Fish fell and being lethargic

[mushy coral]

I went to the fish store and got myself a marine betta around 4’. Unfortunately during packaging, it fell down from 5ft and got imediately put back into the bag. I brought it home anyway cause its the last one they have. When i got home, i notice he spit out some remaine pieces of shrimp and all the acclimation time it does not swim but lie down and breath not fast but still heavily. Even when I finish acclimating and put it in the tank, it look so weak and float then got stuck to the outer part of the powerhead. I then took it out and put it in a place with hiding spot and less flow but later i caught him swam out of there and lie down near the front glass. Will it be ok? I turned off the light so it can relax now.
The first image is when i was temp acclimating and the shrimp piece still in the bag wwith it and the second one is when it swam out of the hiding spot

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I went to the fish store and got myself a marine betta around 4’. Unfortunately during packaging, it fell down from 5ft and got imediately put back into the bag. I brought it home anyway cause its the last one they have. When i got home, i notice he spit out some remaine pieces of shrimp and all the acclimation time it does not swim but lie down and breath not fast but still heavily. Even when I finish acclimating and put it in the tank, it look so weak and float then got stuck to the outer part of the powerhead. I then took it out and put it in a place with hiding spot and less flow but later i caught him swam out of there and lie down near the front glass. Will it be ok? I turned off the light so it can relax now.
The first image is when i was temp acclimating and the shrimp piece still in the bag wwith it and the second one is when it swam out of the hiding spot

I agree, it may have been injured in its fall. Its eye looks cloudy - are both eyes like that or just one? Can you post a video of the fish now?

 

[winxp_man]

Have personally had unfortunate events of this sort when I started. And of the few I fumbled trying to put into a tank without a net, they all lived. Had a powder blue that sat for a whole night in the corner and in the morning sprung back up. With these types of issues it’s hard to say what direction the fish will take, being it can be an internal thing.

 

[ScottJ]

I had a Carpenter Wrasse jump from the tank and landed behind it. It's up against the wall, so it took me some rime to pick him up and back into the tank. He hid and didn't swim or ear for a cou[le days. But he made it and is just fine. That was about a year ago.

Hope for the best!

 

[mushy coral]

I agree, it may have been injured in its fall. Its eye looks cloudy - are both eyes like that or just one? Can you post a video of the fish now?

Sorry I cant take any shot now the whole tank is sleeping and its got half its body in the cave and its leaning on a small piece of rock to sleep. As I see its both eyes seem normal but still have to wait till tomorrow when it swim out to be sure.

 

[mushy coral]

Have personally had unfortunate events of this sort when I started. And of the few I fumbled trying to put into a tank without a net, they all lived. Had a powder blue that sat for a whole night in the corner and in the morning sprung back up. With these types of issues it’s hard to say what direction the fish will take, being it can be an internal thing.

Hope that this dude gonna make it like your PBT

 

[mushy coral]

I had a Carpenter Wrasse jump from the tank and landed behind it. It's up against the wall, so it took me some rime to pick him up and back into the tank. He hid and didn't swim or ear for a cou[le days. But he made it and is just fine. That was about a year ago.

Hope for the best!

Great to hear it! I do have wrasses jumped out of tank too. It was a male exquisite wrasse and he jumped out when I was feeding them and landed through the gap of the couch and the wall. He was out for nearly 5 mins until I put him back in and he was swimming weird but then back to normal just after an hour lol.

 

[mushy coral]

I agree, it may have been injured in its fall. Its eye looks cloudy - are both eyes like that or just one? Can you post a video of the fish now?

Heres the video. 2 hours after lights on and it still breath heavily, both eyes are turning cloudy and its tail seems to be torn off at the tip and it cannot swim normal.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Heres the video. 2 hours after lights on and it still breath heavily, both eyes are turning cloudy and its tail seems to be torn off at the tip and it cannot swim normal.

The eye looks worse to me, and I can see some fin and skin damage….it must have really flopped around or hit the ground really hard.

Sorry - but I don’t have anything else to offer other than hope it can heal itself. If you see signs of infection you could treat with an antibiotic.

 

[mushy coral]

The eye looks worse to me, and I can see some fin and skin damage….it must have really flopped around or hit the ground really hard.

Sorry - but I don’t have anything else to offer other than hope it can heal itself. If you see signs of infection you could treat with an antibiotic.

Tbh I dont think it gon make it to tomorrow. Its kind of paralyzed, no movement at all, only its mouth gasping for air.