help with my injured betta

[dawnmist]

I'm really worried about my poor Colin, my beautiful Dumbo Betta. I've had him for three weeks now, and when I first got him, his top fin was split all the way to his body. I thought he'd heal, but it's still not looking great. This morning, I noticed a huge chunk missing from one of his pectoral fins, and I feel absolutely terrible about it.

He's been living in a five-gallon tank with a couple of snails, a heater, filter, and bubble stone. I've got some plastic plants in there, but I'm planning to replace them soon. His diet consists of a mix of tetra betta flakes and frozen bloodworms, twice a day. I did a water change and cleaned some ornaments yesterday, so I'm wondering if the stress could have caused him to bite his own fin? Can betta fish even do that?

I'm also concerned it might be fin rot, but I'm not seeing any discoloration. The chunk of fin just vanished, it didn't dissolve or anything. Could it be fin rot too? I'm really not sure what to do, and I just want to help him. I love him so much, and I feel like I've let him down.

[coltin]

Hi dawnmist, I'm so sorry to hear about Colin's fin issues. I'm no expert, but I've had some experience with fin damage in my own betta tank. First off, since you've only had the tank set up for a few weeks, I'm worried there might be some water quality issues going on - ammonia and nitrite can be a major problem for fin health, especially when they're already damaged.

I'd love it if you could check the water parameters using a test kit, or if that's not an option, take a water sample to your local pet shop and ask them to test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH. When you get the results, could you post them here so we can take a closer look? I'm really curious to see what's going on.

In the meantime, I'd recommend doing a 75% water change and a good gravel clean of the substrate every day for a couple of weeks, or at least until Colin's fins start to heal and grow back. And don't forget to make sure the new water is dechlorinated before adding it to the tank - we don't want to make things worse.

[riverra]

Don't be too hard on yourself, it's great that you're taking the time to care for Colin. I'm sure with proper care, he'll recover just fine. Do you have a regular water change schedule, like weekly? And are you using a water conditioner to keep the water clean and safe for him?

I think it's fantastic that you've set up a beautiful tank for Colin, by the way. Clean water is crucial for his health, so I'd recommend changing at least 50-75% of the water every week, or even more often if you can manage it. If you can get your hands on some Indian Almond leaves, they can be a great natural remedy to help with healing. Just add one to the tank and see how it goes.

As for food, I'd suggest switching to small Betta pellets instead of flakes. Flakes can cause constipation and bloating, which isn't good for Colin. Two or three pellets a day should be enough, and don't overfeed him. Freeze-dried blood worms are okay as an occasional treat, but they don't offer much in terms of nutrients. It's also a good idea to fast him for a day each week.

My own Bettas do well on a simple routine: two pellets in the morning, one in the evening. On Saturdays, they get a special treat - a soaked freeze-dried bloodworm. I soak it in water for 20 minutes to make it easier for them to eat. And on Sundays, they get a day off from food.

[sSjey]

I've taken a closer look at the first photo, and I think I might have spotted a potential culprit - the plant on the left appears to be made of plastic. If that's the case, it's possible that Colin could have torn his fins on it, which would explain the damage. I've always been told that plastic plants aren't the best choice for betta tanks, as they can be rough on their delicate fins - live or silk plants are generally a safer bet.

When it comes to decorating a betta tank, I've found that doing the 'tights test' can be really helpful. Just run an old pair of tights over the decor, and if they snag, you know it's not safe for your betta. Either replace the decor or smooth out the rough edges - it's always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your betta's fins.

[dawnmist]

Don't be too hard on yourself, it's great that you're taking the time to care for Colin. I'm sure with proper care, he'll recover just fine. Do you have a regular water change schedule, like weekly? And are you using a water conditioner to keep the water clean and safe for him?

I think it's fantastic that you've set up a beautiful tank for Colin, by the way. Clean water is crucial for his health, so I'd recommend changing at least 50-75% of the water every week, or even more often if you can manage it. If you can get your hands on some Indian Almond leaves, they can be a great natural remedy to help with healing. Just add one to the tank and see how it goes.

As for food, I'd suggest switching to small Betta pellets instead of flakes. Flakes can cause constipation and bloating, which isn't good for Colin. Two or three pellets a day should be enough, and don't overfeed him. Freeze-dried blood worms are okay as an occasional treat, but they don't offer much in terms of nutrients. It's also a good idea to fast him for a day each week.

My own Bettas do well on a simple routine: two pellets in the morning, one in the evening. On Saturdays, they get a special treat - a soaked freeze-dried bloodworm. I soak it in water for 20 minutes to make it easier for them to eat. And on Sundays, they get a day off from food.

I'm using a water conditioner and I've been doing 50% water changes once a week, but I want to increase that now that Colin's more settled in the tank. I haven't tested the water parameters yet, but I'll get on that right away, thank you for the advice.

I did plan to get pellets for Colin, but when I ordered them online, I didn't realize I got flakes instead. I've been giving them to him in small amounts, but I'll get the proper pellets soon. I also have frozen bloodworms, not freeze-dried, and I read that they're too nutrient-rich, so I've been giving them to him in moderation. And, I do fast him once a week, I just didn't mention it earlier.

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it, and I'm glad you think Colin's got character - he's definitely got a lot of personality.

[dawnmist]

Hi dawnmist, I'm so sorry to hear about Colin's fin issues. I'm no expert, but I've had some experience with fin damage in my own betta tank. First off, since you've only had the tank set up for a few weeks, I'm worried there might be some water quality issues going on - ammonia and nitrite can be a major problem for fin health, especially when they're already damaged.

I'd love it if you could check the water parameters using a test kit, or if that's not an option, take a water sample to your local pet shop and ask them to test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH. When you get the results, could you post them here so we can take a closer look? I'm really curious to see what's going on.

In the meantime, I'd recommend doing a 75% water change and a good gravel clean of the substrate every day for a couple of weeks, or at least until Colin's fins start to heal and grow back. And don't forget to make sure the new water is dechlorinated before adding it to the tank - we don't want to make things worse.

I never thought of that, thanks for the suggestion. I'll get his water tested ASAP. I was just wondering, if I do 75% water changes every day, will that impact the beneficial bacteria in the tank, or is that not something I need to worry about at this point? Thanks again for all the help, it's really appreciated.

[coltin]

Water changes won't harm the good bacteria in the filter, don't worry about that.

[riverra]

I'm really worried about my poor Colin, my beautiful Dumbo Betta. I've had him for three weeks now, and when I first got him, his top fin was split all the way to his body. I thought he'd heal, but it's still not looking great. This morning, I noticed a huge chunk missing from one of his pectoral fins, and I feel absolutely terrible about it.

He's been living in a five-gallon tank with a couple of snails, a heater, filter, and bubble stone. I've got some plastic plants in there, but I'm planning to replace them soon. His diet consists of a mix of tetra betta flakes and frozen bloodworms, twice a day. I did a water change and cleaned some ornaments yesterday, so I'm wondering if the stress could have caused him to bite his own fin? Can betta fish even do that?

I'm also concerned it might be fin rot, but I'm not seeing any discoloration. The chunk of fin just vanished, it didn't dissolve or anything. Could it be fin rot too? I'm really not sure what to do, and I just want to help him. I love him so much, and I feel like I've let him down.

It sounds like you're on the right track. A small amount of flakes isn't the end of the world, and the frozen bloodworms are a better choice than freeze-dried ones - more protein, I think.

Those little guys have so much personality, don't they? My blue Veiltail, Phil, is a bit of a handful when it comes to his fins. He's always zooming around like a madman, flaring at his own reflection, and getting into everything. I've had to remove anything that could rip his fins, but even with silk plants on the way, he still manages to damage them occasionally. His swimming style is just too aggressive, and he's always trying to squeeze into tight spots.

I've got two other Bettas, Miles and Syd. Miles is a beautiful, laid-back Delta tail, while Syd's a little Crowntail who was in rough shape when I got him. He had fungus on his fins and head, and was really lethargic. But now he's recovering, and turning into a little monster just like Phil - it's hilarious!