Fin Rot Healing Time?

How long does it usually take to see healing in a fish with fin rot? I started medicating my betta 3 days ago. The medicine says not to do a water change until after 7 days of using the meds, and then the process can be repeated if necessary. I was just wondering how long it should take until I see Cobalt improving. (I am using BettaFix) He is acting fine, but his tail looks kinda bad.

 

The actual regeneration of fins can take weeks depending on how bad the disease had ahold of him so do not expect a quick cure. Betta Fix is not a strong medication and can easily not be effective against bacterial finrot. Most of our members have had to go on to the combination of Marycin 2/ and Marycin put together to get the healing started. It is a much stronger combinatin and seems to work better to get rid of the bacterial disease causing the problem.

I do hope that Cobalt will be okay and want to welcome you and him to our forum as I do not believe I have posted to you before. Do feel free to comment and question and post to anything and browse the forum as we have many fish who are having this problem right now and you might learn some valuable information from them.

Rose

 

What Rose tells you is quite true. Betta fins will take some healing anyway and the antibiotics are necessary to overcome the wounds.

 

So I am planning to do a partial water change tonight-- I guess tomorrow I should start the new meds. Is fin rot contagious to other fish? Cobalt is by himself, I was just wondering.

 

Welcome to the forum Genie and Cobalt.

Excepting injuries, and according to much of the literature, fin rot develops as a result of stress to the fish.  Normally the fish can defend itself from fin rot through it's immune system.  When stressed, the fish's immune system becomes suppressed and the fish is then vulnerable to fin rot-related bacterial attacks.  How long it takes for the fish to overcome the fin rot depends on what type of meds are used, how good the water parameters are kept, and how effective attempts to keep the fish stress-free have been.

In some cases, merely improving the water quality is all that needs to be done.  If the fin rot is further advanced, it then becomes a matter of starting the fish on meds.  Typically, from what I've seen posted on the forum, folks start out with the lighter meds (Bettafix, perhaps, but more often Jungle Labs Fungus Clear).  If that is ineffective, then most folks try Maracyn 2.  If that doesn't work, then folks try a Maracyn/Marcyn 2 combo.  Furan 2, trisulfa, or penicillin might be the next step.

As for fin rot being contagious, the bacteria typically involved in causing fin rot is, from what I've read, always present in the water.  Consequently, it would be up to the fish immune system to help the fish avoid succumbing to bacterial attacks.  If the fish becomes stressed due to water quality problems (high levels of ammonia, nitrites, and/or nitrates; pH too high; sudden and dramatic changes in water temperature; or pretty much any sudden changes in the fish environment) the fish can develop fin rot.

Our Betta has had a case of fin rot for several months.  And, several treatments have been used.  It's not been hard to spot a relapse.  The edges of his fins will wash out in color, and the washed out area will encroach until it covers about 1/8 of an inch of the tail's edge.  Then, in about a week, the area will disintegrate and sometimes even more of his tail will dismember/split.  Cobalt may have different symptoms or patterns of fin-rot development.  That's what you will look for if a relapse occurs.  If you wait for proof that the fin rot is gone, you could be waiting a long time as the regeneration of those parts, as Rose and Poe said, can take months.  (Our Betta likes to chew on his pelvic fins when he gets ornery.  The first time he did this was months ago, and we're just now seeing the fins grow back.)

Just wondering, how large is your tank?  Is it cycled?  Do you know the water parameters?

Mike

 

Cobalt is in a 2 gallon tank with a filter and heater. Before I did a 50% water change, the PH was kinda high, but now it is at 7.2ish. the Nitrates are at 20ppm, Nitrite 0, the GH is about 75ppm, the KH is about 80ppm.
I cycled the tank with him in it b/c I didn't know any better until after the fact. But I had kept fish (including bettas) for years before with no problems (I had to quit for about a year when I moved) and this was my first attempt to start again-- I had never cycled a tank fishless before. I am going to continue with the water changes every-other day for awhile.
He isn't getting any worse, and isn't acting weird. I did see I'm biting his own tail the other day. He seems active and he is quite fun, he knows what the fish food jar looks like because he gets excited! ;D
So I hope the Betta Fix works, otherwise, I will get the other meds.
Thanks for everyone's help! Cobalt and I appreciate it!!

 

Be careful with using BettaFix for too long. It has the same ingredient as MelaFix (although diluted) and that has caused some deaths among Bettas. See warning for MelaFix at the top of page. I've always had good results with Maracyn-Two.
It can take months before you see any regrowth. As long as it's not getting worse it is cured.

 

The tank being cycled will help immensely when treating with meds.  Too much medicating might interfere with the cycle, though, so you do have to keep an eye on the water parameters.  If you've not already done so, you need to remove any charcoal from the filter (even old charcoal filters can interfere with meds) and it would help to increase the temp to 82 to 83 degrees.

As for tail-chasing, ours has only done so in the 24 hours following the times his tail would shred; I think he found it irritating.

Anyway, hope Cobalt gets well soon.  

Mike