Help! Female Bettas With Clamped Fins

most of my female bettas in my tank have something going on. They almost all seem to have clamped fins and two of them have what looks like white powder on their lips and face, it’s not cottony. They were fine 2 days ago!

I’ve been treating my water now for 4 days with microbe-lift Artemis for some fin rot on rescues in my tank

 

Water parameters?
A picture of their habitat ?
Food they are eating?
Tank mates? Plastic or planted,other stock snails, fish, shrimp, substrate.
Symptoms and duration?
Tank size?
Are they living together?
Equipment being used?
Chemicals being dosed?

 

I think something bad attacked my tank I had 14 female bettas I managed to find 12, 2 are dead, 6 are dying (almost dead), and 3-4 are doing ok, still in my tank. I separated the sick ones. Some seem to have almost completely gone fins and white powder on their face others just clamped fins. I think they all have the same thing. Here is a pic of all of them
Water parameters
Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: .25
Nitrate. 40
Tank mates some gouramis, angelfish, danios, tetras, snails, plecos. They all seem to be fine except for my bettas
GUYS MY SORORITY IS BEING KILLED OFF I WANT TO CRY.

These are the dead ones. They look normal, like nothings wrong

She looks normal except her tail is completely gone. It’s frayed to the point where it’s useless (note they were all fine 100% 2 days ago)

 

This one has discoloration all over. She’s supposed to be all blue. All the spots of color you see are currently gray on her and flaking off

 

This is what the rest have the white looking powder on their face and mouth. Some on their tails

 

Head to walmart, grab some fungus guard/clear, get online and order you some kanaplex or similar medicine (if you cannot get it from a local pet store), treat the tank/bucket with both medications for full duration. If you can get the fungus guard/clear first use it, then get kanaplex/furan 2 or similar med and dose.
Drop the temp a couple degrees, and keep an eye on the fish, separate them with dividers if you can.

 

Head to walmart, grab some fungus guard/clear, get online and order you some kanaplex or similar medicine (if you cannot get it from a local pet store), treat the tank/bucket with both medications for full duration. If you can get the fungus guard/clear first use it, then get kanaplex/furan 2 or similar med and dose.
Drop the temp a couple degrees, and keep an eye on the fish, separate them with dividers if you can.

I have some medication here. I have some small doses of fungus cure, I have mela and Pima fix, marine land ick remedy that says it treats fungal infections and levamisole.

I took out all the betas that seemed affected, there are 3 left in my actual tank. The rest are in a 5 gal bucket with aquarium salt in it right now

 

I agree and would also recommend kanaplex follow the instructions lfs should have it in stock too lower the temperature in the quarantine tank as suggested keep water levels low and flow low to reduce stress. If you have no symptoms I would also check all your equipment .... stray voltage from heaters are a killer too poor little buggers aI hope you can save some hun I am sorry.

 

Before dosing with meds, do a 50% water change. You want to try to get those ammonia and nitrite levels down because that’s just going to stress your fish even further and make it harder for their bodies to fight off whatever is attacking them.

 

Before dosing with meds, do a 50% water change. You want to try to get those ammonia and nitrite levels down because that’s just going to stress your fish even further and make it harder for their bodies to fight off whatever is attacking them.

The levels won’t go down with a water change. Long story short but I’ve been battling minI cycles and recycling my tank. These numbers are basically 0 to them right now.

I agree and would also recommend kanaplex follow the instructions lfs should have it in stock too lower the temperature in the quarantine tank as suggested keep water levels low and flow low to reduce stress. If you have no symptoms I would also check all your equipment .... stray voltage from heaters are a killer too poor little buggers aI hope you can save some hun I am sorry.

What would stray voltage look like in fish? What does that do? It’s ONLY my betas from what I can see all my other fish look ok. I think it’s columnaris and if it is I feel like all my fish are going to get it

 

The levels won’t go down with a water change. Long story short but I’ve been battling minI cycles and recycling my tank. These numbers are basically 0 to them right now.


What would stray voltage look like in fish? What does that do? It’s ONLY my betas from what I can see all my other fish look ok. I think it’s columnaris and if it is I feel like all my fish are going to get it

The fish do not get shocked unless grounded, since you have had your hands in the tank and are fine your heater is not sending out electricity. (Electricity and water is much stronger.)
What are your source water parameters?

 

The fish do not get shocked unless grounded, since you have had your hands in the tank and are fine your heater is not sending out electricity. (Electricity and water is much stronger.)
What are your source water parameters?

Ph: 7.6

pH high range: 8.2

Ammonia: 1ppm

Nitrite: 0ppm

Nitrate: 0ppm

 

4 more dead ones this morning

 

What’s going on
Are the rest of my fish going to get it too?

 

Just got home and found 2 more dead ones.
I have 2 that are almost dead and then 2 more that have clamped fins but are still acting normal.

 

You need to get that ammonia down, it is killing them faster than anything else.

 

You need to get that ammonia down, it is killing them faster than anything else.

My ammonia right now is .25ppm
It’s not affecting them because it’s neutralized. I’ve been dosing safe every day since I couldn’t control my cycle

 

My ammonia right now is .25ppm
It’s not affecting them because it’s neutralized. I’ve been dosing safe every day since I couldn’t control my cycle

stop doing, just do more water changes please
ammonia is only neutralized for a small period of time... it doesn't go away
you also might want to look into not putting bettas with angelfish

 

stop doing, just do more water changes please
ammonia is only neutralized for a small period of time... it doesn't go away
you also might want to look into not putting bettas with angelfish

I can’t just do more water changes when my tank is cycling. I’ve tried that and it doesn’t affect my ammonia. Also. I can on here to ask for help to figure out what’s wrong with my bettas not to be scolded on whom I keep in my tank, and just so you know there is nothing wrong with that they keep to the bottom on my tank, my angels keep to the top of my tank. They ALL grew up together and not once have gone after each other. My ammonia or stock is the issue here. There is something more happening and it’s killing a tank I’ve worked extremely hard to keep.

 

Found a sickly betta and took pictures of her before she dies. This is what all my dead bettas looked like before they died

 

stop doing, just do more water changes please
ammonia is only neutralized for a small period of time... it doesn't go away

you also might want to look into not putting bettas with angelfish

Here is exactly why I can’t do “water changes” I have tried but in a cycling tank. It doesn’t work as you can see. My ammonia has never been better in over 2 months. The seachem safe that I use neutralizes ammonia for 48 hours and turns it into ammonium, a non lethal form so that it can then be used in the nitrogen cycle.

1/12/19
pH: 7.2
pH high range: doesn’t match any
Ammonia: .50
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 80ppm

1/13/19
Water change ~60%
Ammonia: .50 (tap water has 1ppm)
Nitrate: 40ppm

1/14/19
pH: 7.0
pH high: 7.4
Ammonia: 1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20ppm

1/17/19
pH: 7.2
pH high: doesn’t match any
Ammonia: 1ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm
Temp: 81.1°

1/19/19
pH: 7.2
pH high: 7.4
Ammonia: 4.0ppm
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 80ppm

1/19/19 with 50% water change
pH: 7.6
pH high: 7.4
Ammonia: 1-2 ppm
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20ppm
Temp: 82.0

1/21/19
Ammonia: 2ppm

1/23/19
Ammonia: 4ppm
100%+ water change
Ammonia: .50ppm

1/24/19
Ammonia: 2ppm
Dosed safe @4x normal dose
Added stress+zyme

1/24/19
pH: 6.4
pH high: doesn’t match any
Ammonia: 2-3ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm

1/26/19
pH: 6.4
pH high: doesn’t match any
Ammonia: 2ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 80ppm
Temperature: 79.7
Doing a 25% water change

1/28/19
Ammonia: 0.50ppm
Temperature: 80.1

1/29/19
25% water change

1/30/19
pH: 6.8
pH high: doesn’t match any
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 40-80ppm
Temperature: 80.1

2/05/19
pH: 7.0
pH high: doesn’t match any
Ammonia: 0.50 ppm
Nitrite: 2ppm
Nitrate: 160ppm
Temperature: 80.2
*50% water change*

02/07/19
Ammonia:0.25ppm
Nitrite: 2ppm
Nitrate: 160ppm

02/09/19
20-30% water change

02/10/19
pH: 7.2
pH high range: 7.4
Ammonia: 0-.25ppm
Nitrite: 1-2ppm
Nitrate: 80ppm
Temp:79.9

02/13/19
pH: 7.2
pH high range: 7.4
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0.25ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm
Temp: 80.2

 

That girl looks like she was beaten up by something. Look at her dorsal fin, its gone.
I honestly wouldn't doubt that there was a lot of fighting going on among the girls and some of the other incompatible fish were attacking them as well. That can lead to lower immune systems and with the ammonia adding to the stress it could kill them.

I had a sorority where a girl was beaten up and the areas where she was attacked turned grey. She was the only one that died like that though. Not the whole thing.

And why is your tank so stocked when you are still cycling it? Plus what size is the tank?

 

Here is exactly why I can’t do “water changes” I have tried but in a cycling tank. It doesn’t work as you can see. My ammonia has never been better in over 2 months. The seachem safe that I use neutralizes ammonia for 48 hours and turns it into ammonium, a non lethal form so that it can then be used in the nitrogen cycle.

1/12/19
pH: 7.2
pH high range: doesn’t match any
Ammonia: .50
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 80ppm

1/13/19
Water change ~60%
Ammonia: .50 (tap water has 1ppm)
Nitrate: 40ppm

1/14/19
pH: 7.0
pH high: 7.4
Ammonia: 1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20ppm

1/17/19
pH: 7.2
pH high: doesn’t match any
Ammonia: 1ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm
Temp: 81.1°

1/19/19
pH: 7.2
pH high: 7.4
Ammonia: 4.0ppm
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 80ppm

1/19/19 with 50% water change
pH: 7.6
pH high: 7.4
Ammonia: 1-2 ppm
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20ppm
Temp: 82.0

1/21/19
Ammonia: 2ppm

1/23/19
Ammonia: 4ppm
100%+ water change
Ammonia: .50ppm

1/24/19
Ammonia: 2ppm
Dosed safe @4x normal dose
Added stress+zyme

1/24/19
pH: 6.4
pH high: doesn’t match any
Ammonia: 2-3ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm

1/26/19
pH: 6.4
pH high: doesn’t match any
Ammonia: 2ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 80ppm
Temperature: 79.7
Doing a 25% water change

1/28/19
Ammonia: 0.50ppm
Temperature: 80.1

1/29/19
25% water change

1/30/19
pH: 6.8
pH high: doesn’t match any
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 40-80ppm
Temperature: 80.1

2/05/19
pH: 7.0
pH high: doesn’t match any
Ammonia: 0.50 ppm
Nitrite: 2ppm
Nitrate: 160ppm
Temperature: 80.2
*50% water change*

02/07/19
Ammonia:0.25ppm
Nitrite: 2ppm
Nitrate: 160ppm

02/09/19
20-30% water change

02/10/19
pH: 7.2
pH high range: 7.4
Ammonia: 0-.25ppm
Nitrite: 1-2ppm
Nitrate: 80ppm
Temp:79.9

02/13/19
pH: 7.2
pH high range: 7.4
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0.25ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm
Temp: 80.2

It still looks like a strain of columnaris, which the fungus clear and kanaplex should take care off, salt water dips are the other option (but without a reliable way to measure the salinity this likely will be dangerous - brine shrimp hatching rates likely would be the closest which is around 1tbsp per 1 liter).
Cutting your water with RO or distilled is likely going to be the way to go then (to cycle and lower the source water ammonia to a reasonable level while cutting down your nitrates). stress zyme will not provide extra bacteria for the filter it is used mostly on the mulm in the gravel.

 

It still looks like a strain of columnaris, which the fungus clear and kanaplex should take care off, salt water dips are the other option (but without a reliable way to measure the salinity this likely will be dangerous - brine shrimp hatching rates likely would be the closest which is around 1tbsp per 1 liter).
Cutting your water with RO or distilled is likely going to be the way to go then (to cycle and lower the source water ammonia to a reasonable level while cutting down your nitrates). stress zyme will not provide extra bacteria for the filter it is used mostly on the mulm in the gravel.

I got kanaplex,metroplex and focus in the mail yesterday and started treating my whole tank.
I have other threads on my water issue with this tank. I added tetra safe start to my tank about 2 weeks ago and it really did the trick with the beneficial bacteria. I can’t add any salt to my tank cause of all of my snails
But when I had the dying girls in a 5 gallon bucket I added salt to it.

 

That girl looks like she was beaten up by something. Look at her dorsal fin, its gone.
I honestly wouldn't doubt that there was a lot of fighting going on among the girls and some of the other incompatible fish were attacking them as well. That can lead to lower immune systems and with the ammonia adding to the stress it could kill them.

I had a sorority where a girl was beaten up and the areas where she was attacked turned grey. She was the only one that died like that though. Not the whole thing.

And why is your tank so stocked when you are still cycling it? Plus what size is the tank?

She wasn’t beat up by anything, there is absolutely no aggression in my tank. Her dorsal fin IS gone and that’s the thing almost all the ones that have died had their fins looking like that one of them even had all her fins that looked like that (poor thing) 4 days ago this betta looked 100% fine and normal, 2 days ago, I noticed that the base of her dorsal fin was starting to peel so I was like oh here’s another one. So I put her in a separate 5 gallon bucket that had some fungus cure and salt in it then when I got my kanaplex yesterday I switched her back into my regular tank and that’s when I took the pictures because in the span of the 2 days that she was (by herself) in the bucket her dorsal fin just completely disappeared. She is dead now, just found her 5min ago in my tank.

I have a 54g bowfront and the reasons it’s stocked how it is, is because all my fish (minus most of the bettas) came from my established 20 gallon tank that they grew out of. This 54g tank was cycled before I started passing them over (over the span of a month) and somehow the cycle got messed up and around Jan was when the whole cycle basically crashed and started all over again. I’ve been dosing everyday-every other day with seachem safe to keep the ammonia neutralized so that the tetra safe start bacteria can do their thing and process it which it looks like they have been doing. Since my numbers are LOADS BETTER. I had 13-14 girls and not once did they ever get in a fight. I saw a couple flare ups when one would go into another’s territory when grabbing food but they each knew where their spot was in the tank. Literally they each had their own hide outs because whenever I would count them all I would find the same ones in the same spots every time.

 

My last living betta
She started with symptoms today. This morning around 10am her tail was slightly discolored, it was turning white and I just found her again in my tank and the white discoloration has traveled to the base of her tail and even some of her tail has started disintegrating. I have started treatment for columnaris in my tank with kanaplex and furan2 2 days ago. So far the only fish affected were my bettas.

 

In case anyone was still following this, an update. All my bettas died from this
I work somewhere that I have a microscope accessible. So I took some samples of the bettas that died last to see what I could find and I confirmed that they had columnaris by putting them side my side with magnified slides of what columnaris looks like.

 

I'm so sorry about your loss. If you do get more I strongly suggest not making a sorority. even when there isn't visible aggression there is 100% of the time extreme stress. Even wild female bettas are extremely territorial and will spend their life freaked out if you keep them with other bettas. The stress just makes them more prone to disease and death- its not worth having a tank of pretty fish.