I got my first Betta a month ago and recently he's been nipping his own fins. I have ordered more plants and will be getting some snails to divert his attention. Last night I noticed that he has a noticeable tear in his left pectoral,but I don't know how it could have happened. His appetite is great,but he does seem less active lately . He's in a twelve gallon planted and filtered tank. Please help, I am so worried. Will he grow it back?
What type of betta is he? Some of the largest finned types bite their own fins just to make it easier to swim. Do frequent water changes to maintain water quality and support his body's ability to heal.
The fins will grow back, but dealing with a Betta who nips his own fins is problematic, as nobody seems to know why they do it. I, myself, am dealing with that problem, and it's beyond frustrating. Some say they're stressed. Some say they're bored. Others say it's genetic- they were bred to strike at long, flowing tails, and they do. The only consensus seems to be that to prevent infection you need to keep the water as clean as possible with frequent partial water changes, and observe carefully for signs of fin rot or fungus. _________ I'm doing my own research on this, because I'm dealing with the exact same problem (without success so far- my little guy has taken off about half of his own tail and ten percent of his dorsal fin) and if you don't mind, will you answering some questions? I know there are a lot, but if we can find some commonalities in tail nippers maybe we can give practical advice to self tail nippers in the future, rather than a bunch of unproven theories that directly contradict one another- How long has he been in the twelve gallon tank? The entire month, or did you have him in some other tank first? And when did you first notice him nipping at his fins (if it is different than when you noticed the actual damage)? What is the temperature of the tank he's in now? Is there a heater with a thermostat? If you don't have a heater with a thermostat, can you give an approximate idea of the temperature change between day and night (air temperature is fine as you're probably not monitoring water temp)? What shape is the tank (rectangular, square, oval, circular)? What are the approximate dimensions of the tank he's in? Does the tank have a filter, and if so, what kind? If the tank has a Hang On Back or Canister filter, is the water surface disturbed when it's returned? Is there any other type of aeration than the filter, such as an air stone? If you know, before you acquired him, what size and shape container was he in? (Such as a cup, small 'Betta bowl,' divided aquarium, etc.) And what was its approximate size? What other fish and invertebrates are in the tank with him, if any? Does he have a 'Betta Hammock' or some other way of resting near the surface, if he chooses? Do you feed him a commercially prepared Betta food, and if so, which one? Which chemicals do you use in your tank (such as dechlorinators, fertilizers, etc.) by brand, and do you always follow the dosing instructions? If not, do you use more, or less, than suggested?
He's been in the 12 gallon from beginning. I've never noticed him nipping his fins- but the damage was visible from around week 2. He doesn't have a heater- we live in the tropics. Maximum change is about 2-3 degreed Celsius. The tank is about 12.4 gallons long, rectangular. There is a power filter in there which creates surface ripples and the outflow is a bit strong, but the betta avoids it easily as the tank has lots of swim space. I do have an air stone, but don't use it as he hates the bubbles. He's a rescued fish- he was in a disposable plastic cup, in about 100ml of water at the store. I know, it's so cruel. The only other inmate is an assassin snail I got to get rid of pets snails when the tank used to house guppies. Now, no other fish or invertebrates other than it. I have densely growing cabomba floating on the surface- he can very easily rest in them. In fact, that's what he does at night. I don't have access to betta specific food where I live, so he gets TetraBits and bloodworms as a treat. I use a dechlorinator(forgot the brand name) and Seachem Flourish Comprehensive, both as per the recommended amounts.
Are you sure he doesn't have fin rot? That can sometimes make them less active, and if you got him recently and he was a rescue that's definitely a possibility. What is the temperature in the tank? A picture would help a lot
Mine started showing fin damage about two weeks after being put in his new tank. One other respondent said his started nipping his fins after about a week. I'm not sure if it means anything, but it's interesting that they didn't immediately start, nor did they wait months.
I have got it whats your problem.... if its possible then please add a picture for us to see if there is fin rot aor not... I would suggest to slow down the water flow.. as you see bettas avoid moving water but they love to move around every part of the tank as they are very territorial in nature... your flowing water is giving him problem due to which he is niiping his own tail... it will also be good if you can show us a picture of your filter...
