BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Fish Fin Biter

I thought my betta wasabi had fin rot. I continue to do 100% water changes every other day, add a pinch of aquarium salt, keep the temp stable, changed gravel to glass marbles, plastic plant to silk, and finally his fins were healing...that is until today. They look as ragged as they did a week ago, but I found out why they are looking that way... he is biting them. He braces himself against something, bends himself around until he has a hold of his tail and bites a chunk off the ends, then spits it out. Has anyone out there ever had this problem? Is it common? Is it a reaction to an underlying problem? How can I get him to stop?
Please help!!!

Hmm...I would test the water parameters to see if there is something bothering his fins. That could cause him to bite them...some fish are just screwy though... <img src="/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> Test things in his tank also to see if they are causing problems with the water.

I have the same problem with my bettas and I used to stress about it, but I don't bother anymore. Although I've never really seen either of my bettas bite their fins, it seems to be the most likely because it's only ever their caudal (tail) fin that shreds. Never had any fin rot problems, but I always use aquarium salt in the water anyway. It can be rather frustrating though.

However, my husband asserts that if you had all that weight dragging you down, you'd want to get rid of it too! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I've seen pet store bettas with caudal fins that were so long they looked more like tails! I can't imagine that would make for easy swimming.

I have arrived at the same conclusion about my betta, panini. I have never seen him go near his tail, but there is nothing else to explain it. With a little salt in the water they heal up very quickly. (Providing he doesn't keep attacking them LOL.) I have a theory that he does this more when it is about time for a water change. Any thoughts on that?

Honestly, I have not noticed any pattern in when the fins shred. I have observed my betta, Gus, on a couple of occasions twisting himself around in a manner that very much looks like wants to take a chunk out of his fins.

I have read on other forums that you shouldn't be so quick to assume your betta is a tail biter, as it's very rare. Their assertion is that if there is nothing in the tank for them to snag it on, it must be some parameter in the water that causes the fins to tear. However, if this was the case, wouldn't ALL the fins be shredding or splitting and not just the caudal?

I agree, panini. If it were something in the water, you'd think it would affect their scales and other fins too. My guy hasn't done it in a few weeks, which is nice because sometimes he does it so bad he looks like he went through a paper shredder lol.

wildcat2903, can you tell us more about your tank set up and how you prepar and change your boy's water? that could help to see if he's realy nuts or just something hurts his butt. :-)

It's a 2 gallon acrylic octagon shaped tank, tiny flat glass marbles (dime size), silk plant, and small ceramic pot for a hiding cave. I do a 100% water change every other day; use Betta Bowl Buddies for the water (found this works better for him) and a pinch of aquarium salt.
I know it is not fin rot. I have actually caught wasabi biting chunks of his tail off and he seems to do it when he is bored, mostly at night and during the weekends. His home is on my desk here at the office and he gets a lot of interaction during the day (9 to 10 hours). He's healthy and is very active. To expend some of his energy, I put a small mirror on the side of his tank for about 30 to 45 minutes in the afternoons and let him do his thing. Monday I forgot about the mirror and left it up all night, I was afraid that he would be exhausted the next morning, but he wasn't and his tail had not been chewed on. Should I start leaving the mirror up at night to entertain him so he will stop chewing on his fins or is there any other suggestions?

if you really think he's biting his fins when no one is around at night and on weekends, sounds to me like hes stressing out. just like how my daughter chews her finger nails when shes stressed or scared.

try leaving the mirror next to him only at night and over weekends. if his fins are doing much better, maybe think about a tank buddy.

your tank is big enough to keep another small critter, maybe a pet for your pet. like an dwarf otto or small cory catfish?

:-*

How strange is it that a fish would have separation anxiety? I think, because wasabi is a very active fish, he just gets bored when no one is around. There is nothing to watch and no one to pay attention to him. Last night I left the mirror up for him and noticed his fins, although still frayed from chewing, look as though they are slowly healing. Of course, we have gone through this before; he lets them slightly grow and then begins chewing on them again. I also noticed this morning that he is working on the beginnings of a bubble nest (which he has never done before). So maybe he's happy having the mirror at night (not so bored or loney)!

I think wasabi is a very beautiful fish. I just wish he would stop chewing on his fins. His body is red with an ever-so-slightly irridesent blue and his fins are half red at the base of his body and the other half of outer fins are cellophane/white. His face (around his eyes and mouth)is also white and his "flare" is red. I've got pictures if you wanna see him!