fin issues??

[BlueBlazeSilverHeart]

hi! my blue boy has a little tiny hole in his tail... is this something to worry about? it does not look infected or anything but it's in a random spot not all the way to the edge could he have just ripped it on something or should i treat for disease? he lives in a 2.5 gallon tank and i just did a full water change 2 days ago along with partials yesterday and today. he has been swimming around normally, and his appetite hasn't changed.

(the only other thing is his side fins have lost their color, but they were like that when i got him several months ago)
i'll post a pic as soon as i can get a good one

[BlueBlazeSilverHeart]

Housing
What size is your tank? 2.5 g
What temperature is your tank? about 70
Does your tank have a filter? no
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? yes
Is your tank heated? not yet
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? none

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? zoo med pellets
How often do you feed your betta fish? twice a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? every other day
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 50%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? a water purifier (not sure what brand)

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? A tiny little hole in his tail
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? no
When did you start noticing the symptoms? today
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? no
Does your fish have any history of being ill? no
How old is your fish (approximately)?not sure, i've had him for about 6 months

[gargleknobs]

I don't know a whole lot about betta care yet, but I do know that his water is much too cold.
I was keeping my fish at about that temperature until recently and he developed fin rot. He should be in water that is about 78-80.

However, as far as I know, fin rot doesn't start as a random hole in the middle of the fin. (Correct me if I'm wrong)
Are there any decorations in his tank that he could have snagged his tail on?

[BlueBlazeSilverHeart]

he has a betta leaf hammock and thats it. it's also been in his tank since i got him...

in this pic (which i took yesterday u can see the little hole in his bottom tail fin) i feel so dumb not noticing it before.

i'm also in the process of getting a heater. he was fine for warmth in my dorm room but now i'm home it's colder...

[gargleknobs]

Does the betta hammock have the metal wiring in it still? If it does, you'll need to remove the wire from it.

I've never actually seen a betta hammock, nor do I know if they have any sharp edges. Does it look like it could catch his fin or poke a hole in it?

Sorry I can't be more useful, I'm still learning about all this, too.

[BlueBlazeSilverHeart]

Originally Posted by gargleknobs

Does the betta hammock have the metal wiring in it still? If it does, you'll need to remove the wire from it.

I've never actually seen a betta hammock, nor do I know if they have any sharp edges. Does it look like it could catch his fin or poke a hole in it?

Sorry I can't be more useful, I'm still learning about all this, too.

No wires in the hammock. and i ran pantyhose over it last time i did a 100% water change and i didn't find rough spots...

[gargleknobs]

You might want to run some water parameter tests. Holes in fins could be signs of high ammonia levels in the water.

How soon will you have a heater?

[BlueBlazeSilverHeart]

a week roughly i ordered one and am not sure when it will get here... i'll run tests monday if i can get my hands on a kit or out to petsmart... stupid having to work><

[gargleknobs]

He looks fairly clamped, so my best guess is that he's stressed out from the cold. The good news is that my fish survived in cold water for a long time before I realized it was a problem, so your fish should be fine through the week given that he's not lethargic and he isn't having any issues eating.

Hopefully that's all it is. You might want to gradually add aquarium salt to his water if his fin doesn't appear to heal up at all once he has a heater.

[callistra]

The hammock has a wire in it unless you removed it.