Fin Nipping: Why Do they Do It? How Do I Stop It?
My betta fish, Pebble, is a fin nipper. I know this because one minute, he was beautiful, with a full, rounded tail, and the next that tail was gone--with no signs of fin rot. Later, I found out he was fighting his reflection at night, when his light was still on and the kitchen was dark. Now he gets his
light turned off at sunset, and he seems to swim better with his shortened tail. Still, I'd like to see him stop biting and let his fins grow back--I'd also like to help him grow them back as much as possible.
It is because of Pebble that I am writing this blog. Here, I will describe some research I've been doing to help him, and I will keep my readers apprised of his situation both here and on my betta fish Instagram account: @4_bettas.
Causes:
Often, bettas will bite their tails due to stress. Transport from breeder to store, or from breeder to owner will cause such stress. For some, the stress is that of a heavy tail--a result of centuries of breeding--that inhibits the fish from swimming to the top of the water and breathing air.
For Pebble, the stress came with his reflection and subsequent fear.
In some odd cases, there really is no reason for the nipping. They do it simply because they want to, and that is that. In those cases, it really is out of your hands.
There is even speculation that the nipping could be genetic, as it tends to happen more in showy halfmoons than the "regular" veiltails.
Treatments:
Because your betta now has an open wound, it is vital that you keep the water clean. The best way, of course, to do this is by completing frequent water changes--perhaps 33-50% per day.
A few drops of medicine in the first few days could help, and Indian Almond leaves can soothe the betta and keep bad bacteria out of the open wound.
The other thing to do as a treatment is prevent is from happening again. This can be done by, perhaps,
In addition, when it comes to nipping bettas and water quality, @josaquatics says, "His [Her betta Ghost's] water levels have to be perfect..."(@josaquatics) It is absolutely vital that a nipping fish's water is right, otherwise they could either
A) Acquire fin rot
or
B) Nip more, as Ghost does.
So buy a water test kit. Do the water changes. With a nipping betta, these two things have never been more important.
In essence, while it may be difficult to determine the cause of a betta's nipping behavior, there is hope. With proper tender love and care, your betta's tail can heal and he can be well on his way to his former glory!
It is because of Pebble that I am writing this blog. Here, I will describe some research I've been doing to help him, and I will keep my readers apprised of his situation both here and on my betta fish Instagram account: @4_bettas.
Causes:
Often, bettas will bite their tails due to stress. Transport from breeder to store, or from breeder to owner will cause such stress. For some, the stress is that of a heavy tail--a result of centuries of breeding--that inhibits the fish from swimming to the top of the water and breathing air.
For Pebble, the stress came with his reflection and subsequent fear.
In some odd cases, there really is no reason for the nipping. They do it simply because they want to, and that is that. In those cases, it really is out of your hands.
There is even speculation that the nipping could be genetic, as it tends to happen more in showy halfmoons than the "regular" veiltails.
Treatments:
Because your betta now has an open wound, it is vital that you keep the water clean. The best way, of course, to do this is by completing frequent water changes--perhaps 33-50% per day.
A few drops of medicine in the first few days could help, and Indian Almond leaves can soothe the betta and keep bad bacteria out of the open wound.
The other thing to do as a treatment is prevent is from happening again. This can be done by, perhaps,
- Adding a tankmate to keep your betta occupied. If he's bored, he may bite for "fun."
- Lowering the lighting. Like with Pebble, many bettas are affected by lights in that it can confuse the betta, show them their reflection, blind the betta, etc.
- Changing up the tank location. Again, boredom.
- Changing the decor. If it's a plastic plant or a sharp edge, it can further wound your betta.
Furthermore, the experienced betta keeper @josaquatics on Instagram says, "In my time of owning fish I have found that tail nipping bettas tend to thrive in tanks that are on the generally larger side or very small tanks below standard..."(@josaquatics) In other words, if you're struggling with your betta nipping his tail, it may be a tank size
issue. @josaquatics recommends experimenting with different sizes in order to see what works best for your anxious betta.
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| Ghost the betta fish. Credit: @josaquatics |
In addition, when it comes to nipping bettas and water quality, @josaquatics says, "His [Her betta Ghost's] water levels have to be perfect..."(@josaquatics) It is absolutely vital that a nipping fish's water is right, otherwise they could either
A) Acquire fin rot
or
B) Nip more, as Ghost does.
So buy a water test kit. Do the water changes. With a nipping betta, these two things have never been more important.
In essence, while it may be difficult to determine the cause of a betta's nipping behavior, there is hope. With proper tender love and care, your betta's tail can heal and he can be well on his way to his former glory!
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