Betta has odd problem when flaring

[BettaMomma]

Amos has an odd problem when he flares -
I didn't notice it when I first got him because he never flared until I got all the conditions in his tank just right, and then he became one happy healthy little betta boy and started flaring like crazy.

When he first flared, I noticed something odd -
while he's in full flare status, only one side of his gills opens up fully (his right side)... The left side stays partially shut, almost like it's being held shut by something.

It certainly doesn't seem to stop him from being extremely happy, but I just wondered if anyone could give me some insight on this. He's never had any injury since he came to be in my care, and he hasn't had anything worse (illness-wise) except a mild case of popeye (darn WalMart water) when I first got him, and he CONSTANTLY battles torn fins, but he's never been drastically ill.

I don't have pictures of the flaring issue cuz he is horrified when I put my huge camera lens up by the side of the tank and swims away in a frenzy. I'll try to get one and post it when he's not paying attention during a flare.

 

[wuvmybetta]

That happens sometimes,it's nothing to worry about. It's probably just a birth defect of a sort. He could very well over-do himself someday and the other side will pop out

 

[RandomWiktor]

My betta Tim has the same problem and seems perfectly healthy. As mentioned, it is probably just a defect of some sort.

 

[BettaMomma]

Okay, good.
The poor dear didn't flare for so long because he was so unhappy in his little cup at WalMart, then when I brought him back to the office with me, I didn't have a heater or anything in the tank with him but gravel on the bottom. As I slowly figured out what made him happy, one day he flared right out the side of the tank at me and it was startling - cuz I had not seen him do it before.

Then, when I saw that one side isn't opening properly, I thought maybe his gills were rusty from lack of use He's my "special" little guy then, I guess.

 

[SRC]

Perhaps he blew it?

My friend Amelia's Red BF ..Fai, his don't go in all the way. I did some research and found that if you leave them flaring at another male for too long..it can do that.

Either way, you seem to love him regardless..lol so it "don't matter" anyways hehe.

 

[BettaMomma]

Hmm...
I suppose that's entirely possible.
He DID sit on the shelf at WalMart in that horrid little cup with nothing to look at but other pitiful bettas waiting for a home for god knows how long before I came along and got him.

The thing is that his gills fold in just fine.
And I just peeked in at him and he flared at me.
It seems as if his outer gill opens up just fine.
it's just the red part that sticks out (I know, I now sound like a betta retard cuz I don't know what that part is called) doesn't come out on that side. It's there, and it extends out under him, but doesn't stick out on the sides.

I do love him dearly. All my coworkers think I'm completely nuts because I talk to him every day.

 

[RandomWiktor]

I do love him dearly. All my coworkers think I'm completely nuts because I talk to him every day.

You sound like me; my room mate thinks I'm insane because every night when I get back from classes, I run into the fish room, throw my arms up, yell "FISHES!" and proceed to feed, talk to, and pet (sealink, at least - she's the only one who likes it) all of my bettas. She also probably thinks I'm just a little more nuts on top of that because I go out, buy sick fish, and bawl like a baby when they don't recover (then go get a refund so the jerks who let them get in that state don't make money off of 'em). And of course, if they recover I got out and buy them a bunch of stuff and generally worship them (lol).

 

[BettaMomma]

wow, we might be twins separated at birth. I also have guinea pigs in addition to my fishies and I talk to all my animals when I get home. Everyone's excited - there's squeeking and swimming going on all around when "momma gets home".

Just last night I was at the pet store and had picked up a poor little betta boy and was proceeding to the checkout when I changed my mind. This guy literally had probably 30 pinholes in his bottom fin alone. He was sort of just bobbing around the tank, the water was HORRIDLY dirty and he was very pale. His scales were beginning to stick up, and his eyes were rather sunken in his head. He just looked out at me as if to say "Please, take me home and fix me". I just couldn't do it, because as I was walking toward the front of the store, I spotted a guy that works there that I've dealt with before, and I knew that he is very compassionate and very knowledgable about fish. I went over to him and handed the cup to him, and I said "This litle guy is REALLY sick." He took one look at him and thanked me, then headed off to the back where they have their little hospital room. (I was pretty sure this little guy probably wouldn't make it, and I just didn't know if I could deal with that heartbreak. sigh) I went back to the fish area and picked another little guy to take home. I just stood in front of the lineup and walked back and forth from left to right - and the little guy I eventually chose to take home stared at me everywhere I went. He's really pretty, and different than any betta I've seen to date. His body is black, almost back to his fins, which are blue/red/purple combo. He also sort of has some light green markings on his head which form sort of a batman-looking mask. We haven't decided for sure if we'll call him Archie or Batman

He's now at my house in a 2 gallon hex tank, basking in sparkly balmy 78 degree water.

The greatest feeling in the whole world is when you release a betta into their roomy tank, and they just freeze, not realizing they have room to roam, then they start to explore. My new little "Archie" (once he had figured out he was now in a palace compared to his hellhole little cup) swam and swam, laps, top to bottom, everywhere. And when I get a new fish I sit for hours just staring in to see them enjoying their new home. He would swim over to the side, flare at me, then go back to his swimming. He ate pellets after a few hours, so he has adjusted "swimmingly" to his new home.

 

[RandomWiktor]

I have 32 pets right now, and 10 are fish, though considering how expensive fish can be when you pamper them, I fail to see why people don't count them as pets So I'm running a full house over here as well, with everything from your standard dog and cat to rodents to arachnids.

Sad to hear about the little sicky at the store I get one of two types of fish: ones that I know will die, so they die comfortably and then I get a refund to prevent funding the stores who allow their fish to get like that, and fish who have a very slight chance, so that if they survive, its great, but if they pass away, I still refund to prevent these people from profitting. Last night I picked up a male and honestly I can't figure out whats wrong, so I have him on a broad-spectrum antibiotic, and I'm going to follow it with an anti-parasite. He's basically completely emaciated (looks like a head on a stick), has trouble turning when he swims, breaths heavily (this has calmed a bit with high temperatures and an airstone) and kindof quivers constantly. He's eating very well and quite voraciously seeing how thin he is, and is an able swimmer though as I said, has trouble turning. I'm not sure if he has a birth defects or if he is just weak from being so underweight. We'll find out I guess, no?

You should post pics of Archie some time; I can't really imagine his coloration but he sounds lovely ^^

 

[BettaMomma]

Yeah, I agree with you - I always list my fishes when I'm listing off my pets. Last night, just to get little Archie, a heater and a thermometer it was 31$. I already had the tank and a silk plant, and a pump and airstone (that I had picked up before) so I didn't have to get any of that, but when I got Harvey and Amos, it was a bundle - I can only afford to pick up one fish every now and then - it's my "slush fund" and I spend it all on my animals in some fashion

Poor little skinny fishy It sounds like if he could be anywhere to have a great chance at making it in life, he's where he needs to be

I will take our work digi camera home tonight - it's got a GREAT zoom lens and fantastic quality so I'll get pics of all my boys. Archie is beautiful - he does have a little tattering of his fins (just cuz of the poor water quality he was subjected to til last night) but when he flares, he's gorgeous. I generally don't care what a betta looks like, I usually just pick out the ones that look like they really need me - so Harvey is actually kinda ugly. (hee hee) His body is kind of pineapple yellow with specs of red and dark red - but his fins are a beautiful periwinkle color. Amos is actually really pretty - he's mauve and burgundy - but I usually take the mutts home - i figure people who pick out fishes usually look for the "coolest looking ones". I always look for the neediest, which it sounds like you do too.

My other boys have both been battling torn and ragged fins. I'm treating with MelaFix but their fins just never seem to really be right. They're really healthy and happy otherwise, tho.

Good luck to your skinny little fishy. Give him a little wave from me and my fishes - and tell him to get better!

 

[BettaMomma]

Well, I tried to get Archie's batman mask on film for several hours last night, but he was ONLY interested in looking the other way while I was shooting pics and he would NOT sit still when I was able to get him pointing the right direction. lol

SO.....
Without further adue..
Here is Archie:

And, just for good measure, here is Harvey (staring at his own reflection in the first pic - he's such a tard):

He was WORKIN the camera last night. I'd swear he's a runway model the way he was completely posing...

Here he is in mid-turn:

and Amos is TERRIFIED of the camera, so the only pics I can ever get of him are ones where he's swimming away...

but to prove he's a happy boy, here's the beginning of his bubble nest:

whew

 

[wuvmybetta]

heh heh, Harvey's too cute Lovely boys,BM

 

[BettaMomma]

thanks.
Now, if I could get their tails all healthy again we'd be in business.
We're workin on that, tho.

Poor Archie just came home with me 2 days ago, so his tail condition isn't my fault.
The other two i'm working on fixing.