rescuing betta(s) please help

[alabaster]

Hi. Can someone (please BettaMomma!) tell me how to go about rescuing bettas from terrible conditions at Walmart? I'd like to keep them in 2.5 gallon tanks, but I need a fully-submersible heater with a thermostat... preferably one that's available at Petsmart. Also, if I got a 10g (which I'm seriously considering) would the 10i internal Whisper filter be ok, or will it produce too much current? Please reply!!

 

[wrs]

well, I dont see why you would need help going about rescuing them, all you do is buy them and provide a happy home for them.

But as for heaters, if you live in a warm area where you will be able to keep the temp up all the time you wont need one.

in a 10 gallon a power filter will be to much for a male, but in the 10 gallon you can have 5 females, and the filter would be fine for them.

But the 2.5 are good for males. You can even divide them two ways.

 

[GuppyDude]

make sure your going to have enogh room, males need 1g and females need 1g if kepts alone but in a 10g u can probably keep 5 together with little problem.

 

[alabaster]

Why can the females handle currents but the males can't? They live in the same habitat in the wild. Also, what wattage should a heater for a 2.5 gallon have? What about for a 10 gallon?

 

[cation]

A lot of it comes down to short fin vs. long fin - male plakats do fine in tanks with light currents, just like females.

 

[alabaster]

i just said "help" bacause I want to know what the standard practice is among experienced betta keeper when rescuing bettas. Do you pick out one thats dying? Do you pick one that is in an exceptionally small cup? I was also wondering what housing you guys who have like 30 bettas use. In very small tanks (1g) what heaters (wattage and brand) do you use?

 

[wrs]

wow, 30, that is alot!

if you live in the us, near floria, or a warm counrty, you wont need a heater.

for 30 bettas, wou will probably just buy the whole stock of them. but usually dying ones or ones with all nipped up fins are the ones you want.

1 gallon is good for the bettas. You can buy one gallon bowls as well for cheap.

10 gallons for every 5 females will also make everything cheaper, and less space taken up.

 

[alabaster]

No, I'm not getting 30 bettas. I was just asking people who have that many what they house them in.

 

[wrs]

oh, lol. 2.5 gallon tanks divided would be best.

but how many are you planning on getting, and how many males/females

 

[OrkyBetta]

if you have the shelf space, maitenance wise seperate 1-5 gallon bowls or tanks work well

 

[BettaMomma]

Well - here's a good example of one - just found him tonight...
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=91468

I never go out with the specific intent of bringing a fish home - in fact, I usually hope for the opposite. That will mean that I found them all to be in great conditions and nobody needed to be rescued. Although I do consider someone with some nipped or ripped fins a rescue candidate, I now save the room I have for more hopeless cases, really. I look for ones that have ick, or are tipping over at the top of the cup, or ones that can't get up from the bottom of the cup - or possibly ones who have really swelled up eyes (popeye), or lots of fungs. The more you read on this forum and just get out there and see what a healthy one looks like, the more you will be able to recognize the sick ones.

As far as what to put them in to rescue them - I would probably avoid a 10G, and here's why - once you rescue one, you will want "just one more" - ALWAYS. I'm up to 17 right now and I have had 2 die. You'll probably want to keep your tank size at around 2.5G. The MiniBow tanks work PERFECTLY for bettas. That way, you won't need a filter, but you can still use a heater that will keep the temps steady. I use Neptune 25W heaters. They say you should use 5 watts per gallon, but they just don't make 10w heaters, so the 25W ones work perfectly - even in an acrylic tank.

You'll probably want to have a few stock items on hand when you start out - you should probably pick up some aquarium salt (make SURE it's aquarium salt, and not marine salt), stress coat (you can use this for dechlorinator also). Then, once you start to bring them home and diagnose them - if they need meds, you'll have to get your hands on some. I now have every stinkin kind of medication you could imagine because I've dealt with just about every kind of problem that they can have.

Sick and/or dying bettas really appreciate some good clean water, usually a live plant to beach themselves on near the top of the water, so something like cabomba or hornwort that floats works great. Keep the temp regulated according to their ailment - for instance, if they have parasites, you'll want higher temps to speed up their life cycle. For other things, the temps will need to be cooler. Just hop on the forum for advice - it's open 24/7 and there's always a knowledgable staff on hand here .

One thing I should really warn you about before you really decide you want to get into this - you will get angry, sad, mad, apalled and want to rip heads off every now and again - because of the mere neglect, incompetency and all out lack of caring that many places show these fish. Be prepared for that, and be prepared for some deaths. Be prepared to find dead ones on the shelves, and don't be afraid to speak up for these guys when they're not being treated as they should be. The only voice they have at that moment is YOURS. That's kind of to be expected.

As many people who just don't understand have said to me... "We can't save them all..." - well, *technically* they're right, but it never hurts to try. And if we try and fail, at least we've tried.

 

[alabaster]

Thanks a lot bettamomma--I appreciate you taking the time to post a reply. Its truly amazing that you are willing to give the time, money, and love that it takes to nurse these abused creatures back to health--especially when the creatures in question are small fish that 99% of the population dont give a damn about. Your rescues are heartwarming and are probably the most inspiring thing ive come across in a couple years.

I know you've already given me some suggestions on rescuing, but will aquarium salt, stress coat, and warm, clean water really cure most diseases or problems?
If not could you give me a list of meds that will treat 90% of betta probl;ems im likely to come across if I rescue? I want to be prepared!

Also, one more question: do you use gravel (or any substrate)in the tanks that your rescues go in? What equipment do you use? Do you use any filters in the 2.5 gallon tanks? What containers do you use to house your bettas besides 2.5 gal tanks, if any?

Again, keep up with your rescuing, stay positive, and keep helping betta newbs like me

Thanks a lot bettamomma please reply again!

 

[BettaMomma]

You're very welcome, it's no problem. I'm just hanging out at home tonight in my jammies with my fish and guinea piggies (much like every other night - lol). And thanks for the words of encouragement. Sometimes the thought of giving up because of the emotional rollercoaster ride this all is hits me - then I get over it.

So, to answer your questions - here we go:
will aquarium salt, stress coat, and warm, clean water really cure most diseases or problems?
- In the case where what is ailing them is finrot or a very mild case of something like skin irriration, yes - but in general if you're going to be doing full-blown rescues, no, but you'll definitely need to have them on hand as base supplies either way.

If not could you give me a list of meds that will treat 90% of betta probl;ems im likely to come across if I rescue? I want to be prepared!
- certainly - but don't be too excited to give them meds. I try to keep in mind that once I decide to medicate the fish, there better be a justifiable reason to, because sometimes if you use meds on a fish, the fish's system can become tolerant to the meds, making them useless on the disease in the future. That being said, though, medications are a wonderful thing and can really save fish. I would start out with probably the following for meds: some kind of ick med- I particularly like Maracide, but it will kill your live plants - you can pretty much get any kind of ick medication on the market - they all do the same thing. You could also pick up some Maracyn and Maracyn 2. These collectively are helpful for finrot, popeye, gill diseases, septicemia, dropsy (which usually is fatal if not caught in time), etc. Most ailments fish will come across will be treatable with one of those 2, or both concurrently.

Also, one more question: do you use gravel (or any substrate)in the tanks that your rescues go in?
- Yes, unless I have a fish that's having problems getting up off the bottom - making them drag their fins across gravel is murder on those tender fins.

What equipment do you use?
- Equipment - I'm assuming you mean tanks, heaters, etc.? I have a couple of 10G tanks - but those are luxuries for my long-term houseguests and my female community tank. The rest are all 2.5G tanks except one, and I fully intend to move him to a 2.5 soon. Some of them are Minibows (i'm a HUGE fan of minibows), some of them are glass tanks. The glass tanks are great - you can get a glass lid to put on top of the tank - they come with a little plastic handle that you can stick on the edge of one of the sides and use it to lift it up and feed them, etc. I only use filters in my 10G tanks - the rest, forget it. IT's not worth the stress, and the current is always much too strong for a tank that size. Heaters - 25W neptunes, all the way around, except again the 10G tanks where I have 50watters.

Do you use any filters in the 2.5 gallon tanks? What containers do you use to house your bettas besides 2.5 gal tanks, if any? (see above for answers)

In addition to the meds and tanks I have here, I have lots of other supplies hanging around which have all come in VERY handy:

I have one of those plastic *thingys* (I have no idea what it's called) like they use in fish stores to put the fish bag inside of, then hang on the inside of the tank while they net the fish for you. It's come in handy when I have needed to pull someone out of a tank for one reason or another, and have noplace else to put him/her right away...

I have a 1/2 gallon fishbowl - which I have used several times as a hospital tank. It works in an emergency!

I have 2 betta keepers - one really tiny one, and one that's meant to be a divided one. I'm using the bigger one right now for my ick-infested cloudy eyed guy as a hospital tank.

Solo cups - can't EVER have too many of these - when I'm doing water changes, I always scoop my guys up in them, and let them sit on the counter while I'm water changing. Make sure to cover them!!! They WILL jump outta those.

If you opt to get any bigger tanks (like a 10G) you will definitely want to have a bucket around that you just use for fish...

If you'll just have male bettas coming in, don't even bother with a net. You'll just torment the heck out of their fins - you just dont need one.

One last thing - get a drain cover for your sinks. It may sound ridiculous, but if you intend to do any water changes anywhere near your sinks, make sure it's covered with some sort of SOMETHING. Just trust me.

 

[Kiarra]

I pick out the dying, the crippled, the tattered, and sometimes the ugly. Basically, whichever ones I think other people wouldn't buy EVER, or those who have special needs that others might not be willing to accomodate for.

 

[alabaster]

How many bettas do yu have kiarra? Where did you get them?