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Can you scare/stress your betta to the point of death?

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7.1K views 12 replies 7 participants last post by  Ajones108  
#1 ·
Hi everyone! I come here with an odd question today. Normally, when I do my water changes, I just scoop my bettas into a soap-free tupperware bowl and they're cool with it. Gradually add in new water, float them, they're good to go. Well, I decided that putting my rather large DT male Akani in a small bowl was cruel. So I went to Wal-Mart and bought a $5 cylindrical glass-type thing so that he could swim around while I was doing his rather extensive water change.

I added some water to the container, then scooped him up in a tupperware, and carefully attempted to dump him into the glass. For a few minutes he seemed stressed. Winded almost, his gills were moving rather fast. After a few minutes he was OK. Insert water change. I remove some of the water from his vase and begin adding in new water, 50% 50% ratio since it's water he's had before. The poor fish begins swirling around the vase trying to get his bearing with the flowing water. I felt like I was making the poor boy dizzy.

I know that here in a bit I have to add him into the tank and I'm afraid that even with a 75% new 25% old in his vase before I net him, he'll have a heart-attack or something while in the net when I go to add him back to his 5g tank.

So, can you stress your betta so much from a water change that he can die? Water conditions are favorable and should not factor in any stress. Thanks!

Ashley
 
#2 ·
Hmm, no I don't think so. My betta, Mr Jingles, gets really wild when I do a water change. It's just the way he is. I suggest that you should do quick water changes so your betta doesn't get too dizzy or confused. Good luck! :)
 
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#3 ·
I'm normally very quick with my water changes but this one was a 100% one and I had to swish gravel and everything because it was so bad. I'm on the process of adding more of the new water to his vase for another 15 minutes before I net him and put him in the tank. I just get so worried. @_@
 
#4 ·
They can stress out to the point where they can die shortly after, but it's not that easy.
Try using a turkey baster to remove/add in water in the vase when acclimating him, it's less evasive and you can control how fast/much a lot easier.
 
#6 ·
Well, I originally got the cylinder thing to put my angelfish in because he's so big and I have no bowl that will fit him. But when I went to do the angelfish tank, I was too scared to net him. -.- I was going to move him to a new tank with 100% brand new water because his tank is overran with planaria and a few pet store snails but I'm just terrified to net him, and I have no gravel or plants for the new tank. fml.

The betta is fine. He's in his castle avoiding me now.
 
#8 · (Edited)
ollie don't worrie =D .. i think u mis-read somewhere .. she's using the cilinder thing to put her angel fish in .. while she's doing water changes on her tank ..

and i don't think doing w/c will be that stressful on ur betta .. cus ur not doing it everyday =) .. eventually they will get used to it .. like for example if u do the 100% every other week .. and cup them .. they will get used to it .. so when u come with a cup .. they will know that they have to go in .. and they get new water ..

my bettas are so used to w/c that they will swim right up to the cup when i need to cup them for 100% changes =) .. they come up to the cup when i'm doing 50% changes too .. cus they think they will get cuped ..
 
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#11 ·
Not really... you should be doing 100% on most all tanks at reasonable times. Anything under 5 gallons usually is done weekly. So no, majority of betta owners take their fish out for 100% water changes weekly.
 
#10 ·
My blue girl stress stripes over everything except breeding(oddly). but she hasn't died yet.

It /is/ possible but considering they can jump from their bowl on a desk, hit the floor and be there for a while before being found and still survive i would assume it's hard to do.
 
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#13 ·
Just to clarify: The angelfish is still pretty small, but he is too big for any tupperware bowl I have. So I bought a glass container bigger than a tupperware bowl to keep him in while doing water changes. He's too big to fit comfortably into any of my bowls. Also, he's fitting fine in his 10g tank right now because he's too small, but he's moving into a 30g tank next week. :) I know what I'm doing.
 
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