Man goes to PetSmart. Then he spots a betta—and tries to save its life

When he tilts the camera down inside the bucket, he reveals a tiny betta upside down.

“A betta struggling to survive with dropsy, swim bladder, or something. I didn't want to let him die,” he says. “So, I brought him home.”

To aid the recovery, the content creator put Epsom salt in the water in the bucket. Despite the change in plans, Issac intends to keep his new fish friend alive.

People suggest names for the fish

Isaac's video accumulated over 6,000 views where many shared their thoughts.

“Me everyday bringing home a new animal and now i have to rearrange ALL MY TANKS,” a user stated.

“How's he doing?” a third asked.

According to Issac, the betta was making progress. “He looked good when I left for work this morning! Update coming later this evening. Hoping he can pull through,” he replied in the comments section.

Meanwhile, the majority were focused on naming the little fish.

“He looks like a Pescado,” one commenter said.

“Omg such a cutie. His name should be Bluey,” another suggested.

“Name him Fin,” a third proposed.

A deeper dive

During an interview with Subplot, Isaac shared that he discovered Pescado at the Flowery Branch PetSmart because of his fiancée.

“I found him because I was at PetSmart getting [supplies] for my axolotl. My [fiancée] saw him in one of the cups and she thought he was dead because he was floating at the top of the water on his side and not moving at all,” he recalled via Instagram direct message. “When I touched the cup, he moved a little bit and I knew I had to do all I could to save him because he probably wouldn't have survived the night in that cup.”

From there, he's been proactively ensuring his new betta buddy recovers.

“I've been giving him short 10-15 minute Epsom salt baths and treating his tank water with Seachem Kanaplex, both to help fight infection as I think it was a swim bladder infection of some sort, as his swim bladder was bulging out of his side and extremely bloated,” the content creator revealed. “I've also been doing weekly water changes and adding tannins to help promote healing.”

How is Pescado recovering?

So far, Pescado is making excellent progress.

“He's doing amazing now. When I first got him, he couldn't even swim to the bottom of the tank without floating back to the top and lying at the top on his side, clearly fighting his swim bladder,” Isaac shared. “Now he swims the full range of the tank, can sit and relax at the bottom of the tank without struggling against his swim bladder, and I haven't seen him stuck on his side in at least 2 weeks. He loves relaxing in his cave at the bottom of the tank, lying on lily leaves near the surface, and especially loves eating lol!”

He continued, “I think he's already pretty close to being recovered, if not already, and my plan is to take care of him for the rest of his hopefully long life! I already have one betta who I've had for 4 years. So I'm happy to take care of Pescado too! He has an awesome personality and I'm excited for him to become part of the fish room family!”

What is a swim bladder in betta fish?

A swim bladder is an air-filled organ that helps fish control buoyancy and movement to remain afloat. When there is pressure on the swim bladder, the fish may have a protruding belly, a curved posture, float to the top of the tank, sink to the bottom, or struggle to swim correctly, according to The Spruce Pets. This is normally caused by digestive issues like overeating and constipation, along with infections and improper water quality and temperature.

Depending on the severity, swim bladder issues can be treated. The outlet recommends fasting the fish for three days, giving it pea-sized portions after the third day, and adjusting water temperature and levels.

What is the quality of life for fish at PetSmart?

According to PetSmart's website, they pride themselves on having their associates complete their Pet Care Certification program and being trained to uphold strict care guides, habitat, and cleaning standards. However, throughout the years, they've faced scrutiny over how they treated these furry friends.

An investigation by PETA in 2017-2018 found that three locations were severely mistreating animals. Unfortunately, this also applied to fish, where dozens of dead fish were found daily. In just a single bag, there were over 200 deceased fish in one tank.

Moreover, the treatment of these critters (more so betta fish) was discussed in the r/bettafish subreddit. The Redditor claimed that their location's care of bettas was “overall disappointing,” writing that they store them in a single cup that “changed [when] they looked dirty.” This led other alleged workers to share their experiences.

One stated that the employees they work with “who work in pet care do an amazing job taking care of them,” and another shared, “put bettas who have been at the store for a long time in our fish tanks with the smaller amounts of Tetras, Mollies, and Platys so they get a chance to have a good swim and hopefully get purchased by someone.” A third even made it clear that regularly cleaning the water is “Corporate policy is water changed twice a week.”

Ultimately, there was agreement that “betta care/overall pet care varies from store to store.”

@rih.tanks

Subplot reached out to PetSmart via press email.

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