Hey all,

I got a new Betta at the beginning of May. He was a male Dragon-scale and was beautiful light blues and turquoise. 

I had noticed a couple weeks ago that his fins started to turn brown. I’m pretty sure it was fin-rot, so I had got him the bacterial medication pictured. I did a roughly 40% water change 2 times in 3 days 48 hours apart before I started the medication. I added the betta water conditioner pictured to the amount of water I was adding back in plus started adding the bacteria starter with these water changes as well for the first time. I hadn’t added the bacteria initially because I wasn’t aware to until I went into the pet store to inquire about what to do for the fin rot and the employee told me that it was important to do so. So then, after the second water change (done so closely together at the suggestion of the employee and with the idea that adding this starter bacteria was important for his recovery too) I added the first dose of Melafix. This now was Monday. Then last night I gave him his second dose of it…

I woke up this morning and I couldn’t find him in the tank, at all… I took the tank decoration out, and he wasn’t trapped in anything, so I checked within the filter area and it breaks my heart to say it appears that he died while he was trapped in there. I had bought new filters on Amazon when I was buying his medicine and the bacteria starter, but when they arrived, they didn’t seem thick enough, but they did fit as far as width and length go. My fish was just so curious that I believe he decided to go into the filter to check it out since he could now fit with the filter not being thick enough to keep him out. I believe his fins got sucked in and he couldn’t get out. That’s how it looks anyways. :’(

I’m very upset about this and I need to know if I did anything wrong other than the filter situation that I’m aware of. 

I want to get the tank set up for a new Betta and I’m curious how exactly to go about it with the products that I have. No detail too small, please give me your rules of thumb, suggestions for both normal changing-routines as well as when medicating with something like that Melafix. I also need to know again how often and also what percentage of the water I should change out once I do get a new Betta in there and again if that changes in certain circumstances, what have you learned that could save my future fish? I appreciate any and all feedback, I just want to be as prepared as possible for my next swimming friend.

I’m going to get a new filter piece for my 6.5 gallon tank, and new filters for inside it. I have a heater for the tank and a thermometer on the outside so I can easily check the temperature any time.

I heard that two female bettas can co-habitate if they’re of the same variety? Can anyone expand on that for me? I would love to get two so they’re not alone.

Any advice welcome, thanks in advance everybody.

Need some Betta advice… but really