Panicked Fish Mom, please help!

Hi everyone,

I am absolutely just heart broken. I feel like something is wrong with my beta. First, he’s turning a much darker color, but every time I have posted about it, people assure me it’s just a color change. He’s been slowly changing from a light pink to a dark red or black. The people assuring me it is a color change are much more educated about Betas than I am, so I trust their opinions, but my gut is just telling me something is up. Now his tail is tattered. I’ve used tap water to fill his tank but I use water conditioner and since I’ve noticed the tattered tail, I did two rounds of stress coat. He acts completely normal, he’s lively, he eats normal. All my tests for the water come back right, temp is never below 77 and never above 81. I have a water filter.
I just have no idea what to do. I really think I am failing him. If he dies bc of something I am doing or not doing, I will feel horrible I hurt a living thing, especially my little friend who’s been helping me through my hard times. Please help.

 

Do you know what the pH of the tank water is? I have had issues in the past with suddenly high pH causing fin decay when all other readings were perfect.

 

Do you know what the pH of the tank water is? I have had issues in the past with suddenly high pH causing fin decay when all other readings were perfect.

pH is 6.8. I just tested the water with my testing strips. This is the reading

 

Hi everyone,

I am absolutely just heart broken. I feel like something is wrong with my beta. First, he’s turning a much darker color, but every time I have posted about it, people assure me it’s just a color change. He’s been slowly changing from a light pink to a dark red or black. The people assuring me it is a color change are much more educated about Betas than I am, so I trust their opinions, but my gut is just telling me something is up. Now his tail is tattered. I’ve used tap water to fill his tank but I use water conditioner and since I’ve noticed the tattered tail, I did two rounds of stress coat. He acts completely normal, he’s lively, he eats normal. All my tests for the water come back right, temp is never below 77 and never above 81. I have a water filter.
I just have no idea what to do. I really think I am failing him. If he dies bc of something I am doing or not doing, I will feel horrible I hurt a living thing, especially my little friend who’s been helping me through my hard times. Please help.

If he is eating and acting normal that is a good thing. Bettas do change color.

How often do you change water? How much? Is there anything in the tank that could rip his tail?

 

I agree with StarGirl, but it could also be bad genes. No matter how much care and love you show your betta, they are just so heavily inbred nowadays, that you never know the true background. I hope this isn't the case for your little betta buddy! You sound like your a great fish parent, and it's good that he's still active and eating. In my case, the older a longfin betta gets, the lazier they get. Droopy fins, and laziness. It doesn't sound too complicated. As for the color, it really could just be the marble gene, for it's really common in the platinum morphs. He's just stunning!

Edit: Trust your gut; test your water, check his diet, and keep track of his age. You never truly know with bettas.

 

pH is 6.8. I just tested the water with my testing strips. This is the reading

do you have a test for ammonia? most strips dont include ammonia. i also recommend getting a liquid test kit for more accurate results. i noticed my fish's fins start decaying when there was ammonia in the tank. it's also normal for bettas to change color.

how long have you had your fish? do you have any artificial plants that could rip his fins? also, stress coat is just a water conditioner; aloe does nothing beneficial for fish. clean water via water changes is always best for minor ailments

 

Concerning your betta's color....he could have the marbling gene, which would explain the color change.

It looks to me like he is either fin biting, or he has gotten his caudal fins caught on something. Bettas like to squeeze into places they don't belong, and that often causes fin damage. Check your decor for sharp edges. Also, they can rip their fins by squeezing behind the filter or heater.

When they bite their tails, it can look like bite sized chunks are missing, or it can have the apprearance of the tassels on a shawl, which is what your betta's fins look like to me. Long finned bettas can be prone to fin nipping out of frustration. Some times you can catch them in the act if you watch long enough. If you see him swimming in a tight circle, that is definitely nipping behavior.

I would do small, frequent water changes every other day for a while. When his fins start to heal, the new growth will be translucent. You can use stress coat with every water change.

I would also add some humic substances that provide tannin rich water, like Indian almond leaves or alder cones. Tannins will tint the water brown, and some people don't like that, but it is very good for your betta's health.

Hope this helps!

 

If he is eating and acting normal that is a good thing. Bettas do change color.

How often do you change water? How much? Is there anything in the tank that could rip his tail?

I change the water 25% about every two weeks. I’ve recently (within last two weeks) upped that frequency to once a week. I don’t think there is anything that could rip his tails bc everything in his tank has been in there for a few months.

 

I change the water 25% about every two weeks. I’ve recently (within last two weeks) upped that frequency to once a week. I don’t think there is anything that could rip his tails bc everything in his tank has been in there for a few months.

What size tank?