I just got a betta today sort of by accident - it had been left at a friend's place when her housemate moved out. My friend doesn't know anything about keeping fish but she could tell it had been neglected by the previous owner so she asked if I could come and take it.

The tank it was in was pretty disgusting, it had rotten food in it, cloudy water, smelled bad etc. The betta's fins are ragged and some are short, but it doesn't look like there's any blood or white spots or anything. He's been shaking his head a bit and mostly hanging around the top of the tank.

I've never kept a betta before so I don't really know what a healthy one looks like (especially its gills) to work out exactly what's wrong with this one or how to treat it.. his gill covers seem to be sticking out a bit but I don't know if this is normal for bettas? And he's dark blue, as are his gills, so I don't really know what signs to look for with colour etc. The fins are definitely in bad shape, though, and shaking his head makes me think he must have gill problems of some description, anyway...

At the moment I've just moved him into a new clean tank with aged and dechlorinated water. Ammonia and nitrites are 0, ph is slightly acidic because I thought it might be too much of a sudden shock for him otherwise coming from his old tank (not sure about this, though?), I'll raise it gradually later today.

The meds I have at home are aquamaster paricide (parasite treatment), fluke and tapeworm tablets, and tetracycline. I also have melafix but from what I've read this isn't always so good for bettas?

I'm wondering if I should just wait and see if just the better water quality makes a difference, or if it's better to treat an infection sooner rather than later?

If anyone has any advice it would be very much appreciated!

also, I forgot to write his ventral fins are redish (what there is of them, anyway), I don't know if this might be his natural colouration, though... he's all blue otherwise. And his pectoral fins are almost transparent, just blue/black bits along the lines in them, and they look a bit frayed.

Meah, I would just observe him for a day or two. I can imagine coming from such lousy water conditions that he will improve big time in the clean water now. I take it there wasn't anything even remote filterwise in there, was it?
Do you have betta food for him? Bettas go crazy for frozen bloodworms as well, if you have any for your goldfish, share them with your betta...
Congratulations on the resuce!

I agree with Andrea that I would observe him in his new clean tank for a few days before starting any medication. Often clean water and good food will work wonders.

As for shaking his head, bettas sometimes respond to movement outside their tank by wiggling their heads and flaring their gills, so hopefully what you are seeing is just him responding to you

Good luck with him and please keep us posted on his progress.

well, he's still alive and he's looking a lot more perky today thanks for your advice. No, there was no filter or anything in his old tank. He doesn't seem to be shaking his head so often today as he was (I saw him do it quite a bit in his old tank, and when I moved him yesterday, but I didn't see him do it at all this morning). I don't have any betta food but will try to get some on my way home today. I have freeze-dried blood worms at home, I gave him some this morning and he seemed interested but just chewed and spat it out a couple of times and didn't end up eating it. So I'll see if he's more interested in betta food or any of the other foods I have at home - if not, I'll try and get hold of some frozen bloodworms or some live food for him tomorrow.

Thanks very much again for your help, I'll let you know how he's looking in a day or two...

well, he's still ok - he's eating well now (freeze-dried bloodworms) and seems to have settled in fine. He doesn't look like he has any obvious parasites or anything, but I'm still a bit worried about his fins. They're definitely a bit ragged and shorter than they should be, but it doesn't really look like they're frayed or rotting away, and there's no blood or furry-looking bits or white spots or anything like that. The ends are a bit lumpy blunt, and I'm wondering about ammonia burns or something like that? I don't know if that would cause the fins to actually be eaten away like this, though, I've not had much experience... Anyway, they don't seem to be getting any worse but I just want to make sure it's not some sort of parasitic infection or anything so any knowledge/advice would be helpful... Also, will the fins grow back and is there anything I can do to treat them? Thanks

meah, it sounds like your betta rescue is going pretty well. I have dealt with fin rot in a couple of my bettas, as have a number of others on this forum, and what you are describing could be that, but I wouldn't treat it as long as it doesn't worsen. Just keep an eye on him (does he have a name?) and keep doing what you're doing! It is very important to keep him in clean water. Sounds like you have made a great rescue!
Oh yes, his colours sound quite right, too. Please keep us posted on him.

thanks for that. he's doing well now, he's eating fine (even swimming up to grab it from my fingers already) and although his fins don't seem to be growing back, they're not worsening. he displays at his reflection if I put a mirror near the tank and he always comes to investigate the siphon when I'm doing water changes.
his colours seem to be becoming more vivid, too, which I assume is a good sign...

anyway, it seems like he's here for good, now, so I should start thinking about a permanent tank for him, and maybe possible tank-mates... are they better off with other fish (assuming they're compatible) or are they generally happier alone? or does it just depend on the individual fish?

I think it really depends on the fish. Some do well with peaceful tankmates, and others are stressed by them. I have been keeping my bettas on their own in small tanks (around 5 gallons), however, I have successfully kept them with white clouds, small tetras, such as cardinals, or harlequin rasboras.

Stay away from gouramis, guppies or nippy fish such as barbs. Another forum member had trouble with zebras recently. I think the betta found them too rambunctious.

Thanks for the advice. I think I might keep him by himself for a while at least, he seems to be happy enough at the moment... A friend of mine is looking for a home for his white clouds when he goes overseas, though, so if he can't find anyone else to take them I might end up trying them with my betta anyway...

Sounds like a good plan. It is amazing how gorgeous white clouds become as they mature.

Hi MEah
Good job!
If the fins aren't huge it could be a girl... Just a thought. I just got a betta 2 weeks ago and i love him so.

I'm pretty fond of mine now, too... He is definitely a he, I'm hoping his fins will grow back fully... not that I like him any less for looking a bit scruffy, but I think he'd be quite a beautiful fish if his fins were in good condition.