Shredded Betta Fins- I don't know what is wrong and I need help (head's up, long post!)

[BeetleLann]

Hello everyone!

First, I'd like to say thank you to Aquarium Co-op for creating this forum 🙂

I am relatively new to the hobby and I know I still have a lot of learn, so I'd like to ask for some help from people who are experienced in betta care.

I have joined CARE because posting on social media groups is not helping me solve my fish problem. I have also spoken to the staff at my local aquarium store, and they have reassured me that I'm following the proper care procedures, so I feel a bit stuck, frustrated and at a loss.

Anyways, enough with the preamble- my betta's fins look mighty rough. I do not think fin rot or disease are causing the issue only because I have been attempting to treat the issue for several months now and they still look miserable.

Below is a somewhat chronological list of my adventures with this hobby and trying to help my betta (I'm sorry it is so long, I just want to give as best of a description as possible of what I've been doing so everyone reading understands what is going on):

• Back story- I have owned 3 bettas in 5 years: one was adopted from a former roommate and he passed after about a year or so, then I took in another betta for about 2-3 years before he passed. Both were homed in a small 1G tank and did fine.
   
• In January, I was feeling lonely after the passing of my second betta in December, so I purchased a new little guy. He was kinda homely when I got him, but the important thing is that his fins were healthy. My new guy was introduced to the 1G (which was sanitized before adding the new fish), and he lived there for a few months.
   
• (This is when his fins started to look like cr*p) Where I live (Canada), we went into COVID lockdown mid-March. I moved back in with my parents and brought my betta. However, after a month, I moved back to my apartment and left my betta in my parents' care. I think this may have been a good part of the problem. You see, my well-meaning father introduced a small plastic plant with tiny sharp leaves from his tank to my betta's tank. This probably started the tearing (if that, in fact, what is the issue). Dad also thought my betta might want some friends, and put him into the 33G for a day. Needless to say, I didn't want that so I asked dad to put betta back into his small tank. A week or so later, I came back to collect the fish, tossed the plastic plant, and brought him back to my apartment. Once back, I treated him with almond leaves, daily water changes, and a product purchased off Amazon called Betta Revive. His fins didn't really improve, but they didn't get worse either. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures from this time, but I this story is why I do not think it is fin rot.
   
• Also during quarantine, I found a 10G on the street someone had put out with the trash. This was very exciting because I've always wanted to upgrade tanks, so I worked on cleaning it, researching how to set up and care for a planted tank, and began ordering products. A friend-of-a-friend recommended a specific plant dealer to order from, so mid-April I placed an order for several baby aquatic plants. I set up my tank with Fluval plant and shrimp stratum, introduced some driftwood, and allowed the tank to cycle. For like, a month at least. And still no sign of the shipped plants...
   
• Turns out buddy didn't think my order was worth enough to ship on time, so I waited 2.5 months for an $80 purchase. After waiting for a while and not hearing from the guy, I thought I got ripped off. I was frustrated because I really wanted to introduce my betta to the large tank, and I was tired of waiting for the plants, so I introduced him before planting anything. Maybe this wasn't the best idea, but I thought that a larger tank could help improve his fins if he had more space to swim around in.
   
• FYI I also grow pothos out of the water and have done so in both the small tank and 10G.
   
• Plants finally arrived early august: baby anubias, baby buce, baby crypts, baby swords, xmas moss, moss ball.
   
• (I did a dumb?) I may have gotten a bit eager with the hobby, and over June and July, introduced some tank mates including: a baby bristle nose pleco, 3 albino cory cats, some cherry shrimp friends, and a nerite. Staff at local store said I should have no issues. However, someone on reddit told me to rehome everything because the tank is overstocked... but the guys at my local store say it's fine because things are babies and I clean and do water changes often.
   
• I didn't think the tankmates were bothering him, but I'll admit I may be wrong. My betta more or less kept to himself, but he picked up some of the cories' habits and started eating the algae wafers I put in the tank. Silly dickens. (They are now separated, BTW.)
   
• I have reduced feeding times from 2x a day to every other day to reduce waste output. I have also added new items to his diet to see if that helps; I was previously using Aqueon's betta food, but now have introduced: frozen bloodworms, chilled baby brine shrimp (betta doesn't eat them), fluval bug bites, and sometimes some veggies. He still has an appetite and is an active fish.
   
• I check my tank parameters often, and the levels are typically about: pH 7.6; ammonia 0-0.25 (which I realize is a bit high, but I tested my tap water and it is the same); nitrites 0ppm; nitrates 20-30ppm; temp fluctuates between 77-82 F. Tank is filtered, HOB, and has a heater. 
   
• Recently, I watched Irene's video on quarantining fish and isolating them to a hospital tank (THANKS IRENE!!!!) so my betta is now in a 5 gallon plastic bucket filled with about 4G of water. There is no filter, only a heater. I do daily water changes.
   
• Prior to the plastic container, I had put him back in his small 1G and was treating with aquarium salt and daily water changes, but the tank started to smell bad so I took him out and put him back in the larger tank.
   
• For the last 4 days he has been in the 5G container, and I have been treating with a product called Betta Revive. Just so everyone knows, I LIVE IN CANADA, I cannot get products like Kanaplex because they are banned and you need a prescription...
   
• Tonight I am going to do another water change and start aquarium salt treatments again. I am going to continue this for the foreseeable future.
   
• I am also moving back to my parents this weekend, and I am nervous because I am worried it'll stress out my fish.

I will post more pictures when I can, but if anyone, ANYBODY, can suggest ways to improve what I am doing and/or diagnose my problems, I would be eternally grateful!

I want to give my fish the best life possible, even if that means I have to rehome. I am really enjoying this hobby, and I feel SO bad for my betta.

Thank you so much in advance! ❤️

Lanna

(PS I know the photos aren't great, I suck at getting good pics and my betta doesn't like the camera. These pictures are from July 31 and August 4)

 

 

[GC73]

Sorry to hear your little guy is not doing well. I LOVE betta, have kept them for almost three decades. I have recently fallen in love with corydora also. I have many of both. They make great tank mates, depending on the betta personality. Some love company. Others won’t tolerate it. If you want to go a medication route, I would say try Aquarium Co-op Med Trio, following Cory’s treatment amounts. If he is not lethargic and is eating well, don’t panic. I have had betta tails change appearance with age. Crown tails have similar tails, but are heathy. Do fin ends look solid or frayed?  Are they just whispy looking or actually torn. You may want to continue with salt but also add almond leaves or untreated drift wood. It will darken the water, but I have had it be nothing but extremely beneficial for bettas. Tannins contain natural antimicrobial qualities and present a more natural environment for betta. Best of luck to you both!  And you are right about this tank mate match up. In my mixed tanks, the betta don’t eat from the top anymore. They think they are corydora, eating and swimming with them. It is adorable. 

[GC73]

Sorry. I didn’t address your stocking concern. I would have to agree that is far too great a bioload for ten gallons. I find regular size bettas happiest in at least ten gallons. That was an excellent call. The pleco is not needed in this tank and much better suited elsewhere. Albino corys can get a bit larger than say pandas. But at three and regular maintenance, you should be fine. I would add a small sponge filter to the hang on back or whatever you are using for filtration. In order to get enough food, I would stick to two snails or limited number of shrimp. They will compete for food and neither will get enough if kept together, in that size of environment. Snails are not as fast moving or bothersome to betta as shrimp can be. If you feel stress may be playing a part, in his troubles, I would stick with just the snails. Hope all this is helpful!

[BeetleLann]

Hello GC73!

Thanks so much for your reply ❤️

I'm glad you have also fallen in love with corydoras, 'cause they are heckin' cute and cool! My albinos have really grown on me, but I will rehome them if the general consensus suggests that is the best option... I thought my betta is okay with company, but then again, his fins say otherwise. However, my dad will take them, but he already has some cories (I don't know what kind, plecos, gouramis, and something else that is quite and darts around. I don't know if he needs 3 more fishy friends, either).

My betta is a veil tail. I have never experienced nipping, so I don't know if that's the problem, but someone on FB suggested it may be. I think shredded really is the best word to describe them, I'm trying to get a good picture for you.

Do you think I could get away with keeping the pleco, the shrimps, the 1 snail and my betta in the 10 gallon until I can afford to upgrade tank sizes? Hoping to do so before xmas.

[Brandy]

So. I know in canada you don't have access to the coop trio from the aquarium coop, but the salt and almond leaves are probably all you need. If the fins look healthy, with no fuzzy growths, and aren't getting worse, he is bright happy and eating, you might want to just minimize his excitement from moving tank to tank, keep your water parameters stable, and wait. Fins take a looong time to grow back. 

[Brandy]

Also here is a thread on this topic that might be helpful.

 

[BeetleLann]

Thank you, Brandy! Hopefully once I'm moved back in with my parents' and things calm down, his condition will stabilize. Thank you for the reassuring words ❤️

[GC73]

1 hour ago, GC73 said:

Sorry to hear your little guy is not doing well. I LOVE betta, have kept them for almost three decades. I have recently fallen in love with corydora also. I have many of both. They make great tank mates, depending on the betta personality. Some love company. Others won’t tolerate it. If you want to go a medication route, I would say try Aquarium Co-op Med Trio, following Cory’s treatment amounts. If he is not lethargic and is eating well, don’t panic. I have had betta tails change appearance with age. Crown tails have similar tails, but are heathy. Do fin ends look solid or frayed?  Are they just whispy looking or actually torn. You may want to continue with salt but also add almond leaves or untreated drift wood. It will darken the water, but I have had it be nothing but extremely beneficial for bettas. Tannins contain natural antimicrobial qualities and present a more natural environment for betta. Best of luck to you both!  And you are right about this tank mate match up. In my mixed tanks, the betta don’t eat from the top anymore. They think they are corydora, eating and swimming with them. It is adorable. 

 

10 minutes ago, Brandy said:

Also here is a thread on this topic that might be helpful.

 

 

11 minutes ago, Brandy said:

Also here is a thread on this topic that might be helpful.

 

I also thought about possible fin nipping. Bettas will go after their own fins, if stressed enough. Sterlite brand totes are fish proof. Rubbermaid totes are only if it is stated “food safe” on the label. I’m not sure what you have available to you, but the clear ones really do make great tanks. I would double or reinforce with clear packaging tape to prevent bowing. We have three 20 gallons purposely going in totes. We doubled each and the total cost was under $20 each tank. That may be a really good option for you. No need to rehome anyone or rush to decide what to do. Move back home. Get settled. Upgrade from the tote type tank when you can. 

[BeetleLann]

1 hour ago, GC73 said:

I tried to get some better pics to see if you think it is nipping, so I hope these do the trick. The lighting isn't great and he's a stubborn little bugger who never stays still long enough for a picture. I've done a water change, dosed with aquarium salt, and crunched up some almond leaves. The water is still blue from residual medication.

 

I also thought about possible fin nipping. Bettas will go after their own fins, if stressed enough. Sterlite brand totes are fish proof. Rubbermaid totes are only if it is stated “food safe” on the label. I’m not sure what you have available to you, but the clear ones really do make great tanks. I would double or reinforce with clear packaging tape to prevent bowing. We have three 20 gallons purposely going in totes. We doubled each and the total cost was under $20 each tank. That may be a really good option for you. No need to rehome anyone or rush to decide what to do. Move back home. Get settled. Upgrade from the tote type tank when you can.