Betta tail - yikes.

[BettaMomma]

My psychotic betta, Archie, got some ripping in the ends of his tail the other day because of the aftermath of a melafix overdose. I gave him a 100% water change and started him on Maracyn. Yesterday it looked like his tail strands were starting to heal back together.

I just sat down to feed him and I noticed that the ends of both his tail and dorsal are shredded - completely shredded about 1/2" up on each.

AT this point, what to do? I don't have any salt here - it's been 4 days since the last water change - and changes really seem to stress him out. what to do? Today's his last dose of maracyn.

he's in a 2G hex tank - 77 or 78 degrees with an airstone and pretty decent flow of bubbles - but it's enclosed in the silly little undergravel filter thing.

The thing that haunts me about this is that this is what Amos' tail started looking like a few days before he died.

 

[Susielyd]

Bettamomma,
I don't know the answers to your questions, but I just wanted to let you know that I think you are so cool saving all the beautiful bettas
I love reading your posts & looking at teh new additions
Best of luck with the new ones
susielyd

 

[BettaMomma]

Wow, thanks so much!
I really like taking them in and making their lives better - I just feel like they've been through so much ruff stuff by the time I meet them that they deserve some pampering. And BOY do they get pampering. Uugh.

 

[WILDER]

Nothing else going on with him is there as finrot can be a second infection.

 

[BettaMomma]

Nothing else going on with him that I can tell.
he has been a bit more lethargic than normal, but whenever I walk past his tank (which is ALL the time, cuz he sits right by the entrance to the hallway at my house) he swims over and does the snake dance.

Here are some pics of his bad tail:

(distortion here is from his hex tank, sorry)

 

[WILDER]

If he is being lethargic it means he's off colour so I would treat him with anti internal bacteria med, do you have maracyn 2.

 

[BettaMomma]

You know me! I have a stockpile of meds...

I have:
Maracyn
Maracyn 2
Tetracycline
CopperSafe
Maracide
MelaFix
Aquarium Salt
Stress Coat

Still go w/Maracyn 2? And a pinch of salt maybe? how about the stress coat? dump some of that in?
He doesn't look like there's anything wrong with him except the tail. His black body is still nice and black - and his fins are still really bright, just really ratty at the ends.

 

[WILDER]

The maracyn 2 should be fine, just add some salt, don't want to add to many chemicals to the tank, good luck.

 

[BettaMomma]

How bout a salt dip?
I will need to do a water change anyway - it's been a while...

 

[WILDER]

Yes that will be fine the salt dip, forgot don't forget to add a airstone to his tank as the med will take 02 out of the water, good luck again hope this one makes it, did amos die then what was the other one called that you was treating with tetracycline.

 

[BettaMomma]

He does have an airstone in his tank so we're ready already for that one!

Yes, Amos is the one that died - his tail looked like Archie's does here, but that was after he lost his coloration and was laying on the bottom of the tank, etc.

The one that I was treating w/tetracycline is Jasper. He's doing fabulously - after recovering from the hemmoraghic septicemia. He's very healthy and active now.
Here he was when I got him:

Here's a more recent one:

What's the exact concentration I should use for the salt dip? And how long?

 

[WILDER]

Or bless him that's great then well done, nice to see a happy ending.

 

[BettaMomma]

Yeah, I much prefer happy endings, also
Thanks for the advice.

 

[DJGonzo69]

BettaMomma,
I use 3 tablespoon of Marine salt to a gallon of water. If you see him not moving or fainting remove him & transfer him to a non salted water. They perk up rightaway. I leave them on for 30mins. Hope all goes well with Archie.

 

[BettaMomma]

Thank you!
I'll let you know how it goes.