Clarification

[Hershey]

I got a new betta yesterday. He is in a 1.5 gallon tank and looks healthy, (but with minor signs of fin rot) I want to treat it, but my mom said the lady at the Wal-mart said not to change the betta's water every-day, only when it gets murky.

My last two betta's, (Bae and Masami) have both died, but I did my best to treat the both of them with AQ salt
Masami was already very sick, but I think Bae died from stress.

..Anyhoo, what I am asking is that.. should I listen to my mom's advice or just go on treating early?

My mom didn't give me the chance to Accliminate Aiden into his new home because the lady at Wal-mart had already changed his water today.

I don't want his fin-rot to get worse, but it's hard explaining things to my mom.

The other thing that bothers me is that she poured bettawater in there, which I know doesn't help them at all (we have conditioner.) and Aiden's tank is only half full.

[ChoclateBetta]

A 1.5 gallon is pretty small. For fin rot proper temp 78-82F degrees, aquarium salt, clean water, and medicine.

[Hershey]

Ill get a heather when I can.

[DragonFish]

Yeah.....that advice is really quite terrible. 8/ This woman, like many employees, knows absolutely nothing about betta or probably fish keeping in general.

Your betta naturally secretes a chemical called Ammonia though its gills constantly(so I have read, at least). Ammonia also comes from the buildup of poo and uneaten food discomposing in the tank. This is invisible, but very harmful and even deadly to your fish if allowed to build up in the water.....by the time the tank 'turns murky' the ammonia is probably already at very damaging/deadly levels. Bettas are hardy fish, but left in water like that will seriously harm and kill your fish quite quickly.

1.5 gallons is not a lot of water, ammonia is going to build up VERY quickly. In order to keep it down, you will need to preform at least 2 50% and 1 100% water change per week as regular maintenance. When treating a sick fish, it is especially important to keep the water extra clean. Daily water changes with 1-2 tsp. per gallon of AQ salt for about 10 days(any longer with the AQ salt could be harmful to your fish)is required if you want to treat your fish for his finrot.

Though its a little late, you should ALWAYS acclimate any new fish as the water chemistry at the store could be different then your water and you shouldn't ever add water from the store into your aquarium....you never know whats in it. You should also always properly acclimate your fish after any 100% water change.

I would suggest at this point doing a 100% change, dissolving 1.5 tsp. of AQ salt in a separate container, filling the WHOLE tank, adding the salt in with your water conditioner of course, then acclimating your fish into the fresh, salted water. If its just mild finrot, 1 tsp per gallon with daily 100% water changes for 7-10 days should do the trick I think.....and of course water in the proper temp rage, so get that heater as soon as you can!

As for your mom....approach her with confidence. State that you've taken the initiative and gone and done your own research and this is what you know you have to do. If she puts up resistance, point out that the advice is from a Walmart employee.....I mean, come on. Walmart. If she trys the 'its just a fish' argument, retort with the fact that it is still a living, breathing creature that you have taken responsibility of and, just like any other pet, it should receive the proper care that it needs.
There is also the option of showing her this site if shes stubborn. ;)

Best of luck!

[Hershey]

Thank you.

I have another question.

What heater is best for a small tank?

[Aus]

the lady at the Wal-mart said not to change the betta's water every-day, only when it gets murky.

The lady at the Walmart is a major idiot. No, really. "Murky" water = sick fish. Or dead fish. The end.

Now, I keep one of my fish in a 1.5 gallon tank. he's a major fin biter and a weedy, sickly little runt and yet he's going strong in the small tank. If 1.5 gallons is what you have -- it's what you have. Just make the best of it with adequate water changes and maybe add some java moss to help keep the water nice. And in a small tank, you'll need to do at least 3 changes per week.

My schedule for the 1.5 gallon is: 1 x 50% change, wait 2 days, 1 x 50% change, wait two days, then do 1 x 100%. Rinse, repeat.

It's not a lot of water, less than a minute in the shower's worth per week -- but if the changes bother your Mum, you could suggest that you can use the old water to water the house plants or garden -- the plants will love the extra nutrients!

Often, mild cases of fin rot (which he got from being stuck in the store with Murkwater the Idiot looking after him) will clear up with just really clean water and a good water conditioner like Prime. Prime is REALLY economical (I am on a fixed income, so price and economy is important) at 2 drops per gallon, and goes a long way compared to the really cheap, weaker brands.

You WILL need water conditioner. You WILL need a heater. Total price? Um.. about .. $25 bucks. That's what you need to keep your pet healthy and happy. Please let your Mum know that she is wasting her money and setting you up for a sad fishkeeping experience by not providing you with the basics for a tropical fish species...

I wish you luck, and hope things work out for you.

ETA: sorry, can't recommend a brand, I'm in a different country and not all your products are available here.. I'm sure someone will suggest a good, inexpensive heater.

[Hershey]

I have bettasafe conditioner.

[XxXMermaidzXxX]

Don't listen to walmart. They never even clean there bettas containers. They lied to you. You can change there water everyday in short spurts. If you cant change his water, get a container and get some of your tank water put AQ or epsom salt in there and let it dizolve. Hope this helps.

[LadyVictorian]

Wow...walmart is FULL of winners who never finished high school. I don't think someone who has a fifth grade education can be trusted on fish. A lot of people who work at walmart are teens or people who couldn't get hired anywhere else. They can't be considered the know it all of anything, in fact they work their because they don't know much and the fish at walmart are always sick and dying...shows how good they are. In total walmart needs to stop having fish, they are not a pet store and they don't care who works in the fish section. I have met a woman working back their who admitted more fish die than are sold and having them in the store is pointless but when I asked why they don't increase the chances of survival for taking care of them she said "Well they are only here a week if they are sold or they die so we don't bother." :O WTF LADY. Also told me if all the fish die in a tank they just put new fish into the tank and didn't clean it out. It's disgusting. I got a fish from walmart once and she only lived three days before she died from ammonia poisioning. Despite my efforts she was too far gone and all her tank mates were in the same situation from there. GRRR

Clean water is nice and since the fish might have fin rot changing the water daily would be benifical to it's health. If your mom throws a fit about it show her this site, if she says it's only a fish then say any time you buy an animal you have to do the proper research and care. This 'JUST' a fish lives longer than most pocket pets. Betta's can live 5-7 years, some even 10. That is as long as some breeds of big dogs so this 'just a fish' could have a long life if treated properly. Tell her this as well. Any pet should not be treated as a toy or decoration, if pthat is what she views your fish as then and she refuses to let you care for it find a friend who can take it in until you can change her mind. Also tell your mother how utterly stupid that advice was from walmart. >.< I can't beleive they would say that but then again...they are the hole of the earth. Probably high on the job.

[Hershey]

I tried to explain but she just yelled at me like it was her fish.