Female betta fins torn?

Hey!

I’ve woken up this morning to one my female bettas dorsal fins/ tail fins torn. I did a 50% water change 16th and let sit till today 18th to check parameters see below
Nitrate=20
Nitrite=0
Ph=7.0
Kh=80
Gh=120
Ammonia= Couldn’t measure (out of test strips and didn’t realise)

I’ve had this tank set up for nearly a month now and I’ve changed water 50% every week and tested. This fin tearing has happened very quickly as It wasn’t there when I did the water change. I have 2 females but they are very good together and have lots of separate space if needed.
I do however have plastic plants and she has been lingering around these more and more over the last few days. This is the only thing I can think of that’s causing it but I would appreciate any other helpful thoughts!

I’ve attached photos of both bettas as the other looks completely fine! If anything the blue one has more to do with decorations than red. She just lingers around the top.

Welcome to TFF.

First, you need to get a good quality test kit...the paper strips can be inaccurate, and unreliable...invest in one of these ASAP: https://apifishcare.com/product/freshwater-master-test-kit

What size tank are the fish in?

Some keep female bettas in "sororities", with varying success...but having just 2 is asking for trouble...they may seem OK when you are watching them, but aggression can happen at any time (at night after lights off, etc)...I would rehome or return one of the bettas

Just a guess, but the torn fins could be due to fighting and/or tearing them on the sharp plastic deco

Thankyou iv

Slaphppy7 said:

Welcome to TFF.

First, you need to get a good quality test kit...the paper strips can be inaccurate, and unreliable...invest in one of these ASAP: https://apifishcare.com/product/freshwater-master-test-kit

What size tank are the fish in?

Some keep female bettas in "sororities", with varying success...but having just 2 is asking for trouble...they may seem OK when you are watching them, but aggression can happen at any time (at night after lights off, etc)...I would rehome or return one of the bettas

Just a guess, but the torn fins could be due to fighting and/or tearing them on the sharp plastic deco

Click to expand...

Iv ran out today so needed to get some more so thanks for the recommendation!

I only have the 2 bettas in a 45lt tank. And only got the 2 as the guy at pet store said the would be fine! It makes me mad they will put fish in danger just to sell them! still being fairly new I read that 2 females can live together happily for a little while while my filter was accumulating to the fish (was going to add some tetras in the next month or so)

My next option I guess is to try planted décor and remove the plastic ones. I’m going to my LFS tonight to get my parameters double checked and will ask if they can re home one or maybe get a divider or something. Feel like an awful fish mum for believing the pets at home guy ! Thankyou for your advice! X

Yeah, this is only about a 12 USG tank....really suitable for only one betta...bettas aren't really suited as a community tank fish, so I wouldn't add any other fish to the tank

Cardinal rule in fishkeeping: Never trust advice from pet store employees...the majority of the time, they have no clue what they are talking about...they are there to make $, not give good advice...it is not your fault that you were misled

A divider may be an option, but it will complicate matters with maintenance of the tank...Again, I would return one of the bettas

Get that test kit ASAP; you could be in the midst of a fish-in cycle, so we need to know more precise readings on your water params...see "fish-in cycling" here: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycle-your-tank-a-complete-guide-for-beginners.475055/

Never take advice form Pets at Home. Most of the workers are not trained in fish.


The rough guideline for female bettas is:
1 - OK
2 - one will bully the other
3 - two will gang up on one
4 - probably OK but more is better

Groups of females (a sorority) need at least 4 in a large enough tank with a lot of decor to break up line of sight. The females must be added all at the same time; if any are added later the ones there must be removed, the tank decor rearranged, then all the bettas, old and new, put in the tank at the same time. It doesn't always work.
Some female bettas are as aggressive as males, and these individuals cannot be kept in a sorority. And shops have been known to sell short finned males as females. Betta sororities have the potential to turn into a war zone in an instant. Illness is also a constant worry as the stress from forcing females to live together lowers their immune systems.
I agree with SlapHppy, I would rehome/retune one of them - or even both of them and choose different fish. Even female bettas may attack their non-betta tank mates.


@Slaphppy7 it's a 45 litre tank, 12 gallons

Missklw said:

I read that 2 females can live together happily for a little while while my filter was accumulating to the fish

Click to expand...

Just noticed this - I assume this means you did not cycle the tank first, then get the bettas? If so, I would definitely return them and cycle the tank before getting more fish. Using fish to cycle the tank is hard work involving daily testing and water changes every time ammonia or nitrite read above zero. Fishless cycling with ammonia, or cycling with live plants is not only easier it means no fish are exposed to harmful levels of ammonia/nitrite. This is something else that Pets at Home won't have mentioned

"@Slaphppy7 it's a 45 litre tank, 12 gallons"

Mistyped, corrected

Essjay said:

Just noticed this - I assume this means you did not cycle the tank first, then get the bettas? If so, I would definitely return them and cycle the tank before getting more fish. Using fish to cycle the tank is hard work involving daily testing and water changes every time ammonia or nitrite read above zero. Fishless cycling with ammonia, or cycling with live plants is not only easier it means no fish are exposed to harmful levels of ammonia/nitrite. This is something else that Pets at Home won't have mentioned

Cycle Your Tank! A Complete Guide For Beginners

Fishless cycling https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/ Silent or plant cycling https://www.fishforums.net/threads/planted-silent-cycling.470400/ Fish-in cycling...

www.fishforums.net

Click to expand...

Nope! I went in with every intention in letting my tank cycle for a few weeks and they recommended this bioactive tap safe that has good bacteria in and said if I added that I could pretty much get fish the next day. I was extremely sceptical however my partner (who may I add has never owned fish) was all for it. The tank was up and running for a total of 3 days before we added fish. We had the bacteria bloom cloud 2 days after adding the fish and I’ve been checking it every other day and doing 50% water changes every week removing debris on the bottom. My parameters have never been over/under what’s recommended on the dip tests so I’ve just been keeping an eye out and waiting.

Get that test kit......

If you used strips, the 5 or 6 in 1 type won't contain an ammonia test and that's the first thing to show up.


Fish shops will tell you that bottled bacteria cycles a tank instantly. They don't. The best ones speed up a cycle, others do nothing. If you want to help a cycle, Tetra Safe Start is the best one to use as that is known to contain the correct species of both bacteria. Other brands may or may not contain the correct nitrite eaters. (The other highly recommended bacteria product , Dr Tim's One & Only, is not easy to get hold of in the UK).

Hey

Essjay said:

If you used strips, the 5 or 6 in 1 type won't contain an ammonia test and that's the first thing to show up.


Fish shops will tell you that bottled bacteria cycles a tank instantly. They don't. The best ones speed up a cycle, others do nothing. If you want to help a cycle, Tetra Safe Start is the best one to use as that is known to contain the correct species of both bacteria. Other brands may or may not contain the correct nitrite eaters. (The other highly recommended bacteria product , Dr Tim's One & Only, is not easy to get hold of in the UK).

Click to expand...

hey just a little update ! I was doing 25% water changes every week and testing ever other day. I still have my two female bettas and the one with ripped fins has actually healed up now! I swapped out the plastic plants for live Javan ferns. My parameters are now ammonia =0. Nitrite=0. Nitrate =20. PH =7 GH=120 (always high in my area) KH= 80. I think by some miracle and determination I have managed to do a fish in cycle! These figures have been like this for 2 weeks now. I’ve seen my ammonia spike and my nitrite spike and it seems to have settled! Thankyou for all your advice!