# New Rescue! *Horrible*



## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Hey everyone! So some of you may know that I rescued a king male in bad shape a few weeks ago (sorry, I haven't updated that in a long time, I will try to do so soon)...anyway, my mom had to go to petco today, and I convinced her to let me come with her with the promise of no new bettas....

Well, after looking at the probably 60-70+ bettas there, while my mom was getting our dog's medicine, my sister and I felt so horrible...we wanted to rescue some of them so badly. Some of them were in really bad shape, some were dead, some just sickly ones that I recognized from months ago...still in the same tiny cup (the king bettas).. I wasn't going to try to get one of the kings as we already have so many...any my tanks have now started to invade my mom's kitchen...

Then we saw the baby bettas. Two were dead. There were only about 7, but one in particular looked way worse than the rest. It had such a pale body you could see straight through it. It's spine was bent. The cup was filthy, it could barely swim. It was extremely lethargic and skinny and unhealthy...about the size of my fingernail, it's eyes were way to big for it's head. My mom saw it and she said "we can't do another tank." I told her "I know...I was just thinking...never mind." she asked me what and I said what if we could rescue it, we could just use a Tupperware or something and heat it, put sand and plants in...if I couldn't save it at least I could give it somewhere nice to die so it could die in comfort...and that if it recovered and grew up, I would find a good home for it (I already had a few in mind)....

I then set her back down because I began to rethink it...it wasn't fair for my mom for me to get ANOTHER one. I just rescued one a month ago. I started walking out and my mom said "what are you doing, aren't you going to get her?" I told her I wasn't even going to go there. I promised no more bettas with this trip, and bettas can be expensive and take up room. She pouted her lip and said "but it's just a BABY........" well, she convinced me to try to save her.

All I have right now is a little 1/3 gallon betta keeper, but it is better than what she was in. It is heated, I put some sand and plants in there for her, created a little rock cave. I think that having such a small "tank" might be better for her anyway. It will help be able to clean it easier, feed her easier (If she eats), heat it easier, and most of all it won't overwhelm her and it will allow her to get air a bit easier considering the fact she can barely swim.

If she lives, she will definitely not be staying in there, I just couldn't get another tank so soon and didn't want to buy one and have her die anyway. Plus, she is so tiny, the betta keeper looks so big for her.

I will try to post pictures in the morning if she is still alive...i will update you on if she makes it...she is just kind of laying on the sand right now...I really don't have high hopes for her. I just couldn't leave her there and honestly, I don't think my mom would have let me. Nor will she let me find her a new home if she makes it, I don't think.

Please, if anyone can offer me any suggestions for her! I really really need some right now! Please keep her in your prayers for her to live, and if she doesn't make it that she dies in comfort!

Thanks for reading and any help you can offer!
Meg


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## BettaQi (Jul 26, 2012)

Meggie6347 said:


> Hey everyone! So some of you may know that I rescued a king male in bad shape a few weeks ago (sorry, I haven't updated that in a long time, I will try to do so soon)...anyway, my mom had to go to petco today, and I convinced her to let me come with her with the promise of no new bettas....
> 
> Well, after looking at the probably 60-70+ bettas there, while my mom was getting our dog's medicine, my sister and I felt so horrible...we wanted to rescue some of them so badly. Some of them were in really bad shape, some were dead, some just sickly ones that I recognized from months ago...still in the same tiny cup (the king bettas).. I wasn't going to try to get one of the kings as we already have so many...any my tanks have now started to invade my mom's kitchen...
> 
> ...


Aw!

*sending positive energy to your rescued baby betta*


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## SurprisinglyFemale (Sep 17, 2012)

You have all my good vibes too!


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## CandiceMM (Jul 15, 2012)

Sounds like you are already doing the right stuff for her. The only thing I could add would be high protein foods. Good luck!


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Thank you all! And Candice, that was one thing I had a question about! The only food I have is bloodworms, brine shrimp (frozen), and pellets. Unfortunately, I really can't get anything else right now. What should I feed her?

Thanks,
Meg


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

How small is she? I have noticed some are really tiny and others are more like teenagers. 





> The cup was filthy, it could barely swim. It was extremely lethargic and skinny and unhealthy...about the size of my fingernail, it's eyes were way to big for it's head


Out of 4 babies I tried to save, only 1 survived. Anyways, Is she eating? If so, that is a plus. Adults can go without food for weeks but the babies NEED the nutrition to develop properly. The best thing to do right now is keep the water warm and clean and try to get it to eat something. There really isn't much to do other then wait and see what happens. Maybe some aquarium salt may help...just a small pinch of it. I'm not sure how well babies can tolerate salt

If they are not too big for her, frozen bloodworms are good. If she is really small, you can use hiraki first bites. Those things are super tiny - like really fine grains of sand but I think bloodworms would be better if she can eat them

for food - frozen blood worms if she can eat them. if not get something like hiraki first bites. Those pellets are super tiny - like fine grains of sand. 

If the cup was dirty, there was probably ammonia buildup in the cup and supposedly Amquel plus can help with ammonia poisioning or so I have been told.


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## KevinPham123 (Jul 24, 2012)

Hope it lives!


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Thank you! And she is extremely tiny Tiki. I know what you mean by 'teenagers' and she is definitely not one of them. She actually reminds me of my guppy fry.

I don't think she would be able to eat bloodworms, but I will try to cut them in half for her. I am going to try to feed her this morning, hopefully she will eat. I just checked on her and she is not looking good. She is just resting on the plants or ground and doesn't really swim unless I move the container.

What should my water change schedule be?

The plants I have in there are frogbit, bacopa carolina, and a small bit of java fern.

When I say her cup was dirty, it wasn't as dirty as some i have seen on here. It just had a ton of floating bits of food and poop in it. Still not healthy, but not as bad as it could have been.

Thanks,
Meg


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## GreyHounD (May 11, 2012)

Such a touching story!

Congrats to your MOM!


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Thank you, GreyhounD! The last rescue I got, I was just planning on getting him and buying a second hand tank off of craigslist, then once he healed just bringing him into my science class as kind of a class pet (because my teacher is awesome). But my mom took one look at him, disappeared for a few minutes, came back with a brand new 5.5 gallon tank and told me to grab some sand, a heater, and some live plants and wood. And now she won't let me even consider me taking him out of the house. Hehe 

Okay so I just snapped a few pictures of baby. Here she/he is in her tiny improvised little setup.......sorry for the bad pictures, I really didn't want to move her.


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## laynisample (Sep 10, 2012)

Oh my gosh what a tiny little thing. I hate going to petco and seeing the baby bettas. "Watch your betta grow up!" what they really mean is "Take our bad advise and kill this fish for us because we have too many!" Ugh. It makes me so mad.


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## KevinPham123 (Jul 24, 2012)

wow. she really is just a baby after all huh.


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## a123andpoof (Apr 10, 2010)

Poor babie! Hope she pulls through!


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## BettaQi (Jul 26, 2012)

So precious!


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## sunlight (Apr 24, 2012)

hey is she eating? I would try aquarium salt and stress coat and if you have IAL if you have them. Always rinse ial before you use them.
I never had sand in my tanks so i don't know how you change the water with sand, but for tank that small you need to do daily water changes or at least every other day. Not sure how often and how much you change water on your other rescued but when you do 100% water changes you need to acclimate your betta to new water temperature/chemistry.
For your little one i would think aquarium salt can help . 1tsp/gall pre mix in one gall jug make sure it dissolved and do daily water changes for 10 days.
I just saw post when someone did it for her rescue and it works pretty amazing.


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Thanks everyone!

She has not eaten yet. Well she has tried the bloodstone and spit them out. She tried a pellet but couldn't get it past her mouth. I tried chrusing it up and it looked like she maybe got one tiny bit, but I'm not sure.

Unfortunately, I don't have any IAL. :-(

I might just try the salt, thank you!

Oh and I have sand in all 6 of my tanks, (now 7) well except for one actually, that has plant substrate. I actually find it a lot easier to clean as the ickies sit right on top. Plus, I figured that sand would be a lot more comfortable for her to lay on.

Thank you for all of your comments/suggestions! I really appreciate and need them!
Meg


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## sunlight (Apr 24, 2012)

good luck, let us know how she doing. Sorry one more tip that you probably know 
Remove uneaten food so it don't sink to the bottom that will contaminate the water


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## LadyVictorian (Nov 23, 2011)

OMG, I have never seen a betta that small before unless it was in someone's breeding logs. She is just a tiny little thing. I really hate petco for having babies. I thought I would have enough on my plate just wanting to rescue all the sick fish now I want to take all the babies with me too but I just don't have the tanks for it right now...however 4 empty shelves are taunting me and they might all get filled with rescued fish.


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## Kitty Whiskers (Sep 28, 2009)

Wow and I thought my last baby Betta was tiny... that one you have sure is itty bitty! She looks like a sweet little Angel! Good for you to rescue it. Good luck!


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

She didn't make it.


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## SurprisinglyFemale (Sep 17, 2012)

Meggie6347 said:


> She didn't make it.


 I'm so sorry


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## sunlight (Apr 24, 2012)

sorry  still better that you had her though at least she was loved and in the clean water . 
I would think disinfect that container she was in if you ever will use if for another betta.


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## Kitty Whiskers (Sep 28, 2009)

Oh no!  I was wishing so much that she would make it! So sorry for your loss


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## laynisample (Sep 10, 2012)

I'm so sorry for your loss. At least you can know that you did everything you could for that little girl.


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Thank you everyone. I really wish I could save a baby. Is it something I did? Do petco babies ever make it?


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## laynisample (Sep 10, 2012)

Meggie6347 said:


> Thank you everyone. I really wish I could save a baby. Is it something I did? Do petco babies ever make it?


From what I've heard, it's extremely hard to help them survive. They are subjected to horrible conditions like cold water, high levels of ammonia and those tiny cups in such a crucial stage of development in their lives.


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## xXGalaxyXx (Oct 17, 2011)

Ooh my gosh, I'm so sorry you lost her QQ At least the little cutie had a nice home in her final days, and someone who loved her c: And I doubt it was your fault - petco's baby bettas hardly ever make it simply because of what they were subjected to at such a young age. Even if they are well cared for like yours was, it's hard to help them survive. Still, I'm so sorry - she was adorable. :c


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## PaintingPintos (Dec 27, 2011)

Poor precious baby.
You are a saint for taking in such a small animal with such little hope (as some would say).
Most people would not think twice about rescuing such a "common" fish....
What a sweet thing you did, though.
The little guy at least had clean water and a loving home before he passed.


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## RandyTheBettaFish (Jul 11, 2012)

Im soo sorry. SIP little angel! Ive had one petco baby survive into adult hood, well actually he still doesnt have full fins. I think he has a stunted growth maybe.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Awwwh 



> I really wish I could save a baby. Is it something I did? Do petco babies ever make it?


I'm sure you did nothing wrong. I think alot of problems with these babies is that the stresses they endure (shipping, poor water quality) are just too much for most of them - especially the real little ones. Like I said earlier - out of 4, only one survived but that one seemed to be in fairly good shape in the store. The other 3 I picked were obviously in bad shape.


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## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

Thank you all so much. I really want to save a baby...just to see one grow up and have another chance. But the poor thing wouldn't eat. :/


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## LadyVictorian (Nov 23, 2011)

I know how you feel, I want to rescue one too but I might just rescue a few adults first.


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## Kitty Whiskers (Sep 28, 2009)

I bought 2 Baby CT Bettas from Petco at different times a couple of months ago. They are doing well and getting bigger. But when I was there last time there were so many little dead babies in their cups  Too much stress on their young systems I agree.


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