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58K views 955 replies 19 participants last post by  Syriiven 
#1 ·
2.5 Gallon + T-Rex = Phycondrias' abode and well protected home.
3 Gallon Halfmoon Tank + Lots of Leaves! = Demi Walker, the tough and elegant.

Hi~ I find that I have a habit of talking about my betta. All the time. To Anyone who'll listen. >.< So I figured maybe it would be a good idea to start a journal here and keep a log of my water changes and such - since soon I'll have 3 betta and should keep track of things.

I've had Phy since July, and Demi is a recent and unexpected rescue. I've had a CT betta before called Kouriin, and though he lived for three years, after being here for a month I've realised I could have done much, much more for him.

R.I.P. Kouriin :(

Since coming here and getting lots of help and trying to help where I can, I find my bettas lives are much better now. So a huuuge thanks to everyone who's helped me on this site!

It's also nice to not feel alone in my slight obsession with the little ones, since that's something I feel on a daily basis around almost everyone else outside of this forum.

Anyways - this is about the bettas, not me :)

Not a big post today, but Phy is due for one more day of AQ Salt and then he gets to have his tank back to normal. I haven't seen any serious regrowth since he's been on the AQ Salt, but at least I feel he hasn't gotten any infections from his latest tail-biting episode. I think I'll put back in the safe plastic plants I have for him and the big orangey leaves and his t-rex skull. And going to put panty hose on the filter and see if it's a culprit at all, though I doubt it.

I hope with less on the surface he'll keep trying to make these bubblenests, I feel they're a good sign for him. But I also know they haven't started showing until I put him in the AQ Salt next to Demi's tank...>.>

Demi will get her first 25% water change in her new home tomorrow after I'm done setting up the shelf for her whisper filter. I'll do her before I do Phy since the tanks will be switching places, Demi up and Phy down. Hee~ Demi's been making use of her betta hammock I made, and for that I'm glad. Took her no time at all to give it and the leaves out and now she has her favourite spots to sit and rest. Still can't get a clear photo of her 100%.

And I think that's all for today. ^^
 
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#5 ·
I saw =) Very nice pictures.
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So, today I did their water changes. Demi got a 30% water change, and Phy got switched back from AQ Salt to fresh water and got all his decorations back, so his was obviously a 100% change. Demi's doing fine, rests for a while then busies herself all over her tank, frequently visiting the hammock but she doesnt rest there long. Especially when she sees me moving (trying to get the camera for a pic...-_-; )

Phy's more distracted by exploring his tank with a bit of a change up from what it was before the salt baths, so not picking a fight with his reflection as much. I did note a small tear/hole in his lower fin and I'm wondering if it's actually a tear or finrot...but it just doesnt make sense. he was in AQ Salt with no new tears or biting for five days. There's even new fin growth on his tail, so why would there suddenly be a hole? So I'm hoping it's just a tear.

Though now I'm wondering if he's going to constantly have potential finrot due to his tail-biting, should I put him in the split 10g? Is finrot contagious? His tail-biting episodes are every few days to once a week, so there's lots of potential for him to get finrot especially if being moved back into the 10g (though he'll only have 5g for room and it'll be properly cycled) stresses him out real bad like it did the first time.

I do notice him and Demi looking at eachother from their tanks. I wonder how good a betta's vision is beyond the tank. They know when I come into the room immediately, but that could be vibrations easy. And I'm a big shadow in a mostly white room. But how good is there vision to spot eachother? how clearly?

Just wondering, wondering...

I also got an accurate thermometer to watch the temps of their tanks instead of relying solely on those strip thermometers which have like 3 different colors of a temp range >.<

Right now (with the non-adjustable submerisble heaters they both have) Phy's tank is about 81-82, and Demi's is 80-81. I'm wondering if that's too warm or just right...but removing the heaters brings the water temp down to about 75-77F...so....=S
 
#7 ·
I took the filter out of PHy's 2.5g for right now. If I keep up with his water changes he'll be just fine, but it kept making this grinding sound. Plus I suspect if he has a still surface he just might make another bubblenest. Who knows! =) Demi's Whisper filter is so nice and quiet though! And has just a gentle trickle so she's not bothered by current.
 
#12 ·
Not too much of an update today. There's some sort of film on part of the surface in Demi's tank which I'm just going to scoop out...

And for some reason Phy's tank looks a little cloudy...could it be because I took out the filter? It's wierd cuz he got new water yesterday. 100% new =/

But in any case, both are still happy. =) Demi's resting more today, but Phy's busy building another nest =D

 
#19 ·
So not much to report today. Phy's tank cleared up and there's no more scummy residue on Demi's water =) I did however read a few articles and found out they'll flare at black pens. Well I didn't have a black pen but I had a black katana letter opener and that worked real well - though Demi darted from it and only flared and chased when I pulled it away xD Phy was srsly not cool with it so near his nest bubbles >:3

Both having had their daily dose of excitement, I got a few pics which are in my albums =)

And I got some decent-like ones of Demi, and a blurred one. -sigh- I'm beginning to think getting a digital camera with a good zoom or video would be best to show her off. But her fin's growing even more! =D I'm so excited she's healing so well! And she's not bent at all any more! Flits around all the time, though she still doesn't really attempt to control her decent in the tank.

And Phy has two bubblenests/mounds going! Woooo!
 
#20 ·
Yay! 50% Water changes today and now that I have their heaters working again they'll be happy and back to normal soon! I can't express how much I truly hope that the white growth on Demi's fin is actually fin >.< Just never seen a fin grow back from nothing before.

And Phy's nest is getting so big! It's half an inch thick too =D





When I go to the city next weekend I'm picking up plants for everyone's tanks. I'm thinking Demi might appreciate more low covering foliage because she spooks bad when I turn on the light for the room >.<
 
#22 ·
Yup! Tomorrow I get to go get my snails and two new bettas and the live plants. Actually kept looking at your tanks and thinking about Pothos too, but I'll be looking for a different filter for the 10g. Mine is what came with the tank and it's too turbulent I think.
 
#24 ·
New bettas!

I'm so excited to share that I've adopted a new halfmoon and crown-tail =D Pictures are in my albums!

Seiya is a gorgeous little halfmoon! I think he might be a marble, but waiting till he's happier and more comfortable. He's very iridescent which makes him appear greener than he is in pics. He's very curious and isn't afraid of me getting close to his tank at all! The whole ride home he was looking at me, and when I was taking pictures he came right up close (thus some are fuzzy, haha). He's far more laid back than the other.

Kalec is a beautiful crown-tail - dark-blue with a peacock-turquoise/green iridescence! Honestly, that's why he got picked as I'm not as big a fan of CT's as I am HM's (including the dragonscale ones that were there also). He's been active since I picked him up. Not sure if he's just a very active betta or simply gone crazy from boredom from being in a cup.

They can see eachother briefly from the corners of their tanks (2 separate 1gallons that will get the proper heat and water changes until I acclimate tehm to my now cycled 10g) and Kalec was flaring out, doing his dance and Seiya simply floated there then swam off, as if shrugging off Kalec's challenge. ^^; One's definitely more laid back than the other.

Lol, I even fell asleep with them in my lap on the way home, I'm so lucky I didn't let go of them!

But now they're temporarily settled with good water, good warmth, even little hammocks I made for them =) And so long as I find them to be healthy over teh next few days, I can introduce them to the 10g probably this week.

As for the 10g, well I got a clear lid and strip light for it and moved somethings (updated photo with moss balls in albums) around so they'll have all the variety and hiding they need. Unfortunately the store only had moss balls and a bunch of other plants that were dying or needed bright lighting =/ So maybe later int he month I'll get more, but for now I think the marimo and lucky bamboo will do alright =)

Tomorrow I'll fix up the new whisper filter, adjustable heater, clear lid and light =D

I'm so excited, they'r like little jewels swimming about! Squee~

As for Demi, well...what I thought was fin growing back..disappeared. =/ I know she can't bite her dorsal, and I don't think anything could've torn the new growth...so I don't know. Gonna watch her and see if something's wrong.

And Phy...my little moody buddy. I made him his betta hammock too. And he's been ignoring it for the last two hours until just now. He seems confused but I'm sure he'll get the hang of it.

They're all so cute! Love em all!
 
#25 ·
I'm so excited to share that I've adopted a new halfmoon and crown-tail =D Pictures are in my albums!

Seiya is a gorgeous little halfmoon! I think he might be a marble, but waiting till he's happier and more comfortable. He's very iridescent which makes him appear greener than he is in pics. He's very curious and isn't afraid of me getting close to his tank at all! The whole ride home he was looking at me, and when I was taking pictures he came right up close (thus some are fuzzy, haha). He's far more laid back than the other.

Kalec is a beautiful crown-tail - dark-blue with a peacock-turquoise/green iridescence! Honestly, that's why he got picked as I'm not as big a fan of CT's as I am HM's (including the dragonscale ones that were there also). He's been active since I picked him up. Not sure if he's just a very active betta or simply gone crazy from boredom from being in a cup.

They can see eachother briefly from the corners of their tanks (2 separate 1gallons that will get the proper heat and water changes until I acclimate tehm to my now cycled 10g) and Kalec was flaring out, doing his dance and Seiya simply floated there then swam off, as if shrugging off Kalec's challenge. ^^; One's definitely more laid back than the other.

Lol, I even fell asleep with them in my lap on the way home, I'm so lucky I didn't let go of them!

But now they're temporarily settled with good water, good warmth, even little hammocks I made for them =) And so long as I find them to be healthy over teh next few days, I can introduce them to the 10g probably this week.

As for the 10g, well I got a clear lid and strip light for it and moved somethings (updated photo with moss balls in albums) around so they'll have all the variety and hiding they need. Unfortunately the store only had moss balls and a bunch of other plants that were dying or needed bright lighting =/ So maybe later int he month I'll get more, but for now I think the marimo and lucky bamboo will do alright =)

Tomorrow I'll fix up the new whisper filter, adjustable heater, clear lid and light =D

I'm so excited, they'r like little jewels swimming about! Squee~

As for Demi, well...what I thought was fin growing back..disappeared. =/ I know she can't bite her dorsal, and I don't think anything could've torn the new growth...so I don't know. Gonna watch her and see if something's wrong.

And Phy...my little moody buddy. I made him his betta hammock too. And he's been ignoring it for the last two hours until just now. He seems confused but I'm sure he'll get the hang of it.

They're all so cute! Love em all!
Lucky you get a new Betta.
 
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