Betta Tail Injured by Aquarium Net

Undersea Tiki Betta, originally uploaded by pixelator_1999.

Q: DA wrote,

Hello! I have found so much useful information from your site. Thank you for all of the time and hard work that you put into it!

I have had this little guy for two weeks. He was in a small bowl, that I did water changes on every 2 days. When I bought him his tail already had a "fringe-y" look to it, but did not seem to be anything wrong to me. He eats good, and has been acting healthy. I did damage his tail while moving him to clean his bowl, :( It was a rookie mistake, and it looks like someone to a bite out of it. "net happens" is now our slogan...

Two days ago, I got him moved into a 6 gal eclipse tank. He LOVES it! I didn't know bettas were such active fish. He has been playing in the current, and just having a great time. My question is that I am worried about his tail....is it getting fin rot? or am I just being an over protective mother?

I have been using stability everyday to build up the good bacteria in the tank. (It says to use it for the first 7 days) I also used Prime, and 1/4 teaspoon of aquarium salt. I tested the water today. PH 6.8. Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, Ammonia 0. Tank temp is holding steady a 79 degrees. Right now all I have are a few silk plants, and gravel. I want to do a planted tank later. I have not done a water change yet, will do so when ammonia levels rise. He is getting pellet food, 3 to 4 pieces everyday, and freeze dried blood worms a couple times a week. At this time he is the only fish in the tank.

The only other thing I can think to add, is that he only flairs on one side. It looks like a deformity. When he sees himself in the mirror, he gets all "puffed -up" and flairs, but only his right side opens up. Have you ever heard of this before?? It doesn't seen to bother him, and he acts normal...so I figured birth defect.

DA's Betta Fish


A: Wow, D, your new 6 gallon tank set up sounds great and your water parameters are spot on for your betta fish. For a “rookie” as you called yourself, you are certainly on track for success.

Thanks too, for sending the photos of your betta fish. I can see exactly where you clipped his fin with your net. The good news is I don’t think it is turning into fin rot. On the contrary, it appears he is growing some new fin tissue. In the photo below you can see some very fine cellophane-like webbing beginning to grow where he lost the chunk of fin. That is new growth. It will likely take a couple of months before he has his fin completely healed but as long as you keep his water clean and your betta healthy, you should notice rapid improvements in the next couple of weeks.


Betta fish tail fin regrowth

Of course, I should mention that new fin tissue is extremely fragile. It is not unusual for bettas to lose their new fin growth due to reinjury or fin rot. Be gentile with that net during water changes and keep his water warm, clean and stable.

Best of luck


Photo of DA's Betta

Episode 1 - Water Changes and Betta Behavior

Hey gang,

Welcome to the first ever Nippyfish: A Betta Blog video blog. Today I tried answering our reader email over video but am also including written info for your reference. Let us know what you think.

Q: PM wrote,

Thank you so much for posting a lot of useful information online. I just got my betta fish a week ago and have been following your advice. He's doing quite well.

I have questions about my betta and would be very appreciated if you could get back to me.

1. I bought an ECLIPSE SYSTEM 3 (3-gallon tank with filter). I am wondering how often should I change the water and how much water should be taken out? Also, should I take my betta out of the tank before cleaning or just leave him in the tank?

2. I have been feeding my betta with Hikari Bio-Gold pellets. I feed him 1-2 pellets per day. I am not sure if I am feeding him a proper amount or underfeeding him.

3. My betta fish is relatively small -- about 1 1/3 inch long without tails. Is he normal?

4. I read your profile and found that you live in San Diego and I think you definitely could answer this question. I live in Santa Barbara and the weather fluctuates between low 50s to low 70s degree F in one day (outside temperature). I called the local pet stores and they said I can just keep him in the room temperature and he will be fine. Well, some online websites say that the best temperature of betta fish is 74-78 F because at this temperature range, a betta can live long. I am wondering whether I need a thermometer for my betta fish

5. After reading online, I found that flaring means he's angry because his territories has been invaded. But, how about the other kinds of behavior? I had him wag his tails vigorously at times without flaring. Do you know what this sign means? By the way, do you have information about betta fish behavior?

I am so sorry I am asking so many questions! It is because I trust you much more than other folks who set up betta websites just to sell their products. Thank you so much in advance!

A: A three gallon can either be cycled or you can do complete 100% water changes. If yo choose to clean the water completely each time, start by testing your water daily with an ammonia test kit. How often you need to change your water depends on a lot of factors so each tank is different. See how many days it takes for your water to register trace amounts of ammonia. If it takes 9 days, you know to change your water every 8 days before ammonia becomes an issue. Repeat the test periodically. If you do 100% water changes obviously you will need to remove your fish. In a cycled tank you can just change 10% - 20% of the water weekly and can leave your fish in the tank during cleaning.

1-2 pellets is probably not enough to sustain a growing betta over time. I suggest trying 2-3 twice per day and monitoring your betta. If he does well with that amount try adding another two pellets feeding no more than 8 - 10 in a day (split over a couple of feedings). If you betta shows signs of bloating you are feeding too much.

1 1/3" is a normal size for betta fish purchased at the store. These days it is common to find bettas for sale that aren't quite full grown. Over the next several months you will likely see you betta grow until he reaches about 2 - 2 1/2 inches.

I do recommend purchasing an inexpensive thermometer for your aquarium. Monitor your water temperature daily and watch for drastic fluctuations. Aim for a stable temperature around 78˚F. If you find your temperature fluctuating too much from day to evening you may need to consider a small aquarium heater.

Tail wiggling isn't completely understood but appears to be a good thing. Most bettas will wiggle their tails when you approach the glass or go to feed them. It appears they are begging for food. Tail wiggling seems to be most common in strong, healthy bettas with lots of energy and a good appetite so I would consider it a good sign.

Thanks so much for writing in and for being my very first betta fish video blog victim... I mean... participant.