how to treat stubborn fin rot?

[jupiter88]

hello.my betta splenden has a really stubborn case of fin rot.

He's had it off and on for a couple of months, I thought I managed to get rid of it by using Melafix, but due to some failures in judgement on my part he's picked it up again. He's in a 5g all alone with a heater and filter, but at best all I managed to do was HALT the rot, and his fins have never really grown back from it. :\

I don't want to buy another bottle of medicine that won't work, is aquarium salt alone something that can cure it?

I've been told I should only medicate the tank as a last resort, because of how harsh it is for the fish...

any help at all is super greatly appreciated , thank you so much

 

[NickAu]

Hi

Can you please answer the following questions.

How big is the tank?
Has it got a heater? What is it set to?
Has it got a filter?
How strong is the current?
Is it cycled?
How often do you change water?
How much water do you change?
Do you vacuum the substrate?
What additives or chemicals do you use? Eg De Chlorinator?
Do you use tap or bottled water? If bottled water please give us the brand.
Do you have a water test kit?
Can you tell us the readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?
When you clean the tank can you tell us exactly what you do.
What do you feed him? how much? how often?
Any tank mates? What sort how many?
How long have you had the Betta?
Has he got a history of illness?
Any plants or decorations? Please give details?
Can you provide a close up photo of the fish?
Can you provide a photo of the tank?

 

[jupiter88]

Hi!

Hi

Can you please answer the following questions.

How big is the tank?
Has it got a heater? What is it set to?
Has it got a filter?
How strong is the current?
Is it cycled?
How often do you change water?
How much water do you change?
Do you vacuum the substrate?
What additives or chemicals do you use? Eg De Chlorinator?
Do you use tap or bottled water? If bottled water please give us the brand.
Do you have a water test kit?
Can you tell us the readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?
When you clean the tank can you tell us exactly what you do.
What do you feed him? how much? how often?
Any tank mates? What sort how many?
How long have you had the Betta?
Has he got a history of illness?
Any plants or decorations? Please give details?
Can you provide a close up photo of the fish?
Can you provide a photo of the tank?

5g tank
yes, he has two, a 10w and 25w, at 74/75 degrees F
Yep!
The current is extremely slow/gentle. It's a fluval chi
Once a week normally 20%-50% water change
Yes
topfin conditioner, 1 tsp marineland total care bacteria (monthly), 5ml fertilizer (weekly), 1 tbsp aquarium salt
tap
no, i go to the local pet store to get it done
cleaning routine: usually siphon gravel for detritus, scrub tank sides/light/outside of filter with toothbrush to get rid of algae, squeeze out filters & marimos in siphoned water
i usually feed him a dry pellet brand that has 45% crude protein, usually 6-8 pellets a day, however a week ago I got very scared I was underfeeding him and began feeding him 10-12 pellets but now Im starving him bc I realised it was way too much
he has no tank mates
Since May 2017
the second week i got him his fin rot started so, yes
He has two decorations, a little jack o lantern hidey hole, a log tube hidey hole, a live anubia nana, four live marimo moss balls

I'm not at home right now so I can't provide photos of him, I'm sorry , I hope this is enough decisive information to help

 

[NickAu]

Hi

yes, he has two, a 10w and 25w, at 74/75 degrees F

I would up that to 80f.

Once a week normally 20%-50% water change

Is it 20 or 50%? LOL I would do 50% min a week.

1 tsp marineland total care bacteria (monthly)

Waste of money.

5ml fertilizer (weekly),

Type of fertilizer? That seems like a lot to me for a 5 gallon tank.

1 tbsp aquarium salt

This could be a problem, stop adding, Do a 50% water change now but DO NOT add any salt. then do 50% water change everyday for the next 3 or 4 days to get rid of the salt from the water.

no, i go to the local pet store to get it done

Next time you go can you get the actual numbers, dont let them brush you off with " everything is fine " because that means exactly nothing, my idea of fine is not the same as the petshops.

got very scared I was underfeeding him and began feeding him 10-12 pellets but now Im starving him bc I realised it was way too much

I saw the pellets you are feeding in another post, about 4 to 6 pellets a day should be enough,

 

[jupiter88]

Hi



I would up that to 80f.



Is it 20 or 50%? LOL I would do 50% min a week.


Waste of money.


Type of fertilizer? That seems like a lot to me for a 5 gallon tank.


This could be a problem, stop adding, Do a 50% water change now but DO NOT add any salt. then do 50% water change everyday for the next 3 or 4 days to get rid of the salt from the water.

Getting him a better heater is on my to-do list.
Normally i do 30% i used to do 50% then i read that that was too stressful for the fish...

I'm sorry but I thought aquarium salt was helpful for fish? Do I have that wrong?

Also I know what caused the rot, it is because the heater was too close to his tank and was causing temperature fluctuations...

Have you used the marineland bacteria? Am i confused again about bacteria being helpful? I'm sorry if i am ignorant, I'm still new to the hobby...

 

[Essjay]

Salt is only useful in specific conditions eg when treating whitespot. It should not be used routinely in tanks with fresh water fish. The wording on the packaging suggests that it is a wonderful product for keeping a fish healthy - this is pure hype to make you spend money, and also incorrect.

Bottled bacteria may help when setting up a new tank but once the tank is cycled it is not needed. Why spend money adding more bacteria when you already have all the bacteria the tank needs.

50% water changes are not stressful for fish provided the new water is roughly the same temperature as the tank water. I do weekly 50% water changes on my tanks.

I am confused by your comment on the heater. What do you mean by it being too close to the tank? The flow from the filter should move the heated water round the tank quickly and all the water should be the same temperature.

 

[jupiter88]

Salt is only useful in specific conditions eg when treating whitespot. It should not be used routinely in tanks with fresh water fish. The wording on the packaging suggests that it is a wonderful product for keeping a fish healthy - this is pure hype to make you spend money, and also incorrect.

Bottled bacteria may help when setting up a new tank but once the tank is cycled it is not needed. Why spend money adding more bacteria when you already have all the bacteria the tank needs.

50% water changes are not stressful for fish provided the new water is roughly the same temperature as the tank water. I do weekly 50% water changes on my tanks.

I am confused by your comment on the heater. What do you mean by it being too close to the tank? The flow from the filter should move the heated water round the tank quickly and all the water should be the same temperature.

I had no idea about the salt.... thankyou

Salt is only useful in specific conditions eg when treating whitespot. It should not be used routinely in tanks with fresh water fish. The wording on the packaging suggests that it is a wonderful product for keeping a fish healthy - this is pure hype to make you spend money, and also incorrect.

Bottled bacteria may help when setting up a new tank but once the tank is cycled it is not needed. Why spend money adding more bacteria when you already have all the bacteria the tank needs.

50% water changes are not stressful for fish provided the new water is roughly the same temperature as the tank water. I do weekly 50% water changes on my tanks.

I am confused by your comment on the heater. What do you mean by it being too close to the tank? The flow from the filter should move the heated water round the tank quickly and all the water should be the same temperature.

Thankyou for the explanations for salt and bacteria.... i had no idea about the aquarium salt,i thought i was helping my fish

What i meant by the heater was more like the radiator/vent for my houses heat. He was directly underneath it bc my heaters alone werent helping it reach 78 degrees but being next to the vent caused too many fluctuations in his temperature to be healthy

I really appreciate ur patience and advice, you guys are so helpful

 

[jupiter88]

Hi



I would up that to 80f.



Is it 20 or 50%? LOL I would do 50% min a week.


Waste of money.


Type of fertilizer? That seems like a lot to me for a 5 gallon tank.


This could be a problem, stop adding, Do a 50% water change now but DO NOT add any salt. then do 50% water change everyday for the next 3 or 4 days to get rid of the salt from the water.


Next time you go can you get the actual numbers, dont let them brush you off with " everything is fine " because that means exactly nothing, my idea of fine is not the same as the petshops.



I saw the pellets you are feeding in another post, about 4 to 6 pellets a day should be enough,

I put in the heater i was saving for a 10g and im waiting for it to reach 80 right now. ☺
Also you were right about the fertilizer, i checked the label and i was using 5ml for 10g instead of 2.5 for 5g

I've done roughly two 50% water changes and two 15% water changes in the last 5 days, and his fin rot is still apparant so I added kanaplex to his tank and i hope it does the trick....
If not i will keep you guys updated

Thankyou so much for the patience and advice!!

 

[Essjay]

What i meant by the heater was more like the radiator/vent for my houses heat. He was directly underneath it bc my heaters alone werent helping it reach 78 degrees but being next to the vent caused too many fluctuations in his temperature to be healthy

Thank you for explaining about the heater. Tanks should not be kept near the house heating, whether it's radiators or warm air heating, because it does switch on and off to maintain room temperature and a tank next to an external heat source will suffer temperature swings as a result.
You said the tank is 5 gallons - what wattage is the tank heater? A 25 w heater should be able to keep the tank at a stable 78 deg, though in my experience with some cheaper brands you need to go to a higher wattage.

 

[jupiter88]

Thank you for explaining about the heater. Tanks should not be kept near the house heating, whether it's radiators or warm air heating, because it does switch on and off to maintain room temperature and a tank next to an external heat source will suffer temperature swings as a result.
You said the tank is 5 gallons - what wattage is the tank heater? A 25 w heater should be able to keep the tank at a stable 78 deg, though in my experience with some cheaper brands you need to go to a higher wattage.

I live in canada & a basement and the place i live in is so cold that im currently using a 50w and a 10w to get to reach roughly 78-80 degrees...the big one is iscranked up to "82" on the internal temperature but the water is only showing up as 78-79. ❄❄
Brr, chilly.