Torn dorsal fin..help please

[Bettatrainer]

To anyone out there with the knowledge of how to treat a torn dorsal fin please help...I have already done a lot of reading on the tic but need some advice. I just got my dthm betta, Mushu, this past Wednesday. I have him in a 10 gallon filtered tank with three Julio corys. I went to the store this early this afternoon ago get filter foam to baffle my penguin 100 filter (Mushu is super happy now that he isn't getting pushed around by the water current). I also picked up a silk plant to hind the intake for my filter. Anyway after I finished installing the baffle and the plant, I noticed that Mushu has torn his dorsal fin a little over half way down. So here are my questions: how much of a water change should I do? How often? Do I add aq salt as a preventative measure? Or should I just see how it goes?

He is acting just fine and is swimming around happily. He is eating twice a day 2 pellets each time ( Aqueon betta food) he also likes freeze dried brine shrimp and blood worms. I thought I would make a nice mixture of those while he is healing since they are high in protein. I will add a picture so you all can see his before tear and after tear.

Thank you!

[Bettatrainer]

Here is the torn photo

[Bettatrainer]

Can anyone help me? I would like to start him on some sort of treatment. I dont want this to start an infection. Thank you.

[LittleBlueFishlets]

A torn fin just needs warm, clean water to heal. Some people recommend using API Stress Coat too, as it can promote healing.

Check all artificial plants and the decorations for sharp edges. Anything sharp can catch on his fins, causing them to tear. It looks like you have some plastic plants. These are notorious for tearing fins. You may want to replace anything plastic with soft silk plants. (Many people use live plants also.)

As long as his fins don't show any discoloration (red, black, etc), and don't seem to be becoming jagged at the edges, which would indicate an infection setting in, I would just make sure his water stays VERY clean until the tear heals.

[callistra]

It looks like to me you have some plastic plants attached to the ornament that are likely the culprit. Plants that are short and spiky and plastic like that always snag in my experience.

[Bettatrainer]

Thanks everyone... I have replaced my plastic plants with silk ones. Can anyone tell me how often I should change the water?

[callistra]

Did you cycle the tank before you added him? If it's already cycled and you're sure (2 months with ammonia source safe) Then weekly 25-50% with siphon. If it's not, in addition to this you need to test daily using a reliable drops kit for ammonia and nitrite and do and additional 50% change any time you see either show up. Ammonia will spike first, then nitrite. Ammonia will then stick to 0 first and finally nitrite leaving only nitrates which should be able to be kept <20ppm with the once weekly change with siphon.

[Bettatrainer]

No I didn't cycle the tank before I out him in. I added safestart to the tank and let the tank run for 14 hours before adding him. I just got the tank and the fish on this past Tuesday. I did pick up a testing kit today that measures pH, hardness, alkalinity, nitrite, nitrate and ammonia. How long do I need to test for? I also bought aq salt to add in case I see fin rot begin. My temperature is pretty constant in the tank ranging from 78 to 79. I have three Julii corys that are with the betta. I can been cleaning out the food that does not get eaten and any waste I see with a baster. My betta is darting around and starting to blow bubbles and first the first time since I got him he ate more than two pellets of food. I usually offer him 2 at each meal (am and pm) but he usually only eats one. I gave him brine shrimp tonight and a pellet and he ate both and then started to try to eat the pellets for the corys. So I gave him a second pellet which he ate.

[callistra]

Testing until you see the ammonia spike and fall stick still at zero even after a full week and same with nitrites.. month or two.

[Bettatrainer]

Ok thank you.