I think my fish has finrot...help!

[HalfmoonBetta]

Hi! I woke up this morning and checked on my fishies, and my betta's fin looks.. not great.I had originally passed the weirdness off as his color coming in (I presume I got him as a youngin, as he was mostly white when I got him and has since developed color), but now it just looks wrong.
What's more, I don't exactly have another tank I can put him in...plus, I'm leaving for the weekend tonight! I will be back on Sunday... can I leave it be this long? And is it possible that the finrot could spread? I have four guppies (and a frog, but I doubt he'll be getting the rot, considering he has no fins).

I've attached some pictures. Is this finrot, and is it bad? I've never had to deal with this before.

 

[Rose of Sharon]

Hi,

He does look like he has some fin issues going. Since you are leaving, I would do a really good water change to get the water as clean as possible - depending on your tank size, at least a good 50 to 60% or so. And if you have some Indian almond leaves, I would add them to the tank for the tanins. The tannins do have some antibacterial and antifungal properties, so that would help. Tannins help with healing, and decreases fish stress which helps with their immune systems. And the guppies and frog will like it, too.

When you get back, I would recommend doing frequent water changes every other day, again, depending on the size of the tank, about 30%.

Fin rot does not usually spread from one fish to another. It usually sets in due to things like the betta nipping his fins or having an injury which then leads to fin rot, stress, or poor water quality.

After you get back, if you want to set up something as a hosptial tank, that would be good. Lots of people use plastic totes and just add a small heater and filter or air stone. It's always good to have something to use as a hospital tank for cases just like this one. If you do put him into a different tank (tote, etc.), then you can also dose him with aquarium salt. But I would not add it to the main tank because of the other tank mates.

Hope this helps!

 

[HalfmoonBetta]

Hi,

He does look like he has some fin issues going. Since you are leaving, I would do a really good water change to get the water as clean as possible - depending on your tank size, at least a good 50 to 60% or so. And if you have some Indian almond leaves, I would add them to the tank for the tanins. The tannins do have some antibacterial and antifungal properties, so that would help. Tannins help with healing, and decreases fish stress which helps with their immune systems. And the guppies and frog will like it, too.

When you get back, I would recommend doing frequent water changes every other day, again, depending on the size of the tank, about 30%.

Fin rot does not usually spread from one fish to another. It usually sets in due to things like the betta nipping his fins or having an injury which then leads to fin rot, stress, or poor water quality.

After you get back, if you want to set up something as a hosptial tank, that would be good. Lots of people use plastic totes and just add a small heater and filter or air stone. It's always good to have something to use as a hospital tank for cases just like this one. If you do put him into a different tank (tote, etc.), then you can also dose him with aquarium salt. But I would not add it to the main tank because of the other tank mates.

Hope this helps!

Thank you! I have a ten-gallon. I have some Betta fix, would that be something to put in, or should I separate him first when I get back?

 

[Rose of Sharon]

I would not recommend using bettafix at all. It has tea tree oil in it, and that can interfere with the betta's labyrinth organ, that which is used to help them breathe. I have used it before, and it never really helped anything. It just smelled up my tank!

I would just do the water change before you leave, and then, when you get back, move him to a hospital tank/container, and then treat him with the aquarium salt and lots of clean water.