Missing Betta

[SharkBait]

It's been about 8 years since I last posted...

But I am curious.. I recently bought a crown-fin betta for my son about a month ago and last night I couldn't find him. Today he's still not there.

I did a partial water change and pulled out the decorations. His body isnt anywhere in the tank or in the decorations or under my stumpy amazon sword.

There are only 2 glow-light tetras in the tank with him. Would have they eaten the entire betta body if the betta died? I don't see why he would have died. He looked fine, swimming around, flaring his gills and fins at the edges of the tank etc. Just last night and today.. poof.. nothing.

 

[OrionGirl]

Is the tank covered? If not, check on the area outside the tank. Bettas are jumpers, and in an uncovered tank, that often means they carpet surf.

 

[ustabefast]

I had this same thing happen a few weeks back. My male betta disappeared and a week or more later that I discovered his body 7 feet away from the tank.

 

[fishorama]

Since bettas can breathe atmospheric air they can jump out & survive for a little while...keep looking under & around the tank. Might be a dust covered blob or in a tiny bit of water or damp carpet. Keep looking...

 

[SantaMonicaHelp]

Did you eventually find it, SharkBait?

-Kamran

 

[SharkBait]

Nope haven't found the little bugger. The tank is covered all except a small feeding port that is 1inch by 2inches. There is no body around, behind the tank etc.

 

[Rbishop]

any other pets in the house?

 

[SharkBait]

any other pets in the house?

Do kids count? lol

nope no other pets. I would assume I'd smell the decaying corpse of the fish if he was laying about...

 

[OrionGirl]

Nope, unlikely. Anything under about 4 inches will just dry up without really rotting. That is definitely a large enough opening for a betta to get through. Check underneath anything nearby, since they will flop around quite a bit. I had a betta make it 6+ feet from where it hit the carpet--and it landed behind the tank, where I can't get to with the vacuum so it was covered in dust and cat hair.