# Bonsai the Betta and his new home



## elemental (Jul 29, 2010)

Cant see the white half of his tail Looks like Ill have to get out the SLR


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## Momobobo (Sep 28, 2010)

Very zen, I like it


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## Arcteryx (Nov 23, 2011)

Wow, that bonsai tree is a lot bigger than I thought it was. Looks cool


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## elemental (Jul 29, 2010)

Ya the tank is 10x10x10 and the tree is not the size listed on the website....more like 9x8x7
Picture is a bit of an odd angle....makes it look even a bit bigger in the tank....
Husband says its the prettiest tank Ive done so far.......


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Very pretty tank and gorgeous fish. Where did you get the betta?


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

awesome look, ya that bonsai tree is huge!


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## elemental (Jul 29, 2010)

Bonsai was actually in a planted tank in Petland at the langley/surrey location. Been there for over a week, and looked so healthy.
I had no intention of getting one there, but I buy food for NomNomz my dragon puffer there and saw Bonsai and thought he was gorgeous.

He is true blue, almost a navy blue with 1/4" ends of his fins in white.


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## elemental (Jul 29, 2010)

So just in case anyones interested...I had asked if anyone thought the bonsai would wreck Bonsai's fins...and the general consensus was it should be ok......Um nope...poor Bonsai has a ragged mess of fins...to the point there is almost no white showing....therefor tree out and soft edged plants in till he heals.
Hope his fins grow back.


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

That's really too bad, Elemental! Terrible news. Poor Bonsai! 

I hope that his fins grow back quickly. If they're just torn and not infected, they should heal. Some people recommend a little salt in the water for things like this. If you start to notice his fins getting shorter, you might want to treat for fin rot, which is common in bettas and curable. Hopefully, Bonsai will recover quickly just with clean water. 

Why do companies make ornaments that are capable of damaging fish? I just don't get it.


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## Flygirl (Jul 23, 2011)

elemental said:


> So just in case anyones interested...I had asked if anyone thought the bonsai would wreck Bonsai's fins...and the general consensus was it should be ok......Um nope...poor Bonsai has a ragged mess of fins...to the point there is almost no white showing....therefor tree out and soft edged plants in till he heals.
> Hope his fins grow back.


That's too bad, it looked great. You could use the idea and make a similar style ornament, but softer. All you'd need is a short, thick branch (pick one that looks like a mini tree and you like the shape of) and attach/tie java moss to the ends (if you had enough light riccia works even better). For that size of container you'll have to boil it pretty good or it will leach a fair bit of tannins and will lower your ph.

In my other tank, one of the large roots branched about six inches below the surface, I had a carpet of riccia there, it was the betta's favourite spot. He would swim up and rest there sunning himself below lights.

Good luck


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## Flygirl (Jul 23, 2011)

Morainy said:


> Why do companies make ornaments that are capable of damaging fish? I just don't get it.


Exactly!

Probably same reason we have key chain pets - anything for a buck.


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## elemental (Jul 29, 2010)

I have dosed the tank with both a small amount of salt and betafix and will do 10% water changes eod for a bit till I start to see some improvement....
Its such a small min light tank I hesitate with a anything live but will look at it again when he's healthy.
For now he has a fake silk corkscrew val and fake lilly pads minus the spiky flower lol...oh and a fake log cave...
Im sure the ornament will be fine in my 55 when I get that going with my basic community tank...or it will be in the classifies section with a warning for ANY long finned fish


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

Hello. that's too bad about the bonsai tree, it looked very good. as for his fins, sounds like you will be ok. i have used betta fix for damaged fins with good success. Just follow the directions and you should see an improvement in a couple days. probably will be fully healed in about a week. Cheers


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## jay_leask (Apr 22, 2010)

cool little set-up.


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