Help - Betta Fin Rot

charlotte1211

Fish Fanatic
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Messages
74
Reaction score
51
Location
UK, Manchester
Hello,

my friend has a half moon Betta he has been getting progressively worse with fin rot. We have tried interpet fin rot medication for the past 3 weeks along with salt baths. All water level are fine after testing. I am not too sure what else to suggest for her.. can anyone help?
 

Attachments

  • 73A925BE-E8A8-4500-800B-F848E7016895.jpeg
    73A925BE-E8A8-4500-800B-F848E7016895.jpeg
    46.8 KB · Views: 44
Any idea what the ingredients are in the Interpet fin rot medication?

Normally fin rot is treated by cleaning up the tank conditions (big daily water changes, gravel cleaning the substrate, cleaning the filter), and adding some salt (sodium chloride). In bad cases you might need a broad spectrum fish medication or anti-biotics. However, it is rare to need anti-biotics on fish and they usually respond well to water changes and salt.

---------------------
Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week. The water changes and gravel cleaning will reduce the number of disease organisms in the water and provide a cleaner environment for the fish to recover in. It also removes a lot of the gunk and this means any medication can work on treating the fish instead of being wasted killing the pathogens in the gunk.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 6 weeks old, do not clean it. Wash the filter materials/ media in a bucket of tank water and re-use them. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the garden/ lawn. Cleaning the filter means less gunk and cleaner water with fewer pathogens.

Increase surface turbulence/ aeration when using salt or medications because they reduce the dissolved oxygen in the water.

Add some salt, (see directions below).

---------------------
SALT
You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, Bettas & gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria, fish, plants, shrimp or snails.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

When you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

f there's no improvement after a week of salt and daily water changes, then use a broad spectrum medication. However, it doesn't look too bad and should respond to salt or a broad spectrum medication.
 
Any idea what the ingredients are in the Interpet fin rot medication?

Normally fin rot is treated by cleaning up the tank conditions (big daily water changes, gravel cleaning the substrate, cleaning the filter), and adding some salt (sodium chloride). In bad cases you might need a broad spectrum fish medication or anti-biotics. However, it is rare to need anti-biotics on fish and they usually respond well to water changes and salt.

---------------------
Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week. The water changes and gravel cleaning will reduce the number of disease organisms in the water and provide a cleaner environment for the fish to recover in. It also removes a lot of the gunk and this means any medication can work on treating the fish instead of being wasted killing the pathogens in the gunk.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 6 weeks old, do not clean it. Wash the filter materials/ media in a bucket of tank water and re-use them. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the garden/ lawn. Cleaning the filter means less gunk and cleaner water with fewer pathogens.

Increase surface turbulence/ aeration when using salt or medications because they reduce the dissolved oxygen in the water.

Add some salt, (see directions below).

---------------------
SALT
You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, Bettas & gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria, fish, plants, shrimp or snails.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

When you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

f there's no improvement after a week of salt and daily water changes, then use a broad spectrum medication. However, it doesn't look too bad and should respond to salt or a broad spectrum medication.
Thank you this is fabulous information!! I will have a look with her and see if we can make these changes as soon as! Hopfully he will improve!
 
Hello thank you for the help! She has recently added in two catfish. Not too sure if this may be the cause.
How has the betta coped with it? Is everything peaceful or are there squabbles? It might be that the introduction of the catfish has led to the betta being stressed and so having a lowered immunity/resistance to illness. @Colin_T 's recommendations should help manage the problem now but the initial cause will need to be addressed if possible if it is a result of stress. From what I understand bettas like to be alone. @Essjay might be able to advise (if she sees my attempt at calling on her!)
 
Sunnyspots is quite right that bettas are solitary fish, though many people do keep other fish with them. But the main cause of finrot is poor water conditions.

What size tank is the betta in and how often and how big does your friend do water changes?



As a side issue, if the catfish are cories, they need to be in a bigger group. But depending on the size of the tank this may not be possible.
 
Sunnyspots is quite right that bettas are solitary fish, though many people do keep other fish with them. But the main cause of finrot is poor water conditions.

What size tank is the betta in and how often and how big does your friend do water changes?



As a side issue, if the catfish are cories, they need to be in a bigger group. But depending on the size of the tank this may not be possible.
Hello,

she has them in a 28 litre tank. I myself have catfish in all three of my betta tanks 🤦🏻‍♀️ However I have never experience any issues with these having any conflict.
However when she did put the catfish in there was some flaring but he hasn’t seemed too fussed since.
She does a 50% water change once a week. We have had the water tested and all has been fine.
 
The maintenance sounds OK, that shouldn't be the cause of the finrot.

Does she have any sharp or rough decor in the tank - for example plastic plants, or wood with pointy bits? Bettas can tear their fins on these.



A 28 litre tank is really too small for catfish of any sort. Snails and perhaps shrimps would be better tank mates - some bettas ignore shrimps, some eat them so it's a bit hit and miss with shrimps.
 
The maintenance sounds OK, that shouldn't be the cause of the finrot.

Does she have any sharp or rough decor in the tank - for example plastic plants, or wood with pointy bits? Bettas can tear their fins on these.



A 28 litre tank is really too small for catfish of any sort. Snails and perhaps shrimps would be better tank mates - some bettas ignore shrimps, some eat them so it's a bit hit and miss with shrimps.
No she had all live plants in the tank in the tank and two decorations that are smooth. The pants pretty heavily planted.

I will have a look into the catfish I have a community a large community tank I may be able to rehome them into.

she did have a few blue shrimp but with them being so small I think they have been munched sadly 😢
 

Most reactions

Back
Top