# Other Aquarium Forums > Fish Care, Nutrition and Water Management >  How to tend to betta that has jumped out of tank?

## ralliart12

Hi fellows. My betta jumped out of his tank while I was out last evening. When I found him on the floor, his body is still moist. I returned him to his tank immediately, but for the next couple of hours (that night) he kept:

orientating himself into a vertical position,undulating his body slowly like a snakekept his pectoral fins shut tight against his body

This morning. He's a lot better, i.e. swimming normally & flexing his fins as per normal. But there're wounds on the border of his eyes, & the rays of his fins appeared to be bleeding, & the edges of his fins are torn with some growth on them (similar "growth" on his eyes' outline), e.g. like "_incompletely torn off meat that's still attached_".

What can I do for him, i.e. besides the usual water management, to make him heal better?

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## lucasjiang

you can add in some anti-fungal medication or ketapang leaves. This will help to prevent the wounds from getting fungus infection. It will heal by itself after a few weeks  :Smile:

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## ralliart12

> you can add in some anti-fungal medication or ketapang leaves. This will help to prevent the wounds from getting fungus infection...


Any good anti-fungal medication to recommend? I have the ketapang leaves in its tank already.




> ...It will heal by itself after a few weeks


Although the open wounds may heal, will the damaged fins ever grow back to their full length & original color?

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## tetrakid

It is strange for your Betta to jump out of the water considering they normally live near the water surface. My Betta always remain near the surface when resting. Maybe there could be some lizard around, or maybe a bird flew past the window and frightened it.

As it fell on the floor, its injuries could be internal as well, maybe a bone fracture, or some organ rupture, etc. Since Bettas are kept for their beauty, it is not likely for it to recover back to its original condition. If his injured condition becomes worse say in week or two, it may be better for you to aquire another pet Betta to replace him.

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## Emokidz

Personally, I use melodic for thorn/nipped fins and minor wounds. It's very good IMO. Clean water also helps in the recovery. So do regular water changes with aged water and clear uneaten food often.

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## ralliart12

> It is strange for your Betta to jump out of the water considering they normally live near the water surface...


This is not the first time I've heard it happened to a betta, i.e. the jumping.




> ...Since Bettas are kept for their beauty, it is not likely for it to recover back to its original condition...


I don't understand, i.e. how does being kept for its beauty impact whether the creature has a ability to grow back the damaged portions of its fins (or not)?




> ...If his injured condition becomes worse say in week or two, it may be better for you to aquire another pet Betta to _replace him_.


 :Shocked: 
I'm not trying to "top-up fishes" here. Will try whatever I can to maintain its physique.




> Personally, I use melodic for thorn/nipped fins and minor wounds. It's very good IMO. Clean water also helps in the recovery. So do regular water changes with aged water and clear uneaten food often.


@Emokidz, I googled but can't find out what this "melodic" resemble? Do you have a picture of it & where I can purchase it?

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## Emokidz

Whoops. Typo.. Think the autocorrect thing changed it without me noticing. It's Melafix.. under the API brand.

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## tetrakid

It can also be that there's a 'spike' of something, eg NH3, making the water unbearable to remain in? But no matter what, it is best to cover the Bettas's tank for 100% safety against them jumping out. I have kept Bettas for a long time too without them jumping out. But better be safe.

If the maimed Betta can recover his former bodily functions, it may still be possible for him to be used for breeding, but for it to restore its full former glory of beauty and splendour, it is doubtful.  :Smile:

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## ralliart12

> ...but for it to restore its full former glory of beauty and splendour, it is doubtful.


Don't fishes possess the ability to heal back their damaged fins? Assuming the whole fin isn't chopped off or something?

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## icefire

> Personally, I use melodic for thorn/nipped fins and minor wounds. It's very good IMO. Clean water also helps in the recovery. So do regular water changes with aged water and clear uneaten food often.


melafix from API you mean? it has aloe vera extract if i remember correctly. and for betta that jumps out, i normally use concentrated ketapung extract to cure. no other medication is needed. just put betta in for 5 days without feeding and then do a 100% wc with clean water. after that you can feed the betta.

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## tetrakid

Of course fins can grow back in time, but like I said, it overall it depends on how badly the fish is injured. If the internal and structural injuries are bad due to the serious impact of the fall when it hits the ground, though there may be healing in time, it is unlikely to be restored to its former glory. 

If it functionally recovers, it can still be used as a breeding male, provided the natural functions are still capable of such. 



> Don't fishes possess the ability to heal back their damaged fins? Assuming the whole fin isn't chopped off or something?

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## lucasjiang

> It is strange for your Betta to jump out of the water considering they normally live near the water surface. My Betta always remain near the surface when resting. Maybe there could be some lizard around, or maybe a bird flew past the window and frightened it.
> 
> As it fell on the floor, its injuries could be internal as well, maybe a bone fracture, or some organ rupture, etc. Since Bettas are kept for their beauty, it is not likely for it to recover back to its original condition. If his injured condition becomes worse say in week or two, it may be better for you to aquire another pet Betta to replace him.


Hi bro, actually it is because they live near the water surface which is why they are more likely to jump out. It will be highly unlikely for a bottom dweller eg a pleco, to swim all the way to the surface and jump out. I find that sometimes they jump out for no particular reason, and it will be good to cover your tank. Bettas are really good at jumping.

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## ralliart12

> ...and for betta that jumps out, i normally use concentrated ketapung extract to cure. no other medication is needed...


Will a single piece of Ketapang leaf be enough? How concentrated do your make yours? I was under the impression that these leaves only make the water acidic; didn't realise they have healing properties too.




> ...just put betta in for 5 days without feeding and then do a 100% wc with clean water. after that you can feed the betta.


May I know what's the significance of not feeding it for these 5 days?

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## stormhawk

The problem with jumping fish is that once they hit the floor, their mucous coat goes into overdrive and it will pick up all sorts of things off the floor, including dust etc and this can be deadly for the fish.

Often, depending on how hard they hit the floor, especially ceramic floors, they might be beyond saving. Falling from a height and hitting the floor hard can mean the end of the fish. Bettas jump for various reasons, which is why a cover is somewhat necessary. Melafix is good for fishes that can be saved. All I can say is, cross your fingers and hope for the best.

Ketapang leaves do not have "healing" capabilities. It is via the action of acidifying the water as the leaf decomposes, that retards the growth of fungi and bacteria, hence aiding the recovery of the injured fish.

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## ralliart12

@stormhawk, in your opinion, should I still get & apply Melafix?

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## stormhawk

Yes, since it'll come in handy when you need it. I'd suggest you get a small bottle and observe your betta. The stuff that might be hanging off the fins etc could just be dirt, but given the other injuries, a dose of Melafix might be a life saver.

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## fisherw

Many years ago, I had a betta (just an ordinary low priced one) which jumped out of its container. The container was placed on a corner table easily over 4 feet (1.2m) tall. I discovered it in the morning so I don't know how long it was on the floor. It was behind the table, completely covered with dust and hard and curved like an ikan bilis. Without thinking I put it back into the container before going into the kitchen to tell my wife of the incident. When we got back and much to my surprise, it was struggling. I used my fingers to clean the dirt and dust off, changed water, etc. It continued to live for a long while (i.e. did not die of its injuries or adventure in the next couple of days or weeks). No fin damage but then it was not a show betta with long trailing fins. Don't know if it suffered internal injuries.

I put it down to the fact that bettas are labyrinth air-breathers. Other types of fishes would be goners. But it was still a bit of a miracle. I did not know then of ketapang or used medicines. Bottom-line, I would not write your betta off. Ketapang is a good idea. I hear it is beneficial and in any case, it is so cheap. You might want to put the leaf (or bits of it) in rather than extract by soaking or boiling. Difficult to control colour but I read the effect is better.

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## icefire

> Will a single piece of Ketapang leaf be enough? How concentrated do your make yours? I was under the impression that these leaves only make the water acidic; didn't realise they have healing properties too.
> 
> 
> 
> May I know what's the significance of not feeding it for these 5 days?


 how big are the containers are you using to cure? cause for my those small breeder tanks(for single betta) i'm using 2-3 big pieces of leaves(cut into small pieces)....

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## ralliart12

> Yes, since it'll come in handy when you need it. I'd suggest you get a small bottle and observe your betta. The stuff that might be hanging off the fins etc could just be dirt, but given the other injuries, a dose of Melafix might be a life saver.


Wait, so Melafix can help "sooth" internal injuries as well? But any way stormhawk, I'm very wary of adding medication (or anything) to the water unless really necessary, hope you understand.

Btw, it's _been a few days_, should I still apply Melafix now? Or since I observed that the growth around the ring of the eyes, & the growth on the torn edges of the fins are already gone, should I still use Melafix? The fish has resumed normal swimming profile.

Update: wow, I just read the description for Melafix:

_Heals open wounds & abrasions, treats fin and tail rot, eye cloud, mouth fungus and promotes regrowth of damaged fin rays & tissue. Will not adversely affect the biological filter, alter the pH, or discolor water. Safe for reef aquariums and live plants. For use in fresh or salt water._

It's like some magical potion.




> The problem with jumping fish is that once they hit the floor, their mucous coat goes into overdrive and it will pick up all sorts of things off the floor, including dust etc and this can be deadly for the fish...


When I found the fish, coincidentally it has jumped into a slot between 2 piles of my stacked items on the floor. So, I don't think it has "travelled" all over my room's floor.




> ...Often, depending on how hard they hit the floor, especially ceramic floors, they might be beyond saving. Falling from a height and hitting the floor hard can mean the end of the fish...


The enclosure is placed on the floor & its water level is 15cm or less.




> ...Ketapang leaves do not have "healing" capabilities. It is via the action of acidifying the water as the leaf decomposes, that retards the growth of fungi and bacteria, hence aiding the recovery of the injured fish.


Talking about this, will Ketapang leaves (' acidity) retard the growth of good bacteria? I suppose it doesn't discriminate?




> ...I put it down to the fact that bettas are labyrinth air-breathers. Other types of fishes would be goners...


Yes, this is lucky for the fish & me. Otherwise, if the height & grime on the floor didn't kill it, the lack of dissolved oxygen will.




> ...Bottom-line, I would not write your betta off. Ketapang is a good idea. I hear it is beneficial and in any case, it is so cheap. You might want to put the leaf (or bits of it) in rather than extract by soaking or boiling. Difficult to control colour but I read the effect is better.


Yes, I will not write him off either, i.e. must appreciate its tenacity to live. Btw, I never do anything special to extract the "essence" from the Ketapang leaf; I just rinse it a bit, let it dry, then put it into the water already.




> how big are the containers are you using to cure? cause for my those small breeder tanks(for single betta) i'm using 2-3 big pieces of leaves(cut into small pieces)....


Are you concerned that the one big piece of Ketapang leaf will make the water too acidic?

Btw, so...what about the not feeding for 5 day reasoning?

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## fisherw

I roll up each leaf and push it in stalk end last into a clean PET soft drink bottle. Stalk end last so that I can reuse the bottle for another batch by upending the bottle (without any or very little water in it) and withdraw the 'used' leaves by gripping the stalk with a tweezer or something similar. Because this method enables you to control the amount you pour into the tank, it does not matter how many leaves you use, how long you soak or how dark the water gets. The darker, use less and vice versa.

I understand some microwave the leaves in water to extract the essence faster and discard the leaves or soak and then collect the dark water without the leaves. 

More info here:

http://www.catappaleaves.com/c/160/w...atappa-leaves-
http://www.indianalmondleaves.com/aquariums.php

Google catappa or indian almond as ketapang is a local term.

Adult or mature leaves are rather huge so sometimes one in a small tank is overdoing it. Suggest cutting the leaf and using a fraction of it. Also one whole leaf may get the water in a small tank really dark. There are probably other benefits (i.e. more than the chemical extracted) in using the leaf rather then just the extract.

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## ralliart12

Is it really al right to not feed the fish for a week while it is "recuperating"? Will it have the energy source to channel towards healing its wounds? Btw, I've already started treating my betta with Melafix.

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## stormhawk

Technically speaking, I don't advocate the use of chemicals if necessary, but having such items on hand can be a life saver. Since the "growths" are disappearing, there is little worry because I think what happened was it just gathered some dust particles on its slime coat. 

I don't know if the acidity caused by the decomposition of the leaves will retard the growth of good bacteria, but it does reduce bacterial activity over time. Since tanks that have pH around 5 are still able to be fully cycled, I believe the filter bacteria should be resistant enough to acidic waters, as long as it doesn't plunge below 4.5 or so. It is likely that whatever bacteria that survives are typically acid-resistant bacteria, which should not harm the fish. Long term, the presence of acidity and other compounds released and caused by the rotting leaves will aid in the recovery of sick fish like a Betta.

In a small container, you only need a small piece of ketapang leaf no bigger than a 50 cent coin. I find that using any bigger, the water will turn super brown, and pH in such containers may be below 5.

You should attempt to feed the Betta to see if it responds to food. Just a little bit to test his appetite. If he doesn't eat the food, remove it immediately.

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