Damaged Fins?

[prairiegirl74]

I am a new fish owner - our office has a Betta that I really enjoyed, so I rescued my own from PetSmart. He's super cute, and seems quite healthy and happy - he built a bubble nest on day two in his new home!
I am wondering about his fins, however. His cup says that he is a Half Moon Betta, but his top fin doesn't look like the pictures I have seen. I'm so seeing if this is because he is a "mutt", or if it's from fin damage? Any opinions as to whether it will heal, or if this is just the way he looks? If it's damaged, is there anything I can do to aid the process? He's in a 3.5 gallon tank with a heater and a filter.

 

[FroFro]

I am a new fish owner - our office has a Betta that I really enjoyed, so I rescued my own from PetSmart. He's super cute, and seems quite healthy and happy - he built a bubble nest on day two in his new home!
I am wondering about his fins, however. His cup says that he is a Half Moon Betta, but his top fin doesn't look like the pictures I have seen. I'm so seeing if this is because he is a "mutt", or if it's from fin damage? Any opinions as to whether it will heal, or if this is just the way he looks? If it's damaged, is there anything I can do to aid the process? He's in a 3.5 gallon tank with a heater and a filter.

Welcome to the forum, lets get started!

I can't tell from the picture, but is the darker edging along his fins dark brown/black in color? If it is this is fin rot. I'm also noticing some spikey fake plants in the background. I'll let you know right now that pointed, sharp edged, or any kind of decor you can imagine panty hose able to snag on is not appropriate for any fish, buy especially betta due to their long, trailing fins. I'd advise replacing the fake plants with live plants and some floating plants to dilute the bright lighting. Anubias and hornwort are the ones I've had the best results with, others here will have more suggestions if you are interested.

How long have you had this tank set up? How often do you perform water changes and can you tell us your parameters? Nitrates, nitrites, alkalinity, and ammonia?

 

[fishlover22346]

Welcome to the forum!

It my be fin rot, can you try to get a little bit of a better pic? If it is fin rot it’s most likely from the petstore, petsmart does not take care of their bettas. he sure is a beautiful fish, that’s for sure. It could have also been caused by the plants in the tank, they are a little bit sharp edged. this can rip the bettas delicate fins. For bettas I suggest using live plants and sand as substrate just becaus eof how easy their fin rip, that and it is more naturalistic which the betta likes, also, it isn’t as risky as using plastic plants.

 

[prairiegirl74]

Thanks for your replies guys. The dark edging seems fairly consistent - I chalked this up to his colouring as it seems to be a deep purple blue like the base colour of his body.
The plants are silk, so they are all nice and soft edged
I put him in a uncycled tank when I got him a couple of weeks ago, and he was perfectly happy. However, I did a 50% water change amd plant clean yesterday with conditioned water, and today he has stress face and is lurking at the bottom. Didn't eat his breakie either...
I don't have any values as I haven't got a test kit yet.

 

[NickAu]

How often are you changing water?

 

[prairiegirl74]

How often are you changing water?

I got him last weekend and did a 50% change yesterday. Today he's not looking good, so I'll pick up test strips on the way home.

 

[fishlover22346]

Could possibly an ammonia spike. don’t know though, in such a small tank it should cycle fairly quick.

 

[NickAu]

in such a small tank it should cycle fairly quick.

Ummm no.

 

[prairiegirl74]

Got API test strips on the way home.
GH - 0
KH - 40
pH - 7.5
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 0

His colouring is better, and he's acting normal again, so may have just been the stress of the water change?

Still wondering about his fins and whether anyone thinks his top fin will fill out or if that's just the way he is?

 

[fishlover22346]

it could very well be stress from the water change, I bet that’s all it was, but for the fins it could have been from the petstore or from a decoration, I would suggest live plants.

 

[fishperson100]

I agree with the spiky plants posing a hazard. My sibling's Betta had spiky plants and I think it tore it's fins, so I would replace them with non-spiky ends

 

[prairiegirl74]

I agree with the spiky plants posing a hazard. My sibling's Betta had spiky plants and I think it tore it's fins, so I would replace them with non-spiky ends

The plants are silk, and I have done the panty hose test. As I am new to keeping fish and new to aquariums, and how quickly a small tank can go out of balance (so I'm told) I am not going to be putting live plants in the tank right away. I will introduce a couple of plants slowly after the fish and the tank are more established

 

[Essjay]

Got API test strips on the way home.
GH - 0
KH - 40
pH - 7.5
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 0

The problem with test strips is that they don't test for ammonia.
In an uncycled tank ammonia is the first thing to rise. It takes a few weeks for nitrite to show up. You need an ammonia tester as soon as possible.In the meantime, I would do a 50% water change every day as doing a water change unnecessarily won't harm the betta, but not doing one if it is needed will harm harm him.
I know this thread is about fishless cycling and you are doing a fish-in cycle, but the first part describes what happens in a cycle of both types.http://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/



Is the betta's fin getting worse or staying the same? If it is fin rot, the fin will get worse. If it is staying the same, that suggests it is just the way he is.

 

[animalisterra]

I dont think it is from the plants. His top fin seems to not have been cut because it looks quite natural and smooth. The only plant that maybe could cut him is the purple one at the bottom. This still does not seem likely because if the plant is on the bottom, wouldn't it cut his bottom fin? Fin rot could be the culprit but if it was it would seem like his other fins would be affected too.


I think he is just a unique betta

 

[fishlover22346]

I have had fish get fin rot only on the tail before and no other fins, usually is resolved quickly, and in some cases has managed to grow back overnight.