EowynJane Posted May 18, 2008 Report Share Posted May 18, 2008 Come home Tuesday after work, feed the dogs, then go to feed the fish, my Betta seems to be hiding so I search his tank. Slowly it dawns on me... he's not in the tank. I was in a hurry that morning and I left the lid off as I had done countless times before, I can recall thinking "Eh... he's never jumped before....." So he's not in the tank, I take a step back and start looking at the floor and the little space behind my 20g (Betta's 2.5 is above it). My worst fears are 1. He hit the floor, the dogs found him Or 2. He hit the floor, injured and is laying somewhere in the mess behind my other tank drying out and dieing. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch an odd bit of movement under a plant in the 20g dwarf puffer tank... No way... He couldn't have! He did. Some how, he jumped from his tank on the mantle, landed on the filter of the 20 (there was a very small wet spot) and then jumped again, or thrashed about until he landed in the 20 with the dwarf puffers. I can't help but think what a rude surprise that would have been for all of them! So anyway, I grabbed my net and nabbed him, put him back in his 2.5 and all was right again. He actually seemed happy to be back! He kind of looked around at first, then darted behind a silk plant, then came out and did the happy dance at the front of the tank, crazy fish. All I have to say is phew. He had a bit of a stress stripe for a bit, but it's gone now... he's always been a mellow fellow and he doesn't seem to be injured so I think he'll be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMumba Posted May 18, 2008 Report Share Posted May 18, 2008 Glad he made it alright.. wow! They are pretty impressive fish... Reminds me of something that happened to one of my babies I just sold a Male betta of mine to a friend... I told him I pretty much trained them to be pretty darn hardy but nothing I mean nothing could prepare them for this experience. He took the betta home, fair distance travel. Got home was prepared to put the betta in new clean water.. he held his hand over the top of the jar thinking the betta wouldn't slip out between his fingers.. over the sink *you got it* the betta did and down the drain he went. My friend panicked and thought OMG he is lost forever... but he didn't give up.. he got the U-pipe off got his girlfriend to run water down the drain just a bit... low and behold... the betta feel straight into his hand. They put the betta back in the jar, without any issues or damage.. Amazing!! :thumbs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PintoHawk Posted May 18, 2008 Report Share Posted May 18, 2008 WOW... both of these stories are incredible! I have more and more admiration for Bettas the more I learn about them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted May 18, 2008 Report Share Posted May 18, 2008 Wow, those are quite the adventure stories and some lucky Bettas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EowynJane Posted May 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2008 ^ Very lucky! And lucky owners to! My boy still seems alright and I haven't forgotten to put his lid back on, give me a chance though.. it happened less then a week ago. I just picked up a new Betta beauty from Natures, he's in a 2.5 with a HOB filter, I'm wondering if I ought to plug that hole.... I'm not sure how though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted May 19, 2008 Report Share Posted May 19, 2008 Anything can be used to plug holes. I personally use that coroplast(corogated plastic cardboard) as you can cut it easily and I had a bunch laying around. Depending on whether it needs to be water proof or not you can even use cradboard, or even just a piece of seran wrap tape over the hole. Any type of plastic film works. Those plastic projector films work nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EowynJane Posted May 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 ^ Thanks for the idea, I'll look into getting something. I'd rather not use plastic wrap... I can see me wrecking it and having to replace it every day. I almost forgot to put the lid back on this morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Out Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 thats awesome that he made it lol. super fish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rED O Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 great story EowynJane, I have never heard of a betta jumping out of a tank before, my oscar try to jump. what a adventure your betta must of had, that was lucky of him to of got in the other tank :thumbs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EowynJane Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 ^ Thanks, I almost needed clean shorts when I saw him in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestorm Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 ^ Thanks, I almost needed clean shorts when I saw him in there. LMAO, well I am sure I would be freaking out too. I can't believe your luck, and you are very lucky it was just dwarf puffers he landed in with. If it were other kinds of fish he might have been food for them. Very unique experiences both of you, but yeah bettas are pretty hardy. Afterall they are one of the few species of fish that can live in a small puddle of water for an extended period of time. Good luck with him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qattarra Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 I still have my lucky betta, he jumped into a cichlid tank. In 1 fell swoop he lost his caudal fin and most of his dorsal. I heard the splashing and can now say terrified bettas are VERY fast swimmers. He's recovered all his fins but never did grow the caudal back since. I was once told that the only fish that doesn't jump is a dead fish. Some are just much better at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EowynJane Posted June 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Their reaction to each other was pretty interesting.. the betta would hide under a plant and the puffers would come around and peek in after him until they chased him out a bit. Then the betta would flare and move towards them and the puffers would retreat. Then the betta would hide again for a bit and the puffers would get curious again and go peek.... In the second picture there's actually the betta and a puffer side by side looking out at me. My betta seemed to be saying "Get me the heck out of here!!!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.