Betta Emergency

[Hsieyun]

It's the start of the new semester at my school, and so I brought my betta, Chao Mei, on an eight hour drive up to campus. He seemed alright when we got to my dorm room, but I did a full water change, and put him in a cup to acclimate. After 15 minutes or so, I added some of the tank water to the cup, and he kind of jumped out. He's done this before, and been okay, so I didn't bother to try to get him back into the cup. Now he's kind of off balance, and acting strange, and I'm kind of scared for him.
I couldn't find the stuff I normally use, so I used some older treatment I had around. Could this have affected him?
Anyways, I love this guy, and I'd feel horrible if he died or something because of me. Is he going to be okay, and what should I do?

 

[Kyrielle]

It's the start of the new semester at my school, and so I brought my betta, Chao Mei, on an eight hour drive up to campus. He seemed alright when we got to my dorm room, but I did a full water change, and put him in a cup to acclimate. After 15 minutes or so, I added some of the tank water to the cup, and he kind of jumped out. He's done this before, and been okay, so I didn't bother to try to get him back into the cup. Now he's kind of off balance, and acting strange, and I'm kind of scared for him.
I couldn't find the stuff I normally use, so I used some older treatment I had around. Could this have affected him?
Anyways, I love this guy, and I'd feel horrible if he died or something because of me. Is he going to be okay, and what should I do?

Has he ever been taken on a long car trip like that before? And is he still eating? How old is the medicine?

He's probably really stressed out from being in a moving vehicle for eight hours. I took mine on a four-hour car trip to my dorm room and when I got there, he was very grey and for a few days didn't want to be seen, and when he would come out it would be to dart around the tank then hide some more. He also got a case of fin rot from the stress. It's taken a full two weeks for everything to get back to normal.

So, I think if you watch him carefully for the next week or two and put him in a place where he can see you easily, then he'll probably be okay. (I moved mine to the desk where I work instead of a more convenient surface and he did bound back much faster.) If he's not eating, keep trying and start to worry if he hasn't eaten in a week. Also, the water in your dorm room might be noticably different from the water at home, and that may be affecting him as well. It's a big adjustment, just like moving for us is a big adjustment.

 

[Hsieyun]

He's traveled around before, and he's usually been disorientated for perhaps 20 minutes after being stabilized, but this time he appeared to be fine. It was only after I did the water change that he started acting strange, so I'm guessing that it might be the water issue. Though he was fine last semester. Maybe I should have waited a day or two to change his water, or done it in increments.
EDIT - He seems to be doing better, now. He's still kind of not balancing very well, but it's not as bad as it was before. I guess he just needs some more time. Thanks.

 

[zoekin8yg]

Do you mean you put it straight in the tank, or that you left it on the side? It may have damaged its swim bladder when it jumped out.

 

[Hsieyun]

He was in a cup (actually an empty coconut shell), and I left him in the tank to acclimate. When I put some of the water from the tank in the cup he swam out. He seems to be okay now, and he's not doing that pendulum motion, but he's not as energetic as he usually is. He had me quite worried for awhile.