Goodbye Little Friend

It's my sad duty to report that Bevo died on Thursday evening, December 11th, 2008. He was a wonderful, creative, feisty little being. He died of renal failure as so many betta do. We can't be sure of Bevo's age but it might be related. Unfortunately there is no cure although I'd put him on tetracycline just in case.
He propped himself against a plant in the bottom of his tank with his head down and his tail up. At first, he did this facing the other tank which house the female betta he loved to watch and court from a distance. He then turned around facing the other direction into the current from the filter. I'm not sure exactly why he did this except it might have to do with the current and perhaps with the fact this direction is more quiet.
His jaw was firmly set and his fins flowed with the current. I wasn't sure he was dead until I gently moved the plant to make sure. He was posed like a warrior with armaments showing, facing death not as one who is sick but one who dies a soldier's death. I wanted to take a picture but felt it would be disrespectful.
I'll bury him in my garden next spring when the ground unthaws. This is what is done for those we love.

As Time Goes By

Wow--so much water has gone over the filter since these posts were put up.Bevo is sooo fantastic! His fin rot is gone and he is one feisty customer. I tell him not to flare at me but he doesn't listen. He loves being directly across the tank where the girlies are, no doubt hoping one will just happen to float by his little nesting spot. The photo is of one of his numerous bubblenests. The image was only the start of his largest one to date. It ended up being two stories high!

OY!

I've started Mr Bevo on Melafix and extra aquarium salt for the time being. I'm learning this fin rot stuff is mighty persistent sometimes, now from experience and reading the experiences of others online.

I sent off for a betta medicine kit from Faith at http://www.bettatalk.com/ She carries some meds that can't be found in regular stores especially the gram negative antibiotics. I contracted to have a phone consultation with her several years ago and found to her to be a most warm, bright and knowledgeable individual. Some betta keepers recommend the Melafix/salt cure so we'll try that for now and see what happens. The antibacterial properties of the Melafix should at least keep him in a holding pattern until the meds arrive in the mail. If worse comes to worse, I can do another consultation with the bettatalk lady on the phone. It's basically a non-fatal disease if it gets treated.

Other than that, he's speeding around his tank zig-zagging up and down so seems happy and active. He could eat 24/7 so I have to resist overfeeding him. He's so sweet about coming up to the surface to feed practically right from my hand. He's so cute, it's hard not to spoil him!!

Further updates are forthcoming about the fin rot situation....

The photo is of Faith and her band Alternative Faith.

Little Bevo Happy At Last!

The food came and we're making up for lost time around here. He seemed so dejected when I had to give him the other stuff he didn't like.

Hurry Up and Wait

Bevo is all done with meds and feeling great. I stopped feeding him the Atison's Betta Pro I had as I'd been reading that outdated food might cause baterial infections. SO--while "we're" waiting for this to be shipped to "us", I've been trying to get him to eat other foods. No go. He's trying to teach me a lesson about what he likes. He spits anything else right out in a dramatic fashion but I suspect he secretly bottom feeds what I've given to him while I'm not watching.

Hopefully it will arrive very soon as I'm worried about him....

Update: He deigned to eat 2 little pieces of Hikari Betta Bio-gold. He would only accept a few but the third one was REJECTED! A desperate person will only go so far in shaming themselves...

Mission Statement

The mission of this blog is to provide information about the well-being of Bevo Tugana and Remington formerly a resident of Iowa and now living in Illinois.

Right now, Bev is undergoing treatment for fin rot. I posted at a fish forum where many of the participants are from the UK. One of the best advice people there said his fins looked a bit "tatty" after she saw his photo. He's on Furan 2 now which is a broad positive and negative gram antibiotic. I suspect that moving him to his new home. A TEN GALLON TANK! might have caused his immunities to weaken a bit. I got him a new container of Atison's Betta Pro food in case the one I had had become old.

He should be totally done with the full course of antibiotics late Sunday, April 6th.

The first photo is of Bevo in his blue plastic "critter keeper" box and the second is Bevo looking a bit tatty in his new tank. He is eating well so that's a good sign! He's a sweet kid.