Betta Question?

Question

I have a young betta male I got him when he was about 6 weeks old and he has grown perfectly. My question is He will get all defensive and flair his tail ( over his own reflection) and his fins will tear, I will put him in a hospitail tank and he will heal. thenit happens a few months later again. is this a medical problem or a mental issue?

I have him in his own ten gallon tank. with his pet frog who hides ALL THE TIME and a snail. he has no background on the tank nor is he around anything that could reflect. I just put up paper to reduce the reflectionon the sides of the tank.

He is not sick his tank is cleaned twice a month and gravel vaccumed once a week. he is not sick and does not have fin rot. he eats well.

Answer 1

The paper might actually make thing worse since it can increase the reflections he can see. Watch and see if he flares more or less after you add the paper and remove it if he's flaring more.

Flaring very, very rarely causes torn or split fins. What does cause this very easily is a little too much ammonia build up in the water. Be sure you are keeping the water very clean and do plenty of water changes very often for him and it will help prevent torn and split fins.

MM

Answer 2

My Betta's do that too.I cut a peice of black plastic or anything dark and aquarium safe and cover the are where he keeps flaring at. One of my bettas had beautiful fins but all he did was flare like crazy and loved squeezing himself between the tank wall and the heater so his fins tore up.

You need aquarium salt.Add this salt [1.47 in walmart] every time you do awater change.For general water conditioning, dissolve 1/4 teaspoon in 1 gallon water. And do not add undissolved salt directly to a container holding your fish!!!

Other than fins being torn apart by tank decorations or heaters or betta being very curious of where he can stick his head at,dirty water is to blame for for fin rot.Why?When food particles and dbris are left in the tank for a while,bacteria becomes susceptible,making betta stressed,and causing his fins to get smaller and smaller.

Fin and Tail Rot is a bacterial illness, so you will want to make sure your meds are only intended for that purpose,in other words,buying ick away for example wont help with your betta's fins cuz it has nothing to do with fin rot.


So,again,Aquarium salt and more frequent water changes!!
there is this very good medication you can only buy in www.bettatalk.com called bettazing.Is an all round preventative for diseases and helps with fin damage!! It's $15 but you its money well spent,trust me.

Answer 3

its a mental issue -- a shot tail isn't a big deal unless he has fin rot -- which is something different altogether. i have too many bettas and the fancier ones (half moons and stuff) are "perfect" maybe a week out of the year. there is always a shred here and there. its not life threatening and nothing you really need to worry about.

Answer 4

hm mm sounds like a medical problem.... Betta's have always flared at their own reflection. I have had several and never see that. Good luck

Answer 5

I would block his view of the reflective surface so he doen't flare.

Answer 6

if i were you i'd take him to the vet and block all surfaces that he can see his own reflection in

Answer 7

it happens sometimes when they get extra stressed. is there any way you can make it so he doens't see his reflection?

Answer 8

I do not know. if i were you I would take him to the vet. Hope I helped.