Tank Seeding: Speeding up the Nitrogen Cycle

Madness? THIS IS FISHBOWL!, originally uploaded by hackett.

Q: TL wrote,

I recently heard that seeding your tank with gravel from another tank will help the cycling process go faster. Is this true and is there anything special I have to do to seed it?

A: When we cycle our aquariums we grow and sustain cultures of nitrifying bacteria, which will live in the tank and consume harmful toxins caused by fish waste making the water safe for aquatic life. This is a naturally occurring process that, when conditions are met, will happen in the tank regardless of whether or not the aquarist observes it. During the cycling process there can be extreme increases in ammonia and nitrite toxicity. Because of this increase it is preferable to monitor the cycle and make necessary adjustments rather then letting it happen unmonitored. One thing that we can do to dramatically speed up the biological cycle is to seed our tanks with nitrifying bacteria from an outside source.

When we cycle a tank naturally we take the very small number of bacteria already present and feed them (ammonia) until the bacterial colonies grow large enough to consume the ammonia as fast as it is being produced. This usually takes about four to six weeks to happen naturally. By adding outside bacteria we are jump starting the process and often significantly decreasing the overall cycle time. Seeding the tank can reduce the overall cycling time to as little as a few days. Some have even claimed to cycle tanks in less than 24 hours.

There are two basic methods for seeding an aquarium.

1. Introducing bacteria-laden media from an established tank. When we cycle our aquarium the nitrifying bacteria attach themselves to all surfaces of the tank. They are most prevalent in the filter media. The undisputed best method for seeding an aquarium is to take the filter bag from a well established aquarium and to add it to your uncycled aquarium. Some larger HOB (Hang on Back) filters have multiple slots available for filter bags so you can add your clean filter bag as well as one from another tank. The second place nitrifying bacteria are most prevalent is in the substrate itself. It is also found on the tank walls and decor but for best results collect either the filter bag or substrate. Obviously, the more substrate you add the more bacteria will make it into your new tank but usually about a 1/2 cup [120 ml] will suffice. You can either add it directly into your substrate or pour it into the foot of a pair of pantyhose, cut off the rest, knot the top and place it inside the aquarium until the tank is fully cycled. When the tank is well established you can remove the substrate, pantyhose and all, and discard. This is especially useful if your seeding material is of a color scheme you find less desirable. A WARNING: Seeding your tank with water from an established aquarium is not a suitable method of seeding. Very little nitrifying bacteria are present in open water so adding just water from an established tank will not produce effective results.

The downside to seeding with media from an established tank is finding the material. Friends and aquarium clubs are great resources. Some local fish stores may give you gravel from their existing tanks but often stores have policies against this, particularly larger chains. Still, it doesn't hurt to ask.


2. Bacteria in a bottle. As aquarists become more cycle-savvy, manufacturers have found ways to cash in by bottling nitrifying bacteria. Unfortunately, the majority of products available are completely useless and not worth the money. Some, however, have been known to successfully cut cycle time. You want to find products that contain the bacteria Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter or Nitrosospira and Nitrospira responsible for the cycling process. Avoid products that are unrefrigerated or don't have an expiration date. Remember, you're adding large cultures of these bacteria to your tank, which require ammonia and nitrite as food. Healthy cultures of beneficial bacteria do have a shelf life. I recommend Bio-Spira made by Marineland which you can find in the refrigerators of many local fish stores. The downside to bacteria in a bag is the cost. For something that occurs naturally, to buy it at the store you can pay upwards of $30 or more and results can be inconsistent.

Dropsy: Ruling Out Constipation

Photo provided by original emailer.
If abdominal bloating doesn't subside after a few days of fasting, the diagnosis may turn to Dropsy.

Q: AC wrote,

I think i have a problem, for the last month my betta has been getting fatter and fatter. Until recently I thought it was just a bit of overfeeding. Then I saw your website and the message from SK on 2.22.2007. I have a very similar problem with my betta, he does not seem to be stressed at all but has a very distended abdomen.

Water quality tests as:
pH: 7.0
Nitrite: 0.3mg/l (a bit high i know so doing another water change)
Temp: 78 degrees
Tank: community tank (2x Corys, 4x minnows, 1x plec & 1x loach) filtered and heated

If you think it is dropsy do you think I should isolate him and attempt to treat it? I've seen a lot about epsom salts and possibly antibacterial treatments. Also now that I've been looking around for cures I think my bettas (I have one male and two females) may have a case of fin rot as well. Their dorsal, anal and caudal fins all look fine but their pectoral fins are lacking any webbing between rays. Is this normal for bettas? I've attached photos of the male with his distended abdomen and two photos that show the state of their pectoral fins. I know this is probably a lot to take in but any suggestions you may have would be greatly appreciated.

A: Thanks for writing in. The photos you provided were excellent quality and very helpful. The first thing I noticed is that all the photos showed severe abdominal bloating. I assumed it was the blue betta that you were referring to regarding the distended abdomen but your white betta is quite bloated as well. Dropsy can spread if the root cause is contagious. For example, if a virus lead to dropsy it can spread from fish to fish if water is mixed or even if equipment is shared. At first glance it does appear to be Dropsy but we should rule out overfeeding first. Can you provide more information on what you are feeding? What type of food, how much are you feeding at a time and how often do you feed? Have you tried fasting the fish for a day or two? Have you noticed them excreting waste normally? If we can rule out constipation then we can turn our focus to Dropsy.

In terms of fin rot I did notice some minor fin rot in the blue fish in the anal and tail fins. The pectoral fins may be showing a little. All the fin rot I could see in the photos was pretty minor. It could be a water quality issue. The presence of nitrites tells me your tank is trying to cycle. That can certainly cause the fin rot you're seeing. I also recommend doing an ammonia test.

If it turns out both your bettas have dropsy there isn't a lot you can do but make them comfortable. Epsom salts may help. It's important to only treat the sick fish by removing them from the rest of the population. Corys, plecos and loaches are especially sensitive to medication and water additives and shouldn't be exposed to them. I will keep you and your fish in my thoughts. Let me know a little more about the feeding and maybe we can figure out what is going on.

AC: I've had the blue fish isolated since I sent you the e-mail and didn't feed him for 2.5 days, then fed him half a mashed up pea but he wasn't interested. He has pood a bit but not much and is still very bloated. The other two bettas have been in the tank with my other fish, they get a mix of 'Aquarian tropical flakes', 'King British Catfish pellet food' and 'Hikari Algae wafers'. I have 4 minnows, 2 corys, 1 plec, 1 loach and 3 bettas (1 male & 2 females). Daily they get approximately 8 catfish pellets (they all eat these) and 8-10 flakes. Then every other day I put in an algae wafer for the plec. I hope that this will hope with a diagnosis, looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks for providing the food information. This does help explain why the others may appear bloated. It sounds like they are being fed pretty heavily. Bettas tend to bloat quickly when overfed. A good rule of thumb when feeding bettas is to feed a portion about the size of one of their eyeballs twice per day. Also, make sure they are eating food for carnivores. Of course they do tend to be little pigs and want to eat anything dropped in their tank but foods like algae wafers and catfish pellets can certainly lead to bloating. Their short digestive tracts just aren't built for it.

Based on your photos and the food info you provided I have to agree with your original diagnosis that your one betta has dropsy and the others are probably ok, just a bit bloated from overfeeding and eating foods not really intended for them.

By the time dropsy progresses to the point of bloating it generally isn't treatable. You're doing the right thing by keeping him segregated from the others. As long as he's active and eating there isn't much you can do. Just keep his water clean and be careful not to overfeed him. Bettas with Dropsy may continue to live for several weeks or even months before they succumb. The best thing you can do is keep him comfortable and avoid stressors.



Photo provided by original emailer.
This betta shows substantial bloating but was being consistently overfed and fed herbivore foods, which contribute to bloating. Feeding small portions of betta-appropriate food may reduce bloating and rule out Dropsy.



Photo provided by original emailer.

Would You Like a Nippyfish Betta?

TWO NIPPYFISH BETTAS FOR ADOPTION: SEE PHOTOS BELOW

FEMALE BETTA FOR ADOPTION




Hi Readers,

As you may know I am moving across the country this weekend from Washington, DC to California. I am currently looking for good homes for two wonderful pet Bettas. One is a male Pineapple Crowntail and the other is a beautiful, healthy and feisty green/blue female in great breeding condition. They have both been fed a combination of live and frozen foods but have huge appetites and will eat anything, even flakes and pellet food. Both of these fish have been kept in heated and cycled aquariums and both have been in community tanks and do well with other fish. They're both in great health.

I'd like to find a good home for them with a hobbyist who has some experience keeping Bettas before. As I mentioned, these two have been pets of mine so it's important to me that they are well cared for.

If you are interested in adopting one or both of my bettas send me an email and I will mail them to you. I will pay for all the expenses. At this time, I can only ship within the Continental U.S. Email Christie at betta[at]nippyfish.net

Let me know ASAP as they need to go out on this Monday, May 21st for Tuesday delivery.

Thanks everyone!

Christie

MALE CROWNTAIL BETTA FOR ADOPTION

Beta Beta Beta: Betta Sororities

Strawberri, originally uploaded by BettaBerries.

Q: KB wrote,

I am writing you just to say that I love your site and the blog. It's so informative and it's great that there is someone out there who can provide correct information about bettas. I just recently logged on to check out the blog for updates and I saw that you used my Firefly for the May 11, 2007 article. I was so thrilled to see my betta boy on your website! I always wondered where you got the incredible betta pictures. Ever since I posted him on Flickr, he's gotten quite a few views. I actually got him from Petco, as a super delta. He has since hit halfmoon!

I have a quick question regarding betta girl sororities. I have a 5.5 gallon currently going through fishless cycling. I also have 4 girlies who I would love to put together. Is the tank big enough, and would 4 girls be enough to scatter aggression and establish a good pecking order? Two of the girls are particularly aggressive, because they will flare at their reflection.

A: Thanks for writing in. I LOVE that photo of Firefly! He's a beautiful fish and the photography was top notch for the Blog. Great job. Yes it is true I get the majority of my photos from Flickr.com photographers who make their images available to Bloggers. It's an amazing resource and the database grows more and more each day. If you ever want to know more about a specific photo or photographer you see on Nippyfish: A Betta Blog just click on the credit link below the image. Also, I'm happy to include photos from readers who write in. They often come in handy when trying to diagnose illnesses and you will occasionally see them included in my articles.

As for your female Betta sorority, I do think a 5.5 gal is a bit small for a girl tank. I probably wouldn't put them together in anything smaller then a 10 gallon and even that is pushing it. You may still experience aggression issues. Even if they have fairly passive personalities, four females would have the tank fully stocked and the bioload maxed. If you ARE able to keep the peace you will have to be sure to keep up with those water changes to maintain good water quality. The number of girls you have is fine for a sorority tank and for spreading aggression around. They would likely do well in a larger aquarium. If you decide to try it, I'd recommend densely planting the tank and adding them when you have a couple of days free for observation. You'll definitely want a Plan B ready just in case things get ugly. You know how girls can be. One girl flares at another girl's guy and all heck breaks loose.

Good luck and thanks for sharing your gorgeous Firefly with all our readers.

Choosing the Best Method for Tank Cycling

Hey Fishy Fishy!!, originally uploaded by tarotastic.

Q: SM wrote,

I have a question about my tank...I told you in the other email
what i have in my tank. I just want to be assured that when i add all
the fish, i cannot change the tank,until i meausre the water and the
ammonia is really up , then the bacteria starts?is that how it works?
i just have the filter..so.. i am going to buy a water conditioner but
will i really need that?

Can my betta eat crickets?

A: Well, the answer depends on how you are cycling. There are two methods to cycle a tank. You can cycle it WITH fish or WITHOUT fish. Cycling it with fish means the ammonia is generated from fish urine and waste and will build up over time. This method exposes the fish to ammonia and nitrite, which is extraordinarily toxic to them and frequently leads to severe illness, irreversible gill damage or even death. People who cycle with fish don't generally cycle with the fish they intend to keep in the tank. There is little point in spending money on nice fish that will suffer from their own ammonia poisoning. They usually buy a few inexpensive cycle fish like Danios.

A lot of people still cycle this way but this method is antiquated and inferior to the Fishless Cycling Method that is becoming the standard for tank cycling. These days aquarists tend to be a little more conscientious and prefer to spare the lives of all fish, even spazzy little Danios. In fishless cycling we add ammonia from a bottle rather than from fish waste. Ammonia by the bottle is so cheap that it's even more affordable then buying a few cycle fish. When you fishless cycle you add ammonia to the tank each day until the process is complete (meaning the bacteria are consuming ammonia and nitrite as fast as it's being added) and the fish aren't added to the tank until the entire process is complete. More info on starting the fishless cycling method can be found here: The Fishless Cycling Method Just a note, the air stone is optional if you have a HOB (Hang on Back) filter. It'll create enough oxygen for the bacteria.

In either method you will know the process is complete because the ammonia will spike and begin to fall, as the nitrite spikes and begins to fall, followed by nitrates beginning to build. When you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and detectable nitrate the process is finished and the fish can be added.

If you plan to cycle your aquarium with the fish you have (not cycle fish) then you will need to take special precautions. You will have to carefully monitor the ammonia every day and make partial water changes to keep it from getting too high. (keep it under 1.0 ppm) Adding a water conditioner will be necessary for two reasons. First, you will need it to neutralize any chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals from the tap water. Secondly, choosing a water conditioner that binds ammonia will help you keep your fish safe. AmQuel+ and NovAqua, for example, will convert dangerous ammonia into non-toxic ammonium. Ammonium won't hurt the fish but will still be used for consumption by the good bacteria. The only problem with binding the ammonia is it may not appear on your ammonia test kit. This means the tank might be cycling but you won't see it on the tester until nitrites begin to spike. Also, remember that any ammonia is severely toxic so even .5 ppm or 1.0 ppm is dangerous and your fish may become severely stressed or fall ill. If you pH is alkaline (above 7.0) ammonia becomes even more toxic. Cycling with the fish you intend to keep isn't great but a lot of people do it without even realizing it because they don't understand the process. By understanding the process you will be at a great advantage.

As for crickets, I wouldn't be surprised to hear a Betta is egotistical enough to try and conquer eating one but they probably aren't the best bet. A whole cricket is much too big for a betta and most probably wouldn't even recognize it as food. If you ground it up, they may try to eat it. Still, I'd recommend something closer to a Betta's natural diet of small insect larvae and worms. There are a ton of good Betta food choices out there. Visit Feeding Bettas.

Guidelines for Email Questions

maybe, originally uploaded by Silent Bright.

Hi Readers!

Wow, I can't believe all the amazing emails I have gotten full of great questions. You guys sure do keep me on my toes and thinking about all aspects of betta care and aquaria. To make things easier I am putting together some helpful guidelines. These guide lines will help me to better answer you in a thorough and timely manner and will also get YOU thinking of ways to be proactive about your fish care.


1. Grammar & Spell Check: Many of the emails I get are so riddled with bad grammar, spelling and incomplete sentences I need an expert in hieroglyphics to decipher them for me. I promise you that I will return your email with a well thought out response written in complete sentences and proof read before I send it. Please do the same for me. I understand you may be REALLLY!!!!!! REALLLY!!!!! ***FREAKING****out... and have MAJOR quesTIONs?????? but seriously, I don't need all those extra exclamation points and questions marks. Besides, I have to fix them in order to post them on the Blog and it takes time away from answering you.

If English isn't your first language, no problem. I'm cool with some grammar/spelling issues. Just do the best you can. If English IS your first language, no excuses. ;-)


2. Give Adequate Information: Of course people new to fish care may not know what exactly is enough information to give. I understand that so let me help you help me... uh... help you. (or something like that) A broad question will get a broad answer. "Why is my fish lethargic?", may be answered with 20 possible options. The more information you can provide, the more detailed a response you will get. Here is a list of helpful information to include in your email. If you don't have all the answers, include as much as you can.

1. What is your tank size?

2. Have you tested for ammonia- what were the results?

3. Have you tested for nitrite- what were the results?

4. Have you tested for nitrate- what were the results?

5. Have you tested for pH- what were the results?

6. What temperature is your tank?

7. How often do you perform water changes, how much water do you change?

8. What water additives are you using (please include any conditioners,
salt or medications)

9. What type of food are you feeding, how often and how much?
10. What kind of tank mates, when were they added?

11. Is your tank planted?

12. What are the symptoms, when did they begin and is there anything else
we should know?

3. Beware of EMERGENCY questions: Remember, this is email and I do my best to answer as many questions as fast as I can but this is something I volunteer in my free time. Please keep in mind that responses may take several days. I pretty much answer them in the order in which they are sent. If your fish is in a life and death situation you may be served better at a live online aquarium forum. I love Aquamaniacs.net for fast replies to urgent questions. Of course you may still email me and you will get a response but it may take awhile.

Well that's all I have for now. I hope these guidelines will help to better serve you. Thanks for reading and for your emails.

Betta with a Curved Body

Firefly, originally uploaded by BettaBerries.

Q: CBN wrote, ,/b>

Hey Chistie, I need your urgent advice again. After a great recovery, Titan made a bubble nest and all (his 1st one) I was really happy. 4 days after that, he suddenly stopped eating and became a bit lethargic, less active. He now seems to have a particular way of swimming around, and kinda curves his body. I read some and thought he might be constipated or overfed or bladder disease, gave him some peas, he ate just a bit of that, and has been litering very very few. i also noticed, that his belly is a bit discolored, I don't know if this is new or not, and a bit bloated on the left side, not much though. PLease help me, im attaching a picture to show you the way he curves. Thx a lot.

I forgot to add, that he also seems to "sink" head down, and struggles a little to be horizontal, and not horizontally angled with his head down. Thx a lot Christie, Im really worried.

A:Poor Titan has had a rough few months it sounds like. Obviously he has been through quite a bit with acclimating to a new home and then battling Velvet. I think the first and most important thing you need to do, since he continues to show signs of illness, is to test your water parameters. It is really the only way to understand what is going on in his water so that you can make adjustments or at least rule out water quality as an issue. This is especially important in Betta bowls as they don't have the filtration system and beneficial bacterial colonies in place to help protect the fish. I urge you to purchase at least an ammonia and pH test kit to start. Other kits that can be very helpful are nitrite, nitrate, kh and gh testers. Titan may be prone to illness due to a genetic predisposition or the conditions in which he was kept before you owned him. Cycling a small aquarium with a filter and heater is the best thing for any tropical fish and is likely the wisest course of action for little Titan.

Here's a link to more information on tank cycling: The Nitrogen Cycle & The Fishless Cycling Method

That said, I am quite concerned about his body curling and his inability to right himself in the water. It's true that constipation can cause these symptoms if he has been excessively overfed. It tends to occur most often when Bettas are fed a lot of dry pellets that swell in the gut when exposed to water. This can lead to pressure internally and the inability to regulate the swim bladder. The swim bladder is the gas filled sack that fish use to control their buoyancy. What I find most worrisome is that the swelling appears to be more on one side. This could be a signal of an internal bacterial, viral or parasitic infection or even the early signs of Dropsy.

Before we fear the worst you may want to rule out constipation. I see you are keeping him in a glass bottom bowl without any substrate. This is a good idea when suspecting constipation. It will allow you to monitor how often he is excreting waste. In addition to observing him, consider fasting him for a day or two. Also, when you do feed him again be sure not to overfeed him. A betta's stomach is about as big as one of his eyeballs and he should be fed that amount about twice per day. For a full grown male betta that equates to about 3 - 4 tiny pellets, two times per day. If you are feeding him pellets, soak them in a cup full of tank water for about 10 minutes before feeding so they can swell to full size before entering the digestive track. This will also help you to better gauge the actual size of the pellets you are feeding.

If after a day or two he still doesn't excrete any waste, try feeding him a tiny portion of blanched pea. Blanching is just quickly cooking it in boiling water. I usually drop a pea into a mug, fill with water and throw it in the microwave for 45 sec to a minute. Then I run it under cold water so it won't burn him when he eats it. Remember, don't feed him the whole pea; just a tiny portion of the inside about the size of his eyeball.

Daphnia is also helpful in treating constipation in bettas. You can pick some up at most local fish stores and it acts as a mild laxative. It's also nutritious and bettas love the taste.

I'm not totally convinced that Titan is just constipated so be sure to monitor him daily for new symptoms or signals that he is getting worse. Keep his water clean and keep an eye out for additional swelling or pine coning of the scales.

Good luck, and make sure you get that water tested.

New Fin Regrowth

MaxEffect.jpg, originally uploaded by Pteropus.

Q: MC wrote,

Hey Christie,

I've looked all around for an answer to my question and can't seem to find it. I hope you can help. I have two beautiful betta fish. One came from an oriental themed store that I couldn't help taking home because he was close to death. My other is a strikingly beautiful orange veiltail from my LFS. They both live in very clean tanks. They have a variety diet - some pellets (Hikari Betta Bio-Gold stress reducing, color enhancing) and some freeze dried blood worms. Their tanks are both at a good 78-80 degrees. They have everything a Betta could want (and a crazy Betta mom can buy).

The thing is, they both have color loss on the ends of their tails. It looks like they both have clear ends to their tails where color just won't go. I'm just curious why the color has not spread back into their tails. Is there something safe I can do to promote coloring or is this just how my fish will be?

A: The clear fin tips you describe sound like regrowth. Bettas sometimes loose their fins due to a bacterial infection called Fin Rot. It can also occur from injury. When the fins begin to regenerate they come in clear almost like cellophane. They are very thin and very fragile and it often take many months before the color fills in. It's possible your bettas had some minor fin rot recently or even before you purchased them. It's very common when they live in poor conditions and most often is the result of ammonia exposure from swimming in their own waste. Since you're doing such a great job keeping their water clean and warm, the fins are now able to regrow. Fin Rot is so common it can even creep up in seeming good water conditions. Dealing with fin rot is something almost all betta keepers experience eventually.

New fin tissue is very fragile and can fall away easily if the water quality goes south. Keep up with your cleaning regimen and the color should fill in a few weeks to a few months time.

Here's an image of one of my bettas. You can see the clear fin tissue at the end of his tail.



It's not the best photo because he's so light in color already. In darker colored bettas the new fin tissue can appear significantly different from the rest of the fin.

Living with MTS

Betta bowls on an angle...., originally uploaded by Leysta Kay.

Q: SH wrote,

Christie,
I'm sorry if this email question is a nuisance, I just thought I'd
ask.....

How do you exert self control when going to your LFS and not take all their Bettas home!?! Since my last email to you....I adopted another beautiful Crowntail and baby female (she's soooo tiny). I was at Walmart shopping for my Mom's birthday, and I couldn't help myself LOL I spent less than $10 on both fish, then about $60 on a new tank for each, along with silk plants and pretty rocks....my heavens, how do I cure the Betta Bug?

A: Oh my, this is serious. What you describe is a hybrid of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Addiction known to doctors and hobbyists alike as MTS. (Multiple Tank Syndrome) If left untreated it can metastasize quickly effecting your home, office and social life.

Symptoms include but aren't limited to:

-Using the excuse you need to buy cat/dog food so you can stop by the Betta display.

-Bargaining with your significant other so you can get "one-more" fish. (Beware of these enablers)

-Rearranging furniture to maximize counter space.

-Putting off bills (or buying shoes) in order to buy more fish.

-Canceling your dinner out with friends so you can clean tanks.

-Hangin' with the wrong crowd.(I.E. other hobbyists, aquaria web forums, crazy fish-bloggers, etc.)

-Setting up tanks at work.

-Making false promises. (I'll stop at 4, no 6, ok 8... really... this is the last one.)

There is no cure for MTS but with great care and diligence you may be able to control it. Remember, the first step is admitting you have a problem.

Best of luck,
Crazy Fish-Blogger

Cleaning a Small Betta Bowl

lowping, originally uploaded by johndeand.

Q: Anon wrote,

What is the best way to change the water in a 2 gallon bowl? Where do you put your fish while you clean out your aquarium?

A: People have different methods for cleaning out their aquariums. Some decisions are based on the type of set up, the volume of water you're changing, the equipment you have on hand and of course, personal preference. For small bowls like your 2 gallon [7.5 liter] without a filter, full 100% water changes are best. This is how I might do it.

1. Check the exact water temperature of your water and make note of it.

2. Catch your Betta in a cup. It's advised to use a plastic cup rather then one from home. Glasses or mugs that have been washed with soap can expose the fish to residue that can be harmful. I usually keep the platic cup and lid that the fish came with and use that, rinsing it in hot water after each use. I do not suggest holding the fish in a sink. Harsh clenser residue can be dangerous... not to mention if the drain gets pulled. Yikes!

3. Drain the fish bowl and rinse the substrate several times with hot water. Use an aquarium sponge or cloth to wipe away algae or scum from the glass.

4. Give a few final rinses in cool water and then adjust the tap to meet exactly the previous water temperature. Adjust as necessary. Don't rely on your hand to guage the temperature. An aquarium thermometer is very inexpensive and can be picked up at any LFS for less than a couple of dollars.

5. Add your water conditioners and float the fish in the plastic cup (or add to fish bag if preferred) and float in the tank. Every 5 minutes or so add a little of the tank water to the bag allowing the waters to mix. After 15 to 20 minutes go ahead and release the fish back into the tank.

Aquarium Clubs

Ram, originally uploaded by Dusty V.

Joining an aquarium club offers opportunities that few even realize. First there are dozens of organizations all around the country and the world. Some clubs have a wide focus and discuss both freshwater and marine fish while many will chose one or the other. Still others are species specific for those who are crazy for one sort of fish... say Betta splendens for example. Whatever you're into, aquarium clubs are a great resource for anyone interested in the hobby. What a lot of people don't know is that what happens at those club meetings is a lot more then a bunch of people sitting around sharing aquarium geek-speak. Frequency of meetings vary but monthly is pretty common and often clubs are able to bring speakers in from all over to discuss a topic for that month. Photos are frequently shared and questions and discussions occur creating an invaluable learning opportunity.

There is even more though then lectures and discussions. Auctions are very popular at club meetings. At these auctions, regular members bring in old (or sometimes new) equipment, live fish, tons of live plants, books, magazines and almost anything you can think of that is fish related. It's not uncommon to go home with armfuls of amazing things at a tiny fraction of the price you would pay at retail. Even better, you can often find species that are virtually impossible to find at local fish stores.

Bowl shows are another popular addition to regular aquarium club meetings. Depending on the type of club you join, showing opportunities vary. At species specific clubs there may be dozens of categories in which to enter your fish. Most even have categories for novices. For more competitive aquarists there is plenty of opportunity to show your stuff among other big-time breeders. General aquarium clubs tend to take a more laid back approach, choosing a category for each meeting. Sometimes there is a call for a specific species of fish to be shown and other times the categories are more fun. (I.e. Red fish only, ugliest fish, aggressive species, etc) Since voting requirements rarely go beyond "pick your favorite" everyone has the opportunity to win.

Here's a few misconceptions about Aquarium Clubs.

1. Everyone's an expert. Not true. Most aquarium clubs are comprised of all levels of experience from the newbie fish keeper to the old guys who have keeping fish their entire lives. The mix is what keeps it interesting. There are two things for certain. 1. No one person is an expert on every species and 2. Everyone there has a love for aquaria. Whether you are on your first tank or have been breeding for 30 years you will surely find others to teach and to learn from.

2. Clubs take up too much time. You get out what you put in. Few if any clubs require attendance. You go when you feel like it and you only become as involved as you want to be. If you're the shy type, you can listen to lectures and participate only to the capacity you feel comfortable. If you want to be more involved start by volunteering to bring snacks, donate to the auction or run for an official position.

3. I can't afford the membership. Membership costs vary by club, but very few are expensive. You can almost always attend a meeting or two for free to decide if you want to join. Dues typically very from $10 to $30 per year. Some clubs are free.

4. There isn't a club in my area. Well, I'm not familiar with your area so this may be true. Still, don't discount it. In the U.S. there are probably hundreds of clubs. There are several dozen larger clubs listed too. Visit the back of Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine for a listing of the most popular or visit this link to a partial listing of clubs by state.

Aquarium Clubs by U.S. State

So you want to join a Betta splendens specific club? Well it just so happens that there is a terrific one. The International Betta Congress or IBC is a Betta club dedicated to the hobby of Betta keeping and breeding the species. There are chapters all over the world and it offers something for everyone. It also happens that you're reading this just in time to book a spot a the IBC's annual convention in Indianapolis for June 21st - 24th, 2007. You can show the bettas you have bred or if you are just learning about Bettas you can go to all the great learning workshops. Maybe you'll even see me there frantically taking notes and smoozing with other aquarists. Hmm... that reminds me I have to go book my ticket.

So that's the low-down on aquarium clubs. They're a lot of fun and a great resource. If you are already a member of a club say hi in our comments sections and let us know what club you're a member of. Got ideas for great club activities?... let's hear 'em.