# A happy ending for a sad fishy (:



## NeoViking (Aug 17, 2012)

I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right place ^^; I assume so cause the whole point is to show my fish but correct me if I'm wrong.


I was heart broken visiting the fish shop local to me.
I've always known that bettas are commonly kept in those small cube shape tanks in a lot of shops or even those plastic pots with a lid.
But I was shocked at the conditions my newest betta "Kairi" was being kept in.


I've been planning for weeks to get another betta, but I'd been holding off due to my cat suddenly getting ill (only mildly ill but he still needs treating), I needed to pay for Mr Jinxy's treatment first and the fish was going to wait since if I wanted something special it would cost me anything from £15-£30 and that's money I could be spending on my cat.
So I've just had a tank sat in my room cycling with nothing in it for a few weeks.


I was out yesterday and thought to myself I'd just see what they had in stock to see what their bettas are like.
Most places around here only sell the vail tails so I was looking for somewhere which sold something different.

I walked around the shop and couldn't see any bettas, so I went over and asked the guy if he ever sold betta fish and he told me he's got one left.
I was lead to a shelf within reach of children and dogs and shown the most depressed looking yellow betta in an insignificant volume of water at the bottom of a drinking glass... no lid, just a narrow drinking glass with only enough water for his fins to stand up.
His tail was damaged, I'm not sure if it's fin rot or if he's been biting his own tail but there's certainly some tail missing.
I felt so bad for him!

After talking with the guy I was able to take the betta home for free since he was damaged and undesirable to other customers.
When I got the fish home I tested the water that was in his bag (unfortunately my third test tube broke a while ago so I tested amonia and nitrite) and frowned at the test results.
The amonia (in the green tube) is supposed to show up pale yellow and the nitrite (in the purple tube) is supposed to show up pale blue. this guy's been swimming in toxic water.






















His first tank is a 15ltr filtered heated tank with silk plants and some anubias on a bog-wood 
I'll upgrade his tank at a later date but right now I think he's happy to be able to move.
When I first put him in he just swam in one spot for about a minute, then cautiously started exploring his new home.

I've already got everything he needs, food, treats accessories est since I already have another male and female (in separate tanks) so he'll be sharing their stuff.
They've been eating the hikari pellets, Kairi's a bit nervous when I feed him at the moment, he wont take the food unless I walk away from the tank but he eats ok.

I'm keeping my eye on his tail just in case its fin rot. I don't want to jump the gun and treat it if it doesn't need treating but we'll see how that goes.
I do have some melafix under my cichlid tank if needs must though.
For now he's just got stress coat in his tank to help the healing.

I'm really pleased with him ^_^ he might take a bit of work for the first few weeks with his tail and getting him out of his shell but he'll get there.


----------



## KevinPham123 (Jul 24, 2012)

Don't worry about any meds atm, keep with clean and warm water first  and i'm very glad you got to bring him home. You've basically made yourself a hero for being his caretaker now. Congrats.


----------



## Bettanewbie60 (Jun 26, 2012)

I'm so happy you were able to bring him in and give him a proper home...congrats, he is gorgeous!


----------



## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

Poor little guy he is happy now I am sure and he is very pretty so good of you to give him a home !!!


----------



## NeoViking (Aug 17, 2012)

If I can avoid meds I will, I don't really want to put an antibacterial treatment in my recently cycled tank but if needs absolutely must then I do have melafix on standby.
I'm going to see how he goes with good hygiene and stress coat first though 

I can't wait to start bonding with him!
My other two will take food from my fingers, Kairi hides until the cost is clear lol!
I'm sure he'll grow out of doing that though, I just need to find something he really likes and maybe give him a little more cover in his tank to make him feel safer.
Vega's plants are due for trimming, I'll give Kairi some of the off cuts for now.


----------



## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

Oh yes, it is a happy ending, I am so glad to hear he is in a loving home, and is getting the love and attention he needs, He will do just fine, given some time, and warm, clean water, and good food to perk up his energy. I love happy Endings


----------



## NeoViking (Aug 17, 2012)

He'll be getting all that alright ^__^ <3 
I've always liked to spoil Vega and Chun Li, Kairi's going to be just as spoiled 



I've just peeked over at him, I could be completely wrong about this... in fact it'd surprise me if that's what he was doing since its only his first day but.... what does a bubble nest look like?!
I just spotted him with his face in a small cluster of bubbles around his thermometer.
If it's likely he's seen my female would it be a good idea to move him out of her sight?
I want him to take it easy and heal that damaged tail of his, I don't want him stressing out over females (assuming it would stress him out)
I don't actually have any intention to bread him so his bubble nest would be pointless anyway.


----------



## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

Males love to build a bubble nest, yes for mating, but also to test thier skills, it seems to me, they keep going, no matter if they mate or not..so It's a good sign of good health..a sick fish cannot do that..so he is doing very well, too bad he couldn't mate, he is a very pretty boy..

and a HM it looks like..there is not stress in building a bubble nest, or flaring, they are showing activity, and that shows that they are responsive to their surroundings, and as long as it's not constant flaring, nests are fine, it's relaxing..


----------



## NeoViking (Aug 17, 2012)

Maybe in the future I might let them bread, but Chun Li's still a juvenile right now herself ^^ 
XD she acts more like a small like a piranha the way she eats though lol.

I'm glad it's a good sign ^^ I had a brief moment of worry then!
If its therapeutic he can carry on all he likes  and if it's a sign of good heath then even better! 
That's just taken the worry off my mind there and better!


----------



## nel3 (May 29, 2011)

be careful of Melafix or anything __fix. the eucalyptus part of the meds dont really help the labyrinth organs. some say it kills the fish some say it can be used safely in certain conditions. i personally stay away from those ___fix meds for betta.


----------



## megaredize (May 21, 2012)

congrats hes a beauty i bet he will look even better with the clean water he has now. i would also stay away from meds unless something comes up.


----------



## NeoViking (Aug 17, 2012)

nel3 said:


> be careful of Melafix or anything __fix. the eucalyptus part of the meds dont really help the labyrinth organs. some say it kills the fish some say it can be used safely in certain conditions. i personally stay away from those ___fix meds for betta.



Wow, thanks for the warning!
I didn't realize it had such a negative affect on bettas!
But now that you say it that does make a lot of sense.
I'll avoid it like the plague! I'm never going to use any "fix" meds on my bettas ever!

If needs absolutely must I'll shop around for something safer.
I got a feeling he'll heal up just fine on his own though 
I'm going to give clean water and stress coat a go first and see how that goes.

I'll leave meds as the last resort.






megaredize said:


> congrats hes a beauty i bet he will look even better with the clean water he has now. i would also stay away from meds unless something comes up.



He's looking much better already now he's had some food and a good swim around his tank 
He looked very dull and depressed in his glass and didn't do anything, now he's bombing about and making bubble nests on his thermometer lol! (I was quite surprised when he started doing that XD)
I'm so pleased with him!


----------



## mursey (May 9, 2012)

Let's see some more pictures of him whenever you get a chance. He is very lucky you found him.


----------



## nel3 (May 29, 2011)

NeoViking said:


> Wow, thanks for the warning!
> I didn't realize it had such a negative affect on bettas!
> But now that you say it that does make a lot of sense.
> I'll avoid it like the plague! I'm never going to use any "fix" meds on my bettas ever!
> ...


NP neoviking. whenever i see people looking at ___fix meds i warn them about that issue. ive done so in the past already and led them to AQ salt. i told them the dangers of it but didnt tell them to not buy it. they went ahead with 7-10 days of AQsalt though i didnt see them again nor fins out the result. though it was either finrot or minor tail damage.

there are several safe meds on the market so you wont have much issue with that if you have the right pet stores. dont get Betta revive, its also has some potentially fatal betta results. i never tried it but read about it. it comes in a small fish shaped bottle with blue coloured med. i hope the fish lives a long and healthy life.

i think some of the blame is the business regarding shelf stocking practices and to get ppl to buy the product even if results are ambiguos. betta revive and ___fix are some of the shakier ones imo. i can believe they still work safely on most fish but not on labyrinth organ fish. i dont have any proof of that claim but i do believe such products are put on the market BC they do get the desired effect given the right conditions.


----------



## NeoViking (Aug 17, 2012)

I threw this together real quick.
I really need to get a better camera XD
I'm going to make some video of him when I get the chance ^^ 





> NP neoviking. whenever i see people looking at ___fix meds i warn them about that issue. ive done so in the past already and led them to AQ salt.


I've given him a little AQ salt to see how he goes with that 
Only a teeny little bit but it should be enough.
I'd never actually thought about using salt but good call! I'd forgotten all about that! stress coat and AQ salt should be the only things he needs ^^ he doesn't look like he's getting any worse so hopefully I can get away with saying this means he's getting better 
Just got to wait on his tail to grow back I think.


----------



## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

_Oh wow, look at the colors coming out on him..beautiful lil guy..so glad you found him!!! He looks really wonderful, considering the conditions he was prev.in..whatever your doing keep up the great work_


----------



## NeoViking (Aug 17, 2012)

His colours do seem to be coming out a little 
I'm not sure if that's just his pellets or what's doing it but I've noticed his colours coming out too.
In particular his blue/pink sheen.

He's come out of his shell a lot too 
Yesterday I had to stand away from his tank when he ate or he wouldnt come out of hiding, today I was stood right next to his tank dropping in blood worm and he didn't flinch. 
I think he's gotten used to the association that standing by his tank = food's coming lol.


----------



## mursey (May 9, 2012)

Aw, he looks really good.


----------



## NeoViking (Aug 17, 2012)

I had a spot of luck today ^_^
I was looking through the garage for something for the cat and stumbled across my previous betta "Ryu"'s tank (I'm so lame naming all my bettas after street fighter characters)
It's a 30ltr tank, its only down side is that I stole the light off it and gave it to my other boy Vega so there's no light XD... well there is but its being used lol.
30ltr is better than 15ltr though  I think this is going to be his new forever tank.
I was feeling sort of bad keeping him in the 15ltr cause he's a big boy and that wasn't exactly a big tank.


Also, he met my female Chun Li while I was getting the tank set up for him.
I had him in a small carry container while I was getting it all ready for him and put him next to her tank for a little while.
He seems a healthy boy, he was flaring at her at the side of his container making himself look all big and she was getting quite excitable trying to get to him lol.
It's nice to know he's got lots of energy though  its the first time I've seen him flare up.


----------



## mursey (May 9, 2012)

Out of curiosity I just had to look up how many gallons that is  

15 liters = 3.96258 gallons
30 liters = 7.92516 gallons

Well. . . a 30 liter tank is pretty nice then! He is going to be spoiled  Not a lot of bettas get that much room for themselves.


----------



## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Great job saving this beautiful boy!! He's going to be a stunner!!


----------



## BettaQi (Jul 26, 2012)

Lovely tale of generosity and blossoming glory!


----------



## NeoViking (Aug 17, 2012)

mursey said:


> Out of curiosity I just had to look up how many gallons that is
> 
> 15 liters = 3.96258 gallons
> 30 liters = 7.92516 gallons
> ...


I totally forgot I had that tank.
I was going to buy him the same tank as Vega's got (20ltr) when I get paid until I found that in my garage, now he's got the 30ltr instead for his forever tank.
I'm glad though  he looks happy.
It's quite a well suited tank for him though, he has excitable little bursts and uses the space to his advantage lol.





MoonShadow said:


> Great job saving this beautiful boy!! He's going to be a stunner!!


Thank you ^^
I do love him <3 his personality is really starting to shine now.
He's gone from being bashful to a right show off! XD


----------

