# Clamped fins?



## Windblowswolf (Feb 13, 2011)

Housing 
What size is your tank? 10 gallon with a Top fin divider (5 gallons each (2) betta)
What temperature is your tank? 81 F
Does your tank have a filter? yes, but it creates bubbles that agitate the water a lot and does not seem to have as much of an effect on the half of the tank on the other side of the divider. I turn it off while I sleep so that it is less stressful on Cacciato. (his half has the filter)
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? the filter makes bubbles
Is your tank heated? yes but the new heater is confusing and I'm not sure it's working very well because the temperature is about 4 degrees under what the dial says and It has gotten down to 75 without the heater turning on. I have only seen the heater on a few minutes after I have turned the dial up.
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None besides the betta on the other side of the divider.

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Hikari Betta Bio-Gold
How often do you feed your betta fish? twice a day 3 pieces each time. Making sure they are eaten before putting in the next piece

Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change? Just set up the tank 3 days ago. Plans are to do a 20% change once every week and clean the gravel with a gravel vac.
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 20%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? One tablespoon of aquarium salt,two tablespoons of stress coat, and 2 tsp of aquarium plant food
 
Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters? I don't have a test kit. Don't have the money at the moment.

Ammonia: 
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity: 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? clamped fins 
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? more rests on the bottom of the tank
When did you start noticing the symptoms? today
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? No
Does your fish have any history of being ill? Cacciato is just getting over a case of fin rot. Declan's fins are still a little rough looking from a run in with a plastic plant.
How old is your fish (approximately)?Cacciato is from Petco and Declan is from Petsmart so age is unknown.


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## Iziezi (Nov 5, 2010)

I'm not an expert by any means -- poor Penfold has clamped and tattered fins at the moment due to my own caretaking mistakes -- but I've been told clamped fins mean your betta is either stressed or sick. Maybe in this case, your betta is just cold?

If you can get a thermometer, they should be only a few bucks at the pet stores, to verify the temperature of the water? That way you know if your heater is working or not? 

Regarding the bubbles -- I don't know a thing about filtered tanks, I usually keep Penfold in a gallon unfiltered -- but I do have an airstone that I turn on for a short time every day to keep the water from getting stagnant. Personally, I don't leave it on all the time because the current it creates is too strong for Penfold. It could be that the current is too strong on the filter side for Cacciato, which is also causing stress?

Hopefully a more experienced member will also reply.


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## monroe0704 (Nov 17, 2010)

A good rule of thumb is to increase the water temp a couple of degrees, dim the lights, and add aquarium salt. This will take care of a lot of issues. How did you treat the fin rot? 

If there's signs of parasites (scratching/flashing, light gold dusting over fish best seen under a flashlight, or the salt grain appearance of Ich) then you should start a copper based treatment too.


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## Windblowswolf (Feb 13, 2011)

To treat Cacciato's fin rot I had him in a separate bowl inside the main tank and added more salt and did 100% water changes daily (Or tried to) but It was actually kind of iffy if it was fin rot or just tail biting.This morning I noticed that Declan has a pretty bad case of fin rot with about a centimeter of black disolving fin. I am surprised I didn't notice this earlier. It's like it happened overnight. Declan also has alot of new scratches on his face, Cacciato uder flashlight has small goldish patches on his gill flaps, Cacciato's fins are a little fuzzy around the edges. I'm getting really worried because neither of them are eating. Also they seem to have a little bit of a hazyness on their eyes like oil. this is worse on Declan. I will be gone tomorrow and most of sunday to see my grandma and will be going on vacation thursday till next sunday so this is a horrible time for this to happen. I don't want them to die while I'm gone. I spent so much time caring for them and have spent close to $100 dollars on them already... If they die then I probably won't be getting any more bettas for a while. They are alot more work than I bargained for. so how do I get them to stay alive? The sad part is that I won't be able to check this till I get back sunday and depending on how late maybe monday so I'm just praying they stay alive that long and I can get them back on their... fins.

Also It may take even longer to get any medications for the fish... Wish me and my boys luck.


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## monroe0704 (Nov 17, 2010)

It sounds like external parasites. Velvet can cause cloudy eyes.. Turn off the lights since that feeds the parasites (if they aren't off already) and try to get some Aquari-sol or something soon.

If you got them a short while ago then there's a good chance they were sick to begin with...


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## luvmybetta (Jan 29, 2011)

Don't give up...NEVER GIVE UP...Just improve...I can see two possibly three things that need fixed. So, based upon what I can see in print, you stated that you just set up the tank 3 days ago, correct? Your filter system is just beginning to cycle. You stated that you turn off the filter at night, correct? You might just be wiping out your just beginning cycle on the filter/tank system and your fish could be showing you the results. I guess what I am trying to say in print is: I am not sure you are ever going to achieve a beneficial bacteria colony in your filter by constantly stopping your tank cycle. Also, you stated that you are not sure your heater is working properly. Both of those things create stress on fish.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Have you tested the water prams by taking some water to the pet shop since you don't have a test kit...it almost sounds like high nitrate reaction but this is a new setup....... so it could be the plant food...what kind are you using and how many and what kind of live plants do you have...are you using the salt in the tank itself or is that used in QT for the treatment...a bit confused on the additives 

Right now I would start making some 50% water changes for 2-3 days and stop using the plant food and salt if you are adding that to the main tank...you don't want to use salt long term and it not good for most plants either....

Edit...I missed that you turn the filter off at night.....as luvmybetta posted....you either need to run it all the time or remove it all together...you may be flooding the tank with ammonia every time you turn it back on due to death of any good bacteria from lack of oxygen....new tank that has not cycled will need at least twice weekly water changes of 50% until the nitrogen cycle establishes in about 4-8 weeks with the filter running 24/7 that is....depending on the number and species of live plants and growth state-they may take care of some of the ammonia...can you post a pic....and give more details on the plants and plant food....


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## luvmybetta (Jan 29, 2011)

I was going to explain my previous post in depth, further; As, I was needing to get off my computer and my post was rushed. As OldFishLady stated and I am just now back on the computer: You either need to shut off the filter completely or run the filter 24/7. If running the filter causes stress related problems that you have noticed in one of your fish (the fish that has the filter within his portion of the divide) or if the fish tank is in your bedroom and the filter running happens to keep you awake at night, just remove the filter completely from the tank. As was pointed out by OFL toxins are released back into your tank from running the filter and then turning it off, for even just a few hours. Both of your Bettas can live without a filter. An increase of water changes (even in a 10 Gallon) UN-filtered tank are a must. If I were trying to maintain a 10 Gallon Divided UN-filtered tank, minimum water changes to occur: Every 3 Days. Maximum time between water changes: Every 3 Days. As, you can see for me personally, I would not go beyond 3 Days. Reason: Unless your male Bettas get along just fine looking through a divider at each other; They are a potential for stress related conditions. In which case, water quality is a must. Another reason: Just by what you stated, it seems that you are new to Betta requirements. All the more reason to stay on top of your tank's water conditions. This is my opinion only and what I would do if my 10 Gallon were set up like yours.


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## Windblowswolf (Feb 13, 2011)

The morning after I posted this both of my fish were dead. I won't be having any more fish for a while as I don't want to deal with the trouble of it. Maybe once summer starts I will try again but for now I'm just planning on dumping the tank. I will save up for a test kit so that next time I can test. I'll also do more research and put more effort into getting the tank ready for the fish before I start. Thank you for the advice.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Sorry for your loss...but don't give up......since you have plants why not keep the tanks going with just them for awhile....you won't have to make water changes like you do with livestock....(this depends on the species of plants too)....but why not keep the tank running...never know when that urge hits you or you come across a beautiful Betta and you will have a cycled tank waiting....


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