Sick Pet Store Betta

[Trina]

While browsing at a national U.S. pet store this past Saturday, I saw a beautiful very small female betta with a white body and lavender fins. Upon looking at her more closely, I noticed that she had a red sore right next to her pectoral fin and some small fuzzy white stuff next to the sore. She was active and seemed OK, the water was very clean in the cup, but still she was hurt/sick.

I pointed this out to a young lady who worked there and she assured me that they would take care of her. I feel really bad about not buying her and trying to make her better. However, I'm new to the hobby and not an expert.

Still, I can't seem to stop thinking about her and am contemplating going back to see if she's still there. I'm scared she won't get the individual care she needs--not that they won't try to help her, but . . .

What do you all think about my going back to check on her, buying her, and trying to help her? Is this crazy? Should I "let it go" and let the pet store people take care of her?

Thanks for listening to my rambling.

 

[leighann]

if you believe you can take care of her to the best of your ability then you should go back and get the poor girl. honestly i wouldnt feel comfortable leaving her there but its your choice. keep in mind everyone on this sight would be more than happy to help you out so if you plan on buying her you would get alot of info and help from all of us.

 

[mandiemoo]

If you don't have the bits to take her on, just keep going into the shop and seeing if she is beign looked after - no harm there, will show the lfs that you are checking on them, but if you are able to take her home and give her the attention she needs, we want pictures

 

[Trina]

If you don't have the bits to take her on, just keep going into the shop and seeing if she is beign looked after - no harm there, will show the lfs that you are checking on them, but if you are able to take her home and give her the attention she needs, we want pictures

Do you think she has flex?

What kind of meds should I get for her? I'm in the U.S. so we might not have the same brand names, so if you could reply with brand names and the actual name of the medication that would be good.

I have a clean one gallon glass tank that I could put her in. I would be hesitant to put in gravel or plants b/c I would be afraid that the bacteria or fungus would contaminate them. Or does she need those things to feel comfy?

I can't get her tonight. I'll try to get her tomorrow after work.

 

[knt5005]

Hurray for saving bettas! I have a habit of that too I think she would be just fine without gravel for a while. Though I do know you can sterilize rocks by baking them in the oven at 450 for an hour. Some gravel has a coating which may melt, so you could try a few pieces, and if that happens; lower the temp to 250 and bake a little longer.

That's if you went with the gravel though, and until treated, I think she would be fine without it.

If there's white stuff around the sore...I'm guessing it would be a fungus. Pimafix is good for fungal infections. You can also check out www.bettatalk.com. There's an entire list of betta illnesses (with pictures) so you can be sure of what she's got.

I've also found (my bettas recently had a fungal attack) that using a very mild application of the Pimafix (do not overdose) and changing the water every day was the best.

Best of luck! We want pictures

 

[Trina]

Well I bought her. She was right there with the rest of the girl bettas. Doesn't look she has been treated at all. Thanfully she still swims and acts OK.

I was mad at the pet store and didn't want to give them more of my money than it took to buy her, , so I didn't buy any meds. I have BettaFix on hand. She's now in a one gallon tank, but I only put a 1/2 gallon of water right now. She has no plants or gravel in with her.

I'm going out to get meds. So far, I've heard Pimafix. Any other ideas?

I have no camera, so new pics right now. Sorry.

 

[ryguy]

pimafix is a good idea and its not an expensive med but works great

 

[WILDER]

She has a bad bacterial infection.
Whats your location.

http/www.fishtanksandponds.info/care-mai...septicaemia.htm

Maracyn one and two.

 

[Danno]

Never purchase sick fish (in my opinion). If one person resques one, there are thousands left. It is sad to hear but true. In a world like today it is impossible to care for everything 100% (in the commersial world that is).

 

[t.ropical_m.istx3]

some people have a very negative effect when people try to save bettas. i do the same thing, my aladdin came home with absolutley no tail and now it has grown in great.

look after her the best you can, i'm not sure what kind of meds but i think its great you got her

you can also write a letter to the head of the petstore chain (like, the top headquarters) complaining that you were assured she'd be taken care of and that when you went back to check on her, she hadn't been touched and you had to pay full price for a sick betta (money...its the evil of chain stores ). i did this and still have not gotten a reply (to petco when i bought bettas in poor conditions - one in with gouramis and another in with nippy fish) but at least you give them a piece of your mind and inform them that you will not be returning to purchase more and you will be telling your friends/family not to go there (again, stores hate hearing about money).



good luck with her! id love to see pics once she settled in.

 

[Maxsmom]

Bless you for saving the little girl betta. I know how hard it is to not try to save them all!! But like it was mentioned in an above post - unfortunately, there's a down-side to rescuing these little guys... by giving these LFS's your business by purchasing the sick fish. It's just like buying dogs or cats (puppies and kittens more often) from a pet store instead of an animal shelter. Every time a pup or kitten is bought from one... there'll be another one to take its place - and the cycle never ends (the mistreatment and abuse of these animals in puppy/kitty mills.) Unfortunately, it's even worse with fish b/c we don't have shelters for them... and where I live - I'm not happy with ANY stores that sell fish/bettas. There is not one that I know of that treats their bettas humanely. But I can guarantee you that if I found one - they would get all my business - even if the prices were higher.

In the meantime, all we can do is complain to them and hope they listen and change their ways.

Good luck with treating your new little girl... although I think that BettaFix and Pimafix are strictly herbals that don't have any medicinal ingredients to actually cure an infection. There are actual antibiotics like those mentioned above like the Maracyn's or even Kanaplex. Keeping her in my thoughts!

 

[Trina]

Thanks all for the kind words and advice. I know I can't rescue them all. I just couldn't stop thinking about her.

She is swimming and inquisitive about her environment. Believe it or not, she actually looks better this morning than she did last night. She won't eat though. I gave her some Betta Bites my other two are crazy about and she ate one last night, but won't eat today. However, my other two wouldn't eat either when I bought them and now if they could jump out of their tanks for the food they would!

I have to go to class now, but will update more later.

My location (for those who are curious) is the American South close to several cities. So, fortunately, I have access to all fish meds available in the U.S. At least I don't have to order things online like some folks.

More later and thanks again!