My wife and I have had a set of betas for over a year. They live happily in their respective tanks next to each other. Today I was changing the water in one of the tanks, something I have done many, many times in the past. I put the little Beta in a smaler cup, cleaned his larger tank, then I went to put him back and he ploped into the kitchen sink. I immediately went to get him out and put him in his tank… I did it, then I noticed I lacerated his rear pectoral fin. The large beautiful one. It is cut in half. WHAT DO I DO??? Is there some sort of additive I could place in the tank like a stress relief or something? I’m in the doghouse with my wife a little over this… what should I do? Will it heal?
We have had these betas for an unusually long period of time. They are a hearty bunch. SHIT!
If by “heal” you mean grow back together again, probably not. He’ll likely have a split fin for the rest of his life. The good news is fish are remarkably resilient and tolerant of injuries, so he’ll be fine. I guarantee you’re stressing out over this way more than he is.
I know it won’t grow back or heal back together…I just want to know if I shoudl add some stress coat or something. Oh and Mrs. Phlosphr is stressing more than I.
I don’t think you need a stress coat for him. Those things tend to be hard to kill. I never used anything like that with mine and he lived for a good two years until the cat found a way to crawl down the bookshelf and eat him. Betas live in nasty puddles anyway so I don’t think it will do much.
Yes, go get some stress coat. It can only help. If you don’t already use some, freshwater aquarium salts also reduce stress and reduce pathogens in the water.
