Betta going Downhill

[Aspen]

Okay, I know you guys are gonna kill me for this because I did something really stupid to my poor betta. First, I bought a 2 gallon hexagon tank and filled it with bottled water and 2tsp aquarium salt and let it run for 24 hours like the manual said. (It uses a UGF filter).

There is no fish store nearby so I first went to PetSmart and bought my betta from a tiny, unclean cup. Then I went to WalMart (they have a very nice, clean fish dept here and the guy who manages it is a retired fish hobbyist who seems to really know what he's doing) I bought a small snail, some algae wafers, and freeze-dried brine shrimp.

Everything was great for the first week. The snail was (still is) very active and cleans so well I have to give him algae wafers to eat. The betta was doing really well too. He'd flare and make bubble nests and ate the brine shrimp. Then, after one week I fished out Bob and Nelly and put them in a jar so I could gravel vacuum the tank. I stirred up all kinds of particles and couldn't figure out how to get the gravel vac to suck them up!! My manual hadn't mentioned how the tank has to cycle and you can't fully clean it, so I just dumped everything out, rinsed the gravel, and filled'er back up with bottled water and 2tsp aquarium salt.

Ever since then, my betta has had clamped fins and just lays in his little cave unless it's feeding time. I fed him before bed and he seemed to be getting a bit better. But when I woke up in the morning, a huge, I mean HUGE chunk was torn out of his tail fin!! The entire edge and a 'V' shape out of the middle were missing... what caused this and what should I do? He sulks all day and clamps his fins. How can I make the tank re-cycle? I don't want to lose my first fish (ever) after just three weeks !!

 

[revfred]

Can't imagine what tore the chunk out of the tail fin. Are you sure this was not a split-tail betta to begin with? If the Vshape is regular than perhaps it was a split-tail. Perhaps you can go back to WalMart and talk with the guy and get some water from one of their tanks ... or if you know someone with a cycled aquarium get some of their water as well to add to your tank. That will help with the cycling. Some floating weeds also will help. I would keep the betta in a smaller container with some water from either WalMart or your friend. Also, IMO skip the salt. Also a couple of hardy fish in the two gallon such as danios will help with the cyling ... you might be able to leave them in with the betta. Add a catfish when the tank is cycled.

 

[Aspen]

Yes I'm sure there is a very large chunk torn out. He's a veiltail and it used to be kind of a triange shape when he would flare out... perfectly round on the edge like this <) . Thanks for the advice, I didn't know I could add any more to a 2 gallon aquarium.

I don't know how he tore the edge off. The only two things I can think of are that he got his tailfin stuck in the air bubbles from the filter or that it got hung on the inside of his cave. The only other things in there are a silk plant and the gravel.

 

[Lotus]

It could have been the cave that hurt his fins. If you run your fingers around it, are there any sharp edges? The air bubbles wouldn't have harmed him.

Normally with a gravel vacuum, you need to start the siphoning. You can do this by placing the vacuum and all the tubing in the tank, filling it with water, putting your thumb over the end that comes out, then putting that end in a bucket that is lower than the height of the water (on the floor), then taking your thumb off. The water should start flowing. If you put the vacuum end into the gravel, you will be able to see the gravel moving and the yucky poop and stuff going up the tube into the bucket.

If you are having a lot of trouble with this in the beginning, keep practicing. If it isn't working for you yet, you can use a turkey baster and put it into the gravel and use that until you get the hang of the vacuum.

You can add some Melafix at half strength or Bettafix to help his fin regrow.

 

[Aspen]

I just went to the store and bought some Melafix. But when I got back my betta was out swimming and flaring at his reflection. His fins are no longer clamped (but I can now see that the tail fin is torn pretty badly). No bubble nest yet, but he seems perfectly happy and normal. What a sudden change =\ thanks for the tips guys.

 

[Lotus]

Just a question, have you checked the tank temperature lately? Bettas seem to be pretty sensitive when it gets cold.

 

[Aspen]

Yes I have a thermometer in the tank. I've been worried about the temperature constantly seeming to be fluctuating 2-3 degrees but I've heard that happens in small tanks. The temp is 77-80F.

He still isn't quite his normal active self and he's hiding out in his cave a lot but overall he looks much better. The fins are clamped again today though I did a 20pct water change yesterday and he's still eating like a little piglet.

 

[gotgourami]

cleaning gravel

You can go to petsmart and buy one of the self suction gravel vaccums where you put it in the water like normal and shake it up and down until it starts suctioning or with a manual one you'll have to suck on the other end of the hose until it all fills with water and than point it down and it should start flowing. *crazysmil

 

[jake_89]

Cleaning Gravel

Everybody knows how to use a manual gravel suction tube.
I hope

 

[Joanne]

Personally I would take the UGF out of the tank and not even attempt to cycle it. Anything smaller than a 5 gallon is notoriously difficult to keep cycled. The smallest thing can cause a problem leading to a new cycle. Just stick with regular 100% water changes.