Betta With Ripped Fins :(

[Maedhros]

Hi, novice betta keeper here!

I just brought my new male betta home and his anal and dorsal fins have ripped in transit

they definitely weren't that way in the store as I'd have queried why he was in that state. I was very careful with the bag and had the plastic sack inside a brown paper bag so he was in the dark and not too stressed. The aquarium is a new set up and I've been religiously monitoring the water all week before adding him, so it's all clean in there and there are no other fish to bother him. The filter's set to low and the temperature is 26 degrees celsius.

Is there anything specific I can do for him? Roughly how long will the fins take to heal? He doesn't seem unhappy and his swimming doesn't look to be impeded.

Thanks!

 

[Essjay]

The best thing for damaged fins is clean water and lots of it. That means a lot of water changes, even with a cycled filter.

Did you cycle the tank before getting the betta? By that I mean did you add ammonia to the tank for several weeks till both ammonia and nitrite dropped to zero? if you didn't, you are now doing a fish-in cycle. In this case it is very important that you do a big water change every day. The ammonia and nitrite that build up in an uncycled tank will prevent the tears from healing, making it very important for you to keep on top of the water changes.

Even if you did do a fishless cycle, water changes are the best thing for him. The fins should heal quite quickly.

 

[nikkifro8994]

Raising the temp to 28 might help too. I do that when I'm treating any sickness.

 

[Maedhros]

Thanks guys - I did cycle the tank, so I've done a large water change and raised the temperature, and I'll continue with the regular water changes. Fingers crossed - I just wish I knew what happened, I'm not sure how his fins could have ripped like that as I was really careful. I suppose they're just super-delicate

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I've had my male guppy tails split, so perfectly it looked like it had been done by scissors. Clean water and about a week and they always healed back perfectly.

 

[Maedhros]

Unfortunately, despite very careful tank maintenance, fin rot set in I upped the water changes again and added aquarium salt, and now we seem to be back on an even keel - he's eating, flaring and building bubble nests, and even though the fins look ragged the dark edges are reducing. I'm starting to see clear tissue; am I right in thinking this is regrowth? I can't find any good pictures of regrowing fins, so I haven't got anything to compare it to.

There's nothing sharp in his aquarium so they shouldn't get damaged again. I have been well and truly bitten by the betta bug, though; nursing my little guy through has made me see what a character he is