Please Help With Possible Fin Problem/disease?

[Winterlily]

I posted in the Fish Emergency section this morning, but no answers yet, so thought I might be better off here? Pretty sure I'm not supposed to post the exact same message in two places (?), so here's the link to that message. Someone please help - I'm worried that if there's something wrong, it needs attention before it gets too bad to treat/save. 'Course, it could be nothing at all, too - hopefully!

Just click here to go to my original message about this with all the pics.

Thank you!!

 

[CTlovesKS]

Have posted on other post
Repliy on that

 

[Honeythorn]

The top picture does seem to show what might be the beginnings of fin rot, though it doesn't seem clear in the other pitures. Fin rot often shows as a blackening to the fin edges, and they will begin to disintegrate leaving the rays protruding ( these often dissappear too )

Going without a filter is not a good idea at all. Espescially if the fish is ill. A 3 gallon is too small to filter properly, which means that you will need to do daily water changes of almost 100% on the tank. If your fish is ill, this kind of stress is not good for him ( it's not good for them even when in good health ) it will also remove a lot of any medicine you use in the tank every time you do it. Kind of counterproductive to any treatment really.

You describe a shivering movement when he swims. Does he flick or rub himself along the plants or bottom like he has an itch? If not then that's good, but if he does, then this is a sign of irritated skin and slime. Things like that are usually caused by water quality problems, and since you have no filter, your risk of such problems is higher if for any reason you don't or can't keep up with the daily water changes.




The best thing to do is treat him with a half dose of waterlife Myaxzin for a week or two, to clear any fin rot, and look around for a bigger tank ( 5 gals + ) with a gentle filter like a sponge filter, or one that is built into the lid of the tank. He will have more room, and the greater volume of water will mean his waste is far more diluted. This, along with filtration will result in much cleaner water and less risk of future health problems for him.


He may have contracted this possible fin rot from the place you got him, and the stress of moving will not have helped. Medicine and very clean water will help to heal his fins , and they will grow back.

 

[Winterlily]

Going without a filter...

?? No no, the tank is filtered! It's not got a heater (days the water is staying at 80, night times staying around 76), but it definitely has a filter! FWIW, it's an Eclipse 3, with filter built into the hood. I'm doing daily water changes anyhow, trying to keep the ammonia and nitrites at zero.

You describe a shivering movement when he swims. Does he flick or rub himself along the plants or bottom like he has an itch?

That shivery thing is only once in a while, definitely not constant. I'd say maybe 5% of the time. And no - he doesn't seem to be rubbing himself along plants or the bottom, thankfully.

This little 3 gallon is a temporary home for him. We're trying to finalize the decision as to which "big" tank to get - but we're looking at 40-55 gallons, which will be divided into compartments. Each betta will end up with something like 8-10 gallons to themselves. I know 3 gallons isn't good for him and he needs more room - I'm doing my best in the meantime to keep him as healthy and happy as he can possibly be until I can get him into the better size home.

He was shipped to me (same country) - and they said that they often arrive with damaged fins. I know he arrived much more raggy-looking than I saw him before he left the breeder's, so I know his fins weren't near perfect when he arrived, it just seems (I think?) worse today. ?? Is there any way to tell the difference between damaged fins and fin rot??

 

[Honeythorn]

I see.

Damaged fins will simply be a bit ragged and torn. Some bettas chew their own fins through stress so he may be a tail biter. You'll just have to watch him and see.

Finrot will show as blackening on the edge of the fins ( almost like you singed it slightly ) and a slightly bloodstreaked raggdy appearence. The fish often becomes lethargic as well. Excessive resting and this blackening and continured ragged appearance to the fins is most likely fin rot. I've used Myaxzin in the past and it does a really good job of getting rid of it.

After you've treated the fin rot and it's gone, just keep his water plain and clean for 1 week, and then begin adding a little melafix. It's very good for healing fins and helping them re-grow after finrot and damage.

 

[Winterlily]

I just added 4 close ups of his fins to the thread in the emergency section (thread is here) if you want to have a look and see what you think. There's definitely no singed look, there's no white or gray or fuzz. It's so hard to see in real life, but the camera blew it up nicely and now I can see that almost all the edges of his fins are clear - I'm assuming new growth?? That's what clear is, right? Of course, if you look at the picture I posted of what he looked like while still at the breeder's, there was clear all around his fins then, too. ?? Just wondering (hoping) that maybe it all looks worse to me today because some pieces have a lot of new growth making them longer, which of course makes the pieces next to them look shorter so it all looks more drastic to me if you kwim?

With the close up perhaps helping in diagnosis, wondering what you all think now? Still thinking fin rot? Or no way to tell, so I ought to just go ahead and medicate?

 

[Honeythorn]

The close ups are much better pics. I can't see anything resembling fin rot.

He might have chewed his tail in shipping through stress possibly. Some bettas do. Either way, his fins simply look damaged, not diseased.

A good treatment for healing damaged fins is very clean water, and dosing with Melafix. His fins may not grow back perfectly , to looking how they did in his breeder picture, but they will grow back.

 

[Gill]

Looks like his fins were just damaged in shipping as HT stated.

 

[Winterlily]

Oh thanks so much guys. I feel ever so much better - truly. Whew.

Thanks so much for all the time and help - it's TONS appreciated! I shall keep his water as clean as humanly possible, move him to the big tank as soon as its cycled, and do what I can for him all around.

Thank you once again!

Samantha