Injured/Sick Betta????

Went to the pet store today to get a new heater and some fish food and I saw a crowntail betta that seems to have his fins tangled up. Has anyone ever seen this? The best way I can describe it is to say its almost like a dog with matted fur. He looked terrible and seemed like he was struggling to get to the surface. I brought it to the attention of the pet store but they didn't seem to really care.

Is there anything I could do for him if I bought him? Does this happen a lot? Or is it no big deal....

Maybe I'm worrying about nothing, but he looked pathetic. =(

It's probably a very bad case of fin rot. If you deside to get his you can then treat him with aquarium salt and daily 100% water changes.

I have also seen it after CT bettas get into a fight the fins actually spin around one another and fish has to struggle to swim.....fighting Ct ultimatley leads to fin rot so treat both the same.

Unfortunatley you see it alot pet stores keeping bettas in cups and not changing the water enough leads to dead/dying fish.

I hate to be the one to say this but your buying this fish who is probably sick (fin rot) due to the conditions he is being kept in only promotes the selling of less than stellar fish. The company doesn't care whether you buy it sick or healthy as long as they make a sale. Sometimes I think the sick ones sell more because they pull on people's heart just like this one is doing to you.

Cold temperatures can also cause this clamp fin (just as much as poor water quality will).... I've had 'outbreaks' of this when I've kept males in unheated tanks - and during early spring we'll forget to turn the house central over before bed and the house gets down to the 50's. Within 48 hours the chilled males will get clamp fins.

It can be treated by raising temp to 80F, clean cycled water, and using a combination of garlic and anti-fungals. But it takes time and effort - and I've found that they seem to be more susceptable for a repeat with smaller stressers later on. Just make sure they're always in a heated tank @ 80F with good water quality.

I'm fighting my own urge to save some. My buddy who keeps the PetCo tanks spotless and the betta bowls clean - is off work because she now needs surgery to fix the carpal tunnel that all that scrubbing has caused. Needless to say, the whole fish department has gone to pot and half of the male bettas now have clamped fins.... Manager is sick of seeing me come in and offering to 'properly train' his younger/new staff...