# Went on vacation, Roommate did this...



## girsnoopy (Mar 26, 2012)

This was my new betta fish








I went on spring break vacation for a week and asked my roommates to just feed three pellets of food a day to my betta while I was gone. I come back to this...




















I am very upset to say the least. I thought such a simple task wouldn't be much of a request. I even told him that if he missed a day or two it would be fine. I grew very close to my betta fish as its the first pet ive had in a long time and even upgraded his tank to a 5 gallon in the first few days of having him. 

They got another male betta fish (two times the size of mine) and put it in the tank with him to watch them fight. Now my betta can barely swim and he lost lots of his coloring. They obviously overfed him and the tank is contaminated with leftover food. I removed the new bigger betta to my old tank. What can I do? Will he live? I am so upset I struggle to even type this post.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Sorry to say, I'd resort to violence. Sorry this happened to you  

Side note, in that last picture.. the green striped plant.. is that real?


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## underdebate (Jan 26, 2012)

Oh my god. I'm so angry I think I'm actually shaking a bit. How DARE they do that to a living creature-- to a living creature that YOU OWN, no less, that is YOUR LEGAL PROPERTY-- and just for the purpose of such disgusting amusement.

I am not impressed. What a horrible, horrible human being. If I was there I would quite honestly smack him-- and then give you a hug because I'm sure you need it right now.

Obviously the most important thing would be to get him in some warm, clean water so he doesn't get any infections. I know it's good to always age water overnight before putting a fish in, but maybe in an emergency just using water conditioner and leaving it for a few hours before you put him in would be alright? (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong! I just feel it would be better to get him in some fresh water rather than leave him in that disgusting mess for the time it took to age.)


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

That is barbaric. I would absolutely let rip at them for doing such a cruel thing, and possibly report them to some authority. At the very least, destroying your property (I hate calling animals that, but in law they are) is illegal (sorry, law student). 

All you can do is keep the water as clean as possible (I would do daily 25% changes) and as warm as possible (between 82 and 85). The extra warmth will encourage faster healing, and the clean water will mean he isn't having to fight other nasties like ammonia etc, so he can put all of his energy into healing. If you can get Indian Almond Leaves (oak leaves will also work), it may help him feel more comfortable. StressCoat is another alternative. 

I really hope he recovers! I would be on the lookout for a new room mate.

To the above poster: ^^ You don't need to leave water out to age if you add conditioner.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

I have used water from the tap, treated and placed into tanks in a pinch (actually all the time, I never age mine). But I would add a tsp of aquarium salt per gallon and slowly get him used to it before putting him in. The salt will help him heal. No chance you can get your hands on some Stress Coat water conditioner??


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Yes, AQ salt for sure. His fins are torn but I can't see any major body damage in the photos.

I get how sometimes you let your friends get away with doing stupid things you don't approve of.. 
But WHAT kind of friend would TRY TO KILL something that you care about?! 
I would be terrified of my room mates! GET OUT OF THERE D:

Next time you go on a break, take him with you. 
What are you going to do about the new boy? Keep him?
It's stupid that now you also have to take care of that fish too. Is he all ripped up as well?


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## underdebate (Jan 26, 2012)

Oh my god, you don't need to age water if you use conditioner?

SWEET HEAVENS ABOVE, I think you just solved all my problems in life. Here I am trying to find clean buckets to age water in for four different tanks. Why did I not know this before?

(Are you absolutely 100% sure? I mean, I just don't know why I never heard that before-- I've been taking care of bettas on and off since I was like. Four or something. This forum was such a good idea to join.)

Gosh, sorry to derail the thread! +1 to the aquarium salt, and +10000 to reporting him to some sort of authority.


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## Rosso1011 (Nov 13, 2011)

I'm so sorry that your roommates were so cruel as to try such a thing to you and to your betta. 

You've been given some good advice on his care. Warm, clean water, and AQ salt as advised above. 

Definitely find out who you can report this to. If you're on campus, there might be someone there who can advise you on what to do, if not help get you out of that room.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I'd highly suggest moving rooms if that's a possibility..
Like even if they get offended, if you barely know em, no big deal right?
If they say you care about stupid fish too much, just be like, yes I care about my pets.


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## Bethydan (Mar 22, 2012)

Yeah. I think it's time for new roommates. I would REFUSE to live with someone capable of that. 

I know just your run-of-the-mill rips and tears will eventually heal, even if they don't look good as before. But I'm not sure about tails that have been eaten off like that. I'm not sure how much they would heal. :/


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## underdebate (Jan 26, 2012)

Still, I think it's worth saying that even if it doesn't grow back to the size it used to be, I'm sure as long as you avoid infection he'll be able to live a wonderful life-- bettas are troopers like that.

What will you be doing with the other, new betta?


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## Jessicatm137 (Mar 22, 2012)

Poor thing! I would move rooms instantly...


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## Fieldz (Apr 6, 2011)

1- First of all clean up all that mess and wash the entire tank with hot water. 

2- If you have a filter change the cartridges, get the water, treat it and dose 1teasp of aq. salt/gallon of water. Leave the termostat at 80F so everything heals faster. I suggest that you buy StressCoat, it helps recovering faster.

*BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS: GET THAT TANK OUT OF THERE!!!*


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I don't think that tank is big enough but that is no reason to change a filter cartridge. You should never change a filter cartridge unless a very bad disease sweeps your tank.. this will most likely not get infected if proper care is taken right away.


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## Wolfie305 (Jan 31, 2012)

underdebate said:


> Oh my god, you don't need to age water if you use conditioner?
> 
> SWEET HEAVENS ABOVE, I think you just solved all my problems in life. Here I am trying to find clean buckets to age water in for four different tanks. Why did I not know this before?
> 
> ...


As soon as you add the conditioner and swish it around for a second, the water is good to go  I've been doing it for Paarthurnax and my bettas in the past.

On topic - that is the most disturbing thing I have ever heard...


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

I hear ya. I went on spring break and my sitter destroyed my tanks. two of my fish are still recovering...


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## Fieldz (Apr 6, 2011)

You must change the cartridge atleast once a month. The only thing that you never have to change but clean with the own aquarium water is the biological media (ceramic rings or siporax).

Good luck with your betta!


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

If you are talking about activated carbon, most aquarists do not even recommend using it. In a small tank you'd be doing too many WCs, it'd really have no need to be in a filter. It also does stuff like absorb plant nutrients. I think it was from more of a time when people didn't do WCs that often, which would cause your water to stink. Not a problem these days, I personally think it's just a money grab so you keep paying for something.


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## Fieldz (Apr 6, 2011)

I mean you have to change the perlon (mechanical media).


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

You wouldn't have to change it unless it was clogged with debris. Which could or could not be the case.


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## wystearya (Sep 27, 2010)

I am so sorry to hear about this! What an awful roommate you have! I mean, I could see someone without fish knowledge to overfeed a bit, but it looks like they just dumped a ton of food in there. Not to mention putting the other fish in there and making them fight... I would have been livid! 

I know it might be difficult, but you should move out as soon as possible. Someone who treats a living animal like that can not be a good person in general. I'm sorry but that was an awful thing to do. No responsible adult would do anything like that. I might expect that from a kid, or a bratty self-absorbed teenager (or bratty adult!). I just can't express how angry this makes me! 

I am truly sorry this happened. I wish you and your fish the best!


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## makoisland (Mar 2, 2012)

Oh gosh. At first I just thought “dumb stupidity and irresponsibility” about the overfeeding… but THIS?! That poor boy didn’t ask to be treated that way. D:


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

Is this in a private house or a college?

If you live in a dorm or college housing, surely you can report this asshole to somebody? 

However you can do it - reporting them, telling their parents, anything - make some waves for them. Don't let them get away with treating your fish and you with this level of heinous disrespect.


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## styggian (Dec 13, 2011)

I think I'd beat the living #$%^ out of my roommate if they did that to my pets. I don't think I can really reply without swearing every second word.

Warm water, clean, high quality food, and some AQ salt will hopefully help him out.


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## girsnoopy (Mar 26, 2012)

I just got back from petsmart. I got him Aquarium salt and did a 25% water change and got most of the food out of the bottom of the tank. He looks happy despite his damage. Words can not describe the anger that flows through me, I really think I am going to move out at the end of the week. I know they didn't think it would be a big deal (jockish dudes)

I just talked to my roommate and he said that he went to the petstore and asked what fish would go well with a bettafish. Apparently the lady told him that this huge betta would be a great companion. He tells me that this bigger betta was in a betta tank with other bettas (I smell bullshit) and he didnt know it was a betta. I think he's lieing and it pisses me off that he would try to lie to my face. Thanks for all your support guys it means a lot. I hope he recovers, he looks happy in his fresh water.


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Wait, the pictures were SO large on the first page I couldn't read the text. Did your roommates put another betta in with YOUR betta?!? Wow. 

Some smaller pictures could help. The salt should definitely help. I wish you and fishy all the bests. Also, keep the king betta and don't let your roommates near it. WHY would they possess the brilliant idea to get YOU and new pet while YOU WERE GONE?!?!?!?

**Also, aus, could you watch your language please?!? This is a public forum and there are guidelines regarding appropriate language  But I hear you, harsh language comes to my mind too!


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Yes. That poor fish really has no other chance. I'd probably start treating him too.
What a sad why to end up with a second betta


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

I'm pulling for you and your little guy, too! Warm water, AQ salt, and positive thoughts are the best you can do for your betta right now. But I'm sure you could use a hug. Or a punching bag. 

I don't blame you for wanting to get away from those guys. I wouldn't trust anyone who mistreats animals. 

Also, welcome to the forum!

ETA: Could your roommate be talking about a gourami? They are closely related to bettas and have many similar requirements such as not being with other gourami or betta, but they do need larger tanks. I don't mean to sound like I am defending the scum bag; I'm just trying to figure it out for the health of your fish.


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Laki, the Jockish dudes bought another Betta and fought them.

I also smell bull, even petstore employees know that males cannot be housed together. Also, they never have bettas with other bettas at Petsmart. I would go there or tell them that you go there and all bettas are in cups.

I agree with moving and reporting him/them. They need to know that "property"/ pets should never be messed with. If it was a dog and they did that to another dog your dog will be euthanasized which wouldn't be cool. Also now you are stuck paying for anything needed to repair his fins and if he gets an infection. Give him the receipt and tell him/them to pay you for damages to your fish.

What happened to the other Betta? Did they just flush it or something?


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## Wolfie305 (Jan 31, 2012)

I would like to know what happened to the other betta too


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## girsnoopy (Mar 26, 2012)

kfryman said:


> What happened to the other Betta? Did they just flush it or something?


No I put him in my old smaller betta tank. I talked to my other roommate who helped pick him out and he said that he thought mine was a female and that the male would get along with her (even though mine was a male) is there any truth to this?


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Ugh no not at all... Some people think only 2 males fight though. 
Do they even seem honestly sorry?


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## girsnoopy (Mar 26, 2012)

Olympia said:


> Do they even seem honestly sorry?


They did seem really sorry but honestly I dont know. I dont feel anger any more just sorry for my poor fish. I have his heater on now and hopefully his water get nice and toasty to help in his recovery.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Why on earth did they think they had a right to stock your tank without asking? I mean, great if someone buys me a fish as a present, but to put it in my tank without asking is something else. 

Good on you for taking on that other betta - I pity that little dude too. He must have been so scared (and probably shocked, since I doubt they acclimatised him properly). 
I'm glad your little guy is showing signs of health.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

off topic here, but if that striped plant is alive it looks like a dracenea )however you spell it) and is not aquatic. it will rot over time of its leaves are not kept well above water. If its fake, well just ignore me. Other than that I would be interested in putting your roomate(s) together and have them fight to the death in some kind ot horror movie scenario...


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## Wolfboy51 (Oct 12, 2011)

I would charge them with cruelty to animals, ( fighting bettas is illegal right?) and probably have a darn good yell at them, i wouldnt trust them again. 
I feel so sorry for you


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## Wolfboy51 (Oct 12, 2011)

Opps didnt see top comments on pg 2,3


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## joyfish (Mar 6, 2012)

Years ago I had a beta and was going on vacation. I asked my neighbors who were my friends even before they built a house next door to us to keep him while we were away. The water looked okay, not full of uneaten food so I thought they did a good job.

Years later they let it slip that while they were keeping him they put a mirror into his water to watch what he would do. I would never have dreamed these particular friends would do such a thing.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

That is rude that they'd do it without asking joy. Also mirrors shouldn't go in water unless they are those "betta mirrors". You can put any mirror in front of the tank.. A lot of people do this to exercise a betta, but it shouldn't be left there for more than a few minutes.


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## cp6445 (Jan 14, 2012)

Please attempt to get a new roommate. End of semester is coming up right? So try to change up. 

Warm clean conditioned water, frequent water changes, and stress coat would be good for your fishie, as advised by the other members.

And just curious, what happened to the other betta? If it's still alive, you should try to rescue it too- in another tank of course. It's likely not in very good hands if still with your roommate.

Good luck!


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## joyfish (Mar 6, 2012)

I told about my experience so that you would know that yes friends do cruel thing to pets. I realised after that happened that they did not view fish as a pet at all. They had never had a dog either. No time or money, whatever for one. They later kept a stray cat for a time but I was not at all surprised when the cat left for another home. They were just not pet kind of people at all. I forgave them their ignorance and knew that probably an animal was just that to them. Their loss tho for not knowing what they missed.

I hope your fish heals fast. I am sure glad he is back with you.


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

How are the fish doing? I hope they are getting much better.


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

This story absolutely disgusts me! I absolutely agree that you should report this guy. What he did was sick and wrong!

But I'm glad they're both getting better.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Sorry about what happened. I saw a lot of that on u tube that i found by accident. I cried like for 2-3 hrs and couldn't sleep after i saw that. 

If you treating him with Aquarium salt which i think good idea you need to pre mix aq salt in the 1 gall jug for the right dosage. Is he active and eating? When you do aq salt it should be right dosage and duration. If you add a little bit it not going to help. You need to start with 1tsp/gall . With aq salt you need to do 100% water changes daily. It better to qt fish in small container it will be easier for you to do water changes. If you absolutely cannot put him in smaller container you can lower the water in your tank. Aq salt treatment should be for 10 days. Don’t do it longer than that.


Stress coat will be also good in this situation. 

Aged water I usually do it for my bettas. It doesn’t matter really I just learned like that . Someone recommended to use aged water. It not going to do any harm. I do it all the time. I let it stay for 12-24 hrs with water conditioner in . It helps me to make sure that new water the same temperature that betta already in. I have heaters when it cold then with warmer temp I don’t use heater so I let water stay . When you change betta you don’t want to shock betta with big difference in the temperature. I always try +-2-4* the same….

If you need to move and you want to take betta. I saw a post someone put how to move betta. I don’t know anything about filters because I don’t use it I do 50% and 100% water changes. But if you need to travel far away you can put in Styrofoam container. And put sponge all around it or something else so it not flipped or bumped from the sides. Make sure it hole in the lid to access to air.


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## littlegreen (Mar 11, 2012)

Report him and move out if you can or kick him out. There is NO EXCUSE for animal abuse.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Can you get a new roommate? if so boot this one out on their sorry arse. If you cannot, and do so choose to move away from people like that, it's easy to move fish (fish in bag, bag in bag, bag in cup, or container... or long distance, fish in cup or contaner with airhole, if you feel the need to do it that way!) I never trusted my roommates with my fish. Actually, anytime I was anywhere overnight I was panicking inside because...what if? right?


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

ANHEL123 said:


> Sorry about what happened. I saw a lot of that on u tube that i found by accident. I cried like for 2-3 hrs and couldn't sleep after i saw that.
> 
> If you treating him with Aquarium salt which i think good idea you need to pre mix aq salt in the 1 gall jug for the right dosage. Is he active and eating? When you do aq salt it should be right dosage and duration. If you add a little bit it not going to help. You need to start with 1tsp/gall . With aq salt you need to do 100% water changes daily. It better to qt fish in small container it will be easier for you to do water changes. If you absolutely cannot put him in smaller container you can lower the water in your tank. Aq salt treatment should be for 10 days. Don’t do it longer than that.
> 
> ...


EDIT:
Forget to write if you will do aq salt when you pre mix salt shake it well make sure it dissolved. 

If you not doing aq salt make sure you do that extra water changes make sure he don't get infection 

Good luck


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## Sivan (Aug 30, 2010)

Okay, first I want to say this is not only terribly saddening but also infuriating. This type of attitude toward fish and casual "oops" response only perpetuates the idea that they are toys. I also have a few important things to say that the OP should know about.

1. You report them to the police. Your roommate and all his friends must be held legally responsible because they broke several laws. They can be tried for damaging property AND animal abuse. This may even be enough for you to get an order of protection from your roommate. Something similar happened on my campus and the fish owner reported it to the police and a restraining order and arrest followed.

2. Your roommate is bullshitting. Even under the best possible circumstances imaginable, that he really did mean to get you a gift, what he did is irresponsible and dangerous at very best. Adding a fish to the aquarium without your permission, especially if you had no prior agreement to share said aquarium, is breaking some rules. That is the equivalent of him tampering with your personal things and breaking them while you are away.

Yes, you gave him permission to feed the fish. But you did not give him permission to alter, add, or contribute to the tank and that is tampering with your property yet again. Also, you cannot buy a betta at PetSmart without knowing it is a betta. All cups are CLEARLY marked with "Male Betta" or "Male {insert half-moon, veil tail, etc. here} Betta" and the price. They are kept separate and workers usually ask what other fish you are keeping it with just in case you are inexperienced.

3. If he thought it was female, which is bullshit, he is still 100% at fault. Males will destroy females in minutes if they are not ready to breed or simply just because. I had a female for less than a half hour when I was a child. My male killed it quickly and efficiently while I was watching TV or doing whatever I was doing. We (my dad and I) researched why this happened and it was a learning experience.

4. If he and his friends were watching them fight, which I would assume they did because the fish is still alive, then they are guilty even if a fight was not intentional. That is still animal abuse, even if just negligence.

Somebody like this would lose my trust 100%. Any apology would be worthless. Chances are that he appears to be sorry because he knows he can get in serious trouble both with the law and the school. You need to file a police report in the very least because if something like this happens in the future you want a documented history of his past crimes against you.


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## OMGemily (Feb 28, 2012)

this scares me... im going to college next year and have two male bettas that i plan on taking with me... i cant even imagine how you must feel... i dont think i would ever talk to my roommate again if she did this... ever... no exception...


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

Laki said:


> **Also, aus, could you watch your language please?!? This is a public forum and there are guidelines regarding appropriate language  But I hear you, harsh language comes to my mind too!



Whoops. I have a sailor's mouth, and anger makes me forget to watch it... guess I'm kind of an asshole that way. 

I promise to watch it, in future. 


On topic: I have read so very many stories like this on this forum and others -- it really makes me wonder... How can people be so oblivious to the basic necessities of being a decent person?

Like, what kind of people are raising these kids? How do so many people wind up callous and unfeeling, or just plain ignorant? The "First World" nations are so darned proud of themselves for being 'advanced' - but you know, I really think we're going backward in very many ways. 

Sorry for the 'bigger picture' rant but it just rankles me that this sort of thoughtlessness (at best, this was horribly thoughtless...) and/or deliberate cruelty is so common - not just to fish (though they really do get the short end of the compassion stick) but to other living things, and to other people, as well. 

Sigh.

I do hope your betta recovers well, and that you find find better, more decent-hearted roomies in future.


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

Aus said:


> Like, what kind of people are raising these kids? How do so many people wind up callous and unfeeling, or just plain ignorant? The "First World" nations are so darned proud of themselves for being 'advanced' - but you know, I really think we're going backward in very many ways.


I really do think that America especially has some deep-seated problems that will bubble to the surface in time.
I think it's partly the result of consumer culture ("It's broken; I'll get a new one, It's dead; I'll get another").
That and kids just aren't encourage to learn anymore. It sounds strange, but I think education is really important in forming character. It opens your mind and takes it off of yourself long enough to realize how big the world is. The lack of grammar and proper spelling online does kind of peeve me, to be honest. "lol well dis int englsih class"
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE WAS NOT CREATED FOR ENGLISH CLASS. IT WAS CREATED FOR COMMUNICATION.
*facepalm*


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## Tamyu (Mar 17, 2012)

I strongly agree with what Sivan posted.

You know they are lying about buying a "friend". You know they are lying about watching them fight. I will bet you anything they also know that you know they are lying. Forgiveness in this case is just giving them the go ahead to screw you over in any way. 

My guess is they wanted to have some fun, put the other fish in there to fight, and didn't think you would make much of a big deal about it as it is "just a fish" to them. If your fish had died in their care, you can almost bet they would have bought a replacement and expected that to make it all okay.

Even if you want to extend forgiveness, this is something beyond just your feelings. As important as your betta is to you, I think that somewhere deep inside there is still a hint of ranking it lower than another pet. Think of it in other terms - imagine if you left your loved pit bull with them... And because of the reputation as a fighting dog, they found another big pit bull and pushed the dogs to fight. Or even in terms of normal property - imagine you had something very valuable and they broke it for fun to see what would happen.

I doubt "forgiveness" would be the issue - it would most definitely be a criminal one. It is totally alright to accept the apology, as it is an apology for hurting you emotionally. It does not and should not erase the criminality of their actions.

Perhaps having real charges pressed against them is what these people need to bring the reality of their actions to life. Even if they apologize up and down and would never dare mess with your fish again, what is to stop them from picking up a couple males and dropping them in together to fight on their own time? Having criminal charges against them would certainly bring the seriousness of the issue to their full attention. 
No matter how angry you get, as long as there are actual consequences to their actions, they are likely to just see you as overreacting. Get the law involved and suddenly they will have the fact that not only did they upset you, but they did something criminal shoved in their face.

They probably need a life lesson about other people's property and what constitutes cruelty to animals.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

It's true about the if it's broken, get a new one, if it died, get a new one. Actually, now, our systems RUN off of that. I bought a new sewing machine... died. not even half a year. blah. Got one that is 25 years old, and it is better than a lot of the most expensive machines I've used!!!  Things back then were made to last...and people saw things (and animals) as something to keep to LAST, not toss away.


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> It's true about the if it's broken, get a new one, if it died, get a new one. Actually, now, our systems RUN off of that. I bought a new sewing machine... died. not even half a year. blah. Got one that is 25 years old, and it is better than a lot of the most expensive machines I've used!!!  Things back then were made to last...and people saw things (and animals) as something to keep to LAST, not toss away.


Yes! I find this to be true especially of older generations that lived through the Depression. My grandfather saved EVERYTHING. I'm sort of the same way. If it broken, don't get a new one unless you know you can't fix it!
It is sad that we've managed to extend this principle to animals, though :/


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I agree :/ I'm looking for a mannequin lol. That's the one thing I need and want and don't have, and I plan to use it over and over and over... xD I like sewing. hard without a mannequin! D:

Same with my lil' Squeak, my foster guinea pig. abandoned next to a dumpster because she was a fad. "aww she's cute I want her! Okay I'm bored of her." :|


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

Ugh, I can't believe that people could apply the same concept to an animal. 
I'm really not excited for Easter because so many chicks and bunnies get abandoned 
A few years ago, a little neighbor girl got a few chicks for Easter. Her family did the right thing though and built a coop for them. And a fence too since we're not allowed to have "livestock" in our housing development. They may be breaking an ordinance, but at least they didn't drop them in a dumpster somewhere.


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## newarkhiphop (Apr 22, 2011)

what happened to his fins?


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

he was fought, that's what happened D:


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## DTailskatr (Mar 24, 2012)

OMG!  I'm so sorry about your fish. I wish you both the best and please keep us updated on him.
If you really believe he was fought, please contact your local animal control. Even if they get a warning they could lose the right to own animals in the future so they can't do something like this again. Also it will atleast be documented.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Snoopy, how are you and your betta doing? We'd love to have an update.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

don't feel bad that it happened. trust me, it could have been a lot worse.... I live in Camrose. you know what we are called? Camrose, Home of the Cat Killers. that's right. some stupid boys decided to break into a house while the people were on vacation, stole items, destroyed items, put the cat in the freezer, came back and put the cat in the microwave. and wrote in her blood on the wall "nice cat, look in the microwave". :| and btw, they got off with a slap on the wrist a slap on the wrist!!! our system here, sucks.


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## Kitty Whiskers (Sep 28, 2009)

Grrr Hisss!


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

!!!!!!


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Sick people need to be in mental institution. Crazy ...Who even can think to do that..


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> don't feel bad that it happened. trust me, it could have been a lot worse.... I live in Camrose. you know what we are called? Camrose, Home of the Cat Killers. that's right. some stupid boys decided to break into a house while the people were on vacation, stole items, destroyed items, put the cat in the freezer, came back and put the cat in the microwave. and wrote in her blood on the wall "nice cat, look in the microwave". :| and btw, they got off with a slap on the wrist a slap on the wrist!!! our system here, sucks.


My jaw literally fell to the floor reading this .... and now I'm tearing up 
I have kitties of my own ...
How could anyone do such a thing?! Also, it should be noted that almost every serial killer on record has been involved with animal abuse/torture as children. 
We really need to do something about how people relate to animals. The easier it becomes to do something like this to an animal, the easier it becomes to do it to a person as well :-(


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## Sivan (Aug 30, 2010)

This is not an America problem. This is an empathy problem. Being able to relate to other livings things is reflected in human behavior. 

When I was little I was very aware of the feelings of living things. I had a friend who lived next door and she had a dog, which I think was a westie-poodle mix but I am unsure. It was little and friendly and loved her but my friend was often jealous when the dog got attention instead of her. One of her friends, who was not very nice, came over to her house to play one day and we were all talking through the fence. Her friend had a great idea for fun--she wanted to tease the dog to see how it would react. They started doing seemingly innocent things like calling it over then ignoring it, then they began opening the door to the car (which was always unlocked for some reason) and began calling the dog in to them. It ran happily to them, excited to go in the car, but just as it arrived they would slam the door on the door, nearly on it at times. 

I did not like what they were doing and watched them, eventually lecturing them to stop. They thought they were having fun and "it was just a dog." Then my friend's friend began pushing the dog away with her foot until it turned into kicking the dog away. They would call it over, then kick it away, and slam the door shut. They would chant at it to get excited. Once, my friend got so into the game she accidentally kicked the dog so hard in the face it stopped coming.

They were disappointed when the dog wouldn't come anymore because they hurt it. I yelled at them to stop and told them that it wasn't nice, that they hurt the dog. Hurt. That was the word they didn't understand. They didn't think that they COULD hurt it, it was just a thing to them. Just a dog. They didn't see the big deal.

This is the attitude I recognize in children. They don't know any better and unless they are taught to think from the animal's perspective and to empathize with the feelings of living creatures, they do not always develop that understanding on their own. I catch children at the beach hurting sea creatures all the time. I yelled at some kids last year, I think it was, for throwing rocks at jellyfish that were well beyond their area of swim. They wanted to see if they could hit them and sink them. I see kids smashing rocks into horseshoe crabs who are struggling to get off their backs. I yell at children who hurt these animals and always ask "How would YOU like it if someone did that to you?" and always say "They are living creatures and can feel pain just like you can" and they always pause, sometimes thinking it over and sometimes giggling because they got caught.

Fish are hard for people to relate to. Goldfish are common pets people expect to die in a week. The misinformation causes abuse that really isn't punishable. After all, when someone reports that their boyfriend beat their dog out of spite, there is physical proof and sympathy for the pained animal. When someone reports that their girlfriend sprayed windex into their fishtank, it is seen as damaging property; fish are decorations and nothing more.

I have a friend who never understood why I cared about my betta fish. She would say, " Oh well. Its just a fish."


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

Sivan said:


> This is not an America problem. This is an empathy problem. Being able to relate to other livings things is reflected in human behavior.
> 
> When I was little I was very aware of the feelings of living things. I had a friend who lived next door and she had a dog, which I think was a westie-poodle mix but I am unsure. It was little and friendly and loved her but my friend was often jealous when the dog got attention instead of her. One of her friends, who was not very nice, came over to her house to play one day and we were all talking through the fence. Her friend had a great idea for fun--she wanted to tease the dog to see how it would react. They started doing seemingly innocent things like calling it over then ignoring it, then they began opening the door to the car (which was always unlocked for some reason) and began calling the dog in to them. It ran happily to them, excited to go in the car, but just as it arrived they would slam the door on the door, nearly on it at times.
> 
> ...


I'm so sad to hear this ... really, I think the best thing would be for people like us to gradually introduce our children to pets, teaching them how to care for them properly and making them understand that, yes, they're alive! And they can feel pain.
It's interesting how things turn out. After my roommate moved out, I decided to get a fish for (maybe this is a _little_ crazy) *companionship*. After having her for less than a month, I've found myself to be much more sympathetic to other animals. 
While walking to my friend's room last week, I came across a toad that had gotten itself onto the side of the road. I looked at it for a bit, about to pass it by, when I noticed that it blended in pretty well with the road. I tentatively touched it and OH GOD IT WAS SO WEIRD. I sucked it up though and picked him up, taking him to the side of the road.
I seems strange, thinking about it now, but that was actually a really significant experience for me for some reason.

Well anyways, I think that having pets at a young age really can make a difference. I get what you're saying about people that don't care. There's a pair of snapping turtles on our campus that people throw rocks at :-(
Not to mention all the dying fish I see in people's dorm rooms ... ugh


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I think Im more of the middle type. I wouldn't go out if my way to abuse an animal. I would give it as much care as I deem adequate, play with it when Im happy to, try and treat it when its sick. But I wouldn't cry over it when it dies. I did that when I was young, and it was so heart breaking everytime a pet died. After my last chicken (which acted like a dog) died of a heat stroke I stopped giving animals names and would only keep them whilst trying not to get attached. I will keep my animals as well as I could, and what other people do with their pets is their business...


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## newarkhiphop (Apr 22, 2011)

pics of the other fish?


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## OMGemily (Feb 28, 2012)

MadameDesu said:


> It's interesting how things turn out. After my roommate moved out, I decided to get a fish for (maybe this is a _little_ crazy) *companionship*


I got my first betta (and first fish ever) after breaking up with my boyfriend... It's funny how attached I was to him... And how attached I am to Antione now... I cried all day when St. Jimmy died and I think I'd cry even more if Antione died...


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

OMGemily said:


> I got my first betta (and first fish ever) after breaking up with my boyfriend... It's funny how attached I was to him... And how attached I am to Antione now... I cried all day when St. Jimmy died and I think I'd cry even more if Antione died...


Well, it's kind of funny, but I really hated my roommate and rejoiced when she left. Rosie's a much better roommate, hahahaha.


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## ZergyMonster (Feb 20, 2012)

My roommate hates my fish but she is also my fiance. She doesn't hate them as much as she would do anything about them but she doesn't care at all for how much work I put into them. Eh, what to do? I've already proposed to her and I really do love her but to not like my fish isn't that big of a deal because I have my whole life to teach her to LOVE THEM!!!


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## OMGemily (Feb 28, 2012)

ZergyMonster said:


> My roommate hates my fish but she is also my fiance. She doesn't hate them as much as she would do anything about them but she doesn't care at all for how much work I put into them. Eh, what to do? I've already proposed to her and I really do love her but to not like my fish isn't that big of a deal because I have my whole life to teach her to LOVE THEM!!!


 awww


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

After living with you for a while and interacting with them, I'm sure she'll warm up to them


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## OMGemily (Feb 28, 2012)

i used to not really care about fish... almost to the point of considering them property... but by the time i got mine i planned on taking care of him a well as i could and did tons of research, and found this site  sadly he died after 4 days  (necropsy i think) but i definitely got more attached to him than i ever thought i would (and even more so with Antione) all it took to convert me was a tiny little blue and yellow guy


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## wystearya (Sep 27, 2010)

I never could understand people who thing any animal is "just a ____". I mean, you might as well say, "Oh well, it was just a human." when someone loses a loved one. I find it heartless. 

Then again, I love my animals more than a lot of people, so maybe I am extreme. Still, to see someone be totally unfeeling about another creatures pain bothers me. :/


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## ZergyMonster (Feb 20, 2012)

My fiance has been coming around since I first started with my bettas, she is starting to believe that I really like them and that she should be supporting me in what I do. She wants to be a forestry major so it's not like she doesn't care about animals and their natural habitats, it's just I spend more time on my fish than I spend time with her sometimes.

Also I'm sorry for derailing your thread.


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## Tamyu (Mar 17, 2012)

I am almost too empathetic with living things... We had feeder crickets for our frogs (which were themselves brought in and made into pets because they were living in a planter in front of our front door, and were too small to make it through the winter) and some of them were too big to be eaten by the tiny frogs. I couldn't bring myself to kill them because they had grown too much, so I ended up going out and buying cricket keeping stuff (special dirt, sterilized leaves, cricket food, etc) and put them in there hoping they would mate or something and I would have endless baby crickets for the frogs.

One of them grew to be really big, but was kind of deformed. For some reason her (it is surprisingly easy to sex crickets) wings were always dangling out and twisted and she was missing a couple legs and another was too small to be useful. She lived for six months. I had no idea crickets lived for so long. 
I cried when she died. I felt silly crying over a feeder cricket, but at the same time I felt she deserved it. 

You can choose your pets, but they can't choose you. They have no say into the person who governs their entire world. You are everything to your pet. If given the opportunity, would you be their first choice as an owner?

I like to think that my pets would choose me. I like to think that I am raising my son to be the type of owner a pet would choose. So far I think I have done pretty well - he would never willingly hurt an animal and cries just hearing about cruelty.


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## OMGemily (Feb 28, 2012)

Tamyu said:


> I am almost too empathetic with living things... We had feeder crickets for our frogs (which were themselves brought in and made into pets because they were living in a planter in front of our front door, and were too small to make it through the winter) and some of them were too big to be eaten by the tiny frogs. I couldn't bring myself to kill them because they had grown too much, so I ended up going out and buying cricket keeping stuff (special dirt, sterilized leaves, cricket food, etc) and put them in there hoping they would mate or something and I would have endless baby crickets for the frogs.
> 
> One of them grew to be really big, but was kind of deformed. For some reason her (it is surprisingly easy to sex crickets) wings were always dangling out and twisted and she was missing a couple legs and another was too small to be useful. She lived for six months. I had no idea crickets lived for so long.
> I cried when she died. I felt silly crying over a feeder cricket, but at the same time I felt she deserved it.
> ...


 i felt stupid crying over my first fish... and i mean crying... i was pretty much bawling and if you could give fish cpr to save them i wouldve done it in a heartbeat... i remember just holding him in my hands wishing more than anything that he would just start moving again... it was heart breaking... and i only had him for 4 days... ive had Antione for about 4 weeks now and i cant even imagine losing him...


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

OMGemily said:


> i used to not really care about fish... almost to the point of considering them property... but by the time i got mine i planned on taking care of him a well as i could and did tons of research, and found this site  sadly he died after 4 days  (necropsy i think) but i definitely got more attached to him than i ever thought i would (and even more so with Antione) all it took to convert me was a tiny little blue and yellow guy



I was the same way, and I thoroughly believed that one could not genuinely love a fish. But then I got Rosie and I love her dearly! 
All my friends think I'm weird, just because I love her and talk to her and have a more elaborate setup than their fishbowls of death.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

i cried so much when my chicken died. (my mom had secretly buried him and i thought she was missing.) Our back yard was had no fence and was open to the bush (forest like area in australia) I thought she had abandoned us and left for nature. I ended up spending a whole day wandering through the bush and calling her name, because she responds to it. My mom ended up telling me she had died due to heat shock and I was bawling my eyes out, yelling at her and saying it was her fault( not very nice of me was it >.>). I had nightmares about how the chicken died everyday for about a month. After that, no matter what animals we had, I only referred to them by description and refused to be too friendly with them lol. Recently we had a red hen, a brown hen, and a orangish colored hen. the orangish one died at around half a year ago. When my mom called to tell me. I was like "oh ok" and we talked about how she had a good life in our yard, the times my grandparent would have to chase her outfrom the veggie garden and made some good happy conversation in memory of the chicken. Mom buried her under the orange tree, and that year the oranges were exceptionally orange and reminded us of the hen.


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## OMGemily (Feb 28, 2012)

MadameDesu said:


> All my friends think I'm weird, just because I love her and talk to her and have a more elaborate setup than their fishbowls of death.


fish bowls of death haha i know its not funny at all, but reading it made me giggle  but my friends are the same way :/ they told me i was going to boil my fish because i kept him in 79 degree water... and then he died hortly after and they blamed it on that even though i tried telling them... i wish i had someone to talk to here that understood...



aokashi said:


> i cried so much when my chicken died. (my mom had secretly buried him and i thought she was missing.) Our back yard was had no fence and was open to the bush (forest like area in australia) I thought she had abandoned us and left for nature. I ended up spending a whole day wandering through the bush and calling her name, because she responds to it. My mom ended up telling me she had died due to heat shock and I was bawling my eyes out, yelling at her and saying it was her fault( not very nice of me was it >.>). I had nightmares about how the chicken died everyday for about a month. After that, no matter what animals we had, I only referred to them by description and refused to be too friendly with them lol. Recently we had a red hen, a brown hen, and a orangish colored hen. the orangish one died at around half a year ago. When my mom called to tell me. I was like "oh ok" and we talked about how she had a good life in our yard, the times my grandparent would have to chase her outfrom the veggie garden and made some good happy conversation in memory of the chicken. Mom buried her under the orange tree, and that year the oranges were exceptionally orange and reminded us of the hen.


when i got Antione i was paranoid, after St. Jimmy died, and i would wake up in the middle of the night worried, and id turn on my light so i could make sure he was ok... probably bugged the crap out of him while he was sleeping but i just had to make sure... at least you had someone to talk to about your chickens though... everyone here thinks im rediculous... so sometimes i talk to the dead fish before i flush them... i think of it as speaking at a funeral... i also send up little prayers for them... even though i dont really consider myself christian or anything... i figure it cant hurt right? and they deserve it


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## styggian (Dec 13, 2011)

I honestly cannot wrap my brain around anyone who has an animal but doesn't care about it. "It's just a fish, I can get a new one." My roommate is like that. She doesn't care if they die, because they're cheap and easily replaced. She no longer names them because they keep dying (from lack of water changes and proper tank care).

I just can't talk about fish with her, it INFURIATES me that she has an animal, but doesn't care about it.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

oO emily dont flush the fishie  i buried my minnows in the plant pot. maybe ill have some zombie minnows soon  but more seriously, Flushing fish may introduce disease into your local waterways and to local fish. Id recommend wraing them up and putting them in the trash if you cant bury...?


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

aokashi said:


> Mom buried her under the orange tree, and that year the oranges were exceptionally orange and reminded us of the hen.


OH GOD. That is so beautiful


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

aokashi said:


> oO emily dont flush the fishie  i buried my minnows in the plant pot. maybe ill have some zombie minnows soon  but more seriously, Flushing fish may introduce disease into your local waterways and to local fish. Id recommend wraing them up and putting them in the trash if you cant bury...?


Heh heh zombie fish... apocalypse.... no one said it'd be human zombies =D

And, how is the OTHER fish that was bought to fight yours, OP???


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> Heh heh zombie fish... apocalypse.... no one said it'd be human zombies =D


All the fish shall rise and eat the brains of the those that negligently caused their deaths! :twisted:


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## OMGemily (Feb 28, 2012)

aokashi said:


> oO emily dont flush the fishie  i buried my minnows in the plant pot. maybe ill have some zombie minnows soon  but more seriously, Flushing fish may introduce disease into your local waterways and to local fish. Id recommend wraing them up and putting them in the trash if you cant bury...?


 i never thought about that... i do HATE flushing them anyway... i have to try really hard not to think about it... hopefully there wont be another time anytime soon but if there is ill definitely do that... im almost afraid to go to school today for fear of coming home to a dead Antione


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

so, how come you cannot bury? for me, I'll bury next to my garden. except if it's my guinea piggy, Shaggy (yes, I am steadying myself for it because it's bound to happen in the nexy year...). i dunno anything about burying animals x.x I've never had to


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Sena burying is good flushing is bad... Don't know how you would flush a guinea pig though XD. Sucks when you know an animal is coming to their end and you are anticipating it.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I've been taught by my mom when Mister died, to place him in a bag and dispose, rather than flush so I do not flush  I don't know much about burying animals because I never had pets growing up. it's something I have to do now, as an adult.

on a sidenote I am sure the guinea would back up the toilet xDDD ew. lol.
and yes, it sucks knowing he'll die soon. My two others, Ginger and Panda who live with my friend... well, they actually miss Honey! so sad... Ginger'll die first, and Panda might go of depression because we tried separating them, but she got mean and depressed. my friend is allergic to Panda, but she won't give them up. So, we've decided to let Honey be with them. geesh what a world xD animals are so complicated.

but cute.

I wonder if we have any crabs here?  wouldn't surprise me. king snakes are let loose here. (poor things die in winter). geckos stare at you from their hiding places. :| I wonder what other fish we have in the lake... xD


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

I had 3 guinea pigs growing up, and they all lived to about 9 years before passing on.
We put them in shoeboxes with lettuce, carrots, and a strawberry and buried each in the woods behind our house.
It's weird to think about my fish dying, but I would like to do something similar with her. Maybe find a little ring box and bury her in that. I don't like the idea of disposing of my pets and not knowing where their bodies are. Maybe that's a little strange, but it's just me.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

true :3 well, now that I live in my own...fourplex? xD part of the fourplex, not a room for rent or parent's house, I can bury my fishies and such. too bad when I move.

a shock to new owners if they decided to dig


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

It's definitely something to think about before it happens, but once it's settled, I say no rush.
I just noticed that one of your guineas is named Honey! Once of mine was too. She was an Abyssinian with honey-colored fur. 
She grew kind of nasty in her old age, though.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Honey is an Abyssinian that is white with one black ear.  she sounds like a chicken when she walks...and has a rooster tail cowlick xD

now that I think about it...both my ex-roommates were jerks and god forbid they had done anything to them when I was gone overnight :O I actually was paranoid too, and they never did anything! I just don't plain like people or trust people :/ my fish and my other animals are my joy, and worth being around  I would've shot my roommate x.x lol. prolly with my slingshot or my bf's paintball gun. maim, not kill xD (lol sorry...I'm tired.)


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Sena you should look for roomates with pets that are animal lovers too


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

ZergyMonster said:


> My roommate hates my fish but she is also my fiance. She doesn't hate them as much as she would do anything about them but she doesn't care at all for how much work I put into them. Eh, what to do? I've already proposed to her and I really do love her but to not like my fish isn't that big of a deal because I have my whole life to teach her to LOVE THEM!!!


 
Well if she loves you she has to respect your interests....she don't have to love it but she has to respect. Can you imagine if she can't put up with your pet then what can you expect if you will have other more serious problem lol

I drove my husband crazy with my bettas. I have 10 bettas all in separate 2.5 gall. tanks!!! Can anyone imagine!!! We have 2 bedroom house not big house… Bettas are everywhere lol With heaters on. In the winter i do my house wormer at night . My husband don't want to pay for the heater so he try to put it on 56*at night in the winter, i put it on 65 because of the fish. In the summer when we go on vocation he tries to turn off the air conditioner. But no way lol I calling my mom and ask her to go in my house and put it on at least 80*. Without air conditioner it like 95* and i am really don't want it for my bettas I think it too hot anf fungus can grow fast in the warmer water….Thanks god i have job to have my pets lol

Believe me if my husband put up with it then your fiancé can put up with your fish lol


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Olympia said:


> Sena you should look for roomates with pets that are animal lovers too



BAH I'm done with roomies  I live with my bf now, who will support my choices of getting animals, rehoming, breeding bettas etc, although he WILL stay firm and refuse me a zoo :lol: hehehe..... I'm not a trusting person so when I let someone in like a roomie, or a friend to be a roomie, it means a lot and people keep blowing it! so I just won't ever trust people


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

I think that is why I am not sure about having people watch my bettas, because they are aggressive fish. Hopefully one doesn't try something stupid or I will have some butt to kick.

Why must people be so mean hearted? I think it is the world that we live in today.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

think of who raised them. and no, I don't mean parents entirely, because considering more and more kids are sat infront of a tv, they're raised by the media. Ever remember the song they used for remembrance day? "last night I had the strangest dream"? ye-no haven't heard it for quite a few years. :/ it's more of blowing up stuff, pretending to end war, starting wars that shouldn't have started, terrible parenting, hippies taking control from parents away...


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

So off topic. 
I think there is much to much extremism of everything out there. Extremism never goes over well. Look at peta. Half the world hates them because they push things too far. 
Also people these days don't have time to raise kids the right way -_- I hate it when they think that putting them in front of the tv instead of reading them a bed time story gives the same value of learning to a kid.


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

I HATE PETA.

Have you seen some of their ads? Animal rights at the expense of women's rights? I don't think so!!!!


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

There you go. 
Animal rights should be a good thing, PETA is dirtying it up.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

everyone rubs peta in my face when my bettas are in 1 gallon. and in someone else's face when they wear leather. and someone else's face because they broke their leg and couldn't walk their dog. oh boo on them drink my soiled fish water  I care for my animals =D

also, I wear leather (eeek someone call PETA > ) fyi, cows for slaughter.... mind as well use ALL the cow not just the meat. >.>


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

Moo, I like beef and leather. Hahaha.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

:lol: sorry but a person i knew was a strong believer in peta and really... yes, animal rights this and that great awesome wonderful shut up already x.x I did not like her.... dare I actually told her it WAS leather I was wearing :|


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I have nothing against the use of skins, I personally don't like the feel of leather though, it's all icky (especially when it's shiny on couches and car seats- yuck). I still buy shoes with leather though. xD
I think the real problem with leather is the offle (omg I mean awful. what a weird typo) conditions in the tanneries. It's like all those under payed factories in Asia, but the people there have to inhale toxic fumes with basically no protection.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I like the more...natural leather feel/look. the soft, and even the rough ;-) no shiny :| icky fake feel. and agreed with that being the problem. but I'm used to "you're killing cows, man!" when really cows are our staple, unlike pigs (ugh...I don't eat pork very often...) or chickens even. I'm not going to be a vegetarian  for peta. or peter. or joe jamous. >.>


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Hey hey. You may eat a lot of beef, but my family never ever does. Hamburgers is the only beef we eat. We pretty much eat pork as the staple, then chicken, ducks, rabbits, turkies. I know a lot of leather comes from pigs too, prolly lower quality. I think it's an Eastern Europe thing, I've never seen beef cows in Poland even.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

-smacks my forehead- I don't think it is roommates I have to worry about! it's me!!! I pulled on the cord to open the blinds and th whole things crushed my 29 gallon  I gotta do emergency move... and found a fish tnak luckily. 32. with 3 filters. and heater. and light.


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## ZergyMonster (Feb 20, 2012)

damn that sucks hope you and your fish are alright.


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## ravenwinds (Feb 5, 2012)

So much good advice from like minded individuals!
1: I hope your 2 bettas are doing well. I think it is safe to say that they have a couple hundred people thinking good thoughts and pulling for them!
2: I wholeheartedly agree w/ sivan(?) And others...save pics, call the cops and file animal abuse and destruction of property reports...even if its a slap on the wrist, it might help your roomies understand the extent of their actions...we all know they were lying!
3: File official complaint through your university...even if you live off campus! If your roomies are enrolled at the university, an official complaint of animal abuse coupled with destruction of property will get into their permanent RECORD!
4: if you live off campus, file a complaint with apartment owner/leaser/manager...it might help you recover some of the cost of healing the fish (I, too, hate calling them property but...by law fish is your property and roommates destroyed said property...). 

At least one of these complaints, if not all, will ensure some form of punishment for these delinquent animal abusers! They might even learn not to hurt animals...

I agree that there are many problems with Western culture and much of it is due to our low priorities with teaching our young (and I mean "our" as all of society!). We do throw a lot away, including our elderly! I work in a nursing home as a nurse and it brings me to tears how many families don't even come to visit...their excuse is usually "granny doesn't remember us anyway, so she can't be missing us." This is a poor excuse and usually not valid since even the most advanced cases of dementia know that they have been left! Just because someone can't remember your name or theirs, doesn't mean they don't remember you! Sorry, personal rant


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## Hallyx (Jun 11, 2011)

That is very good and sober advice, Ravenwinds. I would follow it in an instant. But you and Girsnoopy and everyone on this thread should understand the danger of revenge against you coming from anyone who would do that to an animal, especially one that does not 'belong' to them.

I called the Sheriff on a neighbor who assaulted me. I then endured three months of taunting and (unprovable) petty vandalism until I put a bullet through his mailbox. Never a problem after that. 

Do you understand that you may be called upon to defend yourself or take other aggressive action? Psychopaths can be dangerous to deal with. Multiple ones ones, doubly so.

(I'm not particularly delighted with the way this world is turning out, either.)


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## Pewmew (Jul 30, 2011)

wow, they are unbelievable, what the heck were they thinking!? feeding that much and putting another fish to torture yours? what the hell is wrong with them!? 

I'm so sorry this happen to you


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## Sivan (Aug 30, 2010)

Sena Hansler said:


> everyone rubs peta in my face when my bettas are in 1 gallon. and in someone else's face when they wear leather. and someone else's face because they broke their leg and couldn't walk their dog. oh boo on them drink my soiled fish water  I care for my animals =D
> 
> also, I wear leather (eeek someone call PETA > ) fyi, cows for slaughter.... mind as well use ALL the cow not just the meat. >.>


You should turn around and remind them that PETA kills 95% of all the animals they "save" and do not even try to find no-kill shelters or start up their own no-kill shelter for them. Oh, and, PETA also supports terrorist groups like ALF (Animal Liberation Front) and does not believe in any animal testing, not even for medical purposes despite the fact that their leader is diabetic and her treatment was discovered through animal testing. They claim that doesn't count, though, because she needs to be alive for the greater good of animals.


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

Sivan said:


> You should turn around and remind them that PETA kills 95% of all the animals they "save" and do not even try to find no-kill shelters or start up their own no-kill shelter for them. Oh, and, PETA also supports terrorist groups like ALF (Animal Liberation Front) and does not believe in any animal testing, not even for medical purposes despite the fact that their leader is diabetic and her treatment was discovered through animal testing. They claim that doesn't count, though, because she needs to be alive for the greater good of animals.


If all of what you said really is true, these people are whackos.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

uh, yeah :/ that person I knew was xD I'd be better off talking to the character crazy cat lady off of the Simpsons than people like that :lol: Our SPCA here is a no-kill unless they HAVE to...as in the dog is suffering so bad and will not live anyways... We had to take abandoned guinea piggies there, and they said they go to foster homes, get healthy, and go to good homes and never ever, put down =D except, if deathly sick or terribly injured..


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## Pogthefish (Mar 24, 2012)

Ok put him in a new tank and add aquarium salt. It will help with infection. Take care fo the other betta too by the way he did nothng wrong 

he should heal. Ask 4 new roommates btw. those guys r dicks


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Hope the 2 fishies are doing great. 

Side note, DON'T start me on peta. Honestly. They're such a crack joint it's unbelievable and I feel bad for anybody to licks their monthly donation cheque bc that money is going straight down the chute.


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## Sivan (Aug 30, 2010)

Sena Hansler said:


> uh, yeah :/ that person I knew was xD I'd be better off talking to the character crazy cat lady off of the Simpsons than people like that :lol: Our SPCA here is a no-kill unless they HAVE to...as in the dog is suffering so bad and will not live anyways... We had to take abandoned guinea piggies there, and they said they go to foster homes, get healthy, and go to good homes and never ever, put down =D except, if deathly sick or terribly injured..


What I said barely touches the disgustingness of that group. If interested, take a look at a very revealing (and humorous) show called _Penn And Teller: Bullshit!_ and watch the PETA episode. The hypocrisy of PETA is amazing.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

haha maybe I will  (wonder if peta'll pee their shorts if I were to aquariumize some river shrimp? xD)


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I kind of lost hope in PETA when they said I can't keep my snake or fish. 
They're against breeding exotics in captivity? Well I'm sorry but that's not going to kill the demand, which would just cause more wild caught animals. I do admit that I get their emails, don't donate or whatever, I signed their one petition to stop circus elephants or whatever, don't know what that did xD 
They always send emails about the horrors of no kill shelters, a few radical examples, to prove that no kill shelters are horrible places. If there is just one no kill shelter in an area, of course it'll get over crowded, I think it's silly to have a shelter over flowing with no resources and needy animals. But there is nothing wrong with small scale no kills that manage themselves well..


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

You should lock your roommate in a closet with a hungry tiger and install a viewing window to "watch them fight" that'll teach em


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## Sivan (Aug 30, 2010)

PETA, like ALF, is against keeping animals are pets. That is one of their long-term goals. They believe that animals should have 100% equal rights as human beings and that domesticating animals is cruel and should be illegal. Their actions even suggest to me that they value animal life over human life, or at least over lives of women, because of their past actions.

I don't live too far from Burlington, VT while at school and remember when the local news was covering a PETA rally. They were protesting Ben and Jerry's ice cream, claiming that milking cows is cruel and using milk for ice cream is abusive to the animals. PETA started saying that Ben and Jerry's should switch over to human breast milk if we wanted any ice cream at all because animals should not serve our purposes. 

People got angry at PETA who turned around and were all, "lol jk guyz" and claimed that they used breast milk as an example to bring awareness to how cows are treated in farms. Which, might I add, they are treated very well in most dairy farms in the upstate NY and Vermont areas. PETA claimed that if we wouldn't use humans for milk then we shouldn't use cows for milk.

I truly do hate that organization. They manipulate people with their name and take donations mostly from pet lovers, who really wouldn't benefit from their "set all the animals free" desires.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

hahaha finnfinn........

did you know cows can get sick and sometimes die if not milked? peta is silly for that. milking is harmless, and is essential to the cow's health =D ever see "what goes wrong" when hippy like people "free the animals"? everything goes wrong xD hehe.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

The udders get inflamed if not milked. This is due to the fact that dairy calves are separated from their mothers so we use the milk instead. The calves are fed some different formula. A calf would naturally keep this from happening, but we do it instead  I could never live without dairy products. I can drink a liter of milk in one day lol.


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## LionCalie (Sep 24, 2011)

13 pages and the OP has made 3 posts (not including the original). Can we please keep it on topic? :|


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## girsnoopy (Mar 26, 2012)

I just wanted to give everyone an update.

Finnegan is still alive and well. He is growing some clear bits on his fins.
I am not sure if this is regular regrowth of his fins or bacteria/fungi growing?










Thanks for all your everyone concern it means a lot!


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

I'm sorry. Carried away with animal abuse lol.
The clear on the edges is new fin growth. His are growing really fast so I wouldn't be too worried.
So what happened to the other guy?


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## girsnoopy (Mar 26, 2012)

Olympia said:


> I'm sorry. Carried away with animal abuse lol.
> The clear on the edges is new fin growth. His are growing really fast so I wouldn't be too worried.
> So what happened to the other guy?


Thats good to hear. He has been eating a lot so thats a good sign. I decided to take a picture of the offender for you. 








Im not very happy with him, and my roommates refuse to take him so im stuck with him. 
Does anyone know if I bring him into pets mart they will take him? 
I hate to do that but I dont have a very big tank for him and from what they said they kept him in a big tank and not a little jar.


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## ZergyMonster (Feb 20, 2012)

Looks like he is missing some fins too, I'm not sure if the petstore will take him back because they intend to resell him and it will be hard to sell a fish with missing fins. Either way you can always try to get them to take him and just say that you can't support him.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

find a home? anyone around you that likes bettas?


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Poor guy. Yea if you don't have anyone thatll take care of him you pretty much gotta take him back. Maybe post an ad to see if anyone would actually take care of him near you.


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

I wouldn't give him back to petsmart :/ 

Try posting an ad for him on kijiji or craigslist. And when someone comes to pick him up just give them instructions to continue a 10 day salt treatment. 
Looks like your fish is getting better! The most exciting part comes when the new growth gets its original color back!!


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## ravenwinds (Feb 5, 2012)

Sorry...I am having trouble believing any pet store had that big guy was in a community tank! He is a pretty blue, isn't he. Did your roomies tell you what store they bought him in? You could probably return him to the store he came from...you could even tell the manager what happened...if its a local pet store, they might care about their fish and try harder to make sure something like this doesn't happen again...worth a try :/...at least they will probably take him back and may even QT him until his fins heal.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Don't return him  If you don't have big tank it fine you can keep him in what you have him in now. It better then he will be neglected in the store.And he actually very pretty with his blue color...It also easy to make water changes in small bowls. It not his fault that they put him to fight  It natural instinct for bettas. He will be happy to have you....He will die in the store. While you have him active and eating he will be your friend. I had betta at work in i think even smaller container then .5 gall. It good to rescue him


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Glad to see that your boy is getting better. He has some very pretty red fins. The clear regrowth is a great sign! 

The other betta is probably a "king" or giant betta. They get much larger than regular betta and need larger tanks. I don't blame you for not wanting to keep him. If you know the store he was bought from, that might be your best bet. Depending on where you are, one of the members here might take him. It's worth an ask. At least you know he would be well taken care of.


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## OMGemily (Feb 28, 2012)

i was telling a friend of mine about your story and he said a similar thing happened to him. Not with bettas and there was no fighting but he asked his neighbors to feed his fish while he was gone... and came home to a huge pile of fish food in the middle of the tank... some people are just as worthless as bettas are in their eyes

Edit: really glad to see your fish are getting better though  even if you didnt plan on having a second. i wish Antiones fins would grow back that fast... ive had him for almost 4 weeks and im just starting to see regrowth in his anal fin


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

I don't think any store would care though. Any store i go near me don't even change the water. I come to the store and bettas cups almost don't even have water in it. One of the store has like 100 of them it like they got 2 shipment at once. And if so many bettas do you think they will change all cups ...NO...probobllly more then half will die. 
Stores don't care about if it kind betta and need more space. And people who will come to buy betta will look for healthy one not with damaged fins..so i don't think that if this betta will go back to the store it means that he will taking care of. Sorry anyone don't get mad at me it just braking my heart. I wish i would live near by i would take him.

The store will put him even in smaller cup and they just don't care. I want too so many stores and almost all of the unfortunately the same...don't care,don't change the water,food on the bottom of the cup, yellow water,dead bettas,i even saw they put them in the not see through cups....


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## girsnoopy (Mar 26, 2012)

I really dont want to bring him back to the pet store, they said they got it 
from petsmart and I know they dont take good care of their fish. Ill see if my 
brother would like to take him in. If not if anyone is in the Maryland area he is
still looking for a home.


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## OMGemily (Feb 28, 2012)

do you have a before pic of him? i know theres one in the first post but its so big i cant find your fish in it haha. he looks like he used to be beautiful  not that he isnt anymore, just beautiful in a different way


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

I am going to Maryland every year for vocation  I ll be there probably this year,not sure. We usually go end of July. Not sure if it helps...

I am glad that your boy is getting better


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## Ianthe (Jun 1, 2011)

How big is the tank he is in now? It looks like he made a bubble nest so he must be at least a little happy  I would say even if it is really small, he is still probably better off there than back at the pet store, I wouldn't put it past them to just flush him or something  

I hope you are able to find him a home!


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## LuckyBlue (Mar 26, 2012)

What a tragedy for both fish.... 

You might try googling "betta rescues". I saw one even on facebook. I'm sure there are people out there that would be interested in helping out BigBlue. Your boy is looking better...


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## Sivan (Aug 30, 2010)

girsnoopy said:


> I really dont want to bring him back to the pet store, they said they got it
> from petsmart and I know they dont take good care of their fish. Ill see if my
> brother would like to take him in. If not if anyone is in the Maryland area he is
> still looking for a home.


Have you reported your roommates to either the school or police?


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## SageMyster (Jul 13, 2011)

Poor baby!


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## SacredSeaMonkey (Feb 25, 2012)

It ticks me off this "roommate" has no feeling about this either way, what a horrible person! Secondly, I am glad your fish is doing better and the other fish seems to being doing good too. Just remember, the other fish is much of a victim as your fish, he did not ask to be bought and thrown in with another fish to "fight to the death". All they want is to be loved and taken care of, and that is what they deserve.


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## ravenwinds (Feb 5, 2012)

Well said SacredSeaMonkey! No animal asks to be denigrated this way; they all just want kindness from the humans in their lives.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

I really will be in Maryland this summer like 85% so if no one wants him i might take him. Just let me know. If someone will keep his water clean so he don't get sick i can rescue him. We usually live on costal way st or ave i don't remember. It usually 101 or 88 Costal way ...

 It actually pretty cool to have kind size betta. I wish all bettas that size lol May be you will change your mind and love him before you give him away  He is pretty cool.


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## girsnoopy (Mar 26, 2012)

So I just wanted to update everyone who was wondering on Finnegan's status. I'm happy to report I upgraded him to a new 10 gallon tank and he is happy as ever. His fins have finally fully regrown and he is lovin life!









I know this isn't the best picture but I thought id show you how happy he is 

Im also happy to report I moved out shortly after the incident with Finnegan and now he's in a happy new tank with his Plako friend, they get along great


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## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

Thats awesome...yeaaaaa for Finnegan !


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## babystarz (Aug 3, 2012)

I'm so sorry, this is terrible! It takes a special kind of jerk to mess with someone's pet  Your roommates are at the very least guilty of violating the student conduct code, so I hope you report them to your dean or someone.


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## MadameDesu (Feb 5, 2012)

Yayyyyy Finnegan! YAY!
This made my day. He's lucky to have such a loving owner :')


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

I'm so glad Finnegan healed and is in a better place.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

i know it made my day too!!! I love happy updates. So sorry , embarrassed, i forget who is Plako?

Sorry i don't want to bring bad memories but wondering what happened to another betta?


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## girsnoopy (Mar 26, 2012)

ANHEL123 said:


> i know it made my day too!!! I love happy updates. So sorry , embarrassed, i forget who is Plako?
> 
> Sorry i don't want to bring bad memories but wondering what happened to another betta?


Sorry I was trying to say Pleco a species of fish, an algae feeder. The other beta dubbed Killer is now in Finnegans old 5 gal tank and is doing very well, my brother ended up adopting him and he has gotten really big. Ill post pictures of him later for you guys


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Glad to hear this had a happy ending! :-D


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## LittleWatty (May 13, 2012)

Glad to hear Finnegan is okay! I think I'd shoot my roommate if I ever had that happen, and since I have several males - including a king - if the wrong person stays in my apartment (currently living alone), I could have a serious problem on my hands. Not counting the murder charges that would no doubt soon follow. I say good on you for moving out, and doing your best for your fish  It truly is was a tragedy what happened to him, but everything is alright now!

I do want to say one thing about the other betta (most likely a king, by the look and sound of him) being in a community tank. One of the Petco's near here has some employees who take pity on the bettas being kept in small cups, so they'll "accidentally" put them in with some of the other fish. The Petco I got my king at had a king in withe the koi/plant tank. The first time I saw him he was really stressed, but I went back a few weeks later and he was still alive and looking much better. Just thought I'd say that could be what happened, as I know it does!


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## BETTACHKALOVE (Nov 22, 2010)

Good luck!


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

lol i should understand pleco. It just i don't know any other fish besides bettas. I am glad they are doing good. Those bettas lucky to have you guys!!!


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## graymyca (Jun 25, 2012)

I was so shocked when I saw your posts but I am so happy that things turned out for you and Finnegan.


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## ktlelia (Jun 27, 2012)

Wow. I...just don't know what I'd do if my roommate did that...I'm SO glad he's better and happy!!


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## Aurie (Jun 22, 2012)

I read all 17 pages, and I'm glad this had a happy ending. Even for Killer. It really wasn't his fault and I'm glad he found a home too. He's better off than some other kid buying him and sticking him in a 1/4th gallon kritter keeper with no light/filtration and him dying. He has a shot now too.

Fin looks soo happy. Glad his fins grew back.


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## copperarabian (Apr 27, 2011)

Your poor boy, he went through a lot


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

I would clean his tank and keep his food in a high place. Hopefully the fins would grow back. They have automatic feeders.


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## deso (Apr 24, 2012)

Finnegan looks great! I've read the thread from the start and I must say, if I were in your position, I would have lost all self-control and gone completely berserk on those former roommates of yours.

OP, congrats to you and your brother on nursing him and Killer back to health!


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