big tank and small tears(that are healing) in heavy halfmoon fins

[Butterfly]

Hi,

I got Fred a fluval Chi 5gal a little while ago. I really love it and he just spent his first five days in it(doing a 100% change today because I've given up on the cycle for such a small tank. Going to continue to do a change every 5-7 days.) I bet there is a cycle because I know for a fact there's bb but eh I don't want to rely on it. I have anacharis, marimo, and amazon sword. I bet there's a cycle going, just not one I've been testing for... I haven't tested my levels(oops). I don't have time to...at least not now(finals AHHHHH).

Also, my tubes are leaking and one broke which is why I'm not bothering to test >.< I can't find new ones(or similar type) on amazon. I don't want all those chemicals on my hands/being shaken around in my living room. Does anyone know where I can get new ones or if API will sell me new ones?

I also figured out it wasn't the filter that was causing his fins to break/slit/tear, it's just him being so active and swimming really fast. (he LOVES the 5gal. Lets his fins out and is happier than I have ever seen him in it. It's a good looking tank too). He is a cull-quality pet store messy/very heavily-finned anchovy type half moon male. His fins are really heavy for him and super delicate. It also doesn't help that they're uneven and curly because if he does flare when I'm not around, the fin will put stress in different places due to the curliness/unevenness and he'll pop his fins. :(

I was a bit worried the first time i saw a slit. I put him in the hospital for a few days with aq salt and stress coat. I put him back because he was really sad in the tiny .5 gal :( (no signs of rot, infection, etc.) and I added stress coat in the water(it doesn't need stress coat). My water is very very soft and filtered through the pur water filter. His fins were healing fine so I wasn't worried. I'm still not concerned, just trying to figure out what I should do... I really want to keep him in the 5gal chi because he's so happy in it.

Again, his fins are not tearing due to poor water quality or filter issues. Nothing in the tank can eat him up.

Today I came home to a torn dorsal fin -_- It's torn halfway down just before the center. Again, I'm not that worried, it will heal fine. (the slit in his dorsal fin healed really quickly)

Do you think it will be in his best interest to keep him in a smaller tank to keep him from swimming through his fins? :/ I feel like I know the answer already(no). xD

I will always watch for infection/rot and be sure to post here if it occurs. He's a really healthy and happy fish right now. He NEVER lets his fins out(not flaring, just relaxing them out) in the .5gal and never gets so happy/active.

Have any of you guys had experience with this kind of thing? (betta swims through fins in big tank, happy but won't rip fins in a smaller tank).

I'm pretty sure I'm just going to keep him in the 5gal....

OH! Also, should I buy some stress-zyme? Will it destroy the plants/bb in my tank? Does it mess with ammonia/nitrite/nitrite levels?

Any suggestions/comments/experiences/product references would be extremely helpful. I recently considered just putting him in a plain mr aqua tank with some plants and whatnot but he's doing really well in this one... And the mr aqua i was looking into was a bit bigger. I like the 5gal size. Not too small not too big. Heck, I think I would like the chi 6+ gal even better

Thank you!

[mushumouse]

hmmm, i don't think the tubes themselves need to be a specific size do they? i haven't used my own test kit yet. if not, i've bought test tubes and test tube lids for costumes and craft purposes before through lab supply sites before for very cheap- i think this is the site i used x or something like it. if it has to be the exact tube, they have replacements on amazon by api, but they're so expensive it would be cheaper to buy a whole new kit! :o

[aemaki09]

I dont know about where to get test tubes, but since you arent cycling the tank anymore you should really be testing for ammonia regaurdless. You can get a seachem ammonia alert thing that hangs by suction cup in your tank from petsmart for like $7, that would be really helpful to have so that you know when you need to be doing water changes.

Other than that though sounds like you are doing the right thing, I would rather my fish by happy and torn up that crammed and pretty, as long as the tears arent physically affecting him.

goodluck with him

[Butterfly]

aemaki- I'm sure there's a cycle going, just not one I'm testing for. When I came back, my tank was cycled. :) I will use the best test tube and cap and test for ammonia, though, like you suggested. That's a great idea! Going to go pick one up now. Thank you. ^_^

mushumouse- Thanks for the suggestion! I really appreciate it. I really don't care much for the api tubes, it's a poorly designed cap. I have marked pipettes so it's no big deal getting the water measured.

Going to petco now