My Water Supply Is Contaminated... Help!

[Kittiee Katt]

that seems like a massive water changing schedule...how much bioload is in the betta tank?

If its a single silver dollar in the quarantine tank, I can't imagine why daily changes would really be needed; even once a week with fresh water would have a negligible amount of nitrates in that body of water from one fish; unless its part of the medication routine?

Firstly, the bettas tank has him and 1 2 inch USD catfish. I know my water changes are overkill, but that's the way I like it. My betta is old so I try to keep his water as clean as I can. And one silver dollar at roughly 4 inches. Again, I know my changes aren't really "necessary", but that's the way I like to do it. I figure that the best way to ensure a fish is healthy before admission to the main tank is to keep their water as clean as I can, that way I'm virtually eliminating the possibility that any illness was contracted due to poor conditions in my qt tank.

Also, thanks for the help everyone, I'll be ringing the lfs on this side of the river tomorrow to find out how they're doing their changes, also we've done up a feeding schedule as follows: day 1 - two feedings (1. frozen brine shrimp 2. NLS pellets). Day 2 - fast. Day 3 - one feeding (NLS pellets). Day 4 - fast - repeat. How does that sound? Too much? Not enough?

Bruce (betta) will continue on his usual diet of whatever he'll take, whenever he'll take it. This usually equates to 5-6 NLS pellets daily, whatever he doesn't eat Felix can scrounge, but I won't be going out of my way to target feed him while this is happening.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

My guess is the LFS has a filter system so this may be no big deal to them.

I understand wanting to be on top of water maintenance but my oh my Ive never seen someone change that much water daily for such small fish haha. I don't change my 310 gallon tank more than once a week and I feed like the fish are starving to death lol.

I'd cut that first feeding down to just pellets and that schedule should be fine.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

My guess is the LFS has a filter system so this may be no big deal to them.

I understand wanting to be on top of water maintenance but my oh my Ive never seen someone change that much water daily for such small fish haha. I don't change my 310 gallon tank more than once a week and I feed like the fish are starving to death lol.

I'd cut that first feeding down to just pellets and that schedule should be fine.

That's just how I am. Thank you.
And just one lot of pellets every second day you think? I can do that I guess.

 

[convict360]

Firstly, the bettas tank has him and 1 2 inch USD catfish. I know my water changes are overkill, but that's the way I like it. My betta is old so I try to keep his water as clean as I can. And one silver dollar at roughly 4 inches. Again, I know my changes aren't really "necessary", but that's the way I like to do it. I figure that the best way to ensure a fish is healthy before admission to the main tank is to keep their water as clean as I can, that way I'm virtually eliminating the possibility that any illness was contracted due to poor conditions in my qt tank.

Also, thanks for the help everyone, I'll be ringing the lfs on this side of the river tomorrow to find out how they're doing their changes, also we've done up a feeding schedule as follows: day 1 - two feedings (1. frozen brine shrimp 2. NLS pellets). Day 2 - fast. Day 3 - one feeding (NLS pellets). Day 4 - fast - repeat. How does that sound? Too much? Not enough?

Bruce (betta) will continue on his usual diet of whatever he'll take, whenever he'll take it. This usually equates to 5-6 NLS pellets daily, whatever he doesn't eat Felix can scrounge, but I won't be going out of my way to target feed him while this is happening.

that's fair enough, I think in answer to your original query though; if it was me personally, I wouldn't worry about daily changes while the water supply is contaminated, I'd even let it run two weeks without a change and not be bothered in the slightest at that stocking level

 

[duanes]

If you are getting lots of rain, catch some in buckets or anything else and use the rain water to do your water changes.
I live in Panama, and when it rains, I can usually collect and save 20 or 30 gallons during a good cloud burst, rain water will be perfect for bettas, and SDs too. Any soft water fish should be great with a rain water, water change.

 

[duanes]

Don't do a water change until the water company says don't boil your water. What kind of crap is that anyways? This isn't a third world country or flint lol

Until we stop voting in politicians who think its better to do nothing, than to upgrade infrastructure like water and waste water plants, and politicians who think loosening pollution laws is a good thing, I believe this kind of thing will happen more and more often.

 

[xraycer]

Since they allow you to drink water after boiling, its more than likely the contamination is a bacterial or viral concern and not chemical. Chances are the bacteria or viral contamination pose a potential hazard to warm-blooded humans and not cold-blooded fish. The majority of fish breeders from Southeast Asia uses raw water sources from streams, rivers and lakes and not municipal treated water. Your main concern would be when they start utilizing strong doses of disinfectant to flush out the the contamination

If you're absolutely set against using the contaminated water. Then just let your fish fast for the next 2 weeks. I let all my fish fast when I go on vacation/holiday for 2-3wks at a time and never had a single loss......or even noticed any sunken belly.

On the subject of your betta, while I see nothing wrong with your daily wc regimen, you need to realize that betta in the wild are designed to survive some pretty putrid water conditions. Although your betta is no longer nothing like its wild predecessors, I'm sure it still holds some genetics for surviving adverse conditions.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

If you are getting lots of rain, catch some in buckets or anything else and use the rain water to do your water changes.
I live in Panama, and when it rains, I can usually collect and save 20 or 30 gallons during a good cloud burst, rain water will be perfect for bettas, and SDs too. Any soft water fish should be great with a rain water, water change.

That is a really good idea. I might find as many buckets as I can and line my doorstep with them, thanks heaps for the idea.

Since they allow you to drink water after boiling, its more than likely the contamination is a bacterial or viral concern and not chemical. Chances are the bacteria or viral contamination pose a potential hazard to warm-blooded humans and not cold-blooded fish. The majority of fish breeders from Southeast Asia uses raw water sources from streams, rivers and lakes and not municipal treated water. Your main concern would be when they start utilizing strong doses of disinfectant to flush out the the contamination

If you're absolutely set against using the contaminated water. Then just let your fish fast for the next 2 weeks. I let all my fish fast when I go on vacation/holiday for 2-3wks at a time and never had a single loss......or even noticed any sunken belly.

On the subject of your betta, while I see nothing wrong with your daily wc regimen, you need to realize that betta in the wild are designed to survive some pretty putrid water conditions. Although your betta is no longer nothing like its wild predecessors, I'm sure it still holds some genetics for surviving adverse conditions.

I realize that bettas live in some atrocious conditions compared to that of my tank, but Bruce was brought from a chain store so I assume the first part of his life wasn't to good. He has a munted mouth that I think was caused by being in horrible conditions as a baby.. So if I can make it that he never has to experience them sort is conditions again, then I've done my job as his keeper, right?

 

[CarpCharacin]

Boiling your water will not remove most chemicals from it. Like xraycer said, it is most likely a viral or bacterial contamination. I am guessing it is a bacterial one. Your fish will be just fine if they go a week without a water change. I do not think that this contamination will affect your fish, but if you don't want to use the water for your fish, just cut down on the water changes. It is likely that the contamination will not even affect your fish. Your fish won't notice the difference in the water.

 

[Kittiee Katt]

Boiling your water will not remove most chemicals from it. Like xraycer said, it is most likely a viral or bacterial contamination. I am guessing it is a bacterial one. Your fish will be just fine if they go a week without a water change. I do not think that this contamination will affect your fish, but if you don't want to use the water for your fish, just cut down on the water changes. It is likely that the contamination will not even affect your fish. Your fish won't notice the difference in the water.

I'm just going to cut their feedings back and try to catch some rain water to at least to small changes with. If you haven't already noticed I get paranoid when there's life involved, especially if that life is my responsibility.