# Happy fish with ragged fins?



## am1 (May 18, 2010)

This is my husband's betta, Cookie Commander, who lives in my husband's office at work. He is a delta-tail and used to have a lovely, plumy tail and back fin.

About two months ago my husband called me to come visit quickly because "Cookie's entire back fin is gone." It wasn't actually gone, but it had lost all its plumy stuff (sorry, I don't know the terminology). There was just a spine sticking out of his back (or lying on his back, depending on the moment). At that point, I also noticed that his tail looked a bit like it had been pinked, or shredded. 

We rushed to our most exotic of exotic fish stores and were told to buy BettaFix. We did, and used it as directed for two weeks, with no filtration and regular partial water changes. But nothing changed, and Cookie sat sadly on the floor of the tank. Plus, his butt-fin fell off entirely (not the plumy tail). 

We panicked, so we went to a different fish store and bought Maracyn, and used it -- very, very carefully dosed, since he's in a small tank -- for a complete cycle. This stuff seemed to make him even more miserable. He barely moved. 

When the antibiotics were finished, we gave him a couple days off, then resumed filtration, with occasional days of BettaFix and no filtration. He perked right up. He now lives what appears to be a normal betta life, greeting my husband when he gets in to work, asking for food, and swimming merrily around. The places on him that seemed like open sores are totally healed. But no fins appear to be regrowing!!

It's been over a month since the end of the medicine, and still no regrowth. Is this normal?

We're not fish experts, but I can tell you that the water is filtered bottled water, we have a thermometer to keep him at a good temperature (and a heater, although we've never needed to use it), and he's not over-fed. His tank is over a gallon and a half and has a decent carbon filter insert (I've wanted to remove the carbon, but I can't). He also has a bubbler when we're not using the filter. 

Here is the happy, bedraggled fish!


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Poor guy...sounds like you got him over the worst of it, fin regrowth can be slow and sometimes will never look the same as it once did.
I have gotten my Betta fins to re-grow by doing 50-100% daily water changes, depending on the amount of damage and why...sometimes I will add aquarium salt 1tsp/gal along with 100% daily water changes daily and IAL or oak leaves steeps in the water for 10 days, feeding a high protein diet 2 times a day

Regardless of filtration IMO/E in that size of tank they need at least twice weekly water changes of 50-100% to keep the water quality at levels to prevent fin and health issues

Also, by using bottled water the filtration process can strip the water of the needed minerals the fish needs for good health, you may want to get a good dechlorinator and use tap water and the dechlorinator really needs to be used with bottled water as well due to it not being regulated and it could be filter tap water that contains chlorine/chloramines to be safe.

What is the water temp?


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## am1 (May 18, 2010)

The water is at or around 72 degrees.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

This species being tropical tend to do better in a bit warmer water 78-80F area.

How is he doing?


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## am1 (May 18, 2010)

Exactly the same. Happy, feisty, full of fishy personality, but with very little regrowth. My husband insists that there has been *some* regrowth on the butt-fins, but the spinal fin is clearly not changing much.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Depending on the amount of damage it can take awhile to get re-growth and then sometimes the new growth will be clear or a different color all together, sometimes the fins may never look the same as they once did..... at least you have it under control so healing can begin.....


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## 52cherish (May 27, 2010)

Oldfishlady said:


> Poor guy...sounds like you got him over the worst of it, fin regrowth can be slow and sometimes will never look the same as it once did.
> I have gotten my Betta fins to re-grow by doing 50-100% daily water changes, depending on the amount of damage and why...sometimes I will add aquarium salt 1tsp/gal along with 100% daily water changes daily and IAL or oak leaves steeps in the water for 10 days, feeding a high protein diet 2 times a day


When you mention Indian Almond and Oak Leaves are you referring to dried or fresh leaves? I would like to try the Oak leaves but am now confused if the need to be fresh or dried.


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## Betta Slave (Dec 8, 2009)

Hehe, Cookie Commander ^-^ Love that.
Glad he's feeling better.  and 52cherish, I believe the leaves need to be dried.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

That is correct....dried leaves....


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## 52cherish (May 27, 2010)

Are fresh leaves okay as decoration pieces with a change every other day? I found out that one of my females likes a fresh leave rolled up to a tube as her favorite hiding place. 
I will try the dried leave today for quarantined Lady M. Killigrew. She stopped breathing heavily and swims around but still hasn't touched any food... pellets, freezer dried blood worms or green peas. It's 4 days now and I am starting to worry that she will starve to death. Any ideas?


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