# Starting and Running a Betta Fish Rescue



## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

I thought I would write this for everyone who has ever thought of starting their own betta rescue. Starting and running a rescue is extremely wonderful, heartwarming and rewarding, but also time consuming, expensive and potentially heartbreaking. You need a strong will, a strong constitution, determination and dedication. 

•	Decide where you will run the rescue out of; your room, your basement, the family room, the garage, etc. 

•	Determine your startup costs. Tanks, heaters, food (flake, pellet, live and frozen), décor, nets meds, water change supplies, water conditioners, and shipping supplies (if you plan on shipping out certain adoptable fish) need to be taken into consideration.

• How many tanks do you want to have running? What sizes? Will you have individual heaters in all tanks, or will the room be a heated “fish room”?

•	Decide how many fish you will be able to care for at one time, and *stick to that number*, even if it means turning away potential rescues! One of the biggest killers of animal rescues is taking in more animals then you can handle at one time! 

•	Decide whether or not you will ask an adoption fee, and how much that adoption fee will be if you choose to have one. 

•	Are you willing to ship certain bettas to their new homes if you find an adopter that is not within driving distance? Will you offer discounted shipping rates, and pay the rest out of pocket? Or will you charge full shipping prices?


o	Here’s a link to a great article on how to ship properly: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=35196&highlight=zenandra

It’s very important to always have a wide variety of medicines on hand, because you never know what sort of illness or injury you may have to treat. Here is a list of medical supplies that I recommend always having on hand
•	Stress Coat
•	Epsom Salt
•	Aquarium Salt
•	Maracyn-Oxy
•	Tetracycline
•	Quick Cure
•	Aquari-sol
•	Prime
•	Vita-Chem
•	Garlic Guard
•	API Triple Sulfa
•	API Fungus Cure
•	Maracyn 1&2
•	Erythromycin

Everyone determines what counts as a rescue differently, so I will let you make your own calls about what you would consider a rescue. But I would like to go over what I would consider the different “levels” of betta rescues, from the beginner level rescues, to the advanced rescues.

1.	*“The Beginner Level Rescue”* – This fish will have minor and easily treated problems such as a minor tail rips but no rot (Biting), Stress, Emaciation etc. It will not require any heavy medication, and will be able to be treated with just clean, warm water, a good diet and possibly a bit of salt. This fish has a very good chance of healing and living a long, happy life. 

2.	*“The Intermediate Level Rescue”* – This fish will have issues that are more serious, but still treatable, such as: Fin rot, Bloat, Swimbladder, Ick, Velvet, Ammonia burns, External Parasites, Popeye, etc. This fish will require medication beyond the clean, warm water and salt, but still has a good chance for recovery.

3.	_*“The Advanced Level Rescue”*_ – This fish will have severe and difficult to treat problems, such as: Internal Bacterial infections, Body Rot, Open Sores, Severe (laying on its side, gasping) Ammonia Poisoning, Internal Parasites, Dropsy, Colmunaris, Etc. This fish may require strong and expensive medication, and may have a low chance of surviving. 

4.	_*“The Sympathy Euthanasia Rescue”*_ – This is a fish that has no chance of survival. It may have severe open wounds, or be in the advanced stages of colmunaris, dropsy, etc. And the kindest thing that can be done is to take this fish home and end its suffering.

	Here are links to some good articles on different diseases and treatments
o	http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=73332
o	http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=73333

	And while the topic of euthanasia has been brought up, there is a link to a good article on that as well.
o	http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=116540

This is just a base write-Up to help those of you who have an interest in rescuing, and I will add more tips as I think of them!


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## sainthogan (Sep 27, 2012)

I like this, I wish I had a place to rescue Bettas. Soon maybe.


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks! Yeah it does require space but it is so very worth it!


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## LadyVictorian (Nov 23, 2011)

Love this.

Already have my betta rescue setup and getting in the first betta tomorrow. I'm not sure if I am adopting him out but most likely and someplace local I hope. Already got all the meds I can get since I don't know the condition he will be coming to me in. He's from Craigslist and basically some family had him for a few months, realized fish are too much work, and want money more than animals. I'm both scared and excited to pick him up tomorrow. Hope he does well and can get a GOOD family.

My rescue is going to start out small, maybe 2-5 fish at a time since I run it from my bedroom. Once I have a place I can dedicate a whole room to fish I'll rescue more.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

Maybe you should add to know how to market yourself properly so you can have enough adoptions going out so you can take more rescues in? 

I have a friend that didnt think of half those things and doesnt really know any other fish keepers other than myself, so she has a really hard time getting enough adoptions out to take more rescues in. Originally she thought that she was just going to be able to give them to her friends once they were healthy, but she doesnt have enough friends for the amount of fish and now she's wayyy over her original capacity.


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

aemaki09 said:


> Maybe you should add to know how to market yourself properly so you can have enough adoptions going out so you can take more rescues in?


That's a great idea!! I will write that up tonight!!


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## RedRaz (Sep 12, 2012)

I so admire you and whoever rescues a betta. Takes a special person to do this. My first betta I ever bought had a whole line of illness and I did not know this when I bought him. He never ate and his health went completely down hill no matter what I did to help him. I was so sad when he passed. I still am but I know he is not suffering anymore. I learned a lot from my Raz. I learned just how amazing these fish are and that they need to be treated better at pet stores. Maybe one day I can start to rescue. Thanks for this thread because now I have a more clear idea of what rescuing entails. *hugs*


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## MoonShadow (Feb 29, 2012)

I'm going to write a follow up for this article this weekend! About marketing your rescues etc.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Looks good.. only change I would make is get rid of Quick Cure and add in General Cure. General Cure a bit gentler, and it can do what most of those other medications can do.


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## Dmsantana (Nov 15, 2012)

I wish I could do a betta rescue thing but i end up keeping them all


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Is a betta rescue really expensive to run? Is it fun? I have been interested in this ever since my betta died last week.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

How many do you have? Are you very ell educated in the species and the care involved? A betta rescue would need tanks, a lot of meds, a lot of space...


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

MattsBettas said:


> How many do you have? Are you very ell educated in the species and the care involved? A betta rescue would need tanks, a lot of meds, a lot of space...


 I haven't started yet. I just want to have a small rescue. Yes, I have had bettas before. Thank you for your reply.


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## SunshineSulie (Mar 16, 2013)

I wish I did not live in a dorm room the size of a janitorial closet.  Then I might be able to have a rescue. Lol ol


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

I can't have a very big rescue because I am confined to a 10 x 10 foot room. I can only have about 1-2 tanks right now.


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## Saphira101 (Nov 14, 2012)

Wow Moonshadow! Great job.  You answered all of the questions that I had about rescuing!


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

There was a member on here, greentea, that did a rescue. They put up fliers saying to drop off unwanted bettas in her mailbox - not sure where they live but I am assuming this was only in the summertime. Sadly I haven't seen them online in a while.



> I can't have a very big rescue because I am confined to a 10 x 10 foot room. I can only have about 1-2 tanks right now.


It wouldn't have to be "big". Bettas really don't require much space as compared to say a dog or cat. You can keep them in 1 or 2 gallon tanks assuming you do the work that a small tank requires.

All of my bettas were "rescues" from petco - although I don't offer them up for adoption. 
Before
















AFTER









I had 23 when I lived in Alaska and my entire apt was a mere 280 sq. ft - all were in 3 gallons or larger


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Yeah, it won't be big. I have decided to house 3 bettas at a time. Moonshadow, you are awesome. You have inspired me to start helping bettas who suffer.


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## Pippin (Apr 11, 2014)

I know that this thread is very old, but I am definitely going to start a betta rescue in the future! I just may have trouble adopting them.


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## Khloe (Aug 2, 2014)

LOVE THIS POST!!
I am starting a little betta rescue! Just a little one but it is growing fast!!! i have taken in about 5-7 fish a week!!! of caurse i put alot up for adoption(i keep a couple sometimes) i do not ship cause i dont wanna risk the fish dying (yes i know it can be safe but still) i use a big tank for the females (if they are not that aggressive) and i use 1-5 gallon tanks for the males i will agree with you it is ALOT OF WORK i am cleaning tanks daily!!! cause i have so many and depending on the size of tank = the amount of times i change it per week!


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## Khloe (Aug 2, 2014)

*Kinda...*



PetMania said:


> Is a betta rescue really expensive to run? Is it fun? I have been interested in this ever since my betta died last week.



I am starting one well i stared it like 2 weeks ago it all depends on the amount of bettas you take in and how well you take care of them. i am cleaning tanks every day and feeding fish 2 times a day and it can be VERY expensive (i have spent over $100 just on gravel and plants.... i have also gotten some donations like fish tanks and fish food when i take in someones fish  (dont expect it all the time though i usually get it about 2 out of 10 times i rescue a fish)


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## PetMania (Mar 28, 2013)

Khloe said:


> I am starting one well i stared it like 2 weeks ago it all depends on the amount of bettas you take in and how well you take care of them. i am cleaning tanks every day and feeding fish 2 times a day and it can be VERY expensive (i have spent over $100 just on gravel and plants.... i have also gotten some donations like fish tanks and fish food when i take in someones fish  (dont expect it all the time though i usually get it about 2 out of 10 times i rescue a fish)


I did run a rescue for about a year before I had to close down when a heat wave killed all my rescues. It is extremely time consuming and difficult at times, but so rewarding.


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