Betta With Fin Rot

[laurasbetta]

Okay, I know there are a million and one topics out there on this, but I'm kind of panicking right now, and the search button won't work.

I was just changing my betta's water, when i noticed his tail was all jagged and was red by the edges. I've had him for just over a year now, and this is my first time dealing with any illnesses, so I'm really scared and freaked out.
I have IAL that I put in his water with every water change. I keep his temp. around 78F. I don't know my tank stats because I don't have a test kit, although I could probably run to Wal-Mart and get one. The only meds i have on hand is Betta Revive, which says it prevents & controls protozoan, bacterial, and fungal diseases.

Please help me. I'm pretty sure I caught this early, as I've been with him all week and have kept a close eye on him and have never noticed it before. Thank you in advance.

 

[*Fishkies*]

Have a few questions here:
What is IAL?
Also what size tank is he in?
Does he have any tankmates with him or does he live alone?
Are you able to get a picture up?
What color is your betta?

Fin Rot information with Pictures

When you say he has red on the edges, does he have red streaks running through his tail at all?
Has he been eating normally?

 

[laurasbetta]

IAL = indian almond leaf extract. it helps the betta's immune system, as well as helps their water.
he's currently in a 1 gallon, although i'm going to be upgrading him as soon as he gets better.
no tankmates.
i'll try to get a pic in a little bit, he's sleeping right now, and in a difficult spot to take a pic.
he's dark blue, usually.
he does have some red normally, and looking at his tail closer, i think that might just be part of his natural coloring. it looked at first like the jagged part was lined with red, but it doesn't really look like it anymore.
yes, he's eating normally.

update:

so i finished with the water change, added the conditioner/dechlorinator and IAL as usual, as well as the recommended dosage of the medicine i have. turns out i DO have some bettafix around the house, but my dad forgot to mention it, so we're going to try that in a couple of days if this other stuff doesn't seem to work.

i've been monitoring his behavior for the past 2 hours or so, and he seems fine. he's been swimming around as usual, breathing normal, and he is currently sleeping in his favorite spot: between the heater and the side of the tank.

his tail doesn't actually look that bad, i think i caught it really early. it's only a small chunk that's been taken out of it, thank goodness. i'm going to do another 50% water changed on saturday, as the medicine said to leave it for 3 days and then add more. i'll let you guys know if he gets worse or better.

 

[*Fishkies*]

Depending what else he has in his tank ha may have caught his tail on that possibly. Also he could be a fin nipper. You could post over in the betta section and ask about fin nipping.

Good Luck

 

[laurasbetta]

to clarify, i don't use IAL. i use bettaspa, which is the same thing, but with salt added to it. so i'm going to keep using that and the med i have until i start seeing some regrowth. then i've heard it's a good idea to switch over to bettafix.
i think there may have also been some fin rot on his ventral fins, but it looks like there's already some regrowth there, so i'm going to keep a close eye on it over the next couple days.
his behavior is still normal, and still eating normally, so i'm pretty sure he'll be fine and that he won't have any problems recovering.
thanks for your help!

 

[WILDER]

Red on the edging of a tail is septicemia, he will need a bacterial med.

http/www.fishtanksandponds.info/care-mai...septicaemia.htm

 

[laurasbetta]

hmm... looking at that picture, i don't think it's septicemia. as i said, he does have some natural red coloring, and i think i may have just been looking at a spot that was naturally red. i will look into it more, though.

 

[laurasbetta]

here is a picture of wally's tail. sorry the pic is such poor quality, it's the best i can do for right now. a bad pic is better than no pic, right? anyway, the spot circled in red is the only area where i have seen red on his tail. it doesn't line the entire area where his tail was ripped/rotted, just that one spot. there is also no red streaking, as you can see, so i don't think it's septicemia. also on the symptoms of septicemia says decrease in appetite and activity, neither of which i have seen. the only symptom he shows is a chunk missing out of his tail.

 

[*Fishkies*]

I hate to ask this but do you have water stats at all? That you could possibly post?
Like Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite Readings?

 

[WILDER]

It still bacterial so I would get going with a bacterial med.
Good luck.

 

[laurasbetta]

i already have started him on the medicine. so far no changes on his fins, but it doesn't seem to be getting bigger, thank goodness.

as for water stats, i only have one of those test strips. i just changed his water when i had posted this, so i figured everything should be where it was supposed to be. i am going to test it either later tonight or tomorrow, and i will post them when i do.

 

[WILDER]

What med are you using?

 

[laurasbetta]

i'm using that betta revive, because we didn't know that we had bettafix until after we'd already added it. i've also heard bettafix isn't that good because it can make it hard for the betta to breathe.

 

[WILDER]

Looks like a tonic to me not that good.
Maracyn one and two, or maracyn plus.

http/www.aquariumguys.com/maracynplus.html

 

[laurasbetta]

i checked my water stats and everything's perfect, right where it should be. i can't give you exact numbers, as it was just one of those little test strip thingies, but everything was within the "safe" or "ideal" range on the color chart.

as for the maracyn, i'm going to call petsmart and petco and see if they have them. i'll try to pick them up today, if i can.

thank you SO MUCH for your help! i know fin rot is no big deal, but i just freaked out when i saw that my baby was sick. you guys are wonderful!!