Fins look stuck together with glue

[FishEnthusiast]

Hi,

4 of my male bettas tail fins appear to be stuck together with super glue. There is no other way to describe it. They willingly flare at the mirror, but they can't spread their tail fins. They can spread their tail fin to a point, about 1/2 way down the tail. Then it just seems to get stuck.

It appears to be impeding their swimming ability too. I don't know what it could be. I have just done water changes on all my tanks. They are eating normally, there is no loss of colour. They aren't swimming as much. They all have their own 1g bowls. All the bowls are planted with cabomba, java fern and another plant that I can't identify. I am at a loss as to what could be wrong with them.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Joby]

I had this happen to 2 of mine once when they were in a divided tank. Don't know what set it off but I was treating them with maracyn at the time but after the treatment and nice clean water and salt they soon opened out again. They had previously not been glued together so put it down to the maracyn

 

[FishEnthusiast]

I am not using any medications. I did just have my house sprayed for fleas, but I sealed their bowls with some press and seal saran wrap.

Upon closer inspection of Guy, there appears to be some fungus starting at the tips of his fins. Mostly the tail fin. I have added a drop of malachite green to his water as I have had great success treating fungus with it. I tried to get pictures, but the little buggers won't sit still. This is not columnaris, thank god. I hope it goes away soon though, their fins look funny, and Leroy seems to be having trouble swimming with only 1/2 his tail working.

 

[OrkyBetta]

I place my bet on the malachtite green. That stuff is uber powerful, and did something simaler when my guppies had ich. Clean water *should* open them up eventually.

 

[FishEnthusiast]

The glued fins started before I put malachite green in the water. It seems to start at the top of the tail fin. the fin curls on itself, and the fish can't do a full spread when flaring. I am starting to lean towards fin rot. I changed everyone's water yesterday, and I will change them again tonight. I noticed that it is affecting more of my boys yesterday. Now it is affecting 6 of them, but one is the worst. I don't get it.

 

[The-Wolf]

ok this is weird, I was going to do a similar post today
as one of the bettas in our shipment, at work, has the same thing.
fins appear to be stuck together, swimming is not what it should be either.

so the question is
how to un-stick them?

 

[The-Wolf]

bump

 

[Prizm]

Are you sure it isn't a clamped fin situation? If the water gets too cold (below 70 degrees) they can look as you described. If this could be the case, I'd recomend getting him a 2 gallon bowl and a mini heater. My betta's tail opened up significantly in the first week after installing a heater.

 

[FishEnthusiast]

The water here never drops below 74, even at night, during the day it averages 78-82. I think it may be finrot, as the tips have turned red on some, and black on the others. I am treating with clean water right now, I will add meds if it gets worse. The fins look like they are curling in and sticking. Since changing the water three days ago, the fins have opened up a bit. I was going to water change tonight, if not I will do it tomorrow. It is scorching hot here today, so I have very little energy.