# Tail stuck together



## RedBetta (Feb 11, 2010)

I noticed my red betta's tail fin is pinched together at the tip, it looks like as if someone got somthing sticky in their hair and the way their hair sticks thats how his fin looks, he will flare up and it still wont unstick. Im not sure what I should do my boyfriend think we should try and do it our selves but im to afraid ill hurt him<3​


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## MermaidLex (Feb 15, 2010)

oh! i am sorry but i have no idea all i can say is dont do anything to his fin untill you have someone elses idea on here you might rip the fin, i heard the fins are very fragile.


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## RedBetta (Feb 11, 2010)

I havent, and wont. I just hope someone can help me knowone seems to know what to do :/


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## xgoingdownx (Jan 29, 2010)

I wish I knew what to do- does he look like he's in any pain? If you have any pictures, they may help us see what the problem may be. Hopefully someone has some good advice for you! :/


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

Hmm....It sounds like fin clamping from your description, which is usually caused by 1. poor water quality and/or 2. Too small of a tank.
Has he been like this since you got him? How long have you had him? How big is your tank and how often do you change the water? What are your water stats(ammonia/NitrIte/NitrAte)?


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## RedBetta (Feb 11, 2010)

Its a 1.5gallon. Iv had him for about 4 months and I just noticed this two days ago. I clean his tank 2 times a week.

O and I tested the water and everything looks great :/


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

What are the stats exactly and what test kit do you use?

1.5 gallons is OK.....but a bit small. Thats probably the bare BARE minimum for a betta....I advise you upgrade to 2.5 gallons+, but thats really up to you.....
If not, bump the cleanings up to 3 times per week at least, ammonia will build up fast in such a small space...
Does he have a heater? Whats the water temp? How active is he usually?


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## RedBetta (Feb 11, 2010)

Dont remember the exact results, I use a kit I get from petsmart. He's really active, he likes darting around and making splashes. Dont have a heater because how warm my room is. Last time I checked his water was 77 degrees. I have no problem getting him a bigger tank. Should I be doing 100% water changes, 25% or 50%?


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

Is it liquid dropper kit or little test strips? The strips are horribly inaccurate.....
Hmm....temp sounds fine....does it fluctuate though? And how much usually if so? Another good thing about having a heater is that it keeps the water temp stable....fluctuating temps are stressful...
Hmmm...this is indeed a tough one though. Fin clamping is usually seen, IME, in bettas who are kept in cold rooms temps in small, dirty containers where they don't have room to spread their fins and get exercise/are too cold and don't want to move anyway. Only thing I could think to do is get him a bigger tank so he has a bit more room to stretch his fins.....
100% water changes, rinsing everything in hot water to make sure theres no waste left behind


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## RedBetta (Feb 11, 2010)

I normally do 100% water changes and use hot wanter to rinse everything because I feed him blood worms and I know he misses some of them. The lowest iv seen the temp was 73degrees and the warmest was 83degrees and I turned the fan on XD. I do use the test strips though, so I will start cleaning the tank more and I always put in water conditioner.

P.S he is making a bubble nest right now and making splashy noises whenever I look away >.> he doesnt want me watching him play XP


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## RedBetta (Feb 11, 2010)

The temp usually doesnt change though btw XD


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## RedBetta (Feb 11, 2010)

Oooo your gonna be happy about this. I just fed them all their dinners nad his tail is normal again doesnt look like anything had been wrong. I just did 100% water changes yesterday :3


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

Ahh, good good....so long as the temp is stable, and you keep his water nice and clean, he should be just fine. 
Thats definitely puzzling though....can't think of why his tail might have clamped....did it start yesterday after your water change? Sometimes they'll do it out of stress for a period of time if not accumulated properly back to the new water....
Thats all I can think of...wish I could have been more help


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## RedBetta (Feb 11, 2010)

No it started like a day or two before the water change, at least thats when I noticed it. Only reason I didnt clean the tank the minute I noticed was because I ran out of conditioner, I went and bought three bottles of it yesterday XD im guessing the water change helped<3


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

Ahh....well I'm totally stumped xD Haha, I'm sure the water changed helped though....hopefully it doesn't happen again


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## RedBetta (Feb 11, 2010)

Thanks for all your help<3


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

Sure thing


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## Smashy2019 (Jul 15, 2011)

I have a betta that is doing the same thing, Ive only had him for about a month and he is in a .5 gallon betta marina tank, I really dont know why they advertise this size tank for bettas if its not good for them. Im still new with fish and recently lost a betta to swim bladder disease literally about 2 weeks ago at the max i really dont want to lose another one ive read the posts in here, but i live about 40 minutes from a pet store and i dont have a thermometer for his tank, he likes to lay on the bottom of the tank lately, no problem swimming and will puff up at a mirror and get excited, but his fins look like they are stuck together at the tips


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