Sharky and his new home

[Gulfcoaster]

Hi everyone!

I've had my beautiful little guy since the beginning of July and we've so much fun together! I live in a dorm and I'm so excited to still be able to take care of my wonderful pet :)

Through the last few months, Sharky has lived in many different homes from a 1/2 gallon cube that I still kick myself for to a gallon bowl (I know..not much better) to a 2.5 g and now to his permanent mansion, a 5 g Eclipse Hex tank!

He's got two silk plants (that I have meticulously scrubbed down) and Spongebob's pineapple for a home :)

Now, I've been a little bit of a bad/misinformed owner....
I didn't cycle his five gallon home. Technically, it's only using exactly 4 gallons of water though! As his rocks + plants+ home take up the remaining space.

I suppose my question is, should I take him out and put him in his 2.5 gallon till I cycle it or has the 6 days he's been in it already ok? His water is at 78 degrees and the pH is at a perfect 7.0. I haven't done a nitrate or ammonia test though...

The Eclipse kit said to set up the tank and let the filter go and wait 24 hours to introduce him into it. I waited about 36 just in case.

He's been a pretty resilient little guy...He had internal parasites (probably since I got him from Petco) that he lived with for 3 months.

As for his behavior in the tank, I've never seen him happier. He's swimming about (not frantically, just like he's strolling) and he loves to hang out where the filter feeds the water back into the tank. He likes to get pushed down by it and try to swim back up to it.

The only thing is that before I switched him into his new tank, I noticed his top fin (he's a veil tail) was looking a little...off. Not scraggly or whispy but not quite full. Now I've noticed his tail seems to have some very minor tail rot. Is this because of the uncycled tank cause I want to get him asap then. I have Maracyn Two I keep in handy in case he's a little off but I rarely try to medicate him. He's only had PraziPro for the parasites.

Thanks for reading this and all your help!

[Gulfcoaster]

I just checked his ammonia and nitrate levels and they are perfect!

[angiessa]

You don't have to cycle your tank if you're okay with doing regular water changes. If you want to cycle it, this is a great resource for fish-in cycling: http://bettasplendid.weebly.com/cycl...r-dummies.html - it's what I've been using and is working like a charm.

As for fin rot, I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than me will be along to help you with that part.

Welcome to the forum! :)

[Sakura8]

For his fin rot, hold off on the Maracyn for a while. Try just clean, warm water. Only haul out the meds if his tail disintegrates overnight and you see lots of black on his fins.

[Gulfcoaster]

Originally Posted by Sakura8

For his fin rot, hold off on the Maracyn for a while. Try just clean, warm water. Only haul out the meds if his tail disintegrates overnight and you see lots of black on his fins.

Ok! I try to not medicate unless it's absolutely necessary. Another thing I hadn't considered is that it might have been ammonia burn? I noticed this a few days ago and it hasn't gotten worse! I think I may have unknowingly cycled my tank using Sharky because now the ammonia and nitrate levels are both at 0.

[Sena Hansler]

Ammonia burns are pretty common, and can "singe" the fins, while leaving red burns on their "cheeks" or on their gills. Both my new girls have ammonia burns >< and their fins are lined with singed black.

However, clean warm water should work for your betta if there becomes to be no improvement with proper water changes, then you may need to medicate.

[Sakura8]

It's possible. I never purposely set out to cycle my tanks. I mean, I did with my 10g but when I found out I was doing too many water changes, I decided aww heck with it, I'll just keep with the water changes. And it cycled anyway.

It is possible it could have been ammonia burn. And sometimes tails just get little rips in them. As long as the rips and holes aren't getting worse, I think you're okay. :)

[Gulfcoaster]

Thank you all so much! The only change I noticed was just the very tip of his tail. He's clamping his fins though. He loves his new tank!

Just a quick question though! I've noticed a little bit of the fin clamping and it's been a very long time since he's built a bubble nest. Literally two minutes ago was the first time I've gotten him to flair for a long time too. Is that a sign of anything wrong? I have his water set to 80 degrees and he's had all new water last tuesday! I was going to do about a 25% water change next Tuesday.

[Sakura8]

Maybe try a 40% change and see if that helps. How long has he been in his new 5g? It might take a few days for any residual ammonia effects to wear off and then he should hopefully unclamp.

Not all bettas build bubblenests. My HM never has even though he's happy. In his case, his tail is so big he can't stay up long enough to blow bubbles.

[Gulfcoaster]

Originally Posted by Sakura8

Maybe try a 40% change and see if that helps. How long has he been in his new 5g? It might take a few days for any residual ammonia effects to wear off and then he should hopefully unclamp.

Not all bettas build bubblenests. My HM never has even though he's happy. In his case, his tail is so big he can't stay up long enough to blow bubbles.

I set it up Monday at about noon and put him in about 33 hours later Tuesday at about 9 pm. He used to build little bubble nests but that was before he was put in a tank with a filter. He goes in and out of clamping and unclamping. It's definitely better today and I think he's pretty genuinely happy