Is it fin rot or tail bitting

[frostwind]

My halfmoon betta Lysander was hit by fin rot 2 months ago and I got it cleared up. His tail grew back some but today when i was looking at him his tail was a lot shorter and when i did the water change i found bits of his tail. He is also have a hard time with SBD. I really need some help. He splits a 2.5 gallon tank with another male betta. I know the tank is really small for two bettas but i have little room and little money. I know their not fighting and dumbo fins are perfect. They have been it the same tank for a month now and this just started.

[Luimeril]

can you get pictures? it's hard to say without them. x:

you can go to walmart and get a big ol' 2 gallon glass cookie jar, or a clear sterilite bin for really cheap. or, even a 2 gallon Kritter Keeper. i totally understand betta keeping on a budget, 'cause i do it myself. most of my tanks are just 2 gallon KKs, and one's a sterilite bin i was given.

[Laki]

Oh woah. Separate them. 2.5 is a very small area to split. Or at least get some craft mesh and make it so the divider is completely dark so they cannot see each other. It doesn't matter if they're not reacting to it now, but in that area they should not see each other. I know what it's like living on a budget, there's no shame in getting creative! Try a baking bowl or unused vegetable crisper from the fridge or an old paper waste bucket (all cleaned out, of course)

Are the missing fins in clumps? Like little noms taken out of his tail? I would say its fin nipping most likely due in part of being in the split 2.5.

If you need to treat one but not the other for SBD, he needs to be separated anyway.
To treat his SBD, pre mix 1tsp epsom salt in some treated water and really mix it well. When all the crystals are dissolved acclimate him to that. Fasting will help for a day. But keep him on the epsom salts as long as he needs to be. 30-50% daily water changes with more epsom salt water will be necessary depending on the size of the quarentine tank.

[frostwind]

yes i will put pics up in a sec

[frostwind]

here is a pic sorry it is on its side

[frostwind]

Im working on getting all my fish there own tank I just have no room to put more tanks

[Luimeril]

that's tail biting. x: he's probably stressed from being able to see/smell another fish, and having such a small space to swim.

as for not having space for more tanks, try a small book shelf. dollar stores sell some for real cheap. i have one, and i only put tanks on the top two shelves(i don't trust them enough for tanks on the other ones, and i have books on them x-x).

[frostwind]

thanks a lot for the help I'll get my hands on some of those book shelves

[callistra]

I don't think that's just biting.. his anal is also shorter..

There also appears to be a raw red color on his head that is concerning me..

A clearer photo would be helpful, if you can.

Also more info is definitely needed: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=49233

[frostwind]

Housing
What size is your tank? 2.5 gallon
What temperature is your tank? 80
Does your tank have a filter? no
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? no
Is your tank heated? yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? no

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? betta bi-gold
How often do you feed your betta fish? once a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? once a week
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 100%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? tetra bettasafe

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? yes
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? yes
When did you start noticing the symptoms? 2 days ago
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
Does your fish have any history of being ill? no
How old is your fish (approximately)? petstore fish