I just couldn't leave these two guys in the stores. I went to Petco to pick up some cheap fake plants, and as usual, browsed the bettas. My boyfriend pointed out that one beautiful white DT boy had no caudal fin, and seemed to be missing a lot of scales. My heart broke for him, but I decided to wait a little bit to get him, simply because I didn't think I had room. Went to Animal Jungle to get live plants and the last few fish for my 20 gal. My boyfriend stopped at the display of tiny betta "setups" (really just small vases, with a plant and a betta) and pointed out the absolute sorriest looking betta I've ever seen. He's super skinny, and his fins are so clamped they look like threads. What could I do? I grabbed a 2gal bowl, with plans to put the tiny guy in my 1/2 gal bowl until he's better, with the 2 intended as a permanant home, and decided to refill my 1 1/2 gal and use it for the DT from Petco. We ran back and grabbed the Petco guy, and on the way home I realized why he's missing his fin and scales: fungus! I have them both home and in containers now, F1 in the 1 1/2 gallon and F2 in a tupperware container floating in my 20 gal (poor baby can barely swim!) I'm debating going back tomorrow and getting antifungal meds for F1, because I'm concerned the conservative treatment won't be enough. I'm using aquarium salt and stress coat for both as of now. Pictures:
I had a similar case with F2.... my guy didnt ake it, he eemed to get better... then went completelly down hill within an hour he had passes :/
(simialr as in extremelly skinny and had same clamped fins and upward lift of his body) I was in the processo treating my guy for SBD, he survived two days....
As for F1, Im not sure, I have yet to have to deal with fungus, but until another member comments I would go ahead and treat "normally"
Well, F2 is currently at the bottom of the tupperware container resting, it seems... He'll move on ocassion, but mostly to get air. I have the water level pretty low so he doesn't have to swim much for air. The poor guy was being kept in a "setup" that was maybe 1/4 gallon, and the middle part was full of plants. Pissed me off >:( F1 seems to have taken a turn for the worse... he seemed lively enough at the store, now he's chilling at the bottom of the big tank and seems to be gasping for air. I think I might put him back in his Petco cup...
I read in the disease sticky that for fungus, you lower the temp to below 76 F. Room temp in my apartment is slightly below that, so I think I'll leave him as-is. He can swim fine, just... I dunno. Managed to get a top view picture of F2 that came out pretty well, poor guy is literally skin, scale, and bone :(
Tried to tempt both with pellets soaked in garlic juice, so far it's a no go. I'll try bloodworms tomorrow if they survive the night.
If the betta look like they're consuming body mass to keep growing their head and fins, they are. Feeding them will likely result in organ failure, just like giving starving people a small meal. I tried rescuing one that looked pretty bad in that way and his kidney went necrotic about 2 days later and I was only feeding one fancy guppy pellet (hikari) twice a day. He WAS eating, but it didn't matter.
I know at my petco they feed the bettas, this guy just wasn't gonna make it before I took him home.
So what can be done.... lower temp, treat for fungus...
You have to feed them... my guy was a pig, I kept him to one pellet, maybe crush the pellets up and feed a small crumb every hour or so?
When I got F2, I already knew there's a huge chance he won't make it. I'm prepared for that, but I'm really crossing my fingers. He's pink, for crying out loud, I've never seen a pink betta before, and if he pulls through he'll be gorgeous! I'm going to write a letter to the corporate office about the way bettas are cared for at that Animal Jungle. It's horrible.
I just got a purple/pink betta from Walmart... hes acting letharig and he is TINY... he doesnt seem to underweight, but I hve to wonder if they have the same issue going on....
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