New Betta- Fins Arent Looking So Good

Hello again! information: He is a double tail half moon, male, and i got him from petco 1 week ago. 5 gal tank, filter, heater (88*), live plants(3 amazon swords, 1 java fern, 1 marimo), gravel, and a hide-away cave type of thing.
Problem: Noticed on monday that his fins are looking a little tattered. I also thought his front fins were turning red because he was in a better place but now i'm thinking it might all be from ammonia? He is only turning red on the darker parts of his body.
I just put in an ammonia sensor after doing a 50% water change yesterday, and the sensor says it is safe. It also says that the pH is high, could that be causing this? I added a bit of aquarium salt today also. Or could it have to do with the "flourish tabs" i have in there? he seems to gravitate toward them.
What else should i do?

Like I said in your other topic, id keep up with the w/c as this will help heal his fins, aquarium salts will also help his fins.

Do you have a picture of the 'red' parts??

If you click on the pic in my first post, his front fins have red at the top. ill try to get a better pic but so far, thats the best if gotten. Its almost like you can only see it in certain light, like when he shimmers. I keep testing the water and it says the ammonia is safe but i just dont understand why his fins got messed up then

http/youtu.be/ends311MHek heres a video, since i cant seem to capture it in pics.

that poor little betta a thought mine was looking bad it looks like hes been fighting never mind fin rot, get your self a API Masters Kit and test the water Bettas like a Neutral pH About 7pH and check the rest of your levels.

i remember reading somewhere on this forum in the last week about torn betta tails and fin rot, if its not fin rot and its just badly damaged from fighting/been picked on by fin nippers etc am sure you can get MelaFix or BettaFix theres a post about them somewhere i will edit this post when i find it why not check that out

if its fin rot do a water change and since it looks rarther bad get some fin rot meds (apparently raising the temp a little bit on the tank helps bettas fins heal faster dont know how dont know if its true but google it you might find something about it) give it a shot.

poor little guy
hope he gets better soon


EDIT -
Heres that post about the Betta Meds
MelaFix vs BettaFix

I feel like such a bad fish-mom his fins keep looking worse but he doesnt have any tank mates, and the ammonia is at a safe level. and hes super energetic. he just swims around, checking everything out. I just read the mela vs betta post, and ill be getting some of that tonight. I hadnt already got some because the first day his fins werent so bad, and i hoped water change and a little salt would fix him right up. The temp is at 80* right now, i dont know it i should raise it higher?

And whats the opinion on his red? lol

What do you concider a safe level for ammonia? Do you have actual numbers for the test results? Any ammonia reading over 0 is not safe.

i have a submerged test that stays in there. it says it is <.02 i took a picture but it wont let me upload it.

I've never used those tests. I'm glad to see they give you an actual number. I always get a little worried when someone says "my levels are fine" without supplying a number. Glad to see yours are acceptable. I watched the video of your betta and I don't see anything to be too worried about. The red looks like his natural coloration to me. Maybe I'm not seeing it right. He looks happy and energenic. His fins do look a little ragged. As everyone else said, do some extra water changes to keep the water as clean as possible and he should improve. but keep an eye out for secondary infections.

jaimemuffin said:

I feel like such a bad fish-mom his fins keep looking worse but he doesnt have any tank mates, and the ammonia is at a safe level. and hes super energetic. he just swims around, checking everything out. I just read the mela vs betta post, and ill be getting some of that tonight. I hadnt already got some because the first day his fins werent so bad, and i hoped water change and a little salt would fix him right up. The temp is at 80* right now, i dont know it i should raise it higher?

And whats the opinion on his red? lol

Click to expand...

i would still get a hold of a masters kit they seem to give a better more accurate reading of the water levels if you have ever seen police tv programs or ever been pulled for drink driving you will get what i mean here >>> the thing you have used is like the things police use to test alcohol levels on drunk drivers the ones were they blow into the machine (the machine been what you have used) and then they take them back to the station and use one of the bigger better testers (which would be the API Masters Kit) they give a better reading than what you have used

the temp should be fine around about 80 and i would say the red is natural colouring my red betta has purple lines through his fins you cant see them unless he passes through the light but its natural colouring so i wouldnt worry too much about the red i would add salt and raise temp keep a eye on him for a day or 2 and if no improvements a would say its time to get some meds for him

To me its just his colouring, red in the ventrals is very common

But take advice from the others and get your tank water checked properly

Thanks everyone

So i came in this morning after not seeing him all weekend (he lives in my cubicle) and he is so much worse or atleast his tail is. He seems very happy and active but huge chunks are now missing. i dont know what to do there is salt and bettafix in his water, and its clean could this be something besides fin rot? D:

is there anything sharp in the tank? decor or plastic plants etc a know a few people have had problems with bettas destroying there tails because of plastic plants and sharp points on decor. my betta ripped his tail on a sharp bit of plastic on a bit of plastic decor so i took it out and sorted it out could be something as simple as that

I only have live plants (amazon swords, java fern, marimo), and i didnt think the gravel was sharp when i put it in. But he does like to get into all the tight little spots (like in between the glass and the thermometer). I havent seen him get stuck on anything, because thats what i was thinking before.