What disease does this look like?

[Prizm]

Does this look like tail rot? The fins are not shredding, but are rather clumping together. Here are a few pictures of my two different fish with the same ailment.

The top part of their back fins would normally be flaired upwards. Even in full flair, the back tail fin is stuck in this sloping form. Both fish's scales have also lost a lot of color. They look almost pale.

 

[red-devil0602]

clamped fins

 

[red-devil0602]

when mine did this i used indian almond leaf and it worked a treat

 

[Prizm]

clamped fins

Clamped fins? That's exactly what their fins are doing --Do you know what causes it?

 

[Saucy]

Here, I found this:

Being too cold: Loss of color, clamped fins, lethargic. (Be aware these symptoms may also indicate further illness or inadequate water conditions, but adjusting temperature is the logical first step to try to eliminate the problem).

Try raising your water temps and see how it works... and maybe add some aquarium salt.

 

[Prizm]

when mine did this i used indian almond leaf and it worked a treat

Oh! GREAT! So it's curable then *whew* I'll get some of that...probably from the internet if I can't find any at a LFS. Any idea how they could both get the fin clamp when they live in different bowls? I want to prevent it from happening in the future. (Since most betta problems seem to stem from dirty water, I should mention that I keep their bowls very clean.)

 

[BettaMomma]

Clamped fins itself is a sign of something else - it's not a disease itself.

How's the water?
Any major changes lately?
Antyhing fuzzy, puffy eyes? Anything??

 

[red-devil0602]

daft question do you use dechlor

 

[Prizm]

Here, I found this:

Being too cold: Loss of color, clamped fins, lethargic. (Be aware these symptoms may also indicate further illness or inadequate water conditions, but adjusting temperature is the logical first step to try to eliminate the problem).

Try raising your water temps and see how it works... and maybe add some aquarium salt.

Ah, their water is a little on the cold side..uh, but it isn't icy like the ones people keep in those critter keepers. (Why don't all vased bettas get this problem?)

Mine have salt, and their water is luke warm (but is likely below the standard 78 degrees) They are both also extremely active, except now that their tails are clamped in the back. (Though they still swim up to flair at eachother & breath)

I'll try raising the temperatures, but please tell me if there are any other causes you can think of?

 

[Prizm]

daft question do you use dechlor

Yes, I do use dechlor..."Chlor Out" Wardly brand


Clamped fins itself is a sign of something else - it's not a disease itself.

How's the water?
Any major changes lately?
Antyhing fuzzy, puffy eyes? Anything??

The water is tap, but treated with the chlor out...No major changes, except their bowls, but this change caused no behavioral changes except they swam about more & Nope, nothing puffy.

 

[3fsh]

Honestly, I don't think it is a good idea to use salt with bettas unless they are sick. I started using salt in one of my betta's tanks and he HATED it. He clamped up his fins and glared at me until I did a massive water change to get rid of the salt. After that he was fine... swimming around like normal, no clamped fins. You should try some stress-coat on them. It has aloe vera in it and my fish look great now that I've started using it instead of my other dechlorinators.

Wait a minute... I think I might know what the problem is... does Chlor-Out neutralize chloramines or just chlorine? Your tap water might have chloramines in it (chlorine + ammonia) and that might be what is harming your fish because the dechlorinator is only removing the chlorine, not the ammonia.

 

[Prizm]

Honestly, I don't think it is a good idea to use salt with bettas unless they are sick. I started using salt in one of my betta's tanks and he HATED it. He clamped up his fins and glared at me until I did a massive water change to get rid of the salt. After that he was fine... swimming around like normal, no clamped fins. You should try some stress-coat on them. It has aloe vera in it and my fish look great now that I've started using it instead of my other dechlorinators.

Wait a minute... I think I might know what the problem is... does Chlor-Out neutralize chloramines or just chlorine? Your tap water might have chloramines in it (chlorine + ammonia) and that might be what is harming your fish because the dechlorinator is only removing the chlorine, not the ammonia.

Aaactually...I can't remember if I used salt before the fin clamping or not, but that is a change I've made to their water lately. The declorinator I use sayse It "Neutralizes chlorine and chloramines in tap water" but thank you for pointing that out as I was about to switch to a different product. I'll take your advice and remove the salt and get them some stress coat---(& these fish might just not be used to salt where they came from.) ---- One more possibillity, are there any known chemicals released from plastic bowls?

 

[Saucy]

Not unless you've cleaned them with something harsh... like soap? You may want to think about getting them a 10-gallon, dividing it and putting a heater in. It's probably be cheaper than buying 2 different heaters.

But for now, try without the salt. Most fish like it because it's more like water in nature. No water in nature doesn't have at least some salt in it. Stress coat is great. Neutralizes heavy metals, too.

 

[mlee0332]

Naw, heaters for a 2-5gs are 6 dollars, a heater for a 10 g *can be* 16

But yes that s a good idea to do.

Clamped fins is a form of stress, and the cold water could be stressing them. What temp does the house stay?

Also, does the chlor out neutralize heavy metals? That could be the problem as well

 

[Prizm]

Naw, heaters for a 2-5gs are 6 dollars, a heater for a 10 g *can be* 16

But yes that s a good idea to do.

Clamped fins is a form of stress, and the cold water could be stressing them. What temp does the house stay?

Also, does the chlor out neutralize heavy metals? That could be the problem as well

I don't think it neutralizes heavy metalls, but now I'll keep my eye out for one that does! Thanks everyone for helping me with this..Does it take a long time for their fins to fan out again? Either way, I'll get 'em a couple of heaters