# Rescued betta form evil walmart



## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Ok, first off I know that getting any betta from walmart is not right and just keeps the nasty cycle going but I couldn't help myself. Several were dead, one couldn't float right and the one I rescued didn't look any better. Manager gave him to me for free and right now I have him in a hospital tank with some bettafix (melaleuca main ingredient). Any advice? 

Tank size: 1 gallon
No heater
No filter
Water treated with Prime

Pics will follow later. Right now he's just resting on the bottom and it looks like he's breathing rapidly under water, even though I know they swim to the surface for air. He definitely has fin rot. This is the first time I have ever done anything like this so I am DEFINITELY in new territory


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Uugh, not form walmart but from walmart :/


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Hm. Well I see you're in Texas so it's probably warm, but what's your water temperature? Vital to healing fin rot. Also you should be doing 100 % changes daily on him. 
If he's breathing rapidly I think that's a sign of high ammonia that was probably in his cup.. So clean water.. Maybe some aquarium salt if you have some with you.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Olympia said:


> Hm. Well I see you're in Texas so it's probably warm, but what's your water temperature? Vital to healing fin rot. Also you should be doing 100 % changes daily on him.
> If he's breathing rapidly I think that's a sign of high ammonia that was probably in his cup.. So clean water.. Maybe some aquarium salt if you have some with you.


Well since this was a "spur of the moment thing" I didn't think of getting a thermometer but I would guess the water is at least 77-80. The first thing I did when I got home (didn't even put the milk up) was to clean out the hospital tank and get him moved over PRONTO. But I am a little unsure of adding salts or adding bettafix. Right now there are no salts but there is bettafix in there with him. Also I think he may be young cause he's on the small end. Also, should I feed him or let him kinda chill out and get used to being in something MUCH BETTER?


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## JBosley (Jan 28, 2012)

I have heard bad things about betta fix. Most people on here seem to use non scented Epsom salts! I'm not sure how much, so I would wait for someone more experienced...

I hope he survives!


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

yeah, since my post i've been researching bettafix and the more i read, the more nervous i get. i'm pulling him out of that water and putting him in fresh water with some salts.


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## JBosley (Jan 28, 2012)

carolinagirl said:


> yeah, since my post i've been researching bettafix and the more i read, the more nervous i get. i'm pulling him out of that water and putting him in fresh water with some salts.


Good idea!  Hopefully with warm water, epsom salts and frequent water changes he'll pull through


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Epsom salt is good for bloating. 
A 7-10 day aquarium salt treatment is a good start, it'll clear up most unserious things, 1 tsp per gallon.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Almost all my fish come from walmart, usually in bad shape.

First up - I would skip the bettafix. Many say its great but alot say it killed their betta. If you insist on using it, do NOT OD on it. The main ingredient can destroy their breathing organ. If you are using it for fin rot, I would switch to aquarium salt instead.

Do you have a tank with a heater? if so float him in it in his walmart cup. 
If you have Amquel plus, I would suggest using that for conditioner. it's supposed to help with ammonia poisioning. If you have an eye dropper or turkey baster you can easily change his water if you keep him in the cup. I would also keep him in a dark, quite location for now.

For Aquarium salt - 1 teaspoon per gallon. Make sure its disolved before you add the fish. I use a milk jug to mix it up in. 

Good Luck

EDIT:
I misssed the bloated part. if he is bloated then yes, use Epsom. it can be used for days on end. If you are fighting something external like fin rot then its aquarium salt and should not be used more then 10-14 days. it's 1 teaspoon per gallon for both


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Well, the only thing I'm sure of is he has fin rot. But maybe he doesn't. I really need to hunt down my iphone and upload some pics. Right now he is in some water with Prime and aquarium salts. He is in a dark area of the room and hopefully he will start to feel better soon. Will see how tonight goes and will feed him in the morning or should I feed him now?


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

You can try feeding him now but I would wait till tomorrow.

here is an old post of mine. Maybe something in there would be helpful to you? He sounds like he is in a similar condition..all the pics are gone though but the info is still there

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=88932


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

in all honesty, i don't use meds to treat any kind of fin issue, even rot, unless it's REALLY bad, and WON'T go away.

just clean water usually does the trick. adding a little aquarium salt will help kill any bacteria, but in the CT i bought from walmart last easter(he was that stores LAST betta EVER!), just clean water did the trick. :B his rays grew back beautifully. even had a dinky one that was shaped like a Y. lol


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Just took a pic. I haven't seen him go up for air yet. He just stays on the bottom. I tried to encourage him to swim up but it was a no go. He seemed like he had trouble swimming but when i was floating him he darted back and forth okay. I'm afraid I'm in over my head but I gotta try. If he doesn't make it at least he will pass away in clean water instead of that crap walmart had him in. WM really needs to stop selling fish.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Tikibirds said:


> You can try feeding him now but I would wait till tomorrow.
> 
> here is an old post of mine. Maybe something in there would be helpful to you? He sounds like he is in a similar condition..all the pics are gone though but the info is still there
> 
> http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=88932


Tikibirds, the situation does sound similar. I'm just doing the best I can. Maybe I should float him in a cup in my regular fish tank. At least that ones heated. This might sound stupid but whenever I tried floating my other betta in his tank after changes the cup would always try to tip over. How do u stop that??


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

O_O terrible fin rot. My females had it (the smallest and weakest did NOT survive, and the one which the rot reached her body did not survive her battle either) when I first got them. Clean water is the best. with the cup, you can tape it to the side firmly. if there is NO improvement and in fact it gets worse (my one male was a rescue, given to me and his fins started falling off) AQ salt is the best, UP TO 3 TEASPOONS PER GALLON. And a huge note: DISSOLVE THE SALT FIRST BEFORE ADDING!!! I cannot stress that enough. You add the salt slowly over time, I prefer doing one teaspoon worth over the course of the day especially since some sick fish WILL be super sensitive to change.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Poor fish 

I used packaging tape to tape the cup in the corner of the tank. It will still be in an awkard position but it won't tip over anymore. I would float him and since he isnt going up for air, maybe only fill the cup up a little bit. 

This was my guy when i brought him home:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v674/midnight_sun_pony/Fish/Untitled-1-12.jpg

A few days later he was looking so much better
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v674/midnight_sun_pony/Fish/Untitled-2-1.jpg

He has since pretty much recovered since January so it is possible he will recover. 
At this point, it's up to him if he recovers or not. There is only so much we can do and I think you are doing about all you can for him right now..maybe some stress coat would help the fins? but i think his rapid breating is the more pressing concern


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I find ammonia poisoning and burns will make bettas gasp like that. Lil' Sarah and Suzi had that problem. one had no fins, one had a rotting hole in her body :-( It took a good while for them to breath normal.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

agreed. 
It took sluggles over a week to breath normally. I wonder if maracyn 2 or tetracyclin would help gill function? I think I used maracyn 2 for sluggie as well as aquarium salt and stress coat.


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## LionCalie (Sep 24, 2011)

He is in very poor shape... advanced fin rot and horribly skinny. Getting Betta fish free from walmart doesn't support the cycle, they are losing money by giving them away. Sadly, I wouldn't be suprised if he doesn't make it. I rescued a betta for free from Walmart that looked just like your guy and he held on for a few days before passing. I hope your guy makes it, but if he doesn't you should take comfort in knowing that you gave him a fighting chance and he didn't die in a dirty and cold cup.

They are tough little fighters, so here's to hoping he pulls through!


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

give him cooked shrimp, mealworms (high in protein), and some pellets that.... Idk someone'll have to direct you to awesome pellets for him lol. But mealworms work for me, for skinny ones  IF he'll eat. and try dipping in the juice from minced garlic and see if he takes it. Plus the garlic is beneficial to him anyways!


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Well I taped a cup to the inside of my aquarium and George seems to be making him move. I just don't want to stress out my betta and I don't want the new guy to get too stressed out. As I'm typing this "killer" :roll: is circling the cup and flaring like a wild man. I think for tonight I'm gonna take the cup upstairs with me and keep him in a dark area away from any drafts. I just feel bad watching him shaking? while George keeps flaring. Or maybe he's not shaking but trying to flare? 

Oh, and I finally got a really good look at him under the light and it looks like his fins were burned off. The remainder of his fins are red along with some ammonia like burns around his gills. We will see what tomorrow holds.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

LionCalie said:


> He is in very poor shape... advanced fin rot and horribly skinny. Getting Betta fish free from walmart doesn't support the cycle, they are losing money by giving them away. Sadly, I wouldn't be suprised if he doesn't make it. I rescued a betta for free from Walmart that looked just like your guy and he held on for a few days before passing. I hope your guy makes it, but if he doesn't you should take comfort in knowing that you gave him a fighting chance and he didn't die in a dirty and cold cup.
> 
> They are tough little fighters, so here's to hoping he pulls through!


LionCalie, I'm really hoping he makes it but I'm beginning to wonder. He was in a cup that I was floating in my aquarium with my other betta George but it wasn't going well so now he's somewhere different. 

And ur right, they are tough little fish!!! My youngest son was in the hospital for a few days and George went longer that he should have with no food and I'm very happy to say he suffered no ill effects. But he definitely was one VERY hungry fish!!!


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> give him cooked shrimp, mealworms (high in protein), and some pellets that.... Idk someone'll have to direct you to awesome pellets for him lol. But mealworms work for me, for skinny ones  IF he'll eat. and try dipping in the juice from minced garlic and see if he takes it. Plus the garlic is beneficial to him anyways!


cooked shrimp? do u mean the shrimp that we eat bc if u do that would be perfect cause I have some frozen shrimp in the freezer. and i never would have guessed garlic. we'll give it a go tomorrow if all goes well


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

When I was floating my fish, his roomie kept ramming the cup from underneath. :shock:

I wouldn't be surprised if it was ammonia that burned them off. Poor guy.
Shaking? Like a rocking motion?


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## MollyJean (Dec 29, 2009)

Even sick as he is, I would still keep a lid on his cup if you're moving it away from a main tank. Keep him warm, dark and calm and I'll cross my fingers and toes for you. Hope he's OK in the morning.


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## fleetfish (Jun 29, 2010)

Poor fella  

I would also add some black water extract or IAL to his water to de stress him, other than what the others have said. I hope he pulls through. 

Walmart's a b*tch. I'm so happy that they don't sell bettas around here any more.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Well I'm happy to report that this little fella's still alive!!! To solve the problem of floating him in a cup and my other betta bothering him I took one a plastic child's cup that isn't see thru and thoroughly rinsed it off and put the new betta (unnamed at the moment) in that. George is curious and flared somewhat but at least it didn't bother the other guy. 

And the kicker of it all, the new guy flared at me this morning!!! He's got some fight in 'em!! lol


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## MollyJean (Dec 29, 2009)

That's great! I'm glad he's still kicking. What's the next move?


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

carolinagirl said:


> cooked shrimp? do u mean the shrimp that we eat bc if u do that would be perfect cause I have some frozen shrimp in the freezer. and i never would have guessed garlic. we'll give it a go tomorrow if all goes well


 
yup the kind we eat, chopped into super small pieces.

Also, you said his fins were "lined with red"... as in bloody red on the edges? if so he has septicemia, which is a bacterial infection caused by bad water quality and wounds (such as fin rot or tail biting). I suggest Maracyn 2  I used it for my one boy, and it worked nicely.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Well my next move I guess is going to PU some Maracyn 2. When I change out his water--and by the way I was thinking of putting some of the water already in my aquarium into his cup to float him in. Bad idea? I'm gonna check the water params before I do that to make sure ammonia is 0.

I fed him some brine shrimp this morning and even though he seemed excited he couldn't swim up. He struggled. And when I change out his water I'll put him in a clear cup and try to get a really good pic of him so y'all can see the red that I'm talking about.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

That is a good idea  seeing a picture will help us see.

He sounds like Admiral. He was sooo weak, thin, and rotting away. Although knowing what I know now I would've been able to do more! So we'll help ya with your fellow  I use a small baster to stick the food in front of a weak betta's face so they can eat.

I usually use the tank water I float a betta in, to change the water because it will be the same temperature.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> That is a good idea  seeing a picture will help us see.
> 
> He sounds like Admiral. He was sooo weak, thin, and rotting away. Although knowing what I know now I would've been able to do more! So we'll help ya with your fellow  I use a small baster to stick the food in front of a weak betta's face so they can eat.
> 
> I usually use the tank water I float a betta in, to change the water because it will be the same temperature.


Good advice, thanks. Will take pic soon. The most frustrating part will be trying to upload it :roll:


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

haha sometimes it is  get a few pictures with different angles and different lighting (natural light works better, facing away from a window)


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Not the best quality so sorry bout that. Hopefully this pic will be helpful


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I suggest maracyn and Maracyn 2 combo then... it'll help with negative and postive grams, and can help with this fella. He really does look in rough shape! good grief, poor thing.


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## MollyJean (Dec 29, 2009)

Ohhh poor thing! Get him off the cold cold counter and keep him warm!!! [mommy mode] He needs a teddy too.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

:lol:


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

best pic i can get


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## Bettafeathers (Apr 12, 2012)

Good grief! Poor little guy... I can't help you out on treatments, but I just wanted to say that he's a lucky one that someone like you found him  Good on you for taking him in and doing everything to help him!


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

MollyJean said:


> Ohhh poor thing! Get him off the cold cold counter and keep him warm!!! [mommy mode] He needs a teddy too.


Now just wait a minute!!!! lol He was only on the cold counter for as long as needed to take the pic :-D


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Bettafeathers said:


> Good grief! Poor little guy... I can't help you out on treatments, but I just wanted to say that he's a lucky one that someone like you found him  Good on you for taking him in and doing everything to help him!


Thanks. I really wish I could have just brought them all home. It would be so much easier if these guys could just room together without getting their fins in a bunch.


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## AquaNinJa (Apr 6, 2012)

I hate how walmart sells fish... They don't treat them right and all they're tempratures are wrong and all the fish are dead and AHHH I CANT TAKE IT ): (sorry for that little mental break down) I just don't think walmart should sell living things if they're not going to take care of them... He's probably wayyyyy better in your care..


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

it would be so much easier if the males could live together...Then I'd have a 55 gallon tank



> And the kicker of it all, the new guy flared at me this morning!!!


 If he can flare, he's gotta be feeling at least a little better.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Heya, first off, let's hold off on any medications for the time being. What that little fella needs is clean water and lots of it (Stress Coat and AQ salt help too!). If you can keep it warmer (80 F or so), even better but as long as the temp doesn't drop below 76 F. 

He's got some pretty bad ammonia poisoning and burns going on so it could take him some time to recover from those and feel like himself. One way to help make his water changes as easy as possible is to get a 1 gallon jug and premix the aquarium salt water mix, 1 tsp per gallon and some Stress Coat/Prime. This way, all you have to do is gently pour his old water out a few times a day and pour the new water in. 

You're doing a great job, carolinagirl. Just keep loving him and changing his water and I'd say he's got at least a 50/50 chance of pulling through.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Sakura8 said:


> Heya, first off, let's hold off on any medications for the time being. What that little fella needs is clean water and lots of it (Stress Coat and AQ salt help too!). If you can keep it warmer (80 F or so), even better but as long as the temp doesn't drop below 76 F.
> 
> He's got some pretty bad ammonia poisoning and burns going on so it could take him some time to recover from those and feel like himself. One way to help make his water changes as easy as possible is to get a 1 gallon jug and premix the aquarium salt water mix, 1 tsp per gallon and some Stress Coat/Prime. This way, all you have to do is gently pour his old water out a few times a day and pour the new water in.
> 
> You're doing a great job, carolinagirl. Just keep loving him and changing his water and I'd say he's got at least a 50/50 chance of pulling through.


Thanks Sakura8. And would I be right in thinking that if I premix the water and other things in a gallon jug then I wouldn't have to worry as much with the water temp?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yes, if you premix things, the water will be at room temp, more or less. In a little cup floating in a big tank, it will warm up pretty fast. You can also try filling the jug with fairly hot water. That way, by the time you need to use it, it will have cooled down to a good warm temperature.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Sakura8 said:


> Yes, if you premix things, the water will be at room temp, more or less. In a little cup floating in a big tank, it will warm up pretty fast. You can also try filling the jug with fairly hot water. That way, by the time you need to use it, it will have cooled down to a good warm temperature.


Thank you :-D That night I brought him home I wondered what that black stuff floating in his cup was but I know now . . . it was his fins. Poor guy. At least this evening he's moving around a little more in his cup


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Poor baby. I'm glad he's found a good home with you, he deserves to be loved.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Sakura8 said:


> Poor baby. I'm glad he's found a good home with you, he deserves to be loved.


Hey, I don't mean to bug ya or anything and I've got some great advice on taping the cup to the side of the tank but I'm having to constantly take the cup out and change water which means I have to remove and then put more tape up . . . kinda frustrating. Couldn't I just suction the water out with a baster maybe and replace with new water. I don't want to stress him out but I'm sure moving his cup around isn't helping either. I'm still kinda new to betta care . . . I've only had George for I think 3 months!!! Thanks for any insight you can offer.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You could use a turkey baster to suck the water out, yeah. It might take a while though but that would work fine too. Another thing you could try is getting a breeder's net and putting the cup in the net. But yeah, I can totally see where having to retape everything all the time would be a pain. I usually don't float cups precisely because I had a hard time getting them to stay up right. Only moderate success I ever had was lowering the water level and jamming the cup under the rim of the tank.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

A turkey baster, eye dropper or syringe will work. The turkey baster I had didn;t work for crap so I used a syringe I had from when I had to force feed my chinchilla.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Tikibirds said:


> A turkey baster, eye dropper or syringe will work. The turkey baster I had didn;t work for crap so I used a syringe I had from when I had to force feed my chinchilla.


Hmmm, pretty confident I have a syringe or two!!! With 3 kids I have tons of them!! I just wish he would eat. I can't get my hands on live food for him but so far he doesn't like cooked shrimp, brine shrimp, bloodworms or pellets. I guess he just doesn't want to eat right now.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Did you try frozen bloodworms or freeze dried ones? if it was freeze dried, try frozen. Supposedly garlic juice helps somehow.
They can go weeks without food.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Tikibirds said:


> Did you try frozen bloodworms or freeze dried ones? if it was freeze dried, try frozen. Supposedly garlic juice helps somehow.
> They can go weeks without food.


Yeah, the bloodworms and brine shrimp are frozen. I normally cut small pieces off, give them a few mins to thaw and then put it in the water. I've never been sure if given it to them in a frozen chunk (cut up) is a good idea.

Heck, I'm now at the point of putting some water in a container in my backyard to see if I can collect some mosquito larvae.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Hey guys. I am happy to report that Herman is no longer resting on the bottom of his cup. He is now floating in the middle of the cup and he ate last night!! I think there is even poop in his water. Never thought I'd be happy about poop!! :lol: Gonna float him in the tank while he's in a clear cup so he can take a look around. I think things will be ok!! Thanks for all the awesome advise y'all!!


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## Kiku (Dec 31, 2010)

carolinagirl said:


> Hey guys. I am happy to report that Herman is no longer resting on the bottom of his cup. He is now floating in the middle of the cup and he ate last night!! I think there is even poop in his water. Never thought I'd be happy about poop!! :lol: Gonna float him in the tank while he's in a clear cup so he can take a look around. I think things will be ok!! Thanks for all the awesome advise y'all!!


Congratulations!! Keep us all updated, I really hope he pulls through.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

we wants pics when he is looking better!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'm really glad to hear that! Yay!


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Trying to post some pics but darn it they won't upload :frustrated: I will post some pics later but Herman's abdomen is bloated!!! I know he's on the skinny/starved side but it still looks bloated. I guess that's normal?? I know a pic would really help y'all out so keep posted for one.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, the site has been a little slow right now. My guess is he's got parasites, specifically tapeworms. Keep an eye out for his poop. If it looks white and stringy, it's definitely parasites.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Sakura8 said:


> Yeah, the site has been a little slow right now. My guess is he's got parasites, specifically tapeworms. Keep an eye out for his poop. If it looks white and stringy, it's definitely parasites.


Yep, that's exactly what it looked like and his belly is so big I fear a scene from Aliens is getting ready to happen. I guess I'm treating with something? I haven't researched yet but I will later on in the morning


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

1 tsp of epsom salt per gallon and API General Cure. I also recommend Jungle Labs Anti-Parasite Medicated pellets buuuut the problem is they taste bad and most bettas won't eat them, even when soaked in garlic. Which reminds me. Garlic is also a good antiparasitic. You can crush up fresh garlic, add a bit of tank water, and then soak his food in that for several minutes. You can also use the juice from a jar of already minced garlic, too.

Poor guy. I'm not surprised. The last two bettas I got from Wal-Mart had tapeworms also.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Sakura8 said:


> 1 tsp of epsom salt per gallon and API General Cure. I also recommend Jungle Labs Anti-Parasite Medicated pellets buuuut the problem is they taste bad and most bettas won't eat them, even when soaked in garlic. Which reminds me. Garlic is also a good antiparasitic. You can crush up fresh garlic, add a bit of tank water, and then soak his food in that for several minutes. You can also use the juice from a jar of already minced garlic, too.
> 
> Poor guy. I'm not surprised. The last two bettas I got from Wal-Mart had tapeworms also.


Thanks. I just found some info about treating tapeworms and I was going to ask about anti-parasite medicated food. I guess I will be gathering up some more supplies!! Do you know if this is contagious? If it is then I'm going to get an extra net . . .one for Herman and one for George. And he seems much more active lately. Maybe we can kick this tapeworm problem in the booty and he can really get to feeling better


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I believe it is contagious, yes. It's usually pretty easy to treat, thank goodness. Herman has probably never felt this good in his life. I'm sure he's very happy to be in your care.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

you can try getting jungle anti parasite fizzy tabs and soaking a few pellets in water with a disolved fizzy tab. The tables are big but they are for 10 gallons of water. I broke it into 4 and put it in 2.5 gallons of water and then added some pellets for a little bit.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

So far he's not a big fan of pellets. Could I soak any food? He really likes the frozen brine shrimp and do I need to get the API general cure or could I just use garlic??


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

*questioning garlic*

Ok, I soaked Herman's food (frozen brine shrimp) and he was not interested. :-? So now I guess the only thing left to do is go get some api general cure and the anti parasitic pellets.

But he definitely has plenty of spunk. Last night during his water change he jumped from my hand right as I was placing him in his cup and he unfortunately fell to the floor. So far today he seems ok, so hopefully I lucked out there.

I float him in an opec cup so neither George or Herman get too worked up but sometimes I float him in the cups they come home in, just for him to look around and my other betta hardly ever flares. He's more interested with the food in the cup that the fish :roll: Go figure


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

> So far he's not a big fan of pellets. Could I soak any food? He really likes the frozen brine shrimp and do I need to get the API general cure or could I just use garlic?? Yesterday 06:55 AM


If he wont eat garlic soaked pellets, he probably wont eat anti parasite pellets. I would go with whatever meds sakura said to get.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Tiki's right. The anti-parasite pellets taste pretty bad and even a greedy fish will turn up its nose at them. Try the General Cure, it has the best chance of success. 

It's easy to underestimate how strong a fish is. :shock: You think you've got a good grip on them and suddenly, "VOOOP!" there they go. For the most part, a little leap won't hurt the fish as long as they are placed back in water ASAP, so don't worry. One of my girls routinely jumps out of her tank at feeding time.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Hey guys. Can y'all tell me how to divide up the general cure? It's for 10 gallons but all I want to do is premix a 1 gallon gallon jug. Any ideas? I measured the dosage and it looks to be about 1/2 tsp. I'm guessing just a pinch but I don't want to overdose him.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Use the 5 cup method. For this, you need two 1 gallon jugs. Fill up one jug with the water you intend to use for his tank. Fill the second jug up with 5 cups and add the medication (I think it is one packet). Mix well. Now add 1/2 cup of that to the first jug and fill his tank up. Although it's ideal to make a new batch for each daily water change, it won't hurt if you keep the medicine mixture for a day or so.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Sakura8 said:


> Use the 5 cup method. For this, you need two 1 gallon jugs. Fill up one jug with the water you intend to use for his tank. Fill the second jug up with 5 cups and add the medication (I think it is one packet). Mix well. Now add 1/2 cup of that to the first jug and fill his tank up. Although it's ideal to make a new batch for each daily water change, it won't hurt if you keep the medicine mixture for a day or so.


Thanks Sakura8. I wasn't sure how potent this stuff is and if u needed to be exact with the dosage and I was trying to figure out how to divide that powder up . . . frustrating, lol. And it is still ok to add it to the water with epsom salts?


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

And I can use this with the cup he's floating in?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You can still use it with epsom salts and yes, you can use the meds with his cup.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Sakura8 said:


> You can still use it with epsom salts and yes, you can use the meds with his cup.


Thank you!!! :-D


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You're welcome. Good luck with the little guy and keep us updated.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

I will. I do think he might be ready for the hospital tank. I'm watching him right now and he's able to move around a little more. He is missing some scales here and there but at least he's more mobile now. 

Now should I continue the epsom after the last dose of general cure? I'm not really sure but I just want to do this right and I'm sure I'm over-complicating it


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You can continue the epsom salt for maybe 3-7 days after the last dose of General Cure, just to be sure that he's gotten all the worms out of his system. It will also help him fight off any swimbladder problems he might still be dealing with. If you still see signs of the worms in his poo after the last dose, you can repeat it for another 5 days. Usually, it's a pretty good med for treating tapeworms, though. 

I'm really glad he's more mobile now. Good for him.  You're doing a fantastic job.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Hi everyone. Just wanted to update y'all on how Herman's doing. He's getting much better!! I believe he has new fin growth (not really sure what that would look like) and I'm definitely ready to move him to something a little larger so he can move around more. 

Been side-tracked lately on finding a good heater for the one gallon hospital tank. I've never been a big fan of ordering stuff online since we had our info stolen several yrs back so I've been searching LFSs for a heater but little kids are great at helping you forget lots of things so I HAVE to get that done. He seems a little skittish and that could be from being in that cup at the store and from being sick or it could be because he's floating in a cup that isn't see thru and he just can't see anything. All I know is that every time I mess with his cup he freaks out. I'm sure something larger where he can watch what's going on will be better.

I will post a few pics as soon as I move him and find some free time!! Thanks for all the continued support!!!!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'm so glad to hear he's doing better. Yay Herman!

And I don't blame you. Identity theft is one giant headache to deal with and the repercussions can go on for years after the actual theft.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Hiya. I followed thru with the api general cure treatment for tapeworms and I thought all was good so I moved him into the 1 gal hospital tank and started conservative treatments for his fin rot (aq salts and stress coat with 100% water changes) but I've noticed that immediately after he eats his belly swells up!!! Is it still tapeworms??

It only stays swelled for at least a day and then he's back to normal with no strange looking poo. I also posted this as a separate post to get max responses before I go on vacation!! Want to make sure the guy who is gonna watch my bettas knows what to do with my new little guy. Thanks


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

What kind of food is the little guy eating? Sometimes dry food expands in the belly and causes a little bloating but it gets better after they've digested it. To help cut down on this, you can feed a high protein pellet like Omega One Betta Buffet or New Life Spectrum Betta Formula.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Sakura8 said:


> What kind of food is the little guy eating? Sometimes dry food expands in the belly and causes a little bloating but it gets better after they've digested it. To help cut down on this, you can feed a high protein pellet like Omega One Betta Buffet or New Life Spectrum Betta Formula.


Yeah, ok. I've been feeding him frozen brine shrimp cause that seems to be the only thing he will eat. Maybe if I hold out on him for a few days he might be more agreeable to eating something else? Maybe what works for kids will work for bettas. If they get hungry enough they'll eat!! :-D


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Hmm. Frozen brine shrimp is really good for him, usually. Is it frozen like in the freezer or frozen like freeze-dried on the store shelf? In most situations, I'd suggest feeding frozen foods over dry foods. 

If the bloating continues to get worse, you can put him back into 1 tsp of epsom salt per gallon. It could possibly be a genetic issue, too. As long as it doesn't seem to be harming him any.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Sakura8 said:


> Hmm. Frozen brine shrimp is really good for him, usually. Is it frozen like in the freezer or frozen like freeze-dried on the store shelf? In most situations, I'd suggest feeding frozen foods over dry foods.
> 
> If the bloating continues to get worse, you can put him back into 1 tsp of epsom salt per gallon. It could possibly be a genetic issue, too. As long as it doesn't seem to be harming him any.


Hi Sakura8, no it's frozen like from the freezer. I've seen his poo today and it's worms. I guess I never got rid of them. So back to treatments. But otherwise, he seems pretty good. Definitely happy to be in a 1 gal tank. I can't wait to see him in a 5+ gal tank!!! He will be one happy fish!!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Oh, I'm glad you found the cause. Sometimes it does take two treatments and if General Cure isn't strong enough, you might have to hunt for Hikari HealthAid PraziPro. I bet he'll be thrilled to go into 5 gallons!


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Sakura8 said:


> Oh, I'm glad you found the cause. Sometimes it does take two treatments and if General Cure isn't strong enough, you might have to hunt for Hikari HealthAid PraziPro. I bet he'll be thrilled to go into 5 gallons!


Hmmm, I'll have to remember that. It just seems like his belly would just stay extended and not only get that bloated look after eating. It's just weird.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

It does seem weird. But strangely, sometimes with worms the fish actually get skinnier and skinnier because the parasites eat the food the fish are ingesting so the fish gets no nutrients at all. Maybe that has something to do with him only bloating after meals.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Sakura8 said:


> It does seem weird. But strangely, sometimes with worms the fish actually get skinnier and skinnier because the parasites eat the food the fish are ingesting so the fish gets no nutrients at all. Maybe that has something to do with him only bloating after meals.


I'm sure you're right. Well I'll continue with another round of general cure and if that doesn't get the job done then I will find the other product you mentioned in an earlier post. Hopefully something will take care of this problem!!! Oh, and thanks again for all of your help!!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You're welcome. Thanks for the update and good luck!


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Hiya guys. Thanks for all the wonderful support y'all gave me. I'm happy to report that my rescued guy, Herman, is doing awesome!! His color has turned darker and his fins are coming in nicely. In fact, I'm getting everything ready to start up a larger tank for him and my other betta to share (with a divider, of course!!)

It was awesome to see after getting back from our vacation him flaring at everything!! He even flared at his food!! Crazy guy :-D Sorry for poor pic quality. He wouldn't stay still for long!!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Wow, I barely recognized the little guy! I'm so glad he's doing well, carolinagirl.  You've done an amazing job nursing him back to health.


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## lillyandquigly (Nov 24, 2011)

Good job!


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## Bettanewbie60 (Jun 26, 2012)

Wow...you did an amazing job! Bless you.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 22, 2012)

Thanks y'all. I'm just glad this little guy made it!! He's so fun to watch I couldn't imagine not having him around with us. I can't wait to get him into a much bigger home


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## Sprinkles55 (Jul 3, 2012)

Wow, he looks beautiful now compared to what he was. You've done an excellent job and I'm sure he's the happiest he's ever been


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## sythka (May 19, 2010)

This is one of the best rescue stories I've ever read. He's stunning! Good job weaning him back to life. I always console myself when I rescue a fish that he's lucky he isn't with anyone who knows less about fish. Really good job though, stunning crown on him.


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## lexylex0526 (Dec 27, 2011)

Wow Herman is looking great!! Good job! He is lucky you rescued him


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