My First Rescue, I Swore I Never Would, But I Did.

[soritan]

OK, so... I rescued a betta from work, today. Seeing as how he was free, I saw no harm in giving him a crack at life. I swore I'd never rescue a betta, but since no 'evil!corporation!' is going to profit from this rescue, and since he's in really desperate straights... well. Yeah.

He's laying on his side and panting, and not swimming. I've put him in my 3.3g petland carrier, but only put in 1g of water (with a full pump of Stress Coat) so that it's very shallow. I also put in a silk plant for him to sit on, so he's close to the surface. He showed his first real signs of life when I put him in, as he wiggled his little *ss as hard as he could and hid himself under the plant.

I added a bare pinch of salt.

I think his time is pretty much come, but I'm going to give it a shot, since... you know, I can.

My only question is, since this is my first rescue and I don't know how to go about it... which medication should I use?

I've added just a dash of salt. I've added a very small hydor heater. My little utility box of betta meds is pretty limited. I have melafix, indian almond leaf, and a couple of fungicides which I'm pretty sure won't work in this case. What do you recommend I use? Would using both indian almond leaf and melafix be considered over kill?

 

[Durbkat]

Betta max and salt and stress coat. Is there any other signs of illness like any flicking or rubbing againts objects?

 

[soritan]

No movement at all, actually. He's just lying on his side, his gills moving occasionally. Like I said, "lying there and panting, not swimming."

I have no bettamax, but I dosed with Melafix about 15 minutes ago. I dosed according to this list, which I've used with success in the past. I dosed my other betta, Sori, the same way when he had finrot, and he was fine on that dosage.

I think I'll go ahead and add a 1" square of indian almond leaf. I threw a dark cloth over his 'tank', and I suppose that's all I can do for him.

 

[Durbkat]

Well add a air stone since he won't be able to get to the top for air. Cover the tank up and like you've already done melafix,salt, and stress coat thats all you can do. Do you think he could be in shock if he was in a bad quality water then moved to a clean tank or he could be in shock from to many temp fluncations.

 

[soritan]

I wouldn't add an airstone, personally. I think that it would add unnecessary agitation to his tank. If he were upright, I'd probably have done it already. But he's not, he's totally on his side.

As to the cause? I can't say for sure. It is not likely water quality or temperature fluctionations at the shop, as he got water changes every other day, and was on a regulated heater that kept him at 76F. He was slightly abandoned during the whole Xmas thing, but 2 days without a water change and no food shouldn't have done him in. The place we bought these bettas from... well, they're likely the source. Of the 8 bettas we purchased from them, 7 have passed on. We have never had a mortality rate so high. My boss knows I like these little guys, so he's letting me have a crack at saving one.

 

[thelastbetta]

That's not good. I lost my boy rather fast after the same symptoms your describing.

 

[Durbkat]

Well he could die of lack of oxygen since the only way to get oxygen is surface agitation or real plants and bettas can get oxygen by getting air from the surface but since he can't get to the top for air and there is no
agitation that means there is no oxygen in the tank and then he will die of lack of oxygen which is why you need an airstone in the tank.

 

[soritan]

I disagree, I really do.

Like I said in my original post, he's in 1 gallon of water, but he's in a 3.3g tank, which means he's in about an inch of water. I've seen him bow his back up to gasp for air. He's in 1 gallon, shallow, with a silk plant to hide under. An airstone would be unneccessary stress in an already bad situation.

thelastbetta: Yeah. I don't believe he'll make it, honestly. But I'm all for giving him a chance. What's terrible is, all the bettas died of the same thing, from that one shop. It's really sad, to have to dispose of so many little bodies, inside three weeks' time.

 

[tank212]

Since a betta breathes air from the surface what good is an airstone gonna do besides cause more stress to the betta being is how he only has 1 gal of water in it?
Even tho he's not doing so good atleast you are trying and unfortunately that's all you can do.
Good luck

 

[Synirr]

From what I've read, even with an airstone a betta will suffocate/drown if it can't take air from the surface. They rely heavily on their labyrinth organ.

You're really good for giving him a chance soritan, I'm sure if he knew what you're doing for him he would appreciate it

 

[soritan]

He's begun arching his back on occasion, as if trying to right himself. That's either a good sign or a bad. I hope it's a good sign.

I did notice, when I went to go check his water's temperature (84F, a bit high, but so long as it maintains I think I'm cool), that his 'stomach' is yellowish-brown. Right by his uhn... ventrel fins? I should have learned all the fin names. I imagine this is not a very good sign, as all the rest of him is purple and white and blue and chocolate. Since all the rest of him is seemingly alright, I think it's rather safe to assume he's got something internal going on. I know that all the bettas we got from that shop refused to eat for a long time, which shouldn't be an issue with bettas. He's not emaciated.



Thanks, Synirr. I hope he pulls through. I think I've decided to buy breeder from now on, for myself. Just can't envision supporting an industry that'd allow this kinda thing to happen on a daily basis.

[deletes a big fat paragraph ripping apart the business that sold 8 'healthy' bettas which have a 75% mortality rate]

 

[soritan]

He's dead.

He swam two laps around the 'tank', by arching his back and unarching his back, and then he died. Something very long and fine seems to be coming out of his gills, now, slimmer than a hair. I don't know if it's some kind of final stages of a parasite, or disease... but in either case, the boy is gone.

The mortality rate for that shop is now 87.5%


The remaining betta, was happily building a bubble nest at my workplace when I left. I hope he's the lucky one.

 

[Synirr]

Oh no, so sorry to hear that. You did the best you could

 

[soritan]

I'm nuking the hospital tank, now.


I don't care for blue bettas, but I'm about 50% tempted to purchase the remaining betta from that shop, and start a little preventative medicine. Is it callous of me not to want him, because he's blue? ) Honestly, though, the remaining betta is bubble nesting and seems to be fine, so far. But then, they all were. I guess I'll just keep a really close eye on him. Maybe sneak some melafix into his water for a week. If he becomes sick, I'm sure my boss will allow me to take him home as well.

.............. .... ... I keep having to stop myself from ranting about this new shop. *rips hair in frustration* If I belted out a series of profane words and told you all about how awful they are, that wouldn't solve a thing, I suspect it'd even make me angrier. Let me end my almost-tirade by saying, I've spoken to the new shop's owner, and they are convinced they are not at fault. I've spoken to my shop's owner, and we are convinced they will never recieve our business again. I'm telling people about their fishkeeping practices, as well. Not walking about with a sign, mind you... just if it comes up, somehow.