# very disabled betta fish



## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

went to walmart today. had a feeling something would happen, and i was right. i was horrified to see they had bettas again! Dx checked them out, saw a long-dead CT(pretty thing, too. white/purple/light blue body, with deep red fins. D, and saw one that grabbed my heart. he's a normal VT, but has almost no tail left at all! i think it's a combo of being put in another betta's cup, and fin rot. after dwelling on it all day, i went back and got him, along with a Tetra 1.5 gallon and some aquarium salt(my main reason for going back, actually). i've been calling him "Gimpy", but that will change if he makes it through the night.

i've NEVER seen a betta in as bad a shape as poor Gimpy. he's only got a thin strip of tail left, so he obviously has issues swimming. he's very pale, and i've never personally seen stress stripes on a male, until i met him. he wiggles his little "butt stub" around, trying to explore his new tank, but gives up and floats at the top, swimming with only his peccy fins. he's also got a nasty dip in his head, but that doesn't matter to me, he's still a very beautiful boy(common blue with red wash on the fins.). i only have a single plant in there right now(didn't have time to dig through the plants there, and they only really had plastic anyways). i wish i'd gotten him a heater, but he'll have to do with the light on the tank till i can get to the pet store. my biggest worry is, he won't make i till tomorrow. 

he seems VERY curious of his new surroundings, but hasn't payed much mind to me yet. it breaks my heart when he wiggles his butt stump, trying to swim around. i think he may have SB issues, too, since he can't really swim DOWN very well, without popping back up to the top and giving up. i do hope the little guy makes it. no rocks, in case he poops, i can see if he has parasites. i think his issues are just walmart neglect, though, and human cruelty. :/ i don't regret my choice, in getting him. if i hadn't, he'd have died there, on those shelves, in his own poops, uneaten food, and fungus, because no one wants a gimpy fish like him. >.> except us.

pics will come soon, so you all can see WHY i had to get him.

anyone have any tips to help him out?


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

Frozen food may help his fins grow back faster due to it having more protein than pellets. I wouldn't suggest live food due to his inability to swim, though.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

i have New Life Spectrum Grow pellets, which are supposed to be high in protein. and, they float easy, and sink slowly. i'm gonna fast him for a few days, though, since he bobs right back up to the top and may be bloated. i've grown fond of this little guy, and have only owned him for an hour or so.


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## fleetfish (Jun 29, 2010)

Lower his water a bit, just to help with air exchange and his SBD. He might be floating because there's no weight on his butt ... or it could be a permanent thing. If you have a shallow container, even better because it would give him room to move more. I swear by BWE and salt to cure fins. If you have BWE or almond leaves on hand you can darken the water for him to reduce stress. Pellets would be best since they float and it might be easier for him, and frozen to add protein. Just keep an eye on him and if he eats, better chances are that he'll survive. 

Best of luck for the poor guy!


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

thanks. i acutally do have lots of IAL, i'll add one to his tank. i still have his cup, so should i float him in it? he's having fun, swimming around his tank, and i see him wiggling his butt stump as best he can to move faster. <3


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

finally got pics of the little guy(affectionately called "Gimpy" for now.)


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

That looks more like tailbiting than fin rot to me. I'm saying that because I don't see black or brown edges.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

i think he was put in another betta's cup, and he does have fin rot, i just couldn't get good pics of up close. didn't wanna stress him out with a photo shoot. x_X i noticed a chunk of his anal fin missing, and both peccy fins have a good bit of them missing, too.


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## Bettaluver4evr (Jan 21, 2011)

Wow, he is pretty! No bettas are common. They all have personalities and slightly different fins and colors! He does look a little bloated, I agree with the fasting. I think that, with clean water and TLC, he will recover! It sounds like he is fighting, exploring as best he can and trying to swim. My HM very badly tore his fins on that filter though, so please be careful if you use it! I kept him in the same 1.5 gallon tetra for a few weeks and the filter just completely ripped his fins... not to be mean at all, I did like this tank, but I don't want the same thing to happen to him!
In the first pic, you see that little tiny clear bit of fin at the edge of his torn part? That looks like what my HM had on his tail a few days after the rip... healing. It isn't much, but it is progress! Stay hopeful and keep his water extra clean, and he should recover very nicely! God bless you for rescuing him!


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

i don't know if that's healing, or what. sometimes, it looks a tad fuzzy. either way, i have aquarium salt that i'm adding to his tank slowly, so that'll help it out alot. added an IAL, and he has a silk plant he can rest on if he gets tired.


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## Pekemom (Jan 27, 2011)

Oh, I wanted to add my support to his recovery! How caring of you to rescue him. I happened to be in Walmart yesterday - and saw about eight cups of bettas in very bad condition. It sickened me really and yes, one was gone in the cup. Something needs to be done on a more profound level to fix the problem of this corporation mistreating live animals.


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## eengland (Feb 9, 2011)

Pekemom said:


> Oh, I wanted to add my support to his recovery! How caring of you to rescue him. I happened to be in Walmart yesterday - and saw about eight cups of bettas in very bad condition. It sickened me really and yes, one was gone in the cup. Something needs to be done on a more profound level to fix the problem of this corporation mistreating live animals.


I agree, Pekemom. I was in both petsmart and walmart the other day. In walmart there were about 5 cups of bettas and one had been dead for quite sometime. I felt very upset when seeing this. I still feel awful. The three at petsmart also looked terrible. One of those bettas (at petsmart) was actually in a small (probably .8 gallon) aquarium that was covered with alge and of course no heater. Something has to change.


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## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

I swear we should contact a goverment official and inform them of Betta problems...

I'll be stalking this thread. Good luck, and I hope he recovers.


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## eengland (Feb 9, 2011)

Luimeril said:


> went to walmart today. had a feeling something would happen, and i was right. i was horrified to see they had bettas again! Dx checked them out, saw a long-dead CT(pretty thing, too. white/purple/light blue body, with deep red fins. D, and saw one that grabbed my heart. he's a normal VT, but has almost no tail left at all! i think it's a combo of being put in another betta's cup, and fin rot. after dwelling on it all day, i went back and got him, along with a Tetra 1.5 gallon and some aquarium salt(my main reason for going back, actually). i've been calling him "Gimpy", but that will change if he makes it through the night.
> 
> i've NEVER seen a betta in as bad a shape as poor Gimpy. he's only got a thin strip of tail left, so he obviously has issues swimming. he's very pale, and i've never personally seen stress stripes on a male, until i met him. he wiggles his little "butt stub" around, trying to explore his new tank, but gives up and floats at the top, swimming with only his peccy fins. he's also got a nasty dip in his head, but that doesn't matter to me, he's still a very beautiful boy(common blue with red wash on the fins.). i only have a single plant in there right now(didn't have time to dig through the plants there, and they only really had plastic anyways). i wish i'd gotten him a heater, but he'll have to do with the light on the tank till i can get to the pet store. my biggest worry is, he won't make i till tomorrow.
> 
> ...


Hope he gets better soon!


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

day 2, and he's still alive. but, every time he gulps air, bubbles come out of his right gill. D: is that normal?


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

Glitter does that too. I don't think it's anything to worry about. He's perfectly fine otherwise.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

his name is Remy now. :3 named after my favorite of the X-men, Gambit, who's real name is RemyLeBeau. :3


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## cjayBetta (Jan 18, 2011)

Pretty fishy. IMO, you should keep the name Gimpy... its SO cute  Fits him too


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

but he won't be Gimpy for long! xD once he gets his tail back, he'll have a name that doesn't fit. :d

i posted in the illness thread, but no one's said anything. D:


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## Pekemom (Jan 27, 2011)

How's he doing today, Luimeril? Keep us posted and also on what you're doing to help his recovery...


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

he is now Remy, and he has this..... stringy clear stuff on one side of his belly, almost looks like it's coming out of his gill. D: i've never heard of it before, and it worries me to no end. ;A; i'm treating him with aquarium salt, since that's all i have to treat him with, but he's been alot more active today than he was yesterday. he explored quite a bit today.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

sadly, Remy passed away at about 1:25am today. i've some strong words for the manager at walmart now. some very strong words.


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## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

Oh I'm sorry )= at least he didn't die in a cup.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

he died in a tank 10x larger than his dirty cup. that was VERY clean. and sterile.


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## Bettaluver4evr (Jan 21, 2011)

Oh my, I'm so very sorry! I had a lot of hope, I can't believe it! Sorry! I say YELL at that manager!!! That poor betta deserved so much better, and instead of getting help he was stuck on that shelf with all of the other bettas, no treatment or ANYTHING that would help! I'm so sorry.


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

Poor Remy!


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## fleetfish (Jun 29, 2010)

I'm sorry ... you did what you could for the little guy.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm so sorry about Remy.


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## Goomba3 (Jan 20, 2011)

I'm so sorry about Remy! At least you made him happy and comfortable for a little while. Good luck with the manage and let us know what happens!


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

talked to the manager yesterday. he apologized for Remy, and offered to refund my money(which i accepted. >.> it's five bux, i wasn't gonna pass it up. lol). he said he doesn't know why they sent in the shipment, and he's gonna put a stop to any more coming into that store, which made me happy. he knows they don't have anyone who can watch over them all the time, which is what they need. they, apparently, have people plopping two together, and dumping things like drinks into the cups often! Dx


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## Sweeda88 (Dec 6, 2010)

I'm glad he listened to you. Make sure you check back in a couple of weeks to make sure he wasn't just trying to placate you.


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## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

This is why you got 2 awards on the awards thread....

Hooray for saving Bettas!


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