Betta I Just Rescued (very Poor Condition)

[keithp]

This is the betta I just rescued from Petco. I always wanted to buy a betta near death and hopefully give it a 2nd chance at a proper life, so I came across this girl (well labeled as a girl) The original one I wanted to rescue I saw yesterday, well went back today and she was already dead I was too late, so this betta was 2nd worst and hopefully will pull through. I cant get over how thin she is, and she can barely swim or eat and her fins dont even open at all. She will be a challenge but I think I can help her, I already got her to eat a brine shrimp and bloodworm. It's amazing how poorly kept the bettas are here most were sick or injured.

I have no name for her yet waiting till she recovers.

 

[jasminekiddell]

She looks terrible and very thin!
Hopefully keith you can get her back to a good life
Goodluck with her!

 

[Rediahs]

Oh my.... poor thing.... it's ridiculous that anybody would let a fish get to that state of illness!! It's a wonder that she (or he, we'll have to wait and see) is still holding on.

 

[Shred]

"Shall I order some more of those cheap bettas in?"
"Nah they were all pretty shabby"
"Yea but people were still buying them"
"True, yea go ahead."

 

[Spishkey]

have to agree with shred, the more people 'rescue' bettas from these hell hole shops, the more these shops will buy in, as cruel as it may be DON'T buy from them, they will get the hint if enough people do it and may very well start taking care of their fish if no one buys them in a poor state

 

[silverrabbit]

Poor fishy it's really hard to see them suffering like that.

 

[keithp]

The stupid store doesn't even make you fill out an adoption form or even tell you how to care for them, luckily I know all that already. It's not just here all stores mistreat bettas here you might as well hang up owning them cause no matter where you go here you'll go you find people selling them cruely.

I sneaked hikari betta pellets in from my house (which I bought not stole) and secretly fed about 15 bettas at the store. I fed the ones that were the most thin and needed food, and most after eating perked up and got color and I may have very well saved them from starvation! Since I cant buy them all this was the best I could do to give them a chance. The stores here just domt care about any animal that well, people put stuff in the bird cages and tease the cats so its not just the fish. The stores need new management! Store workers were squishing crickets on the floor, and leaving the brown gunk on the floor, how disquisting! Meanwhile a customer was waiting at the register for help while these guys were squishing crickets!

I'm going to try me best with the betta, today she is going to get clean water and possibly antibiotics, waiting for her to get a little stronger first. She is too weak to even swim good so I cant put her in her new tank yet too risky.

 

[Shred]

If all that is true why on earth would you want to give a store like that custom? You live in New York, I'm guessing there are a hundred stores within driving distance you could visit. Or you could buy from a reputable dealer instead. To say you "might as well hang up owning them" is ridiculous.

 

[BettaChick14]

Thats so sad! She/he looks so sickly.
What are your tank plans? What size?
Please keep us updated.

 

[llamalord305]

I think she will look quite nice once she gets better!

 

[keithp]

The fish is already doing better within the day! I did a full water change because the water was horribly filthy and smelly. The new water is treated to remove chlorine and chloramine, I also added a few pellets of aquarium salt and 2 drops of Aquarisol, to help decrease the stress and help her gills, she is breathing rapidly my guess is the foul water had done some damage but I hope she will heal now that she will have clean water from now on.

She has a great appetite, but is unable to eat pellets for some reason yet, like they are too big for her mouth? She downs bloodworms,daphnia, and brine shrimp and pooed for the first time today. After the water change she really started getting active and swam more often.

BY the end of the week she should be well enough to go in the large tank.

 

[loraxchick]

i am also in NY and i can say there are not hundreds of good stores within driving distance. finding a GOOD lfs around is quite a challenge. i think the states' fishstores are a lot different than those in the UK (or so it seems from this forum). i have to drive for 30 minutes to get to a non-chain store. sad, yes, but some people might not have the luxury of transprotation, etc. and chain stores are one of their only options.
just my two cents while ripping on the OP.
hopefully that girlie will be back to full health soon. lots of yummy blood worms in her future!

 

[keithp]

Just wanted to update the betta is doing great so far making a speedy recovery! Her fins are now always open, her breathing is slower (almost normal), she is now eating full sized betta pellets, and her swimming is almost completely normal! She is getting more red color in her fins but it's not that much of a difference if you saw a picture. When she is in the permanent tank I will get another picture of her. She also gets excited when I put her next to my other female betta so she is making a complete turn around from when I got her, she looked like she was at death's door, but not anymore!

 

[sheag35]

Just wanted to update the betta is doing great so far making a speedy recovery! Her fins are now always open, her breathing is slower (almost normal), she is now eating full sized betta pellets, and her swimming is almost completely normal! She is getting more red color in her fins but it's not that much of a difference if you saw a picture. When she is in the permanent tank I will get another picture of her. She also gets excited when I put her next to my other female betta so she is making a complete turn around from when I got her, she looked like she was at death's door, but not anymore!

well done mate, good to see genuine fishkeepers out there, hope all continues to go well and who knows one day you might rescue a cute mate for it then betta babies

 

[keithp]

Nah I wont be breeding any bettas, i'm happy with the 2 females I have.