Injured betta

[Spookie]

Today the divider in my ten gallon betta tank somehow got slanted and one male betta managed to squeeze into the others side. When I got home, one of them was already very injured. His fins are shredded, he has a lump (bite mark?) on his spine, and his lips are very swollen. I've fixed the divider, but have since put him in a little container with extra salt. He is moving around and breathing at the top, but seems like he is struggling to get there. He is also not eating any food. How should I treat him!? Poor little buddy

 

[Zagz]

Don't bother feeding him. Make sure he has an airstone for oxygenization of the water. Keep the water pristine with as many water changes as needed and try keeping the lights off a bit more to ease stress. How small of a container?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Don't bother with the airstone either. Bettas can breath from the surface and prefer a still waters surface to do so. Make sure he's warm and the water stays very clean. You can add a little aquarium salt to the water. (1 tablespoon per 5-10g. Add it slowly over a day) If he's having issues reaching the surface lower the water level a bit. As said, what size container?

 

[Zagz]

Also do not add any melafix, pimafix or bettafix. It can be damaging to the betta.

 

[Spookie]

He's just in a small container, maybe half a gallon, until I figure out where to put him. I do have buckets (about three gallons) and an empty five gallon tank, but I have no idea where he would recover best. The water level is about three inches high and he seems to be doing better with it lower like that. He didn't seem like he was doing as well in his half of the ten gallon because he was having trouble getting to the surface. He also looks like he has a big scratch on his top lip and a big chunk out of one side of it. Should I use any antibiotics?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

The more water the easier to keep clean it will be. If you have a 5g and a spare heater I'd put him in that about 2/3 full. Also add something for him to hide in and rest on near the surface. Bettas are pretty tough little fish. He'll hopefully recover with just clean water. If his wounds change color or grow a fuzz let us know.

Zagz- good point with the melafix/pimafix!