New Petco Rescue!

I went into Petco today for a new heater and walked out with a new fish and tank...

This poor guy was there a week or two ago when I got my baby betta, and I wanted to get him then but I couldn't afford the $20 they were asking for him. I talked them down to $10, and home he came!

To me it looks like an incredibly severe case of fin rot.




Believe it or not, this guy is a rose tail. Or was a rose tail...

I think he might also have some swim bladder problems? He seems to have some trouble swimming and he's often lying on his side. I'm not sure, though, because I haven't gotten him out of his cup yet. I'll watch more closely and report back.

What do you guys think as far as treatment? I put a tablespoon of aquarium salt in his water, and I plan on doing 50% WCs every other day. I also bought some Jungle Fungus Clear Fizz Tabs, but I wanted another opinion before medicating.

 

Daily methylene blue baths are by far the less invasive and easiest treatment along with pristine water parameters AKA 50% every day. They also work with hemoglobin to cure whatever ammonia burn/nitrite poisoning he might have gotten.
If you don't have methylene blue then a teaspoon of salt per gal is the way to go, just make sure to disolve it all first and slowly add it over the course of 6-12 hours.

 

Is he going into a tank with a cycled filter? Clean water will often do most of the work for you. I've also seen CindiL recommend medications with Nitrofurazone in it for fin rot.

Also quick reminder just in case: salt doesn't evaporate or get filtered out, so after the tank is treated only add more salt to the replacement water during water changes.

 

Is he going into a tank with a cycled filter? Clean water will often do most of the work for you. I've also seen CindiL recommend medications with Nitrofurazone in it for fin rot.

Also quick reminder just in case: salt doesn't evaporate or get filtered out, so after the tank is treated only add more salt to the replacement water during water changes.

The tank isn't cycled, but I might see if I can add some cycled media from another tank.

It looks like the main ingredient in the Fungus Clear tabs is Nitrofurazone (and Potassium Dichromate, whatever that is). The package recommends adding one tablet for every 10 gallons, so should I do half a tablet?

Edit: I... think I added cycled media to the tank? Filters and filter media still seem scary and complicated to me, but I cut off a bit of sponge from another filter and shoved it into this one. Does that work?

 

It looks like the main ingredient in the Fungus Clear tabs is Nitrofurazone (and Potassium Dichromate, whatever that is). The package recommends adding one tablet for every 10 gallons, so should I do half a tablet?

Probably? I'll admit I've never used them, but I know people with 5 gallon betta tanks do, so halving the dose makes sense. You can wait for someone with more experience to chime in if you're worried about it.

Edit: I... think I added cycled media to the tank? Filters and filter media still seem scary and complicated to me, but I cut off a bit of sponge from another filter and shoved it into this one. Does that work?

So long as you're sure the media was cycled and it was kept wet, it should at the least speed it up a great deal. Filter media isn't as complicated as it seems at first. Media either collects bits of crud (mechanical), collects chemicals (chemical), and/or it adds surface area for nitrifying bacteria to colonize (biological). Sponges do the first and the last, and are the tried an true filter media that has been used since the hobby started. Chemical filtration isn't usually necessary for most set ups, though carbon is handy to have on hand for removing medications from the water.

 

Hi, its up to you how you want to proceed. The Jungle Fungus tabs will definitely cure him up or you if you want to avoid an antibiotic but still a really good treatment I'd use HikarI Betta Revive which has both methylene blue and malachite green in it. One little bottle of Betta Revive treats 5 gallon so ideally you'd lower his water level down to 2 gallon or so (the 5 gallon probably only holds 4 gallon max), use 8 drops per gallon. After a couple of days, replace 50% of the water and re-dose 8 drops and do this for 5-6 days or so with the every other day water changes.

The meth blue will kill a cycle so I wouldn't worry about using cycled media until after you're done treating him and have replaced his water.

 

I put half a tablet of the Jungle Fungus stuff in his tank and I'm going to see how he does ^^ If I don't see a lot of improvement I'll try to pick up some of the Betta Revive.

I just looked up HikarI Betta Revive and it looks similar to something in our fish cabinet that my mom refers to as "betta vitamins"





Is this what I'm looking for? And is it still good, considering it's been in our cabinet for... Awhile?

 

Hmm, betta revive is blue, is it possible that is something else since your mom referred to it as betta vitamins?

Honestly the JFC is my favorite treatment for fin rot that is progressing. Since you've already dosed it, I'd just finish out the treatment.

 

It actually is blue, at least when you put it in the tank (my mom put a few drops in another tank recently). It still might be something else, though.

So with the JFC I dissolved half a tablet in tank water and then out that in the tank. What do I do from here? The package says you can wait four days, do a 25% WC, and then redose. Is that correct? Can I/should I do water changes in the meantime?

 

I wouldn't do a water change unless you have ammonia or nitrites. If not, wait the four days, do a water change (larger is fine) and re-dose.

 

Sorry in advance of this was already said, but he may also be biting his own fins/self mutilating to relieve the weight of his fins in addition to fin rot. Best of luck with him!

 

I'll make sure to keep an eye on any fin biting. Is there a way I can tell if he's doing it, or should I just wait and see?

He's doing pretty well so far! He's been hiding and he spends a lot of time at the top of the tank, but he's swimming and not staying in one place, at least. I have a couple more questions, though!

For one, I'm worried he might have some kind of swim bladder problem. I don't know if it's because of his fins or because of SBD, but he has trouble swimming, falls on his side periodically, and seems to have trouble staying at the middle or bottom of the tank. I watched him earlier when he was towards the bottom, and he looked almost like he was fighting a current to stay at the bottom. I'll try to get a video later, but right now he's hiding in my fake plants.

Which brings me to my second question: is there too much in his tank?

 

I'll make sure to keep an eye on any fin biting. Is there a way I can tell if he's doing it, or should I just wait and see?

He's doing pretty well so far! He's been hiding and he spends a lot of time at the top of the tank, but he's swimming and not staying in one place, at least. I have a couple more questions, though!

For one, I'm worried he might have some kind of swim bladder problem. I don't know if it's because of his fins or because of SBD, but he has trouble swimming, falls on his side periodically, and seems to have trouble staying at the middle or bottom of the tank. I watched him earlier when he was towards the bottom, and he looked almost like he was fighting a current to stay at the bottom. I'll try to get a video later, but right now he's hiding in my fake plants.

Which brings me to my second question: is there too much in his tank?

View attachment 313674

You may actually see him doing it if that's part of the culprit.

It sounds like a swim bladder problem to me. I think it's good to provide a lot of resting places in a tank for a fish with that problem because they can't swim well and need lots of resting places.

 

What do you feed him? and how much?

Swim bladder issues can sometimes be fixed by fasting them for a day or two and also introducing frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia etc into the diet. In some cases not feeding pellets at all and switching to these foods will take care of the SBD.

 

I've been feeding a mixture of pellets (soaked in tank water) and freeze dried bloodworms. Generally I feed him three pellets or two worms. Since I've only had him a couple days, I'm thinking it's probably a problem with whatever they were feeding him at Petco.

I have some frozen bloodworms in my freezer, so I'll start feeding him those!

 

Thank you so much everyone for your help! He's doing so well ️

I fasted him for two days and I just fed him a pea. When I first got him he didn't want to eat anything, but I've never seen a fish attack food like he attacked that pea!

When I first got him, even up until yesterday, he would never come down from the top of the tank. He seemed stuck up there. Now he's swimming all around and he doesn't seem to have as much trouble staying at the bottom! His fins are also doing much better. I've been taking pictures everyday to document the change, and I can tell that there's a little bit of new growth! I'm so excited that he's getting better.

It's been four days after I treated him with Jungle Fungus Clear. Should I do another dose?

Edit: Here are some pictures!

This is when I first got him




A couple days ago



Today!



He was darting around so much today that I had trouble getting a good picture! (Also the lighting in this tank is TERRIBLE)

 

If you see new growth another round is probably not necessary. New growth will show as clear tissue on the tips.

 

I'm very happy for you, he looks a lot better.