# PLEASE HELP!!! crown tail ray damage, water hardness???



## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

something seems to be wrong with Logan's dorsal and tail fins. some of the little rays (he's a crowntail, as you can see by my signature) get very thin in one spot and look like they are hanging on by a thread and about to break off. some actually _have_ fallen off! I thought maybe it was the water hardness, as I have heard hard water will damge a crowntails rays, but never falling off! will the missing rays grow back? do I need to add any medications to help them heal? and most importantly, even if the fins _don't_ heal, Will my fish be ok? I don't know what i would do if anything happened to Logan!  i have tried to provide as much info as possible, and sorry about the lack of pictures, I couldn't get a decent one of his damaged fins. I also apologize if my description isn't very good, it was the best I could do! and lastly, I apologize for the long post! :lol: thanks everyone! :-D

*Housing *
What size is your tank? *half gallon (hopefully upgrading in December*)
What temperature is your tank? *about 73*
Does your tank have a filter? *no, I will be getting one when I upgrade his tank)*
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? *no*
Is your tank heated? *no, again, I will be getting one when I upgrade his tank*
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? *none*

*Food*
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? *I alternate between Hikari betta flakes, TetraBetta betta pellets, and freeze dried bloodworms*
How often do you feed your betta fish? *2-3 pieces every day, skipping 1 or 2 days per week so he doesn't get bloated*

*Maintenance *
How often do you perform a water change? *once per week*
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? *100%*
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? *NutraFin Betta Plus water conditioner (5 milliliters)*

*Water Parameters:*
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia: *.5 ppm when i noticed the problem, did a water change*
Nitrite: *0 (before and after water change)*
Nitrate: *0 (before and after water change)*
pH: *7*
Hardness: *120*
Alkalinity: *?*

*Symptoms and Treatment*
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? *about five the little rays on Logan's fins (hes a crowntail) are really thin in the middle and are sort of flopping sideways at the thin part. I did a water change and a few of the damaged rays have fell off; probably when i netted him.*
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? *he is acting normal, eating, swimming around*
When did you start noticing the symptoms? *a few days ago, maybe Friday*
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? *I did a water change today, no medications*
Does your fish have any history of being ill? *no*
How old is your fish (approximately)? *he's a walmart rescue, I have no idea*


----------



## karlhague (Aug 9, 2010)

peaches3221 said:


> something seems to be wrong with Logan's dorsal and tail fins. some of the little rays (he's a crowntail, as you can see by my signature) get very thin in one spot and look like they are hanging on by a thread and about to break off. some actually _have_ fallen off! I thought maybe it was the water hardness, as I have heard hard water will damge a crowntails rays, but never falling off! will the missing rays grow back? do I need to add any medications to help them heal? and most importantly, even if the fins _don't_ heal, Will my fish be ok? I don't know what i would do if anything happened to Logan!  i have tried to provide as much info as possible, and sorry about the lack of pictures, I couldn't get a decent one of his damaged fins. I also apologize if my description isn't very good, it was the best I could do! and lastly, I apologize for the long post! :lol: thanks everyone! :-D
> 
> *Housing *
> What size is your tank? *half gallon (hopefully upgrading in December*)
> ...


Aquarium salt and Fresh clean Water, are the best medicines a better can have for tail re-growth


----------



## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

thank you! what would the dosage of aquarium salt be for a half gallon?


----------



## karlhague (Aug 9, 2010)

peaches3221 said:


> thank you! what would the dosage of aquarium salt be for a half gallon?




I think its a teaspoon per gallon...

Let me go see if i can find it on the forums for you


----------



## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

karlhague said:


> I think its a teaspoon per gallon...
> 
> Let me go see if i can find it on the forums for you


thanks! should i also change the water more often?


----------



## Adastra (Jun 18, 2010)

Half a gallon changed once a week? That is not nearly often enough--I would up the changes to every day if possible, at most every other day. This sounds extraneous, I know, but this container is _very_ small. It's likely the rays are breaking off because of two reasons; one, the water quality in the container is poor. Crowntail rays are very delicate, when they become thin and brittle it's a sign that the fish itself is not very healthy. Two, the temperature in the tank is way too low. Bettas are tropical fish that are adapted to live in temperatures of 78-83 degrees, so heaters are not optional. Fish are cold-blooded animals, so their entire metabolism is dependent upon temperature. In cool temperatures, their circulation is poor, particularly in extremities like the ray extensions of a crowntail--their digestion is also slowed, and their immune system can be compromised. 

I highly recommend getting a larger container to help you keep up with maintenance and to give the fish a better environment to recover in. You can get a 4-5 gallon plastic storage bin from target or walmart for about $3 until you can afford a real tank. This will mean much less frequent water changes and the tank will be big enough to heat safely. Most heaters are designed to be used in containers two gallons or larger--remember to get a heater that has an adjustable temperature dial. Your house is so cold that a heater pad or preset heater would not be powerful enough to heat the water into a betta's comfortable range--so it would be a waste of money for you. I use adjustable 25 watt Hydor Theo heaters in my small tanks.


----------



## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

yes, i know that i need a better tank, but I'm twelve and i cant afford it. I'm hoping to get one for Christmas or my birthday. I do regular ammonia tests and they come up fine. and he lived in a tiny cup at walmart, at least now he has clean water and enough room to swim around. thank you for your help and i will look into buying a larger tank to keep him in.


----------



## karlhague (Aug 9, 2010)

peaches3221 said:


> yes, i know that i need a better tank, but I'm twelve and i cant afford it. I'm hoping to get one for Christmas or my birthday. I do regular ammonia tests and they come up fine. and he lived in a tiny cup at walmart, at least now he has clean water and enough room to swim around. thank you for your help and i will look into buying a larger tank to keep him in.


There was a post on here a few days back Petco/petsmart were doing a sale on tanks at One Dollar per gallon..

So you could buy a pretty big tank for next to nothing if the offer is still on.

Then all you would need is a heater and filter. and gravel/soil or sand..

Keep us informed on how your betta does..

I wouldn't Recommend Using Aquarium salts for more than 10days, as it can cause damage to your Bettas Internal Organs..

However you could use it for 10days then give him a week or two rest from it.

But his tail should start re-growing and healing nicely well before then.


----------



## Adastra (Jun 18, 2010)

Like I said, you can get a plastic storage bin for $3--even your parents shouldn't have a problem spotting you three bucks.  They're not pretty but they are great temporary homes for fish. It will hold you over and help your fish recover so that when you get a nice tank for your birthday/christmas, he'll be healthy and beautiful by then.

You need to do more water changes if he's going to stay in that container, though. At least every other day.


----------



## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

thanks everyone! i will buy some aquarium salt today and look at bigger tanks, too!


----------

