ricktavious

As of last night, everything on my betta had looked like it was cleared up or healing pretty well, so I stopped the meds for fin rot. Of course, as luck had it, this morning when I woke up it looked like he took a pair of scissors and cut a square out of the top of his back fin!

Then, I noticed that the meds I was using were expired (though just barely). The pet store I bought the meds is the only one within 45 minutes of here to boot.

New meds + vitamins should be here by Tuesday. In the meantime, I'll just keep doing what I have been. If anyone has any advice on other things to help with the fin rot, that would be cool too

Phloxface

I just posted about Rocky's fin rot progress. I was saying that even though he was recovering nicely I am keeping him on meds for several more weeks. I've been researching and many reputable fish breeders recommend medicating for 3-4 weeks for finrot or else it usually comes back even stronger.
I would say go ahead and keep using the meds until your shipment comes in. If they are only a little expired they should still be okay. you don't want to stop medicating even for a day or two or you'll be worse off that when you began.
Good luck!

P.S. I've been using Triple Sulfa and medicated antibacterial food. They seem to be working really well.

ricktavious

Thanks alot for the info! What type of medicated food are you using? Would love to pick some up if it seems to be helping.

Phloxface

I use Jungle Labs Anti-Bacterial food. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113021 It's easy to find at most any pet store and can be used together with any external antibiotic. They are probably good tasting because I've never had a Betta refuse to eat them.
The pellets are various sizes and I find the larger ones are too hard and big for the Bettas to chew. I usually pour some into the cap and choose 2 of the smallest sized pellets and give him 2 pellets, three times a day for a total of 6 pellets. You can try crushing them into smaller bits but I've had no luck and usually they turn to powder.
If your Betta pays attention at feeding time and chases food you can try soaking the slightly larger pellets in vitamins or Garlic Guard to soften them and drop it in right in front of him. It will sink but if he chases food he'll get it and should be able to chew it if it's soft. Rocky won't chase food and just lets it drop so I need to find the smaller pellets for him and feed them dry so they'll float.

ricktavious

GREAT info!!! Yeah, my betta is a chaser.....he'll even chase my finger around the top of the water even when it's not feeding time, haha.

Turns out I'll be going right by the Petsmart today, so I'll be able to pick him up the food and some more triple sulfa. Then Tuesday Fed-Ex will be delivering an order that contains both Vita Chem and Garlic Guard, so I'll start him on both of those when it arrives.

Thank you for all the info you've given me. Both me and Ricktavious (my fish 8)) appreciate it.

Jendayi

Cujo is on day 17 of his current round of meds, even tho the bottle says two 5 day treatments. I have learned that same lesson that one or even two rounds isn't enough for him. I plan on keeping him on them until I go out of town next week, and stopping then only because there won't be anybody around to continue giving them.

I'm not recommending that people not follow the manufacturer's instructions, please don't think that. But for Cujo nothing has worked so far, and I have pretty much tried everything there is. So I found some advice elsewhere that was a bit more radical, and I am following that. Romeo, my other tail rot stinker, seems to respond to the conventional treatments just fine.

I had mixed results with the anti-biotic food. They ate it at first, but then they wouldn't eat it anymore after about 5 days. I didn't try the garlic guard approach, tho, and I bet that would have worked. Mine normally aren't finicky eaters.

Good luck with Ricktavious, it takes time but I'm sure you will both get through this.

ricktavious

I'm going to be out of town some the next few days as well, but trust me, I'll minimize my time away as much as possible Would hate to make progress, go away for a little while, and come home only to start all over again!

ricktavious

Phloxface, bought some of that food you told me about today....he ate it, but had to try pretty hard too! He had to spit out a time or two before he could finally chew it up. Once the garlic guard gets here and I can soften it up for him, hopefully it'll work better.

The way you made it sound in your post, you only feed your fish the anti-bacterial medicine when it has fin rot. What about other foods (i.e. peas, daphnia, and other foods that are healthy)? Thanks!

Phloxface

You feed the medicated food exclusively for 10 days. No other foods or pellets but you can give a pea treat (not as a meal but a between meals small treat) every 3-4 days. The medicated food is regular food too and has protein and other stuff regular foods do, they just also contain medicine. If you look at the ingredients you will see it's basically a standard fish food with added meds.
Until you get the vitamins and Garlic Guard use a little tank water to soften the pellet for him.

ricktavious

Good idea on the tank water! Thanks for the suggestion, and he'll also get a piece of pea here and there as well

ricktavious

Last night, he ate it....this morning, not the case. Should I keep trying to get him to eat it? On the plus hand, I found a good way to cut it. Once you soak it, use a very tiny edge or blade to cut the moist pellet.

Phloxface

Just keep trying. Do you happen to have any minced garlic at home? You can soak a little garlic juice with it to entice him. None of mine have ever refused it so it can't be that bad. Wait until his next meal time and try again. He'll be hungrier and more willing to give it a try. Once you get the Garlic Guard it should be easier to get him to try new stuff.

ricktavious

I noticed he was eating stuff at the bottom, so I fed him again (just one pellet though). I put it in dry and he ate it without much problem.

Just checked the fridge, and much to my surprise there is some chopped garlic in there. Only thing is, there is no telling how old it is (maybe a few years?).....does garlic expire ...haha!

Phloxface

I wouldn't risk it if you don't know how old it is. Just make sure you pick out the smallest pellets. They accept it better if they can easily fit it in their mouth and chew.

ricktavious

Yeah, kinda figured. Wouldn't want to start any more problems!

I'm doing what you said in picking out the smallest pellets and have even cut a wet one in half.

Oh, and for the record, the non-expired stuff must be working better than the expired. There is already signs of fin regrowth that weren't there as THIS MORNING Plus, the food must be helping as well, even if he's being a somewhat picky eater

Phloxface

Great! He should be better in no time!

The food actually contains one of the same ingredients as the Triple Sulfa, which is Sodium Sulfathiazole so eating it is helping to deliver the meds to his system faster. Don't worry about overdose. It's not a big enough amount to hurt him, only help.

COBettaCouple

glad to hear of improvement and look forward to hearing the all-clear!

ricktavious

Sweet, the Garlic Guard came today.......he actually seemed happy to be eating his medicated food for the first time today, haha! Got another pellet soaking right now. The Vita-Chem isn't here yet....accidentally ordered the saltwater version, but drfostersmith sent the one I meant to ordered through the USPS with no extra shipping charge. Funny thing is, I noticed the mistake maybe an hour after ordering but they were too fast at processing the order to change it.

His fin rot is still improving....and those places that you might remember me mentioning in a previous thread that were baggy/balloon like are getting better too. I am not worthy of the great info you guys provide

armadillo

That is sooo cool. I wish we got all these great meds and food here in Europe.

COBettaCouple

glad to hear the little guy is improving!

ricktavious

Still improving But am nervous about leaving him for darn near 24 hours, haha! Last time this happened is when the fin rot came back again.

I reckon I'll do a small water change and add more medicine to his water in a little while. Is it safe to add a little extra triple sulfa to his water since I won't be home to give it at the normal time tomorrow?

Thanks for the encouragement and advice, without some of you I'd probably be just as frustrated as clueless

Phloxface

I wouldn't worry about it. 24 hours is nothing. It's okay if you are a few hours late giving it to him. If you were gone several days that might be different. He'll be fine.

COBettaCouple

I'd stick to the recommended course of dosing for his meds and like phloxface said, don't worry about being off a few hours on dosing.. it's within the window and he'll be best off that way. only do water changing if the meds say it's ok to at the point you are in the treatment.

ricktavious

Yep, following the instructions as they are on the back of the box....got back today and he's looking pretty good, still improving And the "balloon-like" part on the fins have fallen off and look like they are healing up too. Tomorrow the vita-chem is supposed to arrive, definately excited about that (you know you need a life when..............). Looks like he had fun making a bubble nest while I was away too. Only problem is it got colder than usual in my room somehow and his water temp fell to 76 Usually without a heater I can get it to stay constantly at a certain temp by using the light he's got in the tank......but enough of that for now, just glad he's still looking better.

COBettaCouple

LOL.. we were both excited when the last box came with Sora's new "super bridge" and Aslan's bubble river this week. what's his temp back up to now? glad to hear he's doing so well.

ricktavious

So much for progress....this morning, woke up, things were looking great. An hour or two later, go back to check on him, looks like we are almost starting over again The vitamins came today, maybe they will help.

Also, he's now rejecting the anti-bacterial food, regardless of size, soaked, and not soaked........ Any suggestions on what I can do, or just keep on trying what I'm doing now

Amorinthe

I haven't taken this journey with my fish yet, but I DO have a four year old, and I can tell you that sometimes I can appear that you're starting over, or haven't made any progress, but things are fine. Sometimes these things have to run their course.

I personally have a theory that bettas are attention hungry drama queens and know how to milk a situation.

ricktavious

Wow...I love Vita-Chem. Seriously, I love this stuff.......HUGE HUGE HUGE improvement over yesterday. Almost in shock on how good he's looking Of course, everytime I say that things randomly take a turn for the worse, so I won't get too far ahead of myself yet, haha!

armadillo

Wow, youre kidding? I wish we had all that stuff (Vitachem, Melafix, etc.) here.

COBettaCouple

yea, the vitachem is great stuff.

you tried soaking the anti-bacterial food in garlic juice?