Help! Betta With Severe Finrot

[MaddyP]

Hi!
First timer so here we go, first of all I want to apologize if there is any misspelling of words or if I write in a way that is hard to understand, I’m not from an English speaking country so that’s why. I’m going to write a little back story before I ask a few questions..

So, I got a beautiful dark blue half moon Betta about 6 months ago, haven’t had a fish tank for 20 years so this is my first tank experience as an adult. As soon as the temperature dropped his fins started to rip and it happened so fast in just a couple of days it was hard to stop it until most part of his fins were lost. I ordered a heater that took a week or two to arrive (thought it would arrive in a couple of days or else I would have went out and bought one from the store) and during that time he’s fins got really ripped and he lost both his pelvic fins. Plus a tiny part looked like it started to grow mould on (suspected finrot) Once the heater arrived and the water got to a steady 80 degrees, with daily water changes, some of his fins started to grow back so with recommendation from a specialist it was decided that I should start doing a 40-50 percent water chang once a week instead but then his fins started to rip yet again, especially the new parts that started to heal. I was told to give him Myxazin for 5 days and after that I did a 60 percent water change and also took out everything from the tank that might have sharp edges. This was just 3-4 days ago.

So my questions are..
If he is in a healing progress at the moment, is he supposed to loose all the “bad parts” of his fins before it starts to grow back? (Small parts that are hanging loose like a broken twig on a tree)

How long should it take before his fins have completely grown back?

I also want to add that the water perimeters are on a good level, he is very active.. he greets me when I come close to the tank, flares up every now and then when he’s just swimming around both at the bottom and top of the tank which I have read is a sign of good health. Plus he has a good appetite and I give him both pellets (3 times a day) frozen bloodworms as a treat every now and then plus and a blanched pea once a week. And he also lives alone in a 30 litre tank (8 gallon) with a filter and air pump.

Any help and advice is welcome because all I really want right now is for him to return to his beautiful self like he was when I bought him. I’m so stressed over this that I’ve had nightmares of him dying at least 10-15 times the last 2-3 months. Please help..

/ A very worried fishmama

 

[Giul]

HI there! I would go back to doing daily water changes, you can just do 25% so it’s not so tedious (just make sure you add water conditioner). Is your filter on the slow setting? Reducing the current may reduce his stress as well.

I agree to double check that he is not ripping his fins on any ornaments. If you have pantyhose or tights they should be able to rub against the ornament without ripping. It sounds like you have fin rot and not tearing but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Could you post a picture of him? He might also be bloated because feeding 3 times a day is a lot. Fish eat based on opportunity so you should just feed once a day enough food that looks like it is the size of his eye. Over feeding can also lead to bad water quality which makes the fin rot worse.

 

[MaddyP]

HI there! I would go back to doing daily water changes, you can just do 25% so it’s not so tedious (just make sure you add water conditioner). Is your filter on the slow setting? Reducing the current may reduce his stress as well.

I would also double check that he is not ripping his fins on any ornaments. If you have pantyhose or tights they should be able to rub against the ornament without ripping. It sounds like you have fin rot and not tearing but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Could you post a picture of him? He might also be bloated because feeding 3 times a day is a lot. Fish eat based on opportunity so you should just feed once a day enough food that looks like it is the size of his eye. Over feeding can also lead to bad water quality which makes the fin rot worse.

Thank you!
The recommendation for the pellets I give him is 3-4 / 3 times a day (they are as big as 1/6 of the size of his eye.. very very tiny that is). I also make sure he eats them all. And if he does become a lil bloated I hold back with the feeding. Unfortunately I can’t reduce the current in my tank (I have a biorb) but I do have air stones that I change as often as the filter (every 3-4 weeks) other than that he swims around like normal I have also taken out all the ornaments to be on the safe side until he heals completely.

I will start with daily change of 25 percent with conditioner and hopefully he’ll be back to normal in no time, thank you for your advice!!

When I was looking for a picture to add as my profile pic on here it is actually clear as DAY he already had finrot when I bought him I just didn’t know because you couldn’t see the dark edges with the naked eye because he is so dark in color (and I also had no idea what finrot was because he is my first Betta). I’m so mad at myself for not looking back at the first pics I took of him when I got him, after I found out about finrot because then I could have started a treatment for it way earlier. You live and you learn I guess.. ☹️

I will try and take a good pic of him and post it so you can see what he looks like now.

 

[MaddyP]

This is my Poor lil guy and he is far from what he looked like in my profile pic ☹️ He also has a small lump on his left side (not his right) but he’s had that for quite a while and what I’ve read is nothing to worry about. Should I worry about it? What do you think?

HI there! I would go back to doing daily water changes, you can just do 25% so it’s not so tedious (just make sure you add water conditioner). Is your filter on the slow setting? Reducing the current may reduce his stress as well.

I agree to double check that he is not ripping his fins on any ornaments. If you have pantyhose or tights they should be able to rub against the ornament without ripping. It sounds like you have fin rot and not tearing but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Could you post a picture of him? He might also be bloated because feeding 3 times a day is a lot. Fish eat based on opportunity so you should just feed once a day enough food that looks like it is the size of his eye. Over feeding can also lead to bad water quality which makes the fin rot worse.

 

[aquafrogg]

I agree about the water changes. I also see your profile says you don’t know about the nitrogen cycle. Is it okay if I explain it to you? That would help the explanation of treatment be easier to understand.

Also i’m going to have to disagree about feeding once a day the size of their eye. There is a difference between underfeeding and not overfeeding. For pellets you should presoak them so that they don’t expand a ton in the stomach and feed the size of their eye TWICE a day (so that the expansion of the pellets in the stomach isn’t too much). For frozen foods or live foods you can feed a little more than the size of their eye because they don’t expand. Betta stomachs are made to stretch! However you know your betta best. Use your best judgement. As long as he isn’t starving and skinny or bloated like a sausage then you’re probably feeding the right amount. However in the picture it does look like he’s a little on the big side. I’d take out that middle feeding and just feed in the morning and night.

 

[adicted to fish]

my fish did that when I was a kid I just used aquarium salt but I did not save him in time

 

[MaddyP]

I agree about the water changes. I also see your profile says you don’t know about the nitrogen cycle. Is it okay if I explain it to you? That would help the explanation of treatment be easier to understand.

Also i’m going to have to disagree about feeding once a day the size of their eye. There is a difference between underfeeding and not overfeeding. For pellets you should presoak them so that they don’t expand a ton in the stomach and feed the size of their eye TWICE a day (so that the expansion of the pellets in the stomach isn’t too much). For frozen foods or live foods you can feed a little more than the size of their eye because they don’t expand. Betta stomachs are made to stretch! However you know your betta best. Use your best judgement. As long as he isn’t starving and skinny or bloated like a sausage then you’re probably feeding the right amount. However in the picture it does look like he’s a little on the big side. I’d take out that middle feeding and just feed in the morning and night.

Please explain, that’s why I’m here, to learn and do better

I will stop with the mid-day feeding and just feed him morning and night.. thank you!!

 

[adicted to fish]

that is a good idea

 

[MaddyP]

my fish did that when I was a kid I just used aquarium salt but I did not save him in time

Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that!! That’s my worst nightmare right now and I’ve literally had so many nightmares the last couple of months where he dies and I wake up in panic

 

[aquafrogg]

Please explain, that’s why I’m here, to learn and do better

I will stop with the mid-day feeding and just feed him morning and night.. thank you!!

When your fish breathes, eats (leftover food), and poops, he produces ammonia. This is very deadly to the fish, depending on the pH. At all levels it is harmful, but when the pH is higher, ammonia is more harmful than the same amount at a lower pH, if that makes sense.

Then, bacteria grows on your filter media and eats this ammonia. The product of these bacteria is nitrite, which is also harmful to the fish.

Finally, another bacteria settles and grows on the filter media and consumes this nitrITE, releasing nitrATE. Nitrate is perfectly harmless as long as it doesn’t go far above the 20-30 ppm range. It does build up over time and is removed through water changes. Plants also consume the nitrate.

I can re-explain anything if needed!

I see on your other thread that you use test strips rather than a liquid test kit. I don’t suggest these, as being exposed to air reduces the accuracy. This results in faulty test results. I suggest getting a $17 API master freshwater test kit off chewy and testing with that.

Finrot is caused by poor water quality, so daily 25-50% water changes will help ensure clean water. What size is his tank?

 

[WinterSoldier.]

To cure fin rot a took a syringe and squirted some hydrogen peroxide on my bettas tail. Its now growing back

 

[MaddyP]

When your fish breathes, eats (leftover food), and poops, he produces ammonia. This is very deadly to the fish, depending on the pH. At all levels it is harmful, but when the pH is higher, ammonia is more harmful than the same amount at a lower pH, if that makes sense.

Then, bacteria grows on your filter media and eats this ammonia. The product of these bacteria is nitrite, which is also harmful to the fish.

Finally, another bacteria settles and grows on the filter media and consumes this nitrITE, releasing nitrATE. Nitrate is perfectly harmless as long as it doesn’t go far above the 20-30 ppm range. It does build up over time and is removed through water changes. Plants also consume the nitrate.

I can re-explain anything if needed!

I see on your other thread that you use test strips rather than a liquid test kit. I don’t suggest these, as being exposed to air reduces the accuracy. This results in faulty test results. I suggest getting a $17 API master freshwater test kit off chewy and testing with that.

Finrot is caused by poor water quality, so daily 25-50% water changes will help ensure clean water. What size is his tank?

Thank you, it makes perfect sense!

I have him in an 8 gallon tank and I will continue to do daily water changes. I also added an almond leave today so hopefully he’ll be back to himself in no time I am very hopeful since he started to heal once before until I stopped changing the water daily.. needless to say I won’t do that again I will also get the test kit you recommended as soon as possible!

Thank you for taking the time to explain the nitrogen cycle, I highly appreciate it!!

 

[MaddyP]

To cure fin rot a took a syringe and squirted some hydrogen peroxide on my bettas tail. Its now growing back

Could you tell me more about that in case I have to do it to my lil dude??

 

[aquafrogg]

Thank you, it makes perfect sense!

I have him in an 8 gallon tank and I will continue to do daily water changes. I also added an almond leave today so hopefully he’ll be back to himself in no time I am very hopeful since he started to heal once before until I stopped changing the water daily.. needless to say I won’t do that again I will also get the test kit you recommended as soon as possible!

Thank you for taking the time to explain the nitrogen cycle, I highly appreciate it!!

No problem! Even after he heals i’d suggest keeping up with the daily water changes (or spreading them out to every other day) until the ammonia and nitrite are 0 constantly. That means the tank is cycled and you can then switch to water changes once a week.

 

[david1978]

Peroxide How To

 

[MaddyP]

Bubbles_and_Fins Since you gave me such good advice (The best actually) I thought I'd ask you, I have been doing between 30-50 percent daily water changes with salt and conditioner and once a week I vacuum the gravel, with good results when it comes to his fins growing back.

I have just finished a more thorough cleaning and a small hole in one of his fins have appeared during the process that wasn't there before I started, do you know if this is because of stress??
Its close to the edge of his fins that have grown back, maybe those parts are a bit sensitive because its fresh tissue? I just don't know and it feels like a small setback considering they started to grow back

I hope I didnt bother you with my questions and thank you for taking the time to read this

 

[MaddyP]

Here is a little update on my buddy..
The top picture is from January 19th and The bottom is from today March 14th.


The first two months I did daily water changes, and for the last month I've changed the water every 2-3 days. Everytime I have added conditioner and salt and once every week I have done a more thorough cleaning (removed every singel item in the tank and vaccumed the gravel plus a new almond leaf once its done).

It's a slow, slow process but I'm so happy to see that his fins are growing back. I'm also fully aware that because of the severity of his finrot his fins won't look the same when he has completely healed as to when I got him, and some parts won't grow back at all, but I'm just happy that he is recovering really well

As for the lump on his left side, as seen on both pictures, I have read that it probably is a tumor and I can't do anything about it. All I can do is keep an eye on him but for now he eats, swims around activally, greets me when I'm close to the tank and does the wiggle so as long as he is happy, I'm happy!

 

[Addie42]

he looks great!!
I can't tell if the lump you're talking about is near his belly. He looks sort of bloated like he could benefit from a couple days of fasting

 

[MaddyP]

he looks great!!
I can't tell if the lump you're talking about is near his belly. He looks sort of bloated like he could benefit from a couple days of fasting

That is actually the lump I was talking about. Its only on his left side and close to the belly but its not bloating. Its grown quite a lot the last few months and now you see the scales protruting a bit. His ventral fins makes it look like his bloated though because they are lined along his belly and they are quite short because they haven't grown back that fast.