My Beta Fish tail is getting shorter and shorter...?

Question

I have had my lovely red Beta for about 5 months now. One day I looked in his bowl and it looked like his tail had gotten ripped on somethan. There is no plants or anything in the bowl with him. Just rocks and smooth shells on the bottom. Since then, his tail keeps getting shorter. It's almost down to a nub now. It looks like he is eatin it. I know thats how they kill eachother when u put em together. Is he eating his tail? my friend said feed him more, but I don't want him to eat himself to death. Whats goin on? What to do?

My last Beta fish jummped onto the kitchen floor, now this one is eatin himself. Is it just me? lol

Answer 1

Some type of fin rot. Treat his tank with salt for freshwater aquariums which will kill the cause of the rot and speed the healing and regrowth of new fins. Use bottled spring water when changing the water and feed less then what you have been from now on.
A

Answer 2

It could be a variety of things; fin rot, bacterial infection, dropsy. There are a variety of medications for these things, like BettaMax, tetracycline, and Triple Sulfa. These can be hard to find, I have yet to see any of it at Pet Smart or Petco; I've found it at local Fish and Aquatic stores. Feeding more food won't do the trick I don't think, and I couldn't tell you if he's eating his tail, but my Betta is a year old, and a well cared for Betta can live to be 3-4 years old, from what the "experts" say. I keep mine in a 2 1/2 gallon aquarium with tap water treated with Chlor-Out and Aquarisol (found anywhere: WalMart, PetSmart, etc.) and I add a tbsp. of Aquarium salt (Kosher salt works too). Water changes once or twice a week are good. If you want some major major detailed descriptions and practices to handle anything there is to do with a Betta fish, may I suggest bettatalk.com? This girl knows everything there is to know about Bettas, and explains everything in full major detail! (and if it weren't for her and her website, my Betta may not have seen his first birthday) Good Luck!

Answer 3

It sounds like you have not been cleaning their water, and tank/bowl often enough. Your betta has fin rot which is 99% of the time caused by too much fish waste in the water. Also over feed can make his water build up waste even faster. Also while some betta are naturally jumpers. They tend to jump more often when water conditions are bad.

Steps to take:
0)Clean the tank/bowl asap. Remove him to a cup of bowl/tank water. Wash the gravel thoughly wit hot water. (don't use soap) Get some water the same temp as his current water and put him back in.

1)Go to the fish store and buy either melafix, or bettafix, and treat his water.

2)Read the below betta talk links.

PS- Betta don't eat their fins, and can live for 2-4 years. (Actually 3-5 but store betta are ~ 1 year old)

Answer 4

betas don't live very long, so I've heard. I have a couple betas. When they get older, their color fades and the tail thins looks unhealthy-like. Might just be you though.. lol.. j/k! I'm not all so sure, but I have a pretty good idea that's what's happening. I had a friend who had a beta for just ever.. well a very long time and he was so lathargic and uneventful I eventually was his Flusher. I felt bad because he was so close to dead. His color was very faded and he looked eaten up also, blotchy almost too. Well.
Good luck and happy travels!

Answer 5

I had my Beta fish for four years and at one point his tail looked like it was shredding and someone told me to airrate the bowl. I put an air hose in the bowl with him and after a few days his tail started to look normal again. Its worth a try because it sure worked for my Beta

Answer 6

I have my betta in a large vase not fish bowl do not over fill the vase ,try to change the fishbowl for a vase, but it can jump if you overfill it so ,go a little above half of vase.

Answer 7

don't put more food as some people are saying. Do you have another fish inside maybe it is eating it's tail. Or change the water maybe something acidic inside.

Answer 8

i doubt he can eat his own tail! its probably fin rot from bacterias in the water!
Stop feeding him too much! it won't help and only makes more waste and make the water more dirty!
change his water more often! so its clean all the time!
and you can try a teaspoon of aquirium salt per gallon of water! (salt does not evaporate! make sure you only add some when u are adding water)

Answer 9

He could have fin rot. It's a fungus they get and their fins start to do that. Try searching it on the net or look up fish diseases. Wal-Mart or any pet store sells medicine for stuff like that.

Answer 10

wow you have a beta fish tail?must be really hard finding pants that fit you...