# So I rescued a Betta...



## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

Hey everyone! My name is Caii (yes, that's my real name) and I'm in a bit of trouble... 

I'm a first year college student, and a now ex-friend of mine had a betta fish. Well, said friend of mine accidentally left his betta fish on campus over our month-long break with no one to care for it... we come back, and I found out that the poor thing was in dire need of some TLC. Like, it was bad: it wasn't moving, and the water was so low and so dark.. I though the fish had died. Upon further inspection, however, the fish was alive. I immediately changed his water to the best of my knowledge, fed him (since he hadn't had food in at least a few weeks) and tried to make him comfortable... then harassed my now ex-friend about animal cruelty and what not. To which point, he said, "It's a goddamn fish! You care so much? Take it or I'll flush him." So I took the "goddamn" fish and brought him home today... and this is where I'm in trouble. 

The little fish is in what I think is a half-gallon container with a lid, some colorful rocks, a yellow Ferrari and some fake foliage. I don't know anything about fish keeping, other than the fact that this little guy needs a bigger space with some real aquatic plants to lead a comfortable life. 

I've read the posts and joined this site because I've nowhere to go. I intend to keep Bo (that's what I think I'll call him) until he dies, and I hope I can keep him so that he leads a long, healthy life.

That being said, my knowledge level is at zero. I currently have him on my little table with a tea light candle far enough away to light up the tank and possibly warm it without hurting Bo, but I'm afraid that the tank may still be too cold. I have no money for a thermometer, or anything else Bo needs, but I'm currently working to find someone who wouldn't mind being charitable with a spare tank or funds (if there ever was such a thing!) 

All in all, what could I do to make do with the current situation? How can I help this fish when he needs all the help he can get? 

All advice and comments are direly, desperately, and graciously appreciated.

Thank you so much for reading this post and I hope to hear from you soon!

P.S.- Are bubble a good sign? He became much more active since the water change and food to my happy surprise and blew bubbles (that's good, right? ^///^; ) 

Attached is a photo of his current set up in my room! 
Comments/ concerns? Thank you!


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## shellieca (Jul 12, 2012)

Good for you! As much as I advocate bigger you can keep him in his current container if you do water changes frequently, say 50% every 3-4 days. some would also suggest a 100% per week. You need a water conditioner to make the tap water safe for him, I use Prime. The main thing he's going to need is clean, warm water. If at all possible invest in a heater for him so his water can be at least 76F & get a thermometer to monitor the temp.. With those 3 things, water conditioner, heater & thermometer, you may spend $30 or more depending on where you purchase them & what kind you get. Start with those things & then go from there as funds allow.


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## mattoboy (Feb 4, 2012)

Good on you for rescuing!

For sure, bubbles are a good thing!

Looks like Bo is in a good home right now! 

If you have anything black like paper or bubble wrap, you can put it on top and put a light near (Or the setup by a light) and it will absorb through and get trapped inside the tank and warm the tank a little bit. I see your in Texas so it shouldn't be as cold as it is here in Canada 

Hope all goes well, Craigslist is a good spot to start looking for second-hand items at a decent price, if not free!

Matt


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## veggiegirl (Nov 20, 2012)

Hey there,

Oh I am so glad that you rescued poor Bo!!! Flushing a fish is so cruel. Anyhow this will be a bit difficult..... to remain healthy bettas need a heater, filter and a larger tank. If you may be able to obtain funds for these in the hopefully near future then there is still hope for your boy.

In the mean time....... Bettas need stable temperatures in order to remain healthy, temperature fluctuations compromises their immune system and puts them at risk of all sorts of terrible illnesses. (Hence they need a heater). Anyway until you can get one be sure to wrap his tank up with blankets and towels at night time to help insulate him. Also try to find the warmest place in your house with the most stable temperature.....some people say that on top of a fridge keep the temp pretty stable but he would still need to be wrapped up at least at night.

Because his tank is so tiny I would recommend 50% water changes every 2-3 days. Be sure to add a good water conditioner which will remove toxic chlorine from the water as well as other harmful heavy metals etc. 

Good on you for rescuing him let us know how he goes.


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

shellieca said:


> Good for you! As much as I advocate bigger you can keep him in his current container if you do water changes frequently, say 50% every 3-4 days. some would also suggest a 100% per week. You need a water conditioner to make the tap water safe for him, I use Prime. The main thing he's going to need is clean, warm water. If at all possible invest in a heater for him so his water can be at least 76F & get a thermometer to monitor the temp.. With those 3 things, water conditioner, heater & thermometer, you may spend $30 or more depending on where you purchase them & what kind you get. Start with those things & then go from there as funds allow.


Thank you for answering!
I have the water conditioner! The guy I got Bo from gave me Bo, the tank, the fake plants, the rocks, the Ferrari and some water conditioner. I had to go buy food because I forgot to grab that on my way out... ^^;

Is Tetra a good brand?


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

mattoboy said:


> Good on you for rescuing!
> 
> For sure, bubbles are a good thing!
> 
> ...


Thank you for the Craigslist idea and for responding! I never really thought about that~ XD


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I disagree with needing a filter... They also don't NEED a larger tank. A half gallon is not good long term, but I will say that he is in better hands now with you than he was with your ex-friend.

If you happen to find someone who will be nice enough to give you a larger tank and a heater, that would be great! But right now, frequent water changes will be best for him. It's difficult to properly heat that size tank, especially without a heater... even with a heater, a 1/2 gallon is hard to heat consistently.

Edit: sorry. No, tetra is not a very great brand but it will do. Omega One is a good quality brand, as well as New Life Spectrum, but the Omega One should be a little cheaper.


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## shellieca (Jul 12, 2012)

Caii said:


> Thank you for answering!
> I have the water conditioner! The guy I got Bo from gave me Bo, the tank, the fake plants, the rocks, the Ferrari and some water conditioner. I had to go buy food because I forgot to grab that on my way out... ^^;
> 
> Is Tetra a good brand?


Good on the conditioner. As for the food it will do if he's eating it but when you can get some Omega One or New Life Spectrum pellets they're better quality. A little more expensive but its a lot of food & will last a long time. Also feeding them frozen blood worms, brine shrimp & daphnia once or twice a week is good too. You can get freeze dried blood worms if you don't want to get frozen just soak them for a few minutes before feeding.


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

veggiegirl said:


> Hey there,
> 
> Oh I am so glad that you rescued poor Bo!!! Flushing a fish is so cruel. Anyhow this will be a bit difficult..... to remain healthy bettas need a heater, filter and a larger tank. If you may be able to obtain funds for these in the hopefully near future then there is still hope for your boy.
> 
> ...


I agree completely; I think part of the reason I got so inflamed about the whole situation was because the guy really didn't seem to care about Bo... I mean, I didn't know the fish, but I didn't want him to die! 

At this point, would you say the the thermometer is the key thing right now? I completely changed his water Wednesday, so he should be ok with that until the next partial change Saturday, right? I think if I can do full changes every week and partial changes every half week... maybe it would help more? 

I'm just worried that his immune system isn't good because of the filth he was breathing in for god-knows how long... am I too worried? (Thanks for the reply!)


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I disagree with needing a filter... They also don't NEED a larger tank. A half gallon is not good long term, but I will say that he is in better hands now with you than he was with your ex-friend.
> 
> If you happen to find someone who will be nice enough to give you a larger tank and a heater, that would be great! But right now, frequent water changes will be best for him. It's difficult to properly heat that size tank, especially without a heater... even with a heater, a 1/2 gallon is hard to heat consistently.
> 
> Edit: sorry. No, tetra is not a very great brand but it will do. Omega One is a good quality brand, as well as New Life Spectrum, but the Omega One should be a little cheaper.


Thanks for the response! Can I find these brands at Petsmart?


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## sainthogan (Sep 27, 2012)

Bubbles aren't necessarily a sign of health though, but a sign of breeding readiness. When I was much younger, my friend's sister had a Betta in an 8 oz cup with water so dirty you could barely see through it and it was still blowing bubbles.

However, increased activity is a good sign, unless it's very erratic and looks like he's scratching on things. 

It looks like you've got a good temporary set-up. With what you have now, you'll need to completely change his water at least 3 times a week, you will need a water conditioner to remove the harmful chemicals in the tap water (it's not a good idea to use bottled water because sometimes it lacks the essentials needed for your fish). Scoop out any uneaten food so that it doesn't rot and cause your fish illness. Remember to reacclimate him to his new clean water slowly - never just dump him in - temperature and water parameter differences can throw him into shock. Keep an eye on his tails and fins, if they get clamped, or he changes color (such as begins to look gold), he's ill and needs medication and warm, clean water. Also, check that ferrari, if it's metal, it should be removed, metals like that can be harmful to fish (my uncle lost almost an entire tank of fish when his grandson dumped in a metal back to a pin)

But when you can, here's some things you'll need besides a bigger tank: Heater - Bettas are tropical, and need consistent temperatures between 76-82 degrees, a good quality pellet food - look for one that has very few fillers such as wheat and is mostly derived from fish protein sources (they are mostly carnivorous, but on occasion have been known to eat algae wafers that were fed to tank mates), thermometer to keep an eye on the water temp, treats - such as freeze-dried or frozen blood worms to vary the diet and offer something special (I feed mine freeze-dried blood worms after water changes).

And last but not least, beware of the "Betta Bug", it's extremely contagious. Bettas become very addictive, and once you realize how personable and unique they are you'll want more and pretty soon, you'll find that you too have been bitten by the "Betta Bug". ;D


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

shellieca said:


> Good on the conditioner. As for the food it will do if he's eating it but when you can get some Omega One or New Life Spectrum pellets they're better quality. A little more expensive but its a lot of food & will last a long time. Also feeding them frozen blood worms, brine shrimp & daphnia once or twice a week is good too. You can get freeze dried blood worms if you don't want to get frozen just soak them for a few minutes before feeding.


Where may I find the... uh.. "fresher" food? Is it expensive?


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I believe New Life Spectrum can only be found at Petco, but I'm not sure on Omega One... I go to petco, usually.

I'd use pellets as the staple diet. Freeze dried bloodworms are like treats... They can even be found at walmart.


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

sainthogan said:


> Bubbles aren't necessarily a sign of health though, but a sign of breeding readiness. When I was much younger, my friend's sister had a Betta in an 8 oz cup with water so dirty you could barely see through it and it was still blowing bubbles.
> 
> However, increased activity is a good sign, unless it's very erratic and looks like he's scratching on things.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the reply! Thankfully he's not ramming himself into things or acting like he's crazy, but he's actually SWIMMING now! <3
I added a bit of warm conditioned water to his tank earlier, just so he could get used to our tap water and so that hopefully his water wouldn't be too cold~ where his former owner was keeping him, it was dark and drafty. Is this a good idea? Adding warmer cups of conditioned water until Bo's ok with our water? 
As to the other matter, I'm unsure about the car: I should remove it immediately?

P.S.- I have a sneaking suspicion that I may be getting the Betta Bug~ I admire Bo's spirit so much!


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I believe New Life Spectrum can only be found at Petco, but I'm not sure on Omega One... I go to petco, usually.
> 
> I'd use pellets as the staple diet. Freeze dried bloodworms are like treats... They can even be found at walmart.


Thank you very much! I'm making a list of key points and things I need thus far~ everyone's input truly is very helpful ^_^


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I wouldn't add large amounts of water that is warmer than his current water. Actually, I'd let the conditioned water sit out and get to room temp since you don't have a thermometer... Temp fluctuations are stressful.

I can give you a pretty complete list of things to purchase (in order of most important first) and approximate costs of each, if you would like.


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## sainthogan (Sep 27, 2012)

Caii said:


> Thank you for the reply! Thankfully he's not ramming himself into things or acting like he's crazy, but he's actually SWIMMING now! <3
> I added a bit of warm conditioned water to his tank earlier, just so he could get used to our tap water and so that hopefully his water wouldn't be too cold~ where his former owner was keeping him, it was dark and drafty. Is this a good idea? Adding warmer cups of conditioned water until Bo's ok with our water?
> As to the other matter, I'm unsure about the car: I should remove it immediately?
> 
> P.S.- I have a sneaking suspicion that I may be getting the Betta Bug~ I admire Bo's spirit so much!



I would try to keep the cups of water at a consistent temperature. If you want him to adapt to the temperature of the room until you can get a bigger tank with a heater, you'll want to let the water gradually reach room temperature, rather than continually adding warmer water. It's very hard to keep the temperature consistent that way and that could cause him unnecessary stress.


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I wouldn't add large amounts of water that is warmer than his current water. Actually, I'd let the conditioned water sit out and get to room temp since you don't have a thermometer... Temp fluctuations are stressful.
> 
> I can give you a pretty complete list of things to purchase (in order of most important first) and approximate costs of each, if you would like.


That would be insanely helpful~ though I have no money, I would truly like to know what I should be looking for! Hopefully I can persuade my mom to help me with the more necessary items ^^'
Thank you!


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

sainthogan said:


> I would try to keep the cups of water at a consistent temperature. If you want him to adapt to the temperature of the room until you can get a bigger tank with a heater, you'll want to let the water gradually reach room temperature, rather than continually adding warmer water. It's very hard to keep the temperature consistent that way and that could cause him unnecessary stress.


Ah, I see... what if my house temperature is chilly, though? My room used to be the garage, so there's little to no insulation and it can get pretty cold in here (though it's- oddly enough- one of the warmer rooms in the house...) If the water becomes too cold... what should I do then, until I can get a heater or something?


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Good on you! The world needs more people like you. Thermometers are not mice, but I know what being a student is like. Just try to keep it stable and we would love some close up shots of Bo!


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## veggiegirl (Nov 20, 2012)

Hey there,

I am so glad that you cared enough to rescue Bo Bettas have feelings too... I don't understand why people would go to the trouble to buy a betta and then decide that they don't care if they die:-?

A thermometer probably isn't your main priority right now as if you have no way of heating the tank knowing that he is cold isn't really going to help..... just save all you can for a heater......maybe you could find a cheap one online, just make sure it has a thermostat. 

That water changing routine that you mention should be just fine.


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

MattsBettas said:


> Good on you! The world needs more people like you. Thermometers are not mice, but I know what being a student is like. Just try to keep it stable and we would love some close up shots of Bo!


Thank you for your response, your understanding, and your input! I've never really tried to take a picture of a fish before, but I'd really love to see his coloring! He's got distinguishable purple, blue, and orange! I don't know what kind of Betta he is, though... could you possibly tell from the photo?


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

veggiegirl said:


> Hey there,
> 
> I am so glad that you cared enough to rescue Bo Bettas have feelings too... I don't understand why people would go to the trouble to buy a betta and then decide that they don't care if they die:-?
> 
> ...


From what I've gathered just reading around the site and in doing Betta research for Bo, I'm sad to say that a lot of people- myself included- had or have a lot of misconceptions about Betta fish care; this perpetuates bad myths that lead to bad habits. If I hadn't started trying to be informed or met you guys, I would have never known about the importance of temperature or tank size or conditioning... I'm very glad I did, though, and I'm certain that Bo will be happier in the long run too ^_^

Thank you for caring as much as I do!


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## osromatra (Jan 9, 2013)

Yikes! How could someone treat a defenseless animal that way! what a blessing for Bo that you rescued him though!

For cheap stuff, maybe get on craigslist or put a cheap classified in the paper and see if someone can give you thermometer/heater/larger space for cheap or free.


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## BettaPirate (Nov 20, 2012)

I agree with everyone else, good for you! Also craigslist is great, I found a bunch of tanks for cheap in my area, unfortunately they were all gone by the time I responded to the ads. I would say focus on water quality and temp for now and a bigger tank second.


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

osromatra said:


> Yikes! How could someone treat a defenseless animal that way! what a blessing for Bo that you rescued him though!
> 
> For cheap stuff, maybe get on craigslist or put a cheap classified in the paper and see if someone can give you thermometer/heater/larger space for cheap or free.


Thank you for the thought! I've been searching CL and I'm going to post an ad for fish supplies in the morning~ wish me luck!


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

BettaPirate said:


> I agree with everyone else, good for you! Also craigslist is great, I found a bunch of tanks for cheap in my area, unfortunately they were all gone by the time I responded to the ads. I would say focus on water quality and temp for now and a bigger tank second.


Thank you for responding! I definitively agree that temperature is my main concern right now since my house is really chilly @[email protected]
Hopefully tomorrow I can go get a thermometer and other necessities!


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

If you have a paypal account - search on ebay for stuff. Some sellers are in china but offer free shipping on decor. Amazon as well.

If funds are low and you want to upgrade him into something bigger so you can get a heater - go to walmart or where ever and look at the storage bins. Not the most attractive thing to have on display but the fish won't care. You should be able to find one that's between 2-5 gallons that will be uner or about $5. And a heater will not melt the plastic ;-) Upgrade to an actual tank when you can afford it.


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

Tikibirds said:


> If you have a paypal account - search on ebay for stuff. Some sellers are in china but offer free shipping on decor. Amazon as well.
> 
> If funds are low and you want to upgrade him into something bigger so you can get a heater - go to walmart or where ever and look at the storage bins. Not the most attractive thing to have on display but the fish won't care. You should be able to find one that's between 2-5 gallons that will be uner or about $5. And a heater will not melt the plastic ;-) Upgrade to an actual tank when you can afford it.


Thank you for the response and the cool ideas! I'm currently looking at thermometers, so maybe I can find one I can stick!


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## SpeakNow13 (Nov 29, 2012)

Horray! Im so glad you saved him! High five! I kept my fishy warm with a heating pad until I could get a heater once. Wasn't a permanent solution but helped for a bit


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## homegrown terror (Aug 6, 2012)

if you can afford about $8 (including shipping) go here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...23059&sr=8-1&keywords=bettastik&condition=new we've got several of these, and for a tank under 5 gallons they work wonderfully. there are sellers on there selling them under five bucks. as for a bigger home, if there's a walmart near you, you could pick up one of these http://www.walmart.com/ip/Anchor-Hocking-Heritage-Hill-2-Gal-Jar-with-Lid/16486707 it's two gallons and made of very thick glass, which will help to insulate and retain warmth, so for under $20 you could have a pretty good head start on getting him a proper home. beyond that, if you get some live plants (which you should buy from the actual plant tank at the pet store, not the tubes since those tube plants are more expensive and generally less healthy) they will do wonders towards giving him cleaner water (they absorb and use the ammonia he produces) and also giving him a friendlier, more natural environment. i would take the toy car out, there's a good chance there are metal components in it, which can erode into the water and poison him.


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

*Update*



Caii said:


> Hey everyone! My name is Caii (yes, that's my real name) and I'm in a bit of trouble...
> 
> I'm a first year college student, and a now ex-friend of mine had a betta fish. Well, said friend of mine accidentally left his betta fish on campus over our month-long break with no one to care for it... we come back, and I found out that the poor thing was in dire need of some TLC. Like, it was bad: it wasn't moving, and the water was so low and so dark.. I though the fish had died. Upon further inspection, however, the fish was alive. I immediately changed his water to the best of my knowledge, fed him (since he hadn't had food in at least a few weeks) and tried to make him comfortable... then harassed my now ex-friend about animal cruelty and what not. To which point, he said, "It's a goddamn fish! You care so much? Take it or I'll flush him." So I took the "goddamn" fish and brought him home today... and this is where I'm in trouble.
> 
> ...


Busy busy day today! First and foremost, thank you all for your help and well wishes! Bo and I couldn't have survived otherwise~ 

By the good fortune of the universe, Craigslist and PetSmart, I was able to obtain a tank thermometer, a 2.5 gallon tank, some rocks and a live Anubias Nana plant!!! Needless to say, it was a very exciting day and a confusing one as well!

Even so, Bo's movement has slowed down after I did a complete water change and moved him over, but I'm hoping that he's just trying to get a feel for all of his new space and that I'm not stressing him out too much! What do you think? I'm worried, but at this point I'm hoping that he's alright... 

Thank you so much once again, and god bless all of you and your amazing kindness: I hope that with your advice and my love, Bo can lead a long, healthy, beautiful life. Thank you thank you thank you!!!

Yours truly, 

Bo and Caii 

P.S.- The attached photos are of his new surroundings and of Bo himself! I'm hoping to get him a little hiding spot soon... would it be too much though? Comments and advice are always welcome!


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Awesome! It looks great. I'm not an expert on plants, but hopefully you've got good enough lighting for it. Anubias are pretty hardy. It also looks as if his tank isn't too incredibly cold, ATM.

He could use some more decorations. You can't really have too many  Walmart has $1 coffe mugs that you could use as a cave (I but them new because old mugs have soap residue on them.

I'm super happy for both of you! Bo is a very lucky Betta, indeed


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Awesome! It looks great. I'm not an expert on plants, but hopefully you've got good enough lighting for it. Anubias are pretty hardy. It also looks as if his tank isn't too incredibly cold, ATM.
> 
> He could use some more decorations. You can't really have too many  Walmart has $1 coffe mugs that you could use as a cave (I but them new because old mugs have soap residue on them.
> 
> I'm super happy for both of you! Bo is a very lucky Betta, indeed


Thank you so much Ayala! I couldn't have done it without your comprehensive list and everyone's great advice! ^_^

(Is it alright that he's really lethargic, though?)


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Lethargy is not a good sign. Was he lethargic before you moved him to the new tank? Was the temp the same, did you acclimate him slowly, forget water conditioner? He may be a little overwhelmed... There's a lot of open space, there. Usually they get curious and check out a new tank. Watch him closely for other symptoms.


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Lethargy is not a good sign. Was he lethargic before you moved him to the new tank? Was the temp the same, did you acclimate him slowly, forget water conditioner? He may be a little overwhelmed... There's a lot of open space, there. Usually they get curious and check out a new tank. Watch him closely for other symptoms.


No, he was swimming like he was and then I moved him. I made sure to condition the water and let it sit, then when I put Bo in his transfer cup, I slowly added some of the new water so he could get used to it. I even added a bit of his old water to help with the transition. As to the temperature: it was just a degree or two above his old container. When I finally put him in his new tank, he was buzzing around and looking at everything (though it took him awhile to approach the plant.) Now he's just moving slowly around the top of the tank and along the sides... I just put in a small hiding place for him that I washed diligently with no soap or anything so that it wasn't so overwhelming. He's moving, but slowly... 

Should I be worried?


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## homegrown terror (Aug 6, 2012)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Awesome! It looks great. I'm not an expert on plants, but hopefully you've got good enough lighting for it. Anubias are pretty hardy. It also looks as if his tank isn't too incredibly cold, ATM.
> 
> He could use some more decorations. You can't really have too many  Walmart has $1 coffe mugs that you could use as a cave (I but them new because old mugs have soap residue on them.
> 
> I'm super happy for both of you! Bo is a very lucky Betta, indeed


i have GOT to show you the 3gal my fiance opioid slumber just scaped this week...it's fully live planted, with two coffee mugs in there, one over on its side and one kinda upright with plants growing from it like a flower pot.


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

homegrown terror said:


> i have GOT to show you the 3gal my fiance opioid slumber just scaped this week...it's fully live planted, with two coffee mugs in there, one over on its side and one kinda upright with plants growing from it like a flower pot.


That sounds beautiful! Please feel free to post a picture!


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I love planted tanks. I don't have one yet, lol, but I've got everything prepared so I can make my 10 gallon sorority a planted tank. I also have a coffee mug in one tank and I think I'll get a terracotta pot to replace the cave I had to remove from my VTs tank because of exposed metal :/

How long do you leave the lights on, Caii?


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I love planted tanks. I don't have one yet, lol, but I've got everything prepared so I can make my 10 gallon sorority a planted tank. I also have a coffee mug in one tank and I think I'll get a terracotta pot to replace the cave I had to remove from my VTs tank because of exposed metal :/
> 
> How long do you leave the lights on, Caii?


Well, I don't have a light for the tank~ I let the sun hit it in the day, and right now I have my bedroom light on. I'm currently looking up heaters for my tank because I believe that poor Bo's water isn't up to snuff... I lit a candle to try and give a little extra heat where safely possible. Unfortunately, I don't have any more funds at the moment and my mother's not very considerate of Bo simply because he's a fish. I turned up the house thermostat though... I hope maybe that'll help. The tank thermometer reads 72 degrees, and Bo's just.... suspended at the top.

: <

Edit: Now he's laying on a leaf... is he going to sleep? @[email protected]


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## osromatra (Jan 9, 2013)

mine always acts cautious when I change the water or when I first added him or swims "thoughtfully" and takes his time analyzing anything new. 

I'd give him some time to adjust, just keep an eye on him.


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## osromatra (Jan 9, 2013)

maybe wrap a thick blanket around his tank, help conserve the heat.


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

osromatra said:


> mine always acts cautious when I change the water or when I first added him or swims "thoughtfully" and takes his time analyzing anything new.
> 
> I'd give him some time to adjust, just keep an eye on him.


Ack! Bo keeps going back and forth from levitating, to swimming slowly, to hiding in the leaves to giving me a heart attack by barely floating! 

Still, thank you for your thoughts on the matter. Hopefully he's just... getting used to everything. I didn't keep anything from his old tank but the fake grass, so maybe he's just overwhelmed...

Whenever you changes your betta's surroundings, how did they deal with it? Did you worry so much?


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

osromatra said:


> maybe wrap a thick blanket around his tank, help conserve the heat.


Agreed~ I'm going to wrap his tank in my Dallas Cowboys snuggie!


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I had one who flared at everything, another who acted totally normal, and my girls also flared a bit. They are all different.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Also, try to give him only 8-12 hours of light a day. They don't have eyelids so you need to have darkness to sleep. When I turn out my tank lights I also cover them with a blanket or towel to keep out the light (except for on my blind bettas tank, lol.)

Resting on leaves is normal if its not excessive.


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I had one who flared at everything, another who acted totally normal, and my girls also flared a bit. They are all different.


*Sighs* I know, I know... I can't help but root for him, though ^^;
After everything that's happened to him, I want him to know what a good home is like and what love is like. I suppose I'm just afraid that if something happens to him, he wouldn't have known any of that.

...

Sorry, I'm crazy... ^^;


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## SpeakNow13 (Nov 29, 2012)

The betta bug is a wonderful thing to get


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Also, try to give him only 8-12 hours of light a day. They don't have eyelids so you need to have darkness to sleep. When I turn out my tank lights I also cover them with a blanket or towel to keep out the light (except for on my blind bettas tank, lol.)
> 
> Resting on leaves is normal if its not excessive.


Ah, I see... what about simply floating? Like, upright, fins moving, but just.... floating?


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## osromatra (Jan 9, 2013)

I'm on my third betta. I've learned they all have distinct personalities. mine have all gotten more sedate as they got older. do you know his age?

my first was curious and frisky until he died at about 5 years old. my second was only energetic his first year. current one, he is probably around a year old now and quite energetic and curious. he has a lot more space than the previous ones, so I'm eager to see what a difference it will make.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Caii said:


> *Sighs* I know, I know... I can't help but root for him, though ^^;
> After everything that's happened to him, I want him to know what a good home is like and what love is like. I suppose I'm just afraid that if something happens to him, he wouldn't have known any of that.
> 
> ...
> ...


You are not crazy, lol. Sometimes they get sick from the bad care they received in the past. He will likely recover -you are doing a great job taking care of him- but if anything were to happen, I am 100% sure it would not be your fault, but his previous owner's.

Also, they are very smart fish. They do know you are helping, and in a fishy way they do appreciate it. They come to recognize who their caretaker is - they will know your hand, that its the one that feeds them and cares for them. They are also incredibly social fish and love your attention.


Edit: floating is pretty normal as long as they are upright and moving their fins. They spend a lot of time at the surface... Because they breathe air from the surface. This is why I recommend tall plants for resting places.


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

SpeakNow13 said:


> The betta bug is a wonderful thing to get


It is, but it'd be better if I wasn't constantly worried about my betta baby!


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> You are not crazy, lol. Sometimes they get sick from the bad care they received in the past. He will likely recover -you are doing a great job taking care of him- but if anything were to happen, I am 100% sure it would not be your fault, but his previous owner's.
> 
> Also, they are very smart fish. They do know you are helping, and in a fishy way they do appreciate it. They come to recognize who their caretaker is - they will know your hand, that its the one that feeds them and cares for them. They are also incredibly social fish and love your attention.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the reassurance, Ayala. It means a lot to me ^_^
I'll do my best!


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## lf0210 (Jan 19, 2013)

I love this post, and so far, Bo! I have .5 gallon so far (bad, ik, but my funds are running really low) and no heater. My room gets cold during the night so I'm going to wrap a blanket around his tank. Best of luck to you!


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

lf0210 said:


> I love this post, and so far, Bo! I have .5 gallon so far (bad, ik, but my funds are running really low) and no heater. My room gets cold during the night so I'm going to wrap a blanket around his tank. Best of luck to you!


Thank you very much lf0210~ Bo and I are hanging in there! XD
As per your situation, just do the best you can- that's all we can do, and in the end... that's all that matters. I can't wait to see the progress you'll make with Skittles! ^^
Good luck to you as well!


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I've sealed the windows in my fish room with that window sealer stuff to prevent drafts... Even though they all have heaters, lol.


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## gbose (Dec 2, 2010)

Caii,

Keep us updated -- I really hope the little guy comes through!!

Gbose


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

gbose said:


> Caii,
> 
> Keep us updated -- I really hope the little guy comes through!!
> 
> Gbose


Thank you Gbose! Since the weather here's been colder than usual, I've been freaking out the past few nights on Bo's water temp and conditions~ all of you have been so supportive and helpful that I'm even more inspired to do what I can for my betta baby! 

I'm going later on today to buy him a little hiding ornament and a heater from Craigslist~ will post pictures when I figure out how it all works!


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## RuniChan (Jan 20, 2013)

Hey Caii! I totally get where you're coming from haha, I just rescued two Bettas from little cousins and have been freaking out about them being not warm enough or too cold or etc. 

If you're interested I posted in the intro forum about my fish: 
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=126319


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## osromatra (Jan 9, 2013)

just checking for an update on Bo. I hope he's perking up and enjoying his New digs.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Yay!
Glad to hear you found a heater and that little Bo is still kicking. He's definitely one lucky boy


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## Caii (Jan 17, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Yay!
> Glad to hear you found a heater and that little Bo is still kicking. He's definitely one lucky boy


Thank you Ayala! ^^

He's doing well! <3


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