Varalidaine
- #1
I need some serious advice. This was my first Betta and he was a rescue. I'd never owned fish before but it was clear to me that he had fin rot. He was immediately put in a quarantine tank that holds about 3/4 of a gallon. Being a beginner, I put in 1/4 or 1/8 teaspoon of API Aquarium Salt (premixed) into a half gallon and let him sit in that for a week. After a week, I spoke about it with the owner of my local fish store and he was very knowledgable about meds and fin rot. He gave me some doxycycline powder and I put in something like 1/100 of a teaspoon for the 3/4 gallon container and would do a 25% water change daily, adding fresh water and more doxycycline so it built up. This did wonders and the holes in his fins closed. Treatment was 10 days. Thinking he was healed, I put him back in his 5 gallon planted tank that had been running for over a month. Within a day or two, a pin- hole developed in his top fin. So he went back to quarantine and I took him to the vet. The vet suggested Baytril baths for 7 days, which did absolutely nothing to help and he continued to get worse and develop holes in in his tail fins. I went back to my local fish store and he suggested a mix of doxycline and a green powder (sorry, can't remember the name but everyone says it cures everything!) so we did again, something like 1/100 of a teaspoon into 3/4 of a gallon and let him sit for three days, do a 100% water change, then add the meds again. We did this three times, so he was in medicated water for about 9-10 days. This did nothing, and his holes got worse. So, since the doxycline worked the first time, we tried that exact routine again, but by now I'm sure his bacteria is resistant to it so after 10 days of the 1/100 of a teaspoon, doing 25% water changes and adding more meds, there was no improvement. He now has two holes developing right off of his body. Still in his fins, but so close to his body. As a last resort, I decided to try high salt per recommendation of almost everywhere online, so the first day, I put him in 1/2 gallon with 1.5 teaspoons of salt. The next day I did a 100% water change and added 1.25 teaspoons. And this past day, a did 100% water change and only added 1 teaspoon. This morning I noticed his eyes look swollen. Not full on pop-eye, but I'm assuming the salt is uncomfortable and causing the slight bulge. Between every treatment he would get one week in 100%, daily fresh water changes to give his system a break. I know some mistakes were probably made, but I have tried to research everything thoroughly and do the best for him. Right now, I don't know if I should just leave him in the salt and continue to decrease by 1/4 of a teaspoon every day for the next few days to acclimate him back to fresh water, or if I should acclimate him back today because of the eye bulging. Also, what is anyone's opinion on this super aggressive fin rot that just won't go away! I've contacted a more knowledgable fish vet and will hopefully get a call back soon, but what do all you experience keepers say?
His QT is heated via a UTH and I monitor temps with an IR Temp Gun. I use RO water.
His QT is heated via a UTH and I monitor temps with an IR Temp Gun. I use RO water.
