Female Betta with Torn Caudal Fin

[littlefishie]

..I just did my nightly inspection of all my fishies, and discovered that my poor lil' crowntail girl, Tinkerbel, has a sliver missing from her tail!
It looks similar to when I had a [supposedly peaceful] male betta attack my guppy pair, and he'd taken a sliver out of the female's tail. However, Tinkerbell is separated from all my other fish, in her own little bowl with a soft plastic hornwort stem and a bare bottom. The plastic plant has never been a problem before as I have had the same plant in with two of my males since September, and it's not torn their fins.. it's really soft, as I checked that before I bought it.
Any thoughts as to what did it? I know some bettas can be tail-biters out of stress, but since she's such a little girl I didn't think she'd be able to reach her tail!
Please help! What can I do for her? I've got Bettafix, Melafix, and aquarium salt on hand..

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Perhaps swimming against the current riped it?

Treatment: good water conditions, salt, tonics like betta or melafix

 

[Sorrell]

Salt, melafix and really keep up on your water changes, she should be fine

 

[littlefishie]

TempestuousFury -- She's in a bowl, therefore no current? ..I'm beginning to think she may not do well with the soft plant.. she seems to enjoy taunting one of my males by darting in and out of it.. maybe she moved really fast and tore it on the plant?

Sorrel -- Forgive me for this stupid question, but exactly how much salt do I put in a 1pt bowl? [I know she should have a bigger home.. it's only temporary until I get Christmas money as she was an unexpected early present from my mom.]

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Aquarium salt has instructions: about 1 tablespoon per gallon.

2 cups per pint something cups per quart (sorry, don't know ) 4 quarts per gallon. 15 ml per tablespoon, 5 ml per teaspoon.

As for the rip, it might be the plant. I can't think of anything else.

 

[littlefishie]

the aquarium salt I have -- nutrafin brand -- says 1 tablespoon per gallon.
I live in Canada so other than tank sizes in gallons and measuring Melafix, I'm used to our measuring system..
All I really need is how many pints in a gallon.. lol I can try to divide from there.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

http/64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:J7iIx...ns+quarts&hl=en

There you go. Two pints per quart.

 

[littlefishie]

1.5ml of salt. I think.. 1tbsp [12 mL] per gallon / 4 quarts = 3mL / 2 pints = 1.5mL. ..sound right?
I'm sorry to be a pain.. it didn't even occur to me to google it.. my brain is so fried, I'm studying for 2 exams at once which are both on Tuesday

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Oh. Well, just do as well as you can so you don't have to try so hard for finals (I take it that you are not studying for finals).

Another thing you can do is prepare a saltwater bath and place the fish in the bath for about a minute. That might help, and you wouldn't have to worry about the salt content getting too high.

Just make sure you don't put too much salt in the bowl, and it should be fine.

 

[littlefishie]

Thanks.. I think I'll do a teeny pinch just to start.. I don't want to put too much in.
And one exam's a final on Tuesday.. I have 3 that are finals, and two that are progress exams.. that's the wonder of semester and full-year courses.. I should be studying, and I have been studying, it's just that when the computer is right in front of me, and I'm worrying about my fish, I get distracted.
Sounds like the time for a 1am McDonald's run to keep me going.. lol

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Ah, I see. Didn't read your location. Well, good luck.