I’ve had Raz, my male Veil Tail Betta, since Sunday. Yesterday when I woke up, his fins were fine. About 2 hours later, I noticed his middle fin looked shredded/frayed. Earlier tonight, his top fin looked fine, but then like 20 minutes later THAT fin looked shredded/frayed also.
Behavior wise, he’s acting the same as he has been since I got him. He swims up to me whenever I’m near him, eats all of the food I give him; he isn’t acting like he’s sick or anything. He even flared at me for the first time tonight when I was taking a picture of him!
Is he tail biting, or is this fin rot? From what I’ve read online, fin rot doesn’t appear as fast as this, but I just don’t know. I haven’t seen him biting his tail at all, but if it is tail biting, could he just be doing it when I’m not looking? I mean when I am looking at him, he’s right there looking back at me. He doesn’t take his eyes off me.
Here are some pics below that I just took about 10 minutes ago. It’s just his top fin and middle fin that look like this. His bottom fin looks normal. Please help me identify the problem. I’m so worried about him.
Note: The green on Raz in the pic is just in the pic. He doesn’t have any green on him when I look at him. I think it’s from the flash, because his head is very dark blue/black.
3 silk plants and regular gravel. There's also an air pump tube that's attached to an undergravel filter, but it's turned off.
I plan on getting him a little cave this weekend.
Was the under gravel off when the 2 incidences occurred?
I'm guessing that it might have to do with the PH of your water or the hardness... I'm still new to betta care too so hopefully someone more knowledgable comes along =) I THINK I read that higher PH water causes fins to sometimes curl/fray?
Good luck, I'll continue to follow your post so I can learn too!
The filter an air pump were on when I notice the middle fin, which is why I shut them off; I thought maybe the current, as mild as it was, could've caused it. But they've been off since yesterday, and his top fin became like that earlier tonight, so now I don't think that's what caused it.
I'll go to Petco tomorrow and get more water stuff and do a water change. If the water is the cause, when will he start improving? Should I also do a fin rot treatment just in case?
The filter an air pump were on when I notice the middle fin, which is why I shut them off; I thought maybe the current, as mild as it was, could've caused it. But they've been off since yesterday, and his top fin became like that earlier tonight, so now I don't think that's what caused it.
I'll go to Petco tomorrow and get more water stuff and do a water change. If the water is the cause, when will he start improving? Should I also do a fin rot treatment just in case?
Bettas r able to adapt to most PH levels. Pet stores do offer additives to raise as well as lower PH levels... However I've read that trying to keep correcting the PH may result in roller coaster-type fluctuations which would b stressful/harmful for him.
I find it very unusual that the damage happened so suddenly... What kind of water conditioner do you use?
Also, are the tips gray where it's frayed? Was it always like that?
The water conditioner is the sample kind that came with my aquarium. It's a brand name, my husband said its the same he used when he had fish about a decade ago. I am going to get a new water kit though, just in case.
As far as his tips, I think that's another byproduct of the flash from my camera. The tips of his fins, while frayed/shredded, look "normal" otherwise, as in no discoloration on the tips.
Ok, so this is what I did. I did a 100% water change tonight and added half a tablet of a pH tab, some of the water conditioner I listed above, and some aquarium salt. I also rearranged his plants, took out the air pump and filter, and added a new "toy" for him. I couldn't find a cave with a smooth surface, so I got him a hollow cylinder with 3 holes in it. I also put a new thermometer in, one of the in tank kind. I don't like not having a filter though so next week I'll be getting a low current one that's small enough for my tank. I also changed his food to Omega One Betta Buffet pellets.
He's still acting normal, and his bottom fin still looks fine, so I'm hoping it's just tail biting and that he stops soon.
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