Getting Bettas To Look Nice?

[guppy2002]

My male betas always seem to start looking all old and like rags after a couple months of me having them. Hmmmm. My latest boy, Prince, is starting to look like a potential rather than the beautiful white Prince he should be. Yes he is with other fish, guppies. And yes, there are plastic plants, but surely they couldn't cause this much damage, also I have just moved Prince to a tank with silk and real plants.
His personality is strong, he stalks around the tank and is obviously the boss. I have never seen the guppies nip him. Ever. Though I am not objecting to the thought.
I have also thought of fin rot...... could someone please describe to me what it looks like?

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[Ninjouzata]

They could indeed cause lots of damage. Guppies can be pretty nippy.
 
What are your water parameters? Water change schedule? Tank cycled?
 
If you can get a picture someone should be able to tell you if it's fin rot or not.

 

[attibones]

Fin rot is usually a secondary condition. It is seen most frequently as a result of poor water conditions. Toxins in the water, as I understand it to happen, eat away at the delicate fins of a betta fish. Fins will curl. If you see darkening around the edges of the fins, it's likely to be fin rot. The caudal fins when flared may show some minute holes between rays (one of my fish had a bad case of fin rot before I knew what I was doing and his fins looked like this). Bettas with long fins are more prone to rot than the short-finned variety. 
 
Fin damage will sometimes look more jagged. I'll see if I can't find good pictures showing the difference.

 

[Wildbetta]

The fact that he is kept in a tank with not only plastic plants (which are bad to tear betta fins) but other fish that are notoriously nippy answers the question for me.  There is also a chance that he is biting his own tail for whatever reason.  Fin rot is characterized by a melting look to the end of the fins, black edges (although this is not guaranteed since some bettas naturally have black fin edges), and pin holes in the fins.  A picture showing the fin damage would help determine what is going on and what may be needed to fix his fins.

 

[guppy2002]

Well then it's defiantly not fin rot then. There's no black edges or holes in his fins, they are just extremely jagged. Sorry of can't get you pics, my camera is......well...... I can't find it.

 

[attibones]

Then it is likely that the fins have torn from decor and other fish. Get this betta his own home and it will clear up. In the meantime, frequent water changes and warm water.

 

[guppy2002]

I'm putting Prince in my old fry tank. It's 7.5 gallons. There will be a heater but no filter. I will go to the store soon and get some more live plants for him too.