Are Some Bettas Just Meant To Destroy Their Tails?

[Aussie_Dog]

So when I first got him, I put a filter killer (pop bottle version) on the filter, and had silk plants, and that was it. A week after he came, he blew out his tail. He'd get a little better, then he'd blow it again. I finally got frustrated so I swapped out all the silk plants (maybe his tail was too sensitive and it kept getting snagged on the leaves) and switched them with live plants. I also put parts of silk stockings over the filter input and output. And all looked well. Yesterday morning, I remarked how Sweeney's tail was almost back to normal, but then later that night when I checked in again, it was in tatters. I just can't see it being fixable, frankly; I think he's just too energetic and the constant swimming back and forth, back and forth, frays his tail like it's a flag in the wind or something. I don't want to lower the water temperature, since I don't want to be one of those people who only loves their fish for the pretty colors or perfect tail, and I want Sweeney to have the water temperature he likes best. But man, the disappointment was just surprising. I thought I'd fixed it and he'd have his normal tail from there on out. But guess not.

He's a roundtail, for that matter.

 

[snoopyfrench87]

my betta keeps shredding his danm tail too - i am at my wits end - does me want a bare tank!?!? its bad enough that he has plain white sand!

 

[Netty]

We've had the same problem with Taro. His tank has live plants and sand and still his tail looks crap. There is nothing he can snag it on and it's not bitten as it's affected his dorsal and anal fins too. It is frustrating and we tried lots of things to help but now I think he's happy enough and it doesn't seem to bother him in the slightest.