I impulse bought a sad betta...

Impulse bought is an overstatement, but it makes my point.
Any suggestions for this guy? His fins are in rough shape, and he's pretty skinny. He has some interest in food, but the pellets I have are too big so I'll switch him to flakes tomorrow. I'm focusing on providing food and lots of clean water and peace and quiet.

here is how I ended up with this guy-
Two days ago, I purchased a betta for my five gallon tank. He is a gorgeous little koi, he's in perfect health.
But, while at the store I noticed another betta, sold as a Dumbo ear, who looked very sad. His fins are torn up and very short, and his colors are dull.
But, he's alert and active, and I couldn't stop thinking about him.
Two days later I went back to the fish store for some spounge, and I saw the same betta sitting in his little bowl with his tiny little fins swimming in circles.
I looked at him, not intending to come home with another fish, and noticed that despite his rough appearance, he was very aware and responsive.
Next thing I knew I was walking out of the store with a new betta and nowhere to put it.
One of the employees even noted that this fish had been there for a long time, and kept getting passed over.

I set up a 1.5 gallon with a little hide, some moss balls, and a piece of a java fern from my 65 gallon. I'll buy him a larger tank soon, but I use the 1.5 for quarantining small fish anyway.
For now I'll be testing the ammonia in the water daily and keeping the water as clean as possible, and I've taken some established spounge from another tank and set up a makeshift filter.

I'm thinking about putting him in a larger vase with his heater, and forgoing the filter for a while since he is so delicate and even with the makeshift baffle there is a slight current.
Here he is-

I think he'll be pretty gorgeous once he gets fixed up.

So any suggestions to get him healthy? Suggestions to help his fins?
I've had bettas for a long time, but I don't like that I don't have a cycled filter available for this guy.
I was thinking about putting him in a breeder box in my large tank, but I want to keep his stress level as low as possible for now, until I can get a proper aquarium set up.
Also, should I treat him with anything, or just keep giving him clean water every day?

I would do water changes every day...maybe twice a day since the aquarium is uncycled...don't add any medications (especially not Melafix as that damages the labrynth organ)

Those fins and his tail look almost cut with scissors with such straight line damage to them.

Really, really clean water and alot of hope.

wasmewasntit said:

I would do water changes every day...maybe twice a day since the aquarium is uncycled...don't add any medications (especially not Melafix as that damages the labrynth organ)

Those fins and his tail look almost cut with scissors with such straight line damage to them.

Really, really clean water and alot of hope.

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I know, the damage is so odd looking to me. I have no idea how he managed it with nothing but a little plastic cup to swim around in. I would think fin rot, but the damage isn't consistent with that. I wonder if he had fin rot and the fish store employees treated him or something, so now he's just left with his nubs.

In his cup were these soft green balls (sort of like orbeez) as substrate. I just dumped them into his new aquarium with him, but I have no idea what they are.

I got him to eat a little tonight. I gave him some tropical flake and he nibbled at it, but spit some of it out. Then I gave him another pellet and he snatched it and ate it in one bite... tomorrow I will try bloodworms.
I'll do a water change in the morning and at night for now. I'll be shopping for a bigger tank tonight but probably won't make a purchase until next week, and then I'll take more filter media from my other tanks to speed up the cycle.
He swims around, but prefers to float at the surface undisturbed. I've covered him with a towel so he can't see the other bettas beside him.

I could not stop thinking about him after I bought the koi betta. It's ridiculous but I was lying awake that night thinking about going back to get him.

I kept thinking how pitiful he looked and how he would never really get a chance since most keepers look for the healthiest fish. And when I saw him the second time I couldn't leave him ☹ I'm really hoping he improves.

You can only try to do right by him, but always keep in the back of your mind that he might not improve no matter how well you care for him

He is a scrawny little blighter for sure but he has made it this far, hopefully with some TLC he can come through it...there are certainly no guarantees that he will, all you can do is try your best with him

TBH its never a good plan to take on a sickly fish but we humans are daft that way and always take on the underdog and hope for the best

wasmewasntit said:

You can only try to do right by him, but always keep in the back of your mind that he might not improve no matter how well you care for him

He is a scrawny little blighter for sure but he has made it this far, hopefully with some TLC he can come through it...there are certainly no guarantees that he will, all you can do is try your best with him

TBH its never a good plan to take on a sickly fish but we humans are daft that way and always take on the underdog and hope for the best

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Absolutely, I know there's no garentees.
He's a tough little guy though. From what I gathered he's been at the store for weeks or months. I feel bad he wasn't chosen when he looked better, and now that he is the way he is there's no way anyone else would have taken him. I myself passed him by the first time in favor of a better looking fish.

But, he's alert, which I feel is the most important thing. As long as he doesn't become lethargic I think he's got a chance.
We'll see I'll update if he improves or gets worse but until then, lots of clean water and rest.

With the aquarium uncycled, stay on top of testing as any spiking will have a greater effect on him due to his condition.

The fluffy ball things look alot like Fluval Moss Ball


Which if he has been stuffed into that cup for ages would be understandable since they can sometimes help with water chemistry...or at least hide the issues with the water

Awe I'm afraid I don't know much about Bettas however I wish you all the best in his recovery and will definitely be following the story of this precious underdog so please do keep updating us x

wasmewasntit said:

With the aquarium uncycled, stay on top of testing as any spiking will have a greater effect on him due to his condition.

The fluffy ball things look alot like Fluval Moss Ball

Fluval Moss Ball

Fluval Moss Ball helps create ideal aquarium conditions for small fish and shrimp by adsorbing and trapping phosphate and nitrite. It also helps reduce aquarium maintenance by deterring the growth of many of the compounds that cause the unsightly buildup of organic matter.The Moss Ball also...

aquariumswest.com

Which if he has been stuffed into that cup for ages would be understandable since they can sometimes help with water chemistry...or at least hide the issues with the water

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I tested and did a water change this morning, 0 ammonia. I turned off the filter entirely for now, as the current, though almost nonexistent with the baffle, was stressing him out.
This morning I got him eating betta pellets. He tasted some bloodworm then spat it out, but at least I got a few pellets into him. He is swimming around much more readily instead of just hanging around the top.

The moss balls are mine from my other tank. I threw them in with him because he doesn't have a filter and thought they might help, or at least give him something to swim around that can't damage his fins.
He came with little squishy balls, I thought they were marbles until I got him home. They remind me of orbeez. I only mention them because I'm not sure if I should remove them or not. I mean they haven't hurt him yet but idk.
But yeah, it seems like he was there a few months at least.

Kirsty90 said:

Awe I'm afraid I don't know much about Bettas however I wish you all the best in his recovery and will definitely be following the story of this precious underdog so please do keep updating us x

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Thank you here's hoping he improves and in a few months I'll have pictures of a healthy, stunning little fish.

Penelope .R said:

He came with little squishy balls, I thought they were marbles until I got him home. They remind me of orbeez. I only mention them because I'm not sure if I should remove them or not. I mean they haven't hurt him yet but idk.

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These maybe?

If you can rehab the betta, you will enjoy it all the more seeing you probably saved its life.

Feed it 3-5 times a day with a variety of frozen, dry and live foods.

Do big daily water changes and gravel cleaning to keep the water clean.

Add 1 heaped tablespoon of rock salt for every 20 litres of water. Keep salt in the tank for 2 weeks to help kill anything fungus or bacteria and give the fish more chance of healing.

When you do water changes, add salt to the new water before adding it to the tank so the level in the tank remains constant.

Put some floating plants in the tank to help the fish feel more secure.

Naughts said:

These maybe?

Evolution Aqua Pure Aquarium

PURE Aquarium is a bacterial treatment for aquariums of all sizes. Inside every ball there are millions of live bacteria and enzymes. The bacteria and enzymes inside each ball will start to break down the ammonia and nitrite in your aquarium’s water.

www.fishkeeper.co.uk

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I think that's them, probably the aqueon betta beads though. I think the employees threw them in feeling bad for the little guy, because he also has some duckweed.

Colin_T said:

Feed it 3-5 times a day with a variety of frozen, dry and live foods.

Do big daily water changes and gravel cleaning to keep the water clean.

Add 1 heaped tablespoon of rock salt for every 20 litres of water. Keep salt in the tank for 2 weeks to help kill anything fungus or bacteria and give the fish more chance of healing.

When you do water changes, add salt to the new water before adding it to the tank so the level in the tank remains constant.

Put some floating plants in the tank to help the fish feel more secure.

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Will do, thanks!

Hopefully the betta comes out fine. If he was active in the bottle at the store, and is eating and displaying improving behaviour, then he should be fine and look great once the fins heal.

Tacocat said:

Hopefully the betta comes out fine. If he was active in the bottle at the store, and is eating and displaying improving behaviour, then he should be fine and look great once the fins heal.

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He's doing great now. He is eating all the pellets I give him but so far will not touch flakes or any live food i give him.
I've been keeping up with water changes and testing daily. If the ammonia is at 0 I leave him alone since he gets stressed and rams into the wall very easily, but so far I've been averaging a water change a day.