Betta is stuck!

[pretzelsz]

My betta fish somehow got stuck in my java moss that seems to have a weird algae growing on it now. He is stuck either by the eye or around his fin I can't tell but I cant get him free. What should I do?

[CrankyFish84]

wow that's scary :( Ok can you slowly put your hand in and gently move the plant to get a better look? if he hooked his fin I'd imagine he'd have ripped it free by now...if it's his eye then I hope OFL or a more experienced keeper can chime in! If he ends up sustaining injury some antibiotics & more frequent water changes will be needed. I hope it works out ok!!

[Oldfishlady]

Most likely hair or thread algae-I use a tooth brush and twirl it around the stuff to remove-usually cause by low CO2 levels or too much light or both

But you need to get your fish free so he can get to air-use a clean hand, chopstick, clean tooth brush anything and if the algae is stuck to the fish after you get him free you can usually get it off with tweezers or something....can you post a clear pic to give us a better idea.....

[pretzelsz]

OK So I had to leave for school and got back and he is twirled around in it now it looks like. I am going to try to free him by hand but if it is bad can I CAREFULLY cut it with a small pair of scissors?

[pretzelsz]

I just tried to get him out and I noticed a couple of things. One: He gets REALLY skiddish when my hand even goes into the water so I don't think I should put anything sharp near him. Two: That there is the hair algae in his right eye it looks like and I think it is getting ripped out slowly. Three: He is upside down, his gills are now facing up but he is alive and will try to swim away if anything gets near him.

I feel bad because the algae has been there for a bit but I have alot of other things to do and other animals to take care of. didn't know the algae would do this. If he clams down a bit I will try to cut loose whatever is holding him down so he can free swim if that is a good idea(is it?)

[Perdue]

cant you reach in and lightly rip apart the plant with your hands?

[TaylorW]

Wow, this is scary!!! O_o

Could you maybe remove or cut the algae around him, and see if he could work himself the rest of the way free? Like start at the outside edges and work inward towards him....

[bettafish15]

I would just carefully put your hand in and rip the moss away from him (gently). The sooner the better, he cant breathe there!

[pretzelsz]

EW! I look in to get him out and it was around his eye. His eye is almost ripped out! The poor guy I feel so bad. I need to get some of the hair algae away from him but where he is and what is around him is making this really hard. And I cant get him free because if I just put my hand at the surface he just swims around rapidly in circles making it worse. If he loses his eye will he survive?

[Oldfishlady]

If you have a small container you can put him in and float it in the heated tank it will be easier to treat/care for him-then you can start to clean out the algae so it doesn't happen again.....(if you bought him in one of the small cups these work great for a QT container)-just attach it to the side of the tank so it doesn't sink-
He is able to get to the top for air...correct? and the algae is just attached to his body???

In QT I would go ahead and start Epsom salt 1tsp/gal along with 100% daily water changes to prevent secondary infection-he may still lose the eye but it should not kill him and he can still live a normal life with just one eye-once you get him QT I would also turn off the lights-something like this can be really stressful and that alone can cause problems even death....