is charlie's fin appearance normal?
is charlie's fin appearance normal?
Hey guys, I'm still getting the hang of this fish-keeping thing, but I just had to rescue Charlie from Walmart - he's now my little buddy living in a cozy 5-gallon tank with a heater and filter. I set it up and let it sit for a couple days to start cycling, adding some Stability from Seachem to help the process along. I didn't want Charlie to be without a filter for too long, so I added him in a bit early - he at least had a heater while I was setting up his new home. As a new betta mom, I'm super worried about all the bacteria and diseases they can get. Can I get your thoughts on Charlie's fins? I think he's doing alright, way better than when I got him, but I'm always on edge.
Re: is charlie's fin appearance normal?
Hi and welcome to the forum.
His fins are fine.
Most fish health issues are caused by poor water quality, so regular water changes and gravel cleaning are key. I'd recommend reducing feeding to 2 times per week for now, and doing a 75% water change and gravel clean 4-8 hours after feeding. Keep an eye on those ammonia and nitrite levels - if they get above 0, do another 75% water change and gravel clean. And don't forget to dechlorinate any new water before adding it to the tank.
The filter will take around 4-6 weeks to cycle, so keep feeding to a minimum and water changes frequent until then.
Filters need regular cleaning - at least once a month, but ideally every 2 weeks. Just don't clean the new filter until it's finished cycling and about 2 months old. When you do clean it, wash the filter materials in a bucket of tank water, rinse the case under tap water, and reassemble everything.
If you want to know what to do if your fish gets sick, there's a pretty comprehensive guide here: http://www.fishforums.net/threads/what- ... st-3804819. It's a bit of a slog, but worth knowing.
His fins are fine.
Most fish health issues are caused by poor water quality, so regular water changes and gravel cleaning are key. I'd recommend reducing feeding to 2 times per week for now, and doing a 75% water change and gravel clean 4-8 hours after feeding. Keep an eye on those ammonia and nitrite levels - if they get above 0, do another 75% water change and gravel clean. And don't forget to dechlorinate any new water before adding it to the tank.
The filter will take around 4-6 weeks to cycle, so keep feeding to a minimum and water changes frequent until then.
Filters need regular cleaning - at least once a month, but ideally every 2 weeks. Just don't clean the new filter until it's finished cycling and about 2 months old. When you do clean it, wash the filter materials in a bucket of tank water, rinse the case under tap water, and reassemble everything.
If you want to know what to do if your fish gets sick, there's a pretty comprehensive guide here: http://www.fishforums.net/threads/what- ... st-3804819. It's a bit of a slog, but worth knowing.
Re: is charlie's fin appearance normal?
Thanks so much for the advice, I really appreciate it. I tested the water tonight and got the following readings:
Ammonia .50 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 10 ppm
I'm planning on doing a 75% water change tomorrow. I'll also start feeding Charlie two times a week as you suggested. Currently, I've been feeding him three pellets in the morning and three in the evening. Is that too much once his tank is established? I've read that their stomach is only as big as their eye, so I want to make sure I'm not overfeeding him.
Ammonia .50 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 10 ppm
I'm planning on doing a 75% water change tomorrow. I'll also start feeding Charlie two times a week as you suggested. Currently, I've been feeding him three pellets in the morning and three in the evening. Is that too much once his tank is established? I've read that their stomach is only as big as their eye, so I want to make sure I'm not overfeeding him.
Re: is charlie's fin appearance normal?
You only feed a couple of times a week until the filters are established, then you can increase feeding to once or twice a day. The main reason to reduce feeding now is because the less food going into the tank, the less ammonia that will be produced.
When your tank is established, feeding him a couple of pellets in the morning and a couple at night will be fine. You can also try frozen fish food from pet shops, which can be stored in the freezer. Every couple of days you can take a bit of the frozen food and defrost it to offer some variety to his diet. However, I'd recommend avoiding frozen foods until the filters have established, as they can cause ammonia levels to rise rapidly.
In addition to pellets, you can also try live fish foods from most pet shops or even culture your own. If you have roses in your garden that aren't sprayed with chemicals, you can collect aphids off the rose buds and feed them to your fish. Small flies, mosquitoes, and moths that haven't been exposed to chemicals can also be fed to him. Many pet shops sell live brineshrimp and sometimes daphnia, which can be a great alternative to pellets.
Use pellets as his main food and supplement with other foods to provide a varied diet.
When your tank is established, feeding him a couple of pellets in the morning and a couple at night will be fine. You can also try frozen fish food from pet shops, which can be stored in the freezer. Every couple of days you can take a bit of the frozen food and defrost it to offer some variety to his diet. However, I'd recommend avoiding frozen foods until the filters have established, as they can cause ammonia levels to rise rapidly.
In addition to pellets, you can also try live fish foods from most pet shops or even culture your own. If you have roses in your garden that aren't sprayed with chemicals, you can collect aphids off the rose buds and feed them to your fish. Small flies, mosquitoes, and moths that haven't been exposed to chemicals can also be fed to him. Many pet shops sell live brineshrimp and sometimes daphnia, which can be a great alternative to pellets.
Use pellets as his main food and supplement with other foods to provide a varied diet.
Re: is charlie's fin appearance normal?
I just wanted to say thanks again for all the advice. I've been keeping up with the water changes and they're actually pretty easy (those siphons really do the trick!). The good bacteria is still getting established, but I've been keeping an eye on the water quality. Charlie's looking great and is super active - I'm so relieved!