Emergency- Betta Fin Completely Ripped Off

Hey all, let me start this post by saying that I'm in complete shock as to what is happening with my poor betta right now. I just got home after being away for 3 months, and my betta had been suffering with a battered tail for quite some time. However, the second I got home, I was completely horrified... His entire top fin, aside from a small strand, was COMPLETELY GONE. My mom takes care of my tanks and literally either didn't notice it (which I fail to believe as this is something that literally can't be missed) or it had just happened within today somehow. I will post pictures tomorrow, right now he is resting and I don't want to disturb him, but I have absolutely no clue what I can even do for him. His entire fin is gone, and along his body, you can see bits of flesh sticking up. We have no idea how this happened or what he ripped his fin on.... he's been in this tank for over 3 years and never had anything like this happen.

I'm just at a lose for words, he looks absolutely horrible... his tail is just about rotten down completely, his top fin has now been pulled off... and yet he is still somehow swimming and being his sweet self. I feel absolutely awful right now, I know it was a freak accident but I can't but help think I could have somehow prevented this. Ugh, I'm just speechless.

Here's what I've done so far in the midst of panic. I took him out of the water and performed a quick procedure using Meruchrome on his tail and the top part of his missing fins. There is a large opening of flesh that I was trying to sanitize and make sure it wouldn't become infected. as well as was trying to help disinfect his rotten tail. I then did a 90% water change, dosed with aquarium salt, threw in an almond leaf, and also dosed a treatment of Kanaplex. For food, I'll be soaking his food in garlic guard and Vita-chem, and dose the Kanaplex every 2 days. Is there anything else I can do for him? He is acting normal for now, but... I just have the worst feeling that he isn't going to pull through this. He has barely any tail fin left because my mom wasn't proactive in treating it while I was away, and now his entire top fin is gone... and I worry how he will even be able to swim soon. I'd appreciate any advice at this point, I'm just in a state of shock right now. ):




Edit; Forgot to post tank specs;

8 Gallon heated/filtered tank
Planted with driftwood, rocks, etc
Water change weekly
About 78-82F

 

Hey all, let me start this post by saying that I'm in complete shock as to what is happening with my poor betta right now. I just got home after being away for 3 months, and my betta had been suffering with a battered tail for quite some time. However, the second I got home, I was completely horrified... His entire top fin, aside from a small strand, was COMPLETELY GONE. My mom takes care of my tanks and literally either didn't notice it (which I fail to believe as this is something that literally can't be missed) or it had just happened within today somehow. I will post pictures tomorrow, right now he is resting and I don't want to disturb him, but I have absolutely no clue what I can even do for him. His entire fin is gone, and along his body, you can see bits of flesh sticking up. We have no idea how this happened or what he ripped his fin on.... he's been in this tank for over 3 years and never had anything like this happen.

I'm just at a lose for words, he looks absolutely horrible... his tail is just about rotten down completely, his top fin has now been pulled off... and yet he is still somehow swimming and being his sweet self. I feel absolutely awful right now, I know it was a freak accident but I can't but help think I could have somehow prevented this. Ugh, I'm just speechless.

Here's what I've done so far in the midst of panic. I took him out of the water and performed a quick procedure using Meruchrome on his tail and the top part of his missing fins. There is a large opening of flesh that I was trying to sanitize and make sure it wouldn't become infected. as well as was trying to help disinfect his rotten tail. I then did a 90% water change, dosed with aquarium salt, threw in an almond leaf, and also dosed a treatment of Kanaplex. For food, I'll be soaking his food in garlic guard and Vita-chem, and dose the Kanaplex every 2 days. Is there anything else I can do for him? He is acting normal for now, but... I just have the worst feeling that he isn't going to pull through this. He has barely any tail fin left because my mom wasn't proactive in treating it while I was away, and now his entire top fin is gone... and I worry how he will even be able to swim soon. I'd appreciate any advice at this point, I'm just in a state of shock right now. ):




Edit; Forgot to post tank specs;

8 Gallon heated/filtered tank
Planted with driftwood, rocks, etc
Water change weekly
About 78-82F

I'm so sorry, it sounds like he has fin rot that's advanced into body rot. Kanaplex is a good strong antibiotic, so it was a good choice. Keep his water as close to spotless as you can without diluting the meds with too many water changes. Maybe a 25% before each new dose? I might also use a touch more kanaplex than the directions suggest. Depending on the kind of wood and it's placement in the tank, I might also take the driftwood out for now.

Usually with fin rot I suggest adding live and frozen foods into their diet to help them heal and rebuild tissue, but you might want to put that off for now. You could risk introducing more contaminants while his immune system is already stressed.

This might not be my place, but I don't think there's much chance that this happened overnight. If the fin was torn off, it would still be in the tank somewhere. Fin rot usually takes some time to work down to the body of the fish. It might just be a very aggressive strain, but for your fish's sake, I hope your mother just didn't keep up with his water changes.

Good luck!

 

Thanks so much for the reply, glad I'm on the right path. I will try to take out the driftwood but unfortunately, plants are tied to it and all of it is connected as one so I may risk ruining the tank and plants. I may just have to move him to my 10 gallon empty QT tank for safety reasons.

Also, I think it was ripped because she literally told me she had never noticed it, plus there is one tiny strand of healthy fin left on the top. We also did find a large chunk of something transparent and fin-like on the bottom of the tank, so I really think he just ripped it off on something. My mom does weekly water changes, she has been doing this for 3 years and only now have we ever had a problem with this betta. His tail has been a battle and unfortunately I'm not here long enough at a time to keep fighting it. Was hoping 1-2 water changes per week would fix it, which is what my mom had been doing, but it seems to be more aggressive than I thought. She definitely didn't tell me how much worse it had gotten though, so I'm really trying to fix the damage caused... but this new fin thing, I feel like no one could have missed that. His tank is pretty densely decorated so I really do feel like it's been ripped out vs fin rot since it's a clean tear, plus there's a small strand left and we had found what looked like part of his fin on the bottom of the tank. /:

I'll post pictures in the morning. What worries me is that there seems to be exposed body tissue at the top, which is where I gently dabbed on some meruchrome to hopefully prevent infection. It was slightly red and did look fresh, so hopefully I got there on time. Is there a suggestion as to how often I should do this meruchrome treatment? I know it's extremely stressful to them but I'm able to get it done within 1 minute so it's worth it if it helps... I also have methylene blue if that would help t through doing dips?

 

Pull any carbon out from the filter I think for the meds. Can't help with the other questions. Sorry, good luck.

 

Poor guy - sounds like you are doing everything right for him. Try to take a deep breath and give him some time with the treatments.
Apparently, Kanaplex can be combined with Furan 2 (nitrofurazone) which work together in severe cases like yours - if you have access to it. I'd see how he's doing after the first round of Kanaplex (combined with your other efforts) and then decided if you think it's necessary.
If only we could hug our fish

Re the Mercurchrome, you'll have to use your judgement on whether continuing to do that outweighs the stress it may be causing him. It might be a bit easier on him to do methylene blue baths, 15 min a day for a few days. That would 'medicate' all of him, including parts you can't see any damage on, vs. the dabbing. Just my opinion, but do what you feel works for you. Please keep us posted!

 

Note, Kanaplex will reduce his appetite somewhat. I used Kanaplex with Furan 2 for a suspected Columnaris outbreak and it sent my tank into a mini-cycle.. so watch for that as well if you go that route.

 

Thanks, TexasGuppy - yes it's a strong combination. I should have warned OP about potential 'side effects'. It's only really recommended for very serious situations, like yours with Columnaris, and OP's severe fin/body rot. Use with caution!

 

Okay I'm glad to hear I'm on the right path. I just fed him 3 pellets soaked in Vitachem and Garlic Guard, which he ate up pretty quickly before retreating back down to rest again. I can pick up some frozen food if that's a better option, but I figured pellets would soak up more of the liquid vs. worms or brine shrimp. I also dosed his tank with 8 drops of Vitachem as well. I've turned his lights off just now so he can try and just rest, but spirit wise, he seems alright... though he definitely isn't his normal, wiggly self. He must be in such terrible pain right now... I can't even imagine what he's feeling.

I attached a picture of his fin. As you can see, part of his flesh has been ripped off too and he has just a small amount of fin that wasn't ripped. I have no idea if it will ever regrow, seeing as the entire fin is literally gone. I can only hope he bounces back... We've had him for almost 4 years now and I just love him to death. Can't even think about losing him to such a stupid, freak accident like this. ):

I'll continue the Kanaplex for the recommended dosage, then see if I need to escalate it with the Furan. In that case, would I do a second round of Kanaplex as well? The container says only a maximum of 3 doses should be used, so would I wait for maybe a week before re-dosing the Kanaplex + Furan?

 

Is that the same betta in your profile picture?

 

No that's one we had a few years ago, poor guy passed from Dropsy. He was a stunner though. The one pictured here has been with us for 4+ years now and was always in pristine condition. He got fin rot after I stupidly forgot to plug his filter back in after a water change and it was off for an entire week while we were on vacation. Came back and saw his tail beginning to rot, and it's been downhill since. Then the whole ripped off fin happens. /:

 

I would do 2 rounds of the Kanaplex, along with the mercurchrome or m. blue baths. Between those and the Vitachem and small daily water changes, that should move things in the right direction. If you feel it's necessary think about a third round of Kanaplex plus Furan 2. Keep in mind it isn't going to heal overnight! As long as he's eating and his activity level improves, those are good signs. Right now the main thing is to prevent any infection or further deterioration where hes the most vulnerable. His colouration is beautiful by the way!!

 

Hmmm, so should the 2nd round of Kanaplex be immediately after the first dose? And if I don't see any improvements by the end of this first dose, should I go ahead and add Furan with the 2nd dosing? I'm assuming I need to do a water change before the 2nd round as well? Also, how often should I be doing the Meruchrome procedure? I don't want to over-stress him at this point since he's so vulnerable, but I'm so worried about infection. The top of his body where the flesh is all ripped up is a little red today which worries me... I was thinking the hydrogen peroxide would be more gentle and could be done daily, even dosing it in the tank if needed. I was going to net him just barely out of the water and just quickly swab the infected body area, and then pour a few drops onto his tail. Since hydrogen peroxide can go into his water, I figured that'd be the safest way of at the moment vs. doing Meruchrome everyday... What are ya'lls thoughts? Should I just swab/dab the infected areas, should I dose some into his tank? I just want to make sure the reddening doesn't worsen...

Also what worries me is, if his body/flesh is infected, can I still apply meruchrome or hydrogen peroxide to it as long as I stay away from his gills, or will that hurt and burn him? The flesh seems exposed at the top so I'm desperate to keep it from getting infected, but have read everywhere that you should never swab their bodies... Not sure what I can do.

 

Can you post a new pic of him, so we can see the red area? I don't have any experience using peroxide, maybe someone else can answer that one.

One round of Kanaplex is 2 - 3 doses, 48 hours apart. I would do the first round and see how he's doing before you do a second round or add the Furan to the mix. Do a partial water change in between those doses, right before adding the meds.

Give the meds some time to work. Believe me, I know how hard it is to feel like you are doing everything possible for him, but it still doesn't feel like it's enough. He's a very lucky fishie to have such a dedicated caregiver.

 

Alrighty, I did the 2nd dose of Kanaplex earlier after seeing that his tail was a little bloodied still. I think I'm going to do another round of Meruchrome tomorrow on both his tail and upper body just to be on the safe side. That, or I plan on trying out the Hydrogen peroxide thing and just netting him barely out of the water and dabbing some on quickly, since it's okay if that gets in the water. That'd also be a lot less stressful than the Meruchrome, and at this point, I need him as relaxed as possible so he doesn't get worse. He is still eagerly eating his pellets soaked in Vitachem and Garlic Guard and today, he seemed much more active so I'm hoping that's a good sign. After looking at the top fin area, it actually doesn't look red anymore; I think it may have been the lighting that fooled me, so that's good that it doesn't physically appear worse.

I've also ordered some stress coat and Furan 2, just incase he goes downhill or the wound becomes infected. After his 3rd dose of Kanaplex in 2 days, I may hold off on the medicines for a few days to see if any healing begins. If things get worse, I'll do a combination of the Kanaplex and Furan 2. Seeing how Kanaplex can be fed, would it be more effective to give him it that way vs. dosing in the water? I have Focus which helps bind it to the food, and he's still eating as of now. Any thoughts or things I should change?

 

Sounds like you are doing great! I'm glad to hear it may not have been quite as red as you first thought.
Re the Focus, I wouldn't worry to much about combining the Kanaplex with his food - I believe that is more for boosting its effectiveness when treating internal infections. Your guys issue is strictly external, so dosing the tank should be fine.

 

Just a quick update; My baby Norman seems to be doing good still. He's eating like a piglet and seems to be handling the medicine well. I went ahead and did the hydrogen peroxide thing yesterday and managed to quickly dab a little on his top fin area. However, seeing by his reaction, I knew it was incredibly painful so I mainly just dabbed it onto his fins and tail. The bloody patch I saw on his tail seems less blood and red today, and the top fin area isn't red still and remains normal colored. I don't see any changes as of now but at least there's no signs of infection popping up. I'll continue through with the 3rd dose of Kanaplex tomorrow after doing a small WC, and then begin daily methylene blue baths as well ( just found the bottle so I'll start that as part of the treatment plan). Once the 3rd round of Kanaplex is done, I'll do a full WC and just start doing small WC's every other day + the hydrogen peroxide treatment as needed. Hopefully the top part of his body begins to scar and heal in time, and I can only hope it doesn't get infected the second I go off medications. The slime coat and Furan 2 should be in today or tomorrow so I'll be dosing extra slime coat into his tank the minute it arrives. Hopefully my baby recovers, he's still so sweet and trusting after all that I've been doing to him the past few days. He's just a little sweetheart. ):

 

Glad to hear he's doing well. He's in great hands!!!

 

Well a little update; I finished the 3rd round of Kanaplex on Monday and basically just have been using clean water, almond leaf, and salt the past few days. The tips of his tail were blood red yesterday, however seem better today... but the top of his body is looking a little bit strange. I'm not sure if what I'm seeing is the start of a fungal infection, or if it's just dead skin falling off possibly? I've attached pictures below.
He is still eating great, water is staying clean, and he's even feeling well enough to make a bubble nest. So I'm not sure if that top fin area is healing and what I see is maybe just dead tissue, or if it's become infected. What are your thoughts?

I'm trying to avoid more medicines if I can but I do still have plenty of Kanaplex + Furan 2 on standby if needed... Just not sure what to do at this point.

 

I hope he gets better!

 

Glad to hear his behaviour is 'normal' - that's definitely a good sign!
I'm not sure on the area you are concerned about - could you get a closer picture or maybe a zoomed in copy of the ones you posted? It's hard to see what you are talking about.
It's possible it's a fungus growing, but given the meds in the tank, I wouldn't think so? It could be fin regrowth, or even bits of his slime coat? You'll have to keep a close eye on it and see how it looks in another couple of days. If it's a fungus, it will likely become obvious pretty soon.
Keep up the water changes, and keep us posted. He's such a pretty fishie, hope he heals up soon.

 

So that's what he looks like today, his tail ends became bloody again and the top fin part was more red, even a little bloody/patchy looking. I tried zooming in but unfortunately my phone is crappy at taking pictures and it won't focus that closely. /: But earlier, I saturated that area + his tail with lots of hydrogen peroxide and saw some nice bubbles and fizzing coming off those areas. I know it must be painful for him but all I'm worried about is keeping these areas free of infection. I'm not sure why his tail is continuing to get bloody on and off though, this is the 3rd or 4th time I've swabbed his fins and it will take care of it for a few days, then boom, it's right back. Would it be wise to do a round of furan for his tail and top fin at this point, or hold out a little longer and keep up with the methelyne blue baths + hydrogen peroxide?

 

Well today he isn't looking to good... I'm not sure if I overdid it with the hydrogen peroxide or if things are just getting worse in general, but he is acting off... and his tail got even bloodier today, now continuing up his fin. I went ahead and decided to dose Furan 2 because I fear if I wait any longer, things will continue to go downhill. The top fin portion is more red today and there's less of that fuzzy looking stuff, so I think the hydrogen treatment may have eliminated some of that. But yeah, he isn't looking good today. Not going to do anymore of those treatments for a while and just gonna stick with Furan 2 + methylene blue baths. If I don't see things start to improve, I'll combine the Furan 2 with the Kanaplex. His tail just won't stop getting inflamed and thus continues to rot, and the whole top fin area becoming infected is now such a high possibility so I'm not sure what more I can do for him. Really worried at this point. ):

 

Sophi, I'm so sorry he's still struggling. You seem to be doing everything you can! Yes, I agree that taking a break from the peroxide might be a good idea, it sounds like it might be irritating his fin edges? I'm not sure on the dosing schedule for the Furan 2, but keep up with the water changes as best as you can within the time frame that the meds allow.
Hoping some other members with more experience can step in and advise you on next steps...
TexasDomer
Dave125g
DoubleDutch
Coradee

 

Sounds like your plan is a good one. I think you may have overdone the hydrogen peroxide - usually just swabbing with a q tip is what's recommended, not pouring it on him.

I would do 50% water changes whenever the meds allow - daily would be best, but the meds may limit it to every other day or every two days.

 

Oh I definitely didn't pour it on him but I did saturate it pretty good with a Q tip. Basically I just overdid it for him but yeah I'm holding off for a while. However today, the edges of his fins are black, only the top fin tip area is bloody/red. He also lost a strand of his upper fin (saw it barely hanging on, it basically rotted off), but I think that was probably in the area where he's got all the missing flesh. Good news is, that top portion isn't as red anymore and is instead, yellow/pale. The fuzziness is slowly going away too. I have yet to see any new fin growth in the rotted areas since it keeps getting bloody constantly, but hopefully the Furan 2 will knock this out. I'm gonna be dosing the 3rd dose tomorrow with a 25% WC, and just hope for the best. I really hope he pulls through. Thanks so much for everyone's input and help, I appreciate it so much! Will keep you updated.

 

Little update- My buddy is still hanging in there and seems to be improving. The top fin portion has turned the same color as his body and doesn't look inflamed or infected at all. And I think I even see new fin growth starting to happen where it had been completely ripped off!! So that is amazing to see, and I'm so happy that the meds seemed to have helped. The bad news though, is that his tail is still getting bloody at the edges which is preventing it from ever healing. He's had a full round of Kanaplex and Furan 2 and that hasn't helped clear the tail rotting issue. What can I try next? I'm still keeping his water extra clean with some salt + almond leaves, extra vitachem and slime coat, and doing meth. blue baths. Even the hydrogen peroxide didn't help with the bloody edges, so I'm not sure how to fix his tail at this point. If his tail gets worse, he won't be able to swim at that point and I worry about his quality of life if it ever gets to that point. Any suggestions?

 

This is encouraging and heartbreaking at the same time. When did he receive the last treatment?

 

He received his 4th dose of Furan 2 on Wednesday, followed by a 25% water change as instructions stated. I really don't want to keep medicating him but gah... his tail doesn't isn't getting better.

 

I think I've read dabbing the meth blue with a qtip directly on the wound. Not sure how you do that unless you put him under with a little clove oil? Google it, I've only read about it second hand.

 

Thanks for the update - I'm So glad his top fin is healing, it sounds like things are on the right track there! Not sure about his tail... strange that it's not improving at the same rate. I'm wondering if you might consider removing the salt from the equation... it acts as an irritant, and many use it to help stimulate the production of the slime coat - but I'm wondering if at this point its' just irritating his tail? It shouldn't really be used for more than about 10 days at a time (although I'm sure some will argue against this line of thinking).
I agree with TexasGuppy, you could try dabbing the meth blue on his tail like you were with the peroxide? If you can exclusively treat his tail with that, and maybe cut back on the other meds since the rest of him is doing better?
You are doing a great job - I know how exhausting it can be to spend a good portion of every day doing water changes, dosing meds, wondering if you are doing things right, and trying to get a close look at his fins etc... hang in there!!
Could you post a new pic when you get a chance?

 

I also read Beta's don't tolerate salt well.. not sure what level it becomes a problem.

 

Hey all, sorry for a late update! Last few days were crazy busy! Still keeping up with my boy and his meth. blue treatments, and he is still remaining strong with a good appetite thankfully. I know he doesn't feel 100% though because he will sit at the top corner all day and just kinda hover there. He also basically is terrified of me now because I've done so much to him this past week with all the treatments, so he will run away from me if I stick my hand in there or if he even catches a glimpse of the net. Smart, yet stubborn as ever lol. Today, he doesn't have any blood on his tail which is making me really hopeful, and the top portion does look healed to me. It's not red or infected looking and I think there is new fin growth!! I've attached some pictures below, my camera is awful so I apologize for the blurriness. But you can see that the tail is looking pretty good, hoping it stays that way and starts to regrow! Tonight I'll do a large water change to remove all the salt and will continue dosing the Vitachem and slime coat only, along with the meth. blue baths. I'll look into the meth. blue dabbing procedure too, at this point I'm willing to try anything to help my little guy out. If his tail becomes bloody again then that may be my last option since peroxide isn't working. /: I appreciate everyone's help so much... I know people say "oh it's just a fish, who cares" but my bettas are like any other of my pets, and I just want what's best for him. I seriously appreciate all of ya'll for helping me through this, it's been a rough couple weeks for my little guy and I but I really hope he keeps fighting. I'll keep everyone posted!

 

HI Sophi, thanks for the update. Glad to hear his tail is starting looking better, keep up the great work!
And people that say "it's Just a fish" are clearly crazy. lol
It's amazing how attached we can become to our little finned friends!

 

Thank you for the update. Hoping for more fin growth on your beautiful finbaby. I love mine as well. Wish I could see the pics. I’m going to keep y’all in my thoughts and heart.

 

Well, his tail has yet to become bloody or red again, I think removing the salt definitely helped with that. However, today.... he wasn't good. He was at the bottom of the tank all day in weird odd, unusual positions and was gasping hard at times. He just now came up to the top to eat, and I also got him in his meth. blue bath. I did make it a tad bit stronger than usual hoping that would help what I think is now fungus growing on the upper fin area. Today, I see yellow/pinkish fuzz all over the ripped injured area. I thought the fuzziness I saw was just his slime coat but today, it definitely looks like fungus since it's tinted yellowish and fuzzy. I'd get a picture of it but can't seem to get a clear photo. I was digging through my meds and saw that I had Metroplex and E.M. Erythromoycn (It treats basically what Furan 2 treats, but also treats Mouth fungus). I'm not sure if either of these two would be wise to use or not? I can't confirm if this is truly fungus or not but it looks different today and for the first time, has truly looked like it. After he's done with his meth. blue bath, I'm going to quickly dab some onto that area and see what it looks like tomorrow. He is already very stressed though so I know it may not be worth it to stress him further but... I feel as those I'm losing the battle right now. He's still eating which is great, but there has been a major decline in his activity and behavior in the past few days.

 

Considering you've had your betta for 4 years already is amazing to begin with... and when I read that you forgot to plug back your filter for only a week goes to show how such small variables can affect a perhaps delicate affair in an 'elder fishy' friend, but frankly kudos to you for caring for him for so long!!! I am hoping for a speedy and good recovery so he can live out the rest of his life with a better 'ending' than perhaps this scenario... it's great that he's still eating, maybe he just needs some good ol' rest and relaxation after the stress of finrottyness and medications/treatments, etc - from the pictures I've seen, I guess I am totally betting and on board for a full recovery *crossing fingers* he looks 'borderline' in terms of stress, yet I sense a vitality that will perhaps pull him through I wish you the best on your betta's healing in the coming days and weeks, keep us posted!

 

Considering you've had your betta for 4 years already is amazing to begin with... and when I read that you forgot to plug back your filter for only a week goes to show how such small variables can affect a perhaps delicate affair in an 'elder fishy' friend, but frankly kudos to you for caring for him for so long!!! I am hoping for a speedy and good recovery so he can live out the rest of his life with a better 'ending' than perhaps this scenario... it's great that he's still eating, maybe he just needs some good ol' rest and relaxation after the stress of finrottyness and medications/treatments, etc - from the pictures I've seen, I guess I am totally betting and on board for a full recovery *crossing fingers* he looks 'borderline' in terms of stress, yet I sense a vitality that will perhaps pull him through I wish you the best on your betta's healing in the coming days and weeks, keep us posted!

May your every thought come true.

Well, his tail has yet to become bloody or red again, I think removing the salt definitely helped with that. However, today.... he wasn't good. He was at the bottom of the tank all day in weird odd, unusual positions and was gasping hard at times. He just now came up to the top to eat, and I also got him in his meth. blue bath. I did make it a tad bit stronger than usual hoping that would help what I think is now fungus growing on the upper fin area. Today, I see yellow/pinkish fuzz all over the ripped injured area. I thought the fuzziness I saw was just his slime coat but today, it definitely looks like fungus since it's tinted yellowish and fuzzy. I'd get a picture of it but can't seem to get a clear photo. I was digging through my meds and saw that I had Metroplex and E.M. Erythromoycn (It treats basically what Furan 2 treats, but also treats Mouth fungus). I'm not sure if either of these two would be wise to use or not? I can't confirm if this is truly fungus or not but it looks different today and for the first time, has truly looked like it. After he's done with his meth. blue bath, I'm going to quickly dab some onto that area and see what it looks like tomorrow. He is already very stressed though so I know it may not be worth it to stress him further but... I feel as those I'm losing the battle right now. He's still eating which is great, but there has been a major decline in his activity and behavior in the past few days.

Don’t give up. You’ve done wonders so far. I wish you could post a recent pic. Let us know how the dabbing goes? Breathe. Don’t forget to take care of you too.

 

Fungal infections are often secondary to bacterial infections, so it's not surprising you're seeing a fungus. I would continue on with what you're doing, personally, and not throw more meds at him. Meth blue should treat fungus as well.

 

So I did the meth. blue dabbing last night, it did stain that whole area for a bit but hopefully I see some results. The fungus is definitely still there and is growing but... it doesn't seem to be causing him issues as of now. I still worry about him getting completely better this strain of fin rot is just really stubborn. He now has trouble swimming and often I see him laying completely flat against things because his balance is completely off. He hates me now and basically runs from me since I've done so much to him but... who knows, maybe in time he will get better. I'll just be sticking with the meth. blue baths and maybe once a week do the dabbing, he didn't freak out when I dabbed it on that spot so I don't think it was painful for him thankfully. I appreciate everyone's kind words... Hopefully he gets stronger each day and pulls through. My biggest worry is basically him not having anymore fins left to physically swim away with... At that point, I really don't know what I'd do. Just really hoping his tail heals soon... Gahhh my poor little boy. ):

 

Still hoping for a good strong recovery. Poor baby.