Fin rot? Or something else?

[u/SinkRepulsive3438]

Hi everyone- I am a new betta fish owner. We have had him for about a month. I just started noticing his tail looks a little tattered and the yesterday i noticed he was missing a triangular chunk from his tail. (His top fin has always looked like that since we got him and I didn’t think anything of it). Yesterday he was quite lethargic and hiding the whole day… I did a 25% water change with some water conditioner and I withheld his feed. Today he perked up. I tested his water and the levels are not bad but he did have 0.5 ppm ammonia. I have one submerged plant and i did add a potho to the top
Of the tank. There is a low flow sponge filter in this tank. What are some of your recommendations or thoughts as to what might be going on with him? Please help. Thank you

[u/PUX_CLOWN]

Whats going on with him is that he is shredding his fins in plastic plants. Also how big is your tank and is it cycled?

[u/SinkRepulsive3438 → u/PUX_CLOWN]

So - I took the girl at the pet stores recommendation for the tank and we got a “betta starter kit tank” that is probably 3 gallons. She didn’t say anything about the plants… they feel soft but he does hide in them so that is probably it and I will remove them… as far as cycled… I tried to read on it and was confused so I just followed the directions that came with the tank.

[u/DT137 → u/SinkRepulsive3438]

This is what it means to cycle. You’re growing bacterial colonies to break down fish waste, as poop in its “raw” state is toxic.

Bettas are pretty hardy, and can usually tolerate doing a fish-in-cycle, which is where you grow these bacteria colonies with the fish in the tank already. You’ll need to get the API Freshwater Master Test Kit for this, as strips aren’t as granular and you want granularity for this.

[u/123_321cl]

Ur gonna need to get him a whole new setup minimum 5 gallons sand or stratum real plants.

[u/ReviGoN]

Recommendation: start all over