Hello! New Betta owner. Need name.

[RKbusy]

Hi there! This is my first time ever owning a betta. Usually, I stick to the small animals, but a few months ago, I had started a 2.4 gallon planted shrimp tank. Unfortunately, while I was moving, 2 of my 3 ghost shrimp didn't survive (>.<), so I was down to 1 shrimp, lots of plants and no life in a cycled tank.

Either way, a few days ago, I saw an ad on Kijiji about someone giving away their betta. I suck at resisting stuff like that!

Either way, please say hi to Mr. Betta-who-still-needs-a-name:






He was living in a bowl with glass beads and being fed tropical fish flakes... that's why I'm wondering if he's SUPPOSED to look like that or maybe all the white-ness is due to malnutrition?

Well, I'm feeding him "HBH Betta Bites" now. Which says it's 42% protein and only 2% fiber, so I'm hoping that'll be good. Also have some freeze-dried blood worms, since I read bettas LOVE them.

I have a heater, a mini filter (which I love! :)), 2 Japanese moss balls, java fern and java moss. I'm hoping this pretty boy will gain some more colour and be able to live beautifully!

Oh, and just because I can't resist... my other pets:

Spook, Marley, Monkey, Liam & Sketch


Speedy (the hamster I was told is a rat... but - obviously - turned out to be a hamster!)

[Kittles]

Tinkle Peach.

[andreig09]

nice betta congratz!!

[doggyhog]

Awww he's sooo cute!! BOY is that tail LONG! Congrats on the new guy and I'm sure that he'll do great.

I LOVE your rats and hamster. They are SO DARN CUTE! :D hahah

Can't think of a name though...
Welcome to the forum!

[Romad]

Whoa that betta is long...... he looks like a little snake in the first pic. Or a dragon.

I'd keep an eye on those gills. He could have some ammonia poisoning going on there. They look very red. But, that could be due to the flash or the picture quality.

Congrats on your new betta buddy. And your furry friends are cute too.

[RKbusy]

Thanks! He is super pretty isn't he? *proud mama moment*

And ammonia poisoning? Could it be because of before? When he was in the bowl? (that was only about 3 days ago). And what can I do to help him get better? Change the water more often? I'm doing 50% water changes every 3rd day right now. I use bottled water (I buy it in bulk, since my other pets drink it and I don't trust tap water) and Big Al's water conditioner.

But is he supposed to be that colour? Or shouldn't he be darker? Like... more red?

Also, I'm already shocked at how active he is! I'm used to my rats and the hamster, who sleep all day and is only super active after night fall. But this little guy's been zooming around... ALL DAY! LOL. I keep seeing movement out of the corner of my eye and am pleasantly shocked. :)

And then there's my rats. Who are curious about the sudden movement INSIDE the tank now too!

[doggyhog]

Gosh that picture is CUTE!!! :D Hahaha

He probably will get a little brighter, but he looks kinda similar to one of my boys.

[1fish2fish]

Gorgeous orange dal... I'm pretty sure after a few weeks of good food, clean water, and warm temps he'll perk up and really turn into an orange dal.. right now he's really just peachy.

Just keep his water super clean and maybe even add a tiny bit of aquarium salt and that should perk him right up.. there's really no cure for ammonia burns.

BTW LOVE your rats and hamster.. once I'm out of the dorms where I can have a "little fluffy" I really want either a teddy bear hamster, a bunny, or a 'fancy' rat (at least thats what petsmart calls them)

[RKbusy]

^_^ Wow! This forum is active! Which is really nice! Orange would be nice. Peachy is nice too. And wow, that other Betta has like... a PERFECTLY oval tail! LOL. My guy's tail just looks like a bunch of streamers.

As for the name, going along with the theme of snakes/dragons, maybe Naga? Drakon? Drachon? (Dragon in Gaelic, Bulgarian, and some other language). What do you think?

@1FISH2FISH: you should totally get a fuzzy! And being the crazy rat/hamster/small pet lady that I am, I just wanted to mention that if you only want ONE fuzzy, you should go with the teddy bear hamster (which is a type of Syrian hamster/blackbear hamster/long-haired hamster - all the same thing). They are solitary creatures. Bunnies and DEFINITELY rats MUST be kept in same-sex pairs.

Unlike Syrians and Male Bettas, rats can't live without the LUV ;P

[doggyhog]

I had two dwarf hamsters once... :) I loved them. Would love to get a pair of rats sometime, but my mom doesn't like rodents. Surprised she even let me get hamsters! Oh well, as if 7 fish tanks isn't enough ;)

I like Draken for him!!!!!