Tail Biting

[speeddemonbk]

I bought Azeroth about 2 months ago. He's a baby crowntail, and is about 3 months old. He has started tail biting all of a sudden...he's only nipping off the ends of the strings of his tail. I've never seen him do it, and it has been a week or so since it had to have started, I do bi-weekly cleanings. Nothing has changed in his tank. No food change, no water treatment change...nothing. Should I treat his water with the same medicine I use for fin rot (it is for bacterial fish infections) or just let him go and hope he stops?

[LeoTheLakerBetta]

What size tank and when you say biweekly do you mean twice a week or every other week?

Just clean water is the answer, and aquarium salt would be a good supplement for fin rot or tail biting. Although for tail-biting salt isn't really necessary.

[speeddemonbk]

Originally Posted by LeoTheLakerBetta

What size tank and when you say biweekly do you mean twice a week or every other week?

Just clean water is the answer, and aquarium salt would be a good supplement for fin rot or tail biting. Although for tail-biting salt isn't really necessary.

I clean it usually every two weeks unless it looks like it needs it before. He does have clean water that's why it was odd he did that- I always use salt in the water anyway to ward off fin rot on the CT's. I'll just let him go and see what happens. Thanks anyway

[sainthogan]

Aquarium salt is only meant to be used short term, 10 days maximum. It can eventually burn them. In fact there was a girl here who's fish lost his fins due to salt burns. Not a pretty site at all, poor thing had a bright white patch where the fin used to be.
Also, depending on your tank size, you should be doing a minimum of 1 water change weekly. I have a 5 gallon tank and I do a 50% water change weekly. Fish naturally produce ammonia through their waste, waiting until it looks like it needs a change is too long - dangerous levels of ammonia have already built up by then, taxing your fish's immune system. Unclean water can cause stress which can lead to tail biting.
The best way to heal the fins is warm, clean water. You will probably need to do several water changes a week in order to help. There is a helpful sticky under the fish care section about water changes - how many you should do based on tank size and filter/no filter.

[speeddemonbk]

Originally Posted by sainthogan

Aquarium salt is only meant to be used short term, 10 days maximum. Unclean water can cause stress which can lead to tail biting.

I DO change the water often- at least once every two weeks if my schedule is busy, but usually every week. I cannot stand gross slimy fish tanks. It is never dirty. When I said "or if it looks like it"...I am referring to the dust gathering on the surface of the water of the fish I do not have covered. Therefore he is never, nor has ever, been in dirty water. I changed the water on Monday, and the Monday before that as well.

As for the salt, I don't have any problems with it whatsoever and I've done it this way for many years. I only add a tiny amount, I don't make their water saltwater or pure salt. It's probably not even 1/16th of a teaspoon to a gallon. They are freshwater fish.

[sainthogan]

It doesn't have to look unclean to have ammonia build up.

[LeoTheLakerBetta]

Yea ammonia dissolves into water quite easily and it is imperative that you clean it often to prevent fin rot like this. Check out Old Fish Lady's water change recommendations in the Bette fish care section :)

[speeddemonbk]

The tank is clean and cleaned often. As I have said, I try to do it every week, some Monday's I can't because I'm not home. He is not tail biting because of the water being dirty or ammonia buildup-because it isn't. Trust me on that, I have owned bettas for 10+ years. I have never had a tail biter besides this one. He did not have it last week when I changed his water. I noticed it Monday. How could fresh clean water be riddled with ammonia only days later, he doesn't live in a cup.

You want to see a true dirty fish tank go to my Mom's who's betta only gets it's tank clean if I go do it. It amazes me he is even alive after a year.