Betta with stringy things hanging off of it after tank remodel and damaged fin

[Penelope .R]

So Ghost was fine earlier.
He is Mt newest betta, I bought him from my LFS after seeing how horrible a condition he was in. I couldn't leave him for some reason, I was just drawn to him.
His fins were shredded and he wasn't doing too well, but after a couple months with me he's been looking better and %100 percent personality wise except he is shy and will only eat pellets.
Here is the original thread-

I impulse bought a sad betta...

He's a lovely little Betta....getting his fins and colours back beautifully and just with basic TLC which most fish will react to when not feeling 100%. Since he is defeating all the odds, Hercules would be a good name for him. He's a handsome Betta, could even be an Elephant Ear (Dumbo) now...

www.fishforums.net

So today I finally got around to decorating his 3 gallon tank. It's well established and has been for months. I used fluorite dark and red lava rock, as well as white aquarium sand, he has the same little cave he's had for months and his java fern and moss balls, and I added plants from my other tanks. All tanks are established and disease free. The plants are valisneria, two little crypts, some lace java fern, duckweed, and a snippet of floating water sprite.
Filter is running properly and we'll, temp is 78, and water is healthy and freshly changed, declorinated with seachem prime which is what I always use.

I come in my room tonight, been about 4 hours since he went back into the tank, and his body looks irritated. It's hard to describe, like he's been kind of scraped up and there's extra slime coat sort of flaking off of him. Also, the tip of one of his feelers is completely encased, and there's a chunk missing from the tip of his tail.
A few minutes ago he was also swimming around very irritated.
Otherwise he is acting fine. Here is a video of him now that shows his skin and the missing piece of his tail, for some reason he decided to flair at the nirite he's lived with for months.
I removed the nirite to reduce any stress he's feeling and added a touch of stress coat.

Any help is appreciated! I really love this little guy!

 

[Colin_T]

I can't view videos on my current pc. If you post some pictures it might help.

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If the fish was fine before you added things to his tank, and he has since developed excess mucous (white film over his body and fins), then something is poisoning him.

You need to remove all the new items and change the water in his tank.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to his tank.

Then let him recover for a couple of weeks before adding one of the new items back into his tank. See how he goes. If he's fine for a week and doesn't produce any excess mucous, add another and monitor over a week. Continue doing this until his tank is decorated.

If he does produce mucous after an item is added, remove that item and do a huge water change every day for a week to remove the toxins.

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Make sure the ammonia and nitrite levels are on 0ppm at all times, and the nitrate is less than 20ppm at all times. Do a 75% water change any day you have a reading above this.

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Be careful using plastic plants in tanks with Bettas in. The plants can have sharp edges that can cut the fins and tail. Live plants are better for their tank. If you can't get or grow live plants, then silk plants (made from material instead of plastic) are a better option.

 

[Penelope .R]

I can't view videos on my current pc. If you post some pictures it might help.

----------------------
If the fish was fine before you added things to his tank, and he has since developed excess mucous (white film over his body and fins), then something is poisoning him.

You need to remove all the new items and change the water in his tank.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to his tank.

Then let him recover for a couple of weeks before adding one of the new items back into his tank. See how he goes. If he's fine for a week and doesn't produce any excess mucous, add another and monitor over a week. Continue doing this until his tank is decorated.

If he does produce mucous after an item is added, remove that item and do a huge water change every day for a week to remove the toxins.

----------------------
Make sure the ammonia and nitrite levels are on 0ppm at all times, and the nitrate is less than 20ppm at all times. Do a 75% water change any day you have a reading above this.

----------------------
Be careful using plastic plants in tanks with Bettas in. The plants can have sharp edges that can cut the fins and tail. Live plants are better for their tank. If you can't get or grow live plants, then silk plants (made from material instead of plastic) are a better option.

Ok, guess he's going back to living in his empty tank. No clue what could poison him? All of the plants are live from my other aquariums.

I used fluorite dark and red lava rock, as well as white aquarium sand, he has the same little cave he's had for months and his java fern and moss balls, and I added plants from my other tanks. All tanks are established and disease free. The plants are valisneria, two little crypts, some lace java fern, duckweed, and a snippet of floating water sprite.
Filter is running properly and we'll, temp is 78, and water is healthy and freshly changed, declorinated with seachem prime which is what I always use.

 

[Colin_T]

Ok, guess he's going back to living in his empty tank. No clue what could poison him? All of the plants are live from my other aquariums.

If the plants are live and came from another tank that contained fish, then the plants should be fine to use.

Where did the gravel come from?

Did you use a fish only bucket for washing the gravel or moving things into his tank?

Did you have anything on your hands (moisturising cream, hand sanitiser, etc) when you worked in the tank?

 

[Penelope .R]

If the plants are live and came from another tank that contained fish, then the plants should be fine to use.

Where did the gravel come from?

Did you use a fish only bucket for washing the gravel or moving things into his tank?

Did you have anything on your hands (moisturising cream, hand sanitiser, etc) when you worked in the tank?

Gravel is fluorite dark clay substrate, I use it in my other betta tank, never had problem, washed it in declorinated water before adding. Same goes for the white sand, it's actual aquarium sand, not playsand or something diy, which I usually use, but wanted specific look for this guy. Lava rock is red lava rock from home depot, I've had the bag for months and have used it in three other tanks with no problems. I crushed this stuff up but otherwise it is the same, washed thoroughly before adding.

Yes, fish only bucket. I have four separate Buckets, one for my tort, one for the 65 gal, one for the 20 gal, and one shared by three bettas, but they have been sharing for months with no problem.
I will ask my family if they used my fish bucket for something, it's possible, although I always rinse it out before using.
And no moisturizers or sanitizers, not even fancy hand soap. I avoid most products because of all my animals, I have so many I am doing constant maintenance.

I just got home from work, I'm heading to the betta room to do some maintenance. I'll give the filter material a good clean to start and do a substantial water change. I'll also get pictures.

 

[Penelope .R]

Also, most of the fin damage was there before, I got him that way. One new thing is the back of his tail, which seems to have some new damage on the top.

 

[Colin_T]

If it isn't poisoning, the only other possibility is the fish got caught in or under something and scratched itself up. Then the excess mucous was produced to cover the injured areas.

Maybe do a huge water change and gravel clean, and see how he looks tomorrow. If he's still bad, do another water change and add some salt (1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water). Keep salt in tank for 1-2 weeks and see if it helps.

 

[Penelope .R]

If it isn't poisoning, the only other possibility is the fish got caught in or under something and scratched itself up. Then the excess mucous was produced to cover the injured areas.

Maybe do a huge water change and gravel clean, and see how he looks tomorrow. If he's still bad, do another water change and add some salt (1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water). Keep salt in tank for 1-2 weeks and see if it helps.

Honestly, now that I'm thinking about it I think that's what happened. I put his java fern in the container with him while I was working on the tank. He's a very skiddish fish, I thought it might help him be more comfortable, but now that I'm thinking the rhizomes can be pretty scratchy.

Okay new plan. I just finished the tank, I cleaned the filter media in declorinated water and did a large water change, matched the temperature with a thermometer just to be safe.
He's not better or worse today, I have noticed he is taking breaks on the bottom of the tank to rest but swimming around again a few seconds later.
Also, he ate his food last night like he always does, so at least he has an appetite.
I'm turning off the aquarium light for the day to keep him calm.

 

[Colin_T]

just monitor him and see how he goes over the next few days.

big daily water changes won't hurt and will help him recover faster

 

[Penelope .R]

just monitor him and see how he goes over the next few days.

big daily water changes won't hurt and will help him recover faster

So I'm not sure what is happening anymore.
He improved drastically yesterday, almost no overproduced slime coat, just a tiny spot on the top of his head and he seemed fine.
This morning, around 6 am was the same.
And tonight I got home from work and he is worse again, but this time his belly is swollen and the slime is back, and there is a swollen bump under his "chin" between his gills. What got my attention was his lack of color, he was quite paler than usual.
As soon as I noticed the change I moved him into a 1 gallon bare tank with his heater and a small filter running with his old media, 50% of the water is new and I will do another change before bed, just didn't want to shock him.
I turned out all of the lights as well.

I'm worried it is dropsy, but I've never dealt with it before and I know it's usually fatal. I have the antibiotics used to treat it but don't want to jump into it too quickly. Looking for further advice here and hoping water changes help.

 

[Colin_T]

no idea. maybe treat it with whatever you have and see what happens

 

[Penelope .R]

no idea. maybe treat it with whatever you have and see what happens

The poor thing-
I wish I knew what I did!
Of course he was in bad shape when I got him but he seemed strong enough for a new tank.
I'm going to try a round of antibiotics tomorrow if he doesn't improve with a water change or two, I'm also going to fast him for a day or two.

 

[Colin_T]

If you use anti-biotics, use them in a bare tank so the medication works on the fish instead of being wasted on gunk in the filter and gravel. Just have a heater, airstone and artificial plant.

Wipe the inside of the glass down and change all the water before treating, and re-treating his tank.


--------------------------
Before you treat the tank, do the following:

Work out the volume of water in the tank:
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.

When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level. In a bare tank being treated with anti-biotics, measure from the top of the water level to the bottom of the tank.

If you have big rocks or driftwood in the tank, remove these before measuring the height of the water level so you get a more accurate water volume.

You can use a permanent marker to draw a line on the tank at the water level and put down how many litres are in the tank at that level.

There is a calculator/ converter in the "FishForum.net Calculator" under "Useful Links" at the bottom of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.

If using normal chemical medications, you should remove any carbon from the filter before treating with chemicals or it will adsorb the medication and stop it working. You do not need to remove the carbon if you use salt.

When treating with anti-biotics, remove the filter completely so the medication doesn't kill the filter bacteria. Put the filter in another tank while you use anti-biotics.

Increase aeration/ surface turbulence when using medications, including anti-biotics.

 

[Penelope .R]

If you use anti-biotics, use them in a bare tank so the medication works on the fish instead of being wasted on gunk in the filter and gravel. Just have a heater, airstone and artificial plant.

Wipe the inside of the glass down and change all the water before treating, and re-treating his tank.


--------------------------
Before you treat the tank, do the following:

Work out the volume of water in the tank:
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.

When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level. In a bare tank being treated with anti-biotics, measure from the top of the water level to the bottom of the tank.

If you have big rocks or driftwood in the tank, remove these before measuring the height of the water level so you get a more accurate water volume.

You can use a permanent marker to draw a line on the tank at the water level and put down how many litres are in the tank at that level.

There is a calculator/ converter in the "FishForum.net Calculator" under "Useful Links" at the bottom of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.

If using normal chemical medications, you should remove any carbon from the filter before treating with chemicals or it will adsorb the medication and stop it working. You do not need to remove the carbon if you use salt.

When treating with anti-biotics, remove the filter completely so the medication doesn't kill the filter bacteria. Put the filter in another tank while you use anti-biotics.

Increase aeration/ surface turbulence when using medications, including anti-biotics.

Thank you for your help but Ghost passed away sometime this morning. I still don't know why.
Now I don't know what to do with the tank. I don't trust it because he developed his symptoms so quick after I added all of the plants and media, so part of me wants to trash it all and thoroughly clean the tank and start over with new filter media for a few months until I figure out what I want to do with it.
I'm heartbroken, he was one of the most personable fish I've had, his fins were ripped to shreds when I got him and were just starting to grow back.

 

[Colin_T]

sorry to hear he died.

I would flush out the tank and fill it with chlorinated tap water. Let it run for a week and then flush it out again. Then fill with dechlorinated water and start cycling.

You can also fill it with salt and that will kill most things in it, including plants. After a week with salt, flush it out and fill with dechlorinated water, and start the cycling process.