Does My New Betta Have Fin Rot?!

bought a betta 3 days ago, he’s in a heated (78 degrees) planted 5 gallon/20 litre tank with a filter. I’ve noticed he has a tiny hole and some black spots on his one fin (I can’t see any on his tail when it’s fanned out) could this be fin rot? I will do twice weekly water changes, if medication is needed I’d rather not spend loads... unless obviously it gets really bad I don’t want him suffering! He seems happy enough very active- he was in a tiny tank at the pet shop so maybe now he’s in a better environment he’ll get better on his own?
By the way please don’t judge me I don’t test my water parameters, I have another tank that has been thoroughly cycled and is stable ( as far as I am aware) and I just rinsed the sponge in that tank water and then rinsed the new sponge in it and also cut a bit off the old sponge and put it with the new sponge in the filter. I then left the new tank to cycle for a week like this before adding the betta.

 

He's beautiful! Congratulations!
First things first I would absolutely check the water parameters, even if you're sure it's cycled. Fin rot is caused by dirty water and it's likely that he had already started to get it when he was in the shop. He does look like he's developing a case of fin rot, so I would do daily 50% water changes. You should start seeing improvements within the next couple of weeks! Welcome to Fishlore!!!

 

It looks like he does, a bit bad too. You don’t have to get tons of medications. I would just do 25-50% water changes daily. Clean water is the best medicine. Indian almond leaves and seachem stress guard may promote fin growth but it’s not mandatory. If three weeks of water changes doesn’t work, you may need to step up to AQ salt which isn’t expensive. Good luck!

 

Yes but I've seen them bounce back from worse.
But see that u-shaped missing piece? That could be finbiting. I had a finbiter who bit whatever he could reach.

 

Thanks guys!! Poor boy okay I did think daily water changes might be too much but obviously not! I’ll start right away!

Yes but I've seen them bounce back from worse.
But see that u-shaped missing piece? That could be finbiting. I had a finbiter who bit whatever he could reach.

Do you mean he’s biting his own fins?! Is that from stress? I’ve not seen him doing anything since I’ve had him...

 

Thanks guys!! Poor boy okay I did think daily water changes might be too much but obviously not! I’ll start right away!


Do you mean he’s biting his own fins?! Is that from stress? I’ve not seen him doing anything since I’ve had him...

I don't know if it's stress. My biter was quite highly strung and v active. He was smart too.

 

I saw today his pectoral fins are pretty much see through! I’m so worried about him now I’ve been doing daily water changes about 30% , he’s still quite active at first I thought he wasn’t eating although I break his food up pretty small he kept spitting it out but I think he just doesn’t like the flakes because when I kind of hand fed him just blood worms he ate them. I’ve ordered some Indian almond leaves. I went to the store yesterday they gave me a free fungal treatment but looking at reviews of it (“love fish” from pets at home) lots of people say it killed their fish! I’m scared to use it what does everyone think? I think I might just see how he does with the water changes and IAL and if he gets really bad use the treatment as a last resort... there are conflicting arguments as to what temperature to have the water with fin rot some say higher than normal and some say lower! It’s currently about 26c so 79 f

 

Picture of his dorsal fins

 

I've used King British finrot treatment with good results. It has a betta on the box.

 

I've used King British finrot treatment with good results. It has a betta on the box.

Yes I’ll get that! Good price and decent reviews! Thank you! So many I’ve looked at have been expensive!

 

Hi-- I had similar happen to Bubba my Betta after three days of bringing hime home. It was my first attempt at this hobby and had no clue- though he had torn on cave I had in tank. Needless to say within 5 days he had almost lost entire back fin and would spit out his food. I decided to go the antibiotic route and it saved him.
I used API Fin and Body Cure - FOLLOW EXACTLY for your particular gallon amount. Within a day I saw improvement and he began eating.
After hiding behind the heater for days he was out and about. Today 6 mod later his fin has all regrown thought not as how he first was- its longer and curly in spots. Occasionally he gets tiny little holes that grow ack overnight but have ben told it os because he swims so much. I hadn't cycled my tank and that may have contributed. Today he is thriving with quite the personality. API is a little pricy think 18 dollars at Petsmart but worth every penny. BEST OF LUCK

 

Chk out before and afters-- fist one is how his tail used to be then as the Fin Rot progressed...after first dosage on API the tip of tail turned whitish ten healed...see progress...then this week. Noone should give up! with care and patience Betta can recover.

 

Chk out before and afters-- fist one is how his tail used to be then as the Fin Rot progressed...after first dosage on API the tip of tail turned whitish ten healed...see progress...then this week. Noone should give up! with care and patience Betta can recover.

Wow his got really bad! Glad he’s much better now. I’m from England so no pets mart here :/ but will look and see if I can get it online. Although mine is still very active! And he is eating okay... he even flared at me before haha and seemed to be wanting to fight the glass (?) but I think it has gotten worse on the end of his tail... so I’d rather start on antibiotics now!

 

just make sure you follow the adequate dosage for your size aquarium. And doth miss the water changes-- you also need to take out filter media so it doesn't absorb your antibiotic. Best of luck!
as you can see the fins have born out and continue to grow...however the top and bottom ones (not sure names) have grown out with curled ends-- weird hat the one that broke off has grin out straight so doth think its my water. As long as your Betta is eating that is a good sign! Bubba would no eat when he was sick.

 

HELP! Indian almond leaves have arrived I rinsed them first and they’ve only been in for a day (I broke them up though to get it realeasing into the water quicker and there is an oily residue around them! Is this normal or are these leaves not good quality?! And possibly harmful?

 

HELP! Indian almond leaves have arrived I rinsed them first and they’ve only been in for a day (I broke them up though to get it realeasing into the water quicker and there is an oily residue around them! Is this normal or are these leaves not good quality?! And possibly harmful?

You could try boiling them just in case. A paper towel on the surface will absorb the oil.

 

I think my Betta fish, Ted, had fin rot before I moved to college. Before, he was being kept in an air conditioned room, but now he's living in a dorm with me, without any AC. His tank is pretty much always at optimal temperature (80-82) and he does have a heater, something I only got a couple weeks before I moved out.

I'm wondering if his fins and tail are showing any signs of improving. I don't know much about fish, but it kind of looks like the color might be coming back more to his tail?

I read online that cold temperatures could cause fin rot, and he used to live in a 68-72 degree room. I'm not sure if that was the only cause, or if it was a cause at all, but he seems much happier and more active here. I just don't know how to tell if the fins and tail are healing.

I'm not sure what to do besides getting some type of medicine - does anyone have any recommendations? The only pet store nearby is a Petco, so it would have to be available there.

I clean his tank probably every 1 1/2-2 weeks- is that enough? I feed him omega 1 betta buffet flakes 2-3 times a day. He has a filter, a heater, a plant, and a place to hide in his tank, as well as gravel on the bottom.

Could you guys please help me? I really love my fish and I'm not sure how to help him. I certainly don't want him to die

tldr; my betta fish had/has fin rot and I'm not sure if its healing, and if its not, what can I do to make it better?

 

Doesn't look like he has fin rot. If he does, it's healing.

 

Hi! What size is the tank, and do you know what the parameters are?
Finrot can be caused by bad water quality, which happens when waist and uneaten food break down, releasing ammonia in the tank.
What do you mean by "clean the tank?" I do water changes for my betta every two or three days to battle fin rot, and I gravel vac once a week.
I can't open the pictures on my computer (my school has some weird firewalls on it) but if you think it is healing, and if he is heated now, it should be healing.

 

What do you mean by "clean the tank?"

I am honestly wondering the same thing. Can we get more information on the setup the Betta is currently living in? Perhaps a picture of the full tank can help. Usually, I find fin-rot comes from sudden changes in water parameters, but without the information it will be difficult to figure out what is going on.

 

Hi! What size is the tank, and do you know what the parameters are?
Finrot can be caused by bad water quality, which happens when waist and uneaten food break down, releasing ammonia in the tank.
What do you mean by "clean the tank?" I do water changes for my betta every two or three days to battle fin rot, and I gravel vac once a week.
I can't open the pictures on my computer (my school has some weird firewalls on it) but if you think it is healing, and if he is heated now, it should be healing.

I am honestly wondering the same thing. Can we get more information on the setup the Betta is currently living in? Perhaps a picture of the full tank can help. Usually, I find fin-rot comes from sudden changes in water parameters, but without the information it will be difficult to figure out what is going on.

Its 2.5 gallons. I know I should get a bigger one, and I want to, I just have to figure out where to put it because there's not much space in my dorm. I haven't cleaned his tank in 6 days - and when I say that, I mean complete water change. I guess I didn't really know that you could do partial ones? I take all of the stuff out of his tank, put him into a cup, dump the water, and rinse everything including the gravel. Should I be saving some of the old water to put in with the new water?
I also use water conditioner. I don't know the parameters of his tank, just that it's 2.5 gallons, 80-82 degrees usually.

What worries me is that the end of his tail is turning translucent, and the tips of his fins are white. I think it might be getting better but i'm not really sure. I haven't done anything differently, he just lives at a higher temperature now, which is the only parameter change I can think of.

 

Looks to just growing. Betta fins will turn clear when growing and the color will slowly bleed into the fins.

 

Please don't do 100% water changes (what you've been doing) that loses some of your beneficial bacteria. Do 25-50% (?) Every week

 

I haven't cleaned his tank in 6 days - and when I say that, I mean complete water change. I guess I didn't really know that you could do partial ones? I take all of the stuff out of his tank, put him into a cup, dump the water, and rinse everything including the gravel.

There is the reason. Beneficial Bacteria will not be found directly in the water column. It primarily sticks to shaded areas with a large amount of surface area, such as filter media, and gravel. When you rinse everything including the gravel, it also rinses away a large portion of beneficial bacteria with it.

I keep many tanks and rarely clean my gravel. When your ecosystem is healthy, it will usually maintain itself.

I was brought into the hobby when I was gifted a Betta and a 2.5 gallon tank. In fact, I made many of the same mistakes you are making now, so don't feel too bad about it.

My best suggestion is to change your tank maintenance routine,

Perform a 10-20% water change once a week. Do not dismantle and clean the tank, just gravel vac about one time every few months. If algae forms, keep in mind it is not harmful to the fish. It is just ugly An old credit card can remove algae from glass easily.

Plants are also a great option to clean your aquarium. They absorb nitrates that build up in the water as a result from waste.

 

This is my 5 gallon setup for a single Black Orchid Betta.

My new 5 Gallon low maintenance tank

• A_School_of_Sharks
• Sep 7, 2018
• 5

It still needs some new aquascaping, but the tank itself seems to be sufficient. I swear the...

That plant in the corner is called a pothos plant. It can be found at Lowes, walmart, home depot, exc. It is fantastic at removing nitrates/waste. It is so good at removing waste in fact, it has knocked down my nitrate levels to 0. It has been able to stay like that for weeks without water-changes. (I usually still perform them however just to be safe)

My point is most plants will help your water quality issues dramatically, perhaps not as much as a pothos plant, but every bit counts.

 

There is the reason. Beneficial Bacteria will not be found directly in the water column. It primarily sticks to shaded areas with a large amount of surface area, such as filter media, and gravel. When you rinse everything including the gravel, it also rinses away a large portion of beneficial bacteria with it.

I keep many tanks and rarely clean my gravel. When your ecosystem is healthy, it will usually maintain itself.

I was brought into the hobby when I was gifted a Betta and a 2.5 gallon tank. In fact, I made many of the same mistakes you are making now, so don't feel too bad about it.

My best suggestion is to change your tank maintenance routine,

Perform a 10-20% water change once a week. Do not dismantle and clean the tank, just gravel vac about one time every few months. If algae forms, keep in mind it is not harmful to the fish. It is just ugly An old credit card can remove algae from glass easily.

Plants are also a great option to clean your aquarium. They absorb nitrates that build up in the water as a result from waste.

I would recommend more frequent water changes to deal with fin rot. I gravel vac every week and do water changes (25%-50%) every three or four days. You can do weekly changes once he is healed, but up until then they need to be more frequent.
You can get a five to ten gallon, they are very small.

 

I would recommend more frequent water changes to deal with fin rot. I gravel vac every week and do water changes (25%-50%) every three or four days. You can do weekly changes once he is healed, but up until then they need to be more frequent.
You can get a five to ten gallon, they are very small.

in your opinion do you think he has fin rot? it seems like the tips of his ventral fins are white to me. someone else said that his tail is clear because it's growing, which I hope is true, because if not I don't know what else it would be besides fin rot

 

in your opinion do you think he has fin rot? it seems like the tips of his ventral fins are white to me. someone else said that his tail is clear because it's growing, which I hope is true, because if not I don't know what else it would be besides fin rot

I can't see the photos, but if he is healing, he still has wounds that make him for vulnerable to infection. You need to treat it like he does have fin rot until he's completely healed.

 

I can't see the photos, but if he is healing, he still has wounds that make him for vulnerable to infection. You need to treat it like he does have fin rot until he's completely healed.

I'm not sure if he ever had fin rot in the first place. Looking at him, it seems like his ventral fins are clear around the edges, like his tail. I think he's growing! I'll still get him some aquarium salt, just in case

 

Aquarium salt doesn't really do anything for fin rot it is more used for velvet and ich

 

Let's be careful not to overwhelm or over-diagnose the op's issue.

A good start is to improve the living conditions of the fish through better routine, maintenance, and additions, the basic stuff really.

Once you change the routine, here is the most important part: PATIENCE. Observe the fish and see if there are changes in his condition and behavior over time. It is best not to make a mountain out of a mole hill. I find once your routine is solid, the fish will be able to fight off potential infections far more effectively.

 

Also, have you considered getting a Java Fern? it is an aquarium plant that is very easy to keep and could easily survive in your setup. It will certainly help maintain your water quality.

 

My 1 yr bettas top fin started to turn white/transparent and now some of his bottom fin is starting to turn as well. He is in a 5 gal tank with a filter & heater . A few snails ,3 amazon sword plants, and a moss ball

His normal diet is a few bloodworms but he recently got a little bloated so I put him on the fasting/pea diet which he is currently on still.

Should I use Bettafix? I read online that you can use it but also not to cause its harmful.

I did a 30% water change today . I ran out of test strips so can't test today. Not sure what else to do . It seems to not be getting any better .

Any tips? Thanks

 

Bettafix is not good medicine- it's mostly eucalyptus oil. It can actually do more harm than good.

The best treatment for fin issues isn't medicine in a bottle- you can do the most good by changing the water more frequently. I would do 30% every other day until you see improvement. You might also add some Indian Almond Leaves (also known as Catappa), which will add tannins which are antibacterial. The leaves may stain the water slightly but this shows that they are working. Also, don't buy more test strips, buy a Master Test Kit which uses test tubes. It's far more accurate and you will get 800 tests from one set.

 

His normal diet is a few bloodworms

Bloodworms are pretty fatty and a few of them is likely too much. This is unrelated to the fin issues (I think), but I'd stop feeding them to him as his main staple food. They're best as treats, say once a week. Something like Bug Bites would be better for daily feedings. Unless you mean freezedried bloodworms? I believe those have less fat.

 

I can't tell from those pics if its fin rot or something else but.. Causes for ripped or shredded fins on bettas:
Fin rot - fungal infection and fins will noticeably get worse if untreated. Use an anti-fungal, there are many different kinds.
Damage from decor in tank - examine everything in the tank, if rough or sharp, this can rip betta fins. If anything looks sharp, remove it.
Self tail biting - rare but some bettas do it. You will need to catch him doing it.
Damage by tank mates - you will need to keep a close eye to see a tank mate is biting and ripping the betta's fins. Seperate fish if so.
*** if the damage is not fin rot, the fins will likely heal back with time, warm water temp., can also add indian almond leaves that have beneficial properties to overall fish health. Also a product called Vitachem that has vitamin and beneficial properties that support fin regrowth. Hope this will help

 

My betta fish is in a 5 gal tank with a filter & heater . A few snails ,3 amazon sword plants, and a moss ball .

Recently his top fin started to turn white/transparent a little and now its moved to his body on his scales.

Ive done 30% water changes every other day and a 50% change today.
I used bettafix twice but stopped because I was told its harmful.

He doesn't swim anymore. Just lays in the bottom of the tank. I can tell its affecting him .

Can someone help me please !!!

 

My betta fish is in a 5 gal tank with a filter & heater . A few snails ,3 amazon sword plants, and a moss ball .

Recently his top fin started to turn white/transparent a little and now its moved to his body on his scales.

Ive done 30% water changes every other day and a 50% change today.
I used bettafix twice but stopped because I was told its harmful.

He doesn't swim anymore. Just lays in the bottom of the tank. I can tell its affecting him .

Can someone help me please !!!

Welcome to Fishlore- sorry about your Betta! Can you fill this out for us please? It will help us advise you better:
Fish Emergency Template | Betta Fish 376562

 

You posted like a week ago about the same thing and never responded to the replies. If you want help, make sure to come back and answer people trying to help you.
Please fill out the emergency template so we can help you and your betta

 

Shou

You posted like a week ago about the same thing and never responded to the replies. If you want help, make sure to come back and answer people trying to help you.
Please fill out the emergency template so we can help you and your betta

Should I make a new thread with the template or post it on here ?