# Betta Fin Tear/Regrowth



## Jake3698 (Jul 20, 2012)

Hey guys, i just have a few concerns about my Betta. I won him at the fair a while ago and he has been doing very well.
I have a good set up for him, Aqueon Evolve2 which is a little under 2 gallons, filtered. I change water once or twice a week depending if i have time. If it is only once a week then it is a 100% change. Feed him twice a day with betta pellets and occasionally give him a tiny chunk of Brine Shrimp (He hates blood worms, picky guy.)
Anyways back to the issue at hand.
I had a rock in the tank with some plastic leaves on it that tore his fins, when i noticed this i pulled the rock out and the next day did a 50% change to reduce ammonia levels and help him heal. I went to Petco and the guy recommended Melafix, i do two drops daily in my size tank and he seems to be healing up okay. He does have some translucent white tips to his fins now, they are very small but i just wanted to make sure that it is not a disease or something, and that it is most likely new fin growth. Pics from when i got him to now will be attached.
Just did a new 100% change today and he looks very happy.
Pics are as listed
Day home from fair, in small container.
Second day after tank was running for 24 hours, just added.
The next pic is the camera flash one, took that for the "Betta pic" section on forums.
The next pic is eight days later 7-28-12, tears on fin. Water change that day. Medicine the next.
7-29-12 Tears look about the same, white tips appear on fins.
Today - 8-1-12 White tips are more prominent fresh water change, tears look a little better.

Im extremely sorry for such a long post.. I just want to make sure my fish is going to be okay, and i know with the collective knowledge on this site he has a good chance. Thank any and all of you for your help.


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## MSG (May 8, 2012)

I don't think you needed melafix. I think salt in the water for a few days would have been enough. 

Your betta looks healthy to me. I wouldn't worry.


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## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

_Aww..he is a cutie and looking very good, I am in the_
_process of using an Aquarium Salt treatment for a fishy I have my 3rd with some fin damage, I wouldn't trust Melafix, if you are using it, you may want to stop, It could cause damage to the gills, it is nice to see the new growth though, that is great_


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## Jake3698 (Jul 20, 2012)

What would salt do for him?
I'm just paranoid.. when i was much younger (about six or seven) i had Betta's, but i had them in a 1 liter tank the little dinky things from Petco that say they are for bettas. I didn't know any better, it has been thirteen years since my last Betta, none of them lived for more than six months or so. I now know that they can live for YEARS.. i just want to make sure i can do everything i can for my new guy, i don't want him to die because of my mistakes like my old Betta's did.

Edit: Wait.. Melafix can damage the fins??
Can someone fill me in on the salt treatment/dosage and how i can get it?


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## Kenny G (Jun 9, 2012)

If you want to go the holistic route just do daily water changes, keep him in warmer water and continue to feed him nutritiousness food with protein. You should start to see him healing in a week or so. Just monitor him to make sure he doesn't get new infections. I personally never used a salt treatment when one of my betta's had torn fins.


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## MSG (May 8, 2012)

What type of dinky tank are you refering to? The kritter keepers? 

They're good for collecting insects and other critters from outside.

They also work good for hospital/recovery tanks.


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## LizzyP (Jun 21, 2012)

Melafix is known to cause damage to their labyrinth organ, which aids them in breathing outside of the water, which they need to do. If it is damaged then the fish will essentially suffocate. I would discontinue ASAP. Daily water changes sounds good to me to keep fins healing, or you can add 1/4 tsp (don't quote me on that I could be wrong) per gallon but do not exceed 10 days because it can damage their kidneys.


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## Jake3698 (Jul 20, 2012)

I just did a full 100% water change today.
I am leaving tomorrow till sunday and my dad will be taking care of him, he had a 100gal tank for upwards of 20 years before it became too taxing to take care of i think my fish should be fine until i get back.

Yeah i was talking about the little critter keepers. I did a couple drops of the Melafix today, before i knew the possible repercussions, and this is the third day. I tossed the bottle in the trash a few minutes ago. Going to buy salt Monday after class, ill check online to try and find more dosage instructions.

Also, in his fin are dark red almost black streaks between the bones.. A little worried because sometimes people say this is a sign of Fin Rot, as the pictures show the rest looks okay just a little torn. I can't get a good picture because my i don't have a small enough lens to focus that close and my phone camera doesn't show them.


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## MSG (May 8, 2012)

*I wouldn't have tossed the bottle of Melafix*

It's a good product, it works well for fish that DON'T have the labyrinth organ.

You can use it to treat shrimp too. 

It's just not a product you should use for bettas.


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## Jake3698 (Jul 20, 2012)

I have been doing the AQ salt treatment twice a day for 30 minutes, when i do he is in a 1gal bowl with 1tsp of salt, completely dissolved, the water temp is usually 78-80 and he seems stress free in and out of the salt. 

I am sad to say that the fins have gotten worse. I am not sure if i am doing something wrong or if his new environment is bad for him. I moved him out of my room and downstairs on the kitchen counter so that i can change the water more frequently. He is away from the windows so the sun doesn't hit him much, and i reduced the amount of time the LED is on per day now so that he can rest more.

I stopped the Melafix treatment the day that you guys said to, i read that it might help to get some API Stress Coat+, is that true? I have not had this fish very long but he grew on me very quickly, whenever i walk by he swims back and forth along the front of the tank and up and down, he always seems excited to see people. My sister loves to feed him and i recently taught him to jump for the food, i hold my finger barely above the water and he jumps up and snatches food off of the tip.

Is there anything anyone could recommend to help my little Betta?
(As the pictures show there is excessive tearing on the Caudal fin, and some minor tearing on the Anal fin, then more excessive tearing on the Dorsal fin)


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## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

He may be biting or getting fins caught on plastic plant..take it out and do pantyhose test..to see if it will catch if it does..yu cannot keep it in thete..salt is ok but leave in and change daily..only add 1 tsp well disolved..1 x per day


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## lilblue (Jul 28, 2012)

Any chance he could be getting his fins hung up on the intake of his filter? My VT has some ripping similar to what yours looked like when the rips first started. I had the intake stuffed with aquarium sponge to hopefully prevent it but I didnt have enough in there. I added more sponge and have been doing salt baths twice a day. He's looking better so I think the intake was the issue. If he starts looking worse again I'm going to try wrapping a layer of sponge around it.


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## Jake3698 (Jul 20, 2012)

All the plants are silk. I got rid of the plastic rock that i think started all of this.

The intake to my filter is just kinda a waterfall, there is no pull. Water just flows through the top left and then into a back chamber and then down another chamber where it is then pumped out in the top right. I can post a pic if you like, when i tried putting a layer of filter paper around it a lot of debris came off of it, so i pulled it out and did a 100% change.

the tears look really bad but in reality it isn't that bad, his fins have grown a lot since they started tearing, which i think is a good sign.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

It good that you stopped melafix. Can you post picture so we can see the difference from the one's that you post on 8/01?
If he had tears from plastic plants and has clear see through ends it sign of regrowth. I don't want to confuse with fin melting. If he is eating and there no behavior changing i would think he is fine and it just fins regrowth. Picture will help.

If his fins grow back and it just from tearing you don't even need aquarium salt. Just keep doing water changes 2 times a week. You can do 1-50% and 1-100% a week. When you do 100% take time to acclimate him. Just have him in his changing cup and add new water in his cup about 15% wait for about 10 min then add more new water do it for a few times until his changing cup is full. This way you let him acclimate to new temp/chemicals.
Stress coat if you have it is good to add.
I would take filter out and see if water movement can also a problem. With water changes that you do filter is not necessary. I do 100% water changes for my 2.5 gall every 5 days and i never had filters for any of my tanks since like 5 year ago.

Also the way you do aquarium salt is not correct. You need 1tsp/gall and you can use up to 3tsp/gall depending on the problem. So if you treating with aq salt. You pre mix it for the right dosage, make it dissolve and you need to do daily 100% water changes.

So picture would help. Because if it regrowth you really don't need to stress him with aq salt and daily water changes.
Is there any behavior changes?

EDIT: Always leave space between the top of his tank and water level since betta can jump out. I read a lot of post like that. Also when you have him in his changing cup make sure you cover the cup (lid with holes for the air).


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

I was searching the forum and found post someone put similar then yours. And someone there wrote :

Its not uncommon for the new growth to be clear or white or even a different color all together....depending on the amount of damage and a few other factors....the new growth may or may not color up...often with really bad damage the fins never return to their full glory.... 
__________________

But again it only if you think it regrowth after the damage. I don't want to confuse it with something else. If you think his fins getting better and grow back with clear ends then it what it is. It should not get shorter or looks like it has more tears....


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Sorry somehow missed the point that the last picture made today. His fins look more split then on first picture from 08/01


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## Jake3698 (Jul 20, 2012)

The first pic is him in his tank, water level is close to an inch from the top and there is a lid. Filter is little pressure and aimed down the back wall, there is virtually no current.

The second pictures is one of him facing right, this was taken yesterday.
The third picture is one of him facing left, it was taken today. It looks like the fins did get a little better since then or it could just be the angle. I am not too sure.

The fourth picture is a close-up of his caudal and dorsal fins.

The last picture is the 1gal bowl i do the AQ salt treatment in, i put in 1tsp of salt then add the water conditioner and then fill with water, i let dissolve and heat up to room temp. I check it with a thermometer then scoop him out with a cup, drain some of the cup water and add some of the AQ water. Let him sit, then fully put him in the AQ bowl.

Today i got some of the API Stress Coat +, i did a 100 change and then added the previously mentioned product, it helps with rebuilding stress coat and supposedly damage to fins, it also does the water conditioning.
He seems very happy in his tank and his behavior has not changed at all, he still likes hiding under plants and whenever anyone walks by he still spazzes out, swimming all over the tank trying to be noticed. Once you look at him he makes eye contact and then usually pushes a bubble out his mouth and goes to hide under his leaf or sits on one.
He still eats whatever i give him, it varies from 2-4 pellets a day, usually 2 or 3, but sometimes 4.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

what confusing me that when i look at the picture that you posted on 8/01 his fins completelly attached and now they all detached.

Also you wrote that he is hiding under his plant or sits on it. What do you mean is he does it all day long. Because if he hide or sit on it all day long i don't think it normal behavior. Usually betta is pretty active most of the day. Rest time to time but swimming around a lot. Or he was like that from beginning?

EDIT: i was talking about first 3 pictures from 8/01 his fins are completely different from now


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

If i wold not see those pictures from 8/1 where with attached ends i would say that he looks perfectly fine. It just i don't understand that big difference from those pictures and now. I am just afraid it can be fin melting..i saw post about that. And i don't know anything about it. I tried to find a post but can't. Not sure how progressive it is. I would think if he would has it he probably would be a lot of worse already and lethargic. I hope he just has transparent fins regrowth.


Also if you give him 4 pellet spleat them (2 in the morning and 2 at night)
And i read there is high protein food like frozen blood worms will help immune system ...i never feed with that but a lot of people on the forum recommending it. Just be careful don't overfeed if you decide to get it. Also i feed them with cooked shrimp. Little pieces (pellets size). They love it. Disadvantage is that it sink to the bottom very fast if he miss it


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## Jake3698 (Jul 20, 2012)

He is usually pretty active, when i look at him from the other room he is swimming around always checking stuff out. He becomes really active if someone walks up to him, then he relaxes it a bit and chills for a few minutes. His behavior has not changed much since the first few days i have had him. 
His fins started progressing very slowly and now they are like this! I would really like to know if there is anything more i can do for him, aside from the salt baths and the API Stress Coat +... 
If anyone knows of anything, please let me know. I will keep this updated with pics and messages on how he is doing.

EDIT: I am not sure how i forgot this, but when i vacuum the gravel of his tank this white film comes up in small pieces, it almost looks like skin. If you have ever seen a snake shed its skin, and the resulting whitish/clear skin coat, thats what it looks like. Just floating in the water.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

The truly bizarre part about this is his fins now look exactly like a crowntail's.  But I've never heard of a VT regressing to crowntail before. I don't see any black edging that could mean infection/fin rot but nor do I see white regrowth meaning he's working his way back to being a VT. This is truly unique. 

Since he seems to be acting perfectly normal, I'm very reluctant to suggest anything else other than what you are already doing. Keep in mind that AQ salt can only be used for about 14 days maximum, though. If you have any naturally dried oak leaves available to you, you can add one of those to his tank until the water turns tea colored. Indian Almond Leaf works best if you can find it. These add tannins that are beneficial for the healing process and help ward off infection.

Anhel is correct that frozen foods high in protein like bloodworms are great for the healing process. Feed 2-5 worms a day, alternating with his pellets. 

If his behavior continues to be normal, then my best guess is somehow his genetic background kicked in and he reverted to crowntail. :shock: 

Kudos to you for giving him such a great home and loving care.

As for the whiteish stuff you've been vacuuming up. That is probably a mixture of bacteria/slime that just naturally happens in tanks and shed excess slime coat. AQ salt helps to stimulate slime coat production so he is probably now shedding some of it off.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Sakura thank you for fast response! That what was confusing to me too. From VT to crown tail wow. And he looks pretty good lol 
I was doing stuff around the house and it came to my mind that he has stress coat adding to his water that also can cause the slime coat.

Also Jake was doing bath for 30 min which is not really helping 1tsp/gall bath 30 min. I suggested to switch to regular aq salt treatment 1tsp/gall with daily 100% water changes and betta acclimation.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Haha, yeah, I'm usually not on that early but I couldn't sleep (7AM pacific time). Good suggestion about switching to the regular treatment. 

He does look pretty good as a CT, doesn't he?


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## Jake3698 (Jul 20, 2012)

I just started adding the stress coat yesterday, i have been noticing the whiteish stuff for a couple days now. He does look really cool as a CT, but somehow i just feel like its wrong. He seems perfectly fine.
Although it worries me a little that he likes to hide under the blue/purple small plant in the left front of the tank (you can see it in the pictures) he stays under there for a couple minutes at a time before coming up for air then he swims around for 30-40 minutes before he slows down and relaxes. Today im not sure if he didnt see the food or he wasnt hungry, but i had to put 5 pellets in before he actually ate 2. He ate 1 right away, and then he ate the last one i put in, but missed all the other ones entirely.
Is that even genetically possible for a vt ro revert to a ct? Its kinda funny though, i remember seeing a picture of a black CT named spike the fierce on here and i thought he was awesome.. then a day or two later my betta's fins started to tear.. and now this is where we are at.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Just like Sakura wrote continue with aq salt. But follow instructions that i wrote for you. 
I would think if he stays under his plant for a few minutes and then swims around 30-40 min he should be fine. Is he going under his plant after he swims 30-40 min?

I would worry if he would hide or stay under plant for 30-40 min then swim to the surface for 2 min and go under the plant again. If he will stay at the bottom of the tank or hiding all day. I would worry if he would refused to eat at all. If he will develop any other symptoms OR his tail will deteriorate. So just observe and if you really think something is wrong give us update.
Good luck.


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