The Case Of The Disappearing Betta (short story)

[LeroyTheBetta]

Normally, I'm up and off to work too early to turn on the fish tank lights and wake up all the critters, so my husband does this before he goes to work. So, I don't get to see my fish waking up, in their pjs, bad hair, etc. I see them a few hours after that, after they've had their showers and brushed their teeth.

But this morning was a little different.... my husband and I went on a little day trip today and we left home around 5:30am, and I woke up the fish.

I turned on Leroy's light and was going to give him a little breakfast. I knelt down and didn't see him begging to be fed. Hmm.... I looked around his tank a little (he's got a "huge" 6 gallon tank... lol) but I couldn't see him. He doesn't really have anywhere to hide. I pulled his tank out so I could see on the side of the corner filter. Nothing. I tapped pretty hard on the glass. Nothing. I pulled out the corner filter in case he was playing hide and seek and just was giggling in the corner because I couldn't find him. Nothing. Shoot, where the heck IS he!? He's not there! I did a 50% water change yesterday, but I KNOW I didn't flush him! I checked the bucket before I dumped the water! I even fed him after I cleaned his tank! lol I told my husband "Leroy's gone!" I looked on the floor, maybe he jumped out.... but I always have the tank covered! Wouldn't find him anyway on the floor..... I have a cat.

I was absolutely baffled! My husband looked but he didn't see him either. I sat in front of the tank and looked at every leaf of each plant stem. I finally saw something in his little log (open ended, easy to see into, and I already looked in there!).... Leroy was practically plastered to the side of it right down on the gravel. I moved his log and he barely moved. I actually thought he was sick and dying! Oh, no! Leroy! :(

So, I was very worried about him all day today and got home this evening from our trip and he was just fine! So, when my betta Leroy sleeps, he is literally "dead to the world". lol

Here's Leroy's tank at the moment (except pot of hairgrass is in the back right corner) still in the process of doing some landscaping:



Anybody else ever think their bettas were almost dead when in reality they were just being heavy sleepers?

[SillyCone]

loool! Mine's an light sleeper, I can't make the tinniest noise that he will look what's happening.

Sometimes he sleeps heavier but not as much.

[pumpkinspikepie]

Cute! Mine are both light sleepers. No matter the time, they'll come right up to the front of the tank to see who it is.

[scootshoot]

Great story! Thanks for sharing! Glad to hear he's fine!

[newarkhiphop]

i dont think jaws sleeps no matter what time i look at his tank he swimming around on a mission lol

[TonyK]

That had to be a little nerve wrecking for you. Just the other morning I was laying in bed looking in the tank and didn't see any movement for 5 minutes from both of my guys. I had to get out of bed and turn on their light. That got them moving and had this feeling of relief when I saw them. Yes it happened to me too.

[gmd1800]

I think Nero sleep-swims. I came in from a meeting after midnight and Octo was asleep in his shark cave and Nero was stress striped and bumping into the decor in his tank. Didn't even notice my finger. When I got up in the morning he was completely fine.

Glad to hear Leroy's okay!

[newfiedragon]

My boy Root Beer's a light sleeper. He usually comes swimming whenever I go close to the tank. I finally saw him asleep the other night (I don't think I've ever seen him sleep for more than a few seconds before). He was all flaked out on top of his dino skull in amongst the fake plants. The lights were off in his tank, so I figured I get my camera quick and get a cute pic. Sadly, by the time I got back with the camera, he was up and swimming around again. *sigh*

[Gnome507]

Shiro my fish is heavy sleeper. Once I thought he was dead because I went and checked on him and I looked into his log and noticed him sleeping on his side all sprawled out. I tapped the side and he didn't move. So finally I turned on the light still no movement. Until I moved his log thats when he jumped up and flared at me lol.

[Thunderloon]

We had a VT named Emo, he would sit up all night watching us desperately hoping we weren't dead. He'd sleep all the time we were awake.

Any time we rolled over he'd float up to say hi... so I bought some neon tetra to put in the tank so he understood that some creatures don't have to go up for air all the time to stay alive.

He started sleeping at night and spent a lot more time with us in the day.


Seriously, you could even just pop your head up and look and he'd be up off the bottom saying HI.