Plants and fins

[elem86]

I have had java ferns and corkscrew vals in my tanks for a few months and not troubles. But, I recently added cambomba and java moss and now I have torn fins.

I saw my CT rip the ends of his rays on the moss so I took it out and put it back in my quarantine jar. Has anyone else had this problem? Do VT fins catch on it too?

I have also noticed that one of my VT is looking quite ragged on the tail and anal fins. Could this be caused by repeatedly swimming through cambomba? When I got him about a month ago his tail looked like it had been cut in a straight line, not ragged, but it was showing nice regrowth. I will try to get a picture but he's a cellophane so it's a bit hard to catch the light right.

[elem86]

Here's picture where hopefully you can see his ripped tail. He's so fast it was hard to get a good pic. Does it look like it could be from the plants or is it something else?

[fishy friend2]

don't know what it is out plants can't rip tails. Java moss is too soft, as well as cabomba.

[Hallyx]

I don't trust Java moss, either. It seemed tough and abrasive (like soft razor-wire) when I tried to separate it.

Camboba is really soft; can't imagine fin damage from it.

That's a really good pic of a lovely cellophane. But, to my eye, those look like tailbites. Could be wrong, just a trick of the light.

[elem86]

Thanks for the replies. I did an extra water change for my cellophane and the bit of fuzziness on his tail went away. Now it looks more like new growth so I'm not too worried.

I saw my CT catch the rays of his tail, panic as he tried to get away, and actually rip on the javamoss. I now have it tied really flat to some rocks in my female's tank and I've seen her lay on top of it without problem but I don't think I will put it in with any of my males again.

[Bombalurina]

That is just really wierd. Are you sure it is java moss? That stuff should not be at all sharp/catchy/tough/abrasive. It is more likely that he caught his tail on something already trapped in the java moss, rather than the moss itself.

[Roxy]

Java moss are sharp?

As far as I know * by looking at my brother's tank * it looks very soft.

[fishy friend2]

Java moss has never ripped my bettas tail, and the moss feels really soft IMO

[Hallyx]

Yeah, it feels soft when you hold it or squeeze it. But if you try to separate it into two pieces, and get your fingers down in it and pull, it doesn't feel so soft to me.

Although this is the first time I've heard of fin damage from Java moss, I don't find it difficult to believe.