My latest Edition...

[Mariah]

Hi all,
I went into wm to get envelopes and walked out with a new betta He has some issues though... He is missing his top fin! I was so upset when I saw that... I knew I had to have him because of that. He is also breathing heavy and sitting at the bottom of his tank.
I have added salt to his water. Is there anything else I can do for him? I think hes stressed out at the moment...

Here is a picture of him. You can see his 'stump' thats suposted to be his top fin....Grrrrrrrrr........

 

[daudy_dojo]

awww *hugs betta* HTH ... probly didnt YOU CAN MAKE IT LIL GUY!!!

 

[SPLiSH]

Oh the poor little guy! It looks as if it's been chewed off... but by what? Maybe he got so bored that he resorted to fin biting. Beats me how he could have reached that far over his back though.... was he in a community tank?

The salt is a good start but I'd also use some Stress Coat and keep his water nice and warm. And maybe some Melafix to help regrowth.

Poor baby.

 

[Mariah]

Hi,
Well good news. Hes seems to be doing fine. I fed him last night and he ate 2 betta bites and when I woke up today hes swimming around so I think that he was just stressed out from the move from his cup to his tank.
His stump to me looks like someone took a pair of sizzors and cut it off... But I dont know... He was in a cup at wm but maybe before he might of been in a community tank? His fins are raggy but to me it looks like he could be a combtail... Maybe... I guess only time will tell....
Anyways he needs a name. Any suggestions? Thanks for the help hugs and suggestions,

 

[OrkyBetta]

Alright, the missing fin bettas from WM strikes again! This is no coincidence.

Congrats on the rescue though. Some bettafix might help fin regrowth. Or LOW dose of melafix. (1/2 or 1/3 of reccommeded dose, usually one or two drops per gallon) Salt will never hurt.

 

[GSD]

oh no not the WM scissors mistory again...........alot of fish from there seem to have parts 'vanish'

 

[red-devil0602]

he'll be ok try getting him somwhere to hide so he can get away from it all if he wants, why don't you just call him finn or huckleberry

 

[Mariah]

I was taking to the girl that works there and she said she was going to call "Dap International" (thats where they get there bettas from.....) and speak with them in regards to the missing fins... Because there was another betta at wm that still had a tail but it was shorter than a normal bettas tail.... I chose my guy because he looked worse than that other one.
I do have bettafix so ill look into using that

 

[BettaMomma]

It seems to be quite a trend at WalMart.
Since I found Lucky with literally no tail, I've heard SO many stories of "clean cut off" fins. It's rather disturbing. I did some investigating and I *think* I might have a hypothesis on what might be happening. Not surprisingly, I found out that WalMart does NOT ship their bettas all the way from their breeders to their stores in the large cups (no surprise, as I said). Rather they're shipped to someone in between there who puts them into the cups. When they arrive at this place to be put into the cups, they arrive in those teeny weeny little bags with a few tablespoons of water in them (I have SORT of gotten used to this method of shipping because it is with the fish's best interest in mind, even though it's STILL VERY disturbing to see)... ANYWAY... my theory is that when the person that does the "taking of the fish out of the teeny bag and dumps it into a cup" actually opens the little bag, they use a scissors.

Need I say more?

OH... by the way - skip the melafix or bettafix, I think he is going to do JUST fine with clean water and some salt. Most of them are totally stressed out y the time they get home w/us into their new tanks because of the traumatic trip they've had to get to us.

MELAFIX - when using it, use it at 1/5 the normal dose, OR NO MORE THAN 3 drops for 2.5 gallon. I almost learned the hard way with 2 of my boys.

 

[Mariah]

Hmmmm... Bettamom that seems like a good theory I was in wm one time when they got there shipment (and im sure every wm is different) but this walmart when they opened the boxes the male betta were already in cups.
But I do know what you talking about thoese little tiny bags. At this other store the man who worked there showed me how they were shipped.. I was shocked at how tiny the bags were and how little water was in the bag....
But it makes perfect sense when people open the tiny bags with sizzors.... Poor things. Stupid question though - Would it hurt to cut off there fins?

Oh and I wont use the bettafix than. Some salt and time and he will be brand new!

 

[red-devil0602]

they wouldn't be cruel enough to cut their fins if they had fin rot or really bad conditioned fins would they or do you think they are getting trapped in the lids

 

[Mariah]

Any name suggestions? I dont really think that huckleberry or finn suits him They are nice names though

 

[BettaMomma]

Hmmmm... Bettamom that seems like a good theory I was in wm one time when they got there shipment (and im sure every wm is different) but this walmart when they opened the boxes the male betta were already in cups.

Yeah, from what I understand they most of the time arrive AT the walmart stores in the cups - but that's because someone in the middle has taken them out of the bags and put them into the cups then sent them on their merry way.

 

[BettaMomma]

pfft - they don't bother to change out their water or feed them half the time so I'm CERTAIN they wouldn't bother to cut their fins if they saw some finrot.

It's probably a number of things happening to these guys. I KNOW that lucky had something sharp remove his tail. What it was, I have no idea. I just can't believe he survived it, and acted completely normally and was sitting in his cup like a normal betta when I came by.

I think it is possible that some of them can get their fins caught in the lid but I doubt it would be that clean of a cut if that happened.

 

[Mariah]

Hey Bettamom, Sorry I didnt explain myself properly. I do get what your saying about the middle man... Now I think that might be "Dap International"... Has anyone heard of them?