Betta fin problems!

[Skyelar Lattimore]

My betta’s fins were perfectly fine until the next day when I saw that a good section of it was torn. I gave him some microbe-lift Artemiss. The next morning, another good section of fins are torn and I looked closer and saw some red patches. I assume this is fin rot caused by his fins tearing on something. I’ve had this tank set up for a few months with all the same decorations, filter, and heater and he has had no problems. I took him home for break from college the last two weeks, then returned him back to his original tank a few days ago. I don’t understand where he would have hurt his fins given that the tank has nothing different from before. He has a ceramic log that’s been in there since the beginning, a silk plant, moss ball, heater, leaf hammock, and a built in filter that has a sponge to lesson the flow of water back into the tank. What’s the best way of handling him and how was this caused? I have an extra three gallon quarantine tank and a half gallon I could use for medication like a salt treatment but I’m always afraid of this method and I wouldn’t be able to use the heater I don’t think in the smallest container.

Tank size: 6 gallons
Tank Mates: None
Most Recent water change: 70% change three days ago
Acclimated when returning him to home tank?: Yes
Temperature: 75 F
Ammonia: .25
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 5

 

[FishGuest5123]

Maybe just the stress of moving. Keep him in clean water and add some aquarium salt at 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water. I would do daily water changes of at least 50% for 2 weeks. After your initial dose of salt, add back 1/2 tablespoon per gallon with each 50% water change. Be sure the salt is dissolved before adding or it can burn the fish. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Naughts]

Betta fins are delicate so it is best to avoid using a net. If you really have to move him use a clean bowl instead. I assume he is alone in his tank so a hospital tank is not necessary.

 

[Skyelar Lattimore]

Stress would have torn a section of his fins overnight? I put him in the half gallon without a heater though I’m worried now that he’s freezing. The thing is, I read that with salt medication, I have to change 100% of the water every day while adding salt and I do not want to do that with a 6 gallon tank and a broken gravel vacuum. What would water changes do without salt? It’s not going to change the ammonia. I’ve had this tank set up for three months and the ammonia has never gone less or more than .25 even after a 70% water change. My other tank I’ve had at .25 ammonia for about five months with no changes. I do doubt the accuracy of my testing kit.

 

[FishGuest5123]

My ammonia always tests at .25 due to ammonium in my tap water. However, when I test free and total ammonia it is 0. You may have the same issue. You can get a Seachem Free and Total test kit to know for sure. Could your fish be chewing on his tail out of boredom? You can add some tall plants or a betta hammock for him to rest on and that sometimes help. Regarding salt, you do not have to remove all of the water. Salt doesn’t dissipate so you just don’t want to overdose it. If you remove 50% of the water then you only add 50% of the salt back in. For instance, if you initially added 1 tablespoon for every 5 gallons, then after a 50% water change you would only add 1/2 tablespoon per 5 gallons back in. Hope this make sense.

 

[Skyelar Lattimore]

I don’t think it’s boredom. I mean, he was only just put back in the tank so everything is new to him again after having been in a different tank for two weeks. Know what I mean? But yeah that makes sense. After a few more days, I’ll put him back in. Though even a 50% water change takes forever because of my stupid vacuum not working. He has a betta hammock that he loves, all he’s been doing in the quarantine tank is sleeping on it poor thing.
Also, what does test free mean? I use the kit that costs $35 and has like 800 drops.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I don’t think it’s boredom. I mean, he was only just put back in the tank so everything is new to him again after having been in a different tank for two weeks. Know what I mean? But yeah that makes sense. After a few more days, I’ll put him back in. Though even a 50% water change takes forever because of my stupid vacuum not working. He has a betta hammock that he loves, all he’s been doing in the quarantine tank is sleeping on it poor thing.
Also, what does test free mean? I use the kit that costs $35 and has like 800 drops.

This is the free and total kit.

 

[Skyelar Lattimore]

Yeah, I can’t afford that. What I need to do is take some of my water to petco and have them check all the levels. Especially Ph, since I know my test kit doesn’t give that accurately.

 

[Essjay]

There is a much cheaper way to find out how much of the reading from the ammonia tester is free NH3 and how much is the less toxic NH4.

Use this calculator -

Free Ammonia Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Estimate the free (un-ionized) ammonia (NH3) concentration, given the total ammonia concentration.

www.hamzasreef.com

Set salinity to zero, and enter your ammonia, pH and temperature. After you click calculate the number you want is "NH3 concentration" on the right hand side.