I stopped at Petco...

So I stopped at petco last night because I was bored. I should’ve known to stayed away from the betta section. I found a gorgeous mustard and blue male with almost his entire tail bitten off. I’ve been keeping fish off and on my whole life, but I’ve never tried to save one this bad. It actually kept me from sleeping last night. I just felt so bad for him. My question is if I go buy him, will his tail ever grow back in or is he a lost cause?

 

It will grow back. Even without any medication whatsoever. Just give him the proper water conditions and add catappa leaves to the water he'll grow a brand new tail in a couple weeks

 

+1 to RomeoOscar's response. Given a good diet and healthy water parameters, his tail will grow back and his colors will become more prominent

 

It will grow back just maybe get some fin rot treatment in case the wounds have been infected by that nasty petco water.

 

I agree with everyone else. Bettas can bite their tails when stressed or not feeling well. If given a decent sized tank, heater, filter, and keep the water parameters healthy along with a proper diet, he’ll probably bounce back quickly and be a gorgeous Betta! I would be prepared if fin rot does happen and just have something on hand so that way you can jump on it immediately.

 

Well I got him. He wasn’t as bad as I thought he was yesterday. It looks like it might be an old wound. Looks like there’s some new growth and he is SPUNKY! I don’t have any Indian almond leaves on hand right now but I found something called Dark Water while I was there. It’s supposed to be Indian almond leaf extract so I grabbed some of that. It’s weird. I bought a massive bowl/jar thing at goodwill yesterday because I was thinking about setting up a walstad tank but I think it’ll be his tank for a bit. At least until he can move a bit better. I’m getting ready to set up all my betta tanks as blackwater also so it must’ve just been perfect timing!

 

Well I got him. He wasn’t as bad as I thought he was yesterday. It looks like it might be an old wound. Looks like there’s some new growth and he is SPUNKY! I don’t have any Indian almond leaves on hand right now but I found something called Dark Water while I was there. It’s supposed to be Indian almond leaf extract so I grabbed some of that. It’s weird. I bought a massive bowl/jar thing at goodwill yesterday because I was thinking about setting up a walstad tank but I think it’ll be his tank for a bit. At least until he can move a bit better. I’m getting ready to set up all my betta tanks as blackwater also so it must’ve just been perfect timing!

Wow what the.... How did they let a fish get into that condition ?! I'm afraid you might need meds for this one, I'm no specialist but that looks real bad... It's certainly treatable, he'll grow a new one for sure! I've seen amazing cases of recovery like this one. But probably need meds too...

 

What a pretty boy! He looks identical to my ‘Petco Rescue’ Betta male. You’ll love how the colors develop in a few weeks, they really pop! What I find intriguing is that his tail seems to be a clean cut, not like the scraggly mess that I’ve seen when Bettas bite their tails. Regardless, he was probably was less desirable to purchase with his tail like that so good job snatching him up. I would love to see him progress in the tail regrowth.

EDIT: I noticed that someone else pointed out that meds might be needed. I’m looking at the photo again.While it doesn’t look quite like the cases of fin rot I’ve encountered, it could be. The reason I’m hesitant to say it is fin rot because it looks too clean. Like it seemed like a clean cut almost. Also, the other fins look really good, no sign of the rot on them. So I’m not sure.

 

I stopped by the gas station and met my boyfriend before I came home with him. He suggested that maybe when they put the lid on the cup, somehow it cut his tail off? It does look like a really clean cut but, after looking at him better, it looks like it’s an old wound. There seems to be some new growth already. After taking one look at him, my boyfriend is ready to start a full fledged betta rescue lol

 

Wow what the.... How did they let a fish get into that condition ?! I'm afraid you might need meds for this one, I'm no specialist but that looks real bad... It's certainly treatable, he'll grow a new one for sure! I've seen amazing cases of recovery like this one. But probably need meds too...

I actually think I’m going to send the picture to petco corporate. I don’t really want the money back, even though I should’ve gotten more than a $3 discount, I just want to try to do my part. Maybe it’ll make a little bit of a difference.

 

Also, don’t waste your money with the Fritz Dark Water extract. I dosed it according to directions and I could’ve gotten more tannins with one magnolia leaf. I added a little more but was afraid to add too much because it says do not overdose and it really doesn’t say if there’s anything else in it. I just didn’t want to chance it

 

I'm talking to Petco online live support right now and she asked me to send her the picture so maybe I'll get somewhere with this one!

EDIT-
She said she's going to make sure it went to the right department. She asked if I wanted to receive a call back from the store and I told her that I'd rather not talk to the Bloomington store because the employee I spoke to tried to tell me that "sometimes betta tail just fall off" and that doesn't happen. We'll see what happens.

 

His tail seems to be growing in already! I haven't treated him with anything. I just wanted to wait until I absolutely had to give him meds. Just good quality food and a nice planted tank. He's definitely opened up a lot more too. Already started begging for food lol

 

Oh wow! I have no clue how that happened! Thank you for rescuing him and at least giving him a chance in a good tank! He’s lucky to be adopted! Good luck

 

It's grown in enough now that he's starting to use it! Honestly, he's become my favorite betta. He has SO much personality!

 

It's grown in enough now that he's starting to use it! Honestly, he's become my favorite betta. He has SO much personality!

He's so beautiful!

 

It's grown in enough now that he's starting to use it! Honestly, he's become my favorite betta. He has SO much personality!

Looks very beautiful...

 

It's grown in enough now that he's starting to use it! Honestly, he's become my favorite betta. He has SO much personality!

Love it! He’s looking really good!

 

It's grown in enough now that he's starting to use it! Honestly, he's become my favorite betta. He has SO much personality!

Look at those fins! So glad to see him getting better.

 

Good job, OP!

 

How big is his tank? I bet he was glad to be out of that tiny jar.

 

I will say I have seen several of the fancier tailed males come in with pieces missing, even a whole chunk of tail or analfin that makes no sense unless they were housing them with other betta. (And that one unfortunate double tail that was missing the whole top lobe of tail, like how does that even happen when they are bagged in less than an ounce of water?)

The tail is healing, the white you can see on the edge is new membrane, give it a couple weeks and he should have a good half of his tail already grown in and showing color (the membrane grows as the ray bones grow back, then they gain color similar to what is around them - soon you won't be able to tell he lost any fin at all). Keeping his water clean will be the best thing. Make sure he is a getting a good diet to help him regrow the fins, it takes a lot of energy for him to regrow the bones and membrane.

And you have a right to be concerned and not want to talk to the person that told you "they just fall off", no, and no. Fins aren't going to just pop off unless enough trauma has happened to break the ray bones completely off from the other part of the ray closer to the body (and sometimes it will heal even if it is broken like that, just at an angle similar to a bone that doesn't get set). It is very easy in those cups with 10-12oz of water for it to get nasty and them to have issues - if the employees are overfeeding and not changing their water like they are supposed to be.

 

Aww he’s beautiful! Glad he’s improving! Keep us updated!

 

this is so amazing!! I love it when people recuse poor bettas from those awful little containers they are kept in. I find it dreadful how people can be okay with how these fish are treated, it's like betta fish are treated as an accessory rather than a life. I strongly support people who can care and nurse these poorly kept creatures and think that they way they kept in stores need to change.

good on you for what you have done, keep us updated and hopefully you can save this lovely guy's life!!!

 

How big is his tank? I bet he was glad to be out of that tiny jar.

He shares a 10 gallon with some ramshorns and one nerite.

 

I will say I have seen several of the fancier tailed males come in with pieces missing, even a whole chunk of tail or analfin that makes no sense unless they were housing them with other betta. (And that one unfortunate double tail that was missing the whole top lobe of tail, like how does that even happen when they are bagged in less than an ounce of water?)

The tail is healing, the white you can see on the edge is new membrane, give it a couple weeks and he should have a good half of his tail already grown in and showing color (the membrane grows as the ray bones grow back, then they gain color similar to what is around them - soon you won't be able to tell he lost any fin at all). Keeping his water clean will be the best thing. Make sure he is a getting a good diet to help him regrow the fins, it takes a lot of energy for him to regrow the bones and membrane.

And you have a right to be concerned and not want to talk to the person that told you "they just fall off", no, and no. Fins aren't going to just pop off unless enough trauma has happened to break the ray bones completely off from the other part of the ray closer to the body (and sometimes it will heal even if it is broken like that, just at an angle similar to a bone that doesn't get set). It is very easy in those cups with 10-12oz of water for it to get nasty and them to have issues - if the employees are overfeeding and not changing their water like they are supposed to be.

The water looked fairly clean. I didn't test it but, it definitely wasn't as bad as some betta cups I've seen. I have never once seen them feed the bettas at that store though. I guess they could be doing it after hours but the cups are always so clean. I doubt they are. He gets some extra bloodworms when I give them to help with the process, homemade frozen mix, bug bites occasionally when I'm in a hurry, and baby brine shrimp (I'm practicing hatching them before I have fry that depend on them) in a rotation depending on what I've got going on or what I feel like feeding them that day. He's in a cycled pretty heavily planted too. I actually had my crowntail female in that tank and bought him a 5 gallon kit but the filter was just too strong for him so he switched with her. When I got him, It looked like his tail was already starting to grow back which means someone saw it and decided to ship him out anyway. My local petco only has one aquatics person on each shift so I knew that, if I told her that I was willing to receive a call back, I would have to argue with him and I didn't want to do that. I just wanted them to be aware and for the betta to be taken care of.

 

this is so amazing!! I love it when people recuse poor bettas from those awful little containers they are kept in. I find it dreadful how people can be okay with how these fish are treated, it's like betta fish are treated as an accessory rather than a life. I strongly support people who can care and nurse these poorly kept creatures and think that they way they kept in stores need to change.

good on you for what you have done, keep us updated and hopefully you can save this lovely guy's life!!!

This is the third one I've gotten in bad condition. I try my best to keep them in at least 5 gallon tanks with live plants. He was in a one gallon bowl for a few days until I could get a tank and decide whether he needed meds or not. They really are a mistreated fish. Up there with goldfish and its so sad. They have such great personalities that you really don't get to see in tiny tanks.

 

The water looked fairly clean. I didn't test it but, it definitely wasn't as bad as some betta cups I've seen. I have never once seen them feed the bettas at that store though. I guess they could be doing it after hours but the cups are always so clean. I doubt they are. He gets some extra bloodworms when I give them to help with the process, homemade frozen mix, bug bites occasionally when I'm in a hurry, and baby brine shrimp (I'm practicing hatching them before I have fry that depend on them) in a rotation depending on what I've got going on or what I feel like feeding them that day. He's in a cycled pretty heavily planted too. I actually had my crowntail female in that tank and bought him a 5 gallon kit but the filter was just too strong for him so he switched with her. When I got him, It looked like his tail was already starting to grow back which means someone saw it and decided to ship him out anyway. My local petco only has one aquatics person on each shift so I knew that, if I told her that I was willing to receive a call back, I would have to argue with him and I didn't want to do that. I just wanted them to be aware and for the betta to be taken care of.

Sounds like a good mix of food he should recover in no time. You may look at doing a sponge filter for him if he isn't able to handle the lower flow hob most kits come with.

 

Sounds like a good mix of food he should recover in no time. You may look at doing a sponge filter for him if he isn't able to handle the lower flow hob most kits come with.

This is an older HOB so has slowed down quite a bit. Its just about perfect for him. I'm waiting on it to die and then he'll get a sponge filter.

 

I've decided to name him Freedom. He's red, white, and, blue and he finally got out of that tiny cup! His tail is growing back incredibly quick! I thought it would take longer! He's been helping me with tank cycling for my pair of apistos now that I'm sure he doesn't have any open wounds or fin rot and he's loving it!

 

Aww! His colors are beautiful and the name definitely fits him!

 

How beautiful! I feel his name matches his spunky personality perfectly. He’s looking good so far!

 

I haven’t posted an update on this little guy in a long while. His tail is coming along great!

 

I haven’t posted an update on this little guy in a long while. His tail is coming along great!

He's improved so much!

 

I went to petco this weekend looking for a betta. Was the smallest selection they have had in some time! Didn't see any that really grabbed my attention...ended up with a rather spirited veiltail from an LFS though

 

He's improved so much!

He has! I’m so glad he made it especially since I lost my other male about a month ago.

 

I went to petco this weekend looking for a betta. Was the smallest selection they have had in some time! Didn't see any that really grabbed my attention...ended up with a rather spirited veiltail from an LFS though

I try to stay away from the betta section because I’m a softy and I always end up with another rescue whether I have a tank open for them or not. My SO is no help with the self control either. He’s a softy too and always tells me to go buy the fish and get a tank for it lol

 

He has! I’m so glad he made it especially since I lost my other male about a month ago.

Sorry to here that.

 

Sorry to here that.

Thank you. He was over a year old so I think it was just his time.

 

Your Betta is so beautiful! His fins are looking incredibly gorgeous and very flow-y already!