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I was at walmart looking for filter replacements for my hex tank and saw 2 betta cups sitting stacked on the counter between the tanks. The bottom 1 was extra full, the top 1 was pretty much empty with the fish on it's side. I almost just kept walking but out of curiousity I had to tip the cup to see if the betta on top was really dead. The tiny amount of water left filled the edge and the betta tried to swim. I then noticed the water all over the counter and several cracks in the cup. I looked around for someone or somewhere to put the fish but there wasn't even dechlorinator so I could refill the cracked cup and give the fish at least a few more hours. I almost walked away again thinking there was nothing I could do but I couldn't live with myself. After digging around I found a noncracked cup but it had a horrible smell from old water being left in it. Better than nothing so in the cup went the betta and a little water from the other betta's cup.
Now I can leave right? Well... that is a small amount of water... He still won't live too long in that and he is a nice color....
So I have a betta.
I can't say I particularly like bettas although I do really like some gourami species but I couldn't leave it there. I'm not entirely sure what to do with this betta. For now he's in a bowl I used for growing pest snails to feed my puffer. It's somewhere between 1.5-2gallons but the bowl can't stay where it is and I have nowhere else to put it. The 90g has Pecan the agressive blue gourami who would fight to the death. The 20g has the blue opaline girlfriend I bought him and he almost killed along with the sparkling gouramis. The 5g has little guppy fry and the other 5g has some odd leech creatures in it that I'm trying to wipe out with copper and is planned to use for the sparkling gouramis. Maybe when the guppy fry get big enough I'll put him in there...

Should I add some melafix?
Do bettas need betta pellets/flakes or can I feed it the same food I feed the other fish?

Last edited by sham at 22-Oct-2005 20:12

Congratulations you have now joined the "I Rescue Hopeless Bettas from Sure Death Club" I too have done thisthus i have Lucky the Betta

Now run back to walmart (sorry, but it's easiest trust me) and go back to the fish department, don't look at the fish though on the shelving with the other tanks they have these little 1 gallons that are triangular in shape, they come with a UGF, air pump, air stone, airline, and hood with a light For the tank it's really, fairly inexpensive only about $10, and it is small enough in size and shape it fits almost anywhere

Grab one of them and bring it home, steal some substrate/gravel from one of the established tanks (not the leech tank) add water, dechlorinator, a tad bit of melafix for good measure, drop in the airline/airstone, and connect them to the pump, plug in, put the little guy in there, place the lid on and you are good to go

Also for feeding him, at first go ahead and splurge get him some Hikari Betta Bites or whatever it is, it's not that much either, but you can vary his diet, I know my guys and gals eat regular flakes and stuff like everyone else and some even try to eat the Hikari Algae Wafers

Congratulations and we want pics
heidi



houston attached this image:


"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

I don't know if it's any easier to find a place for a 1g container. Maybe something would fit next to the tv in the bedroom. If I can't find a place for him in one of the 5g tanks I'll try that. For tonight he's fine where he is.
He looks almost the same color as the betta in your pic only more purple. I'd probably call the body purple but the fins are more like the red on that betta and then have bluish edges and streaks. I can't really get a pic of him in his current container because it distorts and there isn't enough light.

good luck, if u are lucky enough to have one that is good in a community tank he should eat what ever u put in. good luck and he should be fine where ever he may end up.

Congratulations for rescuing the Betta & hope you'll enjoy it.


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Heck, if he is as sweet and loving as Lucky is, then he'll be fine in a community tank Otherwise you'll be surprised at how little room those 1 gallons take Either way I hope he's adjusting well, I know he'll have a loving home now again, heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

i did that once, only i dident end up taking the 2 girls home..yup, 2 girls had their cups tiped over there wasnt any water in them so i just flipped up the big tank cover thingy, and got water into both cups, they were pretty, but i was getting somthing else that day and couldent afford them....dont remember what

He's slowly gotten a little lighter and his dark purple body has a bit of a bluish shine over the scales now. The fins are still red with blue edges but the blue is nearly sky blue instead of dark blue. He's spent the whole first day swimming down and up and around in circles. I think he's finally gotten over the sudden space increase. It was frozen food day so he got some brine shrimp which he didn't know what to do with at first but finally tried some and then ate several shrimp. Whenever my bigals order gets here I'm killing off the leeches in the 5g and then if the ammonia doesn't shoot up he can go in there for awhile.

Last edited by sham at 24-Oct-2005 18:14