BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Fish Betta Help...?

I have had two betta for the last 2 years. They have been very healthy until about 6 months ago. My one blue betta appears to have fin and tail rot, plus a brown spot on his fin. I treated him for tail rot, but the brown spot has not gone away. Does anyone know what this could be?

He is eating fine, and otherwise seems happy. Although, he doesn't swim as strong as he used to. Please help me...

Hi Erin! Welcome!

You need to read this post:

http://www.bellaonline.com/forum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000086

That's about the fin rot and will also tell you how to get up to speed with caring for bettas. I really don't know what the brown spot could be, unless it's a fungus. PLease use aquarium salt, bettafix and high temps if that is the case - don't use those pet store medications since they are so strong they often just kill the fish outright.

Ok... I do use aquarium salt and I am fairly familiar with caring for betta's (I actually work in a pet store mainly with the fish.) But I was just trying to see if anyone knew what that brown spot could be. Everyone that I have asked so far has no idea. Thanks, I'll be sure to read that article!

it sounds like a maybe a fungus, but sometimes bettas get tumors...can yuo describe further?

It looks more like a necrosis than a growth. I also thought it was fin rot, but in all my research I haven't found anything that looks like that. Usually fin rot is where the fin is disappearing.

My last thought is that it's a tumor. In which case, make your baby comfy, feed him good live food, and hope for the best. Tubifex worms, daphnia flies, bloodworms, etc, might help him get his immune up. let us know how he's doing. :angel:

Also, 2 years is a long life for most bettas. They might just be old. bettas can live a lot longer under perfect/lab conditions, but for most hobbyists 2-3 years is a long life.

He's still pretty frisky. I am treating him with some MelaFixin case it is fin rot. I recently moved him and his tank mate (another betta) into a Minibow 2.5 tank with a betta divider, hood light and a whisper filter. Since this move, both the betta's have perked up a lot. Plus, they like to mess with each other through the divider once and awhile. Anyway, my sickly guy only looks sick. He swims pretty well, has a good appetite, builds his bubble nests, and swims around his side of the tank quite a bit (before he liked to just sit at the bottom). I think it might just be old age catching up with him. Hopefully he still has a bit of time left!