Help-Accident-Betta Scared-New Question

[betazigzag]

Hi,
I have Ziggy in a 5 gallon tank with a box filter. He has been getting Melafix in his tank to help his fin tears for the last few days (1/4 dose) for the last few days. An hour ago a candle fell off a shelf and hit the tank making a loud crash. Ziggy got scared and immediately swam to the bottom. He sat there for a minute or two and then swam irradically to the other side to hide behind an ornament. He seems to be breathing, hard to really tell he's tucked in so close, and has his fins all tucked in and is trying to hide as close to the bottom of the ornament as possible. Is there anything I can do to help him??? I feel so awful, the candles are in the garbage.

 

[betazigzag]

He just swam around the ornament to get inside, has his head sticking out a little, but I can tell he's breathing pretty fast.

 

[Cat]

If he's frightened perhaps, just leave him,turn lights of if they are on,don't get right up to the tank .

 

[clutterydrawer]

and keep the room nice and quiet for him

 

[betazigzag]

turned off lights, still leaving tank alone. he just briefly swam around the tank then went back to hide but is sticking his head out. its so nice to have seen him swim!!! Thanks so much everyone, I've tried so hard to make him happy and I'm the idiot who scared him the most in the end. UGH! Sigh (guilt guilt guilt) Will leave him alone but watch him from a distance.

 

[betazigzag]

he's swimming - still a bit tense but swimming around now. lights are still off and we're leaving him alone.

 

[Sorrell]

If you have any stress coat or stress zyme lying around that could help too

 

[fourplayfishy]

possilby wrap something around like 3 sides of the tank so that he can only see out one side so he feels safer... thats why hes hiding where you cant see his body and you can normally create this with a towel or something on the 3 sides of the tank and he will come out more and more... o and when it comes to feeding try getting him out with bw

 

[betazigzag]

ok, he's out and swimming around pretty normal at this point, he came to the edge of the tank to say hello when i walked thru the room. BUT after the wild gymnastics he did I notice he has some small off white or beige marks on the top of his body, where his scales are, right in front of his upper fin. they were not there before. i've been watching him very closely for several days because i've been adding 1/4 dose of melafix for his fin tears. possibly this is from trying so hard to hide? believe me, he did try hard. i do use stress coat as a water conditioner. should i just continue with the melafix? he hasn't had a dose yet today, considering giving him a good dose of stress coat instead? Not sure, thanks for any suggestions