Topic: Should I remove her?

[Butterfly]

Hey, this is another question about my 10 gallon sorority.

I've had my girls together in it for a week so far, and it seems now that they're all getting along just fine. Jewel, my green girl seems to be at the bottom of the heirarchy and thus gets picked on the most, and the first few days of sparring, I noticed a few nips and tears in her fins. These however, cleared up and re-grew over the next day or so, and all was fine. Today I noticed that her fins  (especially her anal fin) looks torn and ragged, and I'm wondering if she might have a small case of fin rot. None of the other girls are showing anything, so I'm wondering if they just ganged up on her or if it is rot.

If it is rot, should I remover her, treat her and plunk her back in the tank when she's ok, or just treat the entire tank? I don't have ahny live plants, so there's no worries about treating the tank. Also, the ammonia and NitrIte levels are both 0. The temp is around 80.

Thanks for your help!

[Donkey]

I would go ahead and remove her, treat her, and at the same time treat the whole tank, just because if she has rot and is already being picked on, being weakened by the fin rot will make her kinda "lazy" (can't  think of a good word for it) which will only make the others pick on her even more. I would still remove her even if she isn't sick if her fins are badly torn, or treat her with Melafix or something. Also, if you plan to put her back into the tank I would remove the others, rearange some stuff, put her in first, then put the others back in so they don't gang up on her the second she is put in there.

[decemberchick]

are you using salt on a reg basis?

[dorn27]

Don't treat the main tank.  Your tank is cycled and it will likely damage the biofilter.

Pull her,and treat, might be nothing.  You could start with Melafix, but if it doesn't improve rapidly, get out the big guns. Keep a very close eye on the main tank. You can consider adding salt to the main tank as prevention, but don't treat it unless nessesary.  

[biche]

pull here and treat her seperatley

[Butterfly]

Sorry I haven't replied to this sooner.  

The tears have cleared up the past two days, and as I figured, they were just nips from the other girls ganging up on her.

I don't use aquarium salt at the moment, but should I? If yes, then how much for a 10 gallon tank?

[BettAtrick]

generally it's 1 teaspoon per gallon.  So 10 tsp's would be good.  The salt will help ward off ich and some fungus.

There will be tears periodically, so don't worry if you see them.  Usually there'd be a little scuffle over some trivial thing...for the most part, just make sure that they all get food, even if it means trying to feed them individually.  I have to do that with my 7.  It's hard but I usually stand at one end of the tank, and they'll all follow, then I'll put my fingers over a girl that I know hasn't gotten food, and i'll tempt her to another side of the tank to get her isolated...

It's fun, sorta like a puzzle when it comes to feeding time.  Then there are, of course, the big piggies that can out swim other bettas when I try to target the food...It's fun though...I got so frustrated with mellow once that I had sorta pushed her outta the way cause she was eating everyone else's food!

[Butterfly]

Lol! I notice that there's two girls - my pastels of course! - that are gorging on all the food. I usually like to make sure I put enough in, adn I find that my filter kinda spreads it around too, so I think all my girls get the same amount of food. I also noticed that the little girl that's been getting picked on has a strategy - she waits till all the others are in one spot eating, and then zooms off to get the stuff on the outskirts that they're missing, or I try to give her extra in an isolated spot. She such a cute little thing!

[BettAtrick]

what I have done in the past was get a round toothpick, cut off the tip so it's flat...and then I'd dip the tip in the water, then put a betta bite on the tip, (easily done by just touching the tip to the bite) and i'd sorta hand feed them.  I'd put the toothpick right in front of their mouth, and they'd go for it...

I also trained my guys to jump this way.  Edge can get air, and grover is learning...but of course, the girls are the serious acrobats...that's why the ones i trained to jump jump up at every meal time.  I once got a bite stuck to the bottom of the top of the tank, and the bite was just out of reach of the girls, until mellow, the super jumper, knocked it loose.  I should capture of video and show you guys.  it's freaking hilarious.

[Gen Gen]

thats how i feed peas to my bettas. on the subject of salt though on the containers i have and other places i've seen it recommended one tsp per five gallons. but others adjust to suit their needs though.