java moss mayhem w/ VT betta?

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7linetoqueens

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Apr 26, 2007
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hey there. i'm new to the site! i originally posted this in the "introduce yourself" section but a moderator suggested i come here...

here is the drama with my VT, The Bloody Baron. got him some java moss for his 2.5 gallon. maybe it was too much plantage? at its most spread apart it was kind of like 6 inches across. i saw he liked swimming through it so i was happy for him. BUT then his tail, long and red, got stuck on it and parts ripped off. the trauma led to ensuing fin rot.

i caught it and took care of it and thankfully it healed. i removed the moss the entire time. after he was better, i thought i'd try the moss again, just a tiny 2-inch clump, so it could feed off of the wastes in the water. ultimate bummer AGAIN - the fresh new piece of the Baron's tail that just grew back got caught and ripped off again!

Suffice to say, i no longer keep java moss with him. but, since it is recommened for betta bowls (which i have), i was wondering - what happened? is this common? if so, why is java moss always recommended??

:huh:
thanks everyone!
 
um, i'm sure that's what the ppl at the LFS told me. yikes. is it possible they gave me something else? it sort of looks like a ball of green hair with teeny tiny leaves on it, that which the Betta's tail got caught on, as if they were little hooks.

sorry that may be the worst description ever but it's the best i can think of. i will try to take a picture of it later maybe?

thanks for your help.
 
i would suggest you do take a pic java moss as far as i know doesn't have any sort of leaves, but i could be wrong so take a pic to clarify what it looks like
 
Odd. I've kept java moss with bettas with no problems. Huge clumps of it. I've got a 10 gallon set up filled to the brim with java moss. The betta just navigates through the twisted nooks and crannies with no damage whatsoever to his tail or fins.
 
maybe some bettas are just clumsy. since yours continues to get stuck in it, don't force yourself to put java moss in there. if you want plants, try anubias or maybe java fern. the fish should find it extremely difficult to get anythnig caught on those.
 
Java moss has small leaves on all the individual stringers. If the fish started to get caught and panicked, it might damage his fins. Make sure you keep the java moss trimmed so he has plenty of free space, and it should be fine.
 
I agree with trying a different plant. Something he can't get injured in so easily. Quick question though... is Baron the only fish in the tank? Do you spend much time with him? Give him things to do? Because I had a steele VT betta who got 'bored' because I wasn't doing much with him and out of lack of anything better to do, he started chasing and ripping his own tail.

When I noticed this, I started interacting with him more, giving him mirrors to flare at every once in a while for 5-15 minutes at a time. Then as I bought more bettas, I'd switch them around and set them closer or farther apart to keep him interested in what was going on around him. He didn't start in with the self-mutilation again until he was really really old and then I guess he'd gone senile or something because nothing kept him from it at that point.
 
I have Watersprite in my 2.5g, and my CT loves to swim under, around and between it.. .. . .
 
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