Betta health ??

[ndw]

I recently bought this betta from my local fish shop. He looked ok in the tank at the store (from what I could see) as he wasn't flaring and was at the back of the tank. However when we got him home I noticed damage to his fins and slight damage to his gill. Is there anyone that can re assure me that this is probably due to being nipped in a previous home or whether it is something more serious and advise me on what to do. Thankyou

 

[libertybelle]

I can't see anything in that picture re: the gills but bettas usually need some time to recover from the petshop. I'd be surprised if he didn't have some fin damage. Was he on his own, or with tank mates or plastic plants that he could have hurt himself on?

Clean water and good food is the answer unless you notice any new symptoms develop!

Edit: Actually I can kinda see something. I hope you are testing your water to ensure it's not an ammonia problem? And those look like plastic plants in the back? Could shred a bettas fins pretty easily most likely.

Does he have tank mates now and what are the specs/water parameters

 

[ndw]

He was in a small tank in the pet shop with about 100 small neon tetra. And some small rocks. The assistant didn't seem to know anything about the fishes history. I though maybe he had been used for fighting previously. It is my first betta so I was just slightly worried and wanted to check. Thankyou for your help

 

[ndw]

Sorry I have 6 harlequin rasbora and 6 neon rasbora they seem happy together and the betta stays in one half and the little fish stay clear of him, I've only had them together for not even a week which is why i know it isn't my fish doing the nipping. My water levels are ph 7.5-8 no ammonia nitrite is generally around 0.1 and nitrate about 20 I don't know what the hardness is as I haven't checked that yet

 

[libertybelle]

He was in a small tank in the pet shop with about 100 small neon tetra. And some small rocks. The assistant didn't seem to know anything about the fishes history. I though maybe he had been used for fighting previously. It is my first betta so I was just slightly worried and wanted to check. Thankyou for your help

Neons can be nippers, and with that many fish who knows what the params were...

Well just make sure you're testing your water and doing water changes. Do take a look at those plants though, plastic plants are known to cause damage to betta fins which could worsen his fin rot.

 

[ndw]

I have been changing the water atleast 2 times a week since fully stocking the tank as to be extra sure the water is low level nitrite ect and I check my water every 2 days. I only went with plastic plants as I am new to the hobby but I am now reading bad things and will definitly consider live plants. Ever since I've had the tank I've never seemed to have any ammonia. According to my liquid test kit anyway

 

[libertybelle]

I have been changing the water atleast 2 times a week since fully stocking the tank as to be extra sure the water is low level nitrite ect and I check my water every 2 days. I only went with plastic plants as I am new to the hobby but I am now reading bad things and will definitly consider live plants. Ever since I've had the tank I've never seemed to have any ammonia. According to my liquid test kit anyway

That's good.

Silk or Live plants are best for Bettas. If you decide to make the jump to live I would stick with something simple like anubius or java moss for a good easy starter plant that will work without any upgrades to lighting etc. (Bettas love anubius - great betta beds!) but be careful. Planted tanks are addictive.

In the meantime I would pull out that plastic plant and check if it has sharp edges. If it can tear a stocking it can tear a betta fin. If you don't have a stocking to test it with I would probably pull out the plastic at least until his fins are healed up.

 

[ndw]

Thanks I will definitly try that. Sorry to burden but if I was to put live plants in what would I need to do to as all I have at the moment is gravel on the bottom do I need another substrate for live plants ?

 

[libertybelle]

Thanks I will definitly try that. Sorry to burden but if I was to put live plants in what would I need to do to as all I have at the moment is gravel on the bottom do I need another substrate for live plants ?

Not for some plants. There are several that can grow in very minimal conditions I would start out with them. Like:

Anubius can root right onto gravel or decor

Java moss will grow floating or attached to decor

Java ferns can also be rooted right into un-supplemented gravel.

If you've never done plants before your lighting is probably very low. Most built in lights are too low for all but certain plants - so make sure you do your research before picking up a random plant at the store.

If you google low light easy plants you'll find a million threads with suggestions for good starter plants that won't require you to upgrade your lighting or substrate. They're a great place to start. You can decide to upgrade things later if you want to try harder plants but I would (did, actually) start with the basics!

 

[ndw]

Is it a relatively easy task keeping plants like the anubius ?

 

[SpaceFish42]

Anubias are very hardy plants. I have an anubias nana, and despite losing all but two leaves to my incompetence (this was a long time ago), it now is huge and has some little baby plants.

 

[ndw]

What sort of upkeep is involved on a plant like that ?

 

[SpaceFish42]

Anubias need to have good lighting, and you should trim off any dead leaves. Also, when you plant it, don't bury the rhizome.

 

[ndw]

I have a fluval edge and the light doesn't seem to get to the sides of the tank so I'm
Slightly worried that I wouldn't get enough light and the lighting can't be up graded on it because of the design. I fear I might have to go with silk plants ?

 

[SpaceFish42]

In low lighting they just grow a little differently, so it should be okay.

 

[ndw]

Ok thanks i think il give that a try then

 

[libertybelle]

In low lighting they just grow a little differently, so it should be okay.

Yeah they'll look a little different and grow really slow but they'll be fine. And they'll attach to anything. If you want it to get a little more light you can just tie it to aquarium decor or to a suction cup on the wall. And if it starts growing algae just dunk it in hydrogen peroxide for a minute and it's good as new. The only thing that'll kill anubius is if you bury the rhizome in gravel. They like to sit on top. People call it the growing plastic plant because it's so hardy!

And Java moss is near impossible to kill. I left mine in an unused quarantine tank that I didn't get around to cleaning for weeks. No light at all ... except when I turned the overhead light in the room to do laundry every once in a while. It was just a little bit darker green when I got back around to it. The stuff is a weed! I just throw the extra in my 5 gallon and take handfuls of it every time I go to the local fish shop. They don't give you much for it but it's better than throwing it in the trash!

 

[ndw]

Hmm that sounds like the way forward and if it benifits the fish then even more a reason. Thankyou