Hello! I am new to Bettas. I received two Bettas from a reputable breeder who were extremely healthy upon arrival. I have had them for about three weeks. They are in a 5 gallon, heated (78-80 degrees), filtered tank with a black divider. They have live plants (hornwort, java ferns, java moss, and a few others). I feed them bloodworms and a betta flakes. My red betta seems to be doing well. Note* - I just noticed that my red betta has slight clamping on a small portion of his top fin. He is placed on the side of the tank that does not have the filter. My blue betta is acting normal, but I am seeing tearing on his lower fin which has me very concerned. :-(
I have read that the main cause of fin rot is poor water quality, but I feel I am keeping up with the water quality as I test quite often...
The only thing I can think of is this:
A. The filter (though small and on low) is causing the damage?
B. The two Betta can see each other through the divider. They will flare at each other for a short period, maybe once a day, and go about their business. Could this still be stressing him enough to have a lowered immune system?
C. I breed blue velvet shrimp and I added a couple to their tank to see how they would get along. My betta ended up hunting/chasing them and eating them as delicious snacks for about 4 days. These were juvenile shrimp and not large enough to cause any damage, but maybe the rocks from chasing after them cut his fins??
I have ordered Tetracycline and will follow the steps. I have read there are other possible things you should treat along side the Tetracycline, is this true?
He naturally has black in his fins so it is very hard for me being a new owner to distinguish fin rot from something else? I will say that the black on the ripped part of his fin is much more pronounced in the picture than it looks in real life.
I am thinking of going to buy a small tank today as a quarantine tank, although I am concerned that wouldn't do much because I don't know if it was the water quality to begin with??
I hope I provided enough information! Thank you!
I have read that the main cause of fin rot is poor water quality, but I feel I am keeping up with the water quality as I test quite often...
The only thing I can think of is this:
A. The filter (though small and on low) is causing the damage?
B. The two Betta can see each other through the divider. They will flare at each other for a short period, maybe once a day, and go about their business. Could this still be stressing him enough to have a lowered immune system?
C. I breed blue velvet shrimp and I added a couple to their tank to see how they would get along. My betta ended up hunting/chasing them and eating them as delicious snacks for about 4 days. These were juvenile shrimp and not large enough to cause any damage, but maybe the rocks from chasing after them cut his fins??
I have ordered Tetracycline and will follow the steps. I have read there are other possible things you should treat along side the Tetracycline, is this true?
He naturally has black in his fins so it is very hard for me being a new owner to distinguish fin rot from something else? I will say that the black on the ripped part of his fin is much more pronounced in the picture than it looks in real life.
I am thinking of going to buy a small tank today as a quarantine tank, although I am concerned that wouldn't do much because I don't know if it was the water quality to begin with??
I hope I provided enough information! Thank you!