Should I or should I not?

[Cherries]

I would love to have a betta once again BUT every one I had died after 1-2 months of bying. That way I lost 5 of them, I always had a filter along heater.

After my 5th one passed, my mum said no more bettas, so did I.

Yesterday, I thought about getting one to my nano Walstad tank on my own cost, I will medicate it with Flubendanzole, eSHa 200 and Microbe Lift Artemiss.

There will be no fish in the tank to give him bacteria and parasites. It will only be him.

I have no idea why my other bettas passed after such short time, and I don't want to my 6th one (IF my mum agrees) to die after 1 month.

I'm not even sure if I should get one, but I so strongly love them!

How would I make him live longer? Or medicating him will get rid of any possible microbes in him making the fish live longer than 1-2 months?

I have no idea! I need to talk with someone!

 

[Ian61]

Forget about medications and concentrate on providing the best possible environment. If your tank is to be a new start up then you need to ensure it is properly cycle/matured before you add any fish. It’s possible you’ve never reached that healthy equilibrium before your fish have died.
There’s loads of info in these pages about maturing a tank.


God luck,Ian

 

[mort]

Do you know why you lost the others? Mass produced bettas aren't always the hardiest creatures but normally they should be able to live for a year or two (potentially up to 4-5).
If they all came from the same supplier then you might consider changing where you get it and making sure your tank is ideal for it.

 

[MirandaB]

I believe from your other posts your water is pretty hard?
If that's right then that will be one of the reasons previous Betta haven't lasted long,also the fish imported in haven't always been raised in the best conditions and they go through a pretty traumatic journey to get to the lfs.
If you're set on having another go I'd look at trying to soften the water and to source a UK bred fish preferably.

 

[Cherries]

Yeah, my water is 253ppm hard.. Though Seriously Fish say they can take up to 300ppm, especially they are captive bred nowadays.

The tank was always and still is mature for like 2 years now or maybe 3.

4 of my past bettas were from Pets at Home, 5th one was from a UK breeder, Designer Fighters, the one I want is also from a UK breeder and they say their fish are medicated with anti internal bacterial medication along with some parasite medication.

Softening his water once per week would be more expensive than getting what I need for my leopard gecko.

I just don't know if I should go for it or not..

 

[ScareCrow]

Although 253ppm isn't ideal and probably won't result in the best longevity, it certainly shouldn't result in such a short life expectancy. I've never bought fish from P@H but when I've been in, the quality of the live stock has always looked pretty poor. I don't know for a fact but I think they might use J & K aquatics, which aren't generally the best in my experience.
I'd try and buy local, doesn't have to be from a breeder but at least from somewhere that's had the fish more than a few weeks. If you're buying mail order as Miranda says, the fish are probably coming from soft water, so would need the same or to be gradually acclimated to hard water.
If you can collect rainwater, you can use it to soften your hard water. Just mix some rain water with your tap water until you get your desired TDS.

 

[Cherries]

That's really helpful, thank you! When it comes to P@H, they generally don't have healthy stock. They have had also a store or couple stores in Poland, very expensive and animals had parasite on parasite.. Yeah..

You're right about shipped fish, I am in Bristol and it's generally a hard water area. I could check Absolute Aquatics and my local Maidenhead Aquatics if they have healthy looking specimens.
I'll also ask them how long they have had them.

I suppose from such stores I could expect some nice bacteria and some nice gut parasites.

I have Microbe Lift Artemiss, eSHa 2000 for bacterial and fungus stories as well as my Flubendanzole powder for gut parasite stories. I also have Epsom salts for occasional bloat

Is there any good methylene blue medication you would recommend? Also some anti-internal bacteria medication? I'd give anything to help him live long! :3

Also, I live in a flat. So rainwater is just not an option for me. Any other cheap idea to kind of soften his water?

 

[ScareCrow]

I wouldn't worry about treating, it's more likely to stress the fish more. They're not wild caught and Maidenhead treat their systems and run UV sterilisers so there's be a pretty low risk of them carrying anything if you got a fighter from them. I've not bought anything from Absolute Aquatics but I've seen their quarantine system and it's impressive. I don't know if they treat or if their tanks are systemised but I'm sure they'd let you know if you explained the situation.
A Britta filter would help but I think they get expensive. I wouldn't worry too much. Consistent water parameters are more important than chasing a set number, which generally leads to fluctuations.

 

[jamila169]

Any aquatics shop worth it's salt, especially the independent ones will look after their fish, stock costs money, they're not like P@H where animals are an afterthought.
Maidenhead can be great (my local ) or indifferent (The next nearest ) From the two examples I have to refer to, the great one has been there for 35 years plus under the original owners and under Dobbies and the staff are great, have buckets of experience and have been there for years, the indifferent one , not so much, it hasn't been open long and last time I popped in there were dead fish in multiple tanks.
If you go to a new place, look closely at the tanks, overall cleanliness/tidiness , if the fish look stressed etc, you can always turn round and walk out if you're not happy, and a good store won't mind you asking questions

 

[Ian61]

have Microbe Lift Artemiss, eSHa 2000 for bacterial and fungus stories as well as my Flubendanzole powder for gut parasite stories. I also have Epsom salts for occasional bloat

Is there any good methylene blue medication you would recommend? Also some anti-internal bacteria medication? I'd give anything to help him live long! :3

That really sounds like a poisonous cocktail to subject any fish or aquarium ecosystem to. Adding largely unproven random medications for usually very poorly diagnosed ailments is, in all probability, going to seriously adversely your tank and it’s inhabitants. Again, I would strongly advise you to leave out the chemicals and focus on establishing a really healthy environment. Fish that take several weeks to die after introducing them to your tank are unlikely to be ill when you buy them. Sick small fish will die pretty quickly and only exceptionally will medication cure them. Even specific properly diagnosed diseases generally have their root cause in adverse.conditions.

Best wishes,Ian

 

[Ian61]

Just had a quick look at eSHa 2000. Sounds marvellous. Treats 18 different conditions caused by fungi, bacteria, Protozoa etc! Needless to say finding out what’s in it is proving less easy, but I suppose it doesn’t matter if it cures everything. Pity it’s not been used for Covid.
Sorry for my cynicism but this really is witchcraft.

 

[Cherries]

Just had a quick look at eSHa 2000. Sounds marvellous. Treats 18 different conditions caused by fungi, bacteria, Protozoa etc! Needless to say finding out what’s in it is proving less easy, but I suppose it doesn’t matter if it cures everything. Pity it’s not been used for Covid.
Sorry for my cynicism but this really is witchcraft.

It's not so marvellous! Doesn't treat anything, only prevents :,)

 

[Conort2]

As everyone else has mentioned, don’t ever medicate unless you’re a 100percent certain the fish has a condition. Medications are often stressful for fish and can do more harm than good. The main thing is water quality, keep up with regular water changes and you’ll have no issues providing you have purchased healthy stock in the first place.

And don’t buy anymore fish from pets at home, they haven’t got a clue what they’re doing.

cheers

Conor

 

[Cherries]

That really sounds like a poisonous cocktail to subject any fish or aquarium ecosystem to. Adding largely unproven random medications for usually very poorly diagnosed ailments is, in all probability, going to seriously adversely your tank and it’s inhabitants. Again, I would strongly advise you to leave out the chemicals and focus on establishing a really healthy environment. Fish that take several weeks to die after introducing them to your tank are unlikely to be ill when you buy them. Sick small fish will die pretty quickly and only exceptionally will medication cure them. Even specific properly diagnosed diseases generally have their root cause in adverse.conditions.

Best wishes,Ian

Shops usually have sick fish, not to mention gut parasites! That's why I'd medicate it the next day after getting it.

Any aquatics shop worth it's salt, especially the independent ones will look after their fish, stock costs money, they're not like P@H where animals are an afterthought.
Maidenhead can be great (my local ) or indifferent (The next nearest ) From the two examples I have to refer to, the great one has been there for 35 years plus under the original owners and under Dobbies and the staff are great, have buckets of experience and have been there for years, the indifferent one , not so much, it hasn't been open long and last time I popped in there were dead fish in multiple tanks.
If you go to a new place, look closely at the tanks, overall cleanliness/tidiness , if the fish look stressed etc, you can always turn round and walk out if you're not happy, and a good store won't mind you asking questions

P@H is not worth it, especially my local one, diseased tanks and fish..

I wouldn't worry about treating, it's more likely to stress the fish more. They're not wild caught and Maidenhead treat their systems and run UV sterilisers so there's be a pretty low risk of them carrying anything if you got a fighter from them. I've not bought anything from Absolute Aquatics but I've seen their quarantine system and it's impressive. I don't know if they treat or if their tanks are systemised but I'm sure they'd let you know if you explained the situation.
A Britta filter would help but I think they get expensive. I wouldn't worry too much. Consistent water parameters are more important than chasing a set number, which generally leads to fluctuations.

Hmm.. I'm not too sure even about my local Maidenhead, I bought livebearers with gut parasites and gill flukes in them, so not too sure with a fighter with them. Ooh! Sounds like you're in Bristol? Absolute Aquatics is just few minets away from me.

Got no idea what to do really..

 

[Conort2]

Shops usually have sick fish, not to mention gut parasites! That's why I'd medicate it the next day after getting it.

They shouldn’t if they’re half decent. Let the fish settle in first, get it feeding well and worry about water quality. The fish will be stressed already from transportation so to then add unnecessary stress by subjecting it to a cocktail of medication will do it no favours.

If say for example after a week or two the fish looks skinny still you could then go on the worm it etc.

 

[Cherries]

As everyone else has mentioned, don’t ever medicate unless you’re a 100percent certain the fish has a condition. Medications are often stressful for fish and can do more harm than good. The main thing is water quality, keep up with regular water changes and you’ll have no issues providing you have purchased healthy stock in the first place.

And don’t buy anymore fish from pets at home, they haven’t got a clue what they’re doing.

cheers

Conor

Nope, never buying any fish from P@H anymore. They're morons (sorry ), heard one employee say to buyers they can put 6 goldfish in a 30L tank. But they had one employee, he was a fish keeper himself and he knew more than me and he was kind too.

I have always kept very clean water, tank and filter with my bettas and despite cleanliness and mature tank I lost them. No idea really..

 

[Cherries]

They shouldn’t if they’re half decent. Let the fish settle in first, get it feeding well and worry about water quality. The fish will be stressed already from transportation so to then add unnecessary stress by subjecting it to a cocktail of medication will do it no favours.

If say for example after a week or two the fish looks skinny still you could then go on the worm it etc.

Well I guess I could so that, I could use Microbe Lift Artemiss the first day I get him. I have always used it with my fish and they never showed any signs of stress. I could use Flubendanzole before getting him and then putting in anti bacterial meds to double prevent anything I guess?

 

[Conort2]

Well I guess I could so that, I could use Microbe Lift Artemiss the first day I get him. I have always used it with my fish and they never showed any signs of stress. I could use Flubendanzole before getting him and then putting in anti bacterial meds to double prevent anything I guess?

no don’t add anything! Keep the water clean leave the fish alone and the rest will look after itself. If in a few weeks you have issues you can look into medication but this should always be a last resort.

 

[Cherries]

Okay, will do it as you say If I will see visible issue with him, I will post. Thank you all a lot!