antisen

I have some experience with Bettafix. From what I've seen, it does not cure fin rot. What it is good at is promoting regrowth once the rot has been cured. So it's good to have around, but I wouldn't use it as medication in and of itself because it's not.

Also I'd suggest reading through the post on Melafix for more information on it. Remember that it's the same active ingredient, so take extra care if you use it not to overdose. I've never had a problem though.

Jendayi

Today is the end of Cujo's first round of Fungus Clear. I sat and studied him for a long time this morning, trying to decide whether I should give him a second dose or not. I have not seen any deterioration of his tail for 3 days, which is very good news to me.

But then after studying him for a while (because that boy will NOT be still) I noticed that the tips of his dorsal fin are slightly tattered with that all too familiar look now. I don't know if this is new or if I was just so focused on his tail that I didn't notice it.

So I did the 25% water change and dosed him with the other half of his Fungus Clear tablet. I feel like "better safe than sorry" applies here. I am anxious to get rid of his green water and work on cycling his tank, but I don't want to have to just treat him again in a week or two.

This time when the tablet was dissolving he hid in his cave and peeked out at it very cautiously. Last time he was all about trying to eat it. What a goober

antisen

I believe you chose well with the better-safe-than-sorry approach too. It just seems like a good idea to have a nice bacteria-free environment during the regrowth stages

COBettaCouple

Good call.. with the Fungus Clear, it seems we are more asking ourselves if there's a reason NOT to give the 2nd dose and he didn't give you one.. could be he's already turning around but playing it safe is smart.

Cujo's a little character.. lol.. he just doesn't want you to think that you've got him figured out.

Jendayi

Ok a little pictoral update...

Here he was when I was at wit's end on the 9th:



And here he is today:



He's definitely not as freaky looking. I want to say that I see a tiny bit of clear fin regrowth on his tail. This may be wishful thinking, but I think it's there. I still can't make up my mind about his dorsal fin... but regardless he is still swimming in his green water for another 3 days. And that green water really messes with my camera, these pics look like crud.

COBettaCouple

I think he does look better & can see regrowth.

Jendayi

Cujo finished his second dose of Fungus Clear yesterday and all was looking good with no deterioration seen for a week. I put his carbon filter back in yesterday morning to finally clear out that green water, and did a partial water change. By this afternoon I was looking at his tail with some suspicion, and tonight my fears are confirmed - Relapse



You can see the frayed ends at the top of his tail, above that nice new regrowth

So now what do I try? Maracyn/Maracyn 2? The pet store I use is open tomorrow for a few hours, so your suggestions are definitely welcome.

cherryrose

COBettaCouple

yea, you could try the combo or just Maracyn-2 or even go with TriSulfa, depending on how much meds you think he needs.

Jendayi

Today I am in the process of getting a hospital tank set up. I bought a 2.5 gallon tank that I am going to use like a jar - no gravel or filter. Just a soft plant, some marbles to weight it down, and a small tank heater. I only have 2 gallons of water in it, easier to dose Plus I added some aquarium salt to the water. After reading a lot about it, it seems like a beneficial thing to add even when not fighting a sickness.

As soon as the water warms to 80 degrees I am going to acclimate Cujo to the hospital tank, and that is where he is going to stay until he is healed AND until his Hex5 is cycled. He doesn't need the added stress of ammonia levels while trying to heal from his fin rot.

Well I got both Maracyn and Maracyn-two at the store today. So I could add both, or just the Maracyn2. As to how much I think he needs... I have no idea. I just don't have any experience to base a decision on. I am really just going by what advice I have read for other members here. Will the combination be overkill? I just really want to beat the fin rot and get him healed up.

cherryrose

COBettaCouple

Sounds good, just be careful on the aquarium salt with bettas. We have used it but at 1/2 the recommended dose. Good luck with Cujo and hope he's in his cycled tank soon.

Jendayi

What is the issue with bettas and the aquarium salt? Seems there is always something lol

Getting ready to move him into the new tank, the temp is up to 80... I will do the combo dose of Maracyn/Maracyn-2 and hope hope hope

COBettaCouple

It can build up and sometimes sort of dry out a betta. When used like you are though for treating him, it shouldn't be a problem but when he's healed up & in his tank, it's not really needed.

cherryrose

Jendayi

Well Cujo has been in his hospital tank for close to 24 hours. He looked a little pale to me when I let him out of the bag after he was finished acclimating, but today he is back to his normal self. I hadn't seen him poo yet so I gave him about a third of a pea this afternoon. It was the first time I gave him anything but his pellets, and he scarfed it off the toothpick like he has always been eating them. He had to flare at it first before attacking, to show that pea who was boss

Here he is today, and a shot of his hospital tank:



It looks so empty in there without gravel and his little cave, but I think it will be much easier to keep clean while he heals. It was hard to get a good shot of him because he is so busy. He is a fish with places to go and people to see! But so far no more fin fraying and I think he is looking good.

Going to take some of his other tank water to the pet store tomorrow to see if they think it is ready for some of their filter gunk to get my cycle going. The ammonia in there is at 1, maybe more, but nitrites are absolute zero, so nothings happening on its own.

COBettaCouple

LOL. i love when they flare at food. he's a funny little guy and hope he'll be all healed up soon.

tan.b

who ever said fish are an easy pet is def someone who's never had one! they are hard work, but very rewarding too!
good luck with the maracyn's.
tan

voiceless_kat

I also added 1/8 tsp, into the 3 gallon hospital tank. Pkg says 1 tbsp for 5 gallons, so I think the tiny dose I used will be just enough to maybe make a difference.

He looks good, and has such beautiful fins......best of luck with his treatments!

Jendayi

Thank you so much everyone, you are all so encouraging. Today is day 4 on the maracyn/maracyn2 treatment, and I have to hope that we have it beat this time. He has new growth on his tail and I am so excited about it. He gets one more treatment tomorrow, and then on Friday I will change his water and start him on a low dose of Bettafix. I think moving him to a hospital tank was the right thing to do until his Hex5 is cycled.

And speaking of his Hex5... I have been feeding the tank a little bit of flake food every day since Cujo moved out to keep the ammonia going, and I got my first nitrite reading last night, woohoo! So I took some water into the pet store today, and came home with a bag of filter sludge... Yuck! lol I think it might be only a matter of another week before his tank cycles, and that is good news

COBettaCouple

Filter sludge - the breakfast of champions! yum! glad to hear your cycle is progressing.

voiceless_kat

Yay & 3 cheers for your cycling tank!!! Funny how these tiny steps make us all go crazy. I wish you continued good luck in bringing Cujo's fins back to perfection. He is so handsome!.

tan.b

horay!! good news at last! keep up the good work!

griffin

how's your fish doing? hope he's doing well!

i don't know if you're still dosing, but i thought i'd point out that if it's one tbsp for 5 gal, then you probably want between 1-1.5 tsp for a 3 gal. wasn't sure if it was a typo or not. but just thought i'd point it out.

hope he does well!

voiceless_kat

Thanks Griffin...I only put 1.8 tsp in the 3 gallon once...there is so much contraversy regarding aquarium salt, so I thought Just a dab can't hurt and might help!

Jendayi

Today I changed Cujo's hospital tank water to get rid of the Maracyn treatment, and boy is it nice to have clear water again lol

His hospital tank water is treated with Prime for conditioning, a small amount of aquarium salt and Bettafix. He looks really good after his Maracyn treatment. So now it is time to keep my fingers crossed and see if he goes without a relapse.

I snapped some pics while he was hanging out in his cup waiting for new water:



I can't wait until his Hex5 cycles and he can get back into a bigger tank, but he doesn't seem too put out by the hospital tank. He has been a bubble nesting fool these past few days. Even when I mess one up when I use the turkey baster to clean up he just goes back and rebuilds.

COBettaCouple

he's looking much better.

cherryrose

griffin

oops - i thought you were talking about maracyn.

actually, going back, i'm just confused :x - i think i didn't read part of the thread and then was talking about something different! i should be paying morea ttention!

hope your bettas do better. i know it's a pain going through all these treatments. not just for the fish, but for us too!

chickadee

Could he be playing so close to the Whisper filter that it is tearing the fins? The suction of the filter is at the bottom and his fins are fragile now. It would not take much to upset the growth of them. I know he loves it but it may not be the best thing for the little guy right now. Perhaps a small air stone would give him some bubbles to play in and be safer to play in.

Rose