Betta: Fin/Tail Rot and Loss! Please help!!

I got my betta on 9/27 and he had fin rot from the get go. I put him in a 2.5 gallon salt water treatment on 9/30 doing daily 50%water changes there is an air stone in with him. Then last night I did his water change, put him in a halfway solution then back in freshwater. The first picture is from this moring, his caudal fin split and looks like a piece from the middle is gone. There were holes in the fin where it split to. And his dorsal fin shredded. This all happened in 15 hours. I don't know what to do. He seems like he had more energy yesterday, he wouldn't stay still for a picture. The difference between yesterdays water and todays is: no salt, the air stone was a little lower pressure today, there was a filter in the freshwater, i took 1 silk plant out and put a different one, added API Stress coat plus. The first picture and the last 2 are this morning, the 2nd thru the 5th are the last 4 days that he had been in the salt treatment, 10/3, 10/2, 10/1, 9/30. I need help figuring out the next best thing to do with stressing him too much. I don't know what caused the sudden change in his fin condition or if his fin was meant to fall off where the holes were. But his dorsal fin shredding concerns me a lot.

 

I’d put him in a clean tank without salt. It could be stressing him out, and IMO clean water and Indian almond leaves are the best treatment for betta fin issues. What are your water parameters and how big of a tank is he in right now?

 

My betta had a really bad fin rot at one point and nothing really helped until I decided to do 30-50% water changes every other day. Having at least a 5g tank works helps a lot too

 

I’d put him in a clean tank without salt. It could be stressing him out, and IMO clean water and Indian almond leaves are the best treatment for betta fin issues. What are your water parameters and how big of a tank is he in right now?

He is currently in freshwater, he was in saltwater until last nights nights water change and he went into freshwater and 15 hours later he is now missing a chunk of caudal fin and his dorsal fin is shredding. I dont know why it progressed so quickly when putting back in freshwater.

My betta had a really bad fin rot at one point and nothing really helped until I decided to do 30-50% water changes every other day. Having at least a 5g tank works helps a lot too

I do a 50%change daily. My 5 gallon main tank for him is no cycled, i cleaned it and put plants in it, I am going to buy the API master test kit today to test the ammonia to see if I can safely put him in the 5 gallon tank. Its just sooo close to his body.

 

The reason for the drastic differnece could be fin biting. He’s probably stressed. put him in the 5gal, buy some Indian almond leaves, and do like 20% water changes daily.. i typically try and avoid using the medications many pet stores advertise because they’re intense and don’t always have the best effects IMO.. make sure he has plenty of hides to feel safe, and that the water quality is good. the the fish-in cycle can be rough, But There’s some really good articles on here that talks about it.

 

The reason for the drastic differnece could be fin biting. He’s probably stressed. put him in the 5gal, buy some Indian almond leaves, and do like 20% water changes daily.. i typically try and avoid using the medications many pet stores advertise because they’re intense and don’t always have the best effects IMO.. make sure he has plenty of hides to feel safe, and that the water quality is good. the the fish-in cycle can be rough, But There’s some really good articles on here that talks about it.

Fin biting is what I was thinking it may be on the dorsal fin. Where can I get almond leaves? Just online and wait for them to ship? Do you have suggeations on hides? I can't find any in store that have big enough holes for him or don't have a lot of sharp points. Any DIY suggestions?

 

I get mine at petco, and my LFS sells them in bulk. They also have them in numerous places online.

live plants are my go to for good cover, but those take time to grow and special requirements.. if you’re not able to do that, then silk plants are a really good, soft alternative. Any floating plants my bettas seem to love. Getting some real wood from the petstore will also release tannis, which is what the IALs release, and that might help the fins too