Female betta in community tank?

[Alaris]

So water straight from the tap measures a pH of 7, but your tank measures 5.8? Do you add anything to drop the pH? I've heard of pH rising after out-gassing, but not falling.

The point being: you want to add water to your tank that is the same pH. If that means letting the tap sit out for a day before adding it to the tank, then do so. Fish are sensitive to pH changes. Always always go for a STABLE pH instead of messing around to get an ideal pH.

And yes, drip acclimate your betta slowly. I would add her directly to the main tank and forgo the holding tank. She'll be very happy to be in a nice roomy 8g! (If you were living in a box for a month and it was time for you to be released, would you prefer living in the closet first or going straight for the whole house?) While a critter keeper is bigger than a cup, it's still too small with no heater/filter/cycle.

[bluerose]

My tap water actually measures 7.6 and I mix with spring water (assuming that's 7, it was when I first filled the tank with spring- actually about 7.2).

I'm working on the culprit for my low pH- going to do a thorough vacuum this week in case I have a buried dead plant or something- but besides the wood, which was thoroughly soaked in hot water to get rid of tannins before putting it in the tank and has been in there for several weeks, there's no obvious reason...

I'm not adding anything besides dechlor (NovAqua+). I added AmQuel+ after my PWC last week when I had a bit of an ammonia spike (.25ppm is all- I suspect it was from stirring up crap in the gravel when pouring the water in) to be safe. Other than that, no chemicals.

I have another thread (pH drop?) that has the whole thing if you have any other insight... I'm scratching my head quite frankly. All of my parameters are good besides that pesky pH- 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, generally 5 nitrate.

[Alaris]

Yeah I read that after I made my post.

I agree with the suggestions you got there: test the pH of tap out of the faucet and then let it sit out for a day or more and test again. Do the same with the spring water (just in case...)

[new2betas]

I have two female bettas in a 29g community tank. They live with lamp eye tetras and cories, and more. I haven't had a problem yet.