# Betta Rescue - Please Read



## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

I went to Wal-Mart about noon today to find two male bettas in the same cup. Now, these two bettas weren't in the same cup when I went there yesterday. One is a yellow VT (I.. think...) and the other was a bright red and green-ish CT. It was obvious that this yellow VT was being severely picked on. His fins are destroyed, hence the unknown about what kind he is, he's borderline emaciated...

I was going to ask for help to get the betta out of the cup, but I was under time restriction, I had class coming up. For the time being, I had left Wal-Mart, disgusted. However, all through class, I was deeply disturbed about this fish...

So about an hour ago, I went back and got him. Since no one seemed to be working in the fish department, I had to get the red CT out of the cup myself and put him into a watered yet empty CT cup. Maybe someone put him in the yellow VT cup as a sick joke. I don't know. I went by the pet store, bought a large critter keeper (the mediums were out so this fish is spoiled with a 3-4gal tank...) and two new hydor heaters that were marked down, one is a hydor mini (2-5gal unadjustable) and a 50w heater for my 5gal tank. Again, marked down.

I got back to the dorm and filled the large critter keeper a little less than halfway with water, dechlorinated it, added some AQ salt, added some of that water to the dirty cup, dosed the little cup with a drop of methylene blue, and am now floating the cups. The new little fish has eaten three pellets of Atison's Betta Food, a shocker to me, because I didn't know he was going to eat.

This thread will be to update everyone of his condition. Pictures to come soon. I didn't want to support Wal-Mart by buying this betta but... I couldn't let him die in the cup of another. So, I will nurse him, and he will be a gift to my brother. Stay tuned.


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## ReyesBetta (Aug 31, 2010)

Nice you did the right thing.


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## fishman12 (Sep 1, 2010)

I can't help, but that was so very nice. If everyone was like you, that wouldn't of happened in the first place. Its fins are all deysroyed? That sounds bad...


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

Here's the poor little thing:


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## xswornxoffxjello (Mar 18, 2010)

Poor baby! He's beautiful. Good luck with him.


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

Two more pictures. Just changed out some of the water to include about 75% new water and more methylene blue. Thinking about leaving him in the blue water overnight.


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

I rinsed some white Topfin gravel and added it into the new tank along with some clear glass pebbles. I bought a little tent-like ceramic decoration from the store the other day to go in my new 5g tank but I decided the little guy might like somewhere to hide, so I added that in the tank as well. After letting the two things sit a few minutes, I added more of the new water into the betta's cup. It's currently floating still, because it has methylene blue in it, and it also changing temperatures because I just added the hydor mini heater. Once I see where the temperature stabilized, I've decided to just add the little fish tonight, give him room to move and whatnot. Water level in the "hospital" tank is still just below halfway, so since I'm not filling it the full 4 gallons or so, I'm having to keep an eye on that heater.


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

Ohhh he's so cute!! Poor little guy   He's going to be beautiful when he's all healed up!!


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## fishman12 (Sep 1, 2010)

That is very nice...good luck with the little guy. Have you thought of a name?


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

His name is probably going to be Survivor.  It was my friend's idea, she was with me at the time. I know that if he lasts a week with no new symptoms then he's a lucky fish. He's still alive and kicking this morning. Corner surfing a bit but his fins don't look any worse. I added him into the bigger tank last night, the one with partial water. If anyone has any good advice as to healing him up, please let me know. He's currently in about a gallon in a half of water and AQ salt.


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## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

awww, poor guy! he's so cute!


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## Euphie101 (Aug 28, 2010)

Poor thing! He's lucky you saw him in time. He's going to be a beauty when he's all healed, and I'm sure you'll do a good job of healing him.


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

I don't have experience with fin rot and his fins only look incredibly chewed up, not like they're dissolving, so I'm not sure whether to treat him for it or not. I don't know if it would stress him out more or not doing daily 100% water changes. He seems like he's doing good today. He's eaten three pellets this morning and his little belly looks nice and plump. Gills are moving normally, although sometimes it looks like he's breathing heavy. He really tries to move around but with his tail shredded he seems to have a difficult time. If someone recommends doing a 100% WC later then I'll probably dose the tank up with methylene blue.


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## nochoramet (Oct 2, 2009)

I would keep the water as clean as possible. Definitely change it 100% every day! That's the best thing for messed up fins, just clean water and he'll heal right up. A little aquarium salt might help, but clean water is the best medicine. You did the right thing in taking him home. He's a cutie!


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

He is very slow-going today. He explores on occasion but otherwise just stays towards the bottom. Currently no signs of dropsy, ich, velvet.... Keeping an eye on his fins though, if they're not better tomorrow when I get home I'm going to get something for fin rot. I'm going to dose up the water with methylene blue.

Edit: He's in a little less than 2 gallons of water at the moment. Methylene blue recommend dosage per gallon is 10 drops, added 4 drops of methylene blue to his water. Monitoring gill movement, activity, etc.


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## BlueHaven (Jul 17, 2010)

Aww, he is so cute!! I love his yellow & white coloring! That was a great thing to do. ^_^


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

He's a beautiful fish, I'm just hoping I can fix the damage that has been done. I'm using the methylene blue to help with any diseases he might have captured or been close to capturing, as well as treating him for poisoning of any kind from his dirty store water. I'm very nervous at the moment. His gill movement is still normal, he's moving his little front fins rapidly to show he's still alive. Otherwise he sits in the bottom corner of the tank, occasionally moving his torn tail. I wonder if he's afraid of the vast size of the tank, coming from his bowl, but its the only tank that I can heat to about 78-80 degrees and its not even full all the way so he won't struggle for air.

I'm hoping OFL or someone else knowledgeable can lend me their brain for some information regarding what the next step should be with this little guy. My nerves are wracked with him. @[email protected] He ate three pellets this morning, still awaiting the poo from that.


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

Updated pictures. I moved him down onto my printer beside Shif's tank (Shif is really ticked off >_>) and he seems more active, exploring. Maybe he just didn't want to move, surrounded on 3 sides by crap and a wall...


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

Aw, poor little guy... he's so pretty. I hope he gets through. I don't understand why people do things sometimes.


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## fishman12 (Sep 1, 2010)

If you want to see his poo then you shouldn't have gravel in the tank...


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

Update:

I left last night to go to a funeral up in Orlando, FL and I came back today with some Maracyn I by Mardel. I also grabbed a moss ball and some Hornwort for my 5gallon and Shif's 2.5gallon. <3

The little yellow fish is still alive, and seems more active. He's eaten a bloodworm and 3 pellets today. However, I worry about the regrowth of his fins. While some places look like they are evening out and beginning to regrow, a couple of his fins have no doubt gotten shorter... So, I'm going to give him a 100% water change, and the water that is going to be put into his tank is going to be dosed with Maracyn I. (If anyone wonders what this does: "For treatment and control of body fungus "columnaris," fin and tail rot, popeye and gill disease in...")

When I went to the PetSmart in Orlando I was amazed and thrilled at their quality of bettas and selection of products. However, I was very worried about the Fin Rot medications. I asked a man in the fish department what they had for Fin Rot because the only thing I could find was the $19.99 pack of Maracyn I. He pointed out Melafix with hesitation and Bettafix and when I shared with him my worries about how they affect bettas he said he knew what I was talking about but those were all they had for Fin Rot that was cheaper than Maracyn and easier to dose in a smaller tank. I then found the smaller packet of Maracyn I and I asked him how he recommended dosing for 5 gallons of water because I can dose 5 gallons with my water change bucket.

*"For the Maracyn, take a packet and empty it out into a bowl, and mix it with 5ml of water. This makes the solution of medication for 10 gallons and makes it a liquid, easier to dose. Once you do this, take half of the liquid and mix it with 5 gallons of water. If you want to use it in a smaller tank, just pour out the water from that mixture 5 gallons that you're going to use."*

For those of you that never quite know how to treat your Fin Rot due to inadequate dosage measurements. 

In other news: If any of you are 100% experienced with doing a fish-in betta cycle in a 5-gallon tank with Dr. Tim's One and Only... Message me. I need the heater in Shif's tank because it's a pre-set and the one I'm using in the yellow betta tank right now is not. So, I'm having to put Shif in the 5-gallon planted tank that is uncycled but filtered, lighted, and heated... I need step-by-step instructions, when to test, what to test, what to do if things run high... Thanks very much.


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## fishman12 (Sep 1, 2010)

Looks great...good luck wiyh survivor


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

Well, until someone lets me know what to do about that 5 gallon tank, for now I'm only doing a 100% WC on the hospital tank and dosing with AQ salt. I don't want to use Maracyn until I have a stable temperature going in the tank. ANY advice is appreciated. I guess the more you learn about bettas, the less the "experts" can help because you become one yourself. >.< I'm just afraid to make decisions on my own. I fear that being medicated with the Methylene Blue will make him less able to handle the Maracyn, I understand its hard on their little systems..


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

That was so sweet of you and I'm sure you will have him fixed up & looking great in no time!!!


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## shell85 (Aug 27, 2010)

Someone could have done it thinking they were helping the fish i saw a video on youtube and this girl put one into another cup that was already occupied with another betta cause she thought his cup was dirty. some people are just really uninformed.


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## betta99 (Aug 16, 2010)

poor betta. can hardly tell its a male


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

Luckily enough, as you saw in the video, he's quite an active little guy. Today he really seems... Bored. But I don't want to put anything in his tank yet, I'm still doing 100% water changes on his tank daily with AQ salt to heal him up. I sent that video to my mom and she was like "He looks so pathetic and like 'I'm all alone in this big tankkk' but he's a cute little guy."


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## FireKidomaru (Jan 24, 2010)

wow! you should get an award for the care and rescue of that little guy. You are an awesome friend and animal lover...it is people like you that make me smile and make me realize that someone out there cares for the safety of our little friends. Im sure that little yellow betta is thanking his lucky stars that you found him and not some ignorant animal abuser. Thank you for caring for him. Unfortunatley i have no advice for your situation. Perhaps you could private message OFL and ask her to look at this thread. Once again your doing a great job of healing a battered fish that needed your help.


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## TaylorW (Sep 4, 2010)

Good luck with Survivor! You are such a wonderful person to nurse him back to health


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

An update on Survivor - our little yellow friend is doing excellently.  His tail is growing back, his other fins are filling in, and he's swimming around his half-filled tank so much that I think he's bored. However, I am slow to go ahead and fill his tank up and decorate it yet. I'm still doing daily 100% water changes with AQ salt to help him out and I'm stopping that this weekend since it's going to be about 10 days of AQ salt. No other signs of dropsy, ich, velvet, swimbladder, ammonia burns, etc.... I'll get a video up for everyone who's been monitoring Survivor here later.


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

WONDERFUL news - just WONDERFUL!!


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

I feel kind of bad for him because he has NOTHING in his tank right now and he paces all over the place. When do you think is a good time to re-decorate a hospital tank? >.<


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

Anytime, IMO. Maybe a coffee mug? Got any floating plant you could put in there perhaps? 

Just out of curiosity, did you ever medicate him or just use the clean water & salt?


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

I never ended up medicating him. Just clean water and AQ salt. I should go shopping tomorrow. I need a sponge, garlic cloves, mugs... Heck, maybe I'll tera-cotta pot his tank. Ha ha. I need to get some wisteria too...


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## Lion Mom (Jun 14, 2010)

If you DO put a terra cotta pot in there make sure you plug the hole up with something OR break the bottom out & sand the edges (it's really soft & easy to sand) so he doesn't get his noggin stuck!!! 

SEE??? TOLD ya to wait on the meds!


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

I just don't want him to get bored now and start BITING his tail. LOL

Yeah.  The little guy really held out for me. I'm really quite amazed at his bounce-back. I was really only getting like 3-4 hours of sleep a night just to watch him around the tank. He really likes to explore. He just... Has nothing to explore...

I need to take pictures, videos, and figure out what's up with Shif. I got a thread going in the Betta Care right now on him. He's gonna stress me out more than the other one. Oi. D:

What we do for our little fish kids.. Ha ha. I called them my boys earlier.


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## KukaaKatchou (Sep 19, 2010)

Poor little dude. I'd go back to the store, demand to see the manager, and raise a stink.


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