# Betta Tail Biting



## Menteurosa (Mar 31, 2021)

I bought Spock last October and everything started out well, and then I had to move. Setting up his tank in the new home proved stressful for him and the poor little guy got fin rot. Since I was super inexperienced at that time I was using bettafix and didn’t even know that I had to remove the carbon filter. After watching hundreds of betta care videos I finally got him into a quarantine tank where I do a 40-50% water change everyday and micro vacuum for debris (no filter). I was doing a level 1 salt treatment for 8 days using the guidance found on Aquarium Co-op. His tail was starting to grow back and his strength and activity was way up! He is now having daily fresh water changes with no salt added. Then yesterday I catch him biting his tail. This is the first time I’ve caught him doing this behavior. I have ordered Almond betta leaves for delivery to dry that... but now I’m at my wits end.


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## Mbpoppy (Nov 3, 2019)

Wow, what a lovely boy!

Could you fill in the answers to this form please? It helps members give better replies;








*****PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Fill out this form so...


Many thanks to BF/TFK Member Mike for developing this questionnaire. It is the same form with a few additions. Please copy and paste into a new message and complete this form when seeking help for your Betta. This information and a clear photo posted directly into the thread will help us give...




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## Menteurosa (Mar 31, 2021)

Mbpoppy said:


> Wow, what a lovely boy!
> 
> Could you fill in the answers to this form please? It helps members give better replies;
> 
> ...



Okay thanks!

Here is the questionnaire:

Housing:
How many gallons is your tank? 5G but his temporary quarantine tank is 3G
Does it have a filter? Not the quarantine one
Does it have a heater? Yes
What temperature is your tank? 80-82
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? Yes
Does your Betta have tank mates? What kind? No

Food:
What food brand do you use? Frozen Blood Worms
How often do you feed your Betta? How much? 1-2 times a day, about 6-8 worms

Maintenance:
Before your Betta became ill how often did you perform a water change? Weekly in 5G, everyday in 3G quarantine 
What percentage of water did you change? 40-50%
What is the source of your water? Spring water 
Do you vacuum the substrate or just dip out water? Vacuum
What additives do you use other than conditioner? What brand of conditioner? Betta conditioner, stress zyme, and quick start all API

Water Parameters:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 6.5
Hardness (GH): not sure 
Alkalinity (KH): not sure 

Symptoms and Treatment:
When did you first notice the symptoms? Ragged fins on and off. Since the salt treatment the fins have looked much better but not he is tail biting 
How has your Betta’s appearance changed? Fin loss 
How has your Betta’s behavior changed? Still a happy and active fish! Very excitable and sociable. Loves to flare. 
Is your Betta still eating? Yes
Have you started treating your Betta? If so, how? 1 tbsp API salt per 3G water for 8 days, now just regular spring water with treatment 
Does your Betta have any history of being ill? Not sure
How long have you owned your Betta? 6 months 
Was he or she ill or suffering some sort of damage when purchased? No


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## AlphaBettas (May 12, 2020)

Menteurosa said:


> Food:
> What food brand do you use? Frozen Blood Worms
> How often do you feed your Betta? How much? 1-2 times a day, about 6-8 worms


Hey, 6-8 frozen bloodworms 1-2x a day is a bit much....frozen bloodworms are very fatty and are considered treats. Others would feed frozen bloodworms around 1-2x a week, around 2-3 worms.


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## Menteurosa (Mar 31, 2021)

AlphaBettas said:


> Hey, 6-8 frozen bloodworms 1-2x a day is a bit much....frozen bloodworms are very fatty and are considered treats. Others would feed frozen bloodworms around 1-2x a week, around 2-3 worms.


Spock refuses to eat pellets or flakes. He won’t even eat freeze dried anything. He will only eat blood worms. Would this cause tail biting? He seems very healthy.


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## Mbpoppy (Nov 3, 2019)

You'll need to train him to eat pellets - bettas are very smart, and they won't starve themselves. You give him a pellet or two, and if he won't eat then remove. Later, the same again... Try New Life Spectrum, or a brand called Devour.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Unfortunately, those of us who own Betta with extra long fins and pectorals often find ourselves the owners of fin biters. The main way to treat is to keep the water clean and add Indian Almond Leaves or plain Rooibos Tea for their antibacterial and antifungal properties.

Can you please post a photo of Spock's entire tank? He doesn't need to be featured; just want to see what he has. And to make sure he's not too stout because frozen Bloodworms are fatty, a photo from above.

Because some Betta do not do well in even five gallon tanks, I would suggest keeping him in the three and monitor if the biting slows or stops. If it stops you'll know your boy is one of those. I've had a few that did not adjust until I put them in a 2.5. Shocked the heck out of me the first time it happened.

My Betta eat 75% frozen as it is good to feed as a regular diet as long as you feed a variety. Freeze dried are the ones that are only for treats.

I order my Bettas' frozen from LiveAquaria because we don't have a good variety where I live: San Francisco Mini Bloodworms. Baby Brine Shrimp, Daphnia, Krill (rinse well), Gamma Min Bloodworms* and Freshwater Frenzy. I know having one Betta you can't feed all. If I just had one Betta I'd choose two out of these: San Francisco Mini Bloodworms, Baby Brine Shrimp and Freshwater Frenzy or Gamma Mini Bloodworms.

I also feed pellets Grain Free Bug (Black Soldier Fly) Formula. My new fish do not receive frozen until they will eat the pellets. Sometimes our Betta are only fed frozen or live before we get them and don't realize pellets are food. It's not a matter of being picky or stubborn. Before Devour they would sometimes go two weeks without eating before accepting pellets as food. I've not had any refuse since switching.

* Gamma Mini Bloodworms are midge (non-biting) flies; not actual Bloodworms.


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## imaal (Aug 10, 2014)

There's excellent advice above. I too maintain a 75% frozen 25% pellets regimen. (Freeze dried foods are not allowed in my home). In addition to getting him on pellets, if you expand the frozen selection you will broaden his dietary horizons and get a more nutritious regimen going. There's considerable evidence that tanks with a lot of open spaces are more likely to be the setting for tail-biting, and thickly planted tanks far less so.


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## Menteurosa (Mar 31, 2021)

Mbpoppy said:


> You'll need to train him to eat pellets - bettas are very smart, and they won't starve themselves. You give him a pellet or two, and if he won't eat then remove. Later, the same again... Try New Life Spectrum, or a brand called Devour.


Good news! I tried pellets again this morning and he actually ate it and didn’t spit it out! This is the first time he has ever kept down a pellet. I’d like to give him a diverse diet and not over feed. Thanks for suggesting this, I wouldn’t have tried the pellets again but I’m glad I did. Hopefully Spock doesn’t get smug all the sudden and refuses them.


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## Menteurosa (Mar 31, 2021)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Unfortunately, those of us who own Betta with extra long fins and pectorals often find ourselves the owners of fin biters. The main way to treat is to keep the water clean and add Indian Almond Leaves or plain Rooibos Tea for their antibacterial and antifungal properties.
> 
> Can you please post a photo of Spock's entire tank? He doesn't need to be featured; just want to see what he has. And to make sure he's not too stout because frozen Bloodworms are fatty, a photo from above.
> 
> ...


Thank you for all of this great information and sharing your food experience. I currently have him in a 3 gallon as I have scaped the 5 gallon and am nurturing that for 3-4 weeks before adding him back. The salt treatment he had in the 3 gallon also really helped his fin health... the biting has surprised me!! Adding a picture of the 3 gallon (it’s temporary for quarantine). It’s sparse but he loves hiding in the soft plant and in his rock. I didn’t notice the fin biting until the 3 gallon but it’s possible he was still doing it in my 5 gallon. Maybe he is just a fin biter? I have almond leaves being delivered today and I hope that helps!!


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## Menteurosa (Mar 31, 2021)

imaal said:


> There's excellent advice above. I too maintain a 75% frozen 25% pellets regimen. (Freeze dried foods are not allowed in my home). In addition to getting him on pellets, if you expand the frozen selection you will broaden his dietary horizons and get a more nutritious regimen going. There's considerable evidence that tanks with a lot of open spaces are more likely to be the setting for tail-biting, and thickly planted tanks far less so.


I’ll give this a try! I am lucky to have a great aquaria store near me with lots of frozen food options. I have 5 plant varieties in the nanoscale I’ve made for Spock. I hope that the new hiding places will eliminate the tail biting. Thanks!


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## Mbpoppy (Nov 3, 2019)

Menteurosa said:


> not over feed.


You can count the pellets depending on how small they are/how easy that is to do, or go by the "gently rounded stomach" visual observation, or utilize time. I prefer time for pellet feeding, and I stop feeding at the 60 second mark. Feed twice a day, and possibly give a snack too 

You want your boy to look similar to this, with no delineation at where his head joins his body, and for his body to be nicely filled out;


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