Rescuing Bettas

[JoeGuzzo]

so basically my girlfriend came across a couple of bettas some how without really wanting them..

her and her family take just god awful care of them so her mother asked if i would like to take them.

i would like to take them and try to rescue them from their surroundings and try to rejuvenate them however im not sure if theyre is anything special i really need to do.

i was going to just take them put them ina new clean bowl (as appose to cleaning their dirty filthy tanks) and just try to take care of them like a good owner would and give them nice happy surroundings and life.

im aware that bettas have certain chemicals (that weird blue liquid in a bottle) that you can add to their water but i know its not necessary but would that be a good recommendation to help rescue a betta

also if there would be anything else that would help or speed up the recovery of these poor miserable little fish

 

[Cazgar]

Good clean well filtered water along with proper feeding & they'll soon be back to full health.
By bowl what size do you mean? Bettas contrary to popular belief do need space to swim, the more you can give them the better

 

[JoeGuzzo]

well its funny you say that actually because i personally hate the idea of putting bettas in bowls

however i currently have a 10gl tank set up with other fish in it but an also in the middle of purchasing a larger 37gl tank to put those fish in

i was thinking i would keep the betta in a bowl or small tank until he seems much better then i was thinking i might put him in the 10gl with a few other fish

also i was planning on waiting a while until he was much much better before i put him in mixed company

 

[fluttermoth]

It's a very bad idea to take fish from very dirty, neglected tanks and stick them straight into clean water; they will have got used to the conditions, and may die of shock in good water.

You want to gradually clean them up; maybe a 25% water change, using a gravel cleaner, every other day. Be careful cleaning the filters, as you don't want to loose the good bacteria; a gentle swish in the old tank water to remove the solid wastes is all you should do.

Visible dirt is far less harmful to fish than the invisible things, like ammonia and nitrite, that would very quickly build up to toxic levels in unfiltered bowls.

 

[JoeGuzzo]

i know i know all that i mean i know i said im going to put them in clean water but im not dumb, i do know a little bit about fish lol

i know i have to gradually change their conditions i wasnt going to do it all at once and thats the thing the fish is in an unfiltered tank as of right now

its one of those little tanks that they convince people are good for bettas

but yea by no means at all do i plan on rushing its recovery i know im going to have to be patient and careful not to screw anything up

 

[Cazgar]

Good luck, sounds like the Bettas are going to have a good home with you

 

[fluttermoth]

i know i know all that i mean i know i said im going to put them in clean water but im not dumb, i do know a little bit about fish lol

i know i have to gradually change their conditions i wasnt going to do it all at once and thats the thing the fish is in an unfiltered tank as of right now

its one of those little tanks that they convince people are good for bettas

but yea by no means at all do i plan on rushing its recovery i know im going to have to be patient and careful not to screw anything up

Well, I always think it's better to say these things, just to make sure!

Good luck with the bettas; I'm sure they'll have a very happy home with you

 

[JoeGuzzo]

i know i know all that i mean i know i said im going to put them in clean water but im not dumb, i do know a little bit about fish lol

i know i have to gradually change their conditions i wasnt going to do it all at once and thats the thing the fish is in an unfiltered tank as of right now

its one of those little tanks that they convince people are good for bettas

but yea by no means at all do i plan on rushing its recovery i know im going to have to be patient and careful not to screw anything up

Well, I always think it's better to say these things, just to make sure!

Good luck with the bettas; I'm sure they'll have a very happy home with you

i know it is always better to say everything even the simpliest of things just to make sure dont worry i didnt actually think you thought i was dumb

and thank you i shall try my best to rescue them and make them more beautiful than they have ever been

 

[JoeGuzzo]

also whats the best thing to feed bettas?

my sister has one and shes been feeding him some pellets but recently has come into a predicament

he used to eat no problem but recently she told me everytime he trys to get the food he misses it a few times and when he gets he spits it out a few times before actually consuming it

any ideas on what might be going on??

 

[Tolak]

Without knowing how often & how much the fish is being fed I'd try feeding less. Don't feed for 2-3 days, then put in 2 pellets.

 

[lilfishie]

so basically my girlfriend came across a couple of bettas some how without really wanting them..

her and her family take just god awful care of them so her mother asked if i would like to take them.

i would like to take them and try to rescue them from their surroundings and try to rejuvenate them however im not sure if theyre is anything special i really need to do.

i was going to just take them put them ina new clean bowl (as appose to cleaning their dirty filthy tanks) and just try to take care of them like a good owner would and give them nice happy surroundings and life.

im aware that bettas have certain chemicals (that weird blue liquid in a bottle) that you can add to their water but i know its not necessary but would that be a good recommendation to help rescue a betta

also if there would be anything else that would help or speed up the recovery of these poor miserable little fish

It certainly IS necessary. Its water conditioner without it he will be dead for sure.

 

[Paradise3]

so basically my girlfriend came across a couple of bettas some how without really wanting them..

her and her family take just god awful care of them so her mother asked if i would like to take them.

i would like to take them and try to rescue them from their surroundings and try to rejuvenate them however im not sure if theyre is anything special i really need to do.

i was going to just take them put them ina new clean bowl (as appose to cleaning their dirty filthy tanks) and just try to take care of them like a good owner would and give them nice happy surroundings and life.

im aware that bettas have certain chemicals (that weird blue liquid in a bottle) that you can add to their water but i know its not necessary but would that be a good recommendation to help rescue a betta

also if there would be anything else that would help or speed up the recovery of these poor miserable little fish

It certainly IS necessary. Its water conditioner without it he will be dead for sure.

Lilfishie, I don't have water conditioner in any of my tanks and never have. My paradise fish bred no problems, my betta's have bred no problems and my kribs are getting ready to breed no problems.
It all depends on your water.

 

[JoeGuzzo]

so i finally brought my girlfriends bettas back to my house in an attempt to rescue them.

unfortunately, for one of them..i was too late before i even departed from her house with my precious fishy cargo the poor little fella was already half gone, he was just lying on the gravel motionless.

obviously anybody with half a brain would be extremely doubtful of his safe arrival back at my place, which i was extremely skeptical and my girlfriend couldnt grasp why

i tried to explain to her how transporting a fish can be very stressful on a fish and even a somewhat healthy fish may have a hard time surviving let alone a fish thats practically already dead.

the other one however is doing great. even at her house he was up and swimming around but already after i brought him home to my house and gave him a small water change he already is starting to look a lot happier and swimming around more than he already was

i plan on going to the store and getting a few things i was thinking maybe getting him a new plant because i really just want to get rid of everything that was in their filthy dirty tanks

if any body has any idea or recommendations for the little guy let me know

P.S. his name is captain (thats what my girlfriends sister picked out for him) he is a beautiful red colored male. if i ever figure out how to post pictures on this forum ill let everybody see him!