Hello! I have a female betta (forgot her breed) that I’ve had for a little over a year now (June ‘25). About 3 months ago I started college and I brought the tanks with me, at first she was a bit stressed but she got used to the bit of change. A month or so later I started to notice her fins were starting to rip so I checked the water and everything but nothing was wrong. She’s lived in this tank with the same decorations since I’ve had her and no fin rips the so I know it’s not the decor. She acts the same as she always has, always looking for food and always comes to the front of the tank when I’m near. I also know it’s not fin rot because she’s still living perfectly fine and I know what fin rot looks like. I figured she might’ve just been bored so she started nipping at her fins so I added a few shrimp for her to chase about a week ago but I still see no improvement. I noticed today when I got back home that her body is almost completely metallic now and I’m not sure if that’s just from age or what. Somebody please help! My only thoughts are that she’s bored or just aging. First picture is when I got her and this is her now. Please please help!
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1ws3b1t
Posted by addypaige18
7 Comments
please answer the questions that the bot asks, and when it asks for water quality, be specific!!! don’t just say “fine” or “good.”
I have had terrible luck with fish and can’t figure out the problem w my water. With that said, I am told to make sure that the temp, ammonia, nitrate, nitrate, hardness and PH levels are close to ideal. In addition, it’s easier for fish to live consistently in mediocre quality water than it is for instant spikes or changes to it. This all causes stress, which sickens fish. After all that is cleaned up, then you go to bacteria or fungal infection. Consider Seachem Kanaplex to help w that.
Sorry I don’t know how to help more but you can always try r/bettaclinic as well
https://preview.redd.it/lyhjsktop6sh1.jpeg?width=3213&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d5659c9baf2c8ccc961a98692fad0e4c97e9f1b7
Here is a better photo!
My best guess given that the parameters of the tank have remained largely the same since your move is that something stressed her during the move and weakened her immune system. Since she picks on your corys in the tank, they may have nipped back while she was more susceptible, making her condition worse. The scales on her side near her gill look like they’ve been damaged, which could be from her flashing either from stress or from a parasitic infection.
If you have the option, moving her to a cycled quarantine tank might help if you add in something to help her remake her slime coat. She might recover if there’s nothing to bother her in her tank.
I wouldn’t worry so much about the color change. A lot of of them have genes that make them change colors overtime, and the silver often spreads -she may go blind eventually if she lives long enough because those scales often grow over the eyes.
If it gets worse overtime, it’s fin rot. Take a picture and check tomorrow and in a couple days to see if it’s progressed. Otherwise.check whether that perforated tube or any decor could catch her fins. Clean water and removing a source of injury are first steps with fin damage. Regardless of the cause, adding some tannins can help with the healing.
That looks like something is actively taking chunks out of her fins, maybe you should remove her or the other fish to see what changes that could bring? You might see her defend herself against the Cory’s, but she can’t be in call 24/7, nqa, but you seem very quick to defend the corys when something seems to be bothering your betta, and obv keeping the status quo will hurt your betta.