Betta Fish Sick with Ich and Fin Rot

Hi there,

I recently purchased a betta fish and unfortunately within a week of getting the fish I noticed that it had contracted ich. I have been treating the ich for the past week with and a half with some results using medication and just noticed that my fish is now showing severe signs of fin rot. He is floating to the top of the water and can has trouble moving about. I currently have him in a 3 gallon tank with a heater set to around 80 degrees and I am running a filter without the carbon filtration pad inside (as suggested by the ich medication). Do you have any suggestions as to what I can be doing better or which of the diseases is more important to treat? Thanks in advance!

 

Question: How long have you been running your tank and do you know what the Nitrogen Cycle is?

Regarding the Ich and Fin Rot, it could be that the water quality is poor which is why it is experiencing Fin Rot (bacterial infection) and is stressed out because of it (hence the Ich).

While it doesnt seem economic, having a smaller tank is for people with tons of experience. If you are barely starting out, you might want to change to a 10 gallon so that changes in water quality aren't so sudden.

 

Question: How long have you been running your tank and do you know what the Nitrogen Cycle is?

Regarding the Ich and Fin Rot, it could be that the water quality is poor which is why it is experiencing Fin Rot (bacterial infection) and is stressed out because of it (hence the Ich).

While it doesnt seem economic, having a smaller tank is for people with tons of experience. If you are barely starting out, you might want to change to a 10 gallon so that changes in water quality aren't so sudden.

The fish has been in the tank for approximately a week but I turned on the filter today to see if it would have a positive effect. Unfortunately I was forced to turn the filter off because my fish kept getting caught in it's current. How often do you think I should be preforming water changes taking into consideration that I am medicating him for ich?

 

All of the big box bettas in my city have fin rot so don’t blame yourself first off. Secondly, how long was the tank set up before he was added and are you able to test the water for the current water parameters (ammonia, nitrates, etc)

 

All of the big box bettas in my city have fin rot so don’t blame yourself first off. Secondly, how long was the tank set up before he was added and are you able to test the water for the current water parameters (ammonia, nitrates, etc)

I know it's probably not ideal but the tank was set up a day in advance. Unfortunately I have no way to test for the above.

 

Frequent water changes should clear up the finrot, but you may not be able to do it until ich treatmwnt is all done. The ich will generally kill faster than the finrot will. And the finrot still looks rather manageable.

 

I know it's probably not ideal but the tank was set up a day in advance. Unfortunately I have no way to test for the above.

Your tank has no way to absorb anything you put into your tank (fish waste, food, etc.) and your fish is experiencing the blunt of it. Ammonia and Nitrites are harmful for your fish. I actually experienced something similar when I started (with a 2.5 gallon) but with way more fish (platies and endlers) and they all ended up with fin rot, ich, and Columunaris. I never cycled the tank properly which takes maybe around 35 to 42 daysish but you should preform regular water changes (probably 25% everyday) because your tank is so small. The bacteria (Nitrifiers) are still growing in (they are kinda slow growers) but you could get those bacteria starter capsules to help you out.

 

Yes unfortunately if your tank is not well cycled the betta may continue to get worse. You need to keep the filter on for sure and I would perform a 50% water change

 

The tank will cycle eventually, but I agree with daily water changes. Even after it is cycled, I would recommend doing bi-weekly water changes on a tank of that size.

Are you using a water conditioner/dechlorinator? That is extremely important. Prime by Seachem is great as a dechlorinator and it holds the toxicity of low levels of ammonia and nitrite.

What meds are you using for the ich? Are you using aquarium salt?

I would also recommend adding something to release tannins into the water, like Indian almond leaves, alder cones, a small piece of treated drift wood that might fit in the small tank, or even brewing a bit of organic rooibos tea using treated tank water. Some people don't like the tannins because it will tint the water brown, but it is very beneficial for the betta's health.

Finally I would recommend that you invest in an API freshwater master test kit. You will need it to cycle the tank, and to always keep an eye on the water parameters. The strips aren't that reliable, and the kit will last a long time.

Hope this helps, and I hope that your fin baby bounces back quickly with some TLC!!!