# Betta Rant



## Loralyn94 (Jul 22, 2011)

So my whole experience with keeping my betta thus far feels like a completely failed attempt. I got my boy, Ryu, from petsmart with a friend as a spur of the moment buy. I bought everything he'd need, the basics atleast, brought him home, set up his temporary .5g tank (i already had plans to upgrade him within the week to a large antique jar thing), and thought that was that, the rest would be calm waters (pun intended).

That's when all hell broke loose. 

-Sigh- Within the next 2 days I noticed some dark edging on his fins and they seemed very ragged, so I did some research, found this site, posted pics, and determined it was fin rot.

I went back to the pet store, bought AQ and the rest of the necessary supplies for my little friend that i hadnt realized were so necessary, and then started treating him.

Then they stopped. I woke up a one morning and looked in at him in his new 10g tank he'd gotten all to himself when i thought I'd have to be treating him with maracyn, and noticed all the healthy new growth was gone along with chunks of his tail and anal fin. That's when the tail biting began.

He got a water change, more terra cotta pot houses (which he wont go into), bottle caps (which he ignored), and an upped dosage of AQ from .5 tsp per g to 1tsp per g. 

Seems good, right? No. I look down and he's flopping around in his tank with red patches forming on the bottom of his body and top of anal fin. AQ burns, and its my fault. So i remove him, let the AQ disperse more then cautiously add him back in and watch for signs of distress. Nothing.

Things seemed good, but of course when that happens it means theres trouble just around the corner. I continued to try to be the best betta mommy that i could, frequent water changes, modest feedings, new decorations, baffled filter in my worry that it may irritate him, constant monitoring of temperature and water parameters. I thought i was finally getting ahead, minus the constant annoyance of his stress stripes, but no matter how hard i tried to make his live stress free, they wouldnt disappear.

And then today happened. I get home from a night out with family, walk in my room, look in his tank and check on his fin regrowth and general well-being like normal, then comes the frown. I look closer at his gils, and above one is a tiny perfectly round white spec, like a single grain of salt. My heart dropped. Ick. 25% water change, then frantic searching as to treatment and causes of Ick.

So now its off to the store tomorrow to get some PP and ick meds, and hope this doesnt become anything worse. -Sigh- Theres no hope for my sanity with this fish. So to sum up my little story/rant: I CAN NOT STAND HOW NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRY TO DO RIGHT BY MY LITTLE FISHY *NOTHING* SEEMS TO GO RIGHT! (sorry for the yelling, but I had to get it out, and in the real world outside of the forums people look at me funny when I scream in defeat about my fish).

And yet, no matter how much crap I have to go through to keep this fish alive, I'm dang well going to do it! I'm way to determined for my own good.


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## HelloThere123Betta (Jul 16, 2011)

WOW...I'm so glad my fish never did this! No offence but I don't know if I would have been as motivated as you! Good Job! From my point of view your being an excellent Betta Mommy by trying to help him no matter what, instead of just giving up. Hopefully he gets better!


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## NCPanthersgurl (Jul 13, 2011)

Wow, you've been through a lot! I'm glad you're still persevering though. That fishy will thank you in the end. 

Sometimes pet store Betta's have lowered immunities because of bad conditions prior. My Starscream that I bought two days ago is pretty much a goner  I've done all I can think of and he's just gotten worse; I'm pretty sure he won't make the night. But my Richtofen, who was on his death bed three days ago is now muchhh better. So it depends. 

The one Betta I've never had an issue with *knock on wood* is my Mystique, she's a little female CT. >.< And my Jazz...well he's healthy, but he had the tail biting streak...>.<

Oops, back to the point, keep doing what you are and the more stuff he makes it through the heartier he'll be. And when you get to the point where he stabilizes he'll be awesome! {Awesome..er? lol}


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## Loralyn94 (Jul 22, 2011)

I'm hoping within the next two weeks, things will be better and there will be no more sickness for him. 
This forum is part of the reason I'm trying so hard, without it I wouldnt know most the things I do and is just such a good feeling seeing how much people really care about there fish and how hard they try. And it is a constant reassurance that I'm not crazy. 

Its weird, it seems to be that the ones that have the problems are the ones that most people get more attached to. I mean regardless I would like my little guy, but having to deal with all of this just makes me want him that much more.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

don't let it get to you. i've had bouts of bad luck, too.

Caroline one day, clamped. i thought it was ammonia, so i did a water change, and waited. the next day, she was still clamped, but she always clamped up after them, so i waited a few more days. she was STILL clamped, which was odd, so i kept a watch on her. she went downhill. i treated for everything i could think of, but nothing helped. she finally passed away a few weeks ago, the same day the females i ordered from a user on here arrived. i swear she was hanging on till they arrived.

soon after Caroline got sick, my oldest, a male named Cup, got some nasty bloat. looked like he swallowed a marble whole! i treated him for it, fasted him for a week or more before it went down. but, after that, he started to go down. he couldn't swim at all after that. he lay on the bottom, trying so hard to go up. i tried everything i could for him, but he kept going downhill. near the end, he got fin rot. Cup NEVER got fin rot. ever. he'd rip a fin by flaring, but i kept up on his water changes because of him ripping his fins all the time. so, for him to get fin rot.... he must have been ill. he eventually got to the point where he wouldn't eat, and just lay there. after he passed away, i ordered two new females. not to replace Cup(and later Caroline), but because i hated his spot on the Dresser being empty.


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## Loralyn94 (Jul 22, 2011)

It always sucks to have to go through these rough patches. But i swear this forum is like therapy, it helps so much to know so many people have been through everything your dealing with. 
I swear keeping betta's was so much easier 10 years ago as a kid.

I'm so sorry about your betta's, thats always a really hard time.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

yeah, and now, my favorite VT, Purple, is acting ill. :/ you're always gonna have moments where you're like "can this GET any worse?!"... but, usually, it doesn't. i'm sure Purple'll perk up when i change his water today. maybe he needs some extra TLC. :d


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## NCPanthersgurl (Jul 13, 2011)

Yup, Starscream passed this morning while I was at work. 

But Richtofen is swimming around happily in his tank, for the first time in three days 

I have 5 Betta's in their own tanks, a tiny spawn, and I'm in the works of ordering 4 more females off Chard56. Personal experience; you'll have your ups, your downs, your way downs, and then things balance out pretty well.


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## Loralyn94 (Jul 22, 2011)

NCPanthersgurl said:


> Personal experience; you'll have your ups, your downs, your way downs, and then things balance out pretty well.


I have to say thats probably the best way to put it. And you just have to think, it sucks to have them sick or if they die, but when you get to look in there tank and there happily swimming around it gives you this awesome feeling.

I'm so sorry about starscream, but im sure you did the best you did for him and we just have to remember that.

Luimeril, I relly hope Purple gets to feeling better. Let us know any progress she has


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

thanks. :3 i changed his water today. i hope that helps him. D: i already lost my girlie. i dun wanna lose my purple boy!


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## Loralyn94 (Jul 22, 2011)

So, I went to check on Ryu today again before going to get ick meds and make sure he hadnt gotten worse or anything and noticed that what i originally believed to be ick had...changed. 

Now the little white dot is greyish white and is no more a ball, but now like a small straight...thing starting from the top of his gill and going up. 
I looked at the deases sticky for more help on what this may be and came up with columnaris, externail parasites, fungal infection, and Ick (still not ruling it out completely). I have no idea what to do or what to treat for now. What do you all think? Any help would be great!


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## Jrf456 (Jun 23, 2011)

Wow.. I've never had this much of a problem. Bless you for taking care of him so well!


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## hmckin20 (Jul 30, 2011)

awww, man you and your betta have been through it ): you've had about every betta disease there is. but GOOD FOR YOU FOR BEING DETERMINED. this little betta may be sick but he's lucky to have such a concerned mama. i'll be rooting for him to pull through.


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## NCPanthersgurl (Jul 13, 2011)

I'd start treatments with epsom salt until you can find out what it is, or get a better opinion...if it's fungal, you'll want Maracyn II...


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## Loralyn94 (Jul 22, 2011)

I dont have epsom here at my house, but I did have Maracyn 2 so I went ahead and started him on that, he's still have fin rot problems (he keeps biting them and it just starts all over again, even with AQ in the tank) so worse case it only helps that.


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## Dozzem (Jul 29, 2011)

I hope your fishy gets better! Never give up!

I had my own lame share of unluckyness...
I got my first male betta, Ula. He looked fine! I got a .5 cube thing for him ( I was learning) and he was good untill his fins were turning brown and he bloated up. I gave him a salt bath and he looked better. A few days later I took him for another bath just to make sure, but on the way back I dropped him and his cube! It took me a minet to find him (well my baby sister did). I got him back in his tank and he was stressed and he had a cut on his tail. Then for some reason he started to bite his tail. -.- I tryed a bunch of toys and things but still doing it. I went to look in the shed and fond a 3 gal tank! maybe getting another fish to put next to him help. I went for a bike ride to a street market and fond a crazy man with bettas. I learned that he only changed the water once a week and they where in little cups! He also only used drinking water... I got a poor inactive male VT to try to save. I changed his water out with cleaner drinking water and put it in my big purple bottle. I biked home with a fish (FUN) but when I got home and got him in his tank, I relized he had BAD amona poisining... He dided over night. A day later my cousin(best friend) and I went to a water park we have been planning for a while, it was FUNN! I spent the night but befor his mum drove me home we went to Petco to get shrimpys to see if that would be good for Ula. I got two shrimpys and then I saw a BEAUTFUL red girly. I got her of course! I went home and set up the tank. Ula LOVED HER!!! I went to post pics and brag about her  Then I went to say hi and she was under her egg cave. She killed herself and for some reason her shrimp died too TT3TT

I was so lucky with Ula~ I think he ate his shrimp tho lol


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## Comet1993 (Jul 28, 2011)

I'm so sorry about Starscream. =[
Bettas can be a lot of work, but, in the end, it will all be worth it. =] I applaud you for taking such good care of your fish. I'm sure he really appreciates it. I know how you feel; I tried everything that I could think of for my betta Comet, but he passed away. =( Hopefully, the ich will go away and all will be well, so you can enjoy your betta even more. =D


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## Sarahlydear (Feb 21, 2011)

Oh I hear ya honey!!! I have a male just like yours right now. No matter what I do he won't get better or act normal!!! It's very frustrating.  But we gotta keep faith and keep trying.  I'm not giving up on Ralph either. It also helps that I have my other pretties to keep me motivated on what Ralph could be. Good luck!!!


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## NCPanthersgurl (Jul 13, 2011)

How's he doing today?


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## Loralyn94 (Jul 22, 2011)

I meant to post back sooner, just got busy the last few days. 

Its so nice to come on here and see how everyone can relate and just continues with encouragement, bettas are a job, but so worth it.

NcPanther, his "thing" above his gill doesnt seem to be getting worse at least and nothing else new has come up so I'm hoping this may mean things are about to start getting better. 
The only thing that confuses me is that he's still as lively as ever. He's not lethargic or anything and isnt acting weird, today he actually seemed to have some more spunk then usually. I walked aver his tank and was just looking him over when he started flaring like crazy at me. 

As of yet, he seems to be doing better


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## Dozzem (Jul 29, 2011)

That great to hear! Mine flares at my mom all the time >.< It freaks her out!


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## Loralyn94 (Jul 22, 2011)

UPDATE from today. The fin rot seems to finally for certain be going away, theres no more black on his tail, only some transparent grey that i believe is new growth. Also, the thing that is above his gill SHRUNK! I checked on him once more after school today and it was back to the tiny little dot that it started out as!! It looks like he's getting better, he's got one more day of maracyn 2, so hopefully after that he'll be on the road to good health!!:lol:


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