Betta Together —Betta Fish Rescue and Rehab

An integrative wellness initiative by Northwest Mental Health Alliance.

Meet Ren

Update After Several Weeks in Care

Ren has spent several weeks in our Betta Together program, and this little guy has staged a full-blown comeback tour.

When he arrived, he was weak, pale, and barely able to swim. His double-tail fins -beautiful but heavy - had left him exhausted and stressed. He lived sideways for a couple days, breathing hard and fighting just to stay upright.

Now?
He looks like someone hit the saturation slider on his entire life! The two photos to the right are his ‘before’ and ‘after.’

Ren’s colors have dramatically deepened into vibrant blues and reds, and he’s officially decided he loves people. He comes to the front of the tank the second he spots us, wiggles for attention, and begs for food like he’s never been fed a day in his life (don’t fall for it-he eats very well).

Ren Today

  • Swimming strongly and confidently

  • Fully interactive and people-focused

  • Eating beautifully

  • Resting comfortably on his leaf hammocks and floating plants

  • Flashing his upgraded color palette like he knows he’s hot

He is genuinely thriving.

Adoption Information

Ren is ready for his forever home.

  • Community members may adopt Ren with a donation to support our program.
    Donations may be:
    • Aquarium or fish supplies
    • Plants
    • Food
    • Monetary contribution

  • Clients may adopt Ren for free, and we are happy to assist in setting up a suitable tank if supplies are needed.

Ren has survived neglect, recovered with care, and grown into a beautifully social fish who wants to be part of someone’s daily life. He’s ready for a gentle, loving home that appreciates his personality and his journey.

If you’d like to meet Ren or discuss adoption, just let us know - he’s more than ready to charm his way into someone’s heart.

🐠 Betta Together

At Northwest Mental Health Alliance, we believe healing can begin in unexpected places - sometimes even in a small glass tank.

The Betta Together program was born from a simple idea: that caring for a rescued or neglected Betta fish can mirror the process of our clients’ own trauma recovery. Many of these fish arrive dull, withdrawn, and struggling to survive in poor conditions - not unlike the way trauma leaves its mark on humans.

With time, safety, and consistent care, color returns. Movement returns. Life returns.

And so does hope.

💧 A Reflection of Healing

The concept is simple but deeply symbolic: as our clients care for a recovering betta-providing safety, nourishment, and patience-they often begin to recognize those same needs within themselves. The process of watching a fish’s color return and its movement become freer mirrors the slow, beautiful work of human healing.

Each Betta tank becomes a quiet reminder that recovery doesn’t happen overnight. Healing takes patience, gentleness, and the belief that something once harmed can still thrive. Watching a fish rebuild trust in its environment can mirror our own journey toward feeling safe again - one small moment of stability at a time.

Betta Together is less about fishkeeping and more about companionship. It’s about creating an environment - both aquatic and emotional - where something fragile can feel safe enough to flourish.

🌿 Rehabilitation & Adoption

Each Betta in our care begins its journey in a therapeutic recovery tank, where it receives the medication and calm, stable environment needed to regain strength and color. Once a fish is healthy, active, and ready to thrive, it becomes eligible for adoption through the Betta Together program.

Clients who adopt are guided through setting up their own natural, planted tank so that each Betta transitions into a balanced, living ecosystem built with care.

These adoptions represent more than giving a fish a home; they’re a reflection of mutual recovery. When we nurture life, we often find that life quietly nurtures us in return.

🪷 Thoughtful Homes for Healing Bettas

At Betta Together, every adoption is intentional. Participants aren’t just handed a fish and wished luck -they’re guided through a complete, hands-on learning process.

Each person receives individualized education on:

  • Betta behavior and care needs: understanding water parameters, diet, and environment.

  • Live plant ecosystems: how natural filtration and biological balance create healthier, calmer tanks.

  • Aquarium setup and maintenance: cycling, substrate layering, and mindful observation of your fish’s wellbeing.

Our program doesn’t place bettas with casual owners. Every adopter is vetted, educated, and supported-because these little lives deserve stability, and our participants deserve the satisfaction of nurturing something truly thriving.

It’s not just “getting a pet.”
It’s learning patience, balance, and empathy through a living, breathing ecosystem.

💜 How to Support

We’re currently gathering supplies for going-home tanks. Please note: donations of supplies help us to provide tank set ups to people who might not be able to afford to purchase their own. We are committed to making all of our programs and initiatives accessible to ALL of our clients,

Donations of the following items are deeply appreciated:

You can also support by donating gift cards or making a monetary contribution to help us purchase tanks and supplies wholesale.