Betta with torn caudal fin

Well this morning when I got up I checked on Dorey our male betta and his caudal fin was in perfect shape. I checked him again about 3pm est and I was totally shocked to see his tail shredded up. I took out what I thought had done it to him which was a plastic plant. I saw him laying on top of it lastnight before I went to bed and like I said he was fine this morning. I don't think hes getting it from the filter cuz ive watched him swim by the filter and he has never gotten stuck to it. Here are some pics of him. 1st one was taken 2 days ago and the rest just earlier today after I noticed his fin. Will it fix itself and what do I need to do to make sure it heals or do I do nothing?

Thx for the help and I hope I do these pics right.



Fin is fine


Fin not so good

 

You can either add some Stress Coat or Kordon Fish Protector, Or you can do water changes every day. Either way, it will heal up pretty quick, as long as you got out what you think the problem was

 

Hello. Wow, a similar thing happened to my betta a few months ago. One day I was shocked to see his tail all shredded. He is fine. His tail won't ever be the same, but it's not infected and hasn't bothered him.

I thought it was the filter at first, too. Then I noticed that he was flaring at his reflection in the acrylic when I came home one night after leaving the tank light on. So he might have done it by flaring at himself for hours. Now I don't leave the tank light on unless another light is on in the room. So your betta *might* have blown his caudal fin with repeated flaring.

Your profile lists your ammonia reading at 2 ppm. Is that an updated number? High ammonia levels are very dangerous to fish of course. Maybe test your water and make sure that your parameters are safe.

+1 Akari.

Hope this helps some!

 

oh ya sorry. I haven't updated my info since I joined. The levels in his tank are finally perfect. As for the flaring... I don't think that would be it cuz I only have the tank light on when it gets dark out and I noticed his tail was shredded about 3pm. Ive been watching him on/off since I discovered it to see if maybe he was nipping his tail but he hasnt been. I think it was that stupid plastic plant I had in the tank which ticks me off cuz I just said to my hubby that I need to get silk or real cuz reading on here I have learned plastic and bettas don't really mix to well then this happens. I kinda feel pretty bad about it atm.

If I add what u mentioned Akari, should I still do 10-20% water changes daily or not necessary? Thx for the recommendation btw.

On a funny note. I have discovered (when I take my dog out late at night) and I put on my black winter coat, he totally HATES my black jacket. I honestly can say I have not seen him flare at all until lastnight when I put on my jacket. I did it again tonight to see if it was a fluke but nope, he hates my coat. Funny little guys they are. I'm noticing as time goes on, what a personality bettas have. They are killer fish and they deserve more respect from PS. He reminds me sorta like my dog. Hes an attention getter. I could spend all day watching him.

 

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If I add what u mentioned Akari, should I still do 10-20% water changes daily or not necessary? Thx for the recommendation btw.

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You can, if you want. I've used Fish Protector on a goldfish with a fin torn all the way to the body, and it healed over night. So, you might even need to.

If you can get it, Fish Protector is definitely the way to go. Its a lot more concentrated, so you need a lot less, and its a lot more effective. But they both are very good products.

You're welcome

 

Well I'm going out today and going to my LPS later this afternoon and I will see if they have that stuff. If they dont, I can't get to the closest FS (which is about an hour away) till at least thursday.

Another thing I forgot to mention lastnight is hes also constipated. I posted about this in the beginners section under another post I started about nitrogen cycle. I was told about peas which I have been feeding him and hes been eating about 1/2 of a pea and he still hasnt had a BM. I'm getting concerned cuz its been probably over a week now. I even read how to give him a Epson salt bath for 15 min and that didnt work. I don't wanna keep giving him a bath cuz he gets stressed out. Any other ideas I can do to get him to have a BM? Other than the peas hes gotten no food at all.

 

PetSmart sells the Kordon, and Stress Coat can be purchased at just about any pet store that sells fish. You can even buy it WalMart.

Feeding him a pea, and fasting him a few days will certainly help him. He only needs a few bites, don't over do it. Don't stress him out with a salt bath until nothing else him. Some bettas don't take new things wells.

 

Well I gave him some pea yesterday so like you said I will wait a few more and see what happens.

The closest petsmart is almost 2 hrs away from me so that's out. Ill check my LFS when I go out in a bit and see if they might have either. My walmart sucks. They have a very very limited supply of fish stuff. I'm sure ill find something close by I hope.

 

Well I gave him some pea yesterday so like you said I will wait a few more and see what happens.

The closest petsmart is almost 2 hrs away from me so that's out. Ill check my LFS when I go out in a bit and see if they might have either. My walmart sucks. They have a very very limited supply of fish stuff. I'm sure ill find something close by I hope.

Anything with Aloe in it should help. Fish Protector had Vitamins and Minerals in it, as well.

 

Well I went to 2 PS and neither of them had either of them. The guy at the first store tried to sell me water conditioner saying it does the same thing. I guess my poor betta has to wait till thursday when I can get to the FS that's about 40 min away and if they don't have it, I'm off to petsmart which is 2 hrs away *cry*

Thanks for the help.

 

Honestly, just keep it clean and warm. No meds needed. Salt maybe if your that concerned. Tail splits are common, so long as he didnt rip one of the rays and just split the webbing he should be ok. I wonder why he stressed that much though, that's a LOT of blowing. Hows the filter current? Also, can he see his reflection, id try to keep him calm while its healing so he doesn't split it further. Also, his tail seems a pit pointed/pinched as it ends, this happens every now and then in VTs, the issue is that they have to much rays and not enough webbing, thus they split easy.

 

In the mean time, water changes every day will do just as well

Honestly, just keep it clean and warm. No meds needed. Salt maybe if your that concerned. Tail splits are common, so long as he didnt rip one of the rays and just split the webbing he should be ok. I wonder why he stressed that much though, that's a LOT of blowing. Hows the filter current? Also, can he see his reflection, id try to keep him calm while its healing so he doesn't split it further. Also, his tail seems a pit pointed/pinched as it ends, this happens every now and then in VTs, the issue is that they have to much rays and not enough webbing, thus they split easy.

Niether Fish Protector or Stress Coat are meds. Simply health aides. Stress Coat is a water conditioner, too.

 

+1 Soltarianknight

 

I wasn't making mention to the stresscoats, just saying that any meds wernt needed XP. You can use stress coats. Waterchanges to keep it clean.

 

I have been doing daily water changes seeing as how I couldnt get anything that was recommended to me by the members on here. I have been adding aquarium salt when I do water changes using the directions on the box which are 1/2 tsp per gallon of water. Should I add more or just stick to the directions?

I wonder why he stressed that much though, that's a LOT of blowing. Hows the filter current? Also, can he see his reflection, id try to keep him calm while its healing so he doesn't split it further.

I didnt think he was stressed but this is my first fish (well my 4 yr olds) and I'm learning things everyday it seems. I think it was a plastic plant he was laying on top of that may have done it. Since then I have removed the plant and just in case it was the filter, I got a sponge to put over it instead. He is still constipated so maybe that's stressing him out. The filter current isn't strong. He has no problems swimming around and it seems like it likes to play in the current at times. I think he may be able to see his reflection but I'm not sure. I can see his reflection when I look straight on the tank at the front and I see it on the sides. He doesn't seem to pay much attention to the sides of the tank. He seems to do circles around the back of the tank. What I mean by this is he will swim around the thermometer, go up high, swim around the heater, go down low and back around the thermometer from one side of the tank to the other and continue to do that over and over and over again. Maybe that's stress I'm not sure. I always thought he was playing and he does it ALL the time. Hes a very curious little guy and I absolutely love him to death and I want him to be very happy and healthy as long as we are blessed to have him.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions. keep em coming lol. Thx again

 

That sounds like normal betta behavior. As long as he's swimming around and not staying for long periods of time on the bottom (he will stay in one place when he's "sleeping").

Also, is it possible that he's not constipated? He may be "going" and you just haven't seen him do it. Perhaps try feeding him one small pellet and see how he takes it. Also, look at his stomach area, just under and behind the gills. Does it bulge downward? That area usually looks fuller just after bettas eat.

How long has it been since he ate? Try a small feeding, an amount equal to the size of his eye. Just one small pellet, or one flake.

I think he is probably okay, especially since it's been a few days since you shared. Keep testing the water. If he doesn't show signs of illness, as long as your parameters are okay, perhaps back off on the water changes to every other day, or every third day. Water changes can be stressful on fish.

Hope this gives you some more ideas. Enjoy your fish!

 

Well I'm glad to hear that what hes doing is normal betta behavior cuz I was concerned that he was stressed or something cuz he just kept going in circles and it seems like he does it ALL day. Every time I go by this tank, that's what hes doing.

As for the constipation... I check his tank daily with a flash light to see if I see poop and I haven't seen anything for about a week or so. He has a small round ball near the end of his body near the tail. The last time I feed him betta food was just over a week ago I believe. I gave him a small amount of pea 2 days ago. Sorry, I gave him 1 piece of a dried red grub that I let sit in tank water for 15 min or so yesterday and he gulped it up.
Hes hungry that's for sure and will eat. I wish I could figure out how to get my camera to focus better so I could maybe get a close up of the area I'm talking about. I don't know how u guys get such great pics. To get the pics I posted in this thread it took me probably over an hour lol.

MY water parameters are fine and he doesn't seem to be ill. The bump he has is noticeable. Even my husband whos not into fish looked at him when I showed him his tail and he asked me why does he have a small bump. Its not HUGE by any means but it is noticeable.

Thx

 

That sounds out of place. Pic please, constipation shows right behind th head, around the pectorial area and it gets a marbel size lump normally. A bumb at the end out the tail sounds more tumorish to me.

 

I will try to get a decent pic. So far it hasnt gone well. Still no poop in the tank though. Idk.

 

Well after taking about 50 pics , I got an ok one. Doesnt show how much of a bump it is. Its bigger on the right side then the left. I marked the area. Its the best pic I could get.

 

Ohhhhhh that's fine, part of the skeletal structure, my female has the same thing. I thought we were talking a large roundish deforming bump . Btw, his fin looks like its healing nicley.

 

Ha I guess in that pink gravel it would be easy to find his poop! ;D

I know it's hard to get a picture of a moving fish. But I'd really like to see that right side of him.

Maybe get some help with the picture-taking. Here is a suggestion: have someone hold a small mirror up to the tank. Dorey will see his reflection and start to flare at it. He'll stay in a relatively small area by the mirror, and you might get a better shot.

 

Ohhhhhh that's fine, part of the skeletal structure, my female has the same thing. I thought we were talking a large roundish deforming bump . Btw, his fin looks like its healing nicley.

Are you sure that's ok. He never had that before and like I said, my husband whos not into fish even noticed it without me saying anything. Its bigger than the pic shows but that was the best pic I could get. I tried to get a close up and zoom in and he wouldnt come into focus. My camera would focus on everything but the fish lol. Like that last pic I posted, its not focused on him, its focused on the sponge bob pineapple cave behind him. I think I need to re-read my manual again lol.

Donnerjay - ya the pink gravel really would help for seeing poop but I have yet to see any and I check daily. (the pink was my 4 yr daughters request not mine lol) I will take ur advice about the mirror and getting help when taking the pics. I need to go over my manual cuz I can't get it to focus on the fish, its like it not picking him up and I don't know why. (new camera) Anyone with Canon g10 on here got any advice?? LOL

Do any of you guys have a betta hammock for your bettas? I got one for mine and I saw him on it once and now he won't go near it. I moved it to the other side of the tank closer to the heater hoping he will use it. I'm starting to think that's a gimmic. hehe

 

Oops, my bad. That IS his right side LOL.

I think he's okay. Honestly. You're doing everything right. He does not appear stressed. He is probably hungry though .

Re: Kordon and stress coat....I think in Canada you can order them online like we do here. Trypetmountain, or Pet Smart, or Petco, or maybe even walmart or amazon.

One other question...how long do you keep the tank light on? Fish need to rest like humans. And if he is stressed, turning off the lights will calm him.

Keep us posted!

 

I know the FS 40 min away has stress coat and ill try and get there when I can. I fed him 2 freeze dried red grubs yesterday and he gobbled em up. Today I'm not feeding him nothing and Sunday ill give him the pea. I did a 50% wc yesterday and looked real hard for poop and there was nothing. The last time I did a gravel wash was a week and a half ago and there still was no poop either. I know he hasnt gone in a long while and I am concerned about that but he does eat and plays.

As for the tank light...I keep it on probably around 6pm to 10 or 11 then I shut it off and I put a tea towel over it cuz where he sits is in my kitchen and my over head oven light is on during the night and the tank is right beside it. From 10-11 to about 8am his tank is somewhat dark.