I want to cry - vanished!

[Polardbear]

I can't believe it - I just went to give my bettas some snacks and Jake my purple crowntail is gone. Vanished. It's like he was abducted by aliens. He was living in a 2 gallon hex tank, the lid has 2 holes in it, one sized for an airline and one for feeding. The feeding hole is like maybe the size of a nickle. He's never even attempted to jump before so I can't imagine why he would suddenly leap and squeeze himself through this hole. He was so big and had so much finnage I still can't believe he could have pulled himself through the hole. But, he's gone. Not a trace of him anywhere. I lifted his rock cave out and his plant, but unless he buried himself in the gravel, he's gone. I've searched every surface in the room, the drawers in the dresser he was on top of, behind the dresser and not a sign of him anywhere. There's no filter or heater he could be hiding in or behind. I have this horrible feeling that he hit the floor and my dog ate him!


I want to cry. Jake was my very first crowntail betta and the fish who got me back into fish keeping after a 30 year absence. Wahhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I'm going to go search some more. sniff.

 

[betta_CT]

awwwwwwww im so sorry to hear that sounds like u ahve looked every where.....u dont have a cat do you?
look away from where his tank is coz they flip and flap about and can move far away.

 

[Texaswoman]

That is a shame. I think it happens to everyone sometime. I hope you find him, and if not little betta.

 

[Polardbear]

I've searched every inch of the room he's in plus the kitchen and the hallway and the bathrooms, with a flashlight. My whole house is done in white ceramic tile so you think he'd show up pretty well. He's a pretty good size so he's not easy to overlook. I'm in shock, he was there this morning when I turned on the lights.

 

[black angel]

that is so sad. i'm really sorry

 

[yeeviabetta]

Someone might play a joke on you. Check out who is in the house.

 

[3neko]

Goodness, I'd freak out if that ever happened to me. Are your dogs allowed in the fish room?

 

[Polardbear]

Now I am crying. I just found him, his body was under the gravel in his tank. I couldn't believe it, he completely buried himself. I have probably a 2 inch layer of gravel in there (it was the only way I could keep his plant planted), he was completely covered! Do betta's bury themselves before dying? I didn't see anything wrong with him this morning, he was his usual self, flaring to say hello, gobbling up his breakfast. He'd even been bubblenesting.

My poor baby.

R.I.P. Jake

 

[Texaswoman]

Ah, he is so pretty too. Poor guy, but I bet he was happy.

 

[Erised]

I'm really sorry Polar, though glad you found him rather than still wondering what happened. Hope you'll be ok, the first fish of any kind will always keep a special place in your heart.

 

[3neko]

Aww, I'm sorry, Polardbear. I've never heard of a betta fully burying himself under the gravel.

 

[Polardbear]

Thanks guys. He really was a special little guy. So friendly and brave. Jake was never scared of anything. I'll never forget him herding my swordtails. (They probably won't either!)

 

[ral]

Sorry to hear about your fish.

One of my fish (in a Betta holder manageto slip thorough a 7mm-8mm circular feeding hole when the Betta holder lost its grip and fell into the tank. Can imagine them getting through one on the lid of a tank though.

 

[yeeviabetta]

Oh.... I am sorry and so sad to hear that. Interesting that the betta buried himself in the gravel. How did he do that? He is a pretty boy. Don't worried, Maybe he knows he is leaving soon and he don't want you to be sad so that is why he buried himself.

 

[veen]

i'm so sorry! that is awful.