# Bad Betta Sitter Rant



## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

Alright So i am out of town for just over a week so i got someone to watch my fishies whiles I was gone. I left detailed instructions how to feed them and what not. I got a text about half way through that I may have to change my water when I get back because its cloudy. I planned on the water change but there is NO way the water should be cloudy. Then she tells me that she may be over feeding them. She was only stopping once a day so I had her feeding them 3-4 pellets OR 2 freeze dried blood worms (her choice on which) and no more. I have a feeling she did the "oh you still look hungry, you poor dear I'll give you some more" I was going to attempt a spawn when I got back but now that they've been in cloudy water (probably high in NH3) I may have to treat for ammonia burn or worse...


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## bettalover2000 (May 10, 2011)

I hear about some of these sitters... They just don't get it.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

My last sitter ignored my instructions about pushing my filter down so it stayed below the water as it evaporated...I came back to find it a good two inches above the water line, and the goldfish tank developed an algal bloom.


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

OMG my poor babies! I just got home and omg! such neglect! I knew something was wrong when I walked in the door and I was hit with this stench of rotting something...It was all 5 of my tanks with rotting food on top of their water and under. One was so bad it looked like there was dwarfs beard hanging from the plants UNDER the water! One of my girls (Big Red) is already sensitive because I think she was a fighter with her previous owner so she has some scale and skin problems, and she is horrible! She's got skin just rotting away and scales falling off everywhere and her tail has a chunk missing with white edges :'C I took every one out of their tanks and put them in pint mason jars for the night. Luckily my 5 gal with 3 snails, a sponge filter and just its sheer size didn't get horrible like my others so I have at least semi clean water for the night (I use the same chemical balance in every tank) I scrubbed every one of their tanks and rinsed their gravel with scalding hot water until it ran clean along with any plant/decoration. I'm going to go to petsmart tomorrow and get a gallon cage, antibiotics, a better water testing kit and probably some fin rot stuff. I'll attach some pics but beware they are horrible!


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## MollyJean (Dec 29, 2009)

This is after a week? What in the world did your sitter do?? I've never seen anything like it! Is this a friend or a service or what?


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

One week??? What did she do, dump a week's worth of food in at once? That's a bit beyond the results of a little 'overfeeding', I think. 

It's hard to think how else a tank could go that bad so quickly. Your poor fish. I hope they all recover well.


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## miish (Nov 13, 2011)

Thats terrible!! How did the sitter manage to make them THAT disgusting! Poor fish!


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## Fin2you (Mar 5, 2012)

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!! Fin's blowing healing bubbles your way! keep us updated on how they're doing!


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## GuppyBetta (Mar 10, 2012)

I hope your fish get better! That must be horrible to have seen when you got home! All of your fish are still alive, right?


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## VikingPrincess (Aug 26, 2011)

My gosh! Thats horrible! :-(
Poor fish!

Things like this is why I have a hard time trusting people to look after my pets.


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

My fish are all currently in fresh new tanks and I have my poor big red in a gallon and a half hospital tank. I'm going to try the natural healing stuff (salts and Indian almond leaves) before I go treating her with all sorts of chemicals. Just being in the new water seems to perk them right up. Luckily my two I was planning on breeding didn't get seriously sick, hopefully by the end of the week I can introduce them. I think I may have found out why it got so bad. I think she did pinches instead of singular blood worms  unfortunately this is a friend/my boss, so I've resorted to if she dont say nothing I wont. She is for sure not watching my fish again though, and if she asks why I'll tell her.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Wow. Uncomfortable situation...she made those tanks horrible...


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

It is but it isn't. She's really understanding of everything and I'm positive she wont fire me if I were to say something. I guess I just have to teach her how to care for fishies. Side note: Totally helped some random family pick a betta today. They were confused as to which ones were which and what ones looked healthy etc etc. I even made sure they had the right set up. I guess some lady at petco tried to push the fluval on them and saying "they HAD to get it for a betta" They thanked me a ton because they were headed to return it and get their money back.


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## Lissa52664 (Jul 22, 2011)

yeah.... same thing happened to me, but it was a friend that was supposed to watch our house/dogs for ONE night. It's partly my fault because I just assumed he wouldn't bother with the fish overnight since we hadn't talked about it. I was so wrong. Came home the next day to orange water and food covering the bottom of the tank. The sitter admitted to feeding him just a couple, but when he was still hungry he added enough to cover the bottom of the food cap! Who knows how much my fishy ate before giving up on the rest.


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

Yeah I ended up having a talk with my sitter and she was shaking the food container into their tanks >:C she said something about not wanting them to get "hungry". I told her they are fine with what I said to give them. If she thinks she's going to get one of mah babies she best be ready to get schooled


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

So here's an update on this whole situation. Big Red's scales have all but cleared up, she isn't all patchy now. She still has two bad spots, one on each of her sides but thats starting to look better too. Her skin doesn't look as ragged as it did before. Everyone else is just like it never happened, although Walter doesn't seem to like blood worms any more lol.


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## blueridge (Jul 1, 2011)

Glad to hear that they are doing well. Your sitter was ridiculous!


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## littlegreen (Mar 11, 2012)

I'm so glad that your fish are doing alright! I hope that all of them make complete recoveries. : )


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

WOW. yikesss. glad Big Red's doing better, she's a gorgeous girl!


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

I'm pretty sure she's a giant and ex fighter. She had some bad scaring on her sides (where the rot took). I originally bought her to breed but I just don't have the heart to put her through that much stress with her "weak spots" so she just gets to ride her life out in her tank with her snail and moss ball


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## Arctic Mama (Mar 14, 2012)

You know what I recommend, if this comes up again? 

Get those pill cases the elderly and those on heavy vitamin regimens use, the ones with individual slots and the day of the week on them? Prefill each slot with the day's allotment of food, however much a sitter is supposed to serve them each time they are by. Then there is no confusion (empty holes are for fasting days, etc) and no judgment call by them on what they think the fish 'need'. Just a clear dose of food with no fuss or mess for either of you


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## ZergyMonster (Feb 20, 2012)

Arctic Mama said:


> You know what I recommend, if this comes up again?
> 
> Get those pill cases the elderly and those on heavy vitamin regimens use, the ones with individual slots and the day of the week on them? Prefill each slot with the day's allotment of food, however much a sitter is supposed to serve them each time they are by. Then there is no confusion (empty holes are for fasting days, etc) and no judgment call by them on what they think the fish 'need'. Just a clear dose of food with no fuss or mess for either of you


I really like that idea, it makes the non-fish owner know what is needed for the fish of a friend. Thanks for the idea. I will probably be using it soon.


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

arctic mama said:


> you know what i recommend, if this comes up again?
> 
> Get those pill cases the elderly and those on heavy vitamin regimens use, the ones with individual slots and the day of the week on them? Prefill each slot with the day's allotment of food, however much a sitter is supposed to serve them each time they are by. Then there is no confusion (empty holes are for fasting days, etc) and no judgment call by them on what they think the fish 'need'. Just a clear dose of food with no fuss or mess for either of you


omg!!! Awesome idea! Thanks!


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

what a lucky girl she is 


also that pill case idea is awesome!!!


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## Arctic Mama (Mar 14, 2012)

You're welcome! So much of this sort of problem is just plain ignorance of the sitter, they haven't done the reading or research we have, they don't know what is a 'cue' and what is normal behavior, and they don't want to 'starve' the begging animal. Pre-filled doses protect the pet AND put the sitter at ease, knowing they are doing exactly what you need and not having to make a judgment call on what is essentially incomplete information. 

It's what I'm doing when we travel over Christmas. I'm looking for one of the big month-pill-holders with 32 slots, one for each tank. Water changes are going to be the bigger issue, but pre-bottling the conditioner and plant supplements for each bucket of water is also helpful in lessening the confusion. When someone just has to dose without thinking or measuring, a fair bit of the confusion over the task goes away!


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

Yeah I'm going to start stalking my thrift stores for them. I currently have 5 adults so I'll have to find 5 of them. I also plan on never being gone for more than a week


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

I would be furious with that sitter
I hope you didn't already pay her or him.

I only trust 1 person with my animals. And that is because I KNOW she will follow instructions to a T. That and we have hidden security cameras xD


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

lol no I didn't pay them, it was kinda my boss  but I explained it to her and she said she was sorry and what not.


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

Arctic Mama said:


> You're welcome! So much of this sort of problem is just plain ignorance of the sitter, they haven't done the reading or research we have, they don't know what is a 'cue' and what is normal behavior, and they don't want to 'starve' the begging animal. Pre-filled doses protect the pet AND put the sitter at ease, knowing they are doing exactly what you need and not having to make a judgment call on what is essentially incomplete information.
> 
> It's what I'm doing when we travel over Christmas. I'm looking for one of the big month-pill-holders with 32 slots, one for each tank. Water changes are going to be the bigger issue, but pre-bottling the conditioner and plant supplements for each bucket of water is also helpful in lessening the confusion. When someone just has to dose without thinking or measuring, a fair bit of the confusion over the task goes away!


That is a great idea.
I maybe doing the same thing if I'm gone more than a week.


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

lvandert said:


> lol no I didn't pay them, it was kinda my boss  but I explained it to her and she said she was sorry and what not.


I just find it baffling that somehow those tanks reached that condition in a span of a week.
Did she dump all the food in there?


sry if you already explained what happen....i'm sipping the sleepy tea here xD


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

lol its alright. Yeah she gave them the amount I told her to and then "shook it in" because they still looked hungry  She ended up going through a third of my new blood worm container and about a fourth of my pellets...


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

lvandert said:


> lol its alright. Yeah she gave them the amount I told her to and then "shook it in" because they still looked hungry  She ended up going through a third of my new blood worm container and about a fourth of my pellets...


yikes
well atleast your fishys are doing better

i wonder if automatic feeders would work for bettas? xD


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

I've heard that some will. My fishies are more than better. Velvet and Walter spawned this week  and I swear I can see her fins healing. Yesterday they were tore up (post spawn) and today there are just two tiny rips left! Atleast I'm doing something right  I mean I'm trying my hardest to get them healthy as fast as I can but I didn't think they'd heal this fast.


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

lvandert said:


> I've heard that some will. My fishies are more than better. Velvet and Walter spawned this week  and I swear I can see her fins healing. Yesterday they were tore up (post spawn) and today there are just two tiny rips left! Atleast I'm doing something right  I mean I'm trying my hardest to get them healthy as fast as I can but I didn't think they'd heal this fast.


:greenyay::blueyay::redyay:Hooray!!!!!:welldone::cheers:


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

lol I have a spawn log going if you care to check it out. I'm a little concerned about the state of the bubble nest but I still see eggs and my Walter still checks on them. Anyways Not the thread to go all proud godmother on lol. Big Red's sides looked really good today. I gave her a bit of a water change because I did a 100% yesterday, but today's had one drop of melafix in it along with stress coat and aquarium salt. Velvet's tank got a bit of that too, I think it might be what healed her so fast today.


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

Big Red isn't looking so good anymore. Her sides have cleared up but she's developed the splotches of dull color that seem to be spreading. I'm doing everything I can to help but nothing is working. I think something got in her blood stream from the open wounds on her side and being in that nasty water for so long. I'm trying to make her comfy and what not in the hospital tank, but her color is noticeably duller today. My boyfriend and I have discussed putting her down but came up with the notion that if she's still eating and swimming fine we wont. We'll give her every chance to get better but if things turn for the worst that'll be that.


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

Big Red died yesterday morning. I'm really sad she went because of this. I'm super mad but I can't say anything, nor do I want too. I'm too nice of a person.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

apparently no one recommends automatic feeders especially for bettas >< and I am sorry to hear that about your Red!


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

Its alright. She's swimming in that giant fishbowl kicking other fishies butts.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

:lol: that sounds like my Madame LOL. I'm sure she's ruler of whatever place she went to xD


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

well here we go again. I'm attempting a vacation and a different fish keeper. Our roomie, which because I can't say the words I want to, SUCKS. My bf and I are fed up with him. I hope I left fool proof enough directions on how to care for my fishies. But there is an added challenge, I have two babies. There are in my 20 gallon and started with 5 gallons. I gave them a new gallon of water today and I'm hoping my roomie will follow the directions, and give them a new gallon of water every other day until we get back. Once back I'll give them a real water change. here's hoping


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## vaw103 (May 21, 2012)

OMG. My boyfriend is away on military duty, and I'm taking a week and a half vacation in a few weeks to go visit him (first time I see him since May 8 YAYYYYYY!!!!!:blueyay. After seeing what happened to your bowls, I'm absolutely terrified. I LOVE the pill box idea though! I'm definitely happy I read through this thread!


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## Shadyr (Mar 27, 2012)

Yikes - I leave for a week vacation Saturday. I'm tempted to use those pictures to show our pet sitter - This is why you don't overfeed!

Good luck to you on this trip, and if you have any to spare, I'll take the extra!


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

This always happens when my bettas get baby sat. I tell them "Only 3 pellets, if they look hungry don't give them anymore. Just 3 is fine." I always manage to come home to dirty water and dead fish. :/


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## bettafishfinnatic (Mar 18, 2012)

im taking all of my fishies to my friends home (one who has never ever wned a fish!) when i go away in august... my other friend has 3 bettas of her own but 3 little brothers.... im so using the pill box idea but what should i do with my 3.5 gallon of tetras?


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## vaw103 (May 21, 2012)

bettafishfinnatic said:


> im taking all of my fishies to my friends home (one who has never ever wned a fish!) when i go away in august... my other friend has 3 bettas of her own but 3 little brothers.... im so using the pill box idea but what should i do with my 3.5 gallon of tetras?


Is the 3.5 gallon glass or acrylic? I have a 3 gallon acrylic and it's super light.. so I'm thinking that if yours is also acrylic you could probably move it to the same friends pretty easily. If it's glass.. find a muscular friend? :-D lol


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## ninjafish (Oct 25, 2009)

That's just disgusting....And this happened over just a WEEK? That looks more like a month! Some people really do not know how to take direction. I'm glad none of your fish died, though, and hopefully your next vacation won't result in the same thing.

I'm going on vacation for two weeks tomorrow, and I'm bringing Captain Jack with me since he's in a 2.5 gal and can easily ride along in the car. The trip is only three hours, but Mars has to stay home because he's in a 10 gal. I hope my mom remembers to feed him. (She generally doesn't care about anything unless it personally involves her, which is a pain.)


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

It was ridiculous. I'm getting the pill bottles ready as we speak...


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## Purple (Jun 25, 2012)

ninjafish said:


> That's just disgusting....And this happened over just a WEEK? That looks more like a month! What on earth did the sitter do? I would not pay them anything if I were you...


My sister doesn't clean her fish's tank very often (sometimes for months) and it NEVER looks that bad, and it's 1 gallon. That... I don't even know. It would take a year for Otis's tank to look like that!!

I would absolutely never leave my fish in the care of anyone. I move from my parent's houses a lot (they live 15 minutes apart) but I wouldn't let my dad take care of my fish while I'm gone. I just tell him to watch the temperature upstairs (I don't have heaters, but upstairs stays pretty hot). This is because talking to non-fish people, I realize how STUPID they are. "Oh, fish don't poop. You don't have to worry about that." "I thought you only fed them once a month or whenever you wanted to." "Just leave them in the floor while you clean the tank." "They can breathe air through their gills. It's easier for them." "Why don't you put them together? They look lonely." "That's not enough food! They look so skinny!" "You're going to kill your fish!" "Aquarium salt? That's for sharks and stuff. You'll kill your fish if you use that." (Why I have to use medicine. My parents won't buy aquarium salt for me. :l) "OMG! They have to have chlorine or they'll die! QUICK, PUT SOME TAP WATER IN!" "She's bloated? Give her some Pamprin." "You should cut his fins. They're like hair, you know. If they get too long he'll suffocate." "Why don't you wash your fish? Just use a toothbrush." "Algae is good! That's how you feed your fish." "They like to be shaken." "OMG their water is SO HOT!" (At room temperature.) And my all-time favorite... "I think I know just as much about fish as you do."

Nope. If I travel, my fish are just going to have to go hungry for a while. :l


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

yeah it was ridiculous. I measured out 3 pellets for everyone once a day and put them in the daily pill dividers. If he seriously feeds more than that then we're going to have a problem. We've been looking for a reason to kick this guy out, we've had 3 "talks" with him about his behavior around and towards people in the house.


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

ug we're trying to get things set to leave and I really want to show my roomie how to do a few things and of course he's not coming home tonight... Go figure. Well here's hoping he gets it.


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

lvandert said:


> yeah it was ridiculous. I measured out 3 pellets for everyone once a day and put them in the daily pill dividers. If he seriously feeds more than that then we're going to have a problem. We've been looking for a reason to kick this guy out, we've had 3 "talks" with him about his behavior around and towards people in the house.


I wouldn't even have talked to him the 3rd time.
I woulda booted his butt out the door.


Yall need to get to know some fishy people or atleast someone someone who understands there maybe consequences if they don't follow the instructions to a T.
I've thought to myself that SHOULD I find anything out of order with my fish, the sitter(who is my best friend) would purchase 1 or 2 items for my fish.
Should the dog be a nervous wreck, she would buy a new bag of chewies, treats and a new toy.
That is just a coupla things that could happen. I am an OCD person, I have things done a certain way for certain reasons. Sometimes I find that it saves time, energy, or simply because my animals enjoy structure.
No sitter would want to have to spend money on animals they don't own. So in order to not have to spend money, they follow instructions to a T. We also have surveillance cameras in our home, but my animals are sensitive enough to show weird signs that not everything has gone as normal.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I actually tell my sitters that they hold no liability if my fish dies. But then again I choose very meticulous people to be sitters. To the more capable one, I instructed him to fed my male only when he is in his feeding cup (whih requires scooping the fish out te tank).
The other who is more cautious I told her to feed directly in the tank. both these people have gotten the hang of siphoning which is great. I've also been asking for photos and trying to get them to enjoy the fishies  They both are also counting out 4 nls small fish formula for each feeding...which is something evn I wont do  I'm glad it's summer. need to look for sitters with heated homes in winter :/


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## Thomasdog (Jan 26, 2012)

We are going on a week-long vacation this summer. And I am (hopefully! ) Going to have fry. And I'll have chickens. Our friends who feed the chickens are going to have one heck of a time feeding BBS! LOL!!!


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

oO you must have a great friend! I don't think even my best friends will stand for feeding bbs to fries every few hours! good luck!


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

That is HORRIBLE! I really hope the poor little creatures recover from such disaster-----amazing how stupid and careless people can be:evil::twisted:


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

Well after vacation I was pleasently surprised to find my babies healthy. It was my poor Dizzy that didn't make it though. I don't know what happened but from the looks of it he might have developed a slight case of SBD early on. By the time I got home he was on his last leg and try as I might he just didn't make it. It makes me want to raise his last two babies extra good to make sure the line carries on.


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## magnum (May 7, 2012)

Sorry to hear about your dead betta's ): I am going on a week long school camp soon, and I need a sitter... I ha my mum look after my fish last nigt to see what would happen, and it seems everyone has that 'OMG they look hungry!' idea about fish. I'm not sure how much she fed them, but hopefully no complications will arise  and the pill container idea is great! I'm going to see if it works.


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

It seemed to work really well for me. I don't think he got it from over eating (unless they deviated from the pill containers) which I will never know.


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## magnum (May 7, 2012)

Good to hear  I'm more worried about how I should organize the water changes...


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

I left detailed instructions with mine and had a few gallons already set up and ready to go


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