Betta Got Beat Up - Please Help!

[shes_so_tough]

hi everyone - i read the newbie post requirements but i'll be honest i don't know any of that stuff. please try and help my daughter will be devistated if her
betta dies - thank you

we got a 10 gallon tank on fri and put our betta in there. we got 4 mollies/mollys on sat. everything was fine untill tonight! out of no where our betta got beat up within an hour and a half (we were watching a movie.)

i promptly removed the betta and put him back in his original tank (maybe a 2 gallon) with fresh water, rocks, and a fake plant. he is visibally beat up tail and scales.

he looks super bummed out, he actually looked happier with the other fish. i know the transfer is stressful and the water temp etc but do you think that he will recover ok?

putting them all together was a horrible idea =o[

thank you in advance!

 

[Tolak]

Fresh water heals torn up fins better than anything. 50%-75% water change daily, keep the torn up betta in the smaller tank for now. Continue large daily water changes for a week, every other day for the second week.

Is there a heater in the small tank? Bettas like a good 78-80F, though in this case a little cooler is better, as bacteria like it warmer. With any injury infection is of concern, fish are the same as any other animal, including us in this respect.

Do you have a filter on the small tank? Since you will be doing large daily water changes this would be an ideal time to set up & run a filter. This is probably where some of the "New To The Hobby" cycling info got confusing, all you need to know at this point is large daily water changes, with a filter running. Tis will buy you time to get a handle on the cycling idea, which is no problem, the learning curve is a bit steep at first.

Consider returning the mollys if there is an aggression problem. Kids understand mean, they were just mean fish. Once the betta is healed, and the cycling is well under way more compatable species can be considered for your betta.

BTW, welcome to TFF!

 

[Haych]

welcome to TFF, just sorry its under these conditions

firstly, the mollies should not be agressive, so try to rehome these/return them.

secondly, a little aquarium salt is a good healer and will help your guy relax. he may even be able to return to his tank after the mollies have gone.

but, as well as the regular changes in water, keep an eye out for secondry infections where he is hurt, like a cotton wool looking substance over the injuries, white spots, or excess slime

let us know how he goes

 

[aly_starh]

Agree with everyone else.

Recently happened to my Spikey, Oscar was the culprit.
Keep him in Qt, doing daily water changes, try to add an almond leaf as thats very useful (de-stress/anti-bacterial)
possibly some salt, to keep water sterile. Most importantly, keep doing water changes.

 

[shes_so_tough]

hi everyone - thanks for all the info and support...sadly axel died today. he made it all night and died about an hour after my daughter went to school. we said our goodbyes tonight. im a little worried now cause i just bought a corydora and put him in there. he is pretty fast and the mollies don't show much intrest in him. im just so sad over it. i did a lot of research before putting the mollies in there with the betta and this happened =o/ he was pretty old tho - 3 or 4 years. maybe it was just the stress of the whole ordeal. thanks again!

 

[loraxchick]

hi everyone - thanks for all the info and support...sadly axel died today. he made it all night and died about an hour after my daughter went to school. we said our goodbyes tonight. im a little worried now cause i just bought a corydora and put him in there. he is pretty fast and the mollies don't show much intrest in him. im just so sad over it. i did a lot of research before putting the mollies in there with the betta and this happened =o/ he was pretty old tho - 3 or 4 years. maybe it was just the stress of the whole ordeal. thanks again!

are you certain it was mollies..they are so passive...what type of filter do you have? could his fins got ripped in it? or on decorations in the tank? do you have plastic plants in there(they are notorious for ripping fins as the ends are sharp-could have caused the injury too).
i wouldnt worry about the cory. i suspect something else hurt the betta...just trying to get to the bottom of it, so you will hae better luck in the future.
cheers