# 1st fish, Fin is torn! PLEASE HELP!



## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

Hello everyone and anyone!
I am a fish time betta (or any fish) mommy! I really dont know much about bettas, and have been browsing this forum for awhile. We have only had our male for about 4 weeks now, and he has been doing awesome! He's a very happy fish, and even gets excited when we get up in the mornings and say hi to him! Ive never seen a fish get excited before, so this makes us really happy! Anyways LONG story short, my lovely boyfriend was at walmart the other night and saw a little female betta, felt sorry for her, and without me knowing put her in the tank with our male! Its been about 3 days and when he told me , I knew it was not going to be good. Anyways i guess she got mad and ended up nipping at his fins ( ones underneath his belly area ) and now they are town up and stringy looking! I have been reading in here, but im not quite sure how to add salt or how to use the "STRESS COAT" or if anyone has any other ideas!!! PLEASE HELP!

PS. we have already removed the female from his tank!

CLIFFS:
Male betta's fins are torn from fight, what to use to help repair of heal???


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Hello and welcome to FishForum. I'm not sure how much salt to use, someone else can tell you the exact dosage. I think salt, some Stresscoat and keeping the water clean should help him heal. If things get worse you could try some BettaFix.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

He is in a tank that has a filter pump thing. Should I still clean the water out?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

What size is the tank? If its less than 5 gallons, I'd do a complete water change.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

its a 2 gallon i believe, is there a link u can direct me to to help me through the steps on how to change the water correctly. Also if anyone can tell me about adding the salt


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I would change the water in a 2 gallon once a week and I'd do a full change. You can put the fish in the cup he came in or put him in a clean gladware container while you change the water. Dump out all the old water, rinse rocks or gravel and rinse any plants or decorations in hot water. Then rinse the tank thoroughly in hot water. Then you can put clean, dechlorinated water back in the tank.Then, of course, put the fish back in. I hope this helps.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

We live in the country, so we have well water and not city water. Are starter kit came with a conditioner should i use that as well?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Yes, I would definitely use conditioner, no matter what kind of water you have.


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

Always use conditioner. Your well water may not have the chlorine and chloramine that city water has, but it may have heavy metals that need to be bonded by the water treatment.

First thing is to separate the fish. Male s and females can only be kept together during breeding ans only under observation. Get her her own tank.

For his nipped fins i would mix a salt bath - 1 teaspoon aquarium salt dissolved into 1 gallon of treated water. put him in there for 5 minutes. Then move him into a mixture of 1/3 the salt bath and 2/3 fresh treated water for 10-15 minutes then back into the tank.

Do a 100% water change on his tank and add bettafix to the water, this will aid in the healing and prevent damage form turning into fin rot.

As far as adding salt to his tank, for a 2 gallon dissolve a pinch into the water every full water change. Always make sure it is dissolved first as raw salt can burn their scales or lips if they try to eat it.

Betta's are very hardy fish and if you keep up on the water changes he should bounce back very quickly.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

You guys are total life savers! I have become fully addicted to these fish, and i hope to learn more about them, and also avoids these problems in the future! Hopefully I can get my little Earl all fixed up!!!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Bettas are extremely addictive and they have great personalities!


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

My bf didnt believe me when i told him that they would recognize us, because he would associate us with feeding time i guess?, anyways he gets so happy if we come up to the tank now!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I don't know if they recognize us or not but I've heard stories where the fish were more active and happy when their owners were around than when someone was taking care of them while the owner was gone.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

I dont know but he gets super excited when we go up to the tank and talk to him..... hell swim in circles and up and down really fast!


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## dr2b (May 31, 2009)

I wake up to a fish staring at me lol.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

I use half a teaspoon to a full teaspoon of salt per gallon of water.

Stress Coat dosen't really need to be measured when it comes to fins.

Keep water clean so nothing gets infected (not a pretty sight).

And yes, FEMALES WILL KICK A MALES BUTT!!!


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

Im not going to lie...i am very nervous about this salt thing! I'm sitting here at work shaking my legs just thinking about it! Im afraid ill do something wrong and end up doing the unthinkable! How would i use the stress coat? As the bottle directs?
also how many times should i to this salt stuff? or how long?


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Mitsufishi said:


> Im not going to lie...i am very nervous about this salt thing! I'm sitting here at work shaking my legs just thinking about it! Im afraid ill do something wrong and end up doing the unthinkable! How would i use the stress coat? As the bottle directs?
> also how many times should i to this salt stuff? or how long?


I use salt as a preventative for disease and bettas have a great salt tolerance.
Stress Coat can be used as your regular water conditioner (it's what I use). Just follow the directions on the bottle.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I was nervous the first time I used salt but my fish were fine.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

I am gonna follow your instructions to the T and hopefully everything works out fine!


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

Salt bath will not hurt at all, and the fins should bounce back very quick.

I wrote a how to on giving a salt bath http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=25297 - if you follow those directions everything will go smooth. The only thing you have to worry about is the 1st few seconds if he does not like that salt, he may try and jump out. some do, most don't and just settle in it and swim, just keep an eye on him.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

oh! Thank you sooo much! So i pretty much use the same procedure to change the water as i did when i first set everything up? And while hes in the salt bath i can go ahead and do the water change?


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

i just walked in from work! this is the first time ive seen the damage! He was excited when i walked in, and hes swimming around fine and has eaten! I hope this helps him feel better!!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Sounds like he's doing ok. Just keep an eye on him.


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## ifish (Apr 30, 2009)

oww thats alot of damage im so sorry hope he gets better hold on little buddy


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

Wow, she tore him up bad. If you can clean the tank in the time he's in the salt bath yes, but you only put him in 5 minutes. Otherwise have a separate container to hold him until the tank is ready.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

Well!! The salt bath went well! I cleaned out his tank and added a plant, he was realllly happy when i put him back into his tank! I just had one question...when u say "treated water" does that mean water with a conditioner added? Im knew to all this fish lingo!


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

Mitsufishi said:


> Well!! The salt bath went well! I cleaned out his tank and added a plant, he was realllly happy when i put him back into his tank! I just had one question...when u say "treated water" does that mean water with a conditioner added? Im knew to all this fish lingo!


Yeah treated water means with water conditioner added. Glad the salt bath went well. Do you have any bettafix? a small does of that in his tank will help prevent finrot form coming on.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

i could not find any bettafix, but i did get the stress coat. Shall i look for bettafix instead? use both? or stick to the stress coat?


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

stress coat is a water conditioner with aloe that helps with the slime coat. betta fix is not a water conditioner so keep using your stress coat.

bettafix is derived from the melaluca tree (tea tree oil) and smells great! it is a mild, natural antibiotic, anti fungal treatment. I put the dosage for 1 quart of water in my 5.5 gallon every water change as a preventitive measure.

not enough that I'm medicating, just enough to keep the bad bactria and fungus away and boot the immune system of the fish.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

Uck! hate the smell of Tea Tree Oil. Should i use the same dosage you do? Or should I use more since im trying to help his fins?


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

haha I love the smell of the stuff. since you are trying to treat damage I would use a full dose. the dose I use is just a preventive done with every water change.

should Zeus aver get sick I will go to stronger dosing.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

Ok can i buy it at pet smart? I couldnt find it anywhere last night!


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

petsmart is where i get it. they keep it right next to their betta's in mine. ask an associate of you cannot find it, they should be able to help.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

Ok, good! I hope that he is still doing well when i get home! He wont eat any of the pellets he just spits them out, but he will eat some flakes.


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

nice 1st gen eclipse in your avatar, very clean! is it AWD? mmmm front mount intercooler  if he's eating anything that is a good sign. betta can be quite picky eaters at times.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

DANG! A DSM ENTHUS!!!!

LOL AWD yes! 9 sec dsm!


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

Nice, i'm not just a DSM fan, a car fan in general. Imports, domestics, euro's I love 'em all.

But you gotta give props to mitsu on the design of the 4g63. It is the most bulletproof 4 banger ever built.

I drive an '06 corolla xrs at current, go 2ZZge! But have had an 87' e30 bmw, 750 whp '69 elcamino (9 sec, with mid 150's traps), 95' FD3 rx7, '03 Mazdaspeed protege, and my 1st car and the only one I still would love to have a '59 VW beetle with porsce 912 motor,tranny and retrofitted suspension.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

you can be my new best friend! LOL I am a HUGE car fan! I also love em all. Although I am a bit partial to the imports!


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

I'm partial to imports and euros over domestics as well. Especially the ones that were never brought to the states. ie: r32,r33, r34, "real" silvia's, and the euro I wish made it here the cosworth escort.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

0oo we a couple RBs at the shop!


Also, What do u recommend I use to but earl in for his salt bath? I cant figure out how much water a gallon is... so what do u think is something good to put him in for his salt bath. I dont have any other tanks or anything


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

go to the grocery store, buy a gallon of water, empty it out. fill it, condition it, put it in your treatment container. make a mark on the outside of the treatment container for what a gallon is 

RB's and the 2JZ's are probably 2 of the best engineered motors ever made. Both capable of over 900 crank HP on stock bottom end, talk about over engineered.

My craze recently has been drifting. The art of slideways. I'm thinking about picking up a 180sx or old corolla that is a beater, fixing it up just enough that it is not a rust bucket and learn the art myself.

I do RC (radio control) drifting already, I came in 2nd in the points event in the last competition down here.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

Wow... lol im a tard! I just cant really find anything big enough around the house to use as his treatment container. 
Here is a video of our dsm

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/9-Second-DSM_681582.htm

Here is a video of a 240 w a rb26 thats in the shop as well (dont know how u feel about these, but figured i would show u)- The tuner "ANDREI" is my boss, great guy!

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Underground-Motorsports_183088.htm


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## Synthisis (Jun 4, 2009)

Ah, the world of DSM's.

Walk crank, walk :lol:


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

Who needs a dog when u can walk your crank right?!?

Thats y we keep a betta!


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## Angelmonster (May 27, 2009)

Hoenstly don't worry about it. Try not to let it happen again but I think mostly everyone has had a betta with a torn fin.

Just do the salt bath like mentioned above and add some salt to the tank every time you clean it until it is fully healed 

Betta have probably the more delicate fins, atleast to my knowledge. just accidentally getting it caught in a siphon can rip some of them :-(


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

So total ill be usinf Stress Coat as my conditioner
Bettafix as the med
and a pinch of salt as a "healer" all at the same time


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

Your DSM is sweet! The 1g's don't crank walk as bad as the 2g's though  Holy giant turbo! why not ball bearing?

Now that 240... mmmmmmm. The body kit is a bit much for me. I really like the s15 chassis as is, maybe some mild side skirts and a small lip in the front and rear. beautiful blue, close to what my MSP was. The exhaust note from the dyno pulls however. /drool

If you do not have a large enough container for a gallon of water, do what i said with a gallon form the grocery store. drain it, fill it with tap water, add the tsp of salt (already dissolved, i use a shot glass to dissolve), add the water treatment, mix well then fill your smaller container with the salt bath mixture


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

Mitsufishi said:


> So total ill be usinf Stress Coat as my conditioner
> Bettafix as the med
> and a pinch of salt as a "healer" all at the same time


Sounds great! when he is all better you can use a few drops of bettafix and a pinch of salt every water change too as precautionary measures.

Don't forget your daily salt bath's until he shows definite signs of healing, then you can stop with them and let him finish healing in his home.


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

neenjar said:


> Your DSM is sweet! The 1g's don't crank walk as bad as the 2g's though  Holy giant turbo! why not ball bearing?
> 
> Now that 240... mmmmmmm. The body kit is a bit much for me. I really like the s15 chassis as is, maybe some mild side skirts and a small lip in the front and rear. beautiful blue, close to what my MSP was. The exhaust note from the dyno pulls however. /drool
> 
> If you do not have a large enough container for a gallon of water, do what i said with a gallon form the grocery store. drain it, fill it with tap water, add the tsp of salt (already dissolved, i use a shot glass to dissolve), add the water treatment, mix well then fill your smaller container with the salt bath mixture


Welp...we werent concerned about the BB or Not thats just how we picked this one up. We can make anything work! WE were running 10.0 on a stcok head stock block and stock AUTO tranny we pulled from the junkyard on just a 60-1!

I never cared for the body kit on the car either, but over all its still pretty sweet! 

I plan on leaving work in 30 mins and heading straight there! I wish i wouldve thought logically about filling up the gallon! LOL i think i was tooooo in shock about my poor earl! Earl- names after the BEST "AN" fittings in the world!


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

Mitsufishi said:


> Earl- names after the BEST "AN" fittings in the world!


:-D

Don't worry about the logic stuff, that comes with time. I'm 36 and been keeping fish since I was 11. It used to just be for fun, but with real world stresses and my job that drives me nuts, it is more therapy than anything else now.

And the 240 is certainly sweet over all. I just do not like big body kits. subtle works just fine ;-)

Here is me and my MSP at an autocross. I miss this one alot too, never driven anything that handled this well, not even the FD. ignore the "driving line" I'm not on, this was at a go cart track that we rearranged for the auto-x. this was a 90 degree turn at over 80 mph at maximum body roll. This thing was STIFF.










underside when 3" turbo back was being installed









and all shined up at a club picnic:









ok I may miss this one as much as the '59 beetle...


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

ah! Good ole autcross.
Never gotten into that much!


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

I did it for years until my back issue became too much to deal with.

How is Earl doing?


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## Mitsufishi (Jul 1, 2009)

neenjar said:


> I did it for years until my back issue became too much to deal with.
> 
> How is Earl doing?


Earl is doing alot better! He looks much better! It quite some work doing water changes all the time, but i dont want him to die!!!! Im so grateful I found this website cause without it im sure he wouldve passed already, and even if ,GOD FORBID, he doesnt make it, I know I did everything I could!


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

Wow he looks like a female after spawning


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## neenjar (Jun 19, 2009)

He should bounce back, he seems to be getting good care.

Nursing a sick fish is alot of work, certainly more than changing water every couple days to a week depending on tank size.


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