My son had a beta fish that he loved. Yesturday it jumped out of the bowl and we found it on his bedroom floor. I feel so bad because last time I cleaned his bowl I put the water higher than usual, but figured it was no big deal, it would evaporate soon enough. I wonder if that would have made a difference also :( My son is devastated. I have since read, online, that all fish bowls should be covered with mesh to prevent this, especially for beta fish. I wanted to pass this on to other Moms because my son is soooo upset and I don't want another child to have to feel that way if it can be prevented.
R.
Nice of you to post this. Beta fish arent the only ones either. We had one of those little sharks. It seemed to disappear! We couldnt find it anywhere. weeks later I put on a pair of boots I hadn't worn in a while and guess what?? Yuck! A dried up fish!
Yep. Lot's of fish will do this. We got a screen top for our aquarium and we had no more of these types of accidents. With a screen you can put a small weight on top. Anything heavier than the fish will keep it from throwing the screen off. Some screens have clips that help you clamp the tops down.
We have a 29 gallon aquarium and they jump out of aquariums as well if the lid is not in place. We learned that the hard way when we found one on the floor by the aquarium.
Very true, even goldfish will do this.
I had tropical fish in my bedroom as a child and had a few commit suicide by jumping out in the middle of the night. I even woke one morning to find one on my pillow. It happens. I would use the experience to talk to your son about how some things don't last forever, death if he's old enough or your comfortable enough, and how sometimes we just have to be okay with things because we can't prevent them. Then, I would get him a replacement fish, but talk to him about how it might happen again and what you're going to do together if it does. The main thing is to let him know that it's going to be okay no matter what and you'll deal with it together.
Good luck!
I still remember when I was 8 and my beta jumped out of the bowl. I loved it so much, and I used to wiggle my finger in the bowl and it would come up and let me pet it. Then one morning I found it dried up on the floor. (:
The memory still makes me a little sad. However, loss is a part of live, and you do get over it.
Yes they jump if the water is too high, they will also try to jump from a predetor, or to be agressive to another fish. I used to put my betas "bowl" next to a brighty colors potted plant, and it would charge at the colors it was seeing. I like to keep my beta's in round-ish vases with a water plant on top. You don't need to change the water as often and the beta's take care of the plants roots by eating the harmful stuff off of them. Not to mention with the plant on top they can't escape. You also do not have to have mesh on the top as long as the water is lower. Betas can live in water just high enough to cover their top fin. Sorry your lil guy jumped. =(
i had a beta in college that was always trying to commit suicide. I'm sorry this had to happen for your son.
I'm so sorry. Who figured fish were jumpers as WELL as swimmers?
But y'know, nearly every time I shop at Meijers I go by the Bettas, in the fish area of the pet dept. I used to have Bettas all the time, bred them, really got into them. And they're so beautiful. And when you get interested in them big time, they are unbelievable to observe. (I'm referring to the breeding process, because that in itself is a sight to see! And I'm not voyeuristic). Maybe that could be a way of making this right with your son; get a larger tank, take the necessary precautions, get a new pair of fish (make sure you read up on them first; they can't be placed together on normal bases) and observe Mother Nature. Try and make it a science project for school science fairs? Take pictures, feature the 'starring role' fishes, etc.
Good luck. And just for the record, Bettas are a little on the kookie side.
We have beta fish too. When ever I lift the lid to feed them they are ready to escape. When a fish dies on it's own in the tank it's easier for the kids because it was "natural", but finding him on the floor, tough one. Take your son for a new fish, maybe not a beta, I'm sure you told him it was an accident, explain as I did to my son that he has to remember that you can replace fish and other pets when they die but not people. I only mention that becasue last year we went to get another fish after his goldfish,Ping Pong, died. We were at the fish store and he said this is great where do we go to get another grandpa, mine had died a couple of months before. My sympathies to your son and thanks for posting, a lot of fish owners aren't aware of these acrobatic fish!
Live and Learn. It probably wasn't your fault with the water level. I can still remember a fish that jumped out while my mom was skimming the tank....it flopped all over. I was freaked out but my mother picked it up and put it back in............I think the real reason we got a cover is because we had a couple of fish (Bonnie and Clyde). One of them suddenly disappeared.........on another day we saw the cat dipping her paw into the tank........Live and Learn!
Well, hopefully your son will be ok and you can go get another fish soon.......but yes, most fish try to get out of there bowls......for whatever reason.......even Black Molly's......
Take care and good luck.
When I was about nine or so I lost this really huge goldfish I had and I looked for him for at least a half an hour before finding him STILL ALIVE in my waste basket. Dumped him back in the tank and he looked terrible but lived another few months or so.
My beta that I had when I was 14 jumped out of the tank which had a lid. .. yeah he was able to jump so hard that the lid came off. I also was not able to find my fish for 3 months. He had jumped into a box and was at an angle that he stuck to the side and so I never could find him. It's crazy what a small fish can do.
