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Re: CO2 and anabantoids
>Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1999 14:15:53 -0400
>From: "David A. Youngker" <nestor10 at mindspring_com>
>
>Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1999 14:23:31 -0600
>From: Shannon Wheeler
>
>> You mean, 'they CAN breath air in ADDITION to dissolved
>> O2...'. Right?
>
>In some cases it seems they *must* breathe atmospheric air *in addition to*
>the oxygen dissolved within the water. Even informal studies, such as that
>printed in a recent AFM, confirm that Bettas, for example, "drown" when
>denied access to surface air supplies...
The 'study' reported in the October '99 AFM was either very poorly done or
very poorly described. I've already written them a letter describing my
problem with the reported method. October was the last issue I received so
my subscription may have run out (actually I don't remember ever subscribing
to it in the first place - I don't know why I started getting it).
IIRC, They described using nets/traps to keep the betta's at least 24" under
the surface. Why couldn't they just keep them 1/2" below the surface? Why
couldn't they just cover the surface with a screen and allow the fish free
roam throughout the tank - maybe the small space panicked them [the bettas]?
What's this about including a GF as a control? The presence of the GF could
have stressed / panicked the betta(s) - especially if they were not free to
roam (hide) around the tank.
I've seen reports and been to Betta web sites that state that '*must*' is
just not correct. The betta I have at home does go to the surface fairly
often when I watch him (just like the AFM article states) but the one I used
to have here at work didn't. I spent a lot more time observing him because I
sit in front of this tank almost 8h each day and I'm sure he went hours at a
time without coming up for air. The only time I saw him surface was when I
fed him.
Shannon