, so I can't really expect my babies to live in it. Haha

[Lucy]

Re: why do my bettas die?

Lime is added to our water?? I don't remember seeing that on my water report (thing the city sends out once a year with a break down of the water chemistry and other info. about the aquafers ect.)

Does anyone know what else lime does, other than funk up my coffee pot and make the water super-hard??

I also use salt in my tanks but I don't know anything about oak leaves, almonds leaves and peat??  Can anyone supply a link to a good informative spot where I might could read about this leaf thing??  

Thanks for all the great info you guys posted, it has been helpful  

[PhishPhreek]

Re: why do my bettas die?

peat

water chem

[Lucy]

Re: why do my bettas die?

Thanks PhishPhreek, the peat link was useful, sorry to say the water chemistry link was kinda like going back to middle school (it just took me 4 times to spell school right....I may need to ge back)  but I would have loved to have been linked to that water chem site back years ago when I got my first tank and thought I could just add water and fish.

Thanks man!!!  (oh yeah, I decided that peat isn't for me)  at least not yet...I have to do some more checking on this lime in the water thing though.

[jklntx]

Re: why do my bettas die?

Decent link on Almond Leaves:

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/blog.php?b=93

I keep Apistos, Rams and Discus ...all soft water fish...I use Peat (in canister) bog or driftwood and almond leaves. My water is slightly brownish (more noticeable in smaller tanks than larger) and leaves litter floor, but the fish I keep love them. I am especially impressed with their antibacterial properties.

[Lucy]

Re: why do my bettas die?

This is an old thread but I'm bumping it up as I still don't know why my bettas die and I really want to get another one to add to my 42 gal. comm. tank.

can/will anyone recommend to me, a good quality food to feed them as i think the problem is nutritionally related.  I think this because they all die after the same amount of time and nutrient deficiency is one of the causes of dropsy, which is what they are all getting.
Thanks a ton!
Lucy

ps
for whomever posted the "can plants stress the betta"
they live in rice patties in china, they love the plants and tend to get stressed without them, at least that is my understanding.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Zulaab]

Re: why do my bettas die?

Lucy -- mine who has been living for a year gets TopFin Betta Pellets (cheap Petsmart brand) and Tetra dried out bloodworms -- sometimes I will give him some frozen bloodworms, but no more than like 3 or 4 worms.  I dont like it when food hits the bottom of the bowl because I dont ever see him looking at the bottom for food.

[dblondfemme]

Re: why do my bettas die?

I have two pair living in two separate tanks (yes, a male/female pair living together in harmony with other fish).  They eat whatever I put in.  I rotate with NSL, blood worms, brine shrimp, flakes, crisps, color bits.... I guess I am just lucky.

[imagirlgeek]

Re: why do my bettas die?

We have 2 bettas living in large bowls (I know, I'm waiting to run across a good deal for a couple of 1g - 5g tanks).  We feed them 4-5 pellets a couple times a day of the Hikari Betta Bio-Gold.  We also do 100% water change about every 10 days.  However, one of the cats has decided that he likes fish water over the water in his bowl, so he's been drinking out of the betta bowls.  This means that I have to supplement the water that is removed by the cat daily, so I scoop water out of the tank that the betta bowls sit on and add that to their bowls between water changes.  We got the bettas last summer and they are still going strong.

[Mzungu]

Re: why do my bettas die?

Lucy - How many bettas have you had that died in this manner?

I'm sorry, I hope we can help figure out what the problem is. I really, really, really hate dropsy.  :(

Maybe listing the variables that are different from the other fish you keep could be useful? So far, I see that really the only variables are the bettas don't get "treats," and are alone in their own 5g tank. Is it the same tank every time?

It's very possible that the nutritional factor could be contributing to their demise, like you said. It never hurts to give fish a varied diet. They love live foods. Mine get bloodworms and brineshrimp (frozen), mosquito larva (if I find some in parents' fountain), flakes, HBH pellets, etc. So, I don't know specifically of a food to recommend as superior, I just tend to give them a varied diet to make sure they're getting what they need.  :)