Siamese Fighting Fish

[BastetsMum]

I am usually lurking in the Cat forum of Pet talk but today I have a new addition to the family. His name is Splash and he is a flame coloured Siamese Fighting fish. He lives in a bowl beside my computer (where its warm) and my cat Bastet loves to stare at him while sitting on my lap.

I was wondering how I should *exercise* him - since his bowl is small. Also the person who I bought him off of said that they live in small amounts of water so how often do I change it?

Thanks :)

[Aspen and Misty]

Welcome to Pet Genral! :D Are siamese fighting fish the same as Betta's? I think they are? Well, I'm not sure about the bowl, I would just change it when it gets dirty. My betta lives in a 10 gollan tank so I'm also not sure about exersising it. Sorry I'm no help.

Ash

[RockyRoad]

I have five bettas (one passed away last night), and I divided up a 10-gallon tank for them to stay in. I've never heard of exercising them, mine do fine in their little areas. The tank only fits 4 bettas, so I keep my other one, Ocean, in a bowl. I change the bowl once a week.

Splash sounds like a beautiful fish. :)

[RubyMutt]

Originally posted by FloppsyLadySally89
I have five bettas (one passed away last night)

I'm so sorry to hear that, FLS :(

I also change the water in my betta's bowl once a week. I've never heard of exercising them either. My betta, Gibson, stays a pretty active swimmer in his bowl.

Do you have any pics of Splash?? :D

[Tonya]

I have five bettas (one passed away last night), and I divided up a 10-gallon tank for them to stay in. I've never heard of exercising them, mine do fine in their little areas. The tank only fits 4 bettas, so I keep my other one, Ocean, in a bowl. I change the bowl once a week.

Flopsy, do you remove all of the water when you change the bowls? I used to remove all the water, and my fish would die everytime. My husband said perhaps it was because the fish needed to keep the same ph, so now, I just strain the water and put it back in. My fishy has survived over a year this time. I'm just wondering if there is something else I can do aside from keeping most of the water.

[Fox-Gal]

Go to the pet store and get a PH tester. Bettas cant take high ph. or low ph. Now in a large tank you only remove 2/3 of the water but in a betta bowl remove it all. Before you change the water...get the teater and see what your ph is. If it's high you can buy ph down, same for low ph, buy ph up. 1 drop does 1 gallon of water (on most brands...check the back)

Bettas don't need excercise....don't worry about that. They naturaly live in puddles...small small amount of water. So what we as pet owners give them seem like a ocean to them. LOL

If you have treated water that could be why you fish die when you change the water, they have drop for that too...that or it could be shock. When you change water try to make it as easy on the fish as you can. Make sure the water temp of the new water is about the same as the old water. Change of temp can shock a fish and is also how fish get ick.

I don't know how you change your water but just in case you don't do it this way, it's an idea. When you take the fish out of the tank to do a water change, put them in a bowl with the old water from the tank. I have seen some people put fresh water in the bowl and then the fish. That too can shock your fish. Thats why when you get a fish from the pet store you put the fish in the bag in the tank for a few mins to adjust. Then set them free in the tank.

I can't belive your fish have made it over a year in the same water, by running water through a strainer. I would think that you would have an ammonia problem. Good work. :)

Hope this gave you some help and Good luck with your betta.

[RockyRoad]

Originally posted by Tonya
Flopsy, do you remove all of the water when you change the bowls? I used to remove all the water, and my fish would die everytime. My husband said perhaps it was because the fish needed to keep the same ph, so now, I just strain the water and put it back in. My fishy has survived over a year this time. I'm just wondering if there is something else I can do aside from keeping most of the water.

Yes, I remove all water. I've only heard of leaving some water in the bowl when you are using tap water (I take water from one of our other fresh water fish tanks).

Thanks, RubyMutt. It was my sister's little betta, Aiken. :(