Help - Total betta disaster - not sure what to do

Betta's, Gouramis etc
Post Reply
User avatar
WinterRose73
Posting Legend
Posts: 1040
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2020 22:36 pm
Location: Somerset
Has liked: 822 times
Been liked: 693 times

OK so I've just had an absolute, utter and total disaster with my bettas. I am just gutted.

Basically the short version, Betta A has got through or over a tank divider and got in with Betta B. Both have damaged fins but my poor veil tail seems to have come off worse. This whole thing has taken literally seconds. They are now separate, in different tanks again. Both are looking clamped and not great (unsurprisingly). Fecking hell!!!!

Long version:

I moved one tank, put in a divider. Made sure it butted up fully against both edges, and against the light fitting/box thing, and no gaps underneath. Then I put an extra bit in, to fit against the top edge, so about 1.5" over the waterline. See pics of what the tank looks like so hopefully this makes sense. There were no gaps, although the lid is slightly curved. Put swords and planted fern on either side.

Watched fish for about 15 minutes, looked OK. Went to finish emptying the other betta tank.

Heard a splashy noise, ran into bedroom, to find that the half moon had, and I don't know how, got into the side with the veil tail. Literally the only thing I can think of is that somehow he has got through a gap of a few mm between the divider and the lid. This can't have taken more than a few seconds but it was enough.

The poor little veil tail has only just got back from shredded fins from the bloody neons and his dorsal fin has been ripped again. His fins and tail are clamped absolutely tight. The half moon isnt looking too great either but seems to have less damage to his fins. Both are however swimming without any apparent issues.

I've put a half dose of Melafix into both tanks. I am hoping that it is initial shock but I really don't know how these guys recover if there's been a fight?

What else can I do? Other than not be so fecking stupid. Is it a case of watch and wait?
'Take wasps,' Death continued. 'Wasps are made entirely from bastard. Whose grand design are they part of?'
Tycho
Senior Member
Posts: 363
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2019 10:29 am
Has liked: 361 times
Been liked: 156 times

Oh god what a nightmare! Sounds like you took every precaution possible though! Sorry I have absolutely no experience when it come to betta's but fingers crossed they both make a full recovery!
User avatar
WinterRose73
Posting Legend
Posts: 1040
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2020 22:36 pm
Location: Somerset
Has liked: 822 times
Been liked: 693 times

I forgot to add the pic of the tank layout

The additional part of the divider I added sat to the top of the box where you can see the filter foam

@Tycho Thank you, I just don't know how it will go 🙁🙁


Image
'Take wasps,' Death continued. 'Wasps are made entirely from bastard. Whose grand design are they part of?'
User avatar
Andys temperate tank
Tank of the Year Winner 2020-21
Tank of the Year Winner 2020-21
Posts: 3608
Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2020 9:14 am
Location: Sunderland
Has liked: 4375 times
Been liked: 2888 times

Could it have jumped over? What a bloody nightmare.

You've brought one back to good health before. You'll do it again.
64l kitchen tank: 16 golden tetra.
5ft 425L: 7 blue angel fish, 30 rummie nose tetra, 20 black neon tetra, 1 longfin bristlenose plec, 2 corydoras sterbai, 2 SAE.
User avatar
VikingMummy2015
TOTM Winner
TOTM Winner
Posts: 2663
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 7:40 am
Has liked: 845 times
Been liked: 1818 times

Oh nightmare but please don’t beat yourself up over it; you took all the right steps.
240L Fluval Roma with Oase 600 Biomaster: 1 German red bristlenose, 4 male cherry barbs, 6 standard rummynose, 3 golden rummynose tetra, 9 emperor tetra, 14 cardinal tetra, 2 hengeli rasbora, 3 nerite snails, 1 adult Sulawesi snail and multiple juveniles continually appearing.

Parameters: gH2, kH1, pH7.4 (tap).
Fish fiend since October 2017.
User avatar
Stephen
Guru Multi TOTM Winner
Guru Multi TOTM Winner
Posts: 6016
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2018 15:42 pm
Location: Hereford, Herefordshire
Has liked: 1415 times
Been liked: 3407 times
Contact:

Quite an upsetting moment for you but don't beat yourself up as you've done everything right.
It's amazes me how fish can get through the smallest of gaps when they want to.

Keep your chin up and look forward to your new aquarium arriving today. ;]

All the best
425L SeaBray Elite aquarium - Rio Mamoré (Bolivia) theme
4 x Cupid Cichlids, 14 x Cory caudimaculatus, 13 x Cory sterbai 52 x Reed Tetra, 4 x Honeycomb Bristlenose (L519)

Powered by EHEIM
User avatar
WinterRose73
Posting Legend
Posts: 1040
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2020 22:36 pm
Location: Somerset
Has liked: 822 times
Been liked: 693 times

Thanks everyone.

Both are swimming about this morning, though unusually the veil tail (Sariel) was actually resting on his leaf hammock thing and took a little while to move. I will continue to half dose the melafix and will add some cattapa leaves.
'Take wasps,' Death continued. 'Wasps are made entirely from bastard. Whose grand design are they part of?'
User avatar
plankton
Super Mod
Super Mod
Posts: 12204
Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2018 17:02 pm
Location: S. Derbyshire
Has liked: 5030 times
Been liked: 3395 times

Don't overdo the Melafix. ;)
Clean water will sort the problem, so do some extra water changes.
Bettas are little gits with moving about, it surprises me what they can do in the wild, so it's not your fault as you did take precautions.
(As a note - this is why I'm wary about those double/triple betta tanks......)
User avatar
WinterRose73
Posting Legend
Posts: 1040
Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2020 22:36 pm
Location: Somerset
Has liked: 822 times
Been liked: 693 times

@plankton I tell you what, it's put me completely and totally off the idea of dividing up either the 60 or 80 ltr tanks. No way. Nope.

I've only added the one half dose of melafix currently.
'Take wasps,' Death continued. 'Wasps are made entirely from bastard. Whose grand design are they part of?'
Post Reply