What Do You Think Causes A Betta To Do This?

[Durbkat]

One of my bettas that is in my 1g usually spilts is fin from flaring to long and now I am not letting him flare while he spilt fin is healing and now he has chewed at least half of his back fin. What do you think causes a betta to chew there fin and has any of your bettas done this and what did you do to get them to stop chewing and heal there fins?

 

[OohFeeshy]

Stress, generally. Often I find stressed bettas turn erraticly, spot the tail and think ' He's on my territory' and bite it.

 

[Synirr]

I think it can be a stress behaviour, but I also think it can be like obsessive-compulsive disorder in humans, since it is sometimes inheritable. Just try to eliminate any stressors you can and see if that helps.

 

[Durbkat]

I did that be removing the mirror and putting a piece of paper so he can't see any other betta and thats when he started biting his tail when he couldn't see any other bettas but I can't keep the mirror up for long or he will spilt his fins again. Any other ways to stop this before he has only has half his fins left like the betta in my 1/2g that tore his fins to?

 

[supersixone]

did you actually see him biting his tail?

 

[WILDER]

Depression.

Why don't you try a bigger bowl.

 

[Mr.September15]

Maybe the papers are making his bowl to dark and tight. If you try moving his 1g somewhere else where their is some light perhaps he may stop biting. But not in direct sunlight though that would make it worse.

-Arrowhead

 

[Durbkat]

did you actually see him biting his tail?

Yes with the betta in the 1g I was watching them he was spinning around then his back tail got really close to his mouth then I saw him bite it then another part of his tail was gone. Now today he only has like 45% or less of his tail left. I also switched his decorations with another tank and added salt so I hope that helps.

Arrowhead the 1g he is in has a hood with light on it so its not to dark or to bright.

Wilder you mean something bigger than a 1g?

 

[RandomWiktor]

Self mutilation in animals is almost always caused by boredom and stress. Boredom could be that he is in a very small space with not much to do. Stress could be that small tanks generally can not be planted as well without really hindering the fish's movement, so they tend to be more exposing.
I have a betta who is a very severe fin-biter, to the point where his tail will not grow back, and he has gotten fin rot several times from his own damage. It can become very serious. The way I remedied this problem in him was placing him into a large, VERY planted, dimly lit aquarium. I put everything back exactly where it was when I clean his aquarium, do not let him see other fish, and keep his tank (which is rectangular) turned so that the shortest length faces out (which results in reduced exposure). He is in a low-traffic area of the house as well, and I avoid any major changes to the environment immediately outside of his tank. Sounds like a lot, but it has solved his problem.

 

[MegTheFish]

A bunch of my boys in my divided tank started bitting their tails, I added a heater and they stopped.

 

[Durbkat]

Well if he is bored I have already changed his decor with another bettas tank and he can't see any other bettas he is in the lowest traffic area in the house which is my bedroom I am only in there from 3pm to 9pm and 9pm is when I go to bed and I am at my computer all the time I am home so. Are there any heaters for a 1g?

 

[RandomWiktor]

Not that I know of. One gallon is really much too small to safely heat. Its why many betta owners just assume buy bigger tanks; 1gs are usually too small to properly heat, filter, etc. plus all tablet medications are dosed for 10g tanks, and its pretty hard to cut a pill into 10ths. To the best of my knowledge, the smallest heater you can guy is the junior heater, which heats tanks 2.5g and higher. However, I refuse to use them in 2.5 minibows, because if you put the hood light on at the same time, it can very quickly cause a dangerous temp spike. In 5g, on the other hand, it keeps the water at a pretty stable 76-78, and with the light, about 80 degrees.

 

[JoLtNbolt]

I think you should stop using the mirror to stimulate (agitate) your bettas. I think this is what is causing the stress!

 

[WILDER]

Stimilate him by moving his bowl around the room, so he can look at different views of the room, how much time do you spend with him.

 

[Durbkat]

I think you should stop using the mirror to stimulate (agitate) your bettas. I think this is what is causing the stress!

Stimilate him by moving his bowl around the room, so he can look at different views of the room, how much time do you spend with him.

Alright joltnbolt take it easy.

Wilder I don't spend to much time with him unless I am doing my homework on the desk where he is at which I hardly get and when I put my contacts in and take them out in the morning and night time. So not much time. I don't usually spend alot of time with my fish like I do my computer.