Help me figure out this one?!

[demonr6]

So I am testing the water with my API kit and as I am dipping the container so I can fill the glass test tubes Polo swims up and I notice this bubble looking thing colored like his fin. Naturally I start thinking something is wrong and I go into panic mode. I go to net him, he is dodging and juking and then I notice the funky bubble thing is no longer there. On closer inspection (hint after I stop freaking out) I notice from the side where said bubble appeared that his ventral fin curls. As he swims this fills up and turns into a little bubble looking thing. Great, my fish now has unwanted flotation devices!? Both of his ventral fins curl so I imagine this is going to look really bizarre when I come home one day and he his being buoyed at the top of the water because his fins have filled like rescue balloons carrying him to the surface. Any thoughts on this? Dang if I don't have some funny stuff happen to my fish I swear.

I highlighted the area in yellow, this is not how it looks filled. Imagine a rather large floating drop about twice that size. His ventral fin when full is floating up over him and it looks like a crimson periscope.

[iheartmybettas]

I have no advice to offer but am sorry to hear about Polo's fin issues. I have to admit I LOL'd at your description. Rescue balloons and crimson periscope...LOL! Haha! BUT I am sorry you are having to deal with it!

[demonr6]

iPhone pics, sorry for the quality but it was there and I had to try and get a picture.

His ventral fin is being pulled up by this bubble..

[Bettaluver4evr]

Oh my! I'm sorry, I don't think there is a safe way to fix this! Sometimes vetrals just naturally curl a little. I've never heard of or seen anything like that before! That is very odd. Sorry!

[Oldfishlady]

Just to rule out supersaturation as a cause....stick your clean but very dry finger in the water for 1 minute....if lots of bubbles form on your finger within this minute...you may have a gas supersaturation problem-this can be fixed by agitating the water to drive off the nitrogen gas...

[demonr6]

Other than Polo looking at my finger like a really big, juicy treat.. nothing. Not one little bubble. I did take a sample of the water I use for the tank to PetSmart to have it checked for hardness and the lady did say everything was fine but it was really hard. I have a Kinetico water system for my whole house and I get the water for the fish tanks after it passes through the filter but not before making it to the salination tank. Now that being said I read somewhere that the hard water may be contributing to this and maybe a 50/50 mix of these is the best approach from now on? I'm stumped.

Also I have a micro bubbler in action in this tank albeit I have it on very light.. Polo likes to sit on the bottom and eat the bubbles.

[Luimeril]

would be your water. o.o Cup has lots of little kinks in is fins from our water, and Zidane(who's a CT), has little bubble-like kinks in his rays. x-X i hope it's nothing harmful to your fishie.

[demonr6]

I wish I could get a good enough pic. If he would stay still for a moment.. LOL

[Bettaluver4evr]

IKR?? Bettas are like, look! Camera! Swim as fast as you can! Kind of like celebritites are in and out of buildings like "That" when you try to snap a photo. Like a slippery squid. Never stays still! :P

[Oldfishlady]

Thats good...no supersaturation issue......the micro bubble thing is most likely the cause...but I am sure you have already figured that out and if he sheds the attached bubble on his own it shouldn't be problematic unless he get too many and floats away...laffs.....