Oh my goodness! That fish jumped out of the tank at me!

starryeyedtiger

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Wow- i just had a nice little shock a minute ago! I went to the restroom to wash my face for the night and when i looked over at my betta tank i noticed that my ghost shrimp were nowhere to be seen. Here's a little background- yesterday when i was gone Colin got two ghost shrimp to "suprise me" with to put in my betta tank. He ment well- he thought he was doing good..but here's the thing- the day before he did that, we had talked and looked at some of the aquatic sites and noticed that you could have ghost shrimp with male bettas. We both agreed we'd get some- but i told him i wanted to wait until i got a bigger tank. (Mr. Magoo is in a 1 gallon right now and a 1 gallon is too small for a betta and ghost shrimp to have enough room) So i told him we should wait till we got a bigger tank first. Apparently he didn't hear that part and thought he'd suprise me
. To make a long story short- when i got home from a petstore after work (i went to try and find a bigger tank and a heater- didn't find a good tank, found a heater but it didn't fit this one - gotta take it back) Well when i got hom there were to shrimp in the tank with Mr. Magoo! I about killed Colin for doing that without telling me
So since the damage was done- last night i made sure the tank was nice and neat for them and they had enough food. They were ok today when i left for work. When i went to the restroom a minute ago though i didn't see eithor of them- so i decided to net mr. magoo and clean out the tank to try and find them. When i did- both were dead
So they took a ride on the porcelin express to fishy heaven. The thing is though- the water was at the perfect temperature for them and they seemed to be doing ok- mr. magoo didn't bother them- he wasn't aggressive at all towards them. I'm thinking the ones Colin picked out were probably just diseased/sick to begin with-but i'm mad he got them without telling me because when i get my fish i ALWAYS want to see the tanks and what kind of condition they're in so that i can see if i'm getting healthy ones or not. He told me the petstore he got them from (which is notorious for diseased fish) so i'm sure that's what happened. Now though- Mr. Magoo has been exposed
So i thoroughly cleaned the tank and did a total water change ,added stress coat and 2 drops of betta fix just in case. When i put Mr. Magoo back in his tank he went balistic
I don't know what was wrong with him- he's never done that before. Before i could even get the top on- the fish jumped out of the tank and into the sink flopping towards me. I screamed at the top of my lungs (i love fish, and i have tanks and all but something about seeing them out of water or touching them really creeps me out and makes me queesy:ill:So i immedately was able to net him and put him back in his tank (and QUICKLY get the top back on) but man! That fish scared the tarnation out of me flopping out of his tank towards me like that- i screamed so bad Colin ran in there thinking something was wrong
How embaressing!
Mr. Magoo is now back in his tank with the top on- but he's still swimming irradicately. I hope he calms down soon. The water is perfect as is the temperature. I dunno what got into him
Many...last night it was the dogs going crazy- tonight it's the fish
At least my kitties are puuuuuurrrrrrrrfect!
 

strange_wings

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Maybe he wanted revenge for being netted? I'm suddenly reminded of an old southpark episode with the evil pets and the fish that was killing people.
 

cairo

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Don't know what's wrong with your fish, but your story made me laugh. I love fish, but I too can't touch them or stand to see them flap about.
 

kittypaws

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lol that was a good story very funny. I think i'm crying from laughing so much you named a FISH. ROFL isn't he special but you wont even pet him how rude. They he flys out at you like Superman i would of been screaming my head off and/or wet myself at the same time. Thats way to funny... lol
 

pee-cleaner

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Sounds like the water was painful to him. A total water change is RARELY a good idea. I hope the fish survives. What a sad story.
 

arlyn

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Ghost shrimp and other aquarium shrimp, do need a little aquarium salt in the water, this is probably why they died, nothing more.

As for your fish behavior, I had the same thing happen once, turned out there was a grounding issue and a tiny electrical current in the tank.
 

trouts mom

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Nikki, I am sorry, but I just imagined the fish flopping around and burst out laughing
I wouldn't want to touch him either, I would be afraid of squishing his little slippery body
 

lokismum

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I realize how upset you must have been, but I can just picture the fish jumping through the air from the tank!~
 

clairebear

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My betta did that to me once. I put him in a bowl while I was cleaning his tank. And he jumped out onto the counter. I was so scared picking him up, I was afraid I'd hurt him.
 

jugen

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Oh sweetie, I bet that scared the poop right out of you(no puns intended.)
How's he doing now? I hope nothing happens to him. Sometimes guys just don't think when they try and to the "right" thing and surprise us. At least he tried, no matter how wrong it was.. right?
 
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starryeyedtiger

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Something was definitely wrong last night. About an hour later when i went back in the restroom- he had passed on
. I've had him for 3 1/2 years
I'm sooo sad over this. I'm really thinking he got sick from those other ghost shrimp colin put in there without telling me. But i just don't know
I know he was just a little fishy- but i have had him for 3 1/2 years and just loved the little guy.
RIP Mr. Magoo



Originally Posted by pee-cleaner

Sounds like the water was painful to him. A total water change is RARELY a good idea. I hope the fish survives. What a sad story.
I did a total water change because there were "parts" of one of the ghost shrimp scattered all throughout the tank and i just couldn't get it all out with a partial change. I was almost definite those ghost shrimp colin put in there were diseased so i was trying to change the water to cut down on Mr. Magoos esposure. (I only did a total change after looking around online and asking several people who specialize in bettas if that was ok given the circumstance.) The ph in the water was perfect (i always monitor it) and the temperature was fine as well. There are no filters in my betta tank as bettas are easily stressed and do not like to swim against a current. I am so sad over this. I've had him for several years now...he was such a gorgeous little guy


Originally Posted by Arlyn

Ghost shrimp and other aquarium shrimp, do need a little aquarium salt in the water, this is probably why they died, nothing more.

As for your fish behavior, I had the same thing happen once, turned out there was a grounding issue and a tiny electrical current in the tank.
I added a little aquarium salt to the tank as soon as Colin told me what he had put in there because they do like their water a pinch brackish. But they just didn't look good to begin with
I can't believe he added them without telling me
There weren't any wires exposed/currents in the tank to make Mr. Magoo jump. I don't know what happened
Today i'm taking out my nephew Isaac for his birthday- he has been asking for a betta so i was planning on getting one for him (my sister has already gladly approved- they love fish and know how to care for them) So while we're out i guess once i thoroughly clean out my tank i might think about getting another one. It just looks so sad and blank in there without a betta


Originally Posted by jugen

Oh sweetie, I bet that scared the poop right out of you(no puns intended.)
How's he doing now? I hope nothing happens to him. Sometimes guys just don't think when they try and to the "right" thing and surprise us. At least he tried, no matter how wrong it was.. right?
Thankyou for asking
It definitely scared the tarnation out of me
I screamed to the high heavens lol. But unfortunately like i said above- Mr. Magoo passed on. I'm not sure why- the ph was normal, the temperature was in the perfect range for a betta, no wires or anything in the cage- nothing. I'm wondering if he got sick from those ghost shrimp but i have no way of knowing right now. Colin ment well. He really did
 

pee-cleaner

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Even something as innocuous as lotion or soap residue on your hand can make the water toxic. Sorry for your loss.
 

kittypaws

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Oh sweety i'm so sorry it was a bit funny about the jumping out of tank at you (trying to laugh lol). I'm really sorry my mom had a betta for 4yrs she called him Rainbow he was so pretty the females honestly are not colorful lol but he was very bright and pretty blue. She was talking to a betta person and she said they honestly have no lived long no matter if its the best care fish are just fish things set them off so easily after awhile. But she had 5 betta and none of them were that pretty even the males they also started fading in color after a few months but 4yrs of shine in this little guy. **hugs**
i'm sure you will feel better if you got another, maybe more than one? I heard there good with other fish but not each other so maybe a gold fish hehe for a friend would help them adjust? I'm clueless on fish they always kill over darn things!
 
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starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by pee-cleaner

Even something as innocuous as lotion or soap residue on your hand can make the water toxic. Sorry for your loss.
I wear gloves everytime i do anything with the tank. I try to do everything by the book when caring for them.

Originally Posted by white cat lover

Awww....I'm sorry Nikki!!
He wasn't just a fish, he was Mr. Magoo.
Yeah i know....that's what makes it soo sad.
I had him for a long time. At least i know he had a good life while i had him though.

Originally Posted by jugen

Aw hun, sorry for your loss. Mr Magoo, RIP.
Thanks


Originally Posted by KittyPaws

Oh sweety i'm so sorry it was a bit funny about the jumping out of tank at you (trying to laugh lol). I'm really sorry my mom had a betta for 4yrs she called him Rainbow he was so pretty the females honestly are not colorful lol but he was very bright and pretty blue. She was talking to a betta person and she said they honestly have no lived long no matter if its the best care fish are just fish things set them off so easily after awhile. But she had 5 betta and none of them were that pretty even the males they also started fading in color after a few months but 4yrs of shine in this little guy. **hugs**
i'm sure you will feel better if you got another, maybe more than one? I heard there good with other fish but not each other so maybe a gold fish hehe for a friend would help them adjust? I'm clueless on fish they always kill over darn things!
Thanks sweetie
/ Tonight i took my nephew Isaac out to dinner and then for his "suprise" for his brithday i took him to the store and let him pick out a tank (gorgeous 2 gallon with top, light,etc) and all that goes with it. Then i took him to the best shop in Memphis- they have gorgeous fish and take excellent care of them- it is the ONLY place i get my fish from- i personally know the owner
Isaac picked out a lovely tourquoise/ivory/blue/red betta for his tank and named him "Nitro." While I was there I adopted another fish for my tank- i figured even though Mr. Magoo was gone, i could give another fish a good home with me and get him out of a pet store...so I adopted a lovely blue/tourquise one. He's soooo handsome! (i had sanatized and redone the tank earlier today and it was all set up just in case i adopted a new one). So he's swimming happily in his new home
So even though it's really sad i lost Mr. Magoo- two new fish found two great new homes today so that makes me happy
/ My sister and her kids LOVE their new betta- i showed her how to care for him and all and he's doing great and loving his huge new home
and my new fish is doing lovely as well
Now he just needs a name
( the other fish by the way you can add to a tank are ghost shrimp, rosey barbs and a few others that don't have frilly fins/tails. But in the tank that he's in it would be cruel to add anything other than him to it since it's only a 1 gallon.
)
 

kittypaws

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Sounds cool i would get one just because they make good decoration (no offence) lol there pretty. But Faith or Dayton would try and eat it there goofballs if it moves its in there mouth and i can't restrict those stinkers from jumping everywhere. Got to love the fur-babies :p.
 
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