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Betta with Fin Rot

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jossswonk

jossswonk

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A week or 2 ago I moved my Betta to college with me. About half a week after he was moved in I noticed he had some holes in his fins. Now the edges of his tail fin is jagged but otherwise he is acting and eating normal. During the move I kept the water so there wouldn't be a huge change in water parameters right away. I moved him in the cup he came in and while he was being moved he lost all of his color and had stress stripes. When I noticed he had fin rot I did a water change started dosing Melafix as well as putting salt in the water during the water change. It's been about half a week since the start of the treatment and he doesn't seem to be recovering. If anyone has any advice I would be happy to hear it so I can try to save my Betta.
 
He seems to have worsened overnight so I'm going to see if I can get him some stronger meds that will hopefully make him feel better.
 
Sorry to hear this, I'm currently dealing with the same with my betta, here's my thread which may have some useful advice, although sounds like you've tried salt already:

www.fishforums.net

Fin rot salt treatment procedure

My betta has developed a mild case of fin rot on his dorsal fin, sorry I haven't been able to get a picture yet but I would say it's minor but obviously want to get it sorted. Other fins all seem to be okay. Normal procedure is a 70% water change weekly. I completed a water change yesterday...
www.fishforums.net www.fishforums.net

What are your water parameters? Do you know if there's been a big change between your previous water supply and current in terms of gH, kH etc?
 
I have done 2 rounds of treatment of API Fin and Body Cure and my betta's condition seems to slowly be improving. How many rounds of treatment should I do? He also still seems like his perky usual self.
 
  • Add one dose into the aquarium.
  • Repeat dose after 24 hours.
  • Wait another 24 hours then change 25% of the aquarium water.
  • Repeat this treatment for a second time, for a total of 4 doses.
  • Make a final 25% water change and add fresh activated carbon.
 
So if I stop giving him medication will his fins continue to heal?
 
It should, It depends on the current gravity of the infection. But don't hesitate to re-iterate if doesn't.
 
Would it heal faster if I dosed aquarium salt after the last round of medication? And should I use it until the fins are fully healed?
 
Salt (regular table salt) only treats a few issues, it's not a cure all. "aquarium salt" is not the same...& will treat fewer problems.

IMO, Melafix is next to useless. If my fish needs treatment, I will use real drugs. Like antibiotics, or old school dyes & some others...I will look up what API fin & body care might be. I'll look it up tomorrow. It sounds like a "magic elixir" up there with some other iffy treatments.

Have you tested your new water? He may be stressed out over very different water.
 
Some ingredients -

Melafix is cajeput oil
API Fin & Body Cure contains sodium chloride [aka common salt] and doxycycline hyclate.
API Aquarium Salt is "made from evaporated sea salt" [from API website] though the safety data sheet says

CAS No%[weight]Name
7647-14-5100sodium chloride
 
Thanks for the info! So do you think it's the medication that's helping my Betta or the frequent water changes I'm doing? I will grab my water nest kit the next time I'm home so I can test the water. Another theory I had for his fin rot was stress due to temperature. Shortly after I moved him in there was a heat wave in my area and it was really hot in my dorm. If I were to guess I would say it was about mid to upper 80's. I'm not sure how sound this theory is though since bettas are tropical.
 
All I know about doxycycline is that I was prescribed it when my son's cat bit me and it got infected. It worked on me for that.

Bettas can cope with higher temps than a lot of fish, though the upper 80s is a bit too warm for them. It's possible that it stressed the betta and we all know that stressed fish get sick more easily. But that's just a guess, I would listed to someone who knows more about fish diseases than me.
 
Should I continue to dose API Fin and Body Cure? He is still acting his normal self but I really want to get his fins cleared up.
PXL_20241011_175023588.jpg
 
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