janoue

COBettaCouple

Poor Drew. I really hope the fin rot is stopped & he can start growing his fins back. We've only had 1 combtail who's not had finrot.

janoue

I think maybe these hybrids may not be as healthy in general then?

janoue

Because Look how long i've had W. Not a problem with him. He had a bit of fin rott once, and once treated properly he's great. He's a veil tail. Actually he and joey both made bubble nests in thier tanks. They are a lot happier since I moved them to the living room and the girls interact with them constantly. I think my girls are starting to win mama's pets over lol.

chickadee

The last time I heard you had not started to heat your tanks had you? I am sorry to say that finrot is aggravated by cool water and if the temperature is not stable it can be worse for them. They probably came from the store with it already after having been in the cups in the store and when they came home they just have not gotten over it. Unfortunately the medications mostly work the best at temperatures of about 80 degrees and if the temperature is much below that the effectiveness of the meds can be affected.
I do not know for sure that heating the tanks will cure the finrot at this point since it is pretty much chronic at the point you are describing. It really is pretty common pet store Crowntails to develop finrot for some reason as their water is hardly ever changed and it is not enough for them to swim in without dragging their fins through their poo in those cups so they are infected very easily. Like Dave said most of his were infected and needed treatment.
This is not your fault and you could not have prevented it. Perhaps heating the tanks could have made the progression of the disease less or maybe halted it but not necessarily. We have all seen fish that have had the best of conditions that have not been able to fight it off. It is a vicious and malignant disease and hard to treat and the only suggestion I really have for you at present is to try to heat the tank and continue with clean water and try Vitamins and possibly Fish Protector. I found it today in the catalog that I received in the mail at: http://www.thatpetplace.com

Dave swears by it and says that it helps the regrowth of fins faster. Perhaps it will help Drew.

Rose

janoue

Drews tank fluctuates between 78-80. Until I can get over my own sickness and get some real hours in at work, I now have my betta's sitting on tables over heating vents. I put thermomiters in with them so I can read the temp of thier water. I had planed to have them in 5gallon heated tanks by now but that went out the window with a broken elbow and now the flu. I'm not trying to be cruel to my fish, but I have other things on my list like food and rent before I can convert them over. I'm not trying to sound nasty, and I appreciate your advice. I just want you to know that this is not the situation I wanted to be in but unfourtanately it is. I'm hopeing in another month, They will all be set up healthy and happy. No more buying betta's until I can afford a propper setup.
Jan

chickadee

Jan, I do know how it is not to be able to afford everything. I am NOT accusing you, but you need to know what are some of the probable things that could help and I am not aware of the temps of the tanks. I am sorry if it sounded like I am accusing, but all I knew was that you had mentioned that the tanks were not heated. The one thing I am certain of is that they were not heated in the store and that is almost certainly where the finrot started. In nearly every case they have it when they are purchased and come home and it shows up big time in the owners tank when they are settled if they do not have it actively when they are in their cup already.

I am sorry to hear about the broken elbow and the flu you are having. I am currently taking care of my Mom who has fallen and broken her wrist and so we know kind of what you are dealing with.

Take care and our best to you. We will keep you and yours in our prayers.

Rose

COBettaCouple

It's tough when the pet store starts you out by making the Bettas sick, but these little ones can surprise us and you should have seen Aslan's fins after the move here. He recovered though and we hope the same for little Drew.

Generally, I find that the Betta cups have water of 70-72F in the stores.

Allie

I know all about trouble with fin rot. Jasper one of my males had fin rot for 3 months before I got it under control. It's sad to say but most of these fish are sick when we get them, and if we are lucky enough to get one to get over its illness than it's great. I have had 4 male veil tail betta die in the past 2 years...only one lasted a year & the rest died fairly fast.

janoue

Hey, Sorry didn't mean to be so snippy, my husband says I shouldn't talk to anyone when i'm sick or in pain because it never ends well. lol. The rest of drews fins came off today, i'm going to work on getting him all cleaned out and disenfect his tank again today and set it out in the sun for a while. I hear that works really well. That should kill anything, then I am just going to keep giving him vitamins and 50 % water changes for the next couple week and see how he comes. He started eating again and Dave told me when the fins are finally all comeing off thats a good sign. It means that the medication is doing what It should and the dead stuff is coming off. I change his water every day anyways. I am going to go pick up some stress coat with vitamins for him today. Maybe some stability. My lfs doesn't carry any vitimins but there is a filopino couple downtown who owns a fish store and i'm going to call and see if i cannot get some almond leaves from them. I am not sure. I will let everyone know how it goes. TTYL
Janice

janoue

I just spoke to my LFS downtown and they said they can help me out. They said they can get me a 5 gallon tank with a lid and a heater for about 25 bucks. He won't have a filter right away, but at least I can get him in heated water and get him treated with vitachem (thats all they have) I can afford 25 bucks. Thanks everyone!!!
I will let you know what i learn.

chickadee

Well if you do not mind the water changes the filter is the least of your worries as the water changes will take the place of the filter for a bit until you can get on your feet financially a bit. Then if you want to keep the cost down you can just go with one of the airpump driven filters that are small like a small corner filter or a sponge filter and they are even nice as they produce almost no current which is very nice for healing fins and can be controlled easily just by tying a knot in the airline if you do not feel you can afford the air control device. You just tighten and loosen the knot to allow more or less air through to make the bubbles more or less through the filter. They are every bit as effective as the other filters and do not require media changes and all and are much more economical and are really much more practical for fish who do not need or should not have much water movement. It is preferable not to get the ones with carbon filters for fish you will be medicating though unless you want to break the case and remove the carbon and simply keep the carbon to replace it later to remove the meds from the water. (you have to break the case on the back of the cartridge so as not to leave a raw edge that the fish can cut himself on)

Walmart used to have a Small World filter with the airpump included for about $6.00 and all you needed to add was the airline for about $2.00 and it had everything you needed. (the cartridge and the airpump) But like I said all this can come later. For right now it is more important that he have the VitaChem and it is fabulous that he will be getting that. The water changes will take the place of the filtration and he will be fine.

Relax, take a deep breath and know that we are pulling for you both.

Rose

Drea

You are being a great betta Mom, we all know it's hard to see them sick. I hope your pain is doing better...or better yet gone. I know how chronic pain can turn even the most even tempered person into a crabby-crybaby one. I know this from personal experience! Prayers to both of you for healing!!

janoue

My husband came home just as i was on my way out the door and the girls said " were going to get Drew a new fishtank!!!" and he said " oh not shampoo this time" . And I said " now that I think of it..." and he put his foot down and won't let me buy it until after the end of the month . I do have his tempuerature up and am changeing his water now twice a day. He is eating like a little pig at least. My husband is doting on him and i'm like ' why are you douting on him when you won't let me do what I need to do to make him feel better." and hten he feels right guilty. For all I know he will be coming home with a new tank and heater tonight!! I don't want to get my hopes up. I am afraid that if this last dose of maractyn plus and rid fungus doens't clean him up I may have to euthanize him, just because I don't want to see him suffer so much. Any thoughts on that?
JanO

LuvaBetta

I'm so sorry Drew's having so much trouble! I don't think I'd euthanize him while he's still eating well, he hasn't given up yet. It sounds like you're doing great! He's going to have trouble swimming for a while, with minimum finnage. Do you have any plants or decor he can lie on, that keeps him close to the top? Mine like to sleep up there so they don't have to go far to breathe. Lazy things!

janoue

Yes I do. I'm not going to euthanize him. He always sleeps on top of his plants lol. They are tall and silk and look almost like lily pads. He loves them. He also sleeps on top of his bridge. LOL. I SO HOPE HE PULLS OUT OF IT!

chickadee

No please do not euthanize him. I did this with Nate only after he could no longer swim at all and was not able to make it to the surface to breathe. He had fought finrot for a year and had no more fight in him but Drew is still fighting and has a chance with a new tank and heater coming so, Please do not consider that yet.

It is a last resort that I wish I had not done but had no other options left.

Rose

COBettaCouple

We hope & pray Drew does pull through and gets back to being a healthy, happy Betta. Very often, Bettas have done that when they seemed to be all but gone. Drew is a fighter, so he can do it.