Damaged fins

[Fin35]

Ugh, so I’m starting to think that either the lava rocks or the coconut cave I have for the betta is damaging his fins. I removed the lava rocks yesterday, now I’m sadly thinking I may need to remove the coconut cave as the entrance is a bit rough. To bad because my snails are always in there! I had driftwood that he was scratching it on before so I’ve removed that. I hope he heals soon, it’s not fun for right? I assume it’s scratched fins? He lives in a 10 gallon tank with regular water changes and tons of live plants

 

[STLHD]

Normal aquarium decor shouldn’t be scratching his fins. Does he rub up against them? Also, if you have tank mates, they could also possibly injure your betta.

 

[fishingBuds]

Usually decor damages the skin, not the tail because the tail is maleable.

 

[Fin35]

Huh, well everyone says not to put anything rough in there because of their delicate fins. He was laying on the rocks so I removed them. There is literally nothing else sharp in the tank. I have Ember tetras and they don’t nip at all so it’s not them. If it’s not the decor o have no idea.

 

[STLHD]

I see this a lot in male betta fish due to their elongated fins. If he’s not rubbing his body up against the decor then he probably accidentally brushes his fins on the hides. I would start by removing all decor you suspect could be damaging him then see how he does without it.

 

[Enchantress]

Lava rocks are very rough, it's a good thing you removed them. Mine once cut himself against some lava rock that I used to have, he had a visible gash across his body but fortunately it healed. I don't recommend it as decor, especially since bettas seem to enjoy squeezing themselves into tiny spaces and lying on various surfaces. And if they try to rub themselves against it (i.e. flashing) it can definitely cause damage.
Sometimes, a betta's fins will tear on their own due to e.g. excesive flaring, but more often than not it's related to sharp objects in the tank. Try taking anything rough/sharp out of the tank and see. If you don't want to remove the hide then maybe try turning it in such a way as to make the sharp bits inaccessible to him (if you can?). Or try sanding it down somehow? Try the pantyhose test - run some pantyhose against it and if it snags, it's too sharp for the betta.
For the time being, the most important thing to do is keep the water clean so that the damaged part heals and doesn't get infected. It should grow back very quickly.
(on a side note, bettas with heavy, over-the-top finnage like yours are much more at risk of developing health problems, fin rot, collapsed fins, tail biting, as well as other issues related to inbreeding etc. Carrying all that weight around is very uncomfortable for them.)