# Stressed betta blowout problems any advice is welcome!



## CaptByMoonlight (Mar 5, 2017)

My ct betta has had a blowout of his caudal fin from flaring at his reflection. Currently I have him in his tank with a towel half covering his tank and I've unplugged the lighting system. (I'm getting a bit desperate at the moment, and it seems to have calmed him down)

He would only flair occasionally at his reflection so I thought it was fine. One and a half months later he has half developed stress marks and a blowout. I'm new to the hobby and assumed he was undergoing a color change as he was also becoming more iridescent. However in hindsight to the blow out it was probably stress lines.

In an attempt to cover the black part of the tank I sanded a piece of acrylic and laser cut it to fit his tank.







it worked out well aside from where I had to cut out space for the intake vent. He continued to flare at the one spot I didn't cover... the next day he ripped his fin. I have ordered a med critter keeper to act as a hospital tank, because the black acrylic in his normal tank is the source of his pain. I have added Indian almond leaf to the tank as well as a pinch of aquarium salt and half a packet of API E.m. Erythromycin. In two days I will be moving him to a 2g hospital tank(it is in the mail) with betta fix. I just wanted to know if there was anything else that I should be doing? 

Specs: 5g, filtered, heated to 79, 6h of light (led), semi planted

Chem specs: ph 6, ammonia 0, nitrates 0, nitrites 0

WC Schedule: Once a week 50% water location Brooklyn tap with dechlorinator API, and API quick start.

I have no photos of the rip I don't want to take off the towel and stress him out any more, but this is what he looked like pre-rip.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

We'll need current photos as soon as you can get them.


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## CaptByMoonlight (Mar 5, 2017)

A pinhole and a full rip... and a broken ray!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Those aren't stress marks; they are normal coloration for a yellowish Betta. They may stop developing or they may continue.

If you have access I would recommend Seachem StressGuard. I use it with all of my new Betta as the stress of shipping can cause them to bite their fins while in transit.

Seachem - StressGuard

Personally, I don't bring out antibiotics for what your boy is doing as there is no sign of infection and clean water will prevent same. I would suggest some tall stem plants like Hornwort, Cabomba, Anacharis, etc., weighted in the back corners and allowed to flow over the top to break up the light/reflection.

I see the pinholes but is the ripped caudal the middle circle? It's hard to tell with CT but with the shape of the missing parts in the white circles between the rays he could be biting.


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## CaptByMoonlight (Mar 5, 2017)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Those aren't stress marks; they are normal coloration for a yellowish Betta. They may stop developing or they may continue.
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I will be sure to purchase the stress guard and err no I shall mark it out









That is the damage so far, the other noted places were like that when he was purchased at my LFS


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## HokieProf (Oct 31, 2016)

CaptByMoonlight said:


> I will be sure to purchase the stress guard and err no I shall mark it out
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have a very neurotic betta and I'm new to this fish business, too. My crazy fish is prone to fin tears. He periodically gets on kicks where he also chews his fins. I keep big bottle of Seachem Stressguard on hand. Its a miracle worker. Russell recommended that to me, too.

I had to order it on Amazon. I couldn't find it locally, but its very easy to use. You don't have to change the water every day or anything like that. The so-called similar products that my local pet stores have require lots of water changes. 

Good luck with your fish. He's lovely.

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## CaptByMoonlight (Mar 5, 2017)

HokieProf said:


> I have a very neurotic betta and I'm new to this fish business, too. My crazy fish is prone to fin tears. He periodically gets on kicks where he also chews his fins. I keep big bottle of Seachem Stressguard on hand. Its a miracle worker. Russell recommended that to me, too.
> 
> I had to order it on Amazon. I couldn't find it locally, but its very easy to use. You don't have to change the water every day or anything like that. The so-called similar products that my local pet stores have require lots of water changes.
> 
> ...




Thank you! My betta has always been stupidly aggressive, out of all the Bettas he was the only one who flared for me. Just ordered a huge bottle of seachem stress guard, fingers crossed!!!


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## CaptByMoonlight (Mar 5, 2017)

Update: he has been moved to QT with seachem stress coat fingers crossed


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

You can treat him in-tank with StressGuard. Dose once daily as it dissipates every 24 hours.


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## CaptByMoonlight (Mar 5, 2017)

Thank you for the stress guard tip!

I don't think it's wise to put him back in his tank at the moment, as the back panel (opaque black acrylic) is the reason he has been ripping his fins. He flares at his reflection in the acrylic. The glass of his aquarium has never been a problem though. From what I read it was explained that darker colors reflect a clearer image. 

My friend recommend covering it with a moss wall, so I might try to put that together before I add him back to his regular tank.


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## CaptByMoonlight (Mar 5, 2017)

UPDATE!!! We are all healed up thank you for your help!


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