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Dangerous: The One Who Started It All

107K views 1K replies 53 participants last post by  DangerousAngel 
#1 · (Edited)
I've never done anything like this before so I thought I'd give it a shot.

After my battle with depression finally coming to an end around November I started to want a pet of my own to take care of, I knew a cat was out of the question, so on January 22 I decided to look at what it took to care for a frog. Needless to say I decided very quickly a frog wasn't for me, and opted for a fish. Debating between a Betta or a Calico Shebunkin. Here comes Friday the 23, when my mom and I are out in town our very last stop was PetSmart, as I'm looking at the fish a very nice lady asks if she can help, I told her what I was looking for and she suggested a Betta. We walk past the shelf with Betta cups and she picks up one from the second or third row and says 'He's a real beauty, I have several at home, if I had the room I'd get this one.' When I saw that turquoise and red fish I knew he was the one. So she shows us all the tanks and stuff and I settle for a small 1 gal. (which would be replaced within a month with my 5 gal. as somefishy got big), a (pretty sad) blue plastic plant, a small blue castle, and some crushed shell substrate. I check out and (spending only a little over $50) take him home. The lady that checked me out told me to bring him back if he doesn't last for more than 2 weeks. (no pressure) When we get home (having no clue what the heck we were doing) we put the tank together and get him settled. After a few weeks of calling him Dangerous, the name just stuck.
This is what he looked like in his new home when we bought him;
Painting Fish Art Illustration Fish

Could you blame me for falling in love?!
The weeks following I do so much research on Betta disease, spawning, behavior, ect. I'm surprised my brain didn't pop! I ended up freaking out over some growing fins thinking it was rot, so I added Bettafix for a week (he reacts so well to it) and all was well. Until I realized that when I turned that sorry excuse for a filter on for 1 hour each night it would throw him around the tank (I felt SO bad) it would fling poo everywhere and he'd try to eat it (eww) needless to say that's about when I decided to go for the big tank. (and it was getting time for a water change, *one month later* :oops: I'm surprised my little guy made it through all my mistakes LOL, but that's probably why we have such a strong bond)

Somewhere around month 2 or shortly thereafter I decided I wanted another Betta. So we check out PetSmart and PetCo. and I find the sweetest EEHM! (I also saw a marble DT at PetCo that my mom liked, but I thought one of his gills looked a bit inflamed.) So I get a 1.7 hex tank for this little guy and some substrate and decor (that I bought at PetCo.) and take him home and get him settled. I named him Angel;
Fish Fish Feeder fish Freshwater aquarium Organism

Now at a different PetSmart I had seen the most gorgeous peach VT that I wanted and should have gotten but oh well. The following Monday we went to PetSmart to look for the VT who wasn't there. On an Impulse I found Chili a super cute red VT and brought him home. I probably did it because I was prepared to bring the peach VT home but didn't find him, so I settled with Chili. Que a few days of regret (which has since faded)
I got Chili home and set him up in the temporary 1 gal. with every other day water changes. At the end of the week I have him in a heated filtered 5 gal. and he becomes very anxious and starts tail biting. ( this is also around the time I move Angel into his new 2.5, he loves it) So this Friday we're going to find Chili a smaller tank. Probably a 2.5, some red substrate to match him, and some decor to match his personality. Then I'll have a 5 gal. open! :twisted: With great planning and prep (and learning from my impulse buy mistake) I'm planning on getting a King!
Here's my sweet but feisty Chili;
Organism Art Fictional character

(his poor tail is half that size now)
He was actually much happier in the 1 gal. He's even much calmer and mellow in his cup! :shock:
I hope you've enjoyed reading and I'll keep all of you updated on everything. :-D
 
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#2 ·
Heyo! Subbing! Your fishies are pretty! I hope the smaller tank helps Chili with the fin-biting! Also, I've read people with giant bettas say they like tanks more like 10 gallons. But kings are usually smaller, so it could be different with them. Just sayin.
 
#5 ·
Thanks you guys!
Thanks DragonLovesBettas, I've read that as well. This 5 gal. I bought for Chili is quite roomy so I think it'll work.
 
#6 ·
So tomorrow I'm getting Chili's new 2.5 and hope that will help with the biting. I've decided I wanted to be creative with the decorations and substrate so stay tuned for my reveal!
 
#7 ·
So Chili got his new tank and he LOVES it!! Unfortunately one of the decorations that I bought didn't work (too big. You don't realize how big things really until you get them home. I also saw an air stone volcano but the water turbulence might have been too much for him) anyways the others did thankfully. I'll save the other one for any future Betta occupants in the 5 gal.
This is the end result!
Aquarium decor Freshwater aquarium Aquarium Aquarium lighting Feeder fish

(I hope that was the right attachment)
 
#8 ·
Oh wow, it looks awesome! I like the red gravel with the blue gravel "river".
 
#9 ·
Thanks!! That's the look I was going for! I wanted a bridge but I wasn't sure if I could get his barrel hide in there.
 
#11 ·
Thank you, he is! He loves it!
 
#12 ·
I thought I'd give you all a tour of my 3 tanks;
This is Dangerous' TopFin 5 gal.
Freshwater aquarium Aquarium Aquarium decor Majorelle blue Fish

This is Angel's new Aqueon 2.5 gal.
Freshwater aquarium Aquarium decor Aquarium Aquarium lighting Fish

And this is Chili's new Aqueon 2.5 gal.
Aquarium decor Freshwater aquarium Aquarium Aquatic plant Aquarium lighting


They all have been decorated to match their personalities. Dangerous is my fun mellow boy, Angel is very bubbly, and Chili is very feisty.

When I got Chili I had him on my bedside table and noticed Dangerous being very sluggish and sad, I thought he was on his last leg. When I realized that Chili was uncomfortable in his large 5 gal. I decided to get a stand and a 2.5. The day after I move Chili over beside Dangerous he perked up! All he wanted was to have his new friend beside him. Chili doesn't even flair at him!! <3
 
#14 ·
Thank you! I'm glad you like them!
This is what I woke up from this afternoon! I love you Dangerous!
Art Mural Painting Graffiti Psychedelic art
 
#15 · (Edited)
So, as many of you have seen, I welcomed my sweet King Betta Oscar into my life Friday, as I said in my other thread, he had been there a while and I just kept thinking 'if he's still there I know he's supposed to be mine' While bringing him home he lost his color and got clamped fins, but as soon as I got him home and sat him down on the counter he perked up! He's doing swimmingly now, coming to the front when I'm in the room and flexing his cute little tail and 'blowing kisses' at me! I'm so happy I bought him!!
Leaf Organism Plant Art Aquarium


Angel's fins have gotten shorter, so much so I've been calling him my 'half-Halfmoon' :lol: I think I'm going to try and put something up by his tank to block his view of Dangerous, that could be the reason. I did change his decor and am getting a new smaller sponge filter in hopefully tomorrow (Oscar took his because it's meant more for a 5 gal. tank) I sure hope I can get him to stop, it looks terrible. :-(

Chili seems to be letting his fins grow back out and they look fantastic! He's so much happier in his small tank, he's due for a water change Next Sunday!

Dangerous is very happy! But seems a bit mopey and it might be because he can't see Oscar his new friend, I'm hoping to get him up on another small shelf. Dangerous is due for a water change in a few weeks too. I usually do a WC for him on the 15th of every month but I might need to move it up to the week before because I did an early WC last time because of him being all sad because Chili wasn't beside him. Silly fish! :love:
 
#16 ·
I got a good flair session out of Angel and Chili, I also flared Oscar to see what he'd do and I scared him a little. I knew I should have waited. But he sure is pretty!
Here are the results!
Angel:

and this one I just loved!

Chili:


and a new one of Oscar:

He's actually blue on one side, and green on the other. You're seeing his green side! :lol:
 
#17 ·
Your boys are so handsome! :D

May I make a suggestion? It looks like you've got a couple of fin nippers. My Mace is one, too. I bought a small carton of aquarium salt from Petco, and I dose his water with it whenever I notice new nips. :3 It helps them heal. A lot of users (myself, included) believe in periodically dosing with AQ salt as a preventative, as well.
 
#18 ·
Thank you!!

Thank you so much for that suggestion! I'm so sad that Angel has started biting (he's my affectionately named 'half-Halfmoon Betta :lol: )
I have found this AMAZING Tropical/Saltwater fish store that carries cartons of Aquarium Salt so I think I'll buy some if it'll help. How much should I use and for how long? He's in a 2.5, Chili hasn't bit in a while *knocks on wood* and they are finally growing out! If the salt will help promote healing.
 
#19 ·
You're going to get a lot of different answers regarding how often to dose. xD; Personally, I try to once a month. If I notice Mace biting, then I do so more frequently. The carton directions will tell you 1 tblsp/10 gallons, but I, as well as a few other users, do it per 5 gallons. A little math is require for smaller tanks, but half of a tablespoon would be good for a 2.5 gallon.
 
#20 ·
Ok, my tanks only go up to 5 gallons, and the residents don't bite thankfully. So I should do a 10 day treatment (according to what I've read here about AQ salt) and do that once a month? I'll probably start chili's on Sunday after his water change.
 
#21 ·
Here's what I do:

When I notice new bite marks in Mace's fins, I dose his water with AQ salt that day, and then I wait a few days and dose again. Lucky for me though, Mace isn't a horrible fin-muncher. And then once a month, during their water changes, I dose with AQ salt.

Your two boys seem to be a bit worse about it, so I'd go with a week's worth of treatment. :3
 
#22 ·
So I'd use the measurement that you posted and do that daily for a week? Then do a water change? I guess when I do it, it will seem a bit easier.
 
#23 ·
When I do it, I do water changes with each new dosing. Otherwise, in my opinion, you get a salt build-up in the tank.

So, on the first day, ready a gallon of water (I use an empty milk jug) with conditioner and AQ salt, then empty a gallon from your tank and replace it (for the 2.5 gallons). For the 5 gallon, do the same, but dose the 1 gallon of water for 5 gallons (I hope that made sense >w<). Then, once the week is up, do a big water change to clear the salt out of your tanks.

Hmm...do that every other day, actually. Your boys look like they have some nice regrowth going on, based on those pictures. Plus, this will make the process a little less stressful for you. c:
 
#24 ·
Ok, so do a dose every other day, with a fresh gallon of water every time I dose. And do a 100% wc every other day? Or just do the 1 gal. With salt every other day and at the end of the week do a big tank cleaning? Sorry! :lol:

Yes my boys do thankfully have some nice regrowth! I'm so glad this will help!
 
#25 ·
Sitting here waiting for my mint tea to steep I thought I'd catch all of you up on what exciting things went on today.
I have been wanting a new tank for Oscar so I'll be able to get better pictures (Aqua Bow has bowed glass -.-) so today I had a Dr. appointment in Weatherford and decided to go in Pet Smart at take a looksie at the 5 gal. tanks wanting one like Dangerous'. Thinking there weren't any 5 gal. I settled for the next best thing, a 5.5, on sale for $29.99!!! I got a new hide for him too! I also saw 2 Bettas that I liked. A CT, and an EEHM! I even saved a little blue VT from ick. I got the attention of a worker and she took him back. Hopefully something will be done.
So I got Oscar's new tank set up and running, and got t he old one cleaned and put away.
Here's the new setup just before I put Oscar in it.
Freshwater aquarium Aquarium Aquarium decor Organism Aquarium lighting

I almost didn't have enough gravel! :shock:
I'll give you pics of him in it tomorrow, he was very stressed, he got pale and had some stress stripes. Poor thing.
I got him in the tank and he started zipping around all excited and happy, exploring his new surroundings!
And tomorrow I have a 50% WC for Angel and Chili and a new dose of AQ salt.
Sorry the picture is a little crooked. I have his tank near the ground by my bed on the shelf, so it was a bit hard to get a straight picture.
 
#26 ·
So it's been about a week since my AQ salt start with angel and Chili. Chili's fins look great, but I haven seen no improvement on Angel's (but no new bites). I'm just going to clean their water and let time and clean water heal the rest. Dangerous is getting a wc tomorrow, he needs it. I just can't wait until Friday. I got some dark blue and red rocks to mix for his tank yesterday. I'll post pics tomorrow!!
 
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