Clear fins on betta?

Deja_Vu

Deja_Vu

Fish super-newbie!
Dec 2, 2005
20
0
0
36
Oregon
Lately one of my bettas has been developing clear fins, its just a little bit of his tail, but its really odd. He's normally a dark purply-blue-red color, and its very strange that part of his colors seem to have clear, its not like its missing or anything, its just that it has no coloration anymore.

He's in one of those little betta-bowl things thats fairly small(I'm waiting to set up my new tank, it'll be soon though) and there isn't any filtration/heating, just a warm room temperature and weekly water changes.

I'd take a picture, but the camera hates me, and refuses to work properly, but when I do I'll put one up if it'll help.

Any help at all would be good :D thanks.
 
Well, "fin rot" typically causes fins to turn white at first, and this doesnt really sound like that. Is the fish eating normally? swimming normally? what are your readings for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate?

All of this will be important in figuring out what is going on with your fish. Then again, it could be nothing, a buddy of mine owned a betta that changed color three times during its life.

Post a pic or two!
 
Both him and my other betta are doing the normal "this bowl is too small we're bored" routine, so there isn't much swimming, mostly just floating near the fake plants. They both eat normally, three little bits of Hikari Betta Bio-Gold twice a day, the only time they don't get that much is when they miss a piece or two because it gets pushed away by the current they make when they jump to catch the food.

I couldn't tell you the water peramiters, because I haven't had a chance to get to the store and buy one, but we use a big container to hold the water and we put in a Betta Bowl Buddy(free with the bowl we bought, along with the food mentioned above). It says on the box that it makes the water safe for bettas to live in, so I have a feeling its not that, but I'm not sure.

Here's a terrible picture of the fish I'm talking about, Fabio:
fabio.jpg


And just for kicks, his neighbor Antonio(sorry about the glare):
antonio.jpg


Just so you know how bad those photos are-Fabio is alot more purple, and Antonio is alot more blue, and not quite so green o_o
 
If that's the kind of behavior they are exhibiting and their fins are becoming transparent, then it's not a "this bowl is too small we're bored" routine. It's a "we are starting to die" routine. A small, unheated, dirty (if less than 100% daily water change, it's dirty) bowl is death for a betta.

I suggest you expedite the tank you were referring to or you are going to lose them. How big is the tank? Is it filtered? Heated?

The water needs to be changed 100% daily in a bowl that small, not once a week.

I'd throw the betta buddy stuff in the garbage. You don't need anything to make the water safe except a dechlorinator like Prime or Amquel.

Bettas need a filtered and heated (between 79-82*) tank and regular water changes of 50% a week.

Roan
 
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50% a week might be too much (except maybe a gold fish in a 2 gallon bowl haha), just stick to normal water changes in a larger bowl with a filter, even a little 5 gallon set up will do the job, and if you shop right you can get everything for much less than $100.

And, in regards to just sitting around near the plants... I hate to break this to all the betta fans out there... BETTAS ARE BORING AS HELL!
 
I don't really know anything about the fins turning transparent but I can tell you what has worked for me in regards to having a healthy betta. I started in the little plastic betta tank that was referred to me when I purchased my betta. The guy told me that the betta wouldn't swim around and only float in one spot so I didn't need anything bigger. Boy, was he wrong! My betta, Belliup, used every nook and cranny in that itty, bitty tank. He stated building bubblenests each day as well. Because he seemed so confined in that little tank, I ended up buying a two gallon tank that was a goldfish started kit and added a little hoodlight unit afterwards. My betta still swims all over the place in it and builds bubblenests regularly. I do a 10% water change once a week and Monday is his fasting day. I will do a 100% change every two or three months and wipe out the whole little tank. (I have a bit of an algae problem due to an errant sun ray that I just found a couple of weeks ago.) Instead of the Betta Bowl Buddies, try Betta plus Bowl Conditioner. I add about a capful for the 100% and just a little dribble for the 10%. Belliup has torn a couple of fins on the plants so I've used Splendid Betta BettaFix Remedy. The directions are simple, just a certain number of drops (according to the size of your tank) daily for a week. Both of these products are available at fine Walmarts everywhere. I wish you luck and love the names of your guys.

For some more good betta info, check out the "Do bettas prefer solitude?" thread.

*To the person who said that Betta are boring...all I can say is (on behalf of my Betta) "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful."
 
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50% a week might be too much (except maybe a gold fish in a 2 gallon bowl haha), just stick to normal water changes in a larger bowl with a filter, even a little 5 gallon set up will do the job, and if you shop right you can get everything for much less than $100.


A betta can never get too much fresh water...I small bowl will register ammonia in 24 hours. 100 percent changes every day are needed to keep it down.

And, in regards to just sitting around near the plants... I hate to break this to all the betta fans out there... BETTAS ARE BORING AS HELL

Au contraire...Low bred half dead bettas are "boring as hell"....My fish are anything but boring...
 
I think there is a personal definition as to what constitutes "boring" for any individual person.

I love my bettas, but let's face it...all they do is swim around all day. Then they lie around. Then they swim some more. Then they eat. Then they might build a bubble nest.

They're just fish...what does one expect them to do really? Play fetch with small pieces of driftwood? Bark on command? Shake fins with their keepers? Jump through little hoops? Wear funny hats and walk on balls?

Now as far as the water change regimen....I think 100% every day is a little much. My fish have been perfectly happy for a very long time on 100% changes every few days, and the guys with cycled, filtered tanks get 50% every few days. All is as well as ever. Granted it's that much better to change 100% every day, but let's not scare the newbies into thinking that betta keeping is a full time job.
 
The fish in question is in one of those "little betta bowl thingies"...I have a good idea what she is talking about...Perhaps 2 cups of water...In order to keep him from poisoning in his wastes (which he is most cetainly doing) daily changes ARE necessary. As a bowl guidline- 1/2 gal and smaller, change every day.. 1gal, every other day and 2 gals about every 3 days..Im not trying to scare anyone off, just state the facts. If you want to keep them in tiny bowls, be prepared to do the work to keep them healthy...
 
echoofformless said:
They're just fish...what does one expect them to do really? Play fetch with small pieces of driftwood? Bark on command? Shake fins with their keepers? Jump through little hoops? Wear funny hats and walk on balls?
Click to expand...
Mine don't bark, but they do all those other things. :laugh:
 
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