Not the best betta homecoming...

I meant to lurk here a lot longer before making my first post, but I thought you betta lovers could understand this better than the people in my "real" life (the ones who stare at me like I have gone completely crazy over a FISH)... Keep in mind I'm really new to fishkeeping.

I have a ten gallon tank that I wanted to keep one betta in, so today I went out to buy one I saw over the weekend, but when I got him home I noticed he only had one pectoral fin - the left one was completely gone. I called the store to find out if he would be ok, or what I could do, but before I could get past "one fin" the saleswoman told me to bring him back and exchange him, so I did. I freaked out and made a bad emotional decision. The betta I have now is nice enough, but I'm heartbroken missing the other one, you know? I can't go and switch back again because I love this one now too, and I don't have enough money for a second tank setup to go buy back the finless one. I'm sad and guilty and worried about the other one, and my husband just keeps saying "You only had him for fifteen minutes, why do you care?"

Sorry for the dramatic downer introduction. I just wish today had been a happier homecoming. :'(

 

Welcome to Fishlore!!

awww *hugs* they are so cute it's really easy to get emotionally attached - I dote over my little guys (my boyfriend is SO sick of hearing about the fish... I joined the forum to give him a break from hearing about it)

there's not much you can do about the one you returned, but you can make sure that you give your new little guy the best life you possibly can - do you have photos? we'd love to see him

 

Why don't you divide the 10gal tank in half? That way you can have both of them and you won't feel like such a heel. I have two divided 10gal tanks (one is divided three ways, the other is divided four ways) and it was cheap and easy to divide my second 10gal. I think I spent a grand total of $6 to divide it four ways.

 

Aww <HUGS>
welcome to fishlore, you definetly came to the right place.
<HUGS>
I'm not allowed to "talk fish" at my friends anymore

 

Welcome MyFireElf. Yes, dividing the tank will let you have both bettas... There's a sticky in the main betta board at the very top. I made one of them, works super!
5 gals is plenty of room for each boy, and if you get both, then you have two fish BUT only one tank-what more persuasion do you need lol!!!

 

Welcome to Fishlore MyFireElf!!!!!!!Talk all you want about fish here

 

If you decide to divide your tank, just remember that adding another fish will increase the ammonia load. 2 bettas in 10 gallons will by no means require a hectic maintenance schedule, but it's still a good idea to monitor your water parameters for at least a week and formulate a maintenance schedule based on what's really happening in your aquarium. A lot depends on local water chemistry, so general recommendations based solely on the number of fish, size of the tank, and whether or not it's "cycled" should be taken with a grain of salt. Let your water chemistry dictate your maintenance schedule, not the other way around.

Edit:

Also, since you don't have a quarantine tank, you should watch all of your fish closely for any sign of communicable disease if you add a new fish to the aquarium.

And with respect to the missing pectoral fin -- if it's completely missing, there's probably not a whole lot that can be done. I would imagine that a betta could get by without it, though. If there's still some fin left, there's a chance of at least partial regrowth. Since we don't know how it lost the fin in the first place (I suppose it could even be congenital), fin rot would be something to look out for. Once it reaches the body, it goes from being a minor issue to a major life-threatening one that should be treated aggressively.

 

First things first...... for your husband..... :;smack

We get attached.... plain and simple. I'm sorry things didn't go well for you. And it doesn't say much for the fish store that they didn't notice that they basically were selling a "deformed" fish. Was it a chain store or a real fish store? These guys can last a while and if you really don't care for the new one, see if you can bring it back and get something that you really do love, in case your previous fish is no longer available.

Welcome to the group. Glad to have you here and please know that we feel your pain. :console:

 

Aw, yes it's too bad that pet stores often end up with fish that are sick and end up making them sicker due to neglect and poor living conditions. As a novice, sometimes it is better to pass the obviously sick ones by until you have the experience to keep them healthy; then you can work on increasing your knowledge base further to include caring for sick fish. It isn't your fault the fish was sick, and you probably made a wise decision when you got a fish that you had a better chance of taking care of. I hope you continue to research how to care for your betta, it is a lot more complicated than it looks! This forum as well as others on the internet are a great start--remember not to trust what you hear from pet store employees. They're poorly trained and their aim is to sell you things, not to give great fish advice!

 

If possible, I definitely recommend dividing the tank. I have previously had a divided 10g and it was never a problem for my two boys (at the time) to be together.

As for the missing pectoral fin, if you keep the water clean, infection shouldn't be an issue. I am sure your betta will learn to get by without it if he hasn't already. Let us know what happens!

And as someone else said, we'd love to see pictures.

Also, be sure you are using a water conditioner for your tank and also add some Vita Chem, it helps keep your bettas healthy and regrow their finnage. If their is any hope your guy without the fin will be able to grow it back...Vita Chem will be a huge help to him. Otherwise, it helps keep them healthy and vibrant!

-Tony

 

Awwww!!!! That's an absolutely terrible introduction to fishkeeping! I'm so sorry that happened! :'( But, at least now you'll have some people to talk to about fish. The people here at fishlore are AWESOME at that. When I joined, I was having trouble with my betta, and I was amazed at how quickly and helpfully people responded. I hope you have much better experiences with fish in the future! Best of luck!

 

Thank you all so much for being so nice! I felt absolutely rotten about all this yesterday. My people! You are my people! :;smack

I looked at the divided tank how-to, but in the end I decided that I really wanted to give just one fish as much room as possible. I called the fish store (it's LFS, not chain, but the employees don't seem particularly well informed or invested in the fish, unfortunately) and spoke to the owner, who agreed to let me come back for my finless fish - she had just been talking to a customer who wanted a red betta, and so my healthy fish was guaranteed a home to go to when I brought him back!

So Captain Blood has gone to live with a different family, and Finless Phineas has come home to live with me. I think maybe it was fin rot that got him, as his caudal fin has some black along the edges, so he's currently chilling in the start of a course of Maracyn and Jungle Fungus Clear. He's doing just fine on one fin, thankyewverymuch, and the current doesn't seem to be bothering him too badly. He has just the weeniest little stump of fin left, so maybe we'll be lucky and it will grow back a bit in time.

As for pictures... I have those!

The visiting Captain Blood:
[imglink]https://www.fishlore.com/fishpicture/data/500/thumbs/IMG_16161.JPG[/imglink]

The home-for-good Finless Phineas:
[imglink]https://www.fishlore.com/fishpicture/data/658/thumbs/IMG_1620.JPG[/imglink]
He's not really ready to sit still for photos yet, but he's SO PRETTY!

And last but not least, Tartar Sauce - AKA "Office Fish":
[imglink]https://www.fishlore.com/fishpicture/data/658/thumbs/IMG_1973.JPG[/imglink]
I lurve my Tartar Sauce <3

 

He's nice...they both are.

It is possible that the missing fin is genetic too....but he will be fine with you.

 

I'm glad you got your first boy back! I hope it does grow back. I have a long finned danio who lost his ENTIRE tail in a filter incident, and it is growing back great. He had no stump left either... I hope it's not genetic, but if it is, then he'll get by. Keep a close eye on him and keep us updated

 

Awwhhhh...so sweet of you!!! I am glad that you both reunited, and "lived happily ever after!!! Congrats!

 

He is so pretty! Love him!

 

hi fireelf.....welcome to the forum :;f

that's a great story about your betta. you just knew what you wanted...and i hope he does re-grow his fin.

my betta just lost all but a tiny bit of his dorsal....due to finrot and/or an injury from a rough rock i had. he does have finrot on the other fins....so i keep up on his clean water and give vita-chem, and just finished a dose of maracyn. luckily he's been eating and wiggling around.....so that makes me feel good. his finrot came from the brief time he was living in an uncycled tank.....this was before i knew anything about anything. haha.

and i know what you mean about falling in love with a fish. the other day i fell in love with a baby female crowntail.....i just thought she was precious! i really tried to convince my hubby for a tank for her.....but the timing wasn't right as i just barely have set up my 20g. maybe when i get freddie(betta) straight, and get my 20g more established....maybe lil ms crowntail will still be waiting. good luck to phineas.... it's very cool that you wanted him, despite his flaw.