# Betta Fish Fins Look Tattered/ Ripped



## Whyistheskyblue (Jul 16, 2013)

Hello All!

I've been having problems with my Betta, he's a dark/navy blue Veiltail Betta, about 3 days ago I moved him from a 1.5 gallon (5.6L) tank to a 3 (11.3L) gallon tank, and before anyone says anything about it being too small for the betta, I can't get a bigger tank for him because of space problems, he seems happy that I upgraded him from a 1.5 gallon to a 3 gallon. Anyways, I also check my water parameters daily, and the slightest increases in ammonia or nitrite I do a 25%-50% water change . The temperature is also kept at 78 degrees Fareinheit (26.6 Celsius). So my question is my betta for the last three days, has been getting chunks missing from his fins, especially the tail (caudal) fin. It either looks split in two or just wedge shaped chunks missing, like it tore/ was ripped. The first day he was in there he had plastic plants so i thought maybe he got caught on them and so i removed all of them, including the little castle I had for him. Day two, another part of the tail fin, the lower part was again missing, wedge shaped. Because of his color I really can't tell if he's getting black (fin rot) or anything else, so incase it was some kind of fin rot, I started doing 5 minute salt baths using a half gallon (1.8L) and half a teaspoon of aquarium salt. Also, in case it might have been anything else I did a 100% water change. His behavior seems normal, he eats he does everything normal, he flares still. I just don't get what is causing his tail to get ripped, I read up on other people having similar problems and I was thinking, maybe he's tail biting? Anyone have any ideas?


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

First, welcome to the forum!

Second, it's the quality of care; not the quantity of water that makes a good Betta home.

Third, sorry, I can't help you. :-(


----------



## Whyistheskyblue (Jul 16, 2013)

I've been taking good care of him. Making sure I feed him bloodworms along with pellets, he seemed so happy getting out of that cup they kept him in the pet store. And now he looks like he has all sorts of things happening to him :-(


----------



## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

They are confounding critters. I think you may be right; looks more like tail biting. I couldn't see any black edging.


----------



## bluecrowntailbetta (Jul 16, 2013)

keep water warm and feed hm good food. every thing will be allright...


----------



## Whyistheskyblue (Jul 16, 2013)

I guess I have to give him some toys to play with, he might be bored, I'll go to the store tomorrow and buy a ping pong ball, i heard they like playing with those.


----------



## BittyB (Jun 19, 2013)

If he's a tailbiter, do some research on Indian Almond Leaves/IAL. It's therapeutic and I've read about it and seen even members here talk about using them to calm their tail biters.


----------



## Polkadot (Feb 10, 2013)

It can happen often with Veiltail's.He might have gotten too close to the filter,or it can even happen when they zoom around their tank really fast,or as you said he might be a tail biter.The best thing for it is very clean warm water & add a little Stress Coat +.That is a really great,gentle product for their little fins.He will be ok.


----------



## Lindsaypez (May 29, 2013)

Looks similar to my betta's tail and he bites his tail. The fins are starting to grow back (only took a couple of weeks to see them start coming in). Just keep up the care of your tank and keep an eye on him! Unless you notice any kind of black or growth or anything, I wouldn't worry too much. When the fins start growing back, they come in clear so don't be concerned if you see the clear fins starting to pop up in the damaged areas.

I keep my fish in a 3 gallon too!


----------



## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

Three gallons is a good size for a betta! 

Anyway, he sounds like a biter. I have a biter also, and I think it was because when he became fully grown, his fins got too heavy and he started to trim them himself. He lets them grow back to a certain length and then they get too heavy and he bites them again. There are a few reasons why a betta will bite. Their fins are too heavy, a filter might be too strong making it harder to swim, the betta is bored, or the betta is stressed. Sometimes moving a betta to a different tank will make him nervous enough to tail bite. Even sometimes moving them to a bigger tank makes them nervous if there aren't enough hiding spaces. It's not that they don't like more room; they just don't like big open spaces. Try putting more plants and hiding places in the tank. And maybe putting something like a bottle cap or a ping pong ball on the surface for him to play with (my betta was totally uninterested when I did this, but some bettas have fun pushing it around). 
To keep him from getting fin rot, just make sure the water is very clean- do your regular scheduled water changes (at least twice a week. some may say 3 times).


----------

