fin rot, feeding and general new betta ???

[sweet_tinuviel]

I have read through many of the postings about fin rot and have yet to find an answer to my question, so Ill pose it to yall.

I've had Quark my blue/green betta fo almost a month and the very tips of his tail is white then turns brown/black and seems almost like its desentagrading. Now i noticed this when i first bought him and i thought it was because he was in those barbaric little cups so i bought the betta fix stuff and salt and have medicated him like the bottle says for one week, seem awful long to me, cause i need to change his water like 2x a week.

So do they have normal like molting like birds or shedding of fins??? is there something i can use that is better to treat him with.

Also I have a red betta that i got a bout a week ago and he hasnt tried to nest, i think hes really young, hes a lot smaller than my other, but he appears happy and is alot more active swimming wise than the other, but when i give them exersice time to flare at each other for a few minutes he doesnt flare much not like the blue one does, he more or less swims circles around the tank chills like he doesnt feel threatened.

Also any other suggestions on food niether of mine will eat bloodworms or brine shrimp, the dehydrated kind. Ive even gone so far as to break it up for them but they just pick at it. theylove the betta bites up and wont eat the flake crap so any suggestions on that would be greatly appreciated

Stats
both in half gallon betta tanks
silk plants
no lighting
eats 3x a day 5 pellets each (they act like im starving them to death)) lol
no direct sunlight
temp at 78 to 82 depending on time of day
change water 2x a week
ph at 6.8-7
half tsp salt per water change
and 5 min a day to flare at each other or mirror ( for expersice and time to
evaluate to notice problems, and to laugh they look like ferangies (sp) for star trek--thats where quark got his name
dalek is my red one fiance named him cause hes a dr.who fan

so if im doing right tell me if im not tell me im a big girl i wont go crying to mommy. and any other helpful suggestions will be a blessing.
As bad as i want a crown tail betta or one of those beautys like yall have i want to keep what i have a little while longer.

mucho love and thanks for all the fishes >>>>> lol

 

[Jayderana]

First of all I love the Hitchhiker's Guide joke

It would seem like Quark has a case of slow fin rot. My jefferey had that but we cured it up in 8 days, 100% water change and four days of jungle fungus eliminator and 100% water change and four days of bettamax. I think that some fish are more sensitive to ammonia than others. If you do not wish to medicate try keeping his water really clean, add some salt and hopefully it goes away without another round of meds. If you do use bettamax be warned it will dye many ornaments in the bowl a greeny blue colour (if you have any).... I learned that the hard way.

I also have half gallon betta kits.... however I clean mine every two days 50% and they only have baby bettas in them so they stay pretty much perfectly clean. I also try to remove any visible waste daily with a turkey baster. When you say five pellets three times daily....do you mean you feed them fifteen pellets a day each? If so I don't know how others would feel about that but I think it is to much. I like to feed mine based on how full they look... I also only feed twice a day.

How many times have you tried to feed them Brine shrimp and blood worms? Often a betta when he is introduced to a new type of food will be a little shy around it and not know what to do with it. I know my guys reacted that way when I first gave it to them. So I would keep trying for a while....but make sure to remove uneaten food so it won't foul up your water. you may want to invest in some test kits to see how often you should be changing the water.

Overall you sound like a very intentive and great fish parent! Keep up the good work. Good luck and have fun with your fish... I am sure you will soon be addicted like the majority of us.

 

[sweet_tinuviel]

Thanks for the info I do full water changes every 2nd or 3rd day to make sure it wasnt that hes over sensitve to ammonia, and i use a child medicine droper its smaller and doesnt freak them out as much and i use it to blow the stull up from the bottom and quick suck it out it keeps the water cleaner.

Quark will eat food he misses off the bottom of the tank but Dalek will not. It seems funny to me.
I will keep trying the brine shrimp, maybe they will get used to it.

As far as how much Quark eats it all, Dalek eats about 4 and stops. So i will cut back, maybe I should fast them a day and try the brine shrimp.

Am i changing the water to much could that be doing it to?? Like stessing him.
I do 100% water changes 2x weekly and i wash everything in the tank, i catch my bettas with the cup method as not to damage more fins and then i pour them into the net before releasing them in to the new clean tank. Does that sound right??
I will try the bettamax but do you think he needs the other the fungus stuff to.
will this also help with a betta who seems to keep his fins crimped, he spans them when swimming but when hes pearched in the tree he stays crimped or on the bottom of tank???

I ll finish this round of bettafix and if it doesnt seem to change ill give it a week and try the bettamax, Ive been treating Dalek since i bought him last sunday, just to make him back to healthy cause he looked kinda pekid, so i wanted to make sure if he did have something it was caught before it had a chance to become worse i did it with Quark and it seems like a good plan, cause other than the fin problem he happier that a fish in water LOL

Thanks again for all you advice im open to any other help to keep them healthy and happy.

And as far as being hooked i am my only drawback is my pocket isnt as deep as the tank i want, neither is my patience. I have a 2 year old and im a stay at home mom need i say more???

But when i do decide to do it I will be on here want step by step instructions to get started. Cause yall know all,

Remember "42"

I think this is the cutest smilie ive seen yet, l8er all

 

[Jayderana]

Say no more two year old explains it all. You will most likely only need to use the bettamax since it is pretty mild. Honestly that was my first encounter with fin rot and it may have been a bit of overkill on my part to use the other stuff as well... You are really going to want to get some bettamax soon because rumour has it they are going out of business and I know just it is often recommended as a cure.

Eating off the bottom is a personal choice....some of them don't do it others do. I have a female that scrounges about after it has fallen while the others wouldn't even think about it....of course that is when she was eating....she is sick now.

It certainly never hurts to fast them for a day as it would seem that it helps thier digestive system catch up.

I do not think you are cleaning the tank to often. Especially if the one is a big eater...big eater=a lot of waste=dirty water. Naturally you knew that or you wouldn't be taking such precautions. One thing you should be doing is acclimating them to the water each time you do a 100% water change...atleast that is what I do. I think is a good precaution to take. I float them in another container and slowly add some water from the clean water to get them used to it...Of course beware of jumping...make sure when you are floating it that they have a cover.

I don't think I would worry about medicating the one that crimps his fins when he is resting.... if he is eating and not exhibiting any other warning signs he should be perfectly alright. Also if he is healthy the medication might be ticking him off a little... I know that my guy got moody when he was in the medication.

How could i forget the meaning to life?

 

[sweet_tinuviel]

Thanks again and i will go buy a couple more bottles.

i hope your one female betta is feeling better soon.

Thanks again and "tank" care to you and yours.

are people too, but smarter. Speacially if your married.