# I dropped my Gilbert.



## uhmkatiemarie (Jul 9, 2014)

Okay so I am freaking out. I was feeding my betta bloodworms off the end of a qtip because there's a hole in the top of the tank lid and it's easier to hold the food over the water so he can jump. I've been teaching him that trick and it's pretty cute btw. 
ANYWAY. I let the qtip in the water because he missed the first time and I was going to let him have it for the effort. So he tried to grab the worm and grabbed the qtip instead and I ended up pulling him up out of the little hole and he fell onto the desk. it took me a minute to scoop him up and get him back into the water. Then he went to the bottom and started hiding. I'm scared he ate some of the cotton off the qtip and I think he's mad at me because he hasn't even come to the front of the tank yet to let me say I'm sorry . 
I hope he's going to be okay. and From now on I'm going to do tricks with him with something that he cant chomp onto. I think he's okay. He's swimming around a little and looking at me. I feel soo bad. The tank is about a foot and a half high so idk how high he fell from and the thud . 
I screamed "GILBERT," and the dog came running. I'll keep posted on how he does. UGH.


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## Pippin (Apr 11, 2014)

I hope he's okay, but bettas have survived worst experiences, thank goodness. (I recall reading that someone's betta got stuck on the floor for bout four hours, and turned out fine. )


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## 16kehresmann (Feb 5, 2014)

Everyone makes mistakes, Live and learn, but don't blame yourself! I've only really had once experience with a betta falling and it was at least a 2 foot fall and she had to have been on the floor for a while.. She recovered just fine so hopefully your little Gilbert does too!


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## uhmkatiemarie (Jul 9, 2014)

I mean, he's fallen into a litter box from a high place and lived. I expect him to be okay, but holy moley. It scared me so bad because I was there and it was my fault. Poor little dude :/


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

uhmkatiemarie said:


> I mean, he's fallen into a litter box from a high place and lived. I expect him to be okay, but holy moley. It scared me so bad because I was there and it was my fault. Poor little dude :/


How did he fall into a litter box?


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## MameJenny (Jun 11, 2012)

One of mine jumped out of a net and fell about a foot onto my desk once. He was a bit stressed, but was otherwise fine. As long as you got him back in water immediately, he'll probably be fine.


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## magikb3anz (Oct 6, 2013)

Once my betta jumped out of the net and landed on the table. He only fell a few inches though. I scooped him up with my hands before he could flop his way onto the floor. Other than a few torn up fins he was fine. You'd be surprised how resilient bettas can be.


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## SkyDye (Jun 29, 2014)

I'm sure he is ok  Once my mother was moving a picture frame from around My boys old 1 gallon, she accidentally knocked his entire tank over and a gallon of water with gravel along with my beloved boy crashing/splashing to the ground and it was around a 3 and a half foot drop. It took me around 5 minutes before we found him because his tail and fins blended in with the gravel. When I finally found him I was in such a rush I had to run and put him in a little cup of tap water so I could set up his tank that would be conditioned and such. I thought he wasn't going to make it at first. But to this day he is alive and kicking! They are very tough fish. I am sure he will be fine


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## fleetfish (Jun 29, 2010)

I remember, a loooong time ago, having one of my new female bettas - and she was all settled in, cozy in her tank - jump out of the water. Right under her was a hot bowl of macaroni and cheese fresh out of the oven and it was HOT. I scooped her up as soon as I found her, a good five minutes later after a frantic search on the carpet (she was the same colour as the cheese) and plopped her back in the tank. She lived for a good time after with no problems. She even got her name, Mac, from the incident. 

What you might want to do is darken the tank with a towel or with indian almond leaf or black water extract to reduce stress and watch him for a few days just in case any fin rot or fungus occurs. If those things happen, don't hesitate to ask for help


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## uhmkatiemarie (Jul 9, 2014)

NeptunesMom said:


> How did he fall into a litter box?


I had him on a tall shelf in his travel bowl and I had the lid off for feeding. A cat was either curious or evil and knocked him off into the litter box right below. I think it was an accident because he was still in the box and wasn't bitten or pawed or anything. Or cats dont like to eat food out of their poo box. Either way, I'm thankful he lived!


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## averyecho (May 2, 2014)

Yeah, it may be a cute trick now, but that always seems to happen.
I've only ever seen my Sapphire do a true jump. Smaug's fins are too heavy, Spirit's too old, and Lightning is sick. She got out of her tank twice, both times she landed in another tank and I was there to help her, so she was ok. Although none of my fish have hurt themselves by jumping, I've seen other people's fish be really really scary. One of my friends had her first betta in this tiny little 0.25 gallon bowl with no lid. I told her he would jump out. My friend didn't believe me of course. But when I was over there this one time, we were looking at the betta, and as I was trying to explain to my friend that he would do much better in my spare 3 gallon, we heard a PLOP. The poor little betta flopped right off the dresser and fell 4 feet into a pile of dog-hair covered dirty laundry. It took me 5 minutes to get him into my hands becuase my friend was screaming and shaking me. I washed him off with warm tap water and put him back in the bowl. He was really lethargic after that, even when he got a 5 gallon, but he still survived for several more years. My friend never kept her fish without a lid again. And that's also why I have a severe phobia of taking the lid off.
Flashbacks aside, I really hope he gets better. Good luck, most likely he'll be fine.


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## uhmkatiemarie (Jul 9, 2014)

Thanks! He is doing fine now. Even making bubble nests! I keep a lid on him always! Theres just a hole in the top thats about as round as a thumb and I just accidentally yanked him out when he bit the qtip! Whoops!


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## Sabina88 (Aug 24, 2013)

I personally don't have any lids/covers on any of my tanks, except for half a side of my 50 gallon since it came with the covers. Ive never once had any of my bettas jump out of their tanks, even the two that will jump a little to get a pellet from my finger. Fingers crossed none of them get any bright ideas 

I do remember one time while I was cleaning my 40 gallon sorority tank, I had taken all of my girls out and was on the last one. And she decided to jump from the net and landed on our tiled floor. It must have been about 4 feet from where I was holding the net to floor. Luckilly she was just a bit shocked and was a bit lathergic. But she's been fine ever since.

Im glad he's feeling better and even making a bubble nest


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