cutting a bettas fins

Question
QUESTION: What do you know about cutting a betta's fins?  My betta was hungry, but would position himself on the bottom of his tank, also his fins started sticking together long before he acted this way - instead of fanning out like when we got him, they started shrinking inward to where he had trouble swimming.  He didn't really look like he had dropsy, and he isn't overfed so I didn't think he had constipation or swimbladder disorder so I gave him Maracyn-2 and he seems to be much better, now on day 3 of the treatment.  (Day 2 I thought he was a goner!)His fins even look a little better like they are trying to get the normal span so he can swim better, but they are so stuck together at the tips that I wondered if triming them just a bit along the edge to try and release them might help him recover.  I don't know anything about trimming, so I didn't want to do anything to hurt him since we've gotten him this far.

ANSWER: Hello,
Never, ever cut fins on a betta or any other fish!!  The betta has clamped fins for a reason...you must find the reason.  Cutting his fins would be cruel, hurt him, and he would die.
Clamped fins is caused by stress, poor water conditions, cool water, bad diet.

A betta should be in 78-80 degree water, have at least a 5 gallon tank, and water changes every week without fail.  He is a loner, when put into a tank with other fish, his fins become an attraction, and fish often nip, and chase him.

I would like you to take an ammonia test to see if you have ammonia in your water.  If you don't have an ammonia test, you may purchase one at your pet store for a small sum, and it should be number one in your fish cabinet.  If you have ammonia, do water changes until the water is safe, and down to zero.  
Is he alone in his tank?  What size are his living quarters?  This is very important for me to know in order to help you.  Has he been stressed lately?  Any change, or added fish to his tank?

I would use Melafix or Bettamax.  This should help him.  Write back to me with more details so I can help him better.

Here is some information on the Betta Fish that may help you:

A betta needs 5 gallons of water to be healthy, and happy.
In his habitat the betta may live in shallow waters, but he has lots of room to swim.  
Keeping Bettas in small bowls, containers, vases etc, is cruel.  The Betta is one of the most mistreated fish on the market.
He needs a heated tank,  Temperature should be 78-80 degrees.  He is a tropical fish, and is cold under this temperature.  Cold bettas get sick, are miserable, and live unhappy lives. ( Always remember that when heating a tank, do this very very slowly..1 degree every two days, as bringing up the temperature too fast could kill your Betta.)  They should have a silk plant in their tanks, so that they can rest on the leaves  They also need a little tunnel or some knick knack that they can go through.   You may add 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt in his water which has been diluted before adding to his tank.  1 teaspoon to 5 gallons of water.
He needs a varied diet. This is very important.  Betta pellets one day, Betta Flakes the next, Daphnia the next, and bloodworms should be given once a week as a treat.
He should be given one frozen cooked pea a week, and on the day you give him the pea, he should fast.  
Cook a frozen pea until it is well cooked and tender.  Remove the outer layer, and cut into tiny pieces.  
Feed your Betta one piece at a time making sure it doesn't fall to the bottom of the tank.  This helps to clean out his system.
A betta is prone to constipation, and constipation leads to Swim Bladder Disease.
He should have 2-3 small meals a day, and not one big meal.  We must remember that his tummy is the size of his eye.
Example:  2 pellets for one meal.
Water changes are very important.  Water changes must be made every week without fail with a good water conditioner such as Aqua Safe or Stress Coat.  There is also a conditioner made especially for bettas.   Never put two bettas in the same tank, they will kill each other...male or female.  The Betta male is a loner.  Females can be kept together in a big enough tank.
When treated well, a betta can live up to 8 years, and be a very good friend.  
He's an intelligent little fish, and should be treated with kindness.
Too many vendors know nothing about the betta, and don't care...so don't give good information on how to keep them.
They are there to sell, and will say anything just to make a buck.  They send you home with your bought betta, telling you a small bowl is perfect, and bloodworms!  The poor customer thinks he has everything he/she needs, and then the fish gets sick, money is spent to cure him, and eventually the fish dies.   
This turns my stomach over.  Unfortunately there are no laws to protect fish.  
Bettas kept in small bowls, and tanks, vases, will get sick, and are very hard to cure in such little water.  They end up dying, and
that hurts the person who has grown so attached to them.  They don't deserve to be treated this way.
This is how a Betta should be treated.  If treated this way, you will have your friend for a long long time.  I have bred them, love them, and know what is good for them.
I hope this helps, and if you have more questions, please write me again.
Lynda

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: He was doing so much better yesterday, staying at the top of his 10 gallon tank for almost the whole day.  I fed him some flakes and he started to eat, but had trouble getting them in his mouth which was weird to watch because he usually hits the food accurately and has eaten all that I will give him in seconds.  Then he started acting like he was having trouble getting the food down and then he started swimming the surface of the water in a frenzy like he had flipped out or something.  Now he has stayed on the bottom of the tank and keeps his gills flapping like he is having trouble breathing and sometimes his mouth is gulping for air too.  Should I move him to a smaller tank?  I have read that it is easier for them to get to the surface if they have less depth to swim from.

Answer
Hello,
Move him to a smaller tank if possible.  Make sure the water is the same temperature as the water he is in now.  If you have a silk plant that he could lie on, that would be great.   Try feeding him the pea.  It sound like he has an internal disease.  Maybe if he cleans out his system he would regain his health.  Do not give him anything else to eat for two days.  If the pea treatment does not work, buy Kanamycin which is a very good antibiotic, and follow the directions carefully.  Do not overdose.  If you cannot find Kanamycin, then buy Tetracyline, or Furan2.  This should help him.  I hope he pulls through.  He is showing signs of Swim Bladder Disease, but if caught in time, this disease is curable.
Lynda