Mooch is losing tail fringe - treat or wait-and-see?

**Suda Nim** · 09-16-2012, 06:07 PM

While I was on vacation for a week, my tank had a minicycle, pH and temperature crisis (it went to about pH 8 and 74 degrees, with ammonia about .25-.5), and Mooch the Betta became very lethargic and pale, clamped his fins, and stopped eating. My co-workers did their best, with lots of water changes, but it happened.

Water parameters are now pH 7.4, temp 78-80, ammonia 0, and Mooch is lively and eating again.

BUT! I've noticed that he's lost some of the fringe from his tail. It's just gone. There's nothing else terribly obvious - no discoloration, swelling, bleeding or behavioral signs of distress. I mixed in a teaspoon of aquarium salt a week ago, and things are holding - no better, no worse.

I'm inclined to just keep an eye on things and do water changes and see how it resolves. Advice?

**Trillianne** · 09-16-2012, 10:37 PM

Your current course of action sounds like a reasonable plan to me.

Any idea what caused the prior issue?

**Suda Nim** · 09-17-2012, 03:47 AM

Long story that I posted in the Betta folder. The pH had been very low (<6), and I didn't like having it off-scale, so I'd added some coral to try to bring it back above 6. The coral, unfortunately, raised it just a bit, then just a bit, then just a bit, then two days before I came back it JUMPED UP A LOT ALL AT ONCE! I took the coral out, and the pH seems to have settled within readable range.

The mini-cycle was because I'd removed a pre-filter sponge. I have no clue why the temperature dropped so low; it's a new heater; it was fine before I left, and has been fine since I got back and turned it up a bit.

**Suda Nim** · 09-19-2012, 02:55 PM

His behavior remains lively, he's eating, color is good,water parameters good.

But this morning, there were bits of tail fringe scattered on the bottom of the tank (the white flecks on the leaves).

Scary.

**Trillianne** · 09-19-2012, 03:40 PM

Is it possible he's chewing his own tail?

**Suda Nim** · 09-19-2012, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by Trillianne

Is it possible he's chewing his own tail?

I've never seen him pay attention to his own body in any way. Would this be something at night?

And if he's doing it, what can I do to stop it?

**Suda Nim** · 09-19-2012, 10:05 PM

Oh, yikes.

He just went swimming across the tank, fluttering his little fins and tail and leaving a confetti-like trail of white shards behind him.

I've added some melafix to the tank. I'm feeling the need to do something.

**Suda Nim** · 09-24-2012, 04:34 PM

Day 4 of Melafix: Mooch is just awful today. The dorsal fin has lost almost all its webbing, anal fin is almost as bad. He's also alternating between lying on the bottom curled up like a pork rind, zooming around the tank at top speed, and facing down with his nose stuck in the corner.

**Suda Nim** · 11-04-2012, 06:15 PM

Long-term update:

I switched from Melafix to Triple Sulfa after a lot of Googling. I also did a what-the-hell-couldn't-hurt daily drop of Vita-Chem, which I've continued. Also in the what-the-hell, I've added an Indian Almond leaf. He's recovered his peppy nature, and after a few weeks, his fins are also recovering. Yay!