[karaboo]

i wanted to share these with everyone. my best friend bought me this shirt for my birthday (but i got it a week late because i'd gotten sick ), and i immediately begged for photos:

and that isn't my shirt, but it's another present. fish = aristotle. best friend made him into an echelon pet by allowing him to always be with the boys =3.

she also bought me ABL, but i didn't get a photo of me with that before she had to leave.

i just had to share =D.

[7Corners]

http://thirtysecondstomars.emiforums.com/i...howtopic=290509


that took me all of 2 seconds to find.

[ChloeAlexandria]

You know, your fish needs more room than that. I don't care what the petshops or manufacturing companies tell you, a beta should have AT LEAST a gallon. How would you like to spend your life in a bowl barely bigger than you?

Goldfish (the cheap ones/aka fair fish) should have a filter, a heater, and at least a 20 gallon tank...the more expensive ones should have the same and at least a 10 gallon tank.

Sorry, I know he was a gift and he's a beautiful beta. Just please PLEASE don't leave him in there or else he won't live a very long healthy life.

Love the shirt btw, I have one too

[karaboo]

You know, your fish needs more room than that. I don't care what the petshops or manufacturing companies tell you, a beta should have AT LEAST a gallon. How would you like to spend your life in a bowl barely bigger than you?

Goldfish (the cheap ones/aka fair fish) should have a filter, a heater, and at least a 20 gallon tank...the more expensive ones should have the same and at least a 10 gallon tank.

Sorry, I know he was a gift and he's a beautiful beta. Just please PLEASE don't leave him in there or else he won't live a very long healthy life.

Love the shirt btw, I have one too

he himself wasn't a gift. i've had him for almost three months now in a bowl that same size. i don't keep goldfish, so don't worry about that. i didn't even get aristotle until several weeks after my friend bought their own betta - which lived perfectly fine in a bowl the same size - because i was worried that i wouldn't be able to manage it. when i got him, she switched her fish to a three gallon tank (after taking all of the necessary precautions, mind), and it soon died; none of the subsequent fish have lasted more than two weeks. i've no idea if that correlates to aristotle's situation, but he's had no complaints.

it's certainly bigger than the container that he came in, any way (which was literally no bigger than he is), and i guess they live several weeks in those with no problems.

i appreciate your concern for my fish's wellbeing, but i'm pretty sure he'll be fine. he has been so far, at least.

http://thirtysecondstomars.emiforums.com/i...howtopic=290509
that took me all of 2 seconds to find.

i'm not sure i understand your purpose in posting that.

[ChloeAlexandria]

I had mine in a one gallon with aeration (it cost something like $15 at the pet store, it's hexagon shaped) and my betta lived for 5 years. *shrugs* It just hurts to see such a beautiful fish in such a tiny container because if you don't change the water every couple days it's almost as though they are inhaling their own waste...that's just not pleasant.

The only advice I hope you take to heart is...DO NOT USE SOAP to clean anything. If you don't get all of it out (and even with being super careful accidents still happen) it will kill your fish.

Sorry if I'm a little anal about this. I have had friends who don't know the responsibility of it and don't realize that fish can't complain if something is wrong, only to have them die all of a sudden and wonder why.

I have to say that I am still curious what the 'necessary precautions' were. I'm not a fish expert but there are certain things you think would be good for a fish that really aren't. I'm not saying your friend didn't know what she was doing, but my first betta was an unfortunate victim to some minor mistakes.

[karaboo]

I had mine in a one gallon with aeration (it cost something like $15 at the pet store, it's hexagon shaped) and my betta lived for 5 years. *shrugs* It just hurts to see such a beautiful fish in such a tiny container because if you don't change the water every couple days it's almost as though they are inhaling their own waste...that's just not pleasant.

The only advice I hope you take to heart is...DO NOT USE SOAP to clean anything. If you don't get all of it out (and even with being super careful accidents still happen) it will kill your fish.

Sorry if I'm a little anal about this. I have had friends who don't know the responsibility of it and don't realize that fish can't complain if something is wrong, only to have them die all of a sudden and wonder why.

I have to say that I am still curious what the 'necessary precautions' were. I'm not a fish expert but there are certain things you think would be good for a fish that really aren't. I'm not saying your friend didn't know what she was doing, but my first betta was an unfortunate victim to some minor mistakes.

i definitely clean his water at least twice a week, sometimes more than that, depending on how much he doesn't eat when i feed him. i also use bottled spring water when i change him. i don't use soap, my mom made sure to school me about that.

i honestly don't know what she did, she just told me that she read up on what she should do to change her fish's environment, and she was positive she did it all right. she thought that maybe it was because the water was too aerated (she told me she'd read that betta's didn't necessarily need an aerator or filter), but it could've been because she used tap water (her tap water has a little more sulfur than it should. it doesn't hurt anyone in the house, but the same might not be said for fish).

don't worry about being anal, i think it's cool that you're so concerned =D. it means you care<3.

[ChloeAlexandria]

Don't use bottled or 'purified' water. There are certain minerals in your tap and well waters that are good for the fish. If you're worried about your water, in pet stores for cheap, there is water conditioner that takes out ammonia, chlorine, and chloromine...get that. Bottled water isn't great for fish. They may do okay in it for some time but there are so many things lacking in it.

I'm so sorry, I feel like a bitch.

Temporary edit: I read the bottled water thing somewhere, but since I can't remember where I'm checking with a fishy expert...don't hold me on this for the moment until I get more info. The last thing I want to do is give you bad advice.

[karaboo]

Don't use bottled or 'purified' water. There are certain minerals in your tap and well waters that are good for the fish. If you're worried about your water, in pet stores for cheap, there is water conditioner that takes out ammonia, chlorine, and chloromine...get that. Bottled water isn't great for fish. They may do okay in it for some time but there are so many things lacking in it.

I'm so sorry, I feel like a bitch.

i always put AquaSafe Water Conditioner in his water after every cleaning and every evaporation refill (just like it says). like i said, i've had him for almost three months and he's done fine with it. if he starts acting weird, i'll switch it up a bit.

don't feel like a bitch, you're just making sure i'm educated, which is fine =).

[ChloeAlexandria]

Okay, last reply I promise...

fish site

Okay, I know it says goldfish world, but there are people there who are great with betta's and tropical fish too.

If you have any questions at all, just register (not hard) and post it and they will help you. They helped me get a sick fish through a tough bit and he's fine now.

That link is to what they said about the bottled water, from the sounds of it yours might be fine, but don't go switching it up or else you might be asking for trouble.

[WickedWitchOfTheEchelon]

You know, your fish needs more room than that. I don't care what the petshops or manufacturing companies tell you, a beta should have AT LEAST a gallon. How would you like to spend your life in a bowl barely bigger than you?

Goldfish (the cheap ones/aka fair fish) should have a filter, a heater, and at least a 20 gallon tank...the more expensive ones should have the same and at least a 10 gallon tank.

Sorry, I know he was a gift and he's a beautiful beta. Just please PLEASE don't leave him in there or else he won't live a very long healthy life.

Love the shirt btw, I have one too

I work at an animal hospital and it is ideal for any fish to have a larger bowl with a filter and such, but it isn't necessary. I have a beta that I've had for almost 3 years in a bowl a little larger than hers and he is thriving.

Crystal

[Wyld Stallyns]

wow. you people know a shit load of stuff about fish.

good on ya.

[7Corners]

i'm not sure i understand your purpose in posting that.

i hope you're kidding.

[karaboo]

i hope you're kidding.

um, no, no i'm not. i clicked the link, and in no way see how my post correlates with that one .

[ChloeAlexandria]

um, no, no i'm not. i clicked the link, and in no way see how my post correlates with that one .

I believe what he was getting at was that the link he posted was a place to post pictures of your t-shirts. On the title it says 'self-made' but those who bought shirts could very easily post them in that topic rather than starting a new one.

[7Corners]

I believe what he was getting at was that the link he posted was a place to post pictures of your t-shirts. On the title it says 'self-made' but those who bought shirts could very easily post them in that topic rather than starting a new one.

yeah, that's where i was going with that- just a way of minimizing clutter