# How long does it take a fin to regrow?



## kimt (Mar 5, 2013)

I mentioned in another post that it appears my new elephant ear betta has suffered an injury to his left front fin. A good chunk of it is missing. I think it is an injury as the missing part is right smack in the middle. It looks like a bite out of crime. I'm keeping him in an unfiltered 1 gallon for now as he seems to have some difficulty swimming. I was wondering how long it will take to grow back. I just picked up his 5 gallon tank last night and I am anxious to get him in it. I'm going to leave him in the smaller tank until he can swim better but I feel so sad to see him in the small tank when my other one is in a roomy 3 gallon. 

My husband wanted me to return him to petco because of his injury. I didn't notice it until I got him in his new tank and saw his trouble swimming. I told him absolutely not. I am attached to him already and I don't want him to end up in a home with someone who hasn't bothered to do any research in betta care.


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## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

Depends on the injury. It took a week for my VT to heal after he ripped his caudal fin


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## LittleBlueFishlets (Nov 10, 2012)

Just keep him in warm, clean water, and it should start growing back pretty quickly. Look for signs of white or translucent edges - this indicates new growth. 

If you want to move him into the larger tank, you could just lower the water level. That would give him more horizontal swimming room (which they usually love), without causing him to swim far to the surface.

Make sure there's nothing sharp in his tank that he could catch them on. Check decorations for sharp edges, etc.

I definitely would not return a fish because it had ripped or torn fins. They will heal quickly.... The best way to treat this is just to keep him in warm, clean water - and they should start growing back pretty quickly.


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## kimt (Mar 5, 2013)

LittleBlueFishlets said:


> Just keep him in warm, clean water, and it should start growing back pretty quickly. Look for signs of white or translucent edges - this indicates new growth.
> 
> If you want to move him into the larger tank, you could just lower the water level. That would give him more horizontal swimming room (which they usually love), without causing him to swim far to the surface.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your suggestion about the larger tank and the water level. I did go ahead and move him with into the new tank and just filled it halfway. He seems to be very pleased with the extra swimming space. I also got him a betta leaf hammock which he loves. I'm still keeping him without a filter. I already knew to watch the aquarium decorations with our other betta. (He was my trial and error ) so all his tank plants are silk and his hidy hole is smooth with no rough edges.


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## mld02004 (Jan 4, 2013)

I double up on stress coat for the water and it took maybe a month for my crowntail to regrow his terribly battered tail. It was more than half gone!


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