Does my betta have fin rot?

[KateBobkat]

Hi everyone,

I've had my betta (Comet) for a week. Over the past few days I've noticed the ends of his fins are becoming translucent. I'm usure if this is new fin growth, but I'm really worried that it could be fin rot.

He's in a 19 litre (5ish gallon) tank, with a filter, heater (temp between 25 and 27 celcius) & lighting (on for 8 1/2 hours per day). I set it up using some media from my coldwater tank (home to 2 happy, healthy orandas), and ran it for 1 week. Before I got Comet, I tested the water and got 0 readings for ammonia, nitrite & nitrate.

Since we got him I've done one 20% water change. And tested the water twice - both times all the readings came back as 0. The water PH is 7.4.

I feed him once a day, with a 1 day per week fast. So far he's had betta flakes & pellets, freeze dried bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp and tubifax worms.

I've attached a couple of photos - if they're not clear enough to tell, I'll take some more.

I can't tell if the fins are getting longer, or if the colour is draining from them. But I'm sure the ends were all red when I brought him home from the shop.

I'm feeling really anxious about him and quite dispirited about keeping tropical fish now :( Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[shellieca]

Hi and welcome to the Betta world. Tropical fish keeping is not difficult, clean, warm water makes for a happy & healthy fish. Typically fin rot will show as black on the edges. I would however do a larger weekly water change just because 5g, even though a good size for him, is a small volume of water, IMO. Have you ever noticed him nipping his own fins? Now that you've noticed, I would keep an eye on it for a day or two & see if it improves or worsens. Typically if their environment is kept properly clean they'll do fine.

[Silverfang]

The second picture appears to be new fin growth. It looks like he has a nice home.

[KateBobkat]

Thanks for your posts - its helped put my mind at rest. I was so disheartened as I was doing the best I could, yet thought he could have gotten sick so quickly! I'll keep a look out for black tips.

I've not seen him nipping his own fins - but he is a feisty little fish. He does quite a lot of flareing up at his reflection (I'm hoping that he won't do it quite so much once he's settled in?) and has a nibble at my arm if it's in the tank, and has a try at fingers on the outside of the tank!

And thanks for the water change advice shellieca, I'll be doing 50% changes from now on.