Question on clamped fins

[Julio1983]

Hi all,

My fish Julio seems to have clamped fins.
Almost 2 weeks ago he tore one of his fins and I think it's because his fin still hasn't healed but I want to make sure it's nothing more sinister.


Housing
What size is your tank? 15 litres
What temperature is your tank? 28 degrees
Does your tank have a filter? No
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?
Is your tank heated? No
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Hai feng granules twice a day with Sunday as a fast. I understand this good isn't the best I am waiting for NLS to arrive which I have ordered.
How often do you feed your betta fish? See above

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? Twice a week
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 100% on tues and 50% on fri
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Normally prime but since he hurt himself stress coat

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH: 7.3
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Fins clamped
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? Not that much but he has been 'resting' on his plants a bit more than normal today.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? Today
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Treating him for torn fins with stress coat for two weeks
Does your fish have any history of being ill? No
How old is your fish (approximately)? At a guess 6 months old

Anyway as I said my feeling is that it's still a symptom for his injury... His fin is healing, it's nice and clear, not signs of infection. And how long do torn fins tale to heal?

Thanks guys

[shellieca]

Sorry, I don't use stress coat so I'm asking the question, is yours also a water conditioner? If not, you still need to add the Prime with every water change. He should not be clamped up, IMO, while healing from a torn fin especially if he's healing. IME, once they are feeling better & are in the right water conditions they don't clamp up. Does his tank stay 28c day & night? If there are big fluctuations that could be part of the cause. You have a good water change schedule so I doubt its a water quality issue. Fins can heal quickly or take some time it depends on the severity of the tear & the health of the fish & how well its cared for.

[callistra]

shellieca, Stress Coat is a water conditioner by API.

Even with torn fins your boy should not be clamping out. That's a sign of stress.

How do you do the large water changes, including any acclimation?

[Julio1983]

Thanks for the replies :)

I take all his decorations out then I scoop him out in a cup. With the big change I empty all the water, rinse the gravel and refill with same temp water.
I add the conditioner then float him for 15 mins in his cup, then I add a tablespoon of new water to the cup every 10 mins for an hr before I release him.
I recently got a new heater and it seems more steady compared to the last one I had. His thermometer always reads 27.5-28.
Only thing I can think of is we have had some really hot weather lately and one day last week his temp got to about 29.

[callistra]

It sounds like you do a very careful job with water changes so that shouldn't be it.

The 29 degree climb could have maybe caused some stress, but it wasn't that much of a jump.

What color is his poop and is he pooping daily?

[Julio1983]

yeah he is pooping like a machine!!!
its the same colour as the food like a teracotta colour

[callistra]

Well that's good. I'm not sure what the problem could be. Can you tell us what plants and ornaments are in there?

[LittleBlueFishlets]

Has anything changed during the week? What about the last two weeks? It looks like you switched from Prime to Stress Coat two weeks ago. When did you get the new heater? Anything else change or new?

[Julio1983]

i have some gravel, two silk plants and a leaft hammock.

Also his heater and thermometer

[Julio1983]

i switched from prime to stress coat two weeks ago because of the damage to his fins, and also his heater is new - also about 2 weeks.

thats honestly all i can think of