My Betta Is Sick. Help Please :(

[zsep]

Tank size: 1 gal (yes I know I need a bigger one) Not filtered, not heated
pH:7.5
ammonia:0mg
nitrite:The second tester ran out.
nitrate:
kH:
gH:
tank temp: unknown

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): Fin loss, loss of color primarily around head and gills, light stripe horizontally down side, hides, less active, eats well though

Volume and Frequency of water changes: Changed on Fri Aug 7th, 100% change every 5-7 days

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Tetra aqua safe 1/8 or less tsp, tetra easy balance 1/8 or less tsp, bettafix, 1/2 tsp sea salt upon water change, two drops of Kordon rid-ich + a day ago

Tank inhabitants:None

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration)ilk plant

Exposure to chemicals:


Here's his story:

I bought The Flying Dutchman at the end of May. He seemed happy and healthy despite being housed in a small cup when I bought him. His health went into decline at the beginning of July with hiding and floating on the bottom of the tank, eating little or spitting food out, loss of color he's black-blue and had a large strip of red white running horizontally down his side, clamped fins. I went to the pet store and talked to the fish guy, he recommended bettafix. I treated him for the 6 days with no improvement when some fish medicine came into the thrift store I work at. It's Kordon Rid-ich+. At a last ditch effort I changed his water (1 gal tank) gave his dose of bettafix and a few drops of the Kordon, I was certain he wouldn't make it. I woke up the next day to a bright-eyed, active, hungry though battered looking fish! Since then I've kept on top of his water 100% change every 5 days, he seemed to maintain but then I noticed that he had fin loss, he's dark but the edges appear no darker. Now he's in a decline again, with the white stripe back, more fin loss, lack of activity. I thought I saw fin regrowth as he has white tips to the ends of his fins, also some part of his fins have started to look whitish but not cottony. He's back on the bettafix now 4 dys and I gave more of the kordon last night with a water change treating the water with 1/2 tsp of sea salt and today I see some improvement. The thing is I'm broke and can't afford any more medicine over 7$, seriously I'm not just saying I'm broke and sitting here drinking a Starbucks coffee. Is there any advice as to what this might be or what I can do for The Dutchman within my means? I really love him!! He just seems to be suffering so....
Help!! Is this fungus, fin rot, did he have parasites plus fin rot? so confused and desperate!
Edit: I've decided to go broke and starve over the little guy


Since first posting this in the betta area I went to the local private owned pet store and they seemed stumped. They said to take his rocks out as it could be shredding his fins and then letting bacteria in? So I will get the rocks out. I've also read up on not catching him with a net as that can cause damage. So I'll fix that. Any other suggestions? I'll do close to anything!!
Adding pictures

About a week and a half ago

Some from today


Best I could get of his tail

 

[Chantal94]

He could be tail biting - caused my depressed or not the right temp or stats for the water. this can also be due to not happy in the tank ie bored of the settings or not enough room to swim. if the doral thing has spilts or tatty then it isnt tail biting, because bettas cannot reach their top fins.

I would work on a betta tank when possible though

Also it might be fin rot, this is caused by dirty water and the amonia and other bad things in the water building up. if this is the case i would put some meds in (half the doesage what it should be) or some melafix and after the treatment then do a water change

 

[zsep]

He's being treated with Bettafix which I think has the same ingredient as Melafix. Maybe one's more concentrated? His dorsal fin isn't affected as badly but there was one pinhole and it developed the white tips also. His water has been kept pretty clean. I test his levels and all seems fine. They told me at the pet store the stripe he has down his side is from stress. But I don't know what's stressing him?! Gosh I've never had a such a disaster with a pet before. And I feel bad for him

 

[Winterlily]

So sorry your guy (and you!) is going through this. I can't help on the main part of your post - the more knowledgeable folks here can though for sure - but I did want to comment on a couple of things.

The plant that's in the pic? I have 2 of those very plants. One of my betta males is fine with it. The other - prone to fin problems - is not. See those hard plastic brown "stems" that are just below the leaves? Run your finger over them from the leaf downward. They come almost flat out, a bit sharply, and actually do snag my one betta's fins. (Again, the other guy is fine with the very same plant.) So might want to replace that with something less likely to be a potential problem, just in case.

if the doral thing has spilts or tatty then it isnt tail biting, because bettas cannot reach their top fins

You'd really think they couldn't. Some can, though. Mine does - I've watched him do it. He bends very nearly in half, he drops his dorsal which then hangs pretty much in his face, and chases like a puppy chasing his tail, and bites when he "catches" it. So yeah, some of 'em sure can work it out to reach the dorsal.

Careful of medicating with stuff that is meant for something your guy doesn't have (like ich). You can actually stress them lots further that way.

Are the white tail tips truly white, or clear? Fuzzy at all?

(And yes... BettaFix is the same ingredient as MelaFix, but it's basically diluted because anabantids don't handle the full-strength very well.)

 

[Anna Robinson]

(And yes... BettaFix is the same ingredient as MelaFix, but it's basically diluted because anabantids don't handle the full-strength very well.)

A lot of people think this - Melafix and Bettafix are actually the same. Bettafix is more diluted to make it easier to dose in smaller volumes of water. When the instructions are followed they both give the same ingredient at the same concentration. Anabantids do not have any adverse response to Melafix - it has been tested on Bettas and multiple species of gourami.

Careful of medicating with stuff that is meant for something your guy doesn't have (like ich). You can actually stress them lots further that way.

I strongly agree with this, I really wouldn't add harsh medications like anti-parasites without a very good reason. My guess in this situation would be fin rot due to poor water quality - the levels are bound to be fluctuating in there. Would it be possible to do a small daily change, rather than a large weekly one, until you can get a filtered tank?

 

[kelly528]

Being a student, I feel your financial agony. However, housing your betta properly will reduce your cost for meds in the long term, make your fish FAR happier and healthier and requires way less maintenance.

Two website that helped me are the nippyfish blogspot and ultimate bettas. They have AWESOME advice and caresheets.


First-Off, Bettas are tropical fish and NEED a heater to survive properly. Water below maybe 75 degrees or so makes them very weak and vulnerable to illnesses (particularly ick).

Secondly, 1 gallon is too small to heat. There are no heaters made for tanks this small, and moreover, the water heats and cools faster than a larger volume tank, sending your betta into mild, constant thermal shock. Also bad for the immune system. Furthermore, a larger tank (Nippyfish recommends at least 2.5 gallons. I say 2 gallons) will dilute the waste produced by the fish. Did you know that you have to clean a fishbowl daily in order to keep the ammonia level safe?

The first thing you need to do is buy a heater. If you are on a budget, I suggest buying a rubbermaid tub to keep your guy in until you have found a legit tank that you like. Getting a new tank and heater for your little guy is the most effective treatment at this point. The minibow by all-glass comes in 2.5 gallons and can't cost more than $30 US. If you ask around on forums, some people will point you towards some fabulous all in one kits.

Again, ultimate bettas is a good place to get lots of beginner info. People there love to help,

Good luck,
Kelly