Phloxface

Well, his finrot problems seem to be continuing although I can't understand why. He is still on Triple Sulfa (3rd round now) and antibacterial medicated food. For a while it looked like he might be getting better and then I woke up and a big chunk of his tail was gone. It looked like someone took scissors and cut his tail. The edge was very straight and scissor-like. It looked very clean though with no signs of white or black edge. The next day (as you can see in the pics) the edges are uneven and fraying although still very clean looking with no visible signs of rot. I don't understand this. His dorsal fin has also gotten a lot smaller. The anal fin seems to be a bit better and has not receded much that I can tell. Otherwise he seems very healthy, active and playful. He gets a 50% water change every second day and I use Prime and NovAqua+ and vitamins.
If he doesn't get any better by the time I finish this round of Triple Sulfa (or gets worse) I think I will switch to a different med. Any suggestions of a med that you've had success with? The strongest med I have is Kanaplex but I'm not willing to try that unless it's a life and death situation like dropsy. I have maracyn and maracyn-two but I hate using them because they make the water SOOO stinky and cloudy! I may have to try it if the Triple Sulfa doesn't help. I tried Fungus Clear on him before the Triple Sulfa and it didn't help.

Here's his latest pics:

0morrokh

That sounds like a very strange case of finrot. Is it possible that he tore his fin on something, or could he be biting his own fins? As for meds, you could try Fungus Eliminator or maybe Maracyn Plus??...not sure on that one.

COBettaCouple

That type of fin loss sounds like a fungal-origin finrot or like 0morrokh suggested. Rid-Fungus by Kordon might be something to look into, but i'd watch him and see how it goes. Aslan and Sora have both gotten tail damage just like that from biting their tail in the past. I don't think it's a bacterial resurgence tho.

Phloxface

I don't think he's been chewing his own tail because his dorsal fin and anal fin are also affected and he wouldn't even be able to reach those. Plus he couldn't have chewed it into a perfect straight edge like it was the other day.
I guess it could be fungal and maybe that's why the Triple Sulfa isn't helping, because it's for bacteria. I have some Maroxy but I don't know if that would help because he doesn't have "true fungus", but it does claim to be effective for other diseases too. He did have a white ball of cottony fungus on the tip of his ventral fin when I first brought him home and I treated with Fungus Clear and it was gone within one day. Maybe I could give Fungus Clear another chance? I only used it for four days...

I wish male betta's finrot problems were as easy to deal with as the females! Yesterday morning I awoke to find Karma had a big hole in the center of her tail. I thought "Oh great, another one with finrot!"... I had just done a water change about 4 days before that but I decided to go ahead and do a big cleaning and really deep clean the gravel and did a big water change. I added lots of NovAqua+ and vitamins and by evening the hole was completely grown together like nothing happened! I was planning on medicating her that evening but there was no point, she was totally okay. My females are always splitting their fins and they heal very quickly with no meds. If only Rocky could do that...

Phloxface

I'm seeing a slight whitish/clear edge on his tail now. Is that regrowth or more rot? I have really no previous experience with finrot so I don't know what to look for.
When I got my first Betta, Phlox, his finrot was already cured but it took about 6 months before his fin rays grew back. When they first started growing in they were white and then turned red. I hope what I see on Rocky is regrowth...

His tail is so stumpy. He looks like he went to the barber and got a really bad buzz cut.

COBettaCouple

that sounds like regrowth.

nmwierman1977

Yeah it sounds like regrowth to me too. I would keep him on the meds for a few more days though to make sure the infection is out of the system.Natalie

0morrokh

Yup, sounds like regrowth. If you are unsure you could treat again with Fungus Clear...I have found it to be quite effective against finrot. But water changes may be better for him at this point than more chemicals. Your call, it's hard to know without actually seeing him.

Jendayi

Phlox - sorry about your little guy's stubborn fin rot. I can surely sympathize...

I had some success with Cujo on ampicillin, he was on it close to 3 weeks until I went out of town last week. Of course half of his new growth was gone when I got back. So I started him on Fungus Eliminator. He's on day 2 of his first 4 day treatment. I had to order this med, it's not in the stores around here like Fungus Clear is. I have read that Fungus Eliminator is good used in conjunction with Triple sulfa. I'm not sure if I will do that, tho, since Cujo has already been on several rounds of the sulfas in the past.

Anyone who says that fin rot should be easy to cure has never met my fish... I'm pretty sure he will never be cured, and I am just about out of things to try. The only weapon I have left is the kanamycin. After that he's just going to have to live with bad fin days I guess, because I don't have any more ideas.

COBettaCouple

yea, fin rot sure isn't easy to clear. i wish it was. hope the new meds do the trick.

Phloxface

Well, it looks like the Triple Sulfa and medicated food did the trick. The white edge is definately regrowth and is now grown out almost 1/4 of an inch. I took him off the Triple Sulfa a week ago but continued with the medicated food.
I am now going to slowly cut those in half to one meal of medicated food and one of regular pellets or bloodworms.
He was medicated for almost a month, well beyond the 6 day course they suggest on the packet. I think that is what helped. Stopping too soon allows the rot to gain a foothold again and come back even stronger.

I'm going to have to start Lava Jr on the Triple Sulfa too I think. His fins aren't getting shorter, but his rays are getting really thin and skimpy looking. Definately not as thick as they were. This could be some type of finrot as well. I've started him on the medicated food but he sometimes spits it out. The pieces are too big even when I try to choose the smallest ones. I think it is also harder than the pellets. He is such a big boy, the biggest I have, but he's such a dainty eater. He chews very slowly and sometimes vomits everything out if I try to feed a second piece before he's finished chewing. He also stubbornly refuses to eat peas or Daphnia or anything soaked in vitamins. : He's the only one of my fish that won't eat peas OR Daphnia. Will have to try other veggies. I feed him very little to avoid constipation, sometimes only 3 pellets a day (in 3 separate meals) Maybe one day a week of fasting if he won't eat peas or anything.

nmwierman1977

I'm glad to hear that his fins are growing back now. He might just come around after awhile. As long as you stay persistent on feeding him the peas he will eventually give in and start eating them. Pebbles wouldn't eat them for 2 weeks, kept spitting them when I first brought her home, but she eventually started eating them and now loves them. It might just take a bit of coaxing on your part thats all. Natalie

BettaBuddy ~ Miley

What size is your tank? its amazing! Miley

Good to know about his fins!