HELP!!!!!!! betta jumped out of tank

[Crissyloach]

Half an hour ago, one of my bettas has jumped out of his tank. This is not the same one who had the fin rot. I found him squirming on the floor, and I would not have seen this if I was not looking for 2 of my other fish that have 'gone missing'. If I was not looking for the others, my cats would have had a little treat. All of my tanks have covers, and there is no way for them to jump out. Unfortunately, I had is cover off for a minute because it kept coming off. When I put the betta back in, he had trouble swimming.

Now that I am looking at him, his fins are torn, has a bump on the side of his body, one of his eyes is flat from being on the floor and it looks so puffy that it looks like it will fall out of his head. He is not active- hardly coming up for air. When I put him in, he swam for a minute and then sunk to the bottom. He is starting to perk up, but not swimming like he used to.

This betta was my first fish and I would be sad if he died.

Right now, I do not know what to do with him. He looks like he is blind in one eye- it is puffy, flat, and has a white film on it.

[Crissyloach]

He was still wet when I saw him, and I assume he was out for about 1 minute. He is still alive, but he is not very active.

[starsplitter7]

I would put him in a breeder tank and float him near the filter flow. I have had fish jump, and even some of my "jerky" fish came back as I held them under the flow. Get as much water flow and air as possible. Decrease the water in the tank, so the water falls in if you have a HOB filter. Get as much air in the tank as possible. I would imagine superficial injuries will heal as long as he survives the shock and gets enough air.

[glenna]

did he live???!!!!
is he blind?

[Crissyloach]

He is still alive...

I am not sure if he is blind. His eye is not white anymore though, it is still puffy. On Sunday, I lowered the water level, added some stress coat, and added a small airstone. He is a lot more active now.

[starsplitter7]

I am so glad it sounds like he is improving. I have had fish with whitish eyes and they have healed. I have had blind fish (missing eyes) and they have been doing well.

It sounds like the additional TLC has really paid off.

[glenna]

yeah!!!!
success stories are GREAT! Thank Goodness you saw him soon after he jumped out. Most fish are not so lucky.

[starsplitter7]

I found one of my yoyo jumpers by stepping on him. He's still with me a year later. That was a horrific experience for us both.

[Crissyloach]

He is doing great! This is a betta who had AWFUL fin rot, had fungus multiple times, JUMPED OUT OF HIS TANK and is still alive.

[Crissyloach]

The swelling is his eye is totally gone. I have not had to put anything in but a dose of stress coat. I am so happy that he is back to normal. :D :D :D

Thanks for all of your help.

CL

[starsplitter7]

Yea! Thank you for the good news. Clean water does wonders.

[Crissyloach]

He has been fine...except from a single dark horizontal line that is in the middle of his blue body. I have been reading that this is a sign of STRESS. That is understandable- he was out of water, and he is spending all of his time that I see him at the top of the tank. I am not sure what to do with him. He is in his own tank, and has the same heater, and filter. I have been slowly turning the flow of the filter down, because I find that his food is all around the tank, and he has trouble swimming with it. I still have the air pump in there, and I am not sure if I should take this out or not. I have a control valve (???) on it, and I have it on the lowest flow possible. What else can I do?

[andyroo]

A couple of years ago my wife caught (HER) cat looking at her with a certain look on his face, and lovely blue betta fins coming out of his lips. She yelled and threw a towel and he bolted. The betta was found in the grass 50' away about 10 minutes later, was returned to his tank (with brick on lid) and lived fine and dandy at her office for another year. Bettas breath air- it makes them pretty durable, so long as they stay moist and don't get punctured.

[starsplitter7]

I can't believe you found the betta in the grass in time. And that your cat let him go.

I know that look. Usually there's a lizard tail hanging out. Yuck!