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slipperysalmon

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Apr 9, 2011
Messages
4
I continue to go through Bettas for my little guy. I get a new tank (3 gal this time with a filter), I add him after the temps are equalized, and he lasts about a couple weeks. Usually after about 3-4 days the water is cloudy, with plumes of white clouds, which eventually clears a little. The first signs are that he hides away and is not active, then stops eating, then is belly up.

Any advice on what I can do to stop this?
 
Hi. How often are we doing water changes? Even with a filter you need to be doing water changes.
 
It happens right after i fill a new tank. You should't have to do a change right away?
 
How would I cycle a 3gal tank for a Betta because I'm pretty sure it's a water quality issue.
 
Did you cycle the tank? Do you know about the nitrogen cycle?

I agree, it is a water quality issue and I strongly suspect its because you havent cycled the aquarium.
 
Do you have a fish in the tank at moment?

Do you have a water test kit? Do you know your water parameters. pH? Ammonia? Nitrite? Nitrate?
 
Also, are you treating the water with Prime or another brand of water conditioner? Chlorine and chloramine in tap water will kill them pretty quick.
 
The thing is, betta can survive in 3g tank, i have one living in a 3g tank for 1 month for now, i don't do water changes frequently, water always clear.
How? U ask me...
The only thing I have in this tank is fertilizer substrate and 1 Amazon sword, which was dying and now it is ok again.
I was used to do a lot of water changes before adding the plants and snails. Try to do the same thing. betta fish are suppose to be able to live inside a small tank, but let's try not to abuse the fish, and give him a nice home.
 
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They can live in small spaces within reason. Just because they can survive in bad conditions doesn't mean they should. Like I said, they still need basic fish care. Water changes are a must- no excuses. And as far as water conditioning... If you are using tap water that contains chlorine- you are killing you fish.
 
For sure you are right, good clean water, parameters is ofc essential but the space doesnt need to be big. So the problem is 90% of the cases not the size of the tank but the time you put into it
 
Exactly, always treat your water

if you are using tap water, test it before add the conditioner, so you can control how much u using per gallon.

Also, I use Wonder Shells in small low tech tanks, they removes chlorine instantly, purify the water, clears cloudy water due to overfeeding/increase oxygen dissolution and add calcium to the water (good for snails and shrimps + fish bones). Also, they are pretty much affordable but I wouldn't prioritize it, because you will have to use them every water change.

I can say that the more you keep this hobby, the more you will do the right thing and get perspective/notion
 
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You seem to have gotten the answers to your questions on cloudy water. In my personal experience while I was doing my fish less cycle(which took 7 weeks before I could add fish to my 29 gallon) the white cloudy water was due to a bacteria bloom. This bloom resolved itself with no damage because I had no fish inside my tank. At that point the only living thing inside my tank were various fern species. Once my water hit 0 nitrite, 0ammonia, and a safe level of nitrate I had 40ppm I went along and added fish. I’ve only lost one corydora and that was due to disease he acquired at the pet store. All
Other fish and shrimp are thriving. Don’t feel on defense when people throw you advice as I have gotten a lot of help through these forums. Good luck and I hope your fish start to live and give you healthy entertainment!
 
OP - the tank needs the water to stay in the safe zone. Getting a cycled tank can be a way to manage a small tank. Otherwise doing water changes every other day / or every 3 days, or when tested and the parameters are found in the unsafe zone.

Check into using Hikari Bio Gold food, it doesn't cloud the water. Good basic nutrition.

Food can cloud up a tank fast.

Caution to over feeding. It can cause bad water quality and clouding.

The article link getting started, in my signature, is a very good resource to help learn building blocks for new tank, fish keeping. By having that help a Betta can live several years!"
 
The problem is:
1) the tank is not cycled. That throws the parametres off, causes them to fluctuate and will almost certainly eventually kill the fish, especially if you don't keep the water changes up (in the case of a fish-in cycle, the changes have to be done pretty much every day). A tank takes on average about 6 weeks to cycle and only once the cycle is done is it safe to add fish.
2) the tank is too small. Paradoxically, the smaller the tank, the more difficult it is to maintain and keep water parametres stable. Nano tanks are usually recommended for more advanced keepers, beginners fare better with bigger aquariums as they are more forgiving and have a bigger margin of error. Things like temperature, ammonia, nitrites can fluctuate wildly in such a small volume of water, and that can severely stress or even kill the fish.
Solutions: Get a bigger tank (5gal minimum, the bigger the better) along with a heater and filter, read about the nitrogen cycle, let the aquarium run without any animals for a few weeks until the bacterial colony establishes itself and the parametres stabilize, then test the water for ammonia, nitrites & nitrates (or ask your lfs to do it for you) and once you get good results you can add fish. I'm sorry but there's no other way around it. Once you get the hang of it it will be a very rewarding experience, but if you try to take shortcuts you will just end up stressing or killing every new animal you get. Patience is your ally, my friend :)
 
Best answer until now
The problem is:
1) the tank is not cycled. That throws the parametres off, causes them to fluctuate and will almost certainly eventually kill the fish, especially if you don't keep the water changes up (in the case of a fish-in cycle, the changes have to be done pretty much every day). A tank takes on average about 6 weeks to cycle and only once the cycle is done is it safe to add fish.
2) the tank is too small. Paradoxically, the smaller the tank, the more difficult it is to maintain and keep water parametres stable. Nano tanks are usually recommended for more advanced keepers, beginners fare better with bigger aquariums as they are more forgiving and have a bigger margin of error. Things like temperature, ammonia, nitrites can fluctuate wildly in such a small volume of water, and that can severely stress or even kill the fish.
Solutions: Get a bigger tank (5gal minimum, the bigger the better) along with a heater and filter, read about the nitrogen cycle, let the aquarium run without any animals for a few weeks until the bacterial colony establishes itself and the parametres stabilize, then test the water for ammonia, nitrites & nitrates (or ask your lfs to do it for you) and once you get good results you can add fish. I'm sorry but there's no other way around it. Once you get the hang of it it will be a very rewarding experience, but if you try to take shortcuts you will just end up stressing or killing every new animal you get. Patience is your ally, my friend :)
 
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