[a123andpoof]

Grr...when I went to feed my fish I noticed Koi's tail looking different. I think he is biting as it doesn't look ripped, and no sign of rot.

A little backround I do approx 2 water changes a week 1 with a vaccume the other I just cup the water out. He is in a filtered 10g with two tank mates. On one side of the divider is a male, on the other side of him is a female.

He has plenty of flare time, and really loves the bridge. He has 3 plants two silk and 1 plastic. He has been in the tank over a month. His tank mate approx the same time a week or so difference between all.

His is the middle.

So what can I do to try and stop this before it gets worse? Is he maybe to stressed out by his tank mates? They didn't seem to bother him before. Could he be bored? The only change I can think of is me spending less time in my room then before. Otherwise no changes.

 

[gabrielle09]

I've been having the same problem with one of my fish. He is a doubletail and is in a divided tank. His tankmate is a halfmoon female. I didn't have the space for both at the time because I was only expecting the one fish and my boyfriend surprised me with two. I gave them plenty of hiding places so they didn't have to look at each and at first I thought the set up would be a go but now my halfmoon female seems to be annoying my male so I've had to move him into his own private tank. He seems to be calmer and his tail seems to be getting better. He is also swimming around a lot more. I'm thinking maybe your fish is a little stressed by his company. Also I had another double tail that was a tail biter. What I did with him was keep him in a one gallon tank and make sure that he could always see me. That seemed to curb his biting. I think he got lonely by himself. I hope that helps.

 

[Sena Hansler]

Some bettas just cannot be in a divided tank. El Dorado would bite his fins, until I removed the divider and the other betta. Now, he is fine. :/ Some bettas "trim" their tails if it is too heavy or too long. Others gets stressed without seeing you lol.

 

[a123andpoof]

For over a month he seemed fine even with the company and unstressed. He didn't bite off much, just trimmed but I doubt it's too heavy its very thin and clear but a little long. I am thinking about moving him to a 1 gallon as that's all I have at the moment, though I wanted to keep them open so I could start getting girls for an upcoming sorority. And I only have 1 extra heater. I guess I could keep a girl in my 10g. Maybe I should try spending more time in my room? Grr I don't know what to do.
I guess other than adding stress coat to heal the fins I will try to maybe spend an extra hour or two in my room and see if that helps. If after a week I am still noticing a problem I will try moving him to his own tank.

 

[Sena Hansler]

With Crayola, his tail was super long (almost doubled his body length before he chopped it back) but thin. I guess he wanted a "hair cut" :lol: Could you have him in another room that has more activity? El Dorado is in my living room because he prefers seeing people often.

 

[a123andpoof]

Nope. I still live with my parents and my mom doesn't allow fish upstairs unless its for a short time like a week or two. So he has to stay in my room. For a while I was in my room a lot, but then I started spending more time in the living room.

 

[Sena Hansler]

Do you have a TV in your room? :lol: weird thought but it works. Shiloh watches TV... or movies. So does my guinea pig Shaggy. :/ -sigh- typical boys.

 

[Silverfang]

Some bettas will bite because it will make you scream, that is the case with my boy.

 

[a123andpoof]

lol no tv sadly. For some reason my sister got one and I didn't.

 

[thekoimaiden]

I hate tail-biting incidents because they are so variable. If the only thing that changed was the time you spent in your room, I would venture to say that was the cause. I have boys that tail-bite when I go away on vacation. And I have one tail biter who does it for kicks and giggles. Maybe try moving some stuff around in his tank. Best of luck with him!

 

[BettaGirl201]

Try moving him to a different bowl

 

[Sena Hansler]

I had to do that :lol: different space, different room, different plants, different amount of water, different temperature... x.x

 

[a123andpoof]

Thanks. So far it hasn't gotten worse. I am trying to go down their every once in a while and talk to them for a few minutes. It hasn't gotten any worse, but if it does I will put him in a 1 gallon until I can get him a separate home that is bigger. Also the next water change I will move some plants around. Going to petco today so might see about even getting some new plants to change things up a bit. Thanks for all the suggestions I really hope he doesn't continue, or that it stops.

 

[Sena Hansler]

Just remember if you get live plants to quarantine good luck with him!!! tail biting is so annoying sometimes...

 

[a123andpoof]

No live just silk. I am not going to attempt live for a few months. If I get a 5 g for arashi I want some swords, and when i create a larger sorority for myself later this year I will be getting live. (The sorority I am doing now is for my sisters room ans she won't get live plants just colorful fake ones lol

 

[Sena Hansler]

good idea lol. I got some nice fabric plants and I love them. Although black hair algae clings badly to them x.x

 

[a123andpoof]

Yeah I wish their were more colorful silk plants. All I have for the tank in her room is plastic. Though made sure they weren't to rough so as to snag fins!

 

[Sena Hansler]

That is good I have plastic too, and it's soft.