Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Health => Topic started by: Trish on January 15, 2017, 02:29:21 PM

Title: Betta tail biting or finrot?
Post by: Trish on January 15, 2017, 02:29:21 PM
Hi everyone,
Been a while since I posted anything, but I still pop into read posts nearly every day.
I don't know if my Betta has fin rot or if he is biting his tail. I've looked at photos on the internet, and I still don't know :-\
I have tried to take some photos, but he is constantly moving and what I have got are pretty poor. I thought I'd post them anyway.
I have also posted photos of what he looked like when I first got him and he has obviously changed colour quite a bit........as you can see, his fins have gone from white to black and he has lost the white cap.
He is very active and is eating well.
The water is good , with no ammonia, nitrite and nitrate under 5 ppm.
I have some Esha 2000, but I am loath to use it if he is not sick.
I am at a loss as to what to do, to be honest.
Any help would be much appreciated.

[img][https://imgur.com/gallery/DDDPA/img]

I've forgotten how to link to photos! Will try again
Title: Re: Betta tail biting or finrot?
Post by: Trish on January 15, 2017, 02:42:28 PM
https://imgur.com/gallery/DDDPA
Title: Re: Betta tail biting or finrot?
Post by: Sue on January 15, 2017, 03:32:35 PM
The colour change from when he was younger is because he has marble genes. I had a betta bought as a blue and white marble which turned plain blue within weeks.

As for his tail, it's hard to say. Do the edges have any redness to them, or black or white edges to the damaged areas? You say he is active and eating well, which would indicate he doesn't have any serious infection.
The problem with tail biters is that they don't do it when anyone is watching, they pay attention to the human instead. If you could spare an hour of sitting motionless as far from the tank as possible, you might catch him biting his tail, but that's probably the only way. And I mean absolutely motionless because if he sees movement he'll stop.
It is usually bored bettas that bite their tails, but your photos show a tank full of things which should stop him getting bored.

But what to do. In the absence of any red streaking, or black/white edges I'd be inclined to try daily water changes and see if the helps. But if there are any of those signs, I'd use the esha 2000, followed by more often than usual water changes while the damaged areas heal..
Title: Re: Betta tail biting or finrot?
Post by: Trish on January 15, 2017, 03:57:39 PM
Thanks Sue.
I am finding it really difficult to diagnose. He does have a bit of black on the damaged area, but it looks very uniform, as if it is part of his colouring.
As I said he is very active and eating well. Everytime he sees me, he begs for food. When I sit down on the armchair which is next to the tank, he watches me like a hawk, shimmying and swaying, in the hopes of being fed.
When I tested the water today, ammonia was nil, nitrite was nil and nitrate was under 5 ppm.......this was Before my weekly water change .
I will do daily water changes, if you think it would be helpful, I noticed on the Esha 2000 instructions, that it could be used as a preventive. Do you think it would be wise just to go ahead with it, anyway?
Title: Re: Betta tail biting or finrot?
Post by: Matt on January 15, 2017, 04:40:14 PM
Maybe just do a low dose especially as only fish in the tank...
Title: Re: Betta tail biting or finrot?
Post by: Trish on January 15, 2017, 05:04:05 PM
Thanks Matt.......I'm undecided at the moment. I think I'll wait until tomorrow morning, and see if he is any worse.
Title: Re: Betta tail biting or finrot?
Post by: fcmf on January 15, 2017, 06:14:22 PM
Another "halfway house" option might be to try something like API Melafix or Waterlife Nova +. I've used the former when in a quandary about whether to medicate or not. I've never tried the latter. It would be worth checking if they can be used with bettas, though.
Title: Re: Betta tail biting or finrot?
Post by: Sue on January 15, 2017, 07:16:14 PM
None of the -fix products should be used for any anabatids, including bettas. These products contain aromatic oils which can interfere with the labyrinth organ.
I've just googled waterlife nova+ and that contains tea tree oil, so I wouldn't use that either for bettas or gouramis.

I can't think of any other antiseptic (which is what melafix is) suitable for use with bettas  :-\
Title: Re: Betta tail biting or finrot?
Post by: Trish on January 26, 2017, 09:12:12 AM
Update

I have been doing daily water changes for about 10 days now and I think his tail has improved.

I've also resorted to putting a mirror close to the tank, only for a minute or two about 3 times a week, in the hope that it would relieve any boredom that may have caused him to bite his tail.

He is still active and still eating well, thank goodness.

I was wondering when I could go back to a normal weekly water change?

I must say, that I am still mystified as to what went wrong with him. I would have thought that if he had tail rot that he would not be so active, or eating so heartily.

I don't expect I'll ever really know the cause, I'm just pleased that he seems to be on the mend :)
Title: Re: Betta tail biting or finrot?
Post by: Sue on January 26, 2017, 10:28:36 AM
Glad to hear he is improving  :)

Once you can see new growth, I would space out the water changes gradually till you are back at weekly. So once every two days for a week, then twice a week for a couple of weeks, then weekly.
Title: Re: Betta tail biting or finrot?
Post by: Trish on January 26, 2017, 10:55:03 AM
Thanks very much Sue, for your help and advice, it is much appreciated.
Title: Re: Betta tail biting or finrot?
Post by: MarquisMirage on January 26, 2017, 11:08:09 AM
I've also resorted to putting a mirror close to the tank, only for a minute or two about 3 times a week, in the hope that it would relieve any boredom that may have caused him to bite his tail.

It's good practice to do this as getting your betta to exercise his fins can help prevent fin tearing as well.  He also looks pretty fancy in display mode, I like the way the gills puff out as well.  You have him by himself so there're no drawbacks.  In a community tank doing this too regularly can lead to the betta becoming more aggressive to tankmates.  He just saw a rival (hey, looks just like I do!) and needs to control his territory.
Title: Re: Betta tail biting or finrot?
Post by: Trish on January 26, 2017, 11:24:49 AM
I have noticed marquismirage, that since I have been doing this, he patrols the tank a lot more , as if he's on the lookout for the "interloper".  :)

And yes, he does look very impressive/fearsome, when the gills and fins are flared.