Betta in small tank, GETTING FINROT?

[Bettalover12]

I have a betta in a tank 1.8 gallons. I do a water change every week where i swich about about 60% of the water and clean the rocks and decor in his tank. He has a heater and filter in his tank and he also has a tank mate(african dwarf frog) i know the african dwarf frog isnt hurting the betta since its very small and shy but im worried. It doesnt look like fin rot to me, it looks more like his back fins are shredded! It seems to be getting worse. Right now i have a 5.5 gallon tank cycling since i decided to upgrade his tank after i got him (1.8 gallons just seems to small!) In his new tank it includes a filter and heater but while its cycling i hoped somebody can tell me what wrong! I included a picture because its hard to explain.

 

[NickAu]

First ADF should be kept in a group of 3 or more and TBH are not suitable tank mates for a Betta no matter what others say, Knowing Bettas they will eat the ADF food before the frogs even realize its in the tank.

Finrot is the direct result of poor water conditions. a 1.8 gal tank dont actually hold 1.8 gallons of water, 60% water change once a week is not enough, you would be better off doing 3 smaller changes.

Can you post a photo of the fish?

 

[Bettalover12]

First ADF should be kept in a group of 3 or more and TBH are not suitable tank mates for a Betta no matter what others say, Knowing Bettas they will eat the ADF food before the frogs even realize its in the tank.

Finrot is the direct result of poor water conditions. a 1.8 gal tank dont actually hold 1.8 gallons of water, 60% water change once a week is not enough, you would be better off doing 3 smaller changes.

Can you post a photo of the fish?

Yes i will try to post a pic of the fish. And i actually know that adf should be kept with at least one other and thats another reason i decided to upgrade my tank i only got the adf after a petsmart employee told me that adf are great tank mates with bettas. I know my betta will try to eat my frogs food which is why i geed my frog with tweezers i feed my frog dried blood worms and about 3 times a week i feed him some aquatic frog pellets instead(but i try to avoid feeding him those) im actually very disapointed that the employee lied to me and said "whatever food your betta doesnt eat yoir frog will" which i later researched and figured out isnt true at all! Like i said im waiting for my 5.5 gallon tank to finish cycling since i just started. Hopefully you can tell what wrong with my betta by this pic

 

[Demeter32]

What kind of decorations do you have with the betta? Also, could you try and make him flare using a mirror and take a pic? It's kind of hard to see the effected fins.

Here's some things that come to mind:
1. Fake plants will often catch the fins and rip them, as will any other rough decor.
2. Some bettas tend to bite at their own fins and tear them to bits
3. It could still be fin rot, I say this because not all cases of fin rot look the same.

 

[Bettalover12]

What kind of decorations do you have with the betta? Also, could you try and make him flare using a mirror and take a pic? It's kind of hard to see the effected fins.

Here's some things that come to mind:
1. Fake plants will often catch the fins and rip them, as will any other rough decor.
2. Some bettas tend to bite at their own fins and tear them to bits
3. It could still be fin rot, I say this because not all cases of fin rot look the same.

All the decor os soft and wouldnt cause his fins to shred up like that(the the tank i have one long peice of hornwart or hogwart its called im not sure, 3 "stacked pipes" covered in soft fake moss and also a betta leaf bed thing) i will try to get a better pic

 

[Bettalover12]

What kind of decorations do you have with the betta? Also, could you try and make him flare using a mirror and take a pic? It's kind of hard to see the effected fins.

Here's some things that come to mind:
1. Fake plants will often catch the fins and rip them, as will any other rough decor.
2. Some bettas tend to bite at their own fins and tear them to bits
3. It could still be fin rot, I say this because not all cases of fin rot look the same.

Heres one more pic

 

[Essjay]

I once kept a betta with frogs. Never again.
As you probably know, ADFs are almost blind. One of the frogs in my tank mistook the betta's tail for food and I found the betta frantically swimming round the tank trying to dislodge the frog which had the betta's tail in its mouth. I immediately set up my quarantine tank and moved the frogs and some filter media into it but the betta still developed finrot from the site of the bite. It took ages for the finrot to clear.

I would not discount the frog as the cause of your betta's fin problems; in my opinion it is quite likely the cause. You can't watch what is going on in the tank every minute of every day.

 

[carlobellina]

I was also told the adf would eat the left over fish food and the eel would as well. My water is changed and tested regularly and these two guys died within a week. No more petsmart employee recommendations for me. I'll definately do my research on my own from now on!!!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[NickAu]

You have an Eel? How did I miss that? Please give details.

 

[Bettalover12]

I once kept a betta with frogs. Never again.
As you probably know, ADFs are almost blind. One of the frogs in my tank mistook the betta's tail for food and I found the betta frantically swimming round the tank trying to dislodge the frog which had the betta's tail in its mouth. I immediately set up my quarantine tank and moved the frogs and some filter media into it but the betta still developed finrot from the site of the bite. It took ages for the finrot to clear.

I would not discount the frog as the cause of your betta's fin problems; in my opinion it is quite likely the cause. You can't watch what is going on in the tank every minute of every day.

Oh wow i didnt know that my frog would do that! Well now my betta and frog(s) are in a 5.5 gallon tank and i feed my frog with tweezers, (i say frogs because i introduced another frog to the tank) im hoping to get another 5 gallon tank in the future and only house my frogs there without the betta

 

[Bettalover12]

What kind of decorations do you have with the betta? Also, could you try and make him flare using a mirror and take a pic? It's kind of hard to see the effected fins.

Here's some things that come to mind:
1. Fake plants will often catch the fins and rip them, as will any other rough decor.
2. Some bettas tend to bite at their own fins and tear them to bits
3. It could still be fin rot, I say this because not all cases of fin rot look the same.

My bettas fins are MUCH worse! I recently moved him into a cycled 5.5 gallon tank and it looks like half his fin is tangling off!!!!

 

[NickAu]

You have an Eel? How did I miss that? Please give details.

More details needed about this eel. This could be very important

My bettas fins are MUCH worse! I recently moved him into a cycled 5.5 gallon tank and it looks like half his fin is tangling off!!!!

Is he on his own? is the tank planted?

Can you provide a photo? We need to see the damage, We need more information on this eel you have, It could be the cause of the damage.

Also can you provide some water parameters?

Once you provide the answers to the above it will be easier to provide some advice on what to do next.

 

[ThatGirlMarie]

The OP and the person with the eel are two different people I think.

I'd separate the frog and Betta since it's clear more than one person has said it's a bad idea. When my guppies had jagged fins frequent water changes helped a lot.

 

[Bettalover12]

More details needed about this eel. This could be very important



Is he on his own? is the tank planted?

Can you provide a photo? We need to see the damage, We need more information on this eel you have, It could be the cause of the damage.

Also can you provide some water parameters?

Once you provide the answers to the above it will be easier to provide some advice on what to do next.

Hi sorry this is late, but my fish is now fine and his tail is growing back! He is much happier in his 5.5 gallon planted tank and his fins arent getting worse since i dont have an eel in my tank though
On an unrelated note does anybody know if the "Flourish root tabs" are safe to place under the gravel for my adfs? It contains a VERY small amount of copper but would it be ok if i buried it under the gravel?