I think our beta is dying.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

Our beta tried to commit suicide tonight. My roommate was changing his water and rather than finishing before going shopping for two hours and to dinner for one hour, she left him in a tiny bowl on the side of the sink. He jumped into the sink. He's a weird beta. He wants a big bowl. Anyway, he's floating on his side. But if you stick your finger in the water, he swims. But right now he's floating on the top on the side. I think he's dying and that she should flush him. She thinks he'll snap out of it...
Anyone have any advice?
Duckie

[LibertyorDeath]

1. The one thing Tropical Fish do best

Is Die. From many years of experience

[GoddessOfGuinness]

2. Could be shock...

Maybe he'll snap out of it.

It's actually kinder to euthanize fish by immersing them in boiling water. I know it sounds sick, but it's a lot quicker than the trip down the toilet drain...

[SemiCharmedQuark]

3. Both my oscar and my beta do that when they have had a scare.

My oscar has scared us many many times by just lying on his side or lying very still. He comes out of it a little while later though. Same with the beta, I just changed his tank and he scared us pretty well.

[nuut]

4. give him a chance

he's probably just going through a phase. ours would get moody too. he was a great little beta and lived more than 3 years. so don't give up on him!

[YellowRubberDuckie]

5. We have another one that is very mellow...

He's mine. I named him Bernie after one of my friends here on DU. Even though now he's deserted me and I'm sad. I guess I could change his name to Kleeb. :shrug:
Duckie

[laheina]

14. Hello nuut!

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[MisterP]

6. I thought you meant your betamax:

bettas live in wet footprints, and often jump from hollow to hollow

[YellowRubberDuckie]

7. Potter is just floating on top of the bowl though...

It's scary.
Duckie

[LittleClarkie]

9. I thought she meant her Beta videoplayer

Yes, I'm old. Yes, I'm a geek. I'm an old geek.

And that would have been an old Beta player. But never mind.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

8. What size tank do you have him in?

It saddens me that betas are often forced to live in such small, cramped conditions. Just because something CAN live in a tiny space, doesn't mean that it should. Heck, a human being can live in a closet.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

10. They LIKE the small tanks.

But he lives in a HUGE one gallon vase.
Duckie

[SemiCharmedQuark]

11. No, they don't like small tanks. That is a myth.

http://www.fishpalace.org/B_splendens.html

[YellowRubberDuckie]

12. Thanks.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

13. No worries...I hope he gets better.

:hi:

[UpsideDownFlag]

15. my sister has a beta. she keeps it in a nalgene bottle. nt

[laheina]

16. My cat tried to free my beta.

She scooped him out of his water and didn't eat him. :shrug: I rescued him, but he was never quite the same after that. I don't know how long he was actually out of the water, but I decided that his little brain was damaged by oxygen deprivation.