He nearly died at the pet store — but he’s so handsome now!
Few things are as wonderful as a good before-and-after adoption tale. And, as this tiny fish’s miraculous turnaround demonstrates, dogs and cats aren’t the only creatures that may benefit from a little affection.
Astilaroth, a Reddit member, discovered the nearly-dead betta fish in a pet store, lying listless at the bottom of a tank. She stated that she volunteered to take the fish for free because she did not want to “reward” the pet store for keeping the fish in such deplorable circumstances.
“The poor beasty is in terrible shape,” wrote Astilaroth. “It was housed in a big community tank with no cover, strong lighting, and a variety of different species. That’s not cool for a territorial fish with weak fins that are readily nipped by interested species.”
The small fish had fin rot as well and was much paler than a betta should be. To aid his healing, Astilaroth placed him in a quarantine tank with a salt solution.
The betta, on the other hand, was not improving. His fins started to come off, and he didn’t feed for a week and a half after she took him home.
“At this point, I gave him an ultimatum and began researching humanitarian ways to stop it,” Astilaroth wrote. “There aren’t many fish left.”
Then, after nearly two weeks, something shifted. The young betta began to perk up and resume feeding. He was transferred to a larger tank with rocks and hiding spots.
His fins began to sprout almost instantly. The betta had regained part of his trademark brilliant color and was wearing some short fins one month after his rescue.
His fins grew longer over the following several weeks, and he become a vibrant cobalt instead of the light sickly grey he was before.
This happy betta is no longer recognized as the half-dead fish the pet store gave up on, with long fins and a vibrant, variegated blue hue.
Although he is little, this fish’s wonderful little narrative serves as a reminder that all creatures deserve a shot at life – and may thank you if you provide them with the attention they require.
