# Walmart Betta [humanitarian mission]



## eye Memoire (Apr 10, 2005)

I went to walmart tonight and bought the second most depraved beta off of their shelf because I couldn't stand to see him sit there in his own crap. He just layed there and his water was brown. I bought him a little one gallon (because my 25 gallon isn't ready yet) and set it up and transferred him immediately. I know that's not what I'm supposed to do - but I figured the brand new 1 gallon habitat was better than a 3oz crap habitat. 

I made sure everything was clean and fresh, the water was clean and dechlorinated. I wanted to equalize his temperature a bit, but didn't wait as long as I wanted to as he was looking *really* 'upset'. He's in the new tank, I've put two betta bio-gold pellets in there with him - but he seems more interested in laying on the bottom... I mean *laying* on the bottom - not doing much. He's breathing and looking around and what not, but I'm worried. Anything I can do to help him out?

I know the odds aren't that great, but I'd like to help him if I can.

Thanks


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## eye Memoire (Apr 10, 2005)

Also - I just read the post about the guy on the Betta rescue mission and how it gives the bad stores (like walmart) reason to buy more... and now I feel even worse. But atleast I'm saving these two... one's doing just fine, but he was much healthier to start.


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Well, when i worked in pets, for every 1 betta we sold that week, I would order 2 more for the next week! But I also took care of them and changed their water ect...


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## eye Memoire (Apr 10, 2005)

Well, I went to walmart for no particular reason and was just too much of a sucker to walk past these little guys. They looked so sad... I'm such a softy.

He's a little more lively now.. but still very stiff seeming... and kinda twitchy.. even for a fish I think... I'm new to the whole fish thing, but.. well.. he seems like a very odd fish... I imagine weeks of floating in your own crap would do that to anyone. His breathing also seems kinda labored and he keeps shooting to the top as though for fresh air... or something...


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

ya well its not likely he was in his own crap for weeks, we get bettas every week and most of the time all of them sell out each week, so it may only be a few days to a week. 
Most Walmarts dont care, ours does though.... I cared too much and had to switch depts before I went crazy.


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## google (Jan 27, 2005)

tell us more about your bettas progress


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## Mr Aquarium (Jan 18, 2005)

Maybe lexus your store sold more because they looked nice, I hardly dout it;s the case with every store. One super center I know of gets them in by hundreds, ive seen four sided 2 or 3 layer shelfs in the isles full of bettas and your not going to tell me this store sells them all ever week.
And some of them was far from clean......


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## eye Memoire (Apr 10, 2005)

I think he's homesick.. trying to dig the metaphorical hole to china. 

This morning, when I woke, he was no longer laying on the bottom, he had gotten himself stuck on the bottom with the undergravel filter and all... pitiful. He was ok, asleep as far as I know. I gently freed him and he came to life real quick, very vigorous. He still hadn't eaten from last night to this morning - I won't be home for another 3 hours, so i have to worry for another 3. 

Anyways, after I freed him and he showed a little energy, he went back to laying on the bottom. His breathing doesn't look as labored, but he doesn't move very much. The other one I bought is just dandy... aggresive little fellow. He'll stare you down if you eye his little water world... seriously, he looks like he telling you to step up, flaunting his fins and all, very beautiful like. I wish my little sick guy could be like that. Is there any... 'miracle fish grow back' forumlas I can add to the water? General vitamens or what not I can add to the water to make him healthier?

Thanks!


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## eye Memoire (Apr 10, 2005)

I read the disease site, and I'm wondering if he has ich. I didn't notice any flakes on him, but it may be too early to tell. He does the gasping for air at the top frequently... only thing he really does to break the lying on the bottom. Is it safe to add ich medication even if they don't have ich... i would imagine so, but I'd like to make sure. Also, he's only in a one gallon right now until he's healthier - most of these medications,et cet say ' a tea spoon for 10 gallons' --- how about for his 1 gallon - is 'just a drop' good enough?


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

well im glad u did a rescue mission! hope your betta is doing well, best wishes!


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## aaa (Jan 19, 2005)

hope he is going to do well, but i think this should be your last rescue mission. by the way, i think you know this already, but i just want to let other beginner know that betta is from thailand.


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## Imbrium (Feb 7, 2005)

I wouldn't add the ick medicine unless you're sure he has it. Medicines are hard on them so it's best not to medicate unless you're sure. Just keep his water clean and warm.


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## eye Memoire (Apr 10, 2005)

Good enough for me, I would rather be safe than sorry. He doesn't have any ich flakes, and he's much more lively this evening. So, I'm not going to give him the medicine. However, his PH is way above 7 and I want to bring that down. I have a ph test kit (from my LFS) with ph down and ph up solutions, but I don't want to drop that in as I don't know if it's safe for the fish. 

I'm going to start the cycle on my 25 gallon in a day or so, so I don't think it will hurt him too much to wait a couple days (till Monday or so). For the perfect tropical setup, what kind of ground should I use? I'm adding a couple amaco shrimp to help clean, a small school of ruby tetras and some Egeria dens and anubias to help regulate ammonia and ph - anything else I can do to keep things extra groovy for my fishes?


Thanks


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## WickedZoot (Mar 25, 2005)

Indian almond leaves do it.

Are you using water from the tap?


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## eye Memoire (Apr 10, 2005)

I mixed the tap with distilled and dropped just a drop of dechlorinater in there to soften it up.


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## (RC) (Jan 18, 2005)

you don't need to change the PH for a Betta splenden. Your just going to stress him more by screwing with the PH. Leave it at whatever it is.


RC


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## thatsfishy (Jan 18, 2005)

It takes more then just a couple of days to cycle a tank! If you are unfamiliar with the process, do a google search on the nitrogen cycle and familiarize yourself, otherwise you do the fish more harm then good.

Also, never use destilled water for fish. Destilled water has NO minerals, nutriens, etc. fish need to survive. Dechlorinator also doesn't soften the water, it just removes chlorine and chloramines. Just use regular tap water and let the fish adjust to your water parameters. Screwing with the PH isn't neccessary, as RC said.


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## CTFish guy (Mar 13, 2005)

Well i bought a betta from my LFS, my betta is okay, they also keep them in cups, but they are half gallon cups, and they dont cover the cups up. I saw a cool HM betta at a walmart a few months ago, but i didn't have a tank to keep one in so i had to pass a good chance like that up :x


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## aaa (Jan 19, 2005)

i bet it is not a true HM.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Things would be so much easier if people didn't sell overlong-finned bettas to the public to be kept in an aquarium were they were ripped to peices by other community fish in the first place. I my opinion they should only sell bettas to be kept in a community tank if they are either females or short finned males like they are in the wild.


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## eye Memoire (Apr 10, 2005)

He's developed a very fine, barely noticable white coat over his face, so I added 1/4 the recommended dosage of parasite medicine, atleast until it becomes more apparent. However, he hasn't eaten since I got him. I've tried both pellets and flakes. He takes them in, then spits them right out again. His water temp is about 75 degrees.

Any ideas on how to convince him to eat?

Also, he's always trying to bury himself under the rocks and gravel... he seems very depressed. Why would he try to bury himself?

Also, when cleaning and what not, he always swims toward my hand and hangs around it, not away from it, which was a bit of a surprise to me. He doesn't seem scared by me at all. Has anybody else noticed this behavior in their fish?


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## eye Memoire (Apr 10, 2005)

This is a disaster...

There's the one fish as noted before, but the other one I got - which I though was very healthy and acts as though he is, seems to now be missing scales across his back right behind his head. It started small this morning, but now seems a bit worse. Could it just be because he's a bonehead or is there a disease I've not read about associated with it? I don't seem him scratching against stuff. 

ugh.


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