Steve's Tail Keeps Splitting

[blinky000]

Ever since I got him, Steve's tail has been splitting quite regularly. The splits appear singly and roughly an inch long on a weekly basis but heal extremely quickly. The majority of it heals in about 2 days. I know finrot can cause splitting but there's no other signs of that on him or the other fish. No black smudges to indicate ammonia, no red streaks. Nothing. I removed all the potentially sharp fake plants and replaced them with real ones too, just in case that was doing it.
So I'm wondering, I have a microscope that I used to diagnose all sorts of parasites in my fancies. I know that flukes can cause split fins too so I'd like to confirm or deny it with a scraping, but I wouldn't know where to take a scraping from in a betta. Usually you'd take it from the fin in a fancy goldfish but it's a bit different with something so small and fragile. Anyone got any ideas? I'm stumped.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Sometimes bettas can get a blown tail (split) from flaring too much, or he might be biting his own tail. Is there any chance you can get a photo of it?

Is there anything in the tank with him?

 

[blinky000]

I've had a tail biting betta before (horrible experience). Doesn't seem to look like that. He has two otos in with him. He used to flare at them when they first came in but he hasn't done that since the first few days. Other than that he hasn't really flared at all. Put a mirror near him and he swims away. I think I've got the only fighter fish that hates confrontation I'll grab a photo of him later Thanks for your help

On a completely unrelated note, I see you're a caudata fan too Good to see someone else knows about it!

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I've had a tail biting betta before (horrible experience). Doesn't seem to look like that. He has two otos in with him. He used to flare at them when they first came in but he hasn't done that since the first few days. Other than that he hasn't really flared at all. Put a mirror near him and he swims away. I think I've got the only fighter fish that hates confrontation I'll grab a photo of him later Thanks for your help

On a completely unrelated note, I see you're a caudata fan too Good to see someone else knows about it!

My boyfriend had a betta that used to swim away from the mirror too.


I'm on caudata; I joined it a few years ago when I was interested in getting newts (before that I lurked lol).

 

[Fishy friend2]

Mine swims away from the mirror too and hides behind a plant

 

[LilyRose Tank]

maybe the ones that hide arent sexually mature to be confronted yet? is that possible? my new guy doesn't react to a mirror either

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

maybe the ones that hide arent sexually mature to be confronted yet? is that possible? my new guy doesn't react to a mirror either

My male when I first got him was an inch long and he reacted to his reflection. I guess some are bothered by it and some just aren't.

 

[blinky000]

I reckon he just thinks "yeah, whatever. My mum's here and she'll kick your butt". I've got some lovely photos of the tail but my card reader has given up on me so I can't get them off my camera. Gutted. That's the last time I buy stuff at Poundland haha.

I've been a member on caudata since about '05. I'm more of a lurker now lol. I started off with 3 axolotls but the inevitable happened and I've had babies coming out of my ears for the past 7 years

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I reckon he just thinks "yeah, whatever. My mum's here and she'll kick your butt". I've got some lovely photos of the tail but my card reader has given up on me so I can't get them off my camera. Gutted. That's the last time I buy stuff at Poundland haha.

I've been a member on caudata since about '05. I'm more of a lurker now lol. I started off with 3 axolotls but the inevitable happened and I've had babies coming out of my ears for the past 7 years

I go through phases of lurking and not lurking on there. My username is dipsydoodle over there if you ever see me; say hi lol.

I started off with 3 chinese fire bellied newts...ALL female LOL. Well 2 are female and the other is "something". I think the other is a female but not sure; I was always sure "he" was a male but now I have no idea. Either way it doesn't really matter as "he" is scared of the water; nothing will get him in, so I have a terrestrial newt and 2 aquatic ones. The terrestrial one is sooo full of character (although he needs hand feeding all the time).

I now have 3 axolotls as well, I did post photos of 2 of them in the inverts section here; as I got 2 and then went back for a third one. I have a golden, a leucstic and a albino (with Y shaped gill lol). I've only had them a couple of weeks and so far they are doing really well .

 

[blinky000]

Finally got a new card reader. Steve's tail has healed near perfectly again. Here is was the day it split:

Bacterial finrot or flukes do you think?

 

[Whisper]

I'd leave it alone and just watch for fin rot as it could develop. Some Bettas develop a natural split in their tail. I don't know why, maybe some inperfection in it's intitial development. Scraping the tail is unadvisable as it would remove the slime coat and enhance the opportunity for fin rot. If you can't see anything on him with a good magnifying glass I doubt you will find anything substancial with a microscope.

He looks healthy (and pretty) to me.