DaBaDee's journal and then some

[AyalaCookiejar]

I've realized that Bahari is blind.

He eats fine when I help him find his food. He no longer follows my finger and he runs face first into tank decorations. He reacts to light and movement, though. He is lethargic and listless when I am not actively doing something with him usually. When he does swim around, he just keeps running into decorations and the walls of the tank. I haven't moved any decorations and he still is able to find his plants OK. He likes to sleep in the plant I have in the back corner. That is usually where he's at when I wake him up.

I've PMed both Sakura and OFL trying to figure out what may have caused this... I also PMed DramaQueen because Sakura told me she also has a blind Betta.

[Syriiven]

=O I'm so sorry to hear that! Hopefully they'll have some tips for the little guy, though I'd imagine a good idea would be to remove anything really hard and replace it all with silk and real plant so he'd be less likely to get open sores or tear off scales. Poor Bahari...

[AyalaCookiejar]

I don't want to move any of his decorations. He's had them all since I got them and I would like him to get used to where they are. Plus, he seems to like hanging out in his coral cave. He also seems to be learning where it is placed at. He'll dart towards it, then slow down once he gets near it and gently tap it instead of running full force into it. I think he can still somewhat sense light... Maybe that's why he chills in his cave at times? Most of the time when he's at the bottom he is near that cave.

DaBaDee is acting better today. No more floating or flashing. He's searching through the gravel a lot. I think he may have missed it... He didn't have any in his one gallon tank and had trouble getting to it since he was floating uncontrollably. He looks like he's having fun swimming all around the bottom of the tank. Huge improvement from hiding in his squidward house to prevent himself from floating back up to the top!

[Syriiven]

=) Sounds like they're doing better, that's great! =D

[AyalaCookiejar]

I am so excited :)
I posted a new thread in Betta Pictures of Bahari's color change but I'll post it here, too. I'm also thinking about making a new blind Betta journal specifically for him.

[Syriiven]

He's changed lots =) And is still so pretty! I made a new thread in Betta PIctures too about my two new additions. Been a long tiring day ><

[AyalaCookiejar]

Two new ones besides Kalec and Seiya? I have got to check it out :)

[AyalaCookiejar]

I saw a post today in the classifieds of a member selling some cherry red shrimp and got to thinking... I think it'd be good to get Bahari a tankmate. I don't believe he would eat a shrimp... He can't even pinpoint his food most of the time! However, since he doesn't react to sight, I have to use water movement and vibrations to stimulate him...

He was VERY aggressive when I got him but not so much anymore. He's still curious but seems bored/under stimulated. Idk, just a thought..

[Syriiven]

Hmmm...I wonder if he'd hone in faster on shrimp though because anything in water that's a live vibrates. I'm pretty sure betta's also have lateral lines....but dont quote me on that. But yea, doubt he'd try to eat it more than once, but I imagine he might attempt, since his mouth is initially his hands and taste is now his only way to determine if its food or not. Like most shark attacks, murky water makes it hard to see, so they try a bite to see if it's food or not.

[AyalaCookiejar]

After his recent attack on the skewer, I've decided against shrimp... He would no doubt kill it if he found it. Still aggressive. I've made a new journal specifically for Bahari, though.

DaBaDee still has me worried, though. He hasn't had any more buoyancy issues but he's still not quite acting normal. I've never had any issues with him not eating but he's still acting a little twitchy and he usually just watches me at the front of his tank. I just hate having to put him in a one gallon for treatment but I don't know if retreating him is even a good idea. His tank is still cycled but I can't figure out if Epsom salt affects the results of the ammonia test. It shows that the ammonia is 0 but makes the test tube cloudy. I'm thinking about just getting rid of the salts and seeing if anything changes.

Today he was hanging out in his squidward house again which is normal. I didn't notice anything wrong until he started flashing and floating and he's done neither since I treated him with the Parasite Clear. He isn't sleeping as much as he was before, either. Every time I approach the tank he's up at the front to watch me again. I am kind of at a loss with what to do with him... And I've been spending a lot of time paying attention to Bahari since he went blind.

My three new females from Mo will be here Tuesday I think. I can't wait to get the sorority established!