Can come one help me understand why my two beta fish died?

[pink1512]

I had two beautiful, seemingly healthy beta fish. One i had had for almost two weeks, and the other i had bought just this afternoon from a local petstore. I purchased a new tank with a screen, filter and lamp. The water was 72degrees and the tank had some synthetic plants ect. My friend who helped me install the new aquarium put the screen in wrong, so when we got back from dinner we noticed that the two betas were in the same section but had not attacked eachother. In the process of fixing the screen, we filled two cups with water, both 72 degrees, and put them in the cups. We coverd the cups ( they were both jumpers), and went to work fixing the screen. With in two minuets both betas were dead. I have two other very helthy beta fish, so i dont think it was the water. I just have no idea what would have made them die...if anyone has experienced anything like this, or has any idea about what may have happend, please share. thanks

[kimmers318]

If it didn't look like the bettas had attacked and injured each other you may just have gotten weak bettas to begin with and the stress of coming home, new tank, being put into cups just piled up on them and they couldn't take anymore. With the exception of my mysterious clown loach deaths, I have noticed that most deaths occur within a couple of weeks of purchase, leading me to believe they were weak to begin with. Sorry to hear you lost your 2 new bettas.

[Setsuna]

Did you fill the two cups with the water to the brim? If so, you would have drowned your bettas. As bettas breath air they need to have a tank (or in this case cup) that is only 3/4s full.

If you need to place your bettas in cups while you change water or anything, and they tend to jump, cover the cup with a plastic lid with holes in it to allow air flow.

Hope this helped ^_^

[Ntreri]

I am new, so I do not know much. But when you filled your tank, did you de-chlorinate the water first? If you did, maybe you had some Chlorine or bacteria in the water in the cups. I dont know much about it though, just a thought.

I am sorry to hear about your 2 Bettas. :cry:

[Slow Cheetah]

When you put the water into the cups did u take water from tank of just raw tap water? if that was it thats what probably killed your two bettas.

sorry for you loss

[William]

sorry for your loss. I will add to the questions by asking if there could have been traces of dish ashing liquid or similar in the cups.