Classroom Pets Chatboard

next post

skip topic

Print | Share | Report Post

Re: Beta fish dying -Stop the madness! Too many teachers torturing beta fish to death!
Posted by PLEASE get those betas out of those cramped, unhealthy fishbowls on 8/24/08

I wrote this for another thread, but it bears repeating here:

I'm always confused when I see all these "Dying beta" posts,
because I've had betas live for years. They THRIVE in
community tanks, where they hang out near the top, mind their
own business, and have room to swish around and show their
beautiful colors. It's best to give them some floating plants
to hide in when they're feeling shy. I have NEVER had a beta
get aggressive with any of the other fish. The male betas
fight with other male betas; they leave everybody else alone.
I think you can even keep a male and a female together,
although I can't remember if I've done this.

What WILL kill them is keeping them in one of those awful tiny
bowls they're sold in. They're miserable there! They won't
be healthy in any room-temperature fish bowl for long,
whatever its size. Like any tropical fish, they ABSOLUTELY
NEED to be in an aquarium with a heater and a good thermostat
so the water temperature isn't always fluctuating. Every fish
tank should also have a good filtration system to remove waste
from the water and keep it well aerated. This will solve your
"frequent cleaning" problems.

Every tank should also have at least one plecostamus and two
corydora catfish--cories like to play and should NEVER be kept
without a friend or two, nor kept in a tank with sharp-edged
gravel at the bottom. Softer sand keeps their little whiskers
from breaking. They'll help take care of algae on the sides
and food scraps that fall to the bottom. BTW, algae on the
sides of the tank is no problem for the fish as long as it's
healthy and green.

As for goldfish, they really aren't happy in a tank with
tropical fish. If the water's warm enough (mid-70s F) for
tropical fish, it's too hot for goldfish, who like their water
temperature down near 65-68 F. Even in a goldfish tank,
though, you need to have a good filter and aeration system.
It's not fair to keep any fish in a small bowl full of
stagnant water. They need plenty of room to swim, and as in
nature, they're healthiest in clean, well-aerated water.

A fifteen-gallon aquarium is really the absolute minimum size
anyone should buy, and again, it needs a good filter, a
heater, and a thermostat! If you're just going to buy a fish,
plunk it in a cramped little bowl and leave it at that, don't
bother, because your fish aren't going to live for very long
no matter what kind they are.

On 8/23/08, Jane wrote:
> Well I am glad to see I am not alone. I know there is no happy ending
> here. It is nice to know I am not the only one who got so attached to
> their little beta. Mine is about 1 1/2 years old. My main concern is I
> don't want him to suffer. Is it better to 'flush him' as so many people
> have said to me? I just can't do it! He still responds when I tap on
> his bowl before I feed him. But when he lies on his side, struggling,
> it is painful to watch. I'll just keep changing his water and doing
> what I do. I have lowered the level so he doesn't have to exert much
> energy to get to the top. Poor little beta.


RESPOND TO THIS POST START A NEW THREAD RETURN TO CHATBOARD




Posts on this thread, including this one


• Beta fish dying!, 2/18/07, by Marianna.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/19/07, by Nicole J..
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/19/07, by Marianna.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/19/07, by Marianna.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/21/07, by Ima Teacher.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/21/07, by Aimee.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/21/07, by Marianna.
• Re: Sushi and his weird sickness continues, 2/21/07, by May.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/22/07, by Aimee.
• Re: Sushi and his weird sickness continues, 2/22/07, by Aimee.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/22/07, by Marianna.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/22/07, by Marianna.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/26/07, by amanda.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/26/07, by Marianna.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/28/07, by Susan.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/28/07, by Marianna.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/09/07, by Meggan.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/10/07, by Shyana McLeod.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/10/07, by Meggan.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/11/07, by Aimee.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/13/07, by ....
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/14/07, by robin.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/15/07, by Selena.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/15/07, by Marianna.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/17/07, by kathy.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/17/07, by Sure Fire Fix.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/17/07, by Janice.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/19/07, by Carlie.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/19/07, by Carlie.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/21/07, by Ima teacher2.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/24/07, by Ima teacher2.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/26/07, by Bill Janocha.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/27/07, by bill janocha.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/29/07, by Jen.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 4/05/07, by Kat.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 4/18/07, by p jay.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 4/18/07, by p jay.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 4/18/07, by p jay.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 4/18/07, by p jay.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 4/18/07, by p jay.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 5/23/07, by Julie.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 5/29/07, by aqua.
• Re: Dying or wanting to mate?, 6/03/07, by sheila.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 6/03/07, by sheila.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 6/12/07, by Lupita.
• Re: Sushi and his weird sickness continues, 6/27/07, by austin.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 7/08/07, by N.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 7/26/07, by Wendy Morosoff.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 7/29/07, by lisa.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 7/29/07, by lisa.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 8/02/07, by Update?.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 9/05/07, by liz.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 1/14/08, by jodi.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 2/25/08, by Alicia Yarak.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 3/30/08, by denise.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 7/10/08, by NADABINGCHERRY.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 7/10/08, by Got betas too.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 7/15/08, by NadaBingCherry.
• Re: Beta fish dying!, 8/23/08, by Jane.
• Re: Beta fish dying -Stop the madness! Too many teachers torturing beta fish to death!, 8/24/08, by PLEASE get those betas out of those cramped, unhealthy fishbowls.