Crowntail's Tail Is Stiff.

So, I've posted here once before- My crowntail, Zaboo, wasn't eating. I have since gotten him a heater, and he was eating frozen bloodworms fine (won't touch the pellets).

2.5 gallon tank, heater and filter.
In it is gravel, 3 growing betta bulbs, and a fish-intended decoration.

He was fine for a day or two after he started eating, then a chunk of his tail was gone- near the center, two of his pronged spikes got shorter. He is normally a very active fish, but it seems now like he just rests under the heater, or behind the filter (to avoid the current). Now, his tail looks stiff and he won't spread it, and he won't eat again. Fin rot?
I plan to use aquarium salt in the tank, and do partial water changes daily to keep the water clean. Is there anything else I should/ could do to help him out?

I was wondering if maybe emptying the tank completely would be good for him? So that I could control the water without obstruction of gravel, bulbs, etc.... Suggestions? Oppinions? I can't bear to see my baby like this.

is it cycled and what are the water parameters?

do you have a picture?

AstonN24vantage said:

do you have a picture?

Click to expand...

This was him 9/12, he was normal::
9/19 (Terrible photo, but there is an arrow at his gap in the tail)--At this point he had just started eating, so I thought it might have had something to do with lack of nutrition, or the fact that he didn't yet have a heater...::
This is him now, he looks terrible, and although he swims around a bit, he's having difficulty with his tail...::

By the way, in the second photo, his tail still flared like normal, it was just to show the chunk that disappeared from it; he was just swimming if it wasn't obvious.

Zaboo said:

AstonN24vantage said:

do you have a picture?

Click to expand...

This was him 9/12, he was normal:: View attachment 61118
9/19 (Terrible photo, but there is an arrow at his gap in the tail)--At this point he had just started eating, so I thought it might have had something to do with lack of nutrition, or the fact that he didn't yet have a heater...::View attachment 61119
This is him now, he looks terrible, and although he swims around a bit, he's having difficulty with his tail...::View attachment 61120

By the way, in the second photo, his tail still flared like normal, it was just to show the chunk that disappeared from it; he was just swimming if it wasn't obvious.

Click to expand...

So. I added a silk plant so that he had somewhere safe to rest while the betta bulbs are growing, and removed the dragon decoration (He was sleeping against it, and I wanted to keep him from brushing up against anything even remotely rough, especially now). I added salt to the tank, and have also added brine shrimp to his diet. He is looking better; he will spread his tail now, even though its still a little stiff. He's more active, and overall he's more like himself.

I'm in a dorm and usually go home for the weekend, but I'm staying with him for this one, I need to make sure he gets better.

...Is there any way to delete a topic?? ^^;

CAn you give me your water parimetres? IS your tank cycled? Does he have any tankmates?