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Stocking up

623 views 12 replies 4 participants last post by  TheTrojanBetta 
#1 ·
So my Betta has officially survived the first month I've had him!!! :-D I'm so happy!

So, tomorrow my dad is looking for 1) Ammonia liquid testing kit 2) Mor water conditioner.

I'm going to start putting together a 'Fishy box' as I like to call it, with all the stuff I need in it. And I was wondering this...

What types of medicine would you suggest having on hand? Like, what medicine should I buy to put in my 'fishy box'? I want to be prepared!

One last thing, what would you suggest putting in the 'fishy box'? Just any suggestions you have of what I should keep on hand!

Thank you!
 
#2 ·
i would differently get a net just for this betta to avoid any cross contamination if he would ever become sick. some medications that i would recoment having on hand for emergencies would beMardel® Maracyn® Antibiotic for Fish andMardel Maracyn-Two ( yes you need both). i would recommend getting him a betta heater as i am not sure what kind of set up you have him in i would suggest getting something a gallon or bigger if you do not currently have that.

if you are inneed of any other information feel free to contact me
 
#3 ·
Currently I am a one fish person! He is currently in a 1.5 gallon tank with a Tropica Fern, a plastic plant(Before you go on about it being bad, he adores it and it doesn't cut his fins!), and a little plastic cup he came in(getting him a cave no worries.) He has a heater already, an 'under gravel' one that is technically not under gravel. He enjoys laying on it.

I was thinking of getting a net, but I heard it could damage their fins?

Thank you!
 
#4 ·
Aquarium salt is probably useful to have, I didn't have some when I needed it in the past few days and so had to run out and get it. I've also found a turkey baster to be useful, for getting out poop or bits of food that have fallen to the floor. I got mine for about a dollar at Walmart. Maybe extra filter cartridges, if you have a filter. I also have a ping pong ball for each betta, I put it in occasionally so they can attack/play with it. Stress Coat is good if you don't have it; I add it in every water change but I don't think you have to. It helps to heal damage, repair slime coats, and lower stress. The only other thing I can think of is a small container/cup (I use the one they came in from the pet store). Those have come in very useful, during large water changes/transportation. If you don't still have yours, you could probably get one from the pet store if you asked. Maybe a water siphon/gravel vacuum if you don't already have one.
That's about all I can think of! You might have some of that already. If I think of anything else I'll come add it. Sounds like you're doing a good job. :)
 
#5 ·
It's SOOO good to hear that im doing a good job! I'm a bit paranoid haha..

The one problem with aquarium salt is that I'm getting a snail soon...and I can't have it with the snail my sister says.

My tank is currently(and probably will always be) filterless. I have heard to many horrible Betta stories to be able to get one... Them getting caught in it, it being to strong and them drowning as they are unable to get to the top..

Currently I have him in a 1.5 gallon tank, so my 100% water changes make it unnessacary for me to have the turkey baster, and the water siphon/gravel vacuum. But when I upgrade him to a 5.5 tank I probably will have to figure out how to clean it again!

I never thought of that! My fish is currently very skittish, but I may look into that and see if he'd enjoy it!

The Stress Coat would be helpful I think. I think it would be a worthwhile purchase, as his fins are curling at the tips(I've been told its no big deal, as it happened to shortly after I got him to be anything. Just genetics most likely.) and he tends to freak out a lot. Can it be added with water conditioner?

Thank you very much for the info!

I do have his cup(it's currently in there with him.. He loves it.) but it actually has a crack in the bottom. We've made it so it can't cut him, but it's unable to hold water. I was wondering if there was a way to get another.. I'll have to look into that!
 
#6 ·
Aquarium salt, Epsom salts (pure unscented, 100% magnesium sulphate), kanaplex, and possible general cure are the meds I would keep on hand. Aquarium salt is great for minor external issues like fin rot and more major illnesses like columnaris and true fungus. Epsom salt is great for internal conditions like constipation, dropsy, etc, and kanaplex is probably the best aquarium antibiotic at the moment... It is broad spectrum, versatile, relatively new and thus bacteria are more unlikely to have developed resistance to it, and it is the one med that may help a fish with dropsy. General cure is an antiparasitic.
 
#7 ·
I get paranoid about that too! Don't worry, each time you learn a new thing it's a little bit easier. :) Though it seems like I never stop learning!

I think with the salt, if a situation did arise where you needed to use it, you could remove either the snail or the betta to another, temporary tank. I think a lot of people actually have quarantine tanks for the purpose of treating sick bettas. You might also want to get opinions on the snail, I'm no expert and haven't had one but I think I've heard they poop a lot and I don't know if waiting until you have a larger tank might be better. I suppose it might depend on the type of snail, but I don't really know.

Does he have anything like a floating log or hammock? I know Odysseus loves his floating log and spends a lot of time swimming in, out, and around it. It may be harder in a smaller tank depending on what you already have in there but more plants and hides seem to help some bettas feel a little less skittish. Just sitting infront of Odysseus's tank for long periods of time seemed to really help as well, I didn't even have to really be paying him any attention, just be where he could see me. There are also other things you can do to entertain your betta; my girl Penelope loves chasing around a little Ron Weasley figurine I have, while Odysseus likes to flare at it. He also enjoys watching fish swim on the computer and will swim up and down with them.
I also found that it took a while for Odysseus to warm up to me and stop being quite so skittish, the more time I spent with him the more comfortable he seemed, yet Penelope was constantly up at the front of her tank flitting around from day one! It could just be your betta's personality or he could still be settling in.

I've been using Stress Coat Plus along with water conditioner since I got Odysseus and they work just fine together! I think the Stress Coat works really well.

I think you could probably get a cup from your local pet store, or just get a small tupperware or something like that from WalMart. I think as long as they're still able to breath and it hasn't seen soap you're good. :)

Sorry for the long answer, I hope some of that helps! I'm still new myself but those are some of my experiences and some things I have had success with. :) By the way, what's your betta's name? What's he look like? I bet he's cute!
 
#8 ·
I'm always afraid about trying new things! I'm worried that new thing, if I do it wrong, will kill him!

I thought of the putting him in another tank AFTER I sent the post haha. My brain is a little slow. And before he gets the snail he will be upgraded to a 5.5 gallon tank, and everyone on here says that size is fine for a snail and a Betta. Research is something I'm constantly doing! Haha. (My friend says I have an issue.... >.> <.< maybe a little haha.)

I have noticed that he's becoming a little less skittish the more I sit with him! Although I'm currently trying to talk my dad out of the idea of putting him on the mantel... Because then I can't sit with him. And he will be getting a Betta Hammock in a few days! Although currently his tank is too small for a floating log. Although I will probably add one in the 5.5. I've heard a lot of bettas love them!

Then that will definitely be a worthwhile purchase I think... Does your bottle say 'API StressCoat Water Conditioner'? That's what I found on petsmart, and I was wondering if that's what it was.

I think I may just ask dad to buy tubbleware..I'm to shy and afraid of being weird to ask for one at a pet store haha.

His name is Earl, he's a red crowntail Betta! You're lucky... He's just getting used to the camera! He used to run from it... I was sad, because I love pictures!

Picture 1: Sorry he's kind of a jerk, he likes to show me his butt in pictures haha! I swear I have so many pictures that are him facing the wrong way..
 

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#10 ·
My bottle says API Stress Coat +. I use this along with a Top Fin Water conditioner, though I think I have seen a lot of people saying they use Prime. On the back of the bottle it does say that the Stress Coat removes chlorine and chloramines so I think it does work as a conditioner too, but I have never used it by itself. I did get it from Petsmart, it could be labeled differently I suppose.
Good on you for doing your research! I get the same way, whenever I get a new pet or consider getting one I go into crazy obsessive research mode. Not just for pets I suppose, but that's neither here nor there...
I thought he might be a crowntail! Odysseus is one and he has curled rays too. His color is so pretty and his face is so cute!
I can also sympathize about the pictures, Penelope never sits still long enough for me to get a good one and Odysseus only likes me to get shots of his head or butt. :mad:
I really like the rocks at the bottom of his tank, they contrast with his colors really well. As far as I can tell he looks pretty healthy!
I was really scared at first too (and still am sometimes), but if you've done your research on something I say go for it! That's the only way we ever learn. They're tough little fish and you'll learn together and before long you'll be the one helping people out! You seem very conscious of what you're doing and I'm not worried for Earl at all. :)
 
#13 ·
It looks exactly like that!
My room mate also laughs at me, and is always asking me if I'm getting another fish yet. I know what you mean about the cories; I went to Petco earlier and they're just all so cute! This one little molly kept following my finger, too. :)
Odysseus came from Walmart; like most Walmarts that keep fish, the conditions of the ones there are pretty bad. Penelope was a pet store betta though! She came from Petsmart.
It really is true though; it's fantastic just that you care so much about Earl, that alone means a lot and will lead you to do a lot of things right. Things still happen, but caring enough to research and find out what's good and bad, and gaining the knowledge to develop your own opinions, really goes a long way in my opinion.
 
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