I am no stranger to fish tanks. I was raised around them all my life and it was nothing for my Dad to have invested a month's worth of pay into his tanks...So I have inherited that obsession.. I have 2 55's and a 29 gal. set up and all are running smoothly..
However, I have never had a betta fish (as my Dad didn't like them) so I figured since I'm an adult, I'd get one! They're gorgeous fish and I love them.
I bought a 1.5 gal. tank and went through 3 bettas (all died within a week from a fungus) So I gave up for a while and bought a new tank; A mini bow front (2.5 gallons). Set it up, conditioned the water, tested it...perfect. Put a betta in it and within 3 days it got tail rot and died. I still had it set up (after sterilizing it and re-doing the water) and put a couple tetras in it. I figured since I obviously couldn't keep a betta alive, I'd try something different. They lived a whole week before dying. I did water changes (every other day), conditioned (everything I would do to my big tanks)...
WHAT AM I DOING WRONG WITH THESE LITTLE TANKS!? I can't keep ANYTHING alive in them and it is getting VERY frustrating. My pH was 6.6, ammonia was fine, nitrates and nitrites were fine...I just can't figure it out?? I have never messed with a tank this small..should I be looking for different numbers and levels? I know that it is close to impossible to cycle such a small tank but I didn't think it would be this difficult....??
This is the 2.5 gal. tank; Aqueon Aquarium Mini-Bow 2.5 Gallon Acrylic Aquarium Kit - Desktop Fish Tank and Betta Fish Tank from petco.com
I also have a heater that keeps it right around 75 degrees.
However, I have never had a betta fish (as my Dad didn't like them) so I figured since I'm an adult, I'd get one! They're gorgeous fish and I love them.
I bought a 1.5 gal. tank and went through 3 bettas (all died within a week from a fungus) So I gave up for a while and bought a new tank; A mini bow front (2.5 gallons). Set it up, conditioned the water, tested it...perfect. Put a betta in it and within 3 days it got tail rot and died. I still had it set up (after sterilizing it and re-doing the water) and put a couple tetras in it. I figured since I obviously couldn't keep a betta alive, I'd try something different. They lived a whole week before dying. I did water changes (every other day), conditioned (everything I would do to my big tanks)...
WHAT AM I DOING WRONG WITH THESE LITTLE TANKS!? I can't keep ANYTHING alive in them and it is getting VERY frustrating. My pH was 6.6, ammonia was fine, nitrates and nitrites were fine...I just can't figure it out?? I have never messed with a tank this small..should I be looking for different numbers and levels? I know that it is close to impossible to cycle such a small tank but I didn't think it would be this difficult....??
This is the 2.5 gal. tank; Aqueon Aquarium Mini-Bow 2.5 Gallon Acrylic Aquarium Kit - Desktop Fish Tank and Betta Fish Tank from petco.com
I also have a heater that keeps it right around 75 degrees.