Melafix And Torn Fins.

[Glod]

Hi folks,

Well, it must be just over a month or more since the last time and he's ripped his fin again What a way to start the new year
Anyway, he now has some Amano Shrimp in his tank, is there any threat to them if I dose melafix at half strength ?

 

[WILDER]

What size bowl is he in, got to find out why he's nipping his fins, they usually do it out of boredom or depression.
If there not bad see if water quality heals them.

 

[Glod]

What size bowl is he in, got to find out why he's nipping his fins, they usually do it out of boredom or depression.
If there not bad see if water quality heals them.

Hi Wilder,
He's in a 10 gallon filtered, planted tank with sand substrate and a bit of bogwood.
Tanks Stats are : Ph 6.8, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5-10 ppm, Temp 24.5 C.
Inhabitants: There's him, 2 Otocinclus and 5 Amano Shrimp. I don't think he's nipping his own fins as the "tear" is well away from the edge of the fin, looks very much like he tore it tho I am not sure what he would tear it on unless he squeezed under the bogwood or between the filter and the glass maybe.
Last time he got his tail caught on the mounting bracket for the heater. The heater was in the outflow from the filter and he liked to swim in the flow sometimes, but it pushed him into the heater mounting. I've since replaced the heater with one that is vertically mounted (rather than at an angle like the old one) and not in the direct flow, so that shouldn't be the cause. There doesn't seem to be any infection I was just going to add the melafix as a precaution as his tail heals.
Just wanted to make sure it was shrimp safe.

 

[WILDER]

Right bless him if you keep seeing torn fins it looking bacterial if its going away and coming back.
To be honest not sure on melafix with strimp.
I would go with a bacterial med, melafix has it uses but not on bacterial finrot.
I will get you a link.

http/www.petfish.net/articles/Bettas/finrot.php

 

[Glod]

Interesting reading, thanks for the link Wilder. The symptoms Rocket has are not really disintegrating fins it looks very much like physical damage as in there is a tiny flap of ripped tissue at the end of the tear. I'm aware, and that link confirms that this could lead to an opportunistic infection and fin rot, that is why I was planning on the melafix treatment, just as a precaution.
If the damage seems to be getting worse, or looks infected, I will isolate him in a spare tank and treat with stronger meds. Don't think I can get maracyn in any lfs, I'll take a look online tho.

 

[Glod]

Hmm... just read over the thread again and you didn't even mention maracyn, lol. I must have been reading another post. So, is there any anti bacterial you would reccomend or had good results with that is available in the uk ?

 

[WILDER]

Myxazin by waterlife, you can use it with melafix, good luck.

 

[Glod]

Thanks Wilder.
Looked into Myxazin on waterlife's website, seems to be fine with shrimp too The med apparently can be used as a precaution so I will see if I can find some tomorrow. I think I have seen it around.

 

[WILDER]

Yes it's easy to get hold of.
Wouldn't bother with the interpet anti fungus and finrot, don't rate the med one bit for finrot.

 

[matty101]

Thanks also Wilder. I thought my bettas were just normally like that but it seems to be fin rot...thanks alot ...O but a question, Both my bettas have pinholes in their finnage...they're in a 10g divided (5g each)..with a pictus catfish...will the catfish be ok with a little bit of salt? I knew that salt could also help with preventing and curing infection... I also have this medicine called Splendid Beta BettaFix Remedy..it treats fin rot and antibactirial infections....will the pictus catfish be ok with treatments?? Can't tell you ingreadients because they're not included

 

[Glod]

Thanks also Wilder. I thought my bettas were just normally like that but it seems to be fin rot...thanks alot ...O but a question, Both my bettas have pinholes in their finnage...they're in a 10g divided (5g each)..with a pictus catfish...will the catfish be ok with a little bit of salt? I knew that salt could also help with preventing and curing infection... I also have this medicine called Splendid Beta BettaFix Remedy..it treats fin rot and antibactirial infections....will the pictus catfish be ok with treatments?? Can't tell you ingreadients because they're not included

Bettafix is a lower concentration of melafix, they're the same thing. Pictus catfish are scaleless so not sure how salt is for them. Pictus catfish get to about 8 inches long, they're really too big to be kept in a 10 gallon long term, especially one that is divided.

 

[WILDER]

No more than a teaspoon of salt with the catfish, good luck.

 

[Glod]

Thought I'd pop up a picture of the tear in Rocket's fin. Took this a few minutes ago. He's now moping in the hospital tank none too amused, lol.

You can see the damaged part at the end of his tail, it was a hole until one of the "threads" broke meaning it's now hanging a bit loose. Started treatment with Myxazin this afternoon, so will continue that and see how it goes.

 

[WILDER]

It is bad, you could do a salt bath then the damaged peice should fall off, and it will help with the infection.

 

[Glod]

It looks a bit worse in the pic than in real life, partly because he must have some crowntail genes in there somewhere, he's definitely a VT but there are extensions all along his fins. The other side of the tear is a solid connection, it's still solidly connected to his tail. I'll look into the salt bath, tho I'm reluctant to put him through that if I don't have to. He's already mad at me for catching him in that jug this morning, lol.
His other finnage is fine, he just very rarely flares so you can't see it in the pic too well. the only time he flared was when there was a background on the tank. Either he could see his reflection or he just wanted to see all directions
Got any links to salt bath techniques Wilder ? Gonna google now so it's not major .