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The Saga of the Tankmates... Questions and Concerns

994 views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  Magdalaine 
#1 ·
So now that I'm back at college, my two little guys are in a divided 5 gal instead of a 2 gal fishbowl and fishtank. However, the transition has not gone completely smoothly... :-?

After the four hour drive up they had to remain in their quart travel containers for 2 days until the mail room opened and I could retrieve and set up their tank. This actually didn't stress them out as much as I thought it would, but they still weren't too happy with the situation and Button got it into his pretty little head to refuse to eat... :-(

However, now that they're in the divided tank, Fishstick has decided to be uber-aggressive and Button is just sort of ignoring him (I think Fishstick can see Button better than Button can see him from the way the light is angled). Also, while "fighting" with Button, Fishstick damaged his dorsal fin :shock: (presumably snagged on a plastic plant which he never had issues with before, but which I have now removed). Button it turns out just decided to be exceedingly picky about his food and will now only eat the freeze-dried brine shrimp which i bought for them as once or twice a week feedings.

So now that things have started smoothing out a bit, i have some questions:
1. I gave Fishstick a salt bath today when i discovered his damaged dorsal fin (it isn't that bad, he's acting normal), but how often should I give him them from now on in order to promote healing and regrowth?
2. Since Button is only eating freeze-dried brine shrimp, should I only feed him every other day?
3. At what point should I remove one of them from the tank if things continue to be insane?

Apologies for the wall of text, I kinda wanted to explain the circumstances leading up to my questions... :-?
 
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#2 ·
Well, I've always given my fish salt baths 2-3 times a day, when promoting healing, but i think the max is 5 times a day.

As to the second question, I would just fast him for a few days and offer him pellets (but take them out after he ignores them or eats and spits them back out), if Button is hungry, Button will eat.

I would keep them in the same tank for a while longer, they're probably just freaking out from the move, but if they start tail bitting and bashing themselves against the side of the tank, then i would remove them.

Hope all of that clears up something or everything.
 
#7 ·
the proportions are roughly one teaspoon of salt to every gallon, then put your fish in it for about 15 minutes, you can do these about 5 times a day without any harm to the fish... they're really good for when you catch things like fin rot or ich early, sometimes you end up not needing to use any medications

(i hope that made sense... i just woke up, there's also a really good thread somewhere in the section on Betta diseases on salt baths and their uses)
 
#8 ·
I fed Fishstick and Button a few minutes ago, Fishstick ate with his usual gusto and Button just sort of kept butting his food with his head, sort of mouthing it and then swimming away... I might have though that the pellets were too big for his mouth, except that he was eating them no problem until he tasted brine shrimp... (he's being such a brat!) I'm also about to give Fishstick another salt bath with plans for another if I have time before work and another after I get back from work.
 
#9 ·
I would keep offering the pellets, he'll start eating them when he's hungry enough. He's just taking advantage of the shrimp, lol. & I would keep them together, they have to get used to the situation of having a tank buddy.
 
#10 ·
Update: I noticed that Button has a small hole in his anal fin now... I don't think there's any way that either of them are fin biting... but they are pissing me off to no end... I ended up putting more salt in their tank to help with healing :-/ I'm planning on giving them another salt bath either tonight or tomorrow though
 
#11 ·
yet another update: I have to separate my boys... I went to give them both salt baths and in the two hours I was not in my room, Button completely shredded his tail and there is NOTHING in the tank which he could have done that on... I'm considering these tankmates scrapped, Fishstick is too aggressive for sweet little Button. Fishstick is going back into his 2 gal fishbowl and Button is staying in the now undivided 5 gal fishtank...
 
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