# Fin Rot or Fin Biting? How to tell difference?



## Potential4Evil (Aug 27, 2011)

Bal's back fin has just started looking like this. His plant hasnt done any damage before so how can i tell if its fin rot or tail biting? I have treatment if its fin rot, I just want to know how to tell...If it helps I just got another male betta that has to unfortunately sit in a tank next to his with an envelope between them. I did have a small episode where i tried to temporarily share Bal's tank via divider with Ra but the flaring went on for more then 5 mins so i put Ra into a temp tank.


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## Potential4Evil (Aug 27, 2011)

this is how it looked a few days ago


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## Banicks (Aug 20, 2011)

To my eye, it looks like fin rot but I am not an expert. I had a quick look for disease stickies and the black edges of where his fins are gone highlighted this:

Symptoms: Betta’s fins and/or tail seem to be getting shorter and shorter or they seem to be falling apart and dissolving, Black or red along the edge of the betta’s fins/tail, Bloody tips, Behavior may not change
Treatment: Conservative: Treat with Aq.Salt at 1 tsp/gal. Increase water changes to 100% daily. Replace accurate amount of salt following water changes. Add Stress Coat to help repair tissue. If there is little to no improvement within the first 5 days, you can increase the salt dosage gradually to 2tsp/gal but do not continue any salt treatments past 10 days. Medication: If Conservative treatment is ineffective use API Tetracycline, API Fungus Cure, API Triple Sulfa, OR API Erythromycin. Also add Stress Coat to help regrowth. Continue until fins/tail stop receding and start showing some new growth.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Did it happen in a short period of time, like a few hrs or overnight? if so its tail biting. 
Fin rot has black around the rot part. I think your guy got stressed by the new betta and made a snack of his tail. Is the shreadded part black? 

This is my HM GRUMPY who is a tail bitter


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## Potential4Evil (Aug 27, 2011)

ok thanks guys! gonna have to get treatment started asap


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

It looks like he over flared, ripped hit tail, and then a rot set in. He may not work out with a divided tank, but I'd give it another go around once he's better. flaring can last a while, but generally if you have enough cover in the top and middle region of the tank level, it should be ok. They do best when they can get away from each other while still in the areas they hang out in (top and middle)


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## Potential4Evil (Aug 27, 2011)

Pataflafla said:


> It looks like he over flared, ripped hit tail, and then a rot set in. He may not work out with a divided tank, but I'd give it another go around once he's better. flaring can last a while, but generally if you have enough cover in the top and middle region of the tank level, it should be ok. They do best when they can get away from each other while still in the areas they hang out in (top and middle)


Now that makes sense...I was wondering if that isnt what allowed fin rot to set in...

as for dividing Bal's tank is a 1 gal and so it would be .5 per fish divided so I didnt want it to be a perm thing. So Ra's getting his own tank friday (since I had to cancel the back order one...Mid-late Oct i think not)


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## Pataflafla (Jun 2, 2011)

That's probably why he flared so much. He probably felt like he couldn't escape so he had to keep posturing.

And tearing his fins from over flaring is definitely a way for rot to set in.

Change his water 100% daily or every other day until it starts to heal and then, in a 1 gal, change his water 1 50% and 1 100% every week.

What are you using to treat his rot?


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## Potential4Evil (Aug 27, 2011)

Pataflafla said:


> That's probably why he flared so much. He probably felt like he couldn't escape so he had to keep posturing.
> 
> And tearing his fins from over flaring is definitely a way for rot to set in.
> 
> ...


I usually do 1 50% and 1 100% a week for them but my snail died recently and I wondered if that had something to do with it as well. And it was only one day that he had the divider in. As for treatment I have AP QuICK Cure that is for it, ick and protozoan parasites for now (i drop per gal each day) and will add aquarium salt to the process when I can buy some friday when my boyfriend comes by with his car.


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