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Heartbreaking Decision

5K views 87 replies 20 participants last post by  konstargirl 
#1 · (Edited)
I had an amazing day today. I cannot say that often (severe depression kind of does that to you). But, of course, I ended up at Petco. How can I stay away? I mean, I knew I wanted to get a sickly betta...

I just didn't expect it to be this hard... This is a Petco I hadn't been to. I am used to fairly healthy and active bettas at the Petsmart and Petco in my town. The Petco by my aunt's place? It is an absolute hell hole. Finrot, SBD, emanication, death everywhere. It is also the most understaffed and disorganized store I've ever been to.

I fell in love with a beautiful dragon HM. It was the most majestic blue I have ever seen. But the others begged me to give them a chance. Begged.

I wanted them all. And I only had room for one. I spent two hours agonizing over which betta to get. Almost had a freaking breakdown because I walked away for a couple of minutes and came back to find one of the more sickly ones gone. Thought the fish guy had came back and thrown him out. But someone had just shoved to the back of the shelf.







This guy was the one that stole my heart...




I got him instead...
 
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#2 ·
Poor little guy.. You know what? When I went to get Bacon (my rescue) I also fell in love with a dragon scale blue betta that same shade of blue.. except he had red fins.


Then I saw Bacon.. and knew I couldn't leave him to die :( Now Bacon is thriving!

I can't wait to see TONS of update photos from you!

He looks so sad and skinny.. I'm glad you got him!
 
#3 ·
Is that pathetic little white/clear CT (looks like a CT) a baby betta? It is so small.

I would have had to take that and the one above it if I had been there.

This is why I don't look at splendens in 99% of the stores I go to. It's just too depressing.

Hope your new purchase does well.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Thank you, guys. I feel so superficial though. I really wanted the betta with the pretty colours more than anything.

The little white CT was marked as a regular veiltail female. The one above the white female has just one shimmery pale of pale blue in front of its dorsal, so I think it was a marble. Their babies are even smaller. There was a blue one I forgot to snap a picture of, but he was about 2/3 the size of these two.


 
#10 · (Edited)
Finally home and floating in warm water.




He's smaller than Phoenix!



This is going to be his new home.


His tank water is treated with Stress Coat and 2 tsp of aquarium salt. I'm slowly acclimating him by drip method... Three drops via a drinking straw every ten minutes. I'm going to wait at least an hour. He's floating in the 5 gallon for now because his tank is a little too warm... In the nineties.
 
#12 ·
Since you only just got him and he doesn't look particularly healthy, I would not be overly concerned. I've found a lot of fish in similar condition aren't very enthusiastic about food until they have settled in and recovered a bit more.

Just give him time and if he still isn't eating in a few days you may need to get some live food to stimulate his appetite.
 
#17 ·
He survived the night!

I told Ci I have decided to name him Fang after White Fang from the Jack London novel. I doubt he'll turn out white (though technically, White Fang the wolf dog was named for his "white fangs"), so it's just Fang.
 
#19 ·
Good luck! I can't wait to see him get better! It's hard to sacrifice your wants for others needs and takes a strong, caring person to do so. This is a truly special thing that you are doing.
 
#20 ·
Skye, have you read White Fang? I'm just wondering, I don't know many people who have.

Lodie, your comment warms my heart. Thank you. <3

Would it be malicious of me to post before and after pictures on the Petco Facebook page?

This morning after a small breakfast of Omega One pellets.




 
#26 ·
Would it be malicious of me to post before and after pictures on the Petco Facebook page?
Hehe nope!! I've done it many times, people actually didn't believe me that it was the same fish a few times, lol. Goes to show you how little people know about how bettas are supposed to look!

Your new little guy is absolutely adorable! Hes in the same shape my Echo was in when I got him!

As for he horrid conditions of at store, contact the company, send an email through their website, include pictures of the fish in the store, list all of the ailments you witnessed in the fish. Tell them you realize that the majority of their money comes from the sale of the equipment for the fish and that neither you nor anyone you know will be buying anything from them again until they clean up their act! I did this and recieved phones calls from both the store manager and the regional manager, and I have seen improvement in the store I complained about. But you have to keep up on them!
 
#27 · (Edited)
I will do my best to get conditions to improve. >:D

I almost missed him. He was in one of the plastic cubbies all the way at the top. Way above eye level. I had to stand up on my tippy toes to reach him. I thought his cup was empty at first, because he was so small, pale, and almost transculent.

Do you think he will turn out like Echo? Echo's so lovely..
 
#29 ·
He could! Though Echo is the first Melano DT I've ever seen at any petstore! I really do think your boy is going to turn out to be dark! Maybe black, or melano, or very dark blue!
 
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