urgent - very sick betta

[maui]

I really need some help figuring out what to do next for my oldest betta boy Gavin.

Gavin has had what i (and lps) first thought was fin rot on his anal fin since may 21. to start it looked like a red clump on tip of fin, now it looks like vertical white streaks and stringy at tip. you can actaully see some on his rays poking out of the fin.

He's in a 1/2 gal tank, water changes everyday, temp 74-76. With water changes 0.5ml aqua plus + 1/2 tsp of salt added. pH 7.4, alkalinity 90 ppm, total harness 120 ppm, nitrite and nitrate 0. He eats 8 pellets/day and he's not very active, just chills at the bottom and comes up for air when needed, no flaring or bubbles since before "rot". I estimate his age approx 1yr 4mo.
I used jungle fungus eliminator for 3wks and two 4day treatments of tetracycline with no improvement. 2 Wks ago, he had approx 1.25cm of good fin before body- performed rot removal (http/www.bettatalk.com/answer30.htm) hoping that this would solve the prob for good then did 1 full treatment of maracyn 1 and 2.

Two weekends ago I did some more investigating on the web and discovered that Gavin might not have rot at all, but it may be a fungus. Grrrrrrrr So i purchased some maroxy and it seemed to help for the first 3 days of treatment.
- last week i treated him with maracyn 1 and 2 plus maroxy
- this week ive been treating him with maracyn 1 and 2 plus maroxy – i have actaully been upping the dosage just a smidge.
(i leave 2 full days between starting another treatment)
i have been bushing on “wound control” by aquatronics (it’s merbromin) the past 3 nights.

He is looking really poor, all his other fins are fine, even some regrowth on his tail, but and the back of his anal fin there really isnt any fin left *big pout* i can see the rays sticking out, and it looks like hes got some fungus or something whitish in the corner between his tail fin and anal fin. below are some pictures that might help.

I'm really stumped and so hearthbroken, i dont know what to do next for my little guy. He is such a trooper and has come so far - all i wanna do is make him better. Any suggestions would be truly awesome. Thanks in advance guys and i'll keep you posted on his condition.

here are some of his pictures, they are in order of least recent to most recent.

 

[cutecotton]

oh the poor thing i'm so so so sorry to hear that about Gavin, he's putting up a good fight though i'm sure, and you seem like you're doing everything in your power to help him

I'm not an expert on fin rot, but it looks like whatever he has is going to progress to his body soon...you said you've tried treating it for fungas, with no resutls? honestly, i'm sorry to say abut you have tried all that i could think of...other members on the fourm might have some more powerful medication to recommend, i hope someone replies with good information, sorry i couldnt' hlep

give Gavin my best wishes, and tell him i hope he feels better

 

[maui]

thanks for your kind words cutecotton, much appericated.
gavin is still alive this morn
i think i will do some shopping/snooping today and see if there is a stronger med that might treat him.
i would like to know what others recommend so i dont buy the wrong thing
wells better get searching, i'll keep you posted on his condition.
take care

 

[Never2Bknown]

Look for aureomycin, terramycin, and chlormycetin. I hear these are good for fin rot.

If all treatment fails, surgical treatment may be applied:
This consists in cutting the tail or infected fins with a pair of scissors. The cutting must be done through the healthy part of the tail or fin to ensure that infected regions are eradicated. The wounds are touch with a small pencil or brush dipped into a 1% solution of silver nitrate solution, followed by a touching with 1% potassium dichromate solution. The fish should be placed in fresh water with 1 gram of potassium dichromate per 7 1/2 gallons of water. In advanced cases of fin rot it is advisable to use surgical treatment at once and acriflavine during 3 to 5 days as an aftertreatment.

I'm not sure how far you really want to go to save this fish, but I hope this helps!!! Good luck.

 

[s6king]

I have bettas I use Bettafix Remedy I guess it is a cureall for bettas or close to it. Before I had the bettafix my bettas kept dying after a few months. I have had the last one one in in bowls use bottles spring water treated with batta water conditioner and when they get fungus or sick looking I use the bettafix. It helps.

 

[maui]

thanks never2bknow.
I will look into finding some medications containing those ingredients when i head out on my mission tomorrow.
i have tried the rot removal surgery without success. now i don think he has enough fin for me to try it again, especailly in the area of most concern - the corner between his tail and anal fin. the pics are rather fuzzy and i dont know if you can tell but all there is left in the corner are stubs of rays poking out of his body (tis soo sad).

thanks for sharing your advice s6king.
when gavin first got sick i started out using bettafix - it didnt do the trick for him but i think i can add it along with other meds...???
if so i may start to use it again... *sigh* we'll see, i dont want to stress the poor boy out with too many chemicals.

i did another water change tonight and gave him his last dose of maracyn 1 and 2 plus maroxy. he seems to be doing alright, still eating like a little piggy which is inspiring hope.

 

[maui]

update time
i went out on a shopping mission today, didnt get very far unforunately - my blasted kidney infection has taken away most of my energy and i dont like highway driving feeling sleepy/out of it.
Anyways, i picked up some primafix and kanacyn. i looked for the ingredients you had mentioned never2bknown but i couldnt find anything that contained them... grrr! my pet shop, as big as it is has a very limited supply of fish meds :'(
i figured i'd give the kanacyn a shot, i was wondering if i could somehow add it to his food...?
gavin is acting a little strange today, chillin on the bottom then swiming around all twitchy like, coming up for air then returning to the bottom.

 

[Danno]

Im sorry to hear about your Betta Fish. Im am almost positive that it is fin and tail rot. The only way I know how to treat it is through medications. The sergery is very risky though, and I wouldn't recommend it. The problem is...if you were to make a mistake you could put the fish through a horrable torture and have it die in pain. If I were you I would talk to a personel at a Petsmart or Petco. But I wuold really try not to cut the fin. It sounds so painful. . It sounds as if you have givvin it a great life. But keep on coaxing for him ^^. I will ^^. He'll pull through it

 

[Angel Lady]

That is fin rot. Can you get some maracyn that stuff is great for fin rot. Poor little fellow. Bettas I think likes the temp to around 80 degrees..I would use some melafix to it will help it to. I have had very good luck with that stuff here lately. I have treated mouth rot on my cichlids with the stuff and had very good luck to.. I think it is worth a try. Because it looks like it is going to the fishs body now. And that is when it is time to really start finding something that will work soon.. I hope the little fellow gets well soon for you..

 

[maui]

bad news - gavin has passed away.
i found him this afternoon, it was so hard. my mum doesnt want me to buy any more fish cause i get too attached and teary.
i did all that i could and i know hes gone to a better place, he wasnt enjoying himself anymore. his illness taught me a lot and for that i'm thankful.
i cant decide if i should bury him in fishy heaven in guelph (where i go to school) where my other fish rest or make a spot for him here at home...
ah, this is so hard :'( i miss him so much. he was my first betta and the one that started it all.
thanks for all you help guys, i really appreciate it.

 

[cutecotton]

poor little gavin, i'm so sorry to hear the bad news, but you did everything in your power for him, i'm sure he felt that in his last days

i'm sure he'll be building you big bubblenests up there in fishy heaven

 

[maui]

thanks cutecotton - i really value your understanding.
im sure hes happily building beautiful bubble nests up there