Fin Damage! What Do I Do?!

[AlitaConejita]

My 4 yr old stuck his hand in Jack's aquarium and swished around the water. I chastised him and made him clean his hands while I cleaned up the water spilled everywhere (because ironically my son is allergic to fish). Once everything settled down, I took a look at Jack and realized he is missing some of his fins!

 
What can I do at this point to help Jack?

 

 
This was Jack Frost before the attacking hand (sorry for the crummy pics - best I could get on my iphone):

 

[Ninjouzata]

Aw, poor thing!
Plenty of warm, clean water in the form of daily water changes is all he needs, though it will take time.

 

[AlitaConejita]

Thanks for the quick reply! I use a fish net to get him out of his aquarium for water changes. Will doing this daily hurt his fins also?

 

[GetItSahn]

Thanks for the quick reply! I use a fish net to get him out of his aquarium for water changes. Will doing this daily hurt his fins also?

It would be better to take a cup and coax him into to swimming into it, the net isn't good for their fins but i don't know if it hurts either

 

[Ninjouzata]

Agreed on the cup, you can use the net to chase him into the cup if need be. A clear cup would be best.
May I ask why you take him out when doing water changes?

 

[AlitaConejita]

For a full water change, aren't you supposed to actually wash out (with warm water) the whole aquarium? I've been doing this weekly.

I do use the net to coax him into a clear glass jar but he is quick and sometimes I get him in a corner with the net while trying to get him in his jar.

 

[Ninjouzata]

It depends on tank size and if it's filtered or not ;o If you don't have a filter then yeah what you're doing is correct.
Ah okay, quick little boogers

 

[xXLeafeonXx]

Try using aquarium salt.
Also feeding high protein food would help I think.

 

[Ninjouzata]

If I'm remembering correctly salt is not the best for bettas, something to do with their kidneys? 

 

[xXLeafeonXx]

:O I never had any trouble with salt with my betta.

 

[ncguppy830]

If I'm remembering correctly salt is not the best for bettas, something to do with their kidneys? 

nope aquarium salt is fine for bettas.

 

[xXLeafeonXx]

Yeah thats what I thought...Where did you hear that?

 

[Wildbetta]

Salt is not really good for FW fish.  It does make their kidneys have to work a whole lot harder.  Now this isn't saying it will "hurt" the fish especially short term and there are many that use salt as a preventative in FW tanks.   The main thing salt does is irritate the fish's skin which makes it produce more of the slime coat.  I do not however recommend the use of salt in a FW tank unless it is specifically needed.  Example would be ICH.  Warm, very clean water is all that is needed to heal most fin damage, even that cause by fin rot.  If the fin rot were to get worse, I would suggest an antibiotic because at that point there is an infection going on.  If your tank has a cycled filter, you do not need to remove him water change.  If you do not have a filter, then removing him while you do a 100% water change is what you should be doing.  You can easily teach your betta to come to the surface and then suck him up in a cup by allowing the surrounding water to carry him into the cup.  Pretty soon he will get used to this and not try to get away.  

 

[AlitaConejita]

I don't have a filter yet - so I guess continue with the full water changes. I have been putting 1/8 tsp of aquarium salt per gallon as a preventative measure(it's a 2 gallon tank which I do need to upgrade but can't at the moment). I guess I should stop putting the salt in? When I first got a betta years ago, I read it was a good preventative measure.

Thanks so much for all the advice

 

[BerryAttack]

beta looks like a crown tail, so having the split in the fins are alright, but this one seems to be having issues... just make sure that the water is clean, and he is fed nicely and he'll grow it back.. don't over feed though! lol
 
 
*****
i would say you can upgrade him to a 10 gallon, add a filter.. then when everything cycles you can add in some other community fish... he'll love it and he'll become way more showy and energetic.