# I think he scraped his head but do I need to do anything?



## RaeRae (Apr 5, 2020)

I witnessed T’Challa (below) try to squeeze between the tank and a hideout and ram his head in there. I did not notice the aftermath until much later- thinking they are connected - but it almost looks like he is shedding skin there. He is acting fine but do I need to do anything to help it heal? 

Thanks!


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## Rana (Apr 27, 2013)

Scrapes are unfortunately common, bettas are very curious and don't always realize their own size. You can help prevent it from happening in the future by using the "rule of thumb"- if you can't fit your thumb through a hole in the decor, it's too small for a betta to get through!

To help him heal, he'll mostly just need warm clean water and good food. The "shedding skin" is most likely either damaged scales, or damaged slime coat. Either way it should be harmless and heal quickly.

Do a 50% water change now, and then I'd suggest 25-50% twice a week until he's healed up. After that you can go back to your regular weekly schedule.

If the scrape starts to look infected, you can add in a bit of Aquarium salt if you don't have shrimp, snails, sensitive fish like cory cats, or live plants in the tank. I'd start at 1/2 teaspoon per gallon. If you _do_ have sensitive tankmates, you can instead take your betta out and do a "dip" with a more concentrated dose of 1/2 Tablespoon per gallon for five minutes in a separate container, then put him back in the main tank.

You can also add in a tannin source like Indian Almond Leaves or Rooibos Tea, which have mild antiseptic properties and can help keep the scrapes clean. They also make the water darker and more acidic, which bettas prefer in general.


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## RaeRae (Apr 5, 2020)

Rana said:


> Scrapes are unfortunately common, bettas are very curious and don't always realize their own size. You can help prevent it from happening in the future by using the "rule of thumb"- if you can't fit your thumb through a hole in the decor, it's too small for a betta to get through!
> 
> To help him heal, he'll mostly just need warm clean water and good food. The "shedding skin" is most likely either damaged scales, or damaged slime coat. Either way it should be harmless and heal quickly.
> 
> ...


Thanks so much! I will be sure to space out things better, he probably thought there was more room better the tank glass and the hideout. Haven’t heard the thumb rule before, so drift rly throwing out a treasure chest I have for a future use, small holes

The scrapes look fine, I’ll kee my eye on it though. Can you tell me more how to use the roobis tea? I have some but don’t know how to dose. I also have bettafix if that is helpful(split feelings from most on its use). thanks for help!


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## Rana (Apr 27, 2013)

Rooibos tea is super easy to use, you just plop a teabag into the tank somewhere and let it sit for a day or two. After a day it's usually released as much tannin as it's ever going to, and after about two days it'll start to grow a fuzzy mold- harmless, but ugly. I usually take it out when it starts getting fuzzy.

The tea will stain the water darkish brown, which will stay until you replace the water. How dark it becomes depends on how large the tank is, and how long you keep the teabag in. If the color is too dark for you, take the bag out earlier. I'm not sure how large your tank is, but I use a single bag for anything between 2.5-10g, and add a second one for 10g and up.

You can also boil some tank water in a _very_ clean mug, and add the teabag to that. Once the tea is cool, add it to the tank. That way you can control exactly how dark your water becomes.

I personally don't like Bettafix/Melafix, they are "herbal supplements" rather than true medicines and I feel like clean water works just as well. The controversial ingredient is Tea Tree Oil, and some people feel that it may create a "film" on the water surface or a betta's labyrinth organ, preventing them from breathing, while others say it is water-soluble and safe. As far as I know there have not been any studies done, so all this information is based on experiences other fishkeepers have had, and you'll need to make your own decision.

If your betta doesn't have a bad reaction, you can use it if you like. If they do start acting strange after adding it, do a large water change to remove it.

Oh, and if you want to use an ornament that's too small, you can either fill up the holes, or use a drill/sandpaper to make them larger. I have used plastic craft mesh held in place with hot glue to close up some suspicious gaps in a cave ornament I have (Hot glue is aquarium safe, but doesn't "hold" very long under water so check it periodically, or use silicone for a permanent fix). And if the holes are _really_ small, like so small you can't get a pinky into, then it's probably safe.


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## RaeRae (Apr 5, 2020)

Rana said:


> Rooibos tea is super easy to use, you just plop a teabag into the tank somewhere and let it sit for a day or two. After a day it's usually released as much tannin as it's ever going to, and after about two days it'll start to grow a fuzzy mold- harmless, but ugly. I usually take it out when it starts getting fuzzy.
> 
> The tea will stain the water darkish brown, which will stay until you replace the water. How dark it becomes depends on how large the tank is, and how long you keep the teabag in. If the color is too dark for you, take the bag out earlier. I'm not sure how large your tank is, but I use a single bag for anything between 2.5-10g, and add a second one for 10g and up.
> 
> ...


Thanks for all the helpful info


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