[Buzzleigh2216]

I have a betta fish named Snape and I’ve had him for almost 9 months. He is currently in a 3.5 gallon tub with all silk plants, it’s also heated and filtered. He was in a 10 gallon tank but I took him out due to his fins being shredded and moved him to a tub that I have so I could monitor him and make sure that he could get better. But he hasn’t. There’s literally no way he could be cutting his fins. I’ve made sure countless times but he just isn’t getting better.
I do have aquarium salt that I got a couple months ago. I’ve added a bit to his tank everyother to every 3 weeks when I do his water changes but this is one of the only “medications” that I have for him. Is there any that anyone recommends?
I also feed him a very mixed diet from Live food to frozen to freeze dried to pellets. Could he maybe be buying his fins? I’ve never seen him do it but I do believe he could be doing so.

this is when I first got him ( he changed completely different colors from when I got him at pet smart)

this was in his 10 gallon tank in the summer. The rock was only his tank for maybe a week ( he didn’t like it)

in when I first put him in his tub

most recently
Snape and his brother Ronald are going to go into a 10 gallon divided planted tank in less than a month. I love him very dearly and his attitude has been the same the whole time. His usual self. I don’t know what to do.

 

[Mbpoppy]

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[Paradise Betta]

You must act fast, this is severe fin rot, here I are a couple of things that can help fix it. API stress coat, API Melafix, API Pimafix, And omega one betta buffet pellets.
You need all of these things in order to help you’re betta. Just to warn you it might already be to late.

 

[TheRealAndreaPond]

I don’t believe this is extreme fin rot. Your guy has been biting his fins. You can tell by the U-shape in his fins. My rosetail betta is also a fin biter. There’s no concrete explanation as to why they do this, except to perhaps alleviate the weight of the heavy fins. You could check to see if any of the decor has any sharp edges that may be contributing to his appearance.

 

[BettaloverSara]

You must act fast, this is severe fin rot, here I are a couple of things that can help fix it. API stress coat, API Melafix, API Pimafix, And omega one betta buffet pellets.
You need all of these things in order to help you’re betta. Just to warn you it might already be to late.

Stress coat does not help fin rot. Melafix and pimafix are essentially the same med and are not strong enough to cure any rot.
I am not willing to rule out rot completely but if you fill out the form we will be able to help you better. Even if it is rot I don’t believe at all that it is too late for your fish.

 

[Buzzleigh2216]

I have a betta fish named Snape and I’ve had him for almost 9 months. He is currently in a 3.5 gallon tub with all silk plants, it’s also heated and filtered. He was in a 10 gallon tank but I took him out due to his fins being shredded and moved him to a tub that I have so I could monitor him and make sure that he could get better. But he hasn’t. There’s literally no way he could be cutting his fins. I’ve made sure countless times but he just isn’t getting better.
I do have aquarium salt that I got a couple months ago. I’ve added a bit to his tank everyother to every 3 weeks when I do his water changes but this is one of the only “medications” that I have for him. Is there any that anyone recommends?
I also feed him a very mixed diet from Live food to frozen to freeze dried to pellets. Could he maybe be buying his fins? I’ve never seen him do it but I do believe he could be doing so. View attachment 1025276 this is when I first got him ( he changed completely different colors from when I got him at pet smart) View attachment 1025277 this was in his 10 gallon tank in the summer. The rock was only his tank for maybe a week ( he didn’t like it) View attachment 1025278 in when I first put him in his tub View attachment 1025279 most recently
Snape and his brother Ronald are going to go into a 10 gallon divided planted tank in less than a month. I love him very dearly and his attitude has been the same the whole time. His usual self. I don’t know what to do.

I have a betta fish named Snape and I’ve had him for almost 9 months. He is currently in a 3.5 gallon tub with all silk plants, it’s also heated and filtered. He was in a 10 gallon tank but I took him out due to his fins being shredded and moved him to a tub that I have so I could monitor him and make sure that he could get better. But he hasn’t. There’s literally no way he could be cutting his fins. I’ve made sure countless times but he just isn’t getting better.
I do have aquarium salt that I got a couple months ago. I’ve added a bit to his tank everyother to every 3 weeks when I do his water changes but this is one of the only “medications” that I have for him. Is there any that anyone recommends?
I also feed him a very mixed diet from Live food to frozen to freeze dried to pellets. Could he maybe be buying his fins? I’ve never seen him do it but I do believe he could be doing so. View attachment 1025276 this is when I first got him ( he changed completely different colors from when I got him at pet smart) View attachment 1025277 this was in his 10 gallon tank in the summer. The rock was only his tank for maybe a week ( he didn’t like it) View attachment 1025278 in when I first put him in his tub View attachment 1025279 most recently
Snape and his brother Ronald are going to go into a 10 gallon divided planted tank in less than a month. I love him very dearly and his attitude has been the same the whole time. His usual self. I don’t know what to do.

Betta fish template

3.5 currently
Yes he has a sponge filter
Yes he does have a heater

A sponge filter is in his tub
Nope no tank mates

I use fluval, bugbites, zoo med, aqueon, and A couple other brands but I don’t know what they are.
I feed pellets normally but I have recently got a bottle of flakes.
I feed freeze dried and frozen food.
I feed my betta everyday of the week except on sundays. I feed him 2-4 pellets.
Once a week I do water changes. I haven’t missed one.
I do 30% water changes
I do conditioner tap water
I vacuum the water during water changes
I have added a bit of aquarium salt
I use the stress coat API water conditioner
I noticed him fins getting bad when I put him in his 10 gallon tank.
His fins are shredded with no cause
Although he looks awful he hasn’t changed in behavior
Yes he is eating
I have been treating him a little bit with Aquarium salt.
There is no history of being ill
I have owned Snape for over 9months
No except his fins where white and they changed over time.
I don’t believe it is fin rot, I could be wrong. I think that he is biting his fins

 

[Buzzleigh2216]

I don’t believe this is extreme fin rot. Your guy has been biting his fins. You can tell by the U-shape in his fins. My rosetail betta is also a fin biter. There’s no concrete explanation as to why they do this, except to perhaps alleviate the weight of the heavy fins. You could check to see if any of the decor has any sharp edges that may be contributing to his appearance.

His fins got worse when he was put in a 10 gallon tank so I do think that fin biting is the most realistic thing happening to his fins. None of his decor has any sharp edges, I’ve made sure many times.

 

[TheRealAndreaPond]

Some of us have noticed that sometimes a tank can in fact be too big for a betta. Some of us have found that a 2.5g or a 5g keep the fin biting to a minimum. My guy Mr. Garvey (who is currently battling either dropsy or SBD) is in a 10g and I think I should move him to a a smaller tank.

 

[Mbpoppy]

I feed him 2-4 pellets.

Hi!
Just in case, (I can't tell from the photos) make sure he looks similar to this, like a carrot or a torpedo with no delineation from his head to his body, when you see him from above in a birdseye view. I feed my boys twice a day, as much as they can eat within about 60 seconds.

 

[Buzzleigh2216]

Hi!
Just in case, (I can't tell from the photos) make sure he looks similar to this, like a carrot or a torpedo with no delineation from his head to his body, when you see him from above in a birdseye view. I feed my boys twice a day, as much as they can eat within about 60 seconds.

View attachment 1025315

He was fed 5 minutes before I took this photo so that might make him look a little chunky. I’ll get another picture tonight if anyone wants.
I’ve noticed that he has some sort of a kink from his body and tail. Is that normal? Could it possibly be an old injury? I got Snape from pet smart so maybe.
I also just did a big water change and got some medication for him. I treated his tank with API bettafix and some aquarium salt.

 

[BettaloverSara]

if you think it’s decor related than I would take a piece of nylon stocking and run it over all the plants and decor. If it snags his fins will too. I also think it looks like biting, I’ll get a pic of my worst biter for you in a wee bit. Sometimes they bite for no reason, other times it’s because they feel insecure, sometimes because their fins are heavy. Give him lots of plants and try the smaller tank. As long as you are keeping his water really clean you don’t need the salt or betafix.
I think it wouldn’t hurt to add a third feeding or 1-2 pellets more to each feeding.

 

[Buzzleigh2216]

if you think it’s decor related than I would take a piece of nylon stocking and run it over all the plants and decor. If it snags his fins will too. I also think it looks like biting, I’ll get a pic of my worst biter for you in a wee bit. Sometimes they bite for no reason, other times it’s because they feel insecure, sometimes because their fins are heavy. Give him lots of plants and try the smaller tank. As long as you are keeping his water really clean you don’t need the salt or betafix.
I think it wouldn’t hurt to add a third feeding or 1-2 pellets more to each feeding.

if you think it’s decor related than I would take a piece of nylon stocking and run it over all the plants and decor. If it snags his fins will too. I also think it looks like biting, I’ll get a pic of my worst biter for you in a wee bit. Sometimes they bite for no reason, other times it’s because they feel insecure, sometimes because their fins are heavy. Give him lots of plants and try the smaller tank. As long as you are keeping his water really clean you don’t need the salt or betafix.
I think it wouldn’t hurt to add a third feeding or 1-2 pellets more to each feeding.

I don’t really think it’s decor relate, probably most likely it’s self inflicted. I just got a new plant, hide, and those leaf with a suction cup for him.
His feeding schedule is kind of all over the place lol. For example I will give him a couple blood worms and maybe a couple pellet. Or feed him frozen brine shrimp, I’ve also recently started feeding some live fruit fly’s.
I accidentally got flakes which I’ve never fed before. Does anyone know how much to feed?

 

[Mbpoppy]

He's thin
The flakes are similar to pellets, you need to gradually increase his food so that he eventually gets as much as he wants within about 60 seconds, twice a day.

 

[BettaloverSara]

I’ve heard flakes can contribute to bloat because they gulp air with them but I’ve never used them so I’m not sure

 

[Mbpoppy]

Please just feed him more, be more in the moment with him and treat him more like a member of the family

 

[Buzzleigh2216]

Please just feed him more, be more in the moment with him and treat him more like a member of the family

Yes I do. I wouldn’t be spending a bunch of money for my fish if I didn’t. I love my fish with my whole heart, I didn’t know I was supposed to feed him more, snape is my first betta fish and I’m not experienced 😃

 

[KekeTheBettaDoc]

Hi there! Agreed with everything, although I would also up water changes to 2x weekly 25%. Do you know the parameters of the water?

 

[Buzzleigh2216]

Hi there! Agreed with everything, although I would also up water changes to 2x weekly 25%. Do you know the parameters of the water?

Sadly I do not, I was going to get them checked while I was at the petstore the other day but it slipped my mind.