Betta laying on the floor please help quick!

[Raechal]

I walked in my room to check on my bettas and I noticed Puck, my blind betta, was not in his tank. I looked around everywhere for him and didn't find him. I walked over to wear my stereo is to turn it on and saw him all dried up behind my stereo. I quickly picked him up and put him in a small container of water with lots of stress coat. He was wiggling around a little when I picked him up but he was covered in dirt and hair and stuff like that.

He is now laying at the bottom of the tank breathing really slowly. He still has a bunch of gunk on him. I don't know if I should try to get it off of him, and how? Or if I should just let him sit in the water for awhile?

Please someone help me, I am freaking out here.

 

[Raechal]

The tank has a lid on it, but small places where the filter and heater go. Maybe I should cover up those wholes. My kitties were also in my room the other night and they were paying special attention to my fish tanks. One even sticking her paw in the water. I figured she wouldn't be able to get him...but maybe she did?

 

[xxSarahxx]

If you can remove some of the gunk it might help as long as the process doesn't take too long. Tweezers might help.
When was the last time you saw him in his tank? I guess it is possible for a cat to get a fish out if there was an area where she/he can get to the water.

 

[Raechal]

The tank has a lid on it, but small places where the filter and heater go. Maybe I should cover up those wholes. My kitties were also in my room the other night and they were paying special attention to my fish tanks. One even sticking her paw in the water. I figured she wouldn't be able to get him...but maybe she did?

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I saw him when I got up from a nap at 2 p.m. and then I wasn't home for the rest of the day and I checked his tank at like 7 p.m. and he was all dried up behind my stereo a few feet away from his tank. I tried removing all the gunk from him and he has gained his color back and looks a whole lot better. He's breathing kind of fast but that's about it.

 

[WILDER]

Add some salt to his bowl, increase aeration.

 

[WILDER]

Not the writer of this information.


Why, then, is salt added to freshwater systems?
When freshwater fish are stressed, they suffer from osmoregulatory dysfunction, which basically means that they lose bodily salts to the surrounding water. Stress causes this salt-water balance system to stop working properly and the fish suffer.

Adding salt to the water in times of stress can help minimise salt losses by the fish. It can also reduce the toxicity of pollutants and may kill some pathogens.

 

[rdd1952]

It doesn't take much of a hole for them to jump out. I lost one from a 5 gallon tank with a complete hood. He jumped through the 1" wide hole where the heater goes in.

I don't know if it will help or not but since bettas are surface breathers, it might help if he was only in a very shallow amount of water. That is purely a guess though. Maybe someone in the betta section can offer more help. Good luck with trying to revive him.

Edited to correct typo.

 

[Raechal]

It doesn't take much of a hole for them to jump out. I lost one from a 5 gallon tank with a complete hood. He jumped through the 1? wide hole where the heater goes in.

I don't know if it will help or not but since bettas are surface breathers, it might help if he was only in a very shallow amount of water. That is purely a guess though. Maybe someone in the betta section can offer more help. Good luck with trying to revive him.

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Thank you all for your advice and help. He is currently laying on his side at the bottom of the tank and breathing fast. I don't think he is going to make it.

 

[Durbkat]

Put some more stress coat in the tank. And put a oxygen pump in their or if you already have one in there turn it up higher or get a bigger one. Or you could take it to the pet shop and see if they can see what it is. Or you can go to www.bettatalk.com.

 

[tttnjfttt]

How is he doing today?

I just saw this post, but if you haven't cleaned him off, i would say to wait on it. he is probably already really stressed out, and cleaning him off would only add to the stress. Also, leave his bowl in a dark area, becase it will help keep him calm.

 

[WILDER]

Asprin hope i spelt that right is good for shock and stress.
Aspirin 50 grains/10 gallons prolonged bath relieves shock and stress for fresh and salt water