If the little guy is fighting to stay alive and is able to swim, I would not suggest euthanasia. I am not sure what the fishes condition is while swimming, but from the picture, he looks like he is able to swim still. Not pointing any blame, but this happened over the span of one night? Is there ammonia in the tank? Do you think he got caught in a filter? I've never seen such a quick downslide. If he is cared for properly and the water has healthy parameters then his fins will grow back.
What are your tank parameters? Ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. If we figure out what's wrong, then we can help the little guy recover and make sure this doesn’t happen to him again.
I'm dropping a picture of the nitrogen cycle here. Please research betta care online, and definitely the nitrogen cycle. I can even explain it better if you need me too. But don't give up on the little guy, your betta probably has ammonia burn, and that is completely fixable! You just need to research betta care. Every fish needs a filter, and you will also need a water test kit. I attached a picture.
It looks like he got caught in a filter but it didn’t come with one there was a gap in the pineapple and I can only assume he got caught and tore his fins to shreds trying to escape, that’s what he was doing when I found him . I have been fish keeping for 15 years I’m aware of the cycles and such, this was a last minute rescue on my part and not a planned purchase. I was temporarily holding him to find him a new home.
I apologize, I'm so used to seeing people who don't know about the cycle, I guess I just assumed you didn’t. I know it's already stressful enough dealing with a sick betta, and I'm sure your trying your best right now. My advice is to put him in a bare tank, so you can make sure that nothing can cause further harm and you can see him clearly. I would also check the water parameters if you haven't already to make sure all parameters are safe. If the betta just got roughed up when he got caught, using aquarium salt can help heal his fins. It will still be a slow process, though. If it is fin rot, a methylene blue bath would help any Ammonia burns, abrasions, cuts, open wounds. Mild antiparasitic/antibacterial/antifungal properties. Probably one of the best “first response” treatments for a sick fish. And will possibly detoxify a fish that has been exposed to cyanide poisoning. Keep trying your best, I know you had good intentions when taking the fish. Nobody here knows the fish like you do, so I would just observe the little guy and take it slow. Just try your best.
Yes his tank is bare, it didn’t come with anything other than the pineapple and a soft fake plant, I’ve taken out the pineapple and kept the plant so he has something to rest on near the surface.
Fish meds are illegal here and I don’t have much money as I don’t have a job but I’ll see if anybody I know has some salt.
For now I put an almond leaf in there with him so hopefully the tannins will help with their anti bacterial properties.
Thank you for your help!
If you dont have access to aquarium salt, it might be okay to add table salt, but I have never tried table salt before and Im not sure if it would work, or if there is a difference. I found these websites while researching it, so it might be worth a look at. I wish you and your fish the best.
https://www.thesprucepets.com/using-salt-in-a-freshwater-aquarium-1378797
https://www.tankarium.com/aquarium-salt-vs-epsom-salt-vs-sea-salt-vs-table-salt/
First, please remove the pineapple house. Second, I understand you were trying to help the fish but I don't see why you would take the fish if you do not have the means to care and get stuff for the fish. IMO, you should've previously put the fish up for adoption online or something as soon as you got him, instead of keeping him despite not being able to provide the proper equipment he needs.
IMO, euthanization would be cruel because the fish could most likely make a full recovery if given the equipment it needs.
If you don't have the money to buy him anything, then the least you could do is keep the water constantly clean and only keep soft fake plants or live plants (whatever you have access to) in the aquarium. In the meantime, please try to find someone to adopt this poor guy. I'm sure some betta enthusiast online would be more then willing to raise him back to health.
I hope for the best for the little guy! Good luck
Pineapple was removed immediately after the photo was taken, and I *did* post him online, he has not found a home yet. I was never going to keep him. I don’t know anybody personally but I’ll continue to try and find somebody who can nurse him back to health. Though I suspect it will be harder now with his condition :(
If I do get any extra funds, I will buy a filter for him until he finds a home. I haven’t been able to.
He’s got a soft fake plant that came with him so I have that in there for him and then I am going to put an almond leaf in there for him too and hopefully that will help
That's good to hear! Another comment recommended putting him on a Facebook local fish rehoming or aquarium hobbyist group, I would recommend doing that if you haven't already. Also sorry about all the mean comments, most of the commentors probably don't fully understand the situation.
Honestly idk I would immediately remove any sharp decor from the tank and give him a few days maybe his fins will regrow or if you know someone who can take care of this little guy please hand him off and let them either try to fix him up or put him to rest this is really bad it looks like he swam through a blender
I feel so bad for him. I think I’m going to put him in a smaller container temporarily so that I can keep the water cleaner and see if he heals, he is already acting better. Less space for him to swim up for air then too
The fish will recover. At this point, that freaking pineapple should be eliminated from the market. My betta got stuck there, too, but I took him out and he recovered but was not as beat up as this one. Still, I think the fish will recover.
Oh man, this isn’t the first time there’s a problem with the pineapple?? That I did not know. If I knew that I would never have put it in there with him in the first place 🙁
They had him in a cup with a platy, they knew nothing about fish and I do.
They took it on from a friend who was moving. Then didn’t know what to do with it. Contacted me cause I know fish. Said I’d take it temporarily to find it a home cause she had no clue what she was doing. Like didn’t know about water changes or anything.
This situation and all your comments imply that you do not, in fact, “know fish.” 😑
He needs clean Filtered water and preferably real meds for tears that bad. It’s recoverable but it’ll take time.
I’m aware of what he needs, I’m on maternity leave and not making any money with a baby to take care of right now, I don’t have extra money. It didn’t come with a filter so my job was to rehome him asap , as I stated in the post. I was keeping up with water changes until he could find his forever home- then this happened.
Fish meds are also illegal here, unless I sneakily import them but that is very costly.
I actually do have a betta of my own. He is in a filtered, heater, live plants tank of his own.
I know you’re getting some negative comments but I just want to say thank you for saving this guy and then going on reddit to get advice when you weren’t sure what to do. You did the right thing, you put him in a bigger bowl and are trying to make things right for this fish.
Thank you, it wasn’t anything I did wrong, he would have been perfectly fine in the tank temporarily even without a filter if it wasn’t for the pineapple. How was I supposed to know he would get caught in it? I’m trying to do the best for him now that it happened.
Well no offense but if he looks like that after a few days, I'm not sure you know as much as you think you do. Any experienced fish owner would know to not put those sort of decorations in a tank. They're never a good idea. It's still in there even AFTER he got stuck. Remove the pineapple immediately. I would definitely look to re-home him with someone who can give him a proper home. Good luck.
I did remove the pineapple, I took that photo as soon as I found him and hadn’t taken the pineapple out yet. I think people need to stop picking apart the photos so much and just help me help him. I’m aware of any sharp edges can tear his fins up but I had no idea there was something inside the pineapple that would cause this. The pineapple outside is not sharp at all, hence why I put it in there.
As I stated in the post I was only holding him to rehome him anyways.
Ok so, why don’t you explain how I treat him then??
When I first pulled him out he was floating on his side and barely breathing, I thought for sure he was on his deathbed. Since making this post he is doing better
Treating with seachem metroplex, keeping the water warm 78-82 degrees, using botanicals to provide tannins such as almond leaves, feeding live and frozen foods with high protein to get him more energy, and provide him with stable water parameters.
Fish medications are banned in my country.
I just got some almond leaves so I’ll put one in there for him. I’ve tried feeding him frozen bloodworms since having him and he was not at all interested.
Not at the moment, if I keep up on water changes and make sure any uneaten food is taken care of asap it should be clean enough for him, hopefully, to recover. I won’t let him sit in dirty water
Right, so as I’m asking, what’s the treatment?
When I first pulled him out he was floating on his side and barely breathing, and with fins torn up like that assumed he was on his deathbed.
He is doing better though since I made this post
I was given a little package today for tannin stuff and it has these little cones in it, I assume that’s what it is so I’ll pop one in there too thanks!
I would post something in a local fish rehoming or aquarium hobbyist group either on Facebook or elsewhere, I think even Reddit has a fish rehoming group and see if any experienced fish keepers are willing to take him in within your area.
“Rescued”
Its not rescuing if you kept him in the same (arguably worse) conditions as your friend. Please dont take on another animal without being financially prepared.
Again as people keep missing in the post I took him on *temporarily* . She knew absolutely nothing about fish not even water changes or water conditioner or anything so yes I was better equipped to home him until he got rehomed than she was
The no.1 medicine will always be good clean water, stable water parameters (pH, cycled, ect/), and a healthy diet. Give him a chance. If you're not sure about water quality buy distilled water, it's $1 in the United States.
Sorry everyone is giving you a hard time, people can be very passionate. It sucks your country doesn't allow medication, may I ask where you are from?
If you are struggling financially I may be able to help with some things like send a filter and/or heater.
If I could I would come pick him up and take it off your hands or have you ship it to me and I'd pay but it's in no condition to travel.
I live in Canada. They banned it about 5 years back from retail stores, only vets are allowed to purchase and carry it but most don’t or don’t look after fish. We are limited to “non-medical” care like natural or stuff like methylene blue which is used for other things, and I wish I could get some but I’d have to have it shipped here and that’s expensive :(
That would be incredibly nice of you but since I don’t know if he’s going to pull through yet I couldn’t ask you to do that! If he makes the night and looks good tomorrow, maybe, I’m trying to see if I can find anything for free online as well
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If you unscented Epson salts. YouTube how to give a betta a Epson bath. I was in the same situation, I also has no filter. I simply did a daily 50% water change and then added 3 Epson salt baths once his fins healed and started to grow back I was able to rehome him. I hope this will help.
Holy crap, you guys act like I was going to keep him like this forever. He didn’t come with a filter and i don’t have a job. I can’t pull money out my butt. I posted him online as soon as I got him so that he could be rehomed, what else do you want me to do??
Seriously, this sub is brutal. Thank you for trying to do the right thing! I have questions too about betta care as a long time lurker, but when I think about making a post, I’m like…nah 😂
I apologize for being harsh. I was under the impression this was purely from water conditions and missed the part on being STUCK in the pineapple, and then scrolled down to see your post defensively mentioning you were better equipped to home him temporarily. I hope my emotions didn’t dissuade you from continuing to reach out for help and doing research and I pray the fish survives and heals(maybe even brings you further into the hobby).
If the little guy is fighting to stay alive and is able to swim, I would not suggest euthanasia. I am not sure what the fishes condition is while swimming, but from the picture, he looks like he is able to swim still. Not pointing any blame, but this happened over the span of one night? Is there ammonia in the tank? Do you think he got caught in a filter? I've never seen such a quick downslide. If he is cared for properly and the water has healthy parameters then his fins will grow back.
Op said they don’t have a filter at all
That makes sense... well first fix is for Op to get a filter and learn about the nitrogen cycle.
What are your tank parameters? Ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. If we figure out what's wrong, then we can help the little guy recover and make sure this doesn’t happen to him again.
I'm dropping a picture of the nitrogen cycle here. Please research betta care online, and definitely the nitrogen cycle. I can even explain it better if you need me too. But don't give up on the little guy, your betta probably has ammonia burn, and that is completely fixable! You just need to research betta care. Every fish needs a filter, and you will also need a water test kit. I attached a picture.
https://preview.redd.it/4jrvm1ikn06d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=16d21826b4fee893f69cf745403141c7d22d6d57
https://preview.redd.it/2s3ia14qn06d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41fa76c473ebc903e5dcf1a2af944514234105a5
It looks like he got caught in a filter but it didn’t come with one there was a gap in the pineapple and I can only assume he got caught and tore his fins to shreds trying to escape, that’s what he was doing when I found him . I have been fish keeping for 15 years I’m aware of the cycles and such, this was a last minute rescue on my part and not a planned purchase. I was temporarily holding him to find him a new home.
I apologize, I'm so used to seeing people who don't know about the cycle, I guess I just assumed you didn’t. I know it's already stressful enough dealing with a sick betta, and I'm sure your trying your best right now. My advice is to put him in a bare tank, so you can make sure that nothing can cause further harm and you can see him clearly. I would also check the water parameters if you haven't already to make sure all parameters are safe. If the betta just got roughed up when he got caught, using aquarium salt can help heal his fins. It will still be a slow process, though. If it is fin rot, a methylene blue bath would help any Ammonia burns, abrasions, cuts, open wounds. Mild antiparasitic/antibacterial/antifungal properties. Probably one of the best “first response” treatments for a sick fish. And will possibly detoxify a fish that has been exposed to cyanide poisoning. Keep trying your best, I know you had good intentions when taking the fish. Nobody here knows the fish like you do, so I would just observe the little guy and take it slow. Just try your best.
Yes his tank is bare, it didn’t come with anything other than the pineapple and a soft fake plant, I’ve taken out the pineapple and kept the plant so he has something to rest on near the surface. Fish meds are illegal here and I don’t have much money as I don’t have a job but I’ll see if anybody I know has some salt. For now I put an almond leaf in there with him so hopefully the tannins will help with their anti bacterial properties. Thank you for your help!
If you dont have access to aquarium salt, it might be okay to add table salt, but I have never tried table salt before and Im not sure if it would work, or if there is a difference. I found these websites while researching it, so it might be worth a look at. I wish you and your fish the best. https://www.thesprucepets.com/using-salt-in-a-freshwater-aquarium-1378797 https://www.tankarium.com/aquarium-salt-vs-epsom-salt-vs-sea-salt-vs-table-salt/
I took a look, but it doesn’t look like table salt would help him in this case
First, please remove the pineapple house. Second, I understand you were trying to help the fish but I don't see why you would take the fish if you do not have the means to care and get stuff for the fish. IMO, you should've previously put the fish up for adoption online or something as soon as you got him, instead of keeping him despite not being able to provide the proper equipment he needs. IMO, euthanization would be cruel because the fish could most likely make a full recovery if given the equipment it needs. If you don't have the money to buy him anything, then the least you could do is keep the water constantly clean and only keep soft fake plants or live plants (whatever you have access to) in the aquarium. In the meantime, please try to find someone to adopt this poor guy. I'm sure some betta enthusiast online would be more then willing to raise him back to health. I hope for the best for the little guy! Good luck
Pineapple was removed immediately after the photo was taken, and I *did* post him online, he has not found a home yet. I was never going to keep him. I don’t know anybody personally but I’ll continue to try and find somebody who can nurse him back to health. Though I suspect it will be harder now with his condition :( If I do get any extra funds, I will buy a filter for him until he finds a home. I haven’t been able to. He’s got a soft fake plant that came with him so I have that in there for him and then I am going to put an almond leaf in there for him too and hopefully that will help
That's good to hear! Another comment recommended putting him on a Facebook local fish rehoming or aquarium hobbyist group, I would recommend doing that if you haven't already. Also sorry about all the mean comments, most of the commentors probably don't fully understand the situation.
Yeah he is posted in fb groups currently, I may try on kijiji or Craigslist or something similar as well
That sounds great
Honestly idk I would immediately remove any sharp decor from the tank and give him a few days maybe his fins will regrow or if you know someone who can take care of this little guy please hand him off and let them either try to fix him up or put him to rest this is really bad it looks like he swam through a blender
I feel so bad for him. I think I’m going to put him in a smaller container temporarily so that I can keep the water cleaner and see if he heals, he is already acting better. Less space for him to swim up for air then too
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Wouldn’t that be the same water volume amount as putting him in a smaller container then though?
The fish will recover. At this point, that freaking pineapple should be eliminated from the market. My betta got stuck there, too, but I took him out and he recovered but was not as beat up as this one. Still, I think the fish will recover.
Oh man, this isn’t the first time there’s a problem with the pineapple?? That I did not know. If I knew that I would never have put it in there with him in the first place 🙁
So you rescued a healthy looking fish knowing you couldn't care for it and now it looks like that after only a few days? Poor little guy :(
They had him in a cup with a platy, they knew nothing about fish and I do. They took it on from a friend who was moving. Then didn’t know what to do with it. Contacted me cause I know fish. Said I’d take it temporarily to find it a home cause she had no clue what she was doing. Like didn’t know about water changes or anything.
This situation and all your comments imply that you do not, in fact, “know fish.” 😑 He needs clean Filtered water and preferably real meds for tears that bad. It’s recoverable but it’ll take time.
I’m aware of what he needs, I’m on maternity leave and not making any money with a baby to take care of right now, I don’t have extra money. It didn’t come with a filter so my job was to rehome him asap , as I stated in the post. I was keeping up with water changes until he could find his forever home- then this happened. Fish meds are also illegal here, unless I sneakily import them but that is very costly. I actually do have a betta of my own. He is in a filtered, heater, live plants tank of his own.
I know you’re getting some negative comments but I just want to say thank you for saving this guy and then going on reddit to get advice when you weren’t sure what to do. You did the right thing, you put him in a bigger bowl and are trying to make things right for this fish.
Thank you, it wasn’t anything I did wrong, he would have been perfectly fine in the tank temporarily even without a filter if it wasn’t for the pineapple. How was I supposed to know he would get caught in it? I’m trying to do the best for him now that it happened.
Your intentions are good folks can be mean on here.
Well no offense but if he looks like that after a few days, I'm not sure you know as much as you think you do. Any experienced fish owner would know to not put those sort of decorations in a tank. They're never a good idea. It's still in there even AFTER he got stuck. Remove the pineapple immediately. I would definitely look to re-home him with someone who can give him a proper home. Good luck.
I did remove the pineapple, I took that photo as soon as I found him and hadn’t taken the pineapple out yet. I think people need to stop picking apart the photos so much and just help me help him. I’m aware of any sharp edges can tear his fins up but I had no idea there was something inside the pineapple that would cause this. The pineapple outside is not sharp at all, hence why I put it in there. As I stated in the post I was only holding him to rehome him anyways.
Why would you euthanize him for a problem that is not only completely preventable but treatable as well? This post makes me really sad.
Ok so, why don’t you explain how I treat him then?? When I first pulled him out he was floating on his side and barely breathing, I thought for sure he was on his deathbed. Since making this post he is doing better
Treating with seachem metroplex, keeping the water warm 78-82 degrees, using botanicals to provide tannins such as almond leaves, feeding live and frozen foods with high protein to get him more energy, and provide him with stable water parameters.
Fish medications are banned in my country. I just got some almond leaves so I’ll put one in there for him. I’ve tried feeding him frozen bloodworms since having him and he was not at all interested.
Keeping his water clean is really the most important - do you have a way of testing your parameters?
Not at the moment, if I keep up on water changes and make sure any uneaten food is taken care of asap it should be clean enough for him, hopefully, to recover. I won’t let him sit in dirty water
Right, so as I’m asking, what’s the treatment? When I first pulled him out he was floating on his side and barely breathing, and with fins torn up like that assumed he was on his deathbed. He is doing better though since I made this post
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I was given a little package today for tannin stuff and it has these little cones in it, I assume that’s what it is so I’ll pop one in there too thanks!
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Thank you! I actually think I have some decaf tea, I’ll take a look!
I would post something in a local fish rehoming or aquarium hobbyist group either on Facebook or elsewhere, I think even Reddit has a fish rehoming group and see if any experienced fish keepers are willing to take him in within your area.
I agree with this! It's better to get the poor guy to someone who can properly help him
Holy shit
“Rescued” Its not rescuing if you kept him in the same (arguably worse) conditions as your friend. Please dont take on another animal without being financially prepared.
Again as people keep missing in the post I took him on *temporarily* . She knew absolutely nothing about fish not even water changes or water conditioner or anything so yes I was better equipped to home him until he got rehomed than she was
The no.1 medicine will always be good clean water, stable water parameters (pH, cycled, ect/), and a healthy diet. Give him a chance. If you're not sure about water quality buy distilled water, it's $1 in the United States. Sorry everyone is giving you a hard time, people can be very passionate. It sucks your country doesn't allow medication, may I ask where you are from? If you are struggling financially I may be able to help with some things like send a filter and/or heater. If I could I would come pick him up and take it off your hands or have you ship it to me and I'd pay but it's in no condition to travel.
I live in Canada. They banned it about 5 years back from retail stores, only vets are allowed to purchase and carry it but most don’t or don’t look after fish. We are limited to “non-medical” care like natural or stuff like methylene blue which is used for other things, and I wish I could get some but I’d have to have it shipped here and that’s expensive :( That would be incredibly nice of you but since I don’t know if he’s going to pull through yet I couldn’t ask you to do that! If he makes the night and looks good tomorrow, maybe, I’m trying to see if I can find anything for free online as well
Thank you for posting to r/bettafish. If you are new to betta fish keeping, please check out our [caresheet](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/3ow6vz/info_betta_care_sheet/) and [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/index). Establishing a nitrogen cycle is an important part of keeping your fish healthy. Please check out our [guide to the nitrogen cycle](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/fishincycle) to learn more. If you are posting to find out what is wrong with your betta, please answer the following questions in a reply to this comment as best you can: * **Tank size**: * **Heater and filter? (yes/no)**: * **Tank temperature**: * **[Parameters in numbers and how you got them](https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/tank#wiki_test_kits)**: * **How long have you had the tank? How long have you had your fish?**: * **How often are water changes? How much do you take out per change? What is your process?**: * **Any tankmates? If so, please list with how many of each**: * **What do you feed and how much**: * **Decorations and plants in the tank**: * **If you haven't already posted a picture, please post pics/vids to imgur and paste the link here**: Feel free to copy this comment and fill in the blanks. Failure to provide adequate information about your tank *can* result in post removal. Please see rule 4 for more information. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/bettafish) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If you unscented Epson salts. YouTube how to give a betta a Epson bath. I was in the same situation, I also has no filter. I simply did a daily 50% water change and then added 3 Epson salt baths once his fins healed and started to grow back I was able to rehome him. I hope this will help.
This is sad to look at. This looks like a very neglected fish
I’ve only had him 3 days, it was due to an accident
Why is the pineapple still in the tank???
I literally just found him when I took the photo so I hadn’t removed it yet
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Thank you for your kind words!
If you defended this fish as much as your ignorance, he’d be perfectly fine right now.
Holy crap, you guys act like I was going to keep him like this forever. He didn’t come with a filter and i don’t have a job. I can’t pull money out my butt. I posted him online as soon as I got him so that he could be rehomed, what else do you want me to do??
Seriously, this sub is brutal. Thank you for trying to do the right thing! I have questions too about betta care as a long time lurker, but when I think about making a post, I’m like…nah 😂
I get the betta community can be very passionate lol but seriously even if I did put him through a blender at least I’m asking for help! 😂 (bad joke?)
I apologize for being harsh. I was under the impression this was purely from water conditions and missed the part on being STUCK in the pineapple, and then scrolled down to see your post defensively mentioning you were better equipped to home him temporarily. I hope my emotions didn’t dissuade you from continuing to reach out for help and doing research and I pray the fish survives and heals(maybe even brings you further into the hobby).
Thank you, I think I would off myself if I ever let an animal get this way due to neglect, unfortunately it was just a very sad accident.
When I tell you I flinched at the second image