So i’ve had my betta fish a little over a year now, and he used to have long, flowing fins, but in the last while i noticed his fins have become much shorter and ‘torn’ looking. I cant tell if this is fin rot, or if one is the hides in his tank are too sharp. I did recently put in a new hide, so maybe it is too sharp, but it is not any sharper than anything else he has. His filter broke around 2 weeks ago and I have not had time to change and clean his tank fully until today, which is the first time he has ever not been cleaned out each week, so maybe the build up of algae has caused his fins to rot?? I’m hoping now he has a new filter and his tank will get back to normal his fins will grow back, but i’d like some other opinions. I’ll insert a before screenshot from a video from a few weeks/months ago, and one taken today after his tank cleaning.
Betta fish fin issues
- Thread starter finn000
- Start date
ThatFishGirl6231
Fish Crazy
that log hide in the second picture looks pretty sharp. can you put pictures of every hide please?
What is the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH of the water?
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Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge.
Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week. The water changes and gravel cleaning will reduce the number of disease organisms in the water and provide a cleaner environment for the fish to recover in. It also removes a lot of the gunk and this means any medication can work on treating the fish instead of being wasted killing the pathogens in the gunk.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.
Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 6 weeks old, do not clean it. Wash the filter materials/ media in a bucket of tank water and re-use them. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the garden/ lawn. Cleaning the filter means less gunk and cleaner water with fewer pathogens.
Increase surface turbulence/ aeration when using salt or medications because they reduce the dissolved oxygen in the water.
Add some salt, (see directions below).
If there's no improvement after a week with daily water changes and salt, or it gets worse during that time, post some more pictures and you might need a broad spectrum medication that treats protozoan and bacteria.
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SALT
You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.
Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, Bettas & gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.
The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria, fish, plants, shrimp or snails.
After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.
If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.
--------------------
Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge.
Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week. The water changes and gravel cleaning will reduce the number of disease organisms in the water and provide a cleaner environment for the fish to recover in. It also removes a lot of the gunk and this means any medication can work on treating the fish instead of being wasted killing the pathogens in the gunk.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.
Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 6 weeks old, do not clean it. Wash the filter materials/ media in a bucket of tank water and re-use them. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the garden/ lawn. Cleaning the filter means less gunk and cleaner water with fewer pathogens.
Increase surface turbulence/ aeration when using salt or medications because they reduce the dissolved oxygen in the water.
Add some salt, (see directions below).
If there's no improvement after a week with daily water changes and salt, or it gets worse during that time, post some more pictures and you might need a broad spectrum medication that treats protozoan and bacteria.
--------------------
SALT
You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.
Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, Bettas & gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.
The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria, fish, plants, shrimp or snails.
After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.
If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.
sure, i have actually removed it and replaced it with one of his old hides that he had no issues with so it won’t be going back in his tank either way.
Thanks a lot, I just got him a new filter today as his last one broke, but i rinse out and clean his filter each week and replace anything that is due to be replaced accordingly, so i’m 99% sure that is not the issue. Each week i do probably 50%-75% water change, and all of the ph, nitrate and nitrite levels are normal, though i need to check the ammonia as i don’t have a tester with me at the moment. It could possibly be the ammonia from the build up over the last two weeks of no water changes, but i just cleaned it yesterday so i’m hoping it will help and he’ll return to normal soon.
Get one of these, if you don't have one already...it's very important to have an ammonia test on hand at all times
apifishcare.com
API® | FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT
The API FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT measures the 4 most important levels in freshwater aquariums quickly and accurately, including pH, high range pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
apifishcare.com
Heather7465
New Member
I would follow the help/suggestions ThatFishgirl and Colin gave you. Remove rough decorations & water change. I have had a few Bettas over the last 20 years, so I'm familiar with them. The first betta picture has a Crowntail fin and the second picture it's a Plakat fin Betta. Are you sure it's the same fish and no one did a swap lol jk!
Honestly, it's hard to see if it's fin rot because in the first pic his fins are clamped. Can you get make him mad, so he flares his fins? Then take a pic.
Honestly, it's hard to see if it's fin rot because in the first pic his fins are clamped. Can you get make him mad, so he flares his fins? Then take a pic.
charlotte1211
Fish Fanatic
Definitely some good information on here!!! My friend has also been having a similar issue with her half moon Betta. We found that some of the ornaments where holding old water which unfortunately was compromising the water quality of the tank. We listened to @Colin_T advice the betta has slowly been getting better!
The best method she found was doing a water change daily about 20/30%. We also tested her water daily to insure the water was the best it could be for the betta. We also added salt into the aquarium and added in a pump to get some added oxygen into the tank. After ALOT of research we realised the filter she was using wasn't the best for her tank size. She has now swapped over to a Fluval mini. We also added in 2 Indian Almond Leaves every 2 weeks.
Can I ask as well if all your plants are live or do you have fake plants?
The best method she found was doing a water change daily about 20/30%. We also tested her water daily to insure the water was the best it could be for the betta. We also added salt into the aquarium and added in a pump to get some added oxygen into the tank. After ALOT of research we realised the filter she was using wasn't the best for her tank size. She has now swapped over to a Fluval mini. We also added in 2 Indian Almond Leaves every 2 weeks.
Can I ask as well if all your plants are live or do you have fake plants?
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