Q: H wrote, Hi there – Firstly, I wanted to say that I’ve been reading your (beautiful) site for a while now, before I bought my first betta, and it helped tremendously – many thanks! Secondly – I’m hoping you can give me some advice or suggestions. My betta came home on Saturday of last week, with four WCMMs (White Cloud Mountain Minnows), from a really good LFS (all of … [Read more...] about New Betta Fish is Sluggish and Not Eating
Nippyfish – Swimming Upstream
Hi readers. Sorry I have been absent these last two weeks. I am in the process of buying a house (yay, more fish!) and have a killer deadline looming at work. My email is overflowing with reader questions which I will get back to answering next week when life slows down a bit. Thanks for hanging in there everyone. In the mean time, if you have a fish related question try … [Read more...] about Nippyfish – Swimming Upstream
Betta Fish Twitching
Q: AH wrote, I have a question about my betta fish and, because your site is so informative, I thought you would be a great resource. I’ve had my little betta, Sam, for about 3 weeks. He lives in a 2 gallon tank filled with tap water and conditioned with TopFin Betta Water Conditioner. I have a thermometer and his water temp is usually between 76 and 78 degrees. I have a small … [Read more...] about Betta Fish Twitching
Betta’s Head Changing Color
Blue Fighting Fish, originally uploaded by Rae134. Q: DH wrote, I have had my betta Lapis for a little over a month now, and he’s been through quite an ordeal. About a couple weeks ago he managed to get stuck against the old filter system I had in the tank and ripped his caudal fin to shreds. He’s healing from that, thanks to help from my local mom and pop fish store’s help. … [Read more...] about Betta’s Head Changing Color
Betta Fish with Lump on his Head
Lump on Betta’s Head provided by LHLH wrote, I’ve seen your site and figured I’d get an opinion on my fish if you don’t mind taking the time. I’ve had him since the end of January and about a month after I got him, he had a spot on his face that just grew. I thought it may have just been a scrape but it hasn’t gotten better, just worse. I tried to avoid medications because I’m … [Read more...] about Betta Fish with Lump on his Head
Betta Fish Won’t Eat From the Surface
Happy Chinese New Year Everyone!!!!, originally uploaded by louie imaging(busy). Q: EW wrote: I have had betta fish before, and I get them from my local pet stores (in those horrible little bowls) I usually have to wait a couple days for the betta to start eating and acting like a normal betta, but my most recent, Rudy, will not eat food from the surface. He really likes the … [Read more...] about Betta Fish Won’t Eat From the Surface
Elevated Ammonia Levels in Empty Aquarium
Q: CD wrote, I’ve started my cycling experiment with a 1 gal betta bowl (no fish, of course – he’s in a different one). So far, so good. The ammonia got up to over 1.0ppm (not quite 2.0, but greener than the 1.0), and today it was down to the 0.5ppm color. I’ve added more old tank water (searched for two weeks, but couldn’t find any ammonia to buy), and so now I have … [Read more...] about Elevated Ammonia Levels in Empty Aquarium
Betta Fish Poll Results: Which Common Betta Illness has you Stressed?
tema röd, originally uploaded by miluhe. In the last Nippyfish Poll we asked our readers; which common betta illness has you stressed? The results are in and they are all over the board. 54% (13 Votes) Fin Rot 25% (6 Votes) Swim Bladder Disorder 12% (3 Votes) Parasites (Ich, Velvet, Etc.) 20% (5 Votes) Fungus (Cotton Wool or Others) 20% (5 Votes) Dropsy 16% (4 Votes) … [Read more...] about Betta Fish Poll Results: Which Common Betta Illness has you Stressed?
Selecting the Proper Sized Aquarium Heater for Your Fish Tank
Q: MS wrote, Great blog, I wonder if you could give me a little advice please.I have a 5.5 gallon filtered aquarium with 1 betta. I am heating it with a 25w Hagen Elite which says on the pack it’s right for the volume of water. Trouble is even when I turn it down to it’s lowest setting I can’t get the temperature as low as I’d like. I understand perfect temperature is around … [Read more...] about Selecting the Proper Sized Aquarium Heater for Your Fish Tank
Shatterproof Aquarium Heater is my new BFF
I have gone through many different aquarium heaters over the years and my reason for buying a new one is always the same… because I have smashed the old one to bits. Any glass that goes in my aquarium will inevitably explode into a thousand tiny shards to nobody’s fault but my own. My old Ebo Jager 100 watt semi-submersible is the latest to fall prey to my carelessness. I … [Read more...] about Shatterproof Aquarium Heater is my new BFF