Fin Rot

The December FOTM Contest Poll is open!
FishForums.net Fish of the Month
🏆 Click to vote! 🏆

There is a very good explanation of finrot here, in post #12 by nmonks, one of the fishkeeping experts. http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/350500-long-thread-major-nitrate-help/page__p__2920988__hl__pseudomonas__fromsearch__1#entry2920988

In your case, the fish seems to have already had finrot when you bought it, so the cause will be in the shop's tank rather than yours. You are just having to sort out the problem. The majority of what is called fungus is actually a bacterium so the remedy needs to be an anti bacterial rather than an antifungal. White patches with stringy bits coming off it are the symptom of fungus, disintegrating fins are bacterial. As nightstar says, there are also internal bacterial infections which things like myxazin don't seem to help, they're mainly for external infections.

If the endler starts getting red patches and open sores on his body, that's the time to start think about euthanasia. If we could get antibiotics in the UK, that would be the answer, but we need a vet's prescription for them, and you can imagine what the cost of that would be, even if you could find a vet that deals with fish.



Clove oil is sold at chemist shops, it's an old remedy for toothache.
 
What would you use to treat fungal fin rot out of curiosity?

Ok, so far there is no damage to the body, but the poor soul is looking really poorly. I think I have to make to decision to put him out of his misery. An entire Pectoral fin is completely white and fuzzy/stringy looking, he looks miserable. Given he's on day 4 of 5 of the treatment my gut feeling is its gone too far and he's not going to recover. SO...I think tomorrow I will be going out looking for clove oil unless there is a noticeable change for the better, which I highly doubt.

Essjay, thanks for the link, I had a read and it was quite helpful at explaining what goes on with fin rot.

can anyone explain the use of of clove oil for euthanasia?
 
Clove oil. You will need: a bottle of clove oil from a chemist (little brown bottle about 2 inches tall), a small screw top bottle, a container such as an old ice cream tub, and a pair of rubber gloves because clove oil stinks.

Put some tank water in the tub and place the fish in it. Add 25-ish drops of clove oil in the screw top bottle, add some water and shake well to mix the oil and water. Pour the mixture slowly in to the tub with the fish. Initially, the clove oil will make the fish go to sleep, then after a few minutes it will die. Wait a couple of hours before disposing of the body (wrap in tissue and put in bin) as sometimes the fish come round again if you are too quick removing it.


I'll be thinking of you, it is quite upsetting the first time you do it.
 
What would you use to treat fungal fin rot out of curiosity?

Ok, so far there is no damage to the body, but the poor soul is looking really poorly. I think I have to make to decision to put him out of his misery. An entire Pectoral fin is completely white and fuzzy/stringy looking, he looks miserable. Given he's on day 4 of 5 of the treatment my gut feeling is its gone too far and he's not going to recover. SO...I think tomorrow I will be going out looking for clove oil unless there is a noticeable change for the better, which I highly doubt.

Essjay, thanks for the link, I had a read and it was quite helpful at explaining what goes on with fin rot.

can anyone explain the use of of clove oil for euthanasia?

Its just a different type of medicine you get from the LFS.

This is a good youtube video about the clove oil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK47u_9Ko3M
 
Oh sheesh, I'm quite depressed at the thought of doing this. I kinda feel like I've let this little guy down in a sense, That said, I feel equally bad at the thought that its going to have to wait until tomorrow afternoon to be put out of its misery. I should probably have done this a day or two ago but it looked like the fin rot had at least stopped getting worse so I thought he might recover, I just can't believe how bad that second fin has got in such a short space of time.

Would I get clove oil in likes of the big supermarkets? Tomorrow is going to be a very bitter sweet day as my very first betta is arriving tomorrow and i've been counting down the days to his arrival for a week, now the departure of this little guy is going to be on my mind. :sad:. sad times. You don't think of things like this when your stood in a pet store thinking i'm going to set up an aquarium and get some pretty fish do you?
 
Informative but a little too emotive lol
rolleyes.gif
 
Yeah! Not you! Sorry. :/

I guess not everyone agrees but i use the "nearly frozen water" method where you put a small tub in the freezer, wait until just the top layer is frozen break the top layer of ice and put the fish in, place back in freezer. All of the fish i have had to euthanise were so close to death that they passed away instantly when i put them in the water. If you feel you can't wait to try and find clove oil tomorrow, it is an option available to you.

You can't help them all, you gave it your best effort
sleep.gif
 
Think we were both posting at the same time given the post times :good: .

Yeah i've heard of that method too, there seems to be mixed thoughts on it, its all quite confusing. I think I might go to my local big supermarket tonight and see if they have clove oil, failing that I will send the hubby for some first thing in the morning, assuming the little guy is still with us, there is a boots chemist just down the road, i'm sure I will get it there.

Will the likes of tesco have it does anyone know?
 
Sorry your fish is no better.
I have kept guppys and never once did they survive after losing most of there tail.

If the fish is suffering I found this method to be the best.

Jug of cold water, then add ice cubes till the water is freezing cold.
Add the fish. It won't take to long. The fish might dart and swim in circles.
Leave the fish a while to make sure it has passed away.
Make sure the gills are no longer moving.

So sorry.
 
You might get it in one of the big branches that have a pharmacy department.

The ice water method is reasonably OK for tiny fish like fry, or maybe an endler. Fish so small that the cold penetrates through to the centre of the body in seconds. It's a bit slow for bigger fish. There are other ways that are reputed to be quick, but they are hard for us humans to do. I won't upset you are further by going into any detail.
 
Think we were both posting at the same time given the post times :good: .

Yeah i've heard of that method too, there seems to be mixed thoughts on it, its all quite confusing. I think I might go to my local big supermarket tonight and see if they have clove oil, failing that I will send the hubby for some first thing in the morning, assuming the little guy is still with us, there is a boots chemist just down the road, i'm sure I will get it there.

Will the likes of tesco have it does anyone know?

I got some from Boots. Its in the pain relief section as its used for toothache on people.
 
I didn't manage out to the shops tonight as the husband was late home so I will definitely go and get some first thing tomorrow morning from Boots. Thanks for all the advice and support everyone, I will let you all know how things go.
 
Well our little guy is no longer suffering. That was sad but quick. Just want to say thank you to everyone on here that took their time to give advice. i'd have been lost without you guys and girls. Thanks you xx
 
So sorry.
R.I.P.
 

Most reactions

Back
Top