fins in rough condition

[finnip]

Tank size is 8g, been running for a year now but moved six months ago - kept the BB on the filter media so the tank stayed cycled.
Current stats:
- pH is around 8
- ammonia and nitrite are 0
- nitrate is 20-30
- kH and gH, I don't have those readings
- temp is usually 25C, ranging from 23-28C

My betta's been looking pretty rough - his fins are all rugged and torn, and he's been less active than usual.

My water change routine's been 30% weekly with a vacuum once a month, but I recently bumped that up to 40% with the same vacuum schedule. No chemical additives or media in the tank, just a water conditioner.
Only tank inhabitants are the betta and some baby pest snails. No recent additions.

I've attached two photos - the first one's from before, the second's after. They're both of him flaring, but sorry about the bad quality - it's really tough to get a good shot of the tears on his fins, so I had to snap a pic while he was turning.

[juicebox]

I'm thinking the rough fins on your betta might be due to something in the tank causing damage. Have you checked for any sharp rocks or plastic plants that could be snagging his fins? A simple test you can do is the pantyhose test - just rub some pantyhose over the suspected area and if they snag or rip, it's likely too sharp for your fish.

You might want to consider filing down any sharp edges to prevent further damage. In the meantime, I'd recommend doing some larger water changes - 50% or more every day or every couple of days - this should help if it's a case of fin rot or a bacterial/fungal issue, and will also help prevent infection and promote healing.

[whetu]

Freshwater fish aren't too fond of a pH of 8.something. Most of 'em prefer it 7 or lower.

[finnip]

I'm thinking the rough fins on your betta might be due to something in the tank causing damage. Have you checked for any sharp rocks or plastic plants that could be snagging his fins? A simple test you can do is the pantyhose test - just rub some pantyhose over the suspected area and if they snag or rip, it's likely too sharp for your fish.

You might want to consider filing down any sharp edges to prevent further damage. In the meantime, I'd recommend doing some larger water changes - 50% or more every day or every couple of days - this should help if it's a case of fin rot or a bacterial/fungal issue, and will also help prevent infection and promote healing.

No sharp decor in my tank, just a smooth submarine hideout. I actually tested it with tissue, which is way more fragile than pantyhose, and it didn't tear at all. I'll definitely step up my water changes, thanks for the advice.

As for the pH, I thought as long as it's consistent, it's not a huge deal? My betta, Fluxx, was fine before, so I'm not sure if that's the main issue.

[whetu]

If you keep a fish in a tank with a high pH and it's not suited for that pH, it's just gonna suffer. The fish will get stressed, its immune system will weaken, and it'll be more prone to disease. That's what's happening to your betta - it's not a sudden thing, it's a slow decline.

[Lachlan]

In the photos, I noticed some white dots that caught my eye. Could Ich be the culprit here? It's tough to say for sure, especially with the first image, since those free-floating bubbles might be what I'm mistaking for white spots on the fish.

[finnip]

In the photos, I noticed some white dots that caught my eye. Could Ich be the culprit here? It's tough to say for sure, especially with the first image, since those free-floating bubbles might be what I'm mistaking for white spots on the fish.

I'm pretty sure it's not ich. My betta has this iridescent sheen that can look a bit like ich, but I've dealt with ich before and I know what it looks like.

whetu said:

If you keep a fish in a tank with a high pH and that fish prefers a lower pH, you will simply burn it out and it will just slowly disintegrate, which is what is happening to your fish.

I think you're being a bit dramatic. Betta fish can handle pH between 6.5 and 8, and mine is only slightly above that. If pH was really the issue, wouldn't my friend's fish be affected too? They've had fish in the same pH water for over 5 years and they're fine.

[Lachlan]

You're saying your pH is fine, but you mentioned it's 8.something. For betta fish, pH should be around 7.0 max. I know they can handle higher pH levels, but it's not ideal. A pH of 8+ is way too high for them.

After doing some research, I found that the absolute maximum pH for betta fish is 8.0, and that's just for survival. Anything above that is toxic. For proper care, pH should be around 7.0. And as for your friends' betta fish living long with a pH of 8+, I'm skeptical. I'd be surprised if a betta survived a year in water with a pH over 8.0.

[finnip]

I'm wondering if there's a safe way to lower my pH levels. I'd like to try and see if that makes a difference for my betta.

My friend who breeds bettas did have some that lived for five years, and most of them made it to two or three years old.

[Lachlan]

Tank size is 8g, been running for a year now but moved six months ago - kept the BB on the filter media so the tank stayed cycled.
Current stats:
- pH is around 8
- ammonia and nitrite are 0
- nitrate is 20-30
- kH and gH, I don't have those readings
- temp is usually 25C, ranging from 23-28C

My betta's been looking pretty rough - his fins are all rugged and torn, and he's been less active than usual.

My water change routine's been 30% weekly with a vacuum once a month, but I recently bumped that up to 40% with the same vacuum schedule. No chemical additives or media in the tank, just a water conditioner.
Only tank inhabitants are the betta and some baby pest snails. No recent additions.

I've attached two photos - the first one's from before, the second's after. They're both of him flaring, but sorry about the bad quality - it's really tough to get a good shot of the tears on his fins, so I had to snap a pic while he was turning.

I'm sure there are safe methods to lower pH, but I think it's best if others with more modern knowledge share their advice. My experience is a bit outdated, and I'm still using under gravel filtration, so I wouldn't want my suggestions to cause harm with today's filtration systems.