My 2 New Rescues - Very Sad

[Alysser]

I don't see why is always a "teenager" to blame...

Anyway, I'm sorry for those poor fish! That's awful, I would've bought them too, I think you did the right thing. I wish Wal-mart didn't sell fish, I really do. I hope they both survive, and I am glad to see Taco doing a little better! We know you will definitely try your best to save them.

[Freedom]

Horrible!

Yeah i you had reported it, they may have given you a separate container to take them home in, a plastic cup from housewares or something.

BUT they may not have let you buy either one. You could go back for a refund if the fish don't live x days (no idea how long that is w/ Walmart).

Anyway, looks like they are all set now!

Do they regrow the missing fins? I don't know.

[king2005]

I don't see why is always a "teenager" to blame...

Totally agree, esp after what I saw today while I was working the Turtle Rescue booth at the Reptile Expo in Mississauga. More men in their 30's acted like idiots saying how they like to watch their turtles rip apart fish & other stupid comments. Not one teen was bad at my booth. Many were punks of some sort (crazy hair, earrings everywhere, tattoos all over, not the cleanest mouths around.. you know the look), nearly every single one of them awwwwwwwwwwwed over the turtles. They listened to my long educational speech about invasive species & our rescues (same species sadly). About 99%, if not all of them, got upset after hearing how we got many of them. They couldn't believe how someone could treat an animal like that.

[cassiesmom]

OMGItsapibble, how are these two doing?

I have the same question as Freedom, do they re-grow their fins?

I wonder if the person/s in the pet department at Walmart weren't trained to care for betta fish correctly. Or maybe someone from another department was covering who had not been trained at all.

[omgitsapibble]

I agree, it shouldn't always been a teenager to blame, that was a flub on my part. I've met many, many immature adults. Probably more immature adults than I have immature teens.

And their fins will grow back, it'll only take a few weeks and they'll be back to normal looking. Fins grow back pretty quick.

Alright, so here's an update on them!

Tuna, the one who wasn't as bad off, is doing fine. Taco, the one who was in severely bad shape, is doing great too.

I initially took a 10 gallon and divided it with a tank divider, and each had 5 gallons. I lined the divider with plants to try and inhibit Tuna from being able to see Taco as easily, but without inhibiting the water flow through the divider too much.

Betta's have different personalities. Some are very aggressive, and some can be very submissive. Tuna is very, very aggressive. Taco is very, very submissive. And Tuna spent every waking second ramming and stalking the divider, trying to get to Taco. Taco spent every waking moment hiding in his plants and probably hoping Tuna would go away. So obviously, this stressed Taco out badly.

So I took out the divider, redecorated the tank, and now Taco has the 10 gallon tank to himself. Tuna is in a temporary 2.5 gallon container, and is getting a new 5 gallon tank this week.

I made Taco's tank heavily planted, so he'd have lots of hiding spots. Poor little guy has had so much traumatic stuff happening, I want him to feel secure in his new tank now. I wake up every morning to find him at the glass, staring at me in bed (his tank is next to my bed). What an awesome little dude.

Here's a photo of Taco's tank...



And if you'd like to watch Taco swimming around his tank (and eating a bit of dinner), here's a short video clip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtK5Ad2jdkY

The plastic water bottle you see, is something I rigged up to the outflow of his filter, so the current wouldn't push him around or agitate the water too much. Works great.

[Christmas_Hamster]

What a lucky boy! The tank looks awesome.

[carole]

Gosh there are some really sick people out there, how cruel of them, and how awesome that you found them, it was mean't to be, that you save them, they look so happy and content swimming around in their gorgeous new home, good for you,and shame on whoever did this appalling thing to them, i would talk to the manager about it, just to let them know to keep a better eye on the fish in the future.

[CultureJunky]

That is so great you decided to buy them, poor things.
What are betta fish? Are they like Siamese fighting fish? That is terrible to put two together, I think taco will survive and is obviously very grateful for his lovely new home. I suppose it could've been done by somebody who wasn't aware you can't put two fighters in the same tank?

We recently lost two of our tetra's to swimbladder, tried everything but didn't survive.

I think Taco is lovely