I have been rescueing bettas from an lfs that doesn't know how to and doesn't care about taking care of bettas, or any fish for that matter. Yesterday, one of my rescues named Snow White died from dropsy. He was beautiful, but in bad shape when I brought him home. I worked very hard to make him better. He was doing very well up until a few days ago. His condition deteriorated very rapidly, and with BettaMommas help, I tried everything I could to save him. The day he died, I had just ran to GNC and got some collodial silver, and went to the lfs and bought him a new tank. After many straight hours of watching him and trying to fix him, I lost him :bye: He didn't go peacefully, but flipped out big time, and then just stopped moving and sank to the bottom of the tank. I cried so much. I was really ready to just give up after that.


Good news, I didn't give up. I went back to that lfs, and decided to put Snow White's old and new tank to good use. I looked around at all the bettas they had, which was probaly close to 30 or 40 of them, and found 2 that needed help. First is Stanley. He is a little dark grey male. He is very tiny, and his fins are really really short. If you notice in his pic. he is swimming near the box of aquarium salt. If you see his body, compared to the box, you will see how small he really is. Next, is Miles. He is a whitish male, medium size, but he was laying on the bottom of his cloudy murky poo filled cup. I couldn't take it. He was so dirty, I thought he was greyish like the other fish. I was surprised to see what color he was when I took him out.

Well, that's my story, and here are there pics. I am sorry the quality is not so good. My hubby took the good digital to work. :pft: the nerve of him :lol:

Oh and incase you are wondering how I got such weird names for them, I'll tell ya. I am a huge Golden Girls fan. Anyone who watches the show, knows there really aren't to many recurring male rolse on the show. So, I named Miles after Roses fiancee on the show (Miles (tv) has white hair, and Miles (fish) is white). I chose Stanley after Dorothy's ex on the show. Tv Stanley had grey hair, and was almost bald, and Fishee Stanley is grey with thinning fins :lol:

I think it's great there are people here who care enough to rescue bettas from the stores that don't take care of them! But do you pay full price for them? or do the stores give you a price break on them because they know the fish are going to die?

Do you also have other bettas that you bought healthy and vigorous? or are all your fish rescues?

awah they are soo purty and :rip: snow white

justhal - I can't speak for everyone, but I cannot walk past a betta that is sick or in need of a good home. I've had the fish store give me bettas that they knew would die, and I've gotten them for reduced prices, but if I made up my mind that I was going to get one that needed help it doesn't matter if they drop the price or not. It's the fish that comes first and it's not like we're talking a $20 fish. But then there are times when you need to get a healthy fish that you can just sit back and enjoy and I'm sure we all do that, too.

Booker is so healthy that I'm almost afraid to say it out loud. He's never had any health or fin issues and is in great shape. I bought him after Jericho lost his battle with a long illness and I needed a rest from the emotional drain. As a matter of fact a co-worker checking my fish out the other day told me "He's one tight little fish." :hmm: I think that's good isn't it?

OH YAY!!!!
i didn't know you got more fish!!
I love their names too.
I can't believe how many people still love the Golden Girls.
I was a GG closet fan. Now I guess it's safe to tell everyone cuz everyone else is too! lol

Your boys are very lucky to have found such a great home!
:clap: yay!

I am sooo depressed. Stanley is in worse shape then I thought. I went to go turn on his light this morning, and he swam up to see me. I decided to get some better pics. of him since the firsl ones were crappy. I looked in the tank, and I noticed his 3 little pellets that I know I saw him eat yesterday on the bottom. I also took a good hard look at him, and something was not right. I just sat there for a minute and then :jaw: His little tiny eyes were all puffy. My first thought was oh no, pop eye, but when I looked at some pics of pop eye that I had on my computer, it didn't quite look like that. I also tried to feed him again. This time, the pellet went in for a sec. and right back out. So, I thought maybe he just didn't like them, so I tried frozen daphnea. It is smaller, so I thought it would be easier for him to eat something small, nope, he spit those out too. Next I tried frozen blood worms. He was soooo happy to get them, and went nuts when I put one in front of him. Those stayed in his mouth a little longer, but out they went too. I don't know what to do. I got a few pics. of him, and no, I still have the crappy camera, but you can still see it.

justhal, just to answer your question, all of my bettas a rescues. I don't have one that doesn't have or have had some health issue. I got one for free, and the sweet girl at the lfs who gave him to me was fired. I always pay full price for them now. It doesn't matter though, I just can't leave them suffering in those peice of shit little cups, and walk out with a clear conscience.

I think he might still be getting used to his new home.
If you can post pics that are a little bit more clear of his eyes maybe we can see something that we just can't think of off the top of our heads...