# Rescuing Bettas from Walmart



## paigeyates1 (Dec 28, 2012)

I'm new to this site and thought that I'd tell everyone a little bit about my betta fish that I own right now. I only have one betta right now but I'm going back to Walmart today to rescue two more because our Walmart betta are in really bad condition. The other day when I went to get my first betta there was a female in very foggy water and she was dead. I now have a male veiltail that's red with a light red body. Nothing was really wrong with him except he looked really depressed but on the third day of having him he started perking up. I can now see some light blue in his tail. I haven't decided on a name yet. Another one that I plan to get today was white with some blue spots. I have my betta in a 1/2 gallon tank right now. I know that isn't the proper tank for him and I plan to get a bigger one soon. I have ordered a heater for him. I figured a 1/2 gallon is way better then being stuck at Walmart in those nasty cups. I clean his tank everyday and feed him betta min flakes twice a day since he is very skinny and eats pretty much all his food when I do feed him. He doesn't seemed depressed at all and actually seems very happy. He seems very friendly. When I'm around he constantly looks at me and when I feed him he starts swimming around the tank and then he eats. I've owned bettas in the past and have never had any dye on me. I use to have three but gave them to my grandma because at the time I couldn't keep any pets.


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## MSG (May 8, 2012)

*Keep in mind*

If you get the betta for.......


free = rescue
full price = essentially you purchased & did nothing other than encouraged the store to bring in more fish to fill the shelf to be mistreated next week.

How does this solve anything? 

Tetra BettaMin flakes = not good food


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## paigeyates1 (Dec 28, 2012)

MSG said:


> If you get the betta for.......
> 
> 
> free = rescue
> ...


Well I usually buy pellets but our Walmart didn't seem to have any in stock. And even if know one didn't buy this fish I think they would still keep purchasing. Each time I go to Walmart I see atleast 10 bettas.


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## jsgossamer (Oct 11, 2012)

Welcome to the board. I also like to get my bettas from chain stores where they live in horrible conditions. I tend to pick the saddest ones on the shelf and take them home. Its amazing how they perk up with just a bit of clean water. 1/2 gallon tank is quite small, and the ammonia will build up way to fast. You really need to do 100% water changes almost daily with that size. A bigger tank would be a bit better. They sell larger sized critter keepers which arent too expensive. a heater is also very helpful to keep betta fish healthy. I feed my guys a variety of flakes, freeze dried foods and pellets. My little one with swim bladder disorder only does well on flakes for whatever reason. Good luck with your guy.


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## jsgossamer (Oct 11, 2012)

MSG said:


> If you get the betta for.......
> 
> 
> free = rescue
> ...


Perhaps a little more sympathy for a newbie would be nice. They came here to learn, not to be insulted. How does this help his fish if you make him not want to come back and ask questions?


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I've had to order my pellets and a lot of my supplies online because I also only have a Walmart in my area an they obviously don't have the greatest when it comes to good care.

Petco had some good prices right now on tank kits. The 2.5 gallon mini bow kit is only $20, and a heater would only be $20 more (then add a $3 thermometer and the cost of decorations and gravel...). This would be the price for each and every new Betta you rescue. The initial cost of the other needed equipment can be quite high, but after that, they are pretty inexpensive to care for. A container of Omega One or New life Spectrum pellets would be about $5 or less and would last a while, along with a bottle of Prime conditioner for about $8 and maybe like $10 for aquarium salt and Epsom salt to keep on hand. AQ salt is important if you are rescuing fish with fin rot or something.

It's really easy to get addicted and to start spending hundreds on them in a few weeks xD I had one and after joining this site, I have two in their own five gallon tanks, and an empty 10 gallon and 4 gallon with three females currently on their way, haha. I've been here for a little over a month I think.


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## hannah16 (Mar 3, 2011)

jsgossamer said:


> Perhaps a little more sympathy for a newbie would be nice. They came here to learn, not to be insulted. How does this help his fish if you make him not want to come back and ask questions?


I agree.. No need to degrade him/her for not knowing. Once upon a time we use to not know either. Share the knowledge okay ?


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## paigeyates1 (Dec 28, 2012)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I've had to order my pellets and a lot of my supplies online because I also only have a Walmart in my area an they obviously don't have the greatest when it comes to good care.
> 
> Petco had some good prices right now on tank kits. The 2.5 gallon mini bow kit is only $20, and a heater would only be $20 more (then add a $3 thermometer and the cost of decorations and gravel...). This would be the price for each and every new Betta you rescue. The initial cost of the other needed equipment can be quite high, but after that, they are pretty inexpensive to care for. A container of Omega One or New life Spectrum pellets would be about $5 or less and would last a while, along with a bottle of Prime conditioner for about $8 and maybe like $10 for aquarium salt and Epsom salt to keep on hand. AQ salt is important if you are rescuing fish with fin rot or something.
> 
> It's really easy to get addicted and to start spending hundreds on them in a few weeks xD I had one and after joining this site, I have two in their own five gallon tanks, and an empty 10 gallon and 4 gallon with three females currently on their way, haha. I've been here for a little over a month I think.


I just got a 5 gal today for my red male. I just got 3 new females today and a 10 gal tank but I plan to get more females later. One is a royal blue, one is a dark gray which I think will change once she is happier, and the last one is gorgeous she is white with blue and red spots. Two females aren't getting a long too well tho, they aren't nipping at each other but the white one keeps flaring her gills out at the blue one. And the white one has a bright red color under her gills like they are inflamed so I put her in a 1 gallon tank until I make sure she isn't sick. She acts fine but I don't want any of the others catching anything. And I got a different food today. I got blood worms which the females seem to like but the male won't even touch them.


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## paigeyates1 (Dec 28, 2012)

jsgossamer said:


> Perhaps a little more sympathy for a newbie would be nice. They came here to learn, not to be insulted. How does this help his fish if you make him not want to come back and ask questions?


Thank you and thanks for the tips.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Its a good idea to QT all of the females before adding them in the same tank. You also need at least four females... If you only have two right now in the ten gallon, you really need to separate them. One of them is bound to kill or severely injure the other.


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## paigeyates1 (Dec 28, 2012)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Its a good idea to QT all of the females before adding them in the same tank. You also need at least four females... If you only have two right now in the ten gallon, you really need to separate them. One of them is bound to kill or severely injure the other.


Thanks for the advice. Just put the divider in the tank came with.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Once you have at least four females (although five or six would be even better) and you've QTed them to be sure that they are not sick, you can add them all in the ten gallon. You'd need to cup each of them and rearrange the plants and then release them all at the same time. You also need to have a looooot of plants for them to hide in so they cannot see clearly from one end of the tank to the other.

Then, watch them closely. If you have one extremely aggressive girl or one who seems like she is constantly being picked on by the others, it's probably a good idea to have a back up tank. Not all females are going to be suited for sorority life.


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## paigeyates1 (Dec 28, 2012)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Once you have at least four females (although five or six would be even better) and you've QTed them to be sure that they are not sick, you can add them all in the ten gallon. You'd need to cup each of them and rearrange the plants and then release them all at the same time. You also need to have a looooot of plants for them to hide in so they cannot see clearly from one end of the tank to the other.
> 
> Then, watch them closely. If you have one extremely aggressive girl or one who seems like she is constantly being picked on by the others, it's probably a good idea to have a back up tank. Not all females are going to be suited for sorority life.


Thanks. I heard odd numbers are better. Do you know what pattern a white female with spots is called? I'm pretty sure she is a halfmoon, her fins are shaped like a halfmoons


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Could be a multicolor or a marble... As for odd numbers... I've never heard about that. Generally, more is better. Four is the minimum, 5 is a little better, and 6 is better yet. I think there may be a few people who would put 7 in a ten gallon... However, I personally would go 5 or 6.


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## SpeakNow13 (Nov 29, 2012)

paigeyates1 said:


> I'm new to this site and thought that I'd tell everyone a little bit about my betta fish that I own right now. I only have one betta right now but I'm going back to Walmart today to rescue two more because our Walmart betta are in really bad condition. The other day when I went to get my first betta there was a female in very foggy water and she was dead. I now have a male veiltail that's red with a light red body. Nothing was really wrong with him except he looked really depressed but on the third day of having him he started perking up. I can now see some light blue in his tail. I haven't decided on a name yet. Another one that I plan to get today was white with some blue spots. I have my betta in a 1/2 gallon tank right now. I know that isn't the proper tank for him and I plan to get a bigger one soon. I have ordered a heater for him. I figured a 1/2 gallon is way better then being stuck at Walmart in those nasty cups. I clean his tank everyday and feed him betta min flakes twice a day since he is very skinny and eats pretty much all his food when I do feed him. He doesn't seemed depressed at all and actually seems very happy. He seems very friendly. When I'm around he constantly looks at me and when I feed him he starts swimming around the tank and then he eats. I've owned bettas in the past and have never had any dye on me. I use to have three but gave them to my grandma because at the time I couldn't keep any pets.


Welcome! I like to get bettas from walmart too  the saddest looking ones that are sometimes sick. I think that anytime you give something a better life than the one it had before it is considered rescuing. I would def get a bigger tank though. Walmart has 5 gallons for super cheap! Also maybe look into getting freeze dried bloodworms or pellets? Hope this helps! Good luck with your new friend!


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

I went to a walmart with perfectly healthy Bettas.


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