The Dissolving Betta...?

[Peep]

I bought a new betta on Wednesday from a good fish shop with a great rep. I chose him carefully, he looked perky, healthy and had lovely finnage. Took him home and put him in the tank, same as I always do and he lay on his side on the bottom for a while which had me worried but before long he was swimming around like a little ninja. Fed him (though he seems to be a fussy/reluctant feeder) and his tank mates and went to bed.

When I woke up and went to check him he was a very sick fish! I would say 50-60% of his fins are gone and they seriously look like they have dissolved. There are no dark or white edges. I did notice that his fin was a tiny bit tatty on the top when i bought him but thought nothing of it. There are no signs of disease on his tank mates or anywhere else on his head or body. I have never seen anything destroy a beautiful betta's fins in under 12 hours before. PLEASE can anyone she light upon what may have happened?

Request Help

Tank size: 24l
pH: 6.5
ammonia: 0 - 0.25
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0
kH: unknown
gH:unknown
tank temp: 25 degrees centigrade

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): (above)

Volume and Frequency of water changes: once a week 20% though i will do it more often if i feel it needs it

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: stress coat +, stress zyme +

Tank inhabitants: 6 neon tetra, 4 silver hatchets

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): just my betta!

Exposure to chemicals: none that im aware of

Digital photo (include if possible): will try later!


He has sand substrate which I stir every now and then when I change the water, 2 living plants and a couple of ornaments, nothing very jaggy or rough.

I live in Scotland so medicines seem to be limited but as soon as I noticed he was 'dissolving' I got Melafix and Pimafix and treated with a full dose of both after doing a water change.

Thank you!!!

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Goodness, poor guy!

Is it possible your neons have been nipping his fins? This can sometimes happen with small groups of tetras. I don't know much about silver hatchets so don't know if they are to blame or not.

Do you have a powerful filter in the tank? Could he have gotten stuck to the filter and it shredded his fins?

Lastly, how did you acclimate him before adding to the tank?

Regarding feeding, bettas often don't have much of an appetite for the first week or so after you get them, he'll come around eventually, just feed as normal.

It's a shame you have already dosed the tank because I would have reccommended a large water change before adding any medication. To get the ammonia down to 0 and to make sure the water is super fresh. The best way to treat fins is with ultra clean water. So lots of water changes will reall help.

A picture of him and of the tank will be really helpful that way we can be sure about those plastic plants!

 

[Peep]

I havn't seen them nipping him and I've been keeping them with my toher betta too and an not aware of them nipping him either. the silver hatchets just seem to hide in the corner most of the time, scared.

I do have a filter but I keep it on the lowest setting so I dont think thats it, though he is a but under muscled from being kept in a betta cube in the shop.

Floated him for 20mins, added some water, floated 20mins, added more water floated another 20 mins then lifted him out with a net and threw the bag and water away.

Thats good to know about the feeding, my other one would eat himself to death if I let him so I was worried about the new guy!

I did a 50% water change before I dosed the tank them i moved him into a floating plastic breeding cage thing just incase the fish were nipping. The medication says to dose every day and change the water every 3rd day. should I just do a water change every day instead?

Is Melafix and Pimafix the best medication I can use?

Also will add some pics when I get home from work but the plants are definitely very soft and alive!

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Yes, I think Melafix and Pimafix are your best bets however you probably only need melafix at this point. Plus using both together decreases oxygen in the water so you'd need to add an airstone if using both.

Sounds to me like you're on the right track, we just need to figure out how it happened! Sorry, I don't know where I got the plastic plants from!

Edit: regarding your hatchet fish if you add some floating plants they will be much happier as they are an extremely shy fish and the plants will make them feel more secure If you look in the plants for sale section there are often forum members selling some

 

[colleen0309]

I'm not entirely sure about this, but I seem to remember reading something about melafix and pimafix and bettas. From what I remember,bettas don't do well with one or both of these. They mess with the labrynth organ and the can sufficate. Again, I'm not sure about this so some research might be in order.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Yes that is said about these medications but I and many others don't believe it's true. Lots and lots of betta keepers (along with other labyrinth fish) have used it with no problems, including myself

Along the same lines there are many who don't believe in using these products at all, not because they are harmful but because they don't think it holds any benefit to use them. I can only comment on my own experience and I think it has helped when I have used it.

 

[colleen0309]

I agree. There is alot of missinformation out there. I use both of these meds with success, but I have never had to treat my betta, so I can't comment on it's effects, just what I have read.

 

[Peep]

 
 
 
Thanks for the suggestions!
 
As for the Hatchets I have one floating moss ball which they seem to like but I will definitely look into getting a better veriety and check out the classifieds section!
 
i did look into the uses on Pimafix and Melafix for Bettas  and concluded that most people seem to have found it OK. I also discovered that Bettafix is exactly the same a Melafix but diluted by 5x or something. So I figured that if the treatment seems to be adversely affecting him I can stop the Primafix and reduce the Melafix?

Should I ignore the instructions on the treatment bottle which say to treat the tank daily and do a water change only every 3 days and just do a ways change every day to keep it as clean as possible?

He doesn't seem to be showing signs of fin rot and I would hate for it to set in!

 

[Peep]

I think this may be becoming a disaster...I came home from work to find that more of the fins have gone. They appear to have broken off and you can see the pieces just lying on the bottom. This rules out ornament, nibbling etc...? PLEASE can someone shed any light on this?!

Also how long does it normally take for the Mela/Pimafix to kick in because it doesn't seem to be working!

I will upload a pic just as soon as I can work out how!!

Thanks

 

[Peep]

Here he is, the man himself.

 

[Sweeden]

when you say other Betta? Your other one died or is still in the same tank?

 

[crazyforcordoras]

Theres no picture.

 

[Peep]

They're in the same tank and the other one seems fine.

Yeah it keeps saying upload failed

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Oh. Well there you have it. The other betta attacked your new betta. You should never keep two males together and seeing as you added that one into your old ones territory, he was not too impressed!

Open a photobucket account and upload your pictures there. Then use an IMG code (it's located under or next to the picture on photobucket) and paste it here. There are usually slats in those breeding cages and they can still see each other so they have probably still been fighting. You can't exactly return that betta now. You've got to try and get another tank for it if you want it to live long term. He will be stressed being able to see the other male so..I'm not sure what your best option is.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Also your tank is too small for two bettas and your other fish.