# I'm hopefully rescuing a betta!



## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

I found a betta on craigslist last week up for sale in a 2.5 gallon, filtered but not heated tank, with nothing but gravel and the filter, absolutely no decor whatsoever. The ad also said bettas don't require a filter or water dechlor, but he's been using them to keep the water clean. (I politely educated him that bettas do,like all other fish, need a heater and dechlorinated water. He said thank you for the knowledge)

Sadly, my lovely boyfriend was out of town, and I don't have my driver's license, so I was unable to go pick up the betta myself.

I asked the guy rehoming him if he'd be wiling to drive him and I would pay extra, but I live too far away for him to drop off and he was only wanting to do pick ups.

I accepted I would be unable to get this betta, since it would be around 2 weeks until my boyfriend would be able to take me, and assumed he would be gone by then.

Checked again today on a whim, and he was still up there, He looks so sad, lying on the gravel with nothing to lay on or do. 

I asked my lovely boyfriend if there is anyway we would be able to go get the betta this weekend. Despite having a convention going on this weekend, he said he would be willing to drive 1.5 hours to go pick up this betta before or after his event. 

So I emailed the man again about the betta, and will text him in the morning as well in case he is the type to not check his email for days.

I figured texting at 2am wouldn't be the best idea. 

I'm so excited though! Hopefully he still has him! I was going to wait for a betta in a really bad home (tiny little vase or something equally miserable), but he seems like he could use a good home too, and just looks so miserable and it makes my heart hurt.

If the guy still has him, I'm getting lots of live plants (something with lots of leaves near the surface where he can rest, like wisteria) and a heater today (along with API test kit, frozen foods-bloodworms, brine shrimp, mysis, NLS or other equal quality pellets, ich meds-just to be safe, thermometer, etc,) to give him a better quality life to tide him over for now.

I am in the process of setting up a planted 5.5-14 gallon aquarium (just been trying to decide what size I want to go with, there are a lot of cheap biocubes on CL that I could modify. My apartment technically only allows a 10 gallon max though). It should be set up in about 2-3 weeks tops (just have to order stuff online and possibly buy off cl)

Here are some pictures:




























Doesn't he look oh so pitiful?  

Oh, and just to clarify, my original plan was to have a tank set up and cycled waiting for a betta, and then to find a betta. I'll obviously watch the water for any sort of normal/mini cycle from the move to my apartment, and to his new tank.


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## LittleMan (Jan 16, 2016)

Poor little guy...nothing to even rest on...pitiful is right. 
Good luck on your endeavor.
Sure hope this little guy can get to you for a chance at a good life


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

This tutorial will give you the information you need to fish-in cycle. BTW, there's nothing wrong with fish-in cycling if it's done properly. I do 25% water changes when Ammonia or Nitrites reach .25ppm and use Seachem Stability to help the cycling along.

http://www.bettafish.com/101-betta-...ies/555434-cycling-two-sentence-tutorial.html


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## NiceCrocs (May 14, 2016)

Omg those pictures  such a sad fishy.

Even if you don't have a tank set up when you get him, just adding a heater and some silk plants to the current tank would go a long way for that little guy. (Assuming that he's including the tank. If not, I'd try to haggle for it, if only to keep him from sentencing some other poor fish to the same conditions >_<)


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## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

Thank you @RusselTheShihTzu for that fish in cycling tutorial link! I wanted to brush up on cycling this morning, so I really appreciate it! 

@LittleMan Thank you for the good luck wishes. I texted him this morning at a reasonable 8am, haven't heard anything back yet, but it's only been 30 minutes. Thankfully, I have today off, so I can go to the store anytime to go get the supplies.

@NiceCrocs, he is selling him with the tank, filter, divider, and food for $35. I'm buying everything, and then will probably offer the 2.5 gallon on here to a local person for free without the divider to use as an emergency tank, hospital tank shrimp tank, or something along those lines. With my last two rescue bettas (one who sadly didn't make it more than a week, the other lived about a year), they both were kept in a cold garage for a couple years in a container smaller than some betta cups prior to me getting them) I bought all of their tiny little one cup-1/2 gallon "tanks" just so I could trash them and no one else could use them. 

I plan on getting a bunch of live plants and a heater today as well if he still has him


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## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

Good news and bad news guys. 

So, HE WROTE BACK!- That's the good news.

The bad news, I can't go get him today. He can only do before 1pm today, which my boyfriend can't do. 

The next available date he said he would be available would be Tuesday. Unfortunately, my boyfriend leaves at 7am on Tuesday and won't get home til Saturday morning. I told him I completely understand if he can't, but asked if he would be able to do 5:30am on Tuesday since my boyfriend has to leave a 7am for work.

The next available date he said was next Sunday. 

I told him if he felt 5:30am was unreasonable on Tuesday, then we could for sure do next Sunday at a reasonable hour if he'd hold him for me til then.

He hasn't wrote me back yet now. I'm worried I bothered him by suggesting 5:30am. He was writing back within a minute the first time we talked, and earlier now too.

I looked at taking a bus, but it's 3-4 bus rides to get there, about 1.5-2 hours in length one way.

I calculated a lyft ride, but it would be at least $50-$75 one way.

My boyfriend also doesn't like the idea of me going into someone else's house by myself too of course.

My only friends I have here have a scooter, nothing that could hold a tank.

It looks like it will have to be next Sunday, unless my boyfriend pulls a miracle or the man's schedule opens up a bit. Of course this would happen on the month where my boyfriend is gone most of the time.

If only I would of saw the ad yesterday during the day, then we could of gone this morning right now. So sad. I keep thinking of this poor little betta now.


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

Well keep us posted! At least you trying this hard shows him that you really want this betta. and the fact it has been on CL for so long shows that no one else does.
Good luck!


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## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

Just wanted to update you guys, I'M GETTING HIM!

He wrote back and said he is home all day Sunday. I said perfect, we set a time, and I thanked him for being flexible. Sadly, it's not til next Sunday, but just one more week and he will be home with me 

I also found a 14 gallon biocube on craigslist that I might be getting for him. Waiting back to hear more about and if they still have it as well.


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## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

Biocube 14 was taken. Found a JBJ 24 gallon though for a good price, waiting to hear back. I know it seems silly to spend a bit on a biocube for a betta tank, but I like the sleek look of them, and how it looks like you are looking into a slice of an underwater world. My boyfriend likes them too, as they look compact and small.


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

bluebetta26 said:


> Biocube 14 was taken. Found a JBJ 24 gallon though for a good price, waiting to hear back. I know it seems silly to spend a bit on a biocube for a betta tank, but I like the sleek look of them, and how it looks like you are looking into a slice of an underwater world. My boyfriend likes them too, as they look compact and small.


That is how I feel about the Fluval tanks. Yes they are pricey but they are just too cool not to have. lol


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## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

Aluyasha said:


> That is how I feel about the Fluval tanks. Yes they are pricey but they are just too cool not to have. lol


I didn't even think about Fluval until I saw they had a 12 gallon edge. I prefer the long version ones, but the 12 gallon is really nice looking too. Gah! More choices!


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## LittleMan (Jan 16, 2016)

You will have to post a pic when little boy arrives

Sent from my XT1045 using Tapatalk


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## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

I most certainly will @LittleMan.

I found another guy selling a bunch of plants, heaters, driftwood, etc. about 30 min from where the betta is at. Planning on getting a heater and some java fern, water lettuce, and jungle vals probably from him. He has a lot of stuff. 

I also found a 15 gallon high aquarium on craigslist! So happy! Hopefully they still have it. If not, I'm just going to go with a standard 10 gallon I've decided. I can't get over the initial high cost for the fluval or nano cube, especially when if something breaks, it will be far more expensive to replace then standard stuff. 

I'm getting super excited to go get my betta friend this weekend!


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## mingking (Mar 7, 2016)

Can we build a time machine so you can go get your betta friend NOW?? LOL! 

Can't wait to see him  

I like the Fluval Spec V and it's long so I think it's really good for a betta. But again, priiiiicy. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

@mingking if only we could! 

I can't wait to see him either! It now got pushed to Sunday evening, due to my work schedule. 

I got a 15 gallon high off of craigslist on Monday that has so far passed it's two day leak test, and scored a ton of seachem liquid ferts, net, a almost new API test kit, and a java fern off another person. 

I also decided to lighten my wallet significantly, and today got (a combination through drs. foster and smith, amazon, and petco):
~Omega one betta pellets
~Ocean nutrition betta bellets (just read the ingredient list, and realized I meant to get Atisons's betta pellets, not ocean nutrition. They were out of NLS. I'll have to order them both through amazon. At least I have the omega one brand for now)
~78 F preset heater for the 2.5 gallon (the adjustable was too long for the 2.5 gallon)
~Hydor adjustable 100 watt heater for 15 gallon
~2 thermometers
~Frozen bloodworms
~Frozen brine shrimp
~Frozen mysis shrimp
~Seachem prime
~Seachem stablity
~Gravel vac with bulb starter (I've swallowed too much fish water already I feel)
~Indian almond leaves
~Aquarium salt
~2 small pieces malaysian driftwood
~2 live wisteria (1 small, 1 medium)
~Finnex planted+ 24/7+ moonlights light
~45lbs flourite
~Black background
~Aquarium tweezers/scissors set
~Tom internal filter with spray bar
~Aquarium stand with cabinet
~Algae scraper magnet
~Versa top glass lid
~Aquascaping rocks (ebay)
~50 3ml pippets

(Along with cockroach poison, dried cat nip, cat nip toys, a naturally shed antler horn, dog toys, cat toy mouse, and several long haired cat brushes, combs, and mat cutters that work with various degrees of success, but that's for my kitty and puppy, mild cockroach infestation, and not fishy related. They were all bought through the same places, therefore I felt they deserved a mention)

Besides a bucket, I think I got everything! Well, plants too of course. Who needs a lot of savings when you can buy awesome fish stuff instead?  

I can't wait to set up my 15 gallon for him! It's going to be such a happy little home. 

His 2.5 gallon will get decked out with a heater, 2 wisteria, and 1 java fern until the 15 gallon is set up (waiting for everything to arrive in mail, should be here within 1-5 days)


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## sabrinah (Jan 2, 2015)

Ocean Nutrition is Atisons, so no need to worry about that. The full name is Atison's Ocean Nutrition, or Ocean Nutrition Atison's depending on where you look.


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## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

sabrinah said:


> Ocean Nutrition is Atisons, so no need to worry about that. The full name is Atison's Ocean Nutrition, or Ocean Nutrition Atison's depending on where you look.


Oh really! That's why the packaging looked so familiar then. I did end up returning it though, as I wanted to get Atison's betta PRO, not the regular one. 

Thank you though! :smile2:

I also found a couple of adjustable heaters that will work for a 2.5 gallon, so I returned it as well. 

My indian almond leaves came in the mail yesterday, along with my new Tom filter. Everything else should be here within 2-4 more days. 

I'm so excited to go get my little friend tomorrow night!! I can't wait! Lots of pictures to follow! Still haven't decided on a name yet, I'm hoping one comes to me after he is home :grin2:


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## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

Picture time!


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## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

I transported him home in a one gallon pitcher (with semi frosted sides, to offer some protection from the light) with a java fern and part of an indian almond leave to make the car ride home the least amount of stress for him. He spent the first 20 minutes just laying on the java fern, poor thing. I think he was just so happy to have something to lay on. After the first 20 minutes in the car, he started exploring more and swimming around a bit. 










First lay out I tried, thinking he would like the thick pile of floating wisteria. He didn't swim in it at all. I moved a few stems down to the side, and he immediately went up to the top and laid on the floating plants now that there was a bit more space.










That's the final positioning of everything now.


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## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

Here he is in his favorite spot! He hasn't moved from here much since he's gotten home and put back in the tank. 



















He seriously loves laying here so much. I thought the light would be too bright from him there, but he hasn't laid anywhere else yet. 

Here he is coming over to say hi and flare at me. So precious!


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## bluebetta26 (Apr 21, 2016)

The guy we got him from was actually really nice and cared about him a lot, just was very ignorant on betta care. He told us to take good care of him, and seemed really sad.

I sent him a couple pictures of him now, and he said thank you and that he's really happy he's found a new great home. 

I've named him Reid after the character from Criminal Minds. He's a gorgeous vibrant blue with a purple sheen. Super pretty boy. 

That brown thing floating on top is an indian almond leave.


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

Beautiful little guy, glad you finally have him home!


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