# My betta jumped out of the feeding hole!



## Catbetta (Oct 30, 2015)

I've never seen my betta jump before, but for some reason he decided he wanted to jump out of the hole in the lid! Either for a stroke, food or he wanted a water change!

It was crazy! Impressive but scary. It's under an inch the hole in the nano tank lid!

Luckily I was around to stop him jumping onto the floor. I've dropped the water level so the lid wasn't too close to the top of the water.

Has anyone else had this?


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## Aquastar (Jul 17, 2015)

Betas do and will jump, jump for food, fingers, food, safety, food...

Bettas are most likely to jump if they aren't satisfied with their body of water in the wild (don't want to say puddle). But will jump for many reasons in the home aquarium. Lots of people have had their Bettas jump out and surive for an hour or so out of water, but it's not common.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I put a wash cloth over the feeding hole in mine. You just never know when they're going to jump out!


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## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

There are people that knock having lids on tanks but live fishy vs finding dead or severely traumatized fishy is a no brainer to me. I think a little Saran wrap over the hole might be a good thing to try.


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## sainthogan (Sep 27, 2012)

My first Betta fish jumped out of a tiny hole near her filter the year that we had a fruit fly infestation. It was at least an hour before I found her on the floor behind my dresser in the dustiest corner of my house. I thought for sure she was dead, her fins were getting crispy, but as soon as I picked her up, she started flopping around. I quickly rinsed her off, and plunked her back in her tank. She was traumatized for a few days, and terrified of my hands, but after a while, she was fine. She lived for 2 more years after that, but most aren't so lucky.


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

I use craft mesh over my feeding holes. I get paranoid too after one of my bettas jumped out of my covered tank. (it was an acrylic top that bend from the moisture and he jumped out that way)


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## centaurii (Aug 31, 2015)

Oh man, I just had the worst experience with this very thing. I separated my betta out in a mixing bowl while I was cleaning his main tank (didn't want him to choke while I sifted the sand around). I left the room for a minute, 2 minutes max, came back and saw something moving in my peripheral. He was flopping around on my desk. I put him back in the water immediately but it took him a good 24 hours to recover. Not long after, the tissue on his dorsal fin died and I had to remove it - I believe he fell on it when he jumped out of the water. We have to remember fish are used to having the water hold their body up their whole lives, so landing on a solid surface is probably an enormous shock to them.

Despite all that, it seems as long as they can stay somewhat moist, they can survive. What I think really saves them is their labyrinth organ, since it allows them to breathe a small amount of oxygen like a lung.


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