bettas fins

[StreetCypher]

my betta has been living in my community tank for the last...3 months. Before that it was living in a, i think, 1 gallon tank on its own for about...3months. I noticed that the ends of his fins are getting a little tattered. They aren't smooth like a long time ago. I asked the guy at the lfs but he said it was because he could swim around so much (wear and tear). But another source said that he had fin rot and he was slowly dying. I'm not sure which it is. He is completely healthy otherwise, the tank is maintained properly. Any input?

 

[OrionGirl]

Bettas can get torn fins if there are fish that pick on them, or if there are lots of sharp things--plastic plants are frequently identified. If the betta is the only one with tattered fins, I'd doubt it's related to bacteria, and start being suspicious of tankmates.

 

[Leopardess]

Is it possible that they are just a little "curly"? I was reading somewhere once, might have been at topbetta, that due to certain minerals/stuff in the water, it can cause their fins to get "crinkly" at the ends - nothing to worry about.

If they are torn looking, it could be another fish, as OG mentioned, or it can even be because of plastic plants with sharpish edges - since bettas are so fond of rubbing up against them.

 

[Celura]

If it's fin rot, the ends usually start to fade a bit and turn blackish. I know there are some pics on bettatalk.com of fin rot if you want to see what it looks like. That may help confirm whether or not that's what it is.

Also, are there hard plastic plants in the tank? What other types of fish are in the community tank?

 

[MissMeow]

Also, if they gravel is sort of rough, he might be dragging his fins along the bottom and that is making them torn or frayed. A new substrate would help. That's why people often have marbles or smooth decorative stones in with their bettas.

 

[brookelyn]

I would have to say that it's probably not fin rot unless there is either a reddish, or black edge to the fins. Plastic plants could be very much to blame (my betta suffered from torn fins until I removed these), or it could be the inhabitants of the tank, as OG mentioned.

If you could let us know what the other fish in the the tank are, as well as if there are any plastic plants in the tank this would be helpful.

If it's nothing more than simple torn fins (not fin rot), this should heal on its own with time and continued clean water.

 

[StreetCypher]

Well... now that i took a better look at his fins, they may be a bit more than just tattered. The are kinda sharp. And some of the edges are very slightly lighter than the rest. I have all live plants, but the driftwood has some pointy parts. I have him in with some three spot tetras, and recently (3 weeks ago) added a blue gourami (i know, they may snap one day and kill each other). But i noticed the tattered fins before the gourami was added. The other fish in there are harmless (albino corys, clown pleco, some shrimp). Although... i have once seen my ADF bite his fin and hold on till he was 1/4 way up the tank and then he let go... i dunno what it is...

 

[brookelyn]

I would definitely watch the betta and the gourami carefully. These two are not recommended to be housed in the same tank together.

Tetras can be fin nippers (especially the larger ones in my experience), and of course if the ADF is biting the betta's tail, this could explain his ragged appearance as well.

Curious, what size tank do you have, and what are the water params?

The best advice I can give at the moment is to keep an eye on the betta's fins, and if you begin to notice the lighter area spreading, or if the fins appear even more tattered, I would begin treating the betta with a combination of Melafix and Pimafix. Both of these I believe should be safe for your other tank inhabitants, but do read the labels to be certain.

 

[StreetCypher]

I got a 20g. I know Its a little crowded. ummm... the water params... i dunno. I do regular water changes with a gravel vac. i did a ph test one time. it was at 6.8-7.0ish. everything else i dunno. I figure the regular water changes is sufficient. No dead fish yet. or plants. or algae blooms. fish seem to be at peace. any input is welcome

 

[brookelyn]

I would recommend getting a water testing kit. I speak from experience when I say that just because you're doing water changes, and using a gravel vac, doesn't mean the ammonia, nitrite and nitrAte could not be through the roof in your tank - especially if it's crowded.

Poor water quality is a top reason bettas develop fin rot. If the fin rot is not a serious case -which it doesn't sound like it is at the moment- often times just cleaner water will help correct the issue.