HELP! Injured Betta.

[budrecki]

I could not find my betta Pinky Tuscadero this morning. I have a 180g with plants and rocks so I procedded to rip every thing out of the tank and 30 minutes later , still could not find her. Its a community tank with the largest member being a 14 inch pleco named Rufus. Rufus eats zucchini, not Bettas. For lack of a better place to look, I checked my wet/dry sump. Some how Pinky was pulled thru the corner overflow, down the pipe, and onto the filter in the drip tray. I cannot figure out how she got thru the slats in the corner over flow.

Has anyone had this happen before?

She has a small cut on her back and seems exausted. Melafix and Salt?

Any help would be great!

[echoofformless]

No salt. I wish people would use less salt in treating bettas. But melafix is excellent, only I heard (I don't know if it's true) that you should half dose it for bettas because it supposedly burns their labyrinth organ. I also use a little pimafix as well.

Anyway, bettas tend to be sleepy fish and also slow swimmers. They get sucked into filters and knocked into rocks all the time. I only ever use the most gentle, unabrasive equipment I can find in my betta tanks. In fact I won't even use lava rock in their tanks because one of my oldest bettas used to get scratches on his body from it almost constantly.

You might want to isolate her in a smaller home with little to no current and constant, but safe water changes. What I have done is to put a small dose of melafix and pimafix into a spring water bottle to make a dilution solution which can be added to the tank or bowl in order to facilitate the tiny amounts required for such a small body of water and a sensitive fish. I've found that exact dosages are not extremely important with that stuff as it is very gentle. But it's better to go a little under than a little over. But don't forget the water changes...100% if you can. If she must stay in the tank, than just enhance your normal water changes - make them more water, more often until she looks like she's healing.

She should be back up to her old self in a week or so. I've been through similar injuries with bettas and they always bounce back. Hope this helped. Good luck.

[budrecki]

Thanks for the advice. I've got her in a small breeder type bowl while I prep the 5g hex. I will lay off the salt as you suggested.

Daily 20% water changes, or would 50 be better?

[echoofformless]

I'd say maybe 50% percent every other or every few days. I can't say for sure as I've never treated it as an exact science.

Naturally just make sure that you're using a consistent supply of the exact same water as to avoid any pH, hardness, or temperature fluctuations. That means of course keeping the water right next to her tank in order to eq the temp.

I go so far as to add the new water through thin airline tubing so there's little water disturbance.

I'm not sure it's important to be that thorough about it, but it can only help and not hurt.

[TheMightyQueenPixie]

Put her in a tupperware container and float her in the big tank...Alot less energy needed to get to the surface to breathe. She really needs a good rest...She should start to improve in a couple of days.

[echoofformless]

Put her in a tupperware container and float her in the big tank...Alot less energy needed to get to the surface to breathe. She really needs a good rest...She should start to improve in a couple of days.


Sounds like a good idea, but I would still suggest the qt because then she can get her doses of mela/pima fix to stave off any infection.

No sense treating a whole 180 gallon tank when she's the only one who needs it; plus in a tupperware container you'd have a more difficult time not overdosing the fix.

On top of that, you'll be getting her fresher water in her water changes...that will also help stave off any infections.


One thing that someone might point out is that moving her could stress her...that could be true. But I still think she'd be happier in a small aquarium than in a tupperware container - either method will stress her out in some way. Pick the one you think is best.

[budrecki]

Looks like Pinky will be in solitary for a while.

[TheMightyQueenPixie]

Oh definietly do the melafix thing too...And I do salt my injured 1tsp per 2.5 gals of water...

[budrecki]

Salt*#!?

One person says yes, one person says no, one store says yes, fill in the rest..

[TheMightyQueenPixie]

I always use salt, particularily if they are missing scales..Wounds heal quicky and bacteria can take hold less easily... 1 tsp in 2.5 gals is fine.

Could someone please fill me in on the concept of "fish happiness"...I have yet to find the leathal dose for melafix...Confining a sick or injured fish in a smaller space is an age old practice...Bettas donot need gallons to swim around in when a recovery process...They are RECOVERING not moving in. Constantly having to swim farther then necessary to breath is no good particularily if the fish is exhauseted, which she most certainly is after her ordeal...

[budrecki]

A warm and cozy sleeping bag?

[echoofformless]

I guess salt is okay...I just don't feel it's something I want in my tanks. But it will stave off bacteria, that is certainly true.