Hi all,
I've noticed my Betta's fins aren't looking their best lately.
The fins seem a bit tattered and I'm unsure what's causing it - is it fin rot, nipping from his tankmates, or maybe he's getting caught on a plant?
He's housed with some neon tetras, but I've only seen them nipping at each other, not him.
I'd really appreciate any advice on this.
Is my fish suffering from fin damage?
Re: Is my fish suffering from fin damage?
To start, I'd recommend taking out any fake plants or decorations that could be causing damage to your betta's fins. It's also a good idea to separate him from the neon tetras for now. While they're often thought of as peaceful, I've personally seen them be quite nippy - I once had some that shredded my neptune's fins. And let's not forget, bettas are solitary animals in the wild, so it's not exactly natural for them to live with other fish. We can't sense the pheromones and allomones that fish release into the water, but that doesn't mean they're not having an impact. Both your betta and the tetras could be experiencing low-grade stress that you're not aware of, which can weaken them and make them more susceptible to disease. It's not fair to force fish to live together that wouldn't naturally coexist.
Keep the water in both tanks very clean, and once your betta is separated, you might want to consider a salt treatment for his fins. However, being away from the tetras and in very clean water with regular water changes might be enough for his fins to heal on their own.
Keep the water in both tanks very clean, and once your betta is separated, you might want to consider a salt treatment for his fins. However, being away from the tetras and in very clean water with regular water changes might be enough for his fins to heal on their own.
Re: Is my fish suffering from fin damage?
If you take a look around this forum, you'll find plenty of stories about bettas turning on their tankmates. I've come across a few threads that really drive the point home. There's one about a betta killing neptunes - it's pretty clear that the betta was the culprit. The owner was warned that bettas aren't community fish, but they kept them together anyway. And let's be honest, it usually ends badly. I've seen it happen with guppies too.
Then there's another thread about a betta killing a cardinal tetra. The owner introduced the tetras to the betta's tank, thinking it would be fine, but the betta had other plans. It attacked one of the tetras within an hour of them being introduced. It's just not worth the risk, if you ask me.
Then there's another thread about a betta killing a cardinal tetra. The owner introduced the tetras to the betta's tank, thinking it would be fine, but the betta had other plans. It attacked one of the tetras within an hour of them being introduced. It's just not worth the risk, if you ask me.
Re: Is my fish suffering from fin damage?
I've got a pretty laid-back Betta, he's never flared up at all, but I'm still wondering if he could be stressed without showing it. Even when the tetras swim near him, or he swims near them, he just doesn't seem to care - no flaring, no nipping.
My plants are all real, so I'm curious to know if the leaves could be causing any damage to his fins. He loves swimming in and out of one of them, so it's possible, I guess.
My plants are all real, so I'm curious to know if the leaves could be causing any damage to his fins. He loves swimming in and out of one of them, so it's possible, I guess.
Re: Is my fish suffering from fin damage?
I'm glad you mentioned the plants are real, as that does reduce the risk of fin damage. However, I would still recommend checking the decor in the tank, as even real wood or certain ornaments can have sharp edges that might cause harm. I'd advise running your finger over them to identify any potential hazards and sanding them down if necessary.
I came across a paper on betta behavior that I think you might find interesting. It discusses how bettas can become habituated to the presence of other bettas, but this doesn't necessarily mean they're comfortable with the situation. The study notes that even if a betta appears calm, it may still be experiencing stress or anxiety. This got me thinking about the complex social dynamics at play in aquariums, particularly when different species are kept together.
Research has shown that when multiple species are kept together, changes in behavior can occur at both the individual and species level. For example, male bettas are known to send aggressive signals to other fish, which can sometimes escalate into actual fights. This is likely due to the release of pheromones and allomones, which are chemical signals that convey information between fish. While I'm not an expert in this area, it's clear that these signals play a crucial role in shaping the behavior of aquatic animals.
Given the solitary nature of bettas in the wild, I'm hesitant to recommend keeping them with other fish. In their natural habitat, males only interact with females briefly for mating purposes and then chase them away. It's possible that even if your betta appears relaxed, it may still be experiencing stress or discomfort due to the presence of the neons. I'm not saying it's impossible to keep bettas with other fish, but I do think it's essential to consider the potential risks and consequences.
Ultimately, the decision is yours, but I hope this information has been helpful in informing your choice.
I came across a paper on betta behavior that I think you might find interesting. It discusses how bettas can become habituated to the presence of other bettas, but this doesn't necessarily mean they're comfortable with the situation. The study notes that even if a betta appears calm, it may still be experiencing stress or anxiety. This got me thinking about the complex social dynamics at play in aquariums, particularly when different species are kept together.
Research has shown that when multiple species are kept together, changes in behavior can occur at both the individual and species level. For example, male bettas are known to send aggressive signals to other fish, which can sometimes escalate into actual fights. This is likely due to the release of pheromones and allomones, which are chemical signals that convey information between fish. While I'm not an expert in this area, it's clear that these signals play a crucial role in shaping the behavior of aquatic animals.
Given the solitary nature of bettas in the wild, I'm hesitant to recommend keeping them with other fish. In their natural habitat, males only interact with females briefly for mating purposes and then chase them away. It's possible that even if your betta appears relaxed, it may still be experiencing stress or discomfort due to the presence of the neons. I'm not saying it's impossible to keep bettas with other fish, but I do think it's essential to consider the potential risks and consequences.
Ultimately, the decision is yours, but I hope this information has been helpful in informing your choice.
Re: Is my fish suffering from fin damage?
Thanks so much for all the information, I really appreciate it.
I've taken a closer look at that ornament and you're right, it does have those silicone plant things attached. I've been thinking of removing it anyway, so I'll go ahead and take it out now.
The idea of learned helplessness is really interesting, I'd never thought of that before. It makes me think about when I first got my betta - he was in a tiny cup with other bettas on either side of him, and they were all flaring like crazy. I wonder if he just gave up and stopped reacting to them. When I first brought him home, he did look a bit down, to be honest.
I think I'll probably end up moving the tetras to a different tank - they've grown quite a bit since I got them, and they tend to spread out all over the place instead of schooling together.
I've taken a closer look at that ornament and you're right, it does have those silicone plant things attached. I've been thinking of removing it anyway, so I'll go ahead and take it out now.
The idea of learned helplessness is really interesting, I'd never thought of that before. It makes me think about when I first got my betta - he was in a tiny cup with other bettas on either side of him, and they were all flaring like crazy. I wonder if he just gave up and stopped reacting to them. When I first brought him home, he did look a bit down, to be honest.
I think I'll probably end up moving the tetras to a different tank - they've grown quite a bit since I got them, and they tend to spread out all over the place instead of schooling together.
Re: Is my fish suffering from fin damage?
Thanks for all the info, I really appreciate it. I'm glad I can finally make some sense of what might be going on with my Betta's fins.
That ornament with the silicone plant things on it is definitely going - I've been thinking about taking it out for a while now, so thanks for confirming my suspicions.
I never thought about the learned helplessness thing, it's really made me think about my Betta's behavior and how he might be feeling. When I first got him, he was in this tiny cup with a bunch of other bettas, and the ones next to him were flaring like crazy, so maybe he just gave up. He did look a bit down when I brought him home, so that makes a lot of sense.
I'm thinking of moving the tetras to a different tank, they've grown so much since I got them and they're starting to spread out a lot.
That ornament with the silicone plant things on it is definitely going - I've been thinking about taking it out for a while now, so thanks for confirming my suspicions.
I never thought about the learned helplessness thing, it's really made me think about my Betta's behavior and how he might be feeling. When I first got him, he was in this tiny cup with a bunch of other bettas, and the ones next to him were flaring like crazy, so maybe he just gave up. He did look a bit down when I brought him home, so that makes a lot of sense.
I'm thinking of moving the tetras to a different tank, they've grown so much since I got them and they're starting to spread out a lot.