Betta trouble

[alissany]

My friend had three bettas, two males and a female. I found out she was keeping them in filthy water in TINY containers (coffee mug or smaller) and they didn't have filters or heaters. Thankfully, she let me take them off her hands and I picked them up today. They are in horrible condition! The female has almost no fins left and the red male's fins are spotty. The other male is in the worst shape, his fins are completely shredded. I started treating them with aquarium salt, but it's the worst I've seen and I'm at a loss. I'll be going out of town in a few days and will be leaving them to my friend (a fish keeper). Please help!

 

[Andy Sager]

For starters, you should not be keeping all 3 fish together and if that's the case, the males will be fighting because the female is present. I'd separate all 3 fish immediately. If you only have the one tank, you can get 2 net breeders and put 1 in each and 1 loose in the tank.
The dirty water they were kept in is more the issue than the size of the container. I have raised thousands of Bettas in bowls with no issues because they are constantly being given clean water. Time and clean water can cure a lot of a Betta's ills unless there is a definite disease identified. If the disease is bacterial, nitrofurazone works very well with many Betta diseases but it does stain the water and things like the silicone in the tank or other absorbing materials so would only use it if you have to. If the fins are just shredded from the fighting, with separation and clean water and time, they should grow back on their own.

Hope this helps

 

[bullyboy]

If they are being kept together that may explain the fins...they will kill eachother if kept together.

That being said can you provide peramiters for the waters they are in?
What size tank?
Is there a pic of the third fish?
(The closer and clearer, the betta, the better)
Id also look at doing 25% water changes every 4-5 days as this will help with fin regrowth and

 

[alissany]

If they are being kept together that may explain the fins...they will kill eachother if kept together.

That being said can you provide peramiters for the waters they are in?
What size tank?
Is there a pic of the third fish?
(The closer and clearer, the betta, the better)
Id also look at doing 25% water changes every 4-5 days as this will help with fin regrowth and

The one with the worst fins was kept alone. Right now they are in 2 2.5 gallon tanks until I can get something else.

 

[bullyboy]

Put a devider in the tank just to keep them away from eachother.
It will cut down on the stress and let em heal up.

Even if its a piece of plastic sheeting, glass, stainless steel baking sheet, etc.

Is the water heated and filtered?

 

[alissany]

They're in tanks with dividers, filters, and heaters.

 

[bullyboy]

Oh thank gods haha ok