# Miracle the Betta



## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

Hello all! This is my second journal, my first being about my 30 gallon tank. I figured I might as well try and de-clutter that mess of pages, and document my adventures with my newest Betta here.

I found Miracle at one of my closer pet stores, and even in the store he was just ... Just awful. Upon finding him, there was a while/lavender HM next to him that I was dying to get, but Miracle himself was dying and I couldn't leave him there. He's what looks to be a blue/red/green Crowntail, even though his tail is slowly falling off. I took him to the front, where the woman thought I was just pointing out that he was sick. She said she would "take him to the back and treat him", which I assumed meant flush (I can't blame her- I myself was considering euthanasia last night), until I said that I wanted to take him home. She said "No charge, just make him better" and off I went. 

Once home, I set him up in my bathroom (it's the only space with two plugs left near my room!) with a little 2.5g QT with a terrible heater and a very strong lamp. He was COVERED in fungus and he has popeye and is blind in that same eye. He still won't eat, but I'm working on it.

I'm currently ill, and treating Miracle with what's at my disposal. He's being treated with the appropriate dose of Tetra Fungus Guard and as of last night 2 TSP of Epsom Salt per gallon and the appropriate dosage of Melafix. 

I'll be stopping the Melafix after his 100% WC today, which I'll be doing every day to keep the uneaten food and tail particles out of the tank. Last night was absolutely horrible and I was debating with myself for hours whether he could fight this or not. He proved me wrong this morning by living. Last night it was now or never, and after a WC I gave him twice the salt dosage and added Melafix. It seems to have worked, and much of the fungus has left him. He's still having his tail rotted off, and there's a large amount of fungus coming out of his gills. He seems to have random patches across his body and some near his mouth, but not in it. Even this is better than last night, when it absolutely coated him.

I'm going to continue with twice the Epsom salts and the Melafix until Sunday, only because it seems to have helped him a little. If he declines anymore I'll remove the Melafix, as I've seen mixed results. Today I'm going to try and get some better medications, but as I started with I'm rather ill right now.

If everything turns out as I want it to, in my perfect world, Miracle will live to a ripe old age in his own little 5 gallon, heavily planted tank. It's the current occupant of three female Guppies, but they'll be going to my neighbour's in the near future to a beautiful 20 gallon with another of my rescue fish, No Name. Hopefully this perfect world can be accomplished, because Miracle certainly deserves it.

Here are some pictures of my beautiful boy, all from Sunday, the first four from the morning and the rest the evening. I'll update with more in a little while.


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## lilbabyvenus (Sep 5, 2013)

I'm so glad to hear that he pulled through another night!


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## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

Thanks Venus! I'm glad too. Hopefully he'll continue to surprise me. It feels like he was meant for me, you know? I wasn't really looking for another Betta currently, but I've been scoping the web and AB, and suddenly this little guy appears right when my 2.5 is done being sanitized... Seems a little like fate to me, even though I really don't believe in that kind of stuff. I don't know, haha!


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## Chachi (Sep 22, 2013)

I hope he is a miracle!! he's lucky you found him!


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## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

He seems to be very fond of changing my mind quickly... He's now on the bottom of the tank, gasping for breath. I'm hoping he moves himself, but if he doesn't I'll cup him so he can get to the surface with ease. I feel so bad for the store- it seems like there were another three or four infected, but I only had room for one and he was the only one that seemed like he was in dire need. I hope he switches back to optimistic soon :/


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## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

I guess making this journal is a little pointless now. Almost immediately after my last post I went to check on him, and found him dead. He was a trooper and lasted much longer than I thought he would. He's buried in my garden with my other fish, and hopefully they're swimming happily under the rainbow bridge together.


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## lilbabyvenus (Sep 5, 2013)

Oh no, Elsewhere, I'm so sorry! At least you made him as comfortable as possible during his last days.


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