Felt Horrible For This Fella (betta)

Couldn't let the dude live in there, may not make it but geesh. There is 30 betta pellets in this little cup. I'm about to do an ammonia test just to see

 

Omg poor guy! The ammonia must've been off the charts! So glad you got him, he'll do great in your care.

 

Aw man That's basically fish abuse Glad you found him, and hope he recovers!

 

Poor little fishy! Glad you saved him. Make sure to update us.

 

He's kinda floating at the top now. He will swim a little, but not much

Unbelievable

 

Omg poor guy! The ammonia must've been off the charts! So glad you got him, he'll do great in your care.

I hope I can save him but it's not looking too good, better but as you can see that ammonia was 4.0-8.0

 

My gosh! They ruptured the space time continuum!
In all seriousness I really hope he makes it best of luck

 

I hope I can save him but it's not looking too good, better but as you can see that ammonia was 4.0-8.0

Oh, the poor thing!! Thank you for getting him out of there.

 

I hope he is okay! At the very least, he gets to experience clean water for once. Poor boy

 

I think it's normal he'd have a bit of trouble adjusting to such stark water condition differences. Give him some time in your healthy tank, he may just come around! I'm rooting for your little betta dude!

 

I hope he is okay! At the very least, he gets to experience clean water for once. Poor boy

That's was exactly my thoughts, and just maybe he will stick around

 

He's been changing depths a little today so that seems good. Not eating yet but I don't think that's a surprise when you have 30 old pellets in a cup. I've seen people post about garlic but I've never tried. Pretty sure he has cotton fin disease or whatever it is. I can't afford medicine but have aquarium salt and melafix and pimafix but have seen these may not be best for a betta. Gonna see how he responds to clean water then if I have to may give him a watered down dose of melafix, but I'm open to suggestions. I'll post some more pics when I get home from work.

 

Can we see pics please?

 

 

He's been changing depths a little today so that seems good. Not eating yet but I don't think that's a surprise when you have 30 old pellets in a cup. I've seen people post about garlic but I've never tried. Pretty sure he has cotton fin disease or whatever it is. I can't afford medicine but have aquarium salt and melafix and pimafix but have seen these may not be best for a betta. Gonna see how he responds to clean water then if I have to may give him a watered down dose of melafix, but I'm open to suggestions. I'll post some more pics when I get home from work.

Melafix and Pimafix are dangerous to labyrinth fish, and are about 10x the concentration of the one which is used on betta, Bettafix. But if you are VERY careful about the dosage, it might work to help clear up his fungal infection, if you have nothing else.

There is this stickied thread about Melafix and betta: Update Regarding Labyrinth Fish and Melafix

But if he just has whitish or blueish patches on the edges of his fins, he may already be healing from the ammonia burns. Fungal infections look like little balls of cotton stuck to the fish.

 

Fin&tail rot is a bacterial infection. It can look like fungus, but going on how poor the water in the cup was, I wouldn't be surprised if he got a bacterial issue. Are bettas ok with salt (sodium chloride)? If so, I'd add a tonic dose of 1sp per 1-3 gallons. This is a mild dose to help facilitate osmosis and also heal with wounds. Salt also helps with bacterial issues. Salt and daily WCs is what I'd do.

For fungus, I use Methylene blue baths or dabs. Baths if it's all over, swabs if it's only one area. Again, I'm not at all familiar with bettas, so make sure these methods are safe with bettas.

 

Here he is today, still wouldn't eat, tried frozen dried bloodworms today.

Fin&tail rot is a bacterial infection. It can look like fungus, but going on how poor the water in the cup was, I wouldn't be surprised if he got a bacterial issue. Are bettas ok with salt (sodium chloride)? If so, I'd add a tonic dose of 1sp per 1-3 gallons. This is a mild dose to help facilitate osmosis and also heal with wounds. Salt also helps with bacterial issues. Salt and daily WCs is what I'd do.

For fungus, I use Methylene blue baths or dabs. Baths if it's all over, swabs if it's only one area. Again, I'm not at all familiar with bettas, so make sure these methods are safe with bettas.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I've chose salt and water changes for now, that's what my gut told me so we shall see

 

Just be easy on salt, I'd go with 1tsp per 10 gallons to start. Add it slowly over a couple hours. Observe. If he tolerates it well, you could add more, up to tsp per 5 gallons. But make sure he doesn't show irritation.

I accidentally mentioned too much salt. It's a dose more for ich than a tonic dose.

Salt does not evaporate, so you must remove water to remove it and redose for water removed while treating.

 

Well my little buddy got a little taste of clean water, now he's in the purest water and roaming happily. RIP Red Durst.
Went and picked up the next dirtiest cup, this one was nowhere as bad. I'd still say she's a baby.

 

Where did you get these bettas

 

Wally World

 

Swim in peace, little Red <3 Thanks for letting him know a better place before his life before his ended. Your new rescue is looking pretty good, apart from the stress stripes. Hope this one pulls through and you have many wonderful years ahead!

 

Swim in peace, little Red <3 Thanks for letting him know a before his life before his ended. Your new rescue is looking pretty good, apart from the stress stripes. Hope this one pulls through and you have many wonderful years

My boy I bought as a baby in May, seemed like he had the stress stripes maybe like 3 days,b I don't remember, but I'm amazed in how fast he grew. This is Kamara

 

Sorry Red Dust didn't pull through.
New fish is a betta? Never saw stress stripes before.

Maybe that Wally could be reported? That is terrible! How many cups?

 

Sorry Red Dust didn't pull through.
New fish is a betta? Never saw stress stripes before.

Maybe that Wally could be reported? That is terrible! How many cups?

This was the last one from there old batch. They just got new ones yesterday, probably had around 10-15

 

Bummer on Red, hope your next one does better.

 

This was the last one from there old batch. They just got new ones yesterday, probably had around 10-15

The wally's here stopped selling fish about 10 years ago. I feel so sorry for those fish. They should specifically hire someone who has a bit of fish knowledge to take care of the department. Sounds like the employees in charge are clueless. Makes me so angry

Might be more effective to have a talk with the manager/employees because it seems they will always get new fish shipments in to replace the dead they can't keep alive. Or ppl like yourself are forever trying to heal the damage. Thanks for caring for these abused animals, but I feel for the ones who are not saved too. Such a pathetic situation that is easily avoidable with fresh daily water and a bit of common sense.

 

Might be more effective to have a talk with the manager/employees because it seems they will always get new fish shipments in to replace the dead they can't help alive. Or ppl like yourself are forever trying to heal the damage. Thanks for caring for these abused animals, but I feel for the ones who are not saved too.

I agree, we can only treat the symptoms and results of their neglect.

 

Your Kamara looks like my Ocean's twin Ocean was a Petsmart rescue, and was the most damaged looking betta there who wasn't floating on his side. Since this was for my son and I didn't want his heart broken, I tried to steer him to one of the healthier looking fish, but he'd fallen in love. Ocean is happy and doing so much better 4 months later. He is going blind and has a lot of fin damage I don't think will ever recover (dorsal seems to be permanently curled, possibly from his breeding conditions), but he is spunky and very social. Love the rescues, and hoping you success in the future!

 

Sorry about Red, you did everything you could.
Hope your new one is in better health

 

Sorry misread. Your new one is a Croaking Gourami instead of a Betta to me.

 

Ahh good ID, DD! It doesn't look like a betta to me either. Anyway, hope your gourami does well! Nice score if it is a croaking gourami btw. I don't see them very often.

 

It could be a Croaking gourami. However, the pic isn’t clear enough for me to say it is, with any confidence. But we are talking Wally World here. They don’t have the broadest selection of fish. Actually, they possibly have the worst.

 

good luck with your new fish!! sorry about red. i've never seen that kind of gourami before, it looks like a young betta to me. would mixing up gouramis in betta cups even happen?

my walmart yesterday had a bunch of bags full of stuff in the sink that I can only assume were dead fish stank to high heaven. I just wanted to check on the poor bettas. they always have at least one cup that's been dead for a while because it's completely clouded and the dead fish is covered in a bunch of nasty stuff. they always keep the water lines super low too. I wish walmart would just stop.

 

Sorry misread. Your new one is a Croaking Gourami instead of a Betta to me.

Hmm. It was in a betta cup but idk

 

It could be a Croaking gourami. However, the pic isn’t clear enough for me to say it is, with any confidence. But we are talking Wally World here. They don’t have the broadest selection of fish. Actually, they possibly have the worst.

True, but I wouldn't put it passed their supplier to mess up like that either. I've never had either fish, just didn't strike me as a betta.

 

True, but I wouldn't put it passed their supplier to mess up like that either. I've never had either fish, just didn't strike me as a betta.

If it is a croaking gourami should I get a tank just for it, I have a 5 gallon with a betta, two 10g's with a betta each (pretty sure these aren't options. 40G with a DG, 2 platys, 5 GloDanios, 8 Black Phantom tetra, 6 Panda Cory, 6 Peppered Cory,(wouldn't think this is an option with the DG, and a 55 gallon with 6 guppies, 1 platy, 10 black neons, 3 harlequin rasboras, (just got 8 last week and they're dropping by the day) 8 emerald green corys and albino bristlenose plecco. The 55 is what I would imagine is best bet I'm nervous something is going on in there with the loss of the harlequins.

 

Honestly, I'm not sure. My knowledge on these fish is limited. But I did read the croaking gourami can be considered a 'nano' fish meaning they don't need a large aquarium. I know the bettas can't be housed with a fish they are so similar to in appearance. I certainly wouldn't try it with a lone betta and lone gourami in a small tank. Not sure how territorial other gouramis are, but with the other fish in your 55 gallon and the larger tank, I think it's your best option as well. I'd wait until you feel the tank is safe though to add him. It may not be a croaking gourami, it might be more obvious with time, but it sure looks like one.

He should be fine in a tote with a sponge filter, heater and clean water for now. It's your QT tank

 

Honestly, I'm not sure. My knowledge on these fish is limited. But I did read the croaking gourami can be considered a 'nano' fish meaning they don't need a large aquarium. I know the bettas can't be housed with a fish they are so similar to in appearance. I certainly wouldn't try it with a lone betta and lone gourami in a small tank. Not sure how territorial other gouramis are, but with the other fish in your 55 gallon and the larger tank, I think it's your best option as well. I'd wait until you feel the tank is safe though to add him. It may not be a croaking gourami, it might be more obvious with time, but it sure looks like one.

He should be fine in a tote with a sponge filter, heater and clean water for now. It's your QT tank

Cool that's what it's in right now. It did have the 2 or 3 circles by the gills. Looked like eyes to me, kinda freaked me out at first lol. I'll get a better pic with my LED light when I get home