# MoonShadow Betta Fish Rescue Update Journal!



## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Moon Shadow Betta Fish rescue was founded in the summer of 2011. I have always been an advocate for the proper treatment of betta fish and in 2011 I decided to take the next step by physically rescuing betta fish in need. I do my best to get sick or injured fish for free or for a discounted price, but that isn't always possible and I will not leave a fish in need behind! At my old house I was able to house up to 12 rescues at any given time, unfortunately in my new apartment I can only take it 5-6 rescues at any given time.

I will take in a rescue, rehabilitate him or her, and adopt them out to a forever home! I never ask an adoption fee for my fish, though I do ask a discounted shipping fee if the adopter lives out of state and the betta needs to be shipped (Note: I will not ship all bettas, only the ones who haven't had too rough of a road)

Currently I have 4 rescues in my care:

Patrick









Oz









Boomer









Whiskey










They are all in fabulous health now! Oz and Boomer have homes lined up and will be going to those homes this week. I have decided to keep Patrick, I am just so incredibly attached to him, I don't think I would be able to part with him at this point! 

I also have 3 beautiful pet boys that weren't rescues! 

Lemon-Doodle









Norbert









Apollo









I have finally gotten the 30 gallon tank in my kitchen back up an running after a mass die out last month! I have recently begun restocking it slowly with female bettas, got some really really lovely ones at petsmart the other day, they had just gotten their shipment in so i had my pick of the bunch! 

































































































































I was at petsmart today to pick up bloodworms, and spotted a little green/black marble HMPK boy who was there when I got Boomer over 3 weeks ago. I almost got this little HMPK back then because he looked so clamped and sad, but boomer really looked like he needed me more, and the little HMPK was so pretty (despite being clamped) that i figured he would be picked up pretty fast! I was shocked when he was still there today! As soon as Oz or Boomer go to their new homes and I have open space, I will be heading to petsmart to get him.


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## GoodMorning (Jan 19, 2013)

wow! that first female! i will not be surprised if she has 2,000 eggs in her, lol. very nice


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## ashleylyn (Mar 30, 2013)

Your fish are absolutely gorgeous! I hope to rescue some too. I'm not experienced enough yet so in the meantime I may pick up another baby and do my best to raise it well, but I admire what you're doing.  And if Patrick goes missing... don't look here!


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## logisticsguy (Sep 7, 2012)

I think your doing a terrific thing Moonshadow! Your fish look great and i wish you the best of luck with your rescues.


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## motherpeters (Mar 3, 2013)

Oh my goodness Oz is gorgeous! I applaud you for taking in the rescues!

Whenever he is available, I would love to give him a forever home! So beautiful!


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

Your fish are so pretty!
I'm especially jealous of the yellow girl!!! 

I'm planning on doing a rescue as well once I move out and get the room. If I ever rescue a fish, it'll definitely be one that I'll keep, so I'm rather picky about it :/ 

I'm glad everyone is getting new homes!


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## Artemis (Mar 9, 2013)

Yes I have my first rescue now but he is staying here

Do you have a link to their stories? I love reading rescue stories


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Oz was shipped to his new home today! She should arrive on Thursday, shipping always makes me so nervous! In 8 years of shipping I've had 2 DOA's which isn't bad at all, but I still breathe a huge sigh of relief when I get the word that they arrived at their new homes safely!! 

Little Boomer will hopefully be meeting his forever mom on Thursday and going home with her! 

I picked up a new rescue today, every body say hello to Charlie! He is severely emaciated and has rot on all fins! But he's already perking up!


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## Artemis (Mar 9, 2013)

Poor baby! SO what were there stories?


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Artemis said:


> Poor baby! SO what were there stories?


I'll link you to their threads! 

Boomer
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=131845

Patrick
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=130030

Whiskey
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=130405

Oz
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=131592

Charlie
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=143265


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I can't see the pics on my Kindle. Boo!


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## motherpeters (Mar 3, 2013)

I gotta say I'm very inspired by what you do! You're making a difference in the lives of Bettas one at a time, and ensuring that they are getting forever homes too!

Once I'm more confident in my Betta healing skills, I'd love to try and rescue some too. Someone needs to!


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Well Oz was shipped out to his forever home on Tuesday and arrived safe and sound yesterday!! Which I am so so happy about, shipping fish always gives me a minor panic attack! In 8 years of shipping I've only had 2 DOA's but I still get nervous every single time I drop a fish off at that post office, and I swear I don't breathe right until I get word that they arrived safely! 

Boomer will hopefully be going to his forever home this weekend, I have to say I'm going to miss him very much, he's made some of the fastest and most dramatic progress of any rescue I've ever had! 

Here's one last before and after shot of him!









The girls tank had a minor outbreak of Ick, but they are fine now, my fault I wasn't being careful about the amount of fish I was adding and I think I added to many too fast and they all got a little bit stressed out! 

We have a new addition to the rescue, an adorable little boy that I have named Charlie (after my favorite character in Lost lol) He was found at Petsmart suffering from fin rot and extreme emaciation, he was just skin and bones, the poor little man! He's already doing so so much better, he's eating, he's already put on weight, he's flaring at lemon in the tank next door and he's gained a lot of color! He's going to be one beautiful fish when he's all better!

When I got him on Tuesday (4/2)









Late last night (4/4)


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

You do a really great job with your fish! And lost! Lost! The first four seasons are good, then it gets weird. I was sad Charlie died.


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## Artemis (Mar 9, 2013)

What do you usually do for them? Clean water and food?


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

MattsBettas said:


> You do a really great job with your fish! And lost! Lost! The first four seasons are good, then it gets weird. I was sad Charlie died.


Shhhh! I just started watching it on Netflix, I'm just finishing up season one! Haha!! But I already knew charlie died eventually because I looked on IMDB to see how many episodes everyone was in because I don't like surprises! Haha




Artemis said:


> What do you usually do for them? Clean water and food?


Clean, warm water (between 78 and 82 degrees F) and good high quality food (Such as Atisons or NLS) I will medicate if I need to, but I would say about 80% of the time these guys turn around once they have the clean warm water and good food


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Oh, so sorry. Someone ruined his death for me to. I am watching it on Netflix as well. It's awful, addicting, and evil... Especially when the next episode automatically plays in 20 seconds.


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## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

My daughter is looking over my shoulder as I go through this thread & sees Chrlie here and says he's a dull betta, so I showed her the pic you posted of him now on FB today. Big change, he's looking great. If I wasn't beyond full I would gladly give this handsome guy a home. I'm still watching here and on FB, so when I can give one of your resuces a home I can let you know.


MoonShadow said:


> Oz was shipped to his new home today! She should arrive on Thursday, shipping always makes me so nervous! In 8 years of shipping I've had 2 DOA's which isn't bad at all, but I still breathe a huge sigh of relief when I get the word that they arrived at their new homes safely!!
> 
> Little Boomer will hopefully be meeting his forever mom on Thursday and going home with her!
> 
> I picked up a new rescue today, every body say hello to Charlie! He is severely emaciated and has rot on all fins! But he's already perking up!


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## BeautifulBetta123 (Aug 27, 2012)

Your fish are amazing! Subscribed! I love Charlie! And would definitely take him ff we were both on the same side of the border 
Good to know there is someone willing to do this.


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## Artemis (Mar 9, 2013)

What's his big change?


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Artemis said:


> What's his big change?


I'm not sure what you are referring to? Are you referring to Charlie? If you are, he came to us severely emaciated with fin rot and a grim outlook









and this is him now


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Lots has happened recently! Norbert, my lovely black copper dragon HMPK went to his forever home yesterday!! 

On monday i went to petco and had it out with them, they fish were in AWFUL condition, there were at least 6 dead fish on the shelves, with quite a few more on their way out. I ended up bringing 3 home with me. 

The first was an orange halfmoon with a missing tail. He's doing well and has been named Sampson!









The second was a little doubletail who is severely emaciated, and suffering from the effects of ammonia poisoning. He is slowly getting better and moving around more. He has been named Echo.









The third was a little delta tail who was suffering from severe ammonia burns and ammonia poisoning. I named him Jackson but he unfortunately didn't make it through the night. 









I also took a video while I was there to show exactly how bad of shape the bettas were in!
http://youtu.be/osN4o-wK7b4

I went back to Petco yesterday to return the poor little delta and bring home a new rescue. I ended up a with little orange cambodian delta with fin rot who I have named Cheeto, and a pretty little blue veiltail female. 

Cheeto









Little girl









I also snapped a couple more pictures in the store. This was a doubletail who was almost dead, I pointed him out to the (very rude) guy who was working and asked if I could adopt him since he wasn't going to make it much longer. And the said no, took the betta and walked away...









this was a king male with a huge hold in his head, you could see his bones, he was also on his way out.. poor thing.









and this was the new shipment they had just gotten in. The entire shopping cart was full of cups, all veiltail males, there were at least 100, even though the shelves were still full of bettas from the last shipment


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## Corsica (Apr 1, 2013)

I hope you are sending your documentation to PetCo HQs.


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## BeautifulBetta123 (Aug 27, 2012)

Oh my god the poor fish with the hole in his head!


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Corsica said:


> I hope you are sending your documentation to PetCo HQs.


I sure am! Just collecting as much as possible!


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## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

MoonShadow said:


> I sure am! Just collecting as much as possible!


Do you think it would help to have pictures and what not from other locations? I will be going to Petco this weekend for some new tanks. While my Petco doesn't seem to be as bad as some others I still often find sick or dead bettas on their shelves and can snap some pics if you want.


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## Snoeflayke (Mar 3, 2013)

justmel said:


> Do you think it would help to have pictures and what not from other locations? I will be going to Petco this weekend for some new tanks. While my Petco doesn't seem to be as bad as some others I still often find sick or dead bettas on their shelves and can snap some pics if you want.


I can too! I have one in the area that's pretty bad, and several that are good, but I can go get pics of the bad one today. I happen to know that tomorrow they change the water in the cups.


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

That would be wonderful guys! Thank you very much!


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## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

MoonShadow said:


> That would be wonderful guys! Thank you very much!


 I will message you on FB after I get the pics. Probably be easier to share them with you there. Not sure exactly when, but I will be there this weekend.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I would also report the rude employees. >:/ Include names if they have a name tag, date and time of the incident.

I've been doing that with the walmart here in town. The employees aren't rude but I always inquire about better betta care (mostly when the cups are stacked and they have no access to oxygen) and tell them they breathe air, don't stack the cups, etc... And they always say, "okay i'll let everyone know," and I come back the next day to see the cups stacked like that again. I seriously unstack them every time I go in there or stack them in a pyramid way.


ANYWAYS, I love this thread. The transformations are amazing! I'll keep watching it. I'm trying to get my empty tank ready for a new inhabitant but I'm kind of set on a PK and I can't get one that can't be shipped  But it's a good thread anyways, and I enjoy reading!


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## Snoeflayke (Mar 3, 2013)

Apparently, the talk that I had with the staff the last time I was in the bad Petco had an impact!

I found one male with ammonia burns, but cups were clean, and everyone else looked okay.
My only concerns with that store now are the staff in general, but I think that's a product of the location. It took me 5 minutes to find an employee, and then, when I said, "I found a fish with ammonia burns," she said, "No, they have fin rot and they're being treated."
I held up the cup and said, "Uh, no, he has ammonia burns." (Can you hear the eye roll through the Internet?)
She was like, "Oh, you mean a _betta!_"

Well, yeah. Bettas were fish, last time I checked...

Long story short, no evidence for you, but for good reasons.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Snoeflayke said:


> Well, yeah. Bettas were fish, last time I checked...


Lol I can feel the sarcasm.

They're also living, breathing, feeling, living, thinking, sleeping, swimming, living forms of LIFE. (Did I mention they are living?)

I'm not a violent person or an extremely outspoken one, either, but those kinds of remarks just make me clench my fists and give them a piece of my mind. I can be pretty persuasive, and if I can't, I'm also full of information.

If you can't beat 'em, confuse 'em. (They might not like you if you make them feel like an idiot but they do listen, because they don't want to look like an idiot twice.)


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## Artemis (Mar 9, 2013)

I agree. Use random words they might not know but try to stay relevant. Go into talking about about how (There are signs of trihydrogen nitride *ammonia* on the left side of the penducle near the caudal at the base of the anal fin) that way they get very confused, assume you know stuff even if you don't, and agree.


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Well Charlie, Patrick and Lemon-Doodle went to their forever homes today!! I already miss them!! Especially Patrick but I know they are all going to wonderful homes! This is the hardest part about rescuing, saying goodbye to the ones that really really makes themselves a place in your heart!

I stopped at Petsmart today and had a lovely chat with one of the employees. He was changing the water when I got there. All of the bettas looked great, and he really knew what he was talking about, it was a real pleasure talking to him! Now I know why the bettas there have been looking so good lately, its because this guy has started working there! Its really really wonderful! 

Of course I still ended up coming home with 3. A beautiful red marble VT, a STUNNING female CT dragon and a poor little white CT who has been there a LONG time and has Popeye, poor baby!

The Girl


Roo


SnapDragon



As some of you know I am a big fan of veiltails, I'm toying with the idea of starting up a National Veiltail Appreciation Day, would anyone be interested in celebrating something like that. They are so underrated and under appreciated, they deserve a day all to themselves! I'm thinking May 25th, thoughts?? Ideas??


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I would SO celebrate that holiday. Maybe push it back a.little so that you could spread the idea a bit more?


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

MattsBettas said:


> I would SO celebrate that holiday. Maybe push it back a.little so that you could spread the idea a bit more?


What do you think? Maybe end of June?


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## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

I say go for it! I have 19 bettas now & the majority are still VT's!


Patrick is home and getting acclimated. Before long he will be enjoying his 10 gallon tank with his tank mate, a snail named Gary. He lost a little color and seems a little stressed, but I can take the acclimating as slow as he likes. Here's a pic of him floating around in the bowl getting acclimated.


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## Artemis (Mar 9, 2013)

Yay Patrick! You better have a SpongeBob tank with names like that!

I might be interested in SnapDragon, we'll see how he turns out. You are about 1 hour 56 min away, LOL. I might be able to convince my mom to drive an hour. So keep me in mind for him. Keep pics here, PM me when he's ready and we'll see how the cards play out. I could also pay 20$ for express shipping but it's so much stress for the fish.


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## justmel (Apr 1, 2013)

Artemis said:


> Yay Patrick! You better have a SpongeBob tank with names like that!
> 
> I might be interested in SnapDragon, we'll see how he turns out. You are about 1 hour 56 min away, LOL. I might be able to convince my mom to drive an hour. So keep me in mind for him. Keep pics here, PM me when he's ready and we'll see how the cards play out. I could also pay 20$ for express shipping but it's so much stress for the fish.


Patrick is my 3 yr old sons fish. He already has a Sponge Bod, Sandy, Squaidward, & a snail tank mate named Gary.  I hope to get a pineapple house this weekend.

Isn't Snapdragon cute? I think he's going to be something else.


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

MoonShadow posted on her other thread that Snapdragon didn't make it. :-(


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## Artemis (Mar 9, 2013)

Oh no!!! OH that's so sad. I wonder why. Awh the poor baby. At least he knew care and love.


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## Artemis (Mar 9, 2013)

It's such a shame. I think it's awful how they treat the fish, like they aren't living things. I almost cried when I went to PetCo and all 10-20 of these that they had 4 days before:http://www.petco.com/product/119282/Lees-Round-Betta-Keeper.aspx were sold out. So many bettas sentenced to die.


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Gosh i really need to update this better!! A few of my rescues are doing really really well! 

Cheeto



And Chai


are both ready to find their forever homes!! They are healthy and active!!

Echo is well on his way to being ready to rehome!


After a long struggle with Austin who somehow managed to injure his mouth and was unable to eat for a long time, he is now eating daily, he is active and happy and I think we're finally in the clear! I will be keeping him!


Unfortunately I lost Howie earlier in the week. He came to me from petco with ammonia related issues and minor rot, he developed ick after coming home, no doubt from stress, we treated that, beat it, and then he developed velvet... I think his immune system was just destroyed.... I was so heartbroken...


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm sorry about Howie.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Poor Howie 

Cheeto and Chai are beautiful <3


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## Artemis (Mar 9, 2013)

SIP Howie. I love Austin's bulldog expression.


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## Snoeflayke (Mar 3, 2013)

Poor little Howie...

Can I just say how much I love Austin? He's adorable.


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## Artemis (Mar 9, 2013)

That smushed nose makes him so much cuter


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Look at Echo!!!


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I'd like to say that my graduation party is coming up and it is ocean themed. SO, I've decided that I'm going to put out a donation jar for anyone who happens to have spare change. My parents know a lot of people so there will be many people who see it, hopefully I can at least get enough to maybe pay for a medication or something.

I'm hoping ill be able to send the donation through PayPal but MoonShadow has obviously been busy and hasn't been on in while. Less than two weeks until graduation!


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## konstargirl (Mar 9, 2010)

R.I.P Howie!


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Hey all! I just wanted to pop on and say that I am still alive I swear! Life has been super hectic lately, this week was finals week and I am OFFICIALLY A COLLEGE GRADUATE!! I had a ton of issues with a recent job that did not go as planned, I am moving in less then a week, and I have been having on going issues with my horses that are stressing me out! The bettas are all doing well, I will be on more tomorrow to do some proper updates, but I don't plan on doing anything really new with the bettas until after I move!


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

That's great to hear! Congrats! I was wondering were you were lol.


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

A bit of an update!! Two of our rescues have found new homes, both will be going to forum members!!! Cheeto will be going to our colorxmexravyne and Austin is going to Skyewillow! I'll be sad to see them go but I know they will both be getting wonderful forever homes!

I will be taking in 5 beautiful girls from our forum member, Alcemistnv, on Tuesday, they will be joining the sorority! 

Here is a video I took last night of some of the boys! From Left to right we have Austin, Cheeto, Echo and Chai!

Video of our rehabilitated rescues


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Congrats to Cheeto! ^_^

I'd say it to Austin, but I'll tell him when he gets here. ;-)


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

There's a couple new rescues on MoonShadows FB page  I love Sprite!!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm so glad to hear that Austin and Cheeto got good homes.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I know this isn't my journal but if any of you follow MoonShadows FB, she's got some new rescues and I am in love with Sprite!









This image belongs to MoonShadow.

It's the eyes, I swear. She thinks he's a delta or super delta and a tail biter. He's the background on my phone  his EYES!!! So blue and pretty!

She's been busy, obviously. I highly recommend anyone following this thread to also like her FB page


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

I ended up putting Austin down today... it broke my heart... but he was suffering. After injuring his mouth awhile back he made a positive turn around for awhile, he was eating, flaring at his neighbor etc. But a couple weeks ago he took a turn for the worst... he stopped eating and I noticed the area around his mouth was swollen, I treated him for a bacterial infection but over the course of 2 weeks he lost all color, his fins looked awful and the swelling around his face kept increasing and moved to the top of his head as well. I knew it was time to end his suffering when I woke up today and both of his eyes were massivly swollen... swim in peace Austin... I hope you understand that I just couldnt let you suffer anymore... I love you and I will miss you so much!


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Poor Austin j: Swim in Peace, buddy!

So sorry to MoonShadow and Skye, too.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm so sorry about Austin.


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

At least he's not suffering anymore.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Sorry about Austin. Know that it was out of sympathy and kindness and he is now in a better place with a healthy mouth.


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## peachii (Jan 6, 2013)

SO EXCITED!! Just a few more days and Chai will be coming home!! I've decided on his color scheme for his tank decorations (for now) if he approves after he gets home. I'll post pictures of them. A very pretty orangish brown driftwood piece and a Simple 2 column white ruin piece put together with some plants that will grow up and around it. No place to put these plants since we took the ruin out of the 46 gallon tank, so will be perfect to wrap them around the little 2 dollar decoration (providing petsmart has them when we go friday)

Hope the aquarium has more Jumbo Sag, I am just in love with the way it looks, if not maybe pick up some Val and give it a second try, the first round we bought didn't do well at all but I love the look.

And either nerite or mystery snail tank mate, can't wait for Friday - so excited about snails!!

So excited!


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Hopefully that means ill get Sprite soon


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## konstargirl (Mar 9, 2010)

OMG!!!! congrat on your adoptions gys. I wish I had the money to adopted on of Moonshadows betta's. At east I'll be supporting her rescue


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Yes, I should get him next week  His home is all set up and waiting for him!


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Guys I have a really painful announcement to make. Due to a large lack of time and an even larger lack of funds, I will no longer be actively taking in rescues for an undetermined length of time. I will adopt out the current rescues in my possesion and then just stick with my pet bettas for awhile. I may take in a couple new fish to fill tank space on the tanks I have running (no one likes an empty tank) but they will more then likely remain pets.*I want to thank everyone for your wonderful, unwavering support, I will update this page as often as possible! And hopefully in a few months I can begin actively rescuing and adopting out bettas in need once more!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm sorry, Kylie. But you've got to do what's best for you. Maybe later on down the road things will get better and you can start up again.


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Hey all! It's been awhile since I updated this thread! I took a break from rescuing for awhile, but I recently started up again, and the rescue is back in full swing!! I currently have 5 rescues in my care, all were acquired over the last 2 days (that's the danger of working at Petsmart!) Last night My manager asked me if I would be willing to adopt the sick bettas that were in the back room (there were 4) I couldn't say no!! So they came home with me last night, and I had brought home another rescue the night before!! 

This is Spooky, he came home Friday night. He is skinny with some minor fin rot, but he's already doing so much better!



This is Bay, she is missing most of her anal fin and part of her underside, she definitely suffered from fin/body rot at some point, but she seems happy now so hopefully I can help her grow her fins back and find a forever home!



This is Solo, he is very skinny and his fins are very clamped and "sticky". When I brought him home last night he was floating flat out on his side, but now he's swimming around a bit.



This is Toby, he is extremely emaciated and when he swims he spins, I didn't think he was going to make it through the night, but he did, so I'm hoping he will continue to improve.



This is Emmett, he has fin rot and swim bladder issues, he can't swim well, and he is a bit underweight.


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## sbrit94 (Aug 1, 2013)

I'm still liking Emmett.. can't wait to see the updates


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