# healing my stressed betta [plus my saving story]



## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

alright well ive always loved betta and never realy bought them because i was told you cant add any to another evn male/fem. 

so i was at almary yesterday gettin myself a pleco for my heated goldie tank. and i noticed a few dead bettas. now i know walmart is horible about keeping fish but petco dont have plecos here. so anyways.. i started going thru the many many bettas and found tons dead and was setting them in the sink. i felt so bad i know there was 20+ dead fish and like 10 alive/half alive. i decided id rescue one. knowing at home i had many many larg tanks filters heaters from 20-50g just sitting in my basement and ik betta care. so i was lookin at the live ones.. every single fish they had evn the ones that just came in that morning were realy stressed and 90% had fin rot.. so i finaly picked out one.. was one of the only 2 w/o fin rot and he was pretty much the only one moving around. he was a red crown tail but from just a glance you can tell he wasnt the greatest condition so i addopted him knowing i might be able to nurse him back to health...

so i brought him home and i have him in a half gallon kritter keeper for temp wiel i let a tank cycle a bit [with some water and sand in it from my heated goldie tank] so ik i will have to do a water change probably was gona do a 100% every week [gime a heads up if thats bad. read around and sounds right] with a light above it [sence containers plastic] to heat up the water a lil atm his keeper is 75.5 degrees[th cycling tanks at 80deg]. i know thats a little bit low. but its bettr then 60 or below like he was in i did put him in the water wiel in the cup and let the waters adjust for a hour then put a lil but of his cup water down the sink [dumped it in a cup first so i didnt risk loosing him] and then put about the same amount of water [10-20%] from the keeper into his cup and let him adjust for another 2 hours. he seemed to like it once i put him in..

when i got my betta he was loosing his color badly [ill add a link for you to see] he was pretty silver around the body and some parts of the fin. but senc ehes been in the keeper hes going a pinkie color so hes slowly getting color back. he wont eat. tho ik hes getting accustomed to things and may not eat for a few days.. but he has these scab looking spots on his head i was ondering whats up witht that? is it kinda natural? stress induced? or is it a disease? 

and was also wondering how can i help him un-stress? i have him in about the right water.. he has other fish in sight cause hes on a table atm in front of my goldies and he dont frill at them. they dont bother with him realy but also the lamp has a metal frame and he sees himself and frilled a few times at it. now he ignores it. [i heard thats healthy for them] he will soon have his own big tank [have a 10 and 20g cycling atm] he wont eat. but he did try to eat one pellet it fit perfectly in his mouth but he spit it out. also hes making bubbles in the corners kinda like a bubble nest but not close together. actualy its around almost half-3/4 the tanks edge but not any more then 2 bubbles wide. im not sure if thats a failed bubble nest attempt or breathing ^.^ any advice will help thanks

<a href="http://s1186.photobucket.com/albums/z376/pyro_fiend/?action=view&current=001-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z376/pyro_fiend/001-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> this is the ride home he doesnt look as silver as he was [only his tail ans dorsal was red when i got him.]

<a href="http://s1186.photobucket.com/albums/z376/pyro_fiend/?action=view&current=002-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z376/pyro_fiend/002-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> this is a head veiw. tho the scab looking things are actualy more of a brownish red

<a href="http://s1186.photobucket.com/albums/z376/pyro_fiend/?action=view&current=003-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z376/pyro_fiend/003-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> and heres a side veiw. you can see hes starting to go pink but his tail still has gray in it. hes almost exactly this color still


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Welcome to the forum...sorry but I am having a bit of a problem understanding what you are trying to ask...also, your pic are not showing up....you need a host like photobucket or you can post them in your album here and just link us to them....anyway......

To understand-you have a new Betta that is not doing very well due to how he was kept at the store......need some more information.....

The half gallon container you have him in now-do you plan to keep him in this or are you going to use a different tank than what you are using now.... how many days have you had him, water temp, filter, live plants, additives used, have you made any water changes, if so, how much, how often and what is your long term plan on husbandry, type of substrate used if any, any tank mates in the same container with him now or any plans for tank mates, he currently has a poor appetite, have you added any medications or other chemical additives besides dechlorinator...can you post water pram numbers if you have them for-ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH......


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

well what im trying to ask is how i can help him thrive better, he had nearly no color and i want him to get it back and look healthier cause hes got brilliant red but most of his body is grayish silver. but the color is slowly coming back [its pinkish now where most gray was]

no i do not plan on keeping him long in this container im just filtering and heating up some others. and didnt want him freezing or being in water with no cycle whatsoever done. i plan on moving him to eather the 10g or a community 20long[nothing in it eather yet]. at this moment hes in the half gallon with glass oval rocks for substrate with a fake plastic bushy plant [not sure name of the plant]

i just got him last night so i havent even had him but may 15-17 hours. hes alone in there but i used no extra chemicals

the temp in it atm is 76degrees. a little low from what i understand but he was in a cup with 61deg water =[

also as for long term substrate i thought of sand [not live] but im not sure how bettas are with it so was just gona use black rock sustrate


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

here i figured out how do pics =] n in his cip the red in center was reflect frm my shrt n phone he was all gray and red on the fins only with lil on head


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Very beautiful fish  The 76 degrees is okay, as 75-78 is usually the norm. Give him a variety of food, like frozen/Freeze-dried bloodworms, even live foods if you can get any, pellets... This will give him more color  Just make sure to do water changes quite often for that half gallon (daily, I believe) which will keep away and heal any ammonia burns he may have from the store. Tap water conditioner, and even some stress coat would be best to use.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

It sounds like you are doing everything right for a new-stressed fish...small container floating in a heated tank is perfect-be careful with those glass stones-sometimes the long fin Betta can get their fins pinched in them...he is a lovely fella by the way....I would keep dong what you are doing..... keep him in the QT for at least a week-provide quality water with frequent water changes and a good varied diet as Sena has recommended and he should perk up and color up nicely for you....


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

thanks guys. i curently have him on floating pellets that are "formulated ecpressly to bring out natural beauty and to promote healthy fin growth" but i have live/frozen foods shiping here as we speek 

and thank you for the complement on him tho i think he will be quite a looker once i get his health up 

oh and OFL do you know if sand is ok with bettas? iv heard mixed things over the net and curenly all i have is extra sand [the bigger grains used to weigh down trucks] from putitng in my warm-water goldie tank and those glass rocks... i dont wana put him in there with no substrate =[


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I personally have seen people use sand, but most people use either smooth pebbles or gravel substrate. I don't think I could, because my one female buries herself :lol:


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

well im kinda curious as to how hed act. but then again in nature wouldnt they be in mud? lol i dont think i wana add mud lol thatd be a hastle to clean in this little tank and in bigger ones >.< but some sands can be like mud when wet [not mine tho]


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

hehe that's true  I wouldn't use mud xD sure they'd love it but I wouldn't.


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

im sure no1 would like it. i just read fine sands a nono cause the betta thinks its fallen food...but then lookin at my sand with multi colors of browns blacks and whatnot i think it might just kill him:?:-( not looking forward to that.. ig it was worth the ask


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Hmmm never thought of that  most of my bettas if they nom on something NOT food (grain of broken gravel, poop, anything really) they spit it out xD but I guess sand would be harder to spit out.


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

wel id think so too i have 2 goldfish with sand in front of my bed and i always see them spit it out and eat any food they spat into the water.. there like 1 and 2 in.. but ig even the smaller goldie prob has a bigger mouth then my betta. ig ill stick with my rocks and get black and white gravel to bring out his color ^.^


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

good idea


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

thanks for the help tho much appreciated ^.^


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

No problem  happy you got that little fella!


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

oh aand would eather of you know about the scabby lookin thinks on his head? is it stress indused? is it just part of his color like dalmatian or something? he nly had the marks on his head tho he douse hav a few marks on body but they dont look the same there like black blotches i thought might be amonia burns but 2nd guessing now sence iv seen marbles but the scabb things wrry me so thought id ask  

ps i will not pick the scabs no worry <3


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Sand is fine-but without live plants I wouldn't go much over 1inch deep...fish generally can tell the difference between something that is eatable and not and will spit it out......
I use play sand on top of dirt in all my tanks with a lot of live plants...Natural planted tanks-you can see pic in my album....not a system for everyone.....but I like them and they work well for me....


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Can you get a picture of the top of his head? I am guessing it is like a couple of my rescues, who have scales missing on the top of their heads and it's healing over.


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

uhm ill try.. itl be tough. hes REALY skittish. he runs and hides under the plant when i try to look at him longer then 2 mins. but that might be what it is. ill try when he does let me see him he wont stay still lol XD ill try my hardest tho


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Haha oh I know! My poor Shiloh who has damage to one side of his face, and his fins plus missing scales on both of his sides, was very very skittish... I had to paparazzi him xDD


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

welp i just played "big bad pyro" took me forever to get him to sit still.. so had to play 'evil landlord' and took out his plant lol still cldnt get him to sit too still but heres what i did get [that wasnt a red/white blurr]









actualy thats not to bad of a one but the colors off. its more a a brown dotted pink and beige like little scabs or freckles... but it shows how well some of his colors coming back <3


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Okay, I think it is just some missing scales  it happens. My girlie has that (she buries herself beneath stuff... UGH) and a couple of my rescue males. It'll take a while for the weird color to dull out or go away, just keep his water clean and warm and he'll heal up nicely  and he is definitely getting such pretty colors!!! And he is a crowntail I believe?


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

indeed he is. now the only question i want to know cant be answered 

will he be a all red like a pretty carnation. or will he be a white and red... oooor will he get other colors too  only time shall tell tho 

and yup crown. well thats what the cup said and hes fins show. but he droops his tail like a vt alot so may be a comb? not sure he doesnt let his fins go all fanned up quite all the way. the 1st pics iv posted is the most iv seen his fins expanded.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Looks more like a CT than a combtail... Not sure though. If you could post on "betta pictures" asking what he is... You'll have a lot more replies


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

i think ill wait a bit let him heal up get healthy then find out. he was labled crown. he kinda looks crown. but ill wait to see. he dont seem interested in opening his fins yet so i think ill deal with the mystery till hes happier and healthy. or just grows the guts to be all big bad betta-fish XD  [suposed to b a joke sence hes skittish, wasnt so funny probly tho]


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Ohhh trust me xD if he is like Shiloh, he'll be a big bad betta fish LOL! little guy attacks his food now


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

lol well atm im letting him socialize to se eif he is gona get along with fish. i have a 35tall tank i was cycling with 15cent goldies..which was GOING to be for other fish[didnt decide what one/s]. but they lived and theyv been in there cycling for about a month and a half.. lol n dead goldies.. the biggest one i frst put in was only 1/3 of an inch. now hes 2.5in or so and the othr was a hlf inch goldie i put in a few weeks ago hes bout an inch now. i have the kritter keeper floating with tapped fishing line to the trim so it dont sink. they dont seem to big him there tanks 80deg so debating on letting him in there in a few days and watch them carefully. hoping he dont think hes a barney bad [email protected]# lol tho the goldies are calm and non there scared of there own shadows. so im hoping theyl make nice tank mates. i have double filtration in it already and muffled the filter with a bottle like in another thread so hoping i can put him in but never know =]


and i just watched the gold one [smaller] go up between glass and kritter keeper. betta seemed interested but the goldie ran off =[


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Lol. Yeah I have bettas who can NEVER be with any type of fish - and a girl who cannot be with snails or anything (MURDERER! >/) but then I have my mellow boys and girls who don't mind the fish that don't hurt them


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

only thing is i hope he likes bubbles.. iv read so many ppl saying oh mine hates the airator.. lmao i have a 2ft curtan in bthe back lol my goldie LOVE it.. if he dont.. hes skrewed till other tanks are good and ready lol


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Well, some of my bettas LOVED for some reason the aeration, while my other bettas are much weaker swimmers. I think it just depends on the betta  and how hard the flow is!


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

there is verry little curent in 99% of the tank actualy.. only spot that has any current is by the filter i cut a bottle n put it slantes so it hit against the glass only not into the filter intake. and it just pushes down and maby a lil back twards the filter on the back. but the but i sat the cup in there about a hr ago to see how much of a difference the filter made.. took like 15mins for it to go from 1 end to the other. without counting the 5min freez of cup in the middle of the tank [there theres no bubbles or filter pushing] but the airater i think was only ment for a 10g got it from a buddy tht had it in a 5.5 but it does shoot up a bit of bubbles lol berry little current tho


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## pyro fiend (Oct 20, 2011)

okay ts been like a week now. and i thought id give everyone a nice update on color... and health

day one. blaze super stressed out nearly dead prob =[









now today fresh pic meerly an hour old  [he wldnt flare with goldfish or mirrors so had to get the vt to make him flare lol]








aint he a beaut? his heads darker in pic but WOW!! lol thnx 4 the help ofl and sena u2 kept me in high hopes <3


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