AboutAmber Worman Expertise I specialize in Gouramis, Black Moors, Fantail goldfish, and Bettas. I can answer questions about fish behavior, tank mates, diseases, and living conditions. I do not have much experience with breeding these types of fish, however.
Experience Fish are my passion - I have raised these types of fish for as long as I can remember. I am a college student at Purdue University where I have a major in Biology and a position as a lab technician in a fish laboratory.
Expert: Amber Worman Date: 8/28/2007 Subject: HELP!!! My Betta's fin just fell off...
Question I have a betta named Blue for 3 0r 4 months and he lives in a glass bowl that is shaped is also a lamp. I bought Blue for my 2 1/2 year old son to use as a night light and because the temp in my sons room was too cold I moved Blue to the Kitchen. He has been there for 1 1/2 and everything was fine. I change Blues water once a week religiously and I put the Betta Ultimate to make the spring water I use comfortable for him...I change all the water because I don't have anything but him in the bowl and I see all the waste and whatever else there is floating in the water is that wrong? Today I went to talk to him and he flared up for the first time ever! I looked closer and a big chunk of one of his fins was hanging off!!!I immediately removed blue from the bowl, cleaned the water and put two drops of a blue revive medicine I had purchased when I brought blue home just in case...I also put betta ultimate as usual... How often should I do this? should I buy something else? The water temp is I think between 74 and 8o something. I cant read the stupid color strip...Please help we all love blue and my son will be crushed if Blue dies :(
Answer Hello Bianca-
Try changing his water every three days (twice a week) and add some Melafix to the tank when you do this. Melafix helps to regrow injured fins and will also help Blue's health improve. You shouldn't see waste floating in the water; it should settle on the bottom and leave the water pretty clear. Think about buying a bag of pebbles to add to the bottom to help the waste settle.
ps- To read the color strip on the thermometer, look at where the green marker is; that is the true temperature. It should be very close to 80 F.
