Need some advanced advice...

[jonkear]

Hi guys, I've done some thorough reading on the site about basic Betta care. Yesterday I got an incredible Half Moon Betta, and put him in a 5 gallon tank with a few mild decorations.

I don't have a heater, but my house is usually around 78-80 degrees anyway. The water I used is from a 5 gallon primo jug from Harris Teeter, although the water I had him in last night was from the tap, with some added Betta conditioner/chlorine neutralizer.

He appears to be healthy, but I want to make sure I'm taking care of him adequately. My question is regarding his fins - I can't really determine if his fins are fine and look correct, or if certain areas are torn/unhealthy. What are the early signs to look for? And can tap water cause damage to a Betta fish without water conditioner for a short period of time?

Thank you

Jonathan

[kfryman]

Water should always be dechlorinated, for a few minutes it will be fine to your fish, but longer and they could get chorline burns. You don't want to expose your fish to it though, the shortest amount possible is what you want.

Tap water is best as it has all the minerals the fish need to be healthy. If you can upload a picture we can tell you much easier!

[thekoimaiden]

Hi Jonathan and welcome to the site. Even if your house is 78-80F the tank water won't be that warm. Water is usually 3-4F lower than the air around it as water has a higher specific heat. My house gets around 78F to 80F in the summer and I still need heaters in my betta tanks.

If you just bought him, I don't expect his fins to be in the best shape. Often times the long fins get damaged in transport. This is not abnormal. The early signs of fin damage are small frays or tears and black edging (this is a sign of bacterial fin rot).

It depends on how long he water in the unconditioned water. Chlorine can poison fish, but it's not an immediate process. Bottled water is actually worse for bettas than tap water. Water has dissolved minerals in it which the fish needs. Pure water (which is often what bottled water is) has none of these minerals. Bottled water will zap the minerals from the fish's body through diffusion. Unless you have major problems with your tap water (unfit to drink) you should be using it.

[jonkear]

Does this picture help? He's swimming around quite a bit, so it was hard to get a good shot of him.

[thekoimaiden]

He is a very pretty boy. He looks like a double-tail to me. You should be able to see it better if you let him see a mirror. His fins will flare out and you'll be able to see his real beauty.

His fins do look a little tattered but not very much. They look in pretty good condition for just having been shipped. Keep his water warm and give him good food and his fins should be looking great in no time! If you see any clear ends on his fins, that is regrowth.