Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm getting really worried about my Betta, Howl - his tail fin is all damaged. I switched him from my 10gallon tank to the 5.5gallon one after I realized the fluxeon stone was cutting his fins. No sharp ornaments in the new tank, so I thought that'd solve the problem. But now, his tail fin's got holes and the top part's missing. I'm thinking maybe his fin got infected after the move? The water's been a bit off-color lately due to some driftwood I added, but I've taken it out and today's the tank's water change day, so that should clear up. My main concern is whether this is fin rot or not - none of the other fish in the tank have it, it's just Howl. I'd love to hear your thoughts on what might be going on and how to fix it.

It doesn't look like fin rot to me. I'd recommend removing all the ornaments and driftwood from the tank, and maybe even rehome the other fish for now. It's possible that Howl has developed an infection, but it's hard to say for sure without more information. I'd suggest keeping a close eye on him and monitoring the situation, but I wouldn't wait for it to get worse before taking action.

I think lunarix has the right idea, but I wouldn't recommend removing all the fish just yet. Fin rot is typically caused by poor water quality, which creates an environment where bacteria and protozoans can thrive and affect the fish. In your case, foxlyn, the slightly off-color water due to the driftwood could be a contributing factor.

To treat minor cases, I'd suggest doing a 75% water change and gravel cleaning the substrate daily for 2 weeks. Make sure to dechlorinate any new water before adding it to the tank. Also, check your filter - if it's due for a clean, now's the time to do it. Just be careful not to clean it too thoroughly if it's still under 6 weeks old, unless the flow rate is being reduced by debris. If you do need to clean the filter, use a bucket of tank water to rinse the materials.

If, after 2 weeks of daily water changes, you don't see any improvement, it might be worth posting another picture and we can discuss medication options.

I'm pretty sure that's fin nipping, not fin rot. He's either getting bored or he thinks his tail is too heavy. I've had the same issue with my rosetail. I'd recommend adding more plants for him to rest on and a floating betta log to keep him occupied. For treatment, I'd suggest 50% water changes and adding 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt per 5 gallons of water for 10 days. Each day when you change the water, just add 1/2 tablespoon of salt per gallon back in.

Update:

I visited every pet store in my area, but none had a floating Betta log in stock - what a bummer. However, I managed to score a bunch of plants (Anubias, two Zorchzon Compacta, and a Lacy Fern), the aquarium salt, and a large cave-like decoration that I hope Howl would love.

I've never seen him this lively before. Normally, he'd just chill in the Pogostemon, but now he's swimming happily around the cave structure, going in and out, and resting in the Anubias. His fins look better to me, but it was tough to take a picture with all the swimming around. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a full recovery, but for now, Howl is enjoying his castle (any Studio Ghibli fans will appreciate the irony) and seems even brighter than before.

He seems so much happier now. That's great to see. I love the new additions to his tank, especially the Anubias. Keep up the treatment for the full 10 days, and the aquarium salt, and I'm sure he'll be back to his old self soon. The cave-like decoration was a great idea, it's giving him a sense of security and a place to rest. Keep us updated on his progress, I'm rooting for Howl's full recovery.

I'm concerned about my Bettas in a 55g community tank with 4 females and a male. The two larger females from the tropical fish farm look great, but the fancy male and female elephant ears aren't doing so well. I'm wondering if it's fin rot or something in the environment that's causing the issue.

It seems like something is nipping at the tail of the red and blue betta, possibly the neon tetra.

Hi everyone,

I'm so sorry for the really late update - life got in the way. A heat wave hit my area and my AC broke while I was out, the temperature soared over 100 degrees. I lost many of my fish, including my beloved Kuhlis, which was devastating. Thankfully, my Gouramis and Howl made it through, thanks to buckets of ice - Howl actually seemed to enjoy the heat.

His salt treatment is now complete, and I'm thrilled to see his fins looking much better. After observing him closely, I can see he's no longer nipping at his tail and swims around his tank with so much joy. Once I do a water change to remove the salt, his tankmate Ohmu, the dwarf crayfish, will be rejoining him. They'll have some new chili Rasbora friends soon.

I'll post another update with pictures once Howl's fins have fully regrown, but for now, I'm just happy to see him thriving.

That fish is just stunning. I'm really glad to hear he's recovering well. Sorry to hear about the loss of your other fish though, I can imagine how heartbreaking that must be.