Torn Fins

[your1stopshop]

i have a betta in a 10 gallon with a couple of ghosts shrimp, probably about 7 or 8 shrimp. anyway yesterday my fish was fine and healthy looking pretty, and i wake up this morning look into his tank and he fins are pretty shredded.all of them, not just the tail fins, now i am concerned for his health obviously, so until i know what did it, he is in a 1 gallon bowl by himself, and i changed some of the water in the bowl. But i am wondering of the shrimp could have done that (he is a pretty small betta, kinda a runt), or if he could have gotten himself wedged under something, like a rock? the tank doesn't have a filter, cause i have problems with filters tearing fins before.he doesn't look very happy in the bowl but i would rather know whats going on before i put him back in his tank.

 

[FBTgirl]

Some Betta fish chew on themselfs. He might have fin rot. But I think he just chewed himself up.

 

[joycould]

Your water quality can effect fins very fast. Ph and ammonia is the 2 I really watch for. My ph is very low and when the water sits it lowers even more because the city puts in buffers. Some city water has .5 ammonia coming out of the tap which would be enough to effect the fins. Another reason is he blew his fin this happens when they are flaring betta. Also FTBgirl said some fish actually bite their own fins 2 out of 13 of mine do that. Keep an eye out for fin rot. Plastic plants can rip fins as well. The best thing to do is keep him in clean water right now and watch for fin rot. I use a little aquarium salt to help prevent fin rot when mine blow or bite their tail. I doubt very much if the ghost shrimp had anything to do with it, I had a betta that fixed himself a special supper once out of ghost shrimp.

 

[your1stopshop]

thanks so much for the help. i'll put him back in his tank and change like 75% of the water and see what happens. i don't think its fin rot, but i will watch him closely.