First Betta from LFS - fin rot!!?

[lukeprice]

Hello

I would really appreciate some advice. I bought my first Betta from my LFS as my son picked it out to replace one of his fish that wasn't suitable for our tank.

I asked advice from the store assistant about suitable tank mates and parameters and was happy that my tank would be a suitable home for the Betta.

After getting the fish back home and settling him into my tank I have been increasingly worried about his fins; I think he may have fin damage or fin rot. I bought the fish two days ago and the store assistant made no mention of this whatsoever and as I am new to Bettas I took him at his word.

Please could you take a look at the attached photo (I tried to upload a video but wasn't able to) and let me know your thoughts. Also, if it is fin rot/damage what would be a good course of action. My thoughts are either give the guy a new home and hope he heals and tell the store I'm not impressed. Or take him back and replace him with a healthy Betta. Advice on this would also be helpful.

Thanks for your time

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Definitely looks like fin rot.

Perform 70%+ water changes per day for a week. This should clear of all that infection.

You need to get any medications, as they usually just complicate things. Also no need to return him.

I must ask... is the betta in the tank with other fish? (You mentioned you asked the worker about tank mates)

 

[lukeprice]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Definitely looks like fin rot.

Perform 70%+ water changes per day for a week. This should clear of all that infection.

You need to get any medications, as they usually just complicate things. Also no need to return him.

I must ask... is the betta in the tank with other fish? (You mentioned you asked the worker about tank mates)

Hello and thank you for the advice and welcome.
I think I will keep him and nurse him back to health as best as I can. Is it likely that his fins will return to their natural shape and size given the right care and attention? I will be having words with the fish shop though; not only for selling me a fish with fin rot but also endangering my other fish without even a mention.

He is in a tank with a pair of honey gouramis, 3 bronze corys a male black molly and a female guppy. None of them have ever displayed any aggression or fin nipping tendencies. They all seem to be getting on well at the minute.

Thanks again

 

[PheonixKingZ]

The fins will never look exactly how they looked before, but they will be close. New growth is a clear color.

Yes, never take advice from a fish store worker or owner, they usually give you horrible advice, which can lead to the death of your fish.

Can you afford to setup a small 5g tank for just the betta? Bettas are not community fish and shouldn’t be kept as such. Even if the other fish seem “chill” with it, or if the betta seems “chill” with it, that is usually not the case...

It will all end when either 1( The betta nips the other fish to death, or 2( The other fish stress the betta to death. (<- That is usually the case)

If you can’t afford to setup a new 5g tank, that is OK for now, but I suggest you do so ASAP.

Sorry your experience in the wonderful fish world has been bad so far...

It will get better trust me!

 

[Lajos_Detari]

I haven't kept Betta with long fins for a long time. Fin rots is very common for Betta with big/long fins.
I only keep Betta with short fins and tail as they are more hardy and have less risk of being nipped by other fish.

If I were you, I will return the fish to the store and replace it with a short fins and tail Betta.

Anyway, if you want to treat it, you can use salt. Use about 1 tablespoon of salt for every 20 liters of water(about 5 gallons).
Treat it for 2 weeks.
1 gallon = 3.8 liter of water.

 

[lukeprice]

The fins will never look exactly how they looked before, but they will be close. New growth is a clear color.

Yes, never take advice from a fish store worker or owner, they usually give you horrible advice, which can lead to the death of your fish.

Can you afford to setup a small 5g tank for just the betta? Bettas are not community fish and shouldn’t be kept as such. Even if the other fish seem “chill” with it, or if the betta seems “chill” with it, that is usually not the case...

It will all end when either 1( The betta nips the other fish to death, or 2( The other fish stress the betta to death. (<- That is usually the case)

If you can’t afford to setup a new 5g tank, that is OK for now, but I suggest you do so ASAP.

Sorry your experience in the wonderful fish world has been bad so far...

It will get better trust me!

I do have a 2.5g tank which is cycled (and has a heater/air stone/lighting/plants) which I use for quarantine when necessary. I could put him in there if I see any signs of aggression or stress.

Thanks again.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I do have a 2.5g tank which is cycled (and has a heater/air stone/lighting/plants) which I use for quarantine when necessary. I could put him in there if I see any signs of aggression or stress.

Thanks again.

Perfect!

2.5 gallons really isn’t a permanent home for a betta, but it will do for now - much better than the community tank.

It’s just my opinion that bettas should live in a 5 gallon tank, minimum. (Unless in special cases like this)

 

[lukeprice]

Thanks for your help. God bless you.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

No problem man! Feel free to ask if you have any more questions.

 

[lukeprice]

I haven't kept Betta with long fins for a long time. Fin rots is very common for Betta with big/long fins.
I only keep Betta with short fins and tail as they are more hardy and have less risk of being nipped by other fish.

If I were you, I will return the fish to the store and replace it with a short fins and tail Betta.

Anyway, if you want to treat it, you can use salt. Use about 1 tablespoon of salt for every 20 liters of water(about 5 gallons).
Treat it for 2 weeks.
1 gallon = 3.8 liter of water.

Thank you for the advice. I think I'll keep the Betta for now and try and help him recover... my son would be very sad if we had to take him back and after thinking about it I would feel bad sending him back to a shop that evidently hasn't cared for him.

I will be letting them know I am very disappointed though!

 

[lukeprice]

Just a quick update on Blaze (as he has now been christened). I am astonished at how much of his fins were missing! All the clear/white

areas are new growth. He seems very happy, gets on well with his tank mates and enjoys eating from my hand and generally being very curious about anything that goes in the tank... including the gravel vac!

I will post a pic again when the regrowth is complete and has hopefully turned the correct colour.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

That’s awesome man! That is significant fin growth, you should feel very proud of yourself!

 

[lukeprice]

I'm really pleased he seems so happy and healthy. Thanks for your advice when I first posted

 

[PheonixKingZ]

No problem!