# Inner Beauty, the thread!



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

"Hidden behind a cup and another, after another...they sit there, and they wait. Hidden away in the shadows of the fancier, the shelf concealing them, they float listless in a darkness they never deserved. Shunned by their breeders because they aren't as pretty, overlooked by customers because they're not as bright......we're now shining the spotlight on 'ugly' betta fish."
-Syriiven

The girls I'd had purchase inspired Syriiven and I to hold a contest for the aesthetically challenged bettas. You know, the ones who are spoon headed, hunchbacked, deformed (crooked spines, missing fins, messy scales), poorly finned, tailbiters, permanently injured, or massively miscolored.

We want to hear the story about how you came to adopt this uniquely beautiful betta, and if your fish needs accommodation for a disability, we'd love to hear how you help them live a "normal" life.

*That contest is over now, but this a thread for others to post their unique fish, and for the keepers who had participated in the contest to update (and stay updated) their fishes' stories!*

THE FILLIES: Syriiven found them on Aquabid, and we were worried that with their heads being so deformed, that they'd be killed if they didn't sell. Somehow I was lucky enough to have plenty of plush orders come in to afford them and the import/shipping fees! And they got to come home to me! Stardust was absolutely the perfect temperament for rebuilding my sorority, and Stargazer lives by herself on top of the desk with Mushu, keeping my hopeless romantic company!

Stargazer


Stardust


And my ugly duckling, Don Quixote! He was a walmart rescue on February 5th of this year, and he was sick, emaciated, and had poo rocks on the bottom of his dirty brown water. I argued and protested in the middle of Walmart for two HOURS to bring him, Diablo (now adopted), Lillith, Dulcinea, and Dory (Columnaris and bad shipping - SIP) home. For a week, Don Quixote refused to eat. Then, he picked at Omega One flakes. It wasn't until we brought home Ginger (jumped out - SIP), and Mikel brought him some live brine shrimp. That was the first step from resenting them for Mike. Now, Don Quixote is healthy, happy, and he and Mike are best friends! Mikel even calls him his buddy, talks to him, and puffs his cheeks out to flare with him! lol
(Before)

(after)


----------



## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I think those girls are adorable!!!!! And what an amazing change in Don!

I know you couldn't enter in your own contest - thanks for sharing this!


----------



## XxxXnoodleXxxX (Dec 1, 2012)

Here's some inner beauty with Tiny Tina! :3








Get it? Cause you can see her insides! ^.^


----------



## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

*Bellona*

I don't know a lot of Bellona's story, but I'll share with you what I can.

I was at my local pet store & took a detour from looking at the bettas (they sell only male VTs) with my son to look at the rest of the fish. He gets so tired looking at all the little cups with sad looking bettas sitting in about an inch of cloudy water. While looking this pretty, colorful, and larger than any of mine (2.5 BO) betta was swimming around. Looked at the side of the tank and they had listed 'female betta - $3.99' (same price as their male VTs) I jumped at it. This really was a pretty girl & I needed 1 more for my sorority since the last female turned into a male on me and size and shape it looked like one of Petco's 'king' bettas, so I was getting a great price as well. Brought this betta home, did QT, introduced her to the sorority & named her Pandora. Most passive, sweet lady in my tank. Chased and beat by the other ladies who were about a third of her size. Pandora would just stand her ground and if picked on to much flare and chase the other ladies off and go back to her corner. After about 2 weeks my fiance said one of the females was dropping eggs. I flipped, I'd only spawned once & was still learning so had no clue what was going on. I started watching my ladies closer & noticed two of the others had egg bands very prominent and the last would not leave Pandora's side. I started wondering if Pandora was a Pandora. Took more pictures, posted and asked everyone here. Turned out Pandora was really a Pan, so I had to take him out.

The story at the pet store was that some lady had brought her 5 bettas in and left them for them to sell. I believe with it being 5 'females' it was a failed sorority & Pan would likely be the reason. When I picked Pan they employee had to scare the other 4 bettas from behind the filter for me to see and make sure I was getting the one I wanted. They were colorless, not even white, just no color.

On to Bellona, I sent my fiance back to the pet store to see if there was any chance they had one of these 'females' left. It's been at least a month, so I wasn't hopeful, but I had to try. They still had 2. 1 was hiding and one was swimming around. Brad brought home the one that was swimming in the tank freely. I have to admit that my first reaction was to think that she was an ugly betta, but it was a she and I had my heart set on a 'king' female after Pan turned into a boy on me. 

Bellona is just plain unfortunate. There's nothing wrong with her for a pet quality betta, but she's very plain and honestly still kind of ugly. Don't get me wrong, I love her. She's an absolute doll. Just as sweet as Pan was. She's not aggressive at all & gets picked on by all her tank mates when they are in a bad mood. 

For the first month or more I had her she hid. I never saw her. In fact during feeding time I had to search her out & make sure she got something to eat. She's finally warming up and swims with the other ladies. She's right up front for feedings & comes to say hi whenever she sees me. Recently I've even seen her flare at her tank mates when they start trying to pick on her. That's all she does though, flare and say leave me alone.

The lovely Bellona -


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Ayala - They were the inspiration behind the contest, and while some people are shaming me for encouraging the AB sellers to start offering deformed fish, I had to have these two. As I get room to have more fish again, I plan to adopt mostly breeder culls like those two, just not from AB if I can help it. My fiance always says "Oddballs Welcome!"

Noodle - That was punny! LOL

Justmel - I love Bellona and Pan's story. You should post Quazi here too, he deserves some spotlight, and he's simply adorable!


----------



## XxxXnoodleXxxX (Dec 1, 2012)

Thanks Skye.  I do actually have a serious post. This is Handsome Jack when we got him:










He had been living in a tiny half gallon tank at a cold shop in the mall for 3 years. He never had conditioned water, he got one water change a week, he got fed the worst flakes humanly imaginable, and never got treated for illnesses.

For a lot of people, he would have been a write-off. He's three years old, when we got him he had AWFUL dropsy (he was huge when we got him because he's a giant as well), his fins are tattered to hell because he fought off serious fin rot without any medication, he swims funny because of his injuries, his colours were faded to hell, and he used to literally lay down on his side and play dead. You could literally poke him and he wouldn't move. It's like he wanted to be thrown away.

And then my girlfriend and I took him in. Treated him for bloat and dropsy. It was gone within three days. We feed him our best food, he swims in tanned water, his tank is 3-4 times bigger than his old one and its heated too. He fought off dropsy, his colour came back, he eats like a pig, and he even surfs for us now. Here's a picture of our big grumpy rescue, Handsome Jack, feeling quite good about himself and where he is:


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Noodle - I'm glad to hear that he's doing so well now! Just look at how HANDSOME he is! ^_^

Thank you for sharing him!


----------



## rmarkham (Oct 4, 2012)

Lemongrab was hidden on the top shelf... with a filthy cup with appalling ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels. 


He seems to have sustained permanent eye damage and has one eye that is bigger than the other. 


Here's his big eye



He is always calm and as soon as I put him in his new home he swam around like he owned the place! 

And Noodle!!! I LOVE YOUR GRUMPY BOY!


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

I like Lemongrab! He's a cutie... I mean ... very manly.... brings his ancestors honor! ;-)


----------



## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

*Quazi*

Quazi boy here may belong to Skye in the future. That is if I can give him up. I'm not 100% sure he's a boy, but I think he is. He's a 2 1/2 week old VT fry with a hunched back. I know many would have said to cull him, but watching him he is perfect in every other way. He gets along just fine and swims and plays with all his syblings. I'm still watching him closely and if I have to I will cull him, but if can live happy and healthy I say why not let him?


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

I totally adore him either way, if you decide to keep him, I'm going to have a long distance relationship with your fish! LOL ^_^ <3 He's too adorable, and I'm not sure why I find him so Squee, to be honest.


----------



## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

Lol, if nothing else you can be Quazi's Aunty!


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

justmel said:


> Lol, if nothing else you can be Quazi's Aunty!


exactly! I would be his biggest fan and proudest aunty EVER!


----------



## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

*Zababa*

I've only had Zababa a week today. Last Saturday I stopped by the pet store to ask about getting a few bag for shipping some bettas. They were very busy, so I took a minute to look at the bettas which I had been steadily avoiding for over a month so I wouldn't bring any home. To my amazement I found 3 males in 1 tank! One looked ok, it was hiding in the rocks and plants and didn't look to damaged. The other two had picked corners in the front of the tank. They would sit there watching each other a minutes, then one or the other would attack. 

I was really dumbfounded. I knew this pet store knew nothing about bettas (the same place I got Pan & Bellona), but this was beyond stupid. I was sick to my stomach and close to tears because I knew I didn't have the money to bring even one of these poor boys home, but I couldn't just walk away and leave them to kill each other. My fiance, Brad, took pity on me & said I could get two of them as long as 1 was the better looking orange one. I didn't argue with him and quickly got a sales person to scoop out two of these boys. I picked the orange as Brad specified and the worst looking of the two fighters.

The employee volunteered the story of what happen. They have 3 staggered tanks, one a few inches about the other, in a row they keep their plants in. He said that they guy who had released them obviously didn't realize that any fish put in one tank would wash through the over flow holes in the side to the next tank until all the fish were in the last of the 3 tanks. This employee didn't seem surprised that three bettas were in that one tank though, so if he knew it had happen why didn't he fix it earlier? I'm not saying he did know, maybe I was the first to see it.

I brought them home and first pulled the orange one out of the bag and my mom's mouth dropped open. Remember, this one was not visibly damaged, and claimed in right away. Being her birthday I told her once I was sure he was ok I'd let her have them. Then I brought the other poor boy out of the bag & my mom wanted to cry as much as I did. I started acclimating them both, very slowly.

Fuji (the orange VT) ended up have scraps and missing scales from staying hidden & 1 small rip in his caudal. He seems to be doing ok, but I'm really not sure. He refuses to eat. I got some live brine shrimp this week on skye's recommendation and he ate them right up, but he won't touch pellets or frozen food. Don't know how long it should take to see the scales mending, but no sign of that yet either.

The other betta, my poor boy, didn't make it. He died over night and although I didn't have him long I cried. I felt good to know that at least in his last few hours he didn't have to worry about being attacked, but was heart broken that I wasn't in time to save him.

I took a water sample to the pet store and they didn't question me. When I said 1 I had bought yesterday died over night & I wanted the third boy if he was still alive they scooped him up and dumped him in the water I had brought in with me. They didn't test the water or anything. Just scooped & dumped & sent me on my way. You could see the abrupt change bothered him and I just held him close and talked to him the whole way home. Even though he had been dumped in the water and his tank was the same (poor boy never made it into the tank. I acclimated them slowly & he died in his bowl) I still acclimated him. He ate 1 pellet by accident when I first feed him. He didn't mean to eat it, he attacked it and he had no choice. After that he didn't eat for 4 or 5 days, but when he started eating it was 8 pellets at a time. He's so funny now when I feed him. He has to flare at every pellet before he will eat it. It's flare...chop...flare...chop...flare...chop. He's still looking for his former tanks mates and ready to fight. I don't think he will ever go into even a divided tank. I think he is going to need to be a solitary fish, but I can work with that and give him what he needs.

Here's Zababa


----------



## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

Hm...here is Alois. He has chronic fin rot which I have been trying to get rid of so badly. Nothing special, your run of the mill cellophane DT. I rescued him from Petco and got a dollar off.


----------



## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

justmel said:


> I've only had Zababa a week today. Last Saturday I stopped by the pet store to ask about getting a few bag for shipping some bettas. They were very busy, so I took a minute to look at the bettas which I had been steadily avoiding for over a month so I wouldn't bring any home. To my amazement I found 3 males in 1 tank! One looked ok, it was hiding in the rocks and plants and didn't look to damaged. The other two had picked corners in the front of the tank. They would sit there watching each other a minutes, then one or the other would attack.
> 
> I was really dumbfounded. I knew this pet store knew nothing about bettas (the same place I got Pan & Bellona), but this was beyond stupid. I was sick to my stomach and close to tears because I knew I didn't have the money to bring even one of these poor boys home, but I couldn't just walk away and leave them to kill each other. My fiance, Brad, took pity on me & said I could get two of them as long as 1 was the better looking orange one. I didn't argue with him and quickly got a sales person to scoop out two of these boys. I picked the orange as Brad specified and the worst looking of the two fighters.
> 
> ...


Aww. He's trying to be a tough guy in the last pic. :lol:


----------



## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

Cute, huh? He does that at every pellet during feeding time.

I love you DT. Reminds me a bit of my Mani who passed about a week ago. He had next to no color when I got him, but before he left he was a very pretty irid blue. He was marble & just never showed anything when I bought him.


----------



## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

Despite his fin rot, Alois is a peppy guy.


----------



## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

xShainax said:


> Despite his fin rot, Alois is a peppy guy.


My daughter freaked when she saw his name. lmbo, mine are all named after various gods & goddesses due to here interest. She thinks Alois' name fits him well.


----------



## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

xD I got it from Black Butler. I want to get a black female and call her Nyx after the goddess of the night


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

"flare.... chop'' lol

grr, I vicious nomz!!

Alois is beautiful, despite his fit rot!


----------



## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

Alois is giving me the "I will kill you." Look right now. :lol:


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

lol!


----------



## soundwave (May 19, 2013)

I got Merle in bad shape. His little cup had algae in it and his fins were ragged. The first 3 pics are his 2nd day at home, the second is a week and a half later. His fins are patching up but I don't think he'll ever be stunning. He has a funny personality though.


----------



## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I think he is most definitely stunning! Wow!


----------



## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

Alacrity used to be beautiful. VT, yes. But amazing colors. I LOVED them so much.

When his snail friend mysteriously died he decided to destroy his fins. Fine, I thought. They'll grow back. Did the AQ salt, kept up on water changes. Tail grew back. And out of nowhere he destroys it again.

He is refusing to let his tail grow back :< He looks silly without it but if he wants it to stay short who am I to tell him he can't. So I submit his current style for all to see. He's seems quite proud of himself so I shall be too.


You can see in my display picture how his tail used to look with the pretty purple :Q I miss it.


----------



## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

This is Scar (Pandoras insisted on this name; it's short for "Scarface"). 










What's his story? To be honest, I do not really know. He has always been like this, and with only one eye, a crooked topline, and a number of other physical imperfections, his chances of survival were slim. But he has survived. Over two months of living in a dingy cold Petsmart betta cup of his own waste, surrounded by many more striking beauties. Always passed over, forever unwanted. Every single visit, I looked at him sadly and turned away. He was expensive and I had nowhere to put him. His dragon scale betta label with its unwavering $9.99 price tag was practically a death sentence. 

Last month, when I finally had the space to get him, I could not find him. I figured he was gone. It was probably it was better that way. It meant his suffering was over and he would no longer have to wait for a person that would never come. Then, two days ago, my grandparents went to Walmart and I tagged along to get some supplies for a class project. I inevitably ended up at Petsmart and I found him again, perched all the way in the back of the betta display. I hesitated and turned away one last time. But I could not stop thinking about him. So, today, I went back and brought him home with me. I don't really care if other people, like my family most likely would, think I am wasting my time and money. He deserves to live.


----------



## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

Oh, Fenghuang! That's amazing that you could get him finally. It's ridiculous that they don't even try to take care of them at the store.

What a lucky little guy.


----------



## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

Thank you, Kithy. I hope I'm not too late. He seems active, for such a beat up fish, but I still worry... The water parameters of his cup was actually a lot better than I expected. There was 0.25 ppm ammonia, but nitrite and nitrate were both 0. The gunk on the bottom of his cup has been there forever though.

My parents are going to be pissed, even though they don't really have a reason to since I spend my own money, do my own maintience, and will be taking them with me to Georgia in August. Ah, well. He's worth it. Or I could divide the large Kritter Keeper I got him today, break down Fang's tank, and keep them together once I know he's okay, and they won't care. It is more the number of tanks in my bedroom than number of fish that bother them.


----------



## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and scar. I think he will be quite a looker when he heals up & he does totally deserve to live and be loved.


----------



## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Wow, that picture of scar honestly, doesn't even look like he is alive. 0_0 Is it just the angle or is he really kind of tilted to the side like that?

It's amazing that he made it that long so it honestly wouldn't surprise me if he ended up living with you for MUCH longer.. I am really interested to see what he ends up looking like after a little while in good care, though. Keep us updated!


----------



## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

It could be his crooked body and the bump on that side of his face accentuating it. Not really sure. 

He has been laying with his fins clamped up on the bottom of his Kritter Keeper since I've introduced him, only swimming up for air every once on a while and then darting back down. I don't think I've shocked him. I floated him for forty five minutes and then acclimated him by drip method over the course of an additional hour. He didn't lay down in his cup.

EDIT: What is up with my grammar these past few days? Ugh...


----------



## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

He could just be a little stressed and scared. Hopefully he'll perk up in a few hours and start exploring.


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Go, Scar, go!! You can do it!!!

Merle is beautiful!

Just like Alacrity, I used to have a male who would barber his tail too, no matter what I did! He just liked it short.


----------



## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you guys that Scar passed away last night. 

I would be lying if I said I wasn't sad. He was just starting to swim around and explore last night when I went to bed. Then, I woke up this morning and I noticed the water was clouded and just _knew_. It took a few moments to find his little body sticking out from where it was wedged between the glass beads. He spent all of yesterday hiding among them and practically disappeared every single time he moved. It was like he was playing hide-and-go-seek.

Even though he was $9.99 and I could get my money back, I'm not going to. He's home now and he's here to stay. I am going to bury him in the garden next to where my koi pond use to be. SIP Scar.

Here is his last picture. You guys never even got to see his one eye.


----------



## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

I've noticed when they pass they get all kinds of color like Scar did. Do you think that's indicates they color he would have had?

I know how quick & easy it is to get close to these rescues & I'm sorry you lost Scar. He was a pretty boy. I'm glad you could give him love & a clean home until it was time for him to go.


----------



## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

I think fish get a little discoloured when they pass. But I don't know... I think he would have been a copper. They had him labeled as a dragonscale, so, I'm guessing that is what he was. He had a blue iridescence in his scales, but he also had red fins. 

I am sad, but I committed myself to this and knew there was a chance he would not make it. I'm just glad I got a chance to have him here with me.


----------



## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

Then again, zooming into his pictures, I do notice and remember noticing that his scales appeared a bit thicker in person. So, maybe he wasn't mislabeled. He could have been a copper dragon plakat.


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Sorry to hear that Scar has passed, Feng! :-(

Remember that he knew what it felt like to be loved because of you, that alone is a success.


----------



## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

Thanks, Skye. :') I like to think that he has a big wonderful tropical pond to swim in now. 

He is not going to be my last rescue, I promise.


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Fenghuang said:


> He is not going to be my last rescue, I promise.


You have no idea how happy I am to hear that! ^_^


----------



## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

Soo so sorry to hear he didn't make it. I think we were all pulling and praying for him. Although it's sometimes not a consolation he did enjoy what it was like to be loved for a short time. After spending all that time at the pet store he's lucky he got that.

Glad he won't be the last rescue. Resurers are amazing people and I wish so much I could do more like that. Show us your next one 

Bless you little Scar <3 SIP


----------



## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

*Gema*

Gema would have been picked up in the store. There was no problem with her. She was a very pretty VT female & still is. 

When I put my first sorority together she was a member of it, but no one liked her. She was picked on horrendously for some reason. She spent around 36 hours in there, but it was enough to hurt her permanently. 

I saw she was hiding all the time & if she came out she was chased back into hiding by one of the other ladies, but left it alone because I knew they had to figure out the pecking order. When I feed them and everyone was eating happily but would stop to attack her if she tried to eat I started to worry and watch her. She stopped coming out to eat. 

When I couldn't find her at all I searched and finally saw her trying to squeeze into the rocks to hide. That was enough. I decided she wasn't going to make it in the sorority and I had given it long enough. I removed her to her own tank and them saw her back was bent in two places. She only moved her pectorals and those just barely. I really thought I was going to loose her and felt horrible putting her though that. It looked like she had a broken back.

I'm very happy to say that Gema did not die on me. She never straightened back out, but gets along just fine as she is. She earned a special place in my heart with what she went though & although I try not to have favorites she is absolutely one of my favorites. She will never have to put up with another fish in her home. She stays next to the couch in the living room and is totally spoiled. She is officially my son Jesse's betta and he talks to her and tells her what a cute fishy she is everyday. He has 3 bettas to call his, but he actually helps me with Gema's water changes and feeding her.

Here's my little gem, Gema. (I know she looks fat, but even after fasting and epsom salt she looks just the same. I think it has to do with her back)


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Some of us are just fluffier than others, Justmel! ;-)

She is an absolute beauty, she reminds me a lot of our Archi! ^_^


----------



## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

She's a love. One of my most interactive bettas and a total sweetheart


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Stargazer is really interactive like that.


----------



## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

This beauty queen was homegrown. Please don't tease about being fat she is very sensitive on the subject. This is Google.


----------



## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

D'awwww. She is absolutely adorable.

I've noticed Barti has a huge tummy too. But after days of fasting, he's still pudgy. He is fine in every other way, so I think that's just the way he is.


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

She's beautiful! <3


----------



## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Lol and I thought Mercy was a chunk xD

Don't worry, babygirl. Beauty comes in ALL shapes and sizes! She's adorable <3

Edit: why did my signature revert back? 0.o ugh


----------



## Senshine (Nov 15, 2012)

logisticsguy said:


> This beauty queen was homegrown. Please don't tease about being fat she is very sensitive on the subject. This is Google.


She is so cute! She reminds me of a yellow angry bird in that picture :lol:


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

She kind of does, now that senshine mentions it!! lol


----------



## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

She sure does look like a yellow angry bird lol. Google is a pudgy little sweetheart. Lots of inner beauty ;-)


----------



## kvw1988 (May 13, 2013)

This is little Ash. She's a petco baby I got Saturday, her back is a little crooked and her anal fin is deformed, but she has a lot of spunk, I couldn't just leave her there. She swims a little weird but it doesn't seem to bother her. I'm pretty sure she's a girl, and kinda hope she is, just because I'm afraid a long tail would be too much work to carry around with a back like that.


----------



## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

So CUTE!


----------

