BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Fish Stupid fin rot (on a betta)

So I know there have been about a billion topics already on fin rot, but my poor guy just keeps getting worse, and I have neither the tools nor the confidence to perform "surgery" if it gets to that point (and it hasn't yet, hopefully it won't)

I was initially just treating with salt water and hoping he'd respond, and when i was doing daily water changes, he was doing all right. Then I read that daily water changes streses the fish out, so I started doing only half water changes daily. Well, that's when he started to really get worse. So I did a full water change again and went out and bought some MelaFix (I couldn't find any BettaFix or I would have gotten that) and a little decoration for him to hide in and rest his fins on (to keep them clean). Last Sunday night (a week ago today) I started the MelaFix, but he's not getting any better. In fact, he seems to be getting worse. I was planning on doing about another 50% water change or so today by removing the top water and keeping him in that, then rinsing the tank he is in (about a gallon size) so that I can hopefully get rid of some of the icky bacteria on the bottom. I'm just wondering if you guys here agree with me on this, as you seem to all be such knowledgeable people (not like the people at the pet store, one of whom said betta's like cold water...even when they're sick!)

Thanks much!
Elise

Edit: I've also been keeping him under my bookshelf on my desk (I live in a dorm) that I sectioned off with some cardboard and a light inside to keep the heat in. He's been at about 79 or 80 for the past week and a half, which is as warm as I can get it, even with towels around his tank. I've also been obsessively keeping his tank clean, removing poo and uneaten food at least every time I feed him (one pellet three or four times a day, and sometimes a bit of pea instead of a pellet at night)

MAAAAANNNNN!!! I hate it when I take half an hour to write a reply and then *POOF*...it disappears into thin cyber space!!! <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Elise, I did reply to this but now I have to write all that out again, but at present I don't have time. I'll try to get back to this tomorrow if I can...but for quicks...good clean water is always a good thing, just make sure it's the same temp as what he is in. And...good healthy nutritious food helps as well. Try live black worms or vinegar eels..micro worms...flightless fruitflys...etc..if you can find them. Frozen is the next best thing if you can't.....have to go now, but good luck and....Welcome to the forum!! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thanks!

I don't have immediate access to live food, but I will see what I can do. I also have a supply of water I let sit for a few days to reach room temperature and age a little, so it should be close to his temperature, and I let it sit under a light for a little bit until it's just right.

He's my first guy, and I've only had him since June 19, AND it's his first illness, so of course I'm freaking out a little. Everyone here thinks I'm crazy (and maybe I am, like everyone else here seems to be (said in a very good way!)), but there are far worse addictions.......

Elise

Your doing well Elise...79-80 is a good temp for bettas. You say you have a 1 gallon tank? Would it be possible to float two cups in there that are big enough for your betta? That way you can be sure the temps are the same when you change his water. I wouldn't worry if the cup is the size of what they have them in at the pet stores...because you would be changing the water every day. Just a thought.

I do hope all goes well with him..and your right...lol...we're all a bit crazy about our fish. They certainly can be addictive..and..yes...there ARE far worse addictions...LOL

Well, I suppose it would be possible to float two cups in there, if I had two cups...hm...I also wonder if this might stress him out a little, because he seems to passionately hate when I have to take him out to a little cup like that, even when I float it in the water to adjust the temperatures...and I don't want him thrashing too much, or he might hurt his little fins more...

I'm sure he'll be fine...I'm crossing my fingers! From what it sounds like, fin rot is pretty common and it's simply a really stubborn case. What initially happened, I think, was I had been adding a product called CleanWater, and I may have added too much during one water change, which irritated his fins, causing them to be vulnerable to bacteria on the bottom. Right now, I have removed the gravel to make cleaning easier and hopefully keep the bottom cleaner too.

Thanks for the help, I'll let you know how he fares <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Great idea about taking the gravel out Elise. I'm sure your buddy will do fine. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

if i had separate bowls, should i still increase the melafix amounts or...? or say i cleaned the tank every day or two, should i just add double or triple or whatever?

Elise...when I do betta fix treatments...sometimes if the water is getting a bit more icky than I can stand...I get a bowl of fresh clean water and add whatever bettafix has been added to the water the fish is in. If he's been in treatment for 4 days, I add 4 days of bettafix to the clean water before I put him in. It seems to work for me though I do end up using up alot of the meds that way..but I can't stand dirty water..lol.

true true

and considering I have a one-gallon, even if I did daily full changes, I'd have enough for several weeks. Dirty water is bad, and I think he'd be better off if I did some more frequent water changes until he gets better.

Okay, thanks!

oh !! I just read this Elise .. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> i wiah you all the luck .. hope to hear good new soon about him ..