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((For all fish/tank data and water parameters, see end of post))
This is such a mystery:
I've decided to keep bettas again, and I just found a gorgeous boy and brought him home to a little cycled heated 1 gallon "efficiency". He's been happy as a lark and busy as a bee, flaring and swimming and eating like a champ, and his water chemistry has been nothing but perfect.
However, in the five short days I've had him, his dorsal and ventral fin rays have started to bend and warp. I've had this happen to bettas in the past (though never this rapidly), and could never find a consensus on the cause or treatment. Some say hard water is the problem, but poster #3 in this discussion said she has curling too and keeps her fish in soft water: http://bettasource.com/forums/topic/942-fin-curling/ . Others suggest sunlight and vitamin D deficiency, but he couldn't possibly have developed that over five days, especially since he's now getting a varied, high-quality diet.
I know one gallon isn't large, but everything about his environment has *improved* since he came home from his cup at Pet Supermarket, where his fins were in perfect condition. Still, I feel the problem has to be related to something environmental - what else could affect him so suddenly?
I would really like to nip this in the bud or stop its progress before he goes full-blown Free Willy on me... it doesn't seem to bother him in the least, but he's such a pretty boy!!! :(
PICS: The first three show him in his store cup and at home with perfect fins, the next three show bending rays (#3 and #4 make for a great comparison - note crazy bent dorsal ray angle in #6)
#1
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#3
#4
#5
#6
DATA/INFO:
Housing:
How many gallons: 1 gal
Does it have a filter: custom sponge filter
Does it have a heater: yes
What temperature is your tank: 77deg
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration: yes
Does your Betta have tank mates: no
Food:
What food brand do you use: Betta BioGold
Do you feed flakes or pellets: never flakes, sometimes the pellets mentioned above
Freeze-dried: no dried foods, also feed froz blood worms, raw salmon/tuna, etc...
How often do you feed your Betta: 1/2 pellets morning, 1 bloodworm in the evening or similar
Maintenance:
Before your Betta became ill how often did you perform a water change: about once a week
What percentage of water did you change 30%-50%
Do you vacuum the substrate or just dip out water: vacuum
What additives do you use: Prime 2dr/gal
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: <10ppm
pH: >7.2 but less than the next level
Hardness (GH): Don't know this/need to buy a test kit (using Broward County FL tap water)
Alkalinity (KH): Don't know this/need to buy a test kit (using Broward County FL tap water)
Symptoms and Treatment:
When did you first notice the symptoms:
about two days ago
How has your Betta’s appearance changed: dorsal fin rays and pelvic fin rays are bending
How has your Betta’s behavior changed: not at all
Is your Betta still eating: eagerly
Have you started treating your Betta: purchased vitachem and fed two soaked pellets this PM
Does your Betta have any history of being ill: no
How long have you owned your Betta? : brought him home on March 17 (five days ago today)
This is such a mystery:
I've decided to keep bettas again, and I just found a gorgeous boy and brought him home to a little cycled heated 1 gallon "efficiency". He's been happy as a lark and busy as a bee, flaring and swimming and eating like a champ, and his water chemistry has been nothing but perfect.
However, in the five short days I've had him, his dorsal and ventral fin rays have started to bend and warp. I've had this happen to bettas in the past (though never this rapidly), and could never find a consensus on the cause or treatment. Some say hard water is the problem, but poster #3 in this discussion said she has curling too and keeps her fish in soft water: http://bettasource.com/forums/topic/942-fin-curling/ . Others suggest sunlight and vitamin D deficiency, but he couldn't possibly have developed that over five days, especially since he's now getting a varied, high-quality diet.
I know one gallon isn't large, but everything about his environment has *improved* since he came home from his cup at Pet Supermarket, where his fins were in perfect condition. Still, I feel the problem has to be related to something environmental - what else could affect him so suddenly?
I would really like to nip this in the bud or stop its progress before he goes full-blown Free Willy on me... it doesn't seem to bother him in the least, but he's such a pretty boy!!! :(
PICS: The first three show him in his store cup and at home with perfect fins, the next three show bending rays (#3 and #4 make for a great comparison - note crazy bent dorsal ray angle in #6)
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
DATA/INFO:
Housing:
How many gallons: 1 gal
Does it have a filter: custom sponge filter
Does it have a heater: yes
What temperature is your tank: 77deg
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration: yes
Does your Betta have tank mates: no
Food:
What food brand do you use: Betta BioGold
Do you feed flakes or pellets: never flakes, sometimes the pellets mentioned above
Freeze-dried: no dried foods, also feed froz blood worms, raw salmon/tuna, etc...
How often do you feed your Betta: 1/2 pellets morning, 1 bloodworm in the evening or similar
Maintenance:
Before your Betta became ill how often did you perform a water change: about once a week
What percentage of water did you change 30%-50%
Do you vacuum the substrate or just dip out water: vacuum
What additives do you use: Prime 2dr/gal
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: <10ppm
pH: >7.2 but less than the next level
Hardness (GH): Don't know this/need to buy a test kit (using Broward County FL tap water)
Alkalinity (KH): Don't know this/need to buy a test kit (using Broward County FL tap water)
Symptoms and Treatment:
When did you first notice the symptoms:
about two days ago
How has your Betta’s appearance changed: dorsal fin rays and pelvic fin rays are bending
How has your Betta’s behavior changed: not at all
Is your Betta still eating: eagerly
Have you started treating your Betta: purchased vitachem and fed two soaked pellets this PM
Does your Betta have any history of being ill: no
How long have you owned your Betta? : brought him home on March 17 (five days ago today)