Betta - tail fins shorter

[HeatherW]

Hi all! I have a betta that looks like his tail fins are shorter than they used to be (I will try and post pics). this is a relatively new 5 gallon tank. I just finished the cycle on it and I am still testing the water daily. the water is good and stable. (temp 80.8 / ammonia 0/ nitrites 0/ PH 7.4)water was changed last friday 3 Feb with Nitrates at 10ppm)
I also have 3 neons in there with him. I did have 5 neons but the other two did not make it through the cycle. I was waiting until my cycle finished before I replaced them. also, I did have ick in the tank but I am pretty sure it is all gone.

I think the neons might be nipping my betta's tail. do you think this is the problem?
if so, then here is my question: should I add 2 more neons back into the tank to calm the neons down? OR should I move the neons into my cycling 20 gallon tank right now? OR ...???

I don't know what I should do?

 

[HeatherW]

Here is a before and after pic

 

[hippy guy]

Move neons to quarintine, to make sure its them and not fin rot or another fish desiese that the neons would most certianly carry into the new tank. Possibly a divider could also work..but really, youd need another 5 gal.. it doesnt really look like nipping, and bettas are way more aggressive, and usually its them killing neons, shrimp, platys..lol there mean

 

[HeatherW]

Move neons to quarintine, to make sure its them and not fin rot or another fish desiese that the neons would most certianly carry into the new tank. Possibly a divider could also work..but really, youd need another 5 gal.. it doesnt really look like nipping, and bettas are way more aggressive, and usually its them killing neons, shrimp, platys..lol there mean

I don't have a quarantine tank all I have is a 2.5 gallon that is not cycled at all. should I move them in there?

what does fin rot look like?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

It looks like fin rot to me, not nipping. See the jagged, melted looking black edges? The best thing you can do is keep his water as clean as possible. Cycling tanks and Betta cups are stressful places for bettas so that is a contributing factor. Up the water changes and add half a dose of salt (1 tablespoon per 10g) slowly to the tank. If the tail has not stopped rotting in a week or he seems I have gotten a lot worse we can look into medication. At the moment IMO its not needed.

I just have to mention a Betta in a 5g is great but there isn't room for tank mates.

 

[HeatherW]

It looks like fin rot to me, not nipping. See the jagged, melted looking black edges? The best thing you can do is keep his water as clean as possible. Cycling tanks and Betta cups are stressful places for bettas so that is a contributing factor. Up the water changes and add half a dose of salt (1 tablespoon per 10g) slowly to the tank. If the tail has not stopped rotting in a week or he seems I have gotten a lot worse we can look into medication. At the moment IMO its not needed.

I just have to mention a Betta in a 5g is great but there isn't room for tank mates.

thanks mumma! I was hoping you would hop on my thread!!

I just got my tank cycled so the water is looking good. do I go ahead and do PWCs even though everything is testing at 0? his last water change was on Friday

I was thinking of moving the neons but I don't really know where to move them to. the 20 gallon is pretty full I think and the 90gallon is doing a fishless cycle. should I move them into the 20??

 

[Mumma.of.two]

The neons will be fine for now as long as they are not picking on the betta. Double your weekly water changes while he's got the rot. So 50% twice a week. I don't remember what other fish you have in your 20. What fish are you planning for the larger tank?

 

[HeatherW]

in my 20 I currently have
1 black molly
1 mm platy
7 cherry barbs
10 - 17 molly fry (can't count them - they keep moving! but they are now 1 month old)

for the larger 90 gallon tank I think I am doing the following:
2 German Blue Ram
2 Powder Blue dwarf gourami
1 dalmation molly
15 harlequin rasbora
5 bosemani rainbow
5 zebra loach

maybe
5 yellow rainbow also and
maybe 2 mm platy,

but now thinking i might move the molly I have to the bigger tank and put 1m/1f mm platy in the smaller 20 gallon to give a total of 3 mm platy in the 20 gallon. if i do that I would not add the 2 mm platy to the big tank but to the 20 gallon only and that would put 2 mollies in the 90 gallon

should I move the neons into one of these tanks?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

They would be fine in either with a bit of shuffling. Are you planning on rehoming the molly fry? Once they are gone you can move them to the 20 without any other changes. They will also be fine in the 90 with the stock you have planned.

 

[HeatherW]

They would be fine in either with a bit of shuffling. Are you planning on rehoming the molly fry? Once they are gone you can move them to the 20 without any other changes. They will also be fine in the 90 with the stock you have planned.

I am going to either sell or give away the molly fry when they get bigger. maybe I will keep one - not sure, but not all of them!!

what should I do with the molly I have? would you move her to the 90 with my dalmation or keep them separate? I like the color she adds to the 20 gallon, but I also thought maybe she would be better in the 90 gallon and then replace her with 2 more platy. that would give me a 1 m / 2f ratio of the platies, but then I would just have cherry barbs and platies in the 20 gallon

if I move the neons I will add 2 more to their school for a total of 5. would they look better in the 20 or the 90? think they might dissapear in the 90

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Sounds good. IMO the neons will fit in the 20 once the fry are gone.