# New betta now has torn fins?



## Mariposa (May 12, 2012)

I just purchased my new buddy, Blaze, last Saturday. I have had bettas before with minimal issues but with this guy I wanted to start fresh so I purchased new gravel, and a new plant made of fabric. Since Saturday he seems to be adjusting happily, making bubbles up top and swimming happily, flaring and loving his new home. However I began noticing a day or so ago he now has tears in his fins. What could it be? I will post pics shortly!


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## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

Mariposa said:


> I just purchased my new buddy, Blaze, last Saturday. I have had bettas before with minimal issues but with this guy I wanted to start fresh so I purchased new gravel, and a new plant made of fabric. Since Saturday he seems to be adjusting happily, making bubbles up top and swimming happily, flaring and loving his new home. However I began noticing a day or so ago he now has tears in his fins. What could it be? I will post pics shortly!


Depends on what kind of fins he has. My old betta spitfire was a HM and he flared so much that he split his tail. Or he could be a tail biter


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Are there any wires sticking out of the plant that he may have caught his fins on? Is it a tear, or a little C shape out of the fin? If it is a C, it may indicate he is tailbiting.

Whatever the reason, warm water (80-82F) kept very clean will help.  If you want you can add a teaspoon of AQ salt per gallon, or some StressCoat, or Indian Almond Leaves if you have them. None of these extras are necessary but they can help. 

How big is his tank, what temp do you keep it at, how often do you clean it and what percentage of water do you change?


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## Mariposa (May 12, 2012)

Thanks for replying. Been trying to post pictures but for some reason once I get them uploaded it tells me I don't have access...he's in a 2.5 gallon minibow aquarium. No filter, have found they don't much like the current when I did have it. There might be wires, I hadn't thought of that. To me they look like tears straight up the fins not c shaped...though before they appeared I had a sneaking suspicion he might have issues with the edges, they looked black and the water he was in at the store was filthy. Was nott sure if it was his color or other issues. Not obviously fin rot though...


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## Mariposa (May 12, 2012)

Oh...I had initially put a pinch of salt in the tank when I set it up but added a little more when I noticed the fins tearing, figuring it couldn't hurt..


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

Actually it can hurt. Salt should be used sparingly with freshwater fish such as betta and too much can be damaging as it makes ion transfer more difficult and stresses the fish (http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-articles/salt-freshwater-aquarium-97842/). Clean water is a better medicine for betta with torn fins and finrot. Every single one of my long-finned bettas has torn their fins at some point in time, and I found that clean water works better than salt. As for the split, it just sounds like he got it from flaring a bit much. It can happen to the long-finned males. It happened to one of mine recently. Just keep the water warm and clean.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

If it is fin rot, it could be a delayed reaction to shop conditions. When I got Apollo it took a few days for the conditions of his previous home to affect him, but he lost most of his tail despite the fact that he'd been moved from his little jar into a heated, cycled 5 gallon.


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## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

Mariposa said:


> Thanks for replying. Been trying to post pictures but for some reason once I get them uploaded it tells me I don't have access...he's in a 2.5 gallon minibow aquarium. No filter, have found they don't much like the current when I did have it. There might be wires, I hadn't thought of that. To me they look like tears straight up the fins not c shaped...though before they appeared I had a sneaking suspicion he might have issues with the edges, they looked black and the water he was in at the store was filthy. Was nott sure if it was his color or other issues. Not obviously fin rot though...


I think it is just from flaring. This is my last baby who passed away and flared a lot ripping his fins


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## True Indigo (Mar 22, 2012)

Looks like a clean split. Probably flaring in my opinion. Not that bad and I've found that splits heal pretty fast, faster than frayed fins from tail biting or snags from decorations and such. Very nice fish.  Just watch him to see if anything worsens but I wouldn't be too alarmed. It's not that uncommon.


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## Mariposa (May 12, 2012)

I was finally able to upload pics to an album, I would appreciate if someone could look through them and let me know what you think. Off to change the water, must keep him clean!


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## True Indigo (Mar 22, 2012)

Oops I made an initial response to the wrong person thinking it was you (skimmed to quickly of what was said hahaha).

Anyway, as I look through the pictures, it's hard to tell where there might be a split. Could you possibly say which fin or fins the split appears? He looks healthy though.


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## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

Mariposa said:


> I was finally able to upload pics to an album, I would appreciate if someone could look through them and let me know what you think. Off to change the water, must keep him clean!


Doesn't look that bad, keep the water clean and add stress coat


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## Mariposa (May 12, 2012)

It looks more like fraying is what I think. The top fin has 3 sections of fin separate from the rest of his fin in the back. The bottom has the same in the back and it almost seems like the bottom long ones have one split too. I hadn't noticed any of those when I first put him in. He is starting to look like a crowntail!


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## Mariposa (May 12, 2012)

Thank you! Should I buy stress coat? Currently using Nutrafin aqua plus for water changes which claims to coat fins and scales


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## Mariposa (May 12, 2012)

Blaze is doing very well and is happy and healthy though I still see the torn fins. I believe that it is from over-flaring now that I have been observing him. I came home from a walk with my dog and had left my purse in front of the tank. When I went to get it, I noticed that Blaze was very busy showing my purse who the boss is, flaring at it! Its a black and white purse you silly betta! thanks for all your help!


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