[RussellTheShihTzu]

It's just my opinon but I think too often we medicate before we know there's actually something wrong. Meds are stressful and, also IMO, should be used sparringly.

Unless you've added new fish or live plants it's doubtful he has ich. I could be wrong but I'd wait and see. Cleaning won't get rid of ich; meds and high temperatures will.

If your tank is filtered and cycling or cycled there's no reason for doing 100%; unless, of course, you're tring to rid it of meds.

There's no reason established for fin biting. It can be that long finned Betta have trouble swimming and find shorter fins make it easier to maneuver. Or they could just be biting the way a dog or cat chases and catches its tail: It's there but with a Betta the tail fins are so fragile damage occurs. No one knows. But what most agree on is avoidance of stress is important. For that reason I would not do a 100% water change. But that's me.

BTW, where was Killian while you were waiting for the water to clear? Is it after that he started biting? If he spent that time in a cup it could have stressed him enough to start biting. Sometimes tanks, especially new ones, will cloud with a bacterial bloom. Perfectly harmless.

 

[RussellTheShihTzu]

Knock wood, I haven't had illness in my tanks in so many years I sometimes forget the uncertainty and worry. I've always tend to be conservative in everything except politics. ;-)

I don't think there's every a way to determine why they fin bite because no one has ever been able to prove anything. It's all guesswork and opinion. If they're eating, active and otherwise acting normal I watch to see if the fins are infected but other than that I don't pay much attention. I used to try to figure it out and it drove me crazy while the Betta continued to swim merrily along.

Good luck with Killian. Let's hope he doesn't have ich and his fin biting was a one-time thing. I've had them do that, too.

 

[RussellTheShihTzu]

Believe it or not, that isn't a really bad case of fin biting. People have posted pictures of Betta without much left of their caudal or dorsal.

The most common cause of fin rot is poor water management; dirty water. With the care you give your boys I seriously doubt you'll have that problem. That's not to say fins can't become infected or develop problems aside from fin rot.

 

[RussellTheShihTzu]

Was he ever in a smaller tank? If so did he bite his fins?

I've had three or four Betta that could not live in anything more than 2.5 gallons. They stressed and bit in a five or a 10. The 2.5 was exactly like the others as far as planting but only there did they stop. It might be worth a try.

I always start new Betta in a 2.5 and leave them there for a month before I put them in a larger tank. I have always thought going from a cup to anything larger than a 2.5 could be stressful for some.

 

[RussellTheShihTzu]

I'm confused...what size tank is he in now? Is it divided?

 

[RussellTheShihTzu]

Can you put him in a tank by himself long enough to see if he slows or stops biting? Even if it's small? Divided tanks can be extremely stressful, too, even if the Betta can't see each other.

A two-gallon cookie jar would work as a temporary home. Or either Captain or Arrow's tank with paper between so he can't see the other Betta?

 

[RussellTheShihTzu]

Sorry if this comes across as harsh but ... There. Is. No. Way. To. Stop. Fin. Biting. Period. Betta owners either learn to live with it or rehome the biters. It breaks my heart to see so many people stress because think they have it figured out only to have the biting resume.

It's not your fault. It's a behavior you can't control and, after reading about it for so many years, it seems a high percentage of Betta in open and/or shared barracks have the problem. As Hallyx says, a tank isn't properly planted if one "can glance over and easily see a Betta." Then add that Betta in a divided tank share more than water; they share stress, too. And phermones.

As Betta are not bright light/lightly planted fish, you could try muting the light and adding a jungle of plants but you'd still have the barrack's problem. Perhaps experiment with one of the biters in a single, muted-light, jungle-like tank.

Knock wood, since I've started keeping tanks like these fin biting has stopped. When I had a divided tank it was this planted in both sections. Top and bottom photos are same tank but bottom photo is when the 20 long was home to Dexter, an OHM. Notice how many darkened areas there are?

 

[RussellTheShihTzu]

It's not going to stop. Can't say it many more ways or plainer than that.

When you moved the boys to solo tanks did you move them with their current decor? I've observed in a large percentage of fin biters: High light + low planting = fin biting. Your tanks would be considered sparsely planted and brightly lit; two major stressors. Which is why I suggested you try a heavily-planted tank; not just replicating their current habitat in a solo aquarium.

I think this would be better as a journal. I'll do that now. Maybe someone will change from sparsely planted and brightly-lit tanks to a more natural habitat. Might bring the same results I experienced.

 

[RussellTheShihTzu]

FWIW, an experienced eBay seller warns:

"Intense bright lighting is stressful to your betta and will also tend to drown out your bettas colors."