# Need advice for fin rot issue



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I've been trying to fight the fin rot in my veiltail Psusennes' anal fin for a month now. I think I've gotten some handle on the major tank issues that have come up, but he is still losing fin and has become a bit twitchy and lethargic over the weekend.

He is one of 2 bettas in a divided 5.5 gallon tank with a Whisper 10i filter and 25W heater, both of which are on his side of the tank. The other betta Ramesses is a bit lethargic as well, but he was never as active as Psusennes so this is less concerning.

Water temperature is steady at 80 and all water changes are safely within 2 degrees of that. I have had the water tested at the local fish store twice the last month. The first test apparently did not have enough water to test ammonia, but the carbonates were apparently off the chart; this is very odd since the local tap water I use is less than 10ppm. This was resolved by the next test a week later. I spent that week doing small 10% changes every second day after working a dose of aq salt into the tank over the course of several hours and changing the filter media. More aq salt was added as needed during those changes

On the second test, carbonates were back below 10ppm, pH was around 6 as it had been before, but ammonia was at 4.9 so I was very worried. I couldn't think of the source as there are only the 2 fish in this bare bottomed tank with only plastic plants and river rocks. I finally think I found the source though: the current from the filter was too strong so I had a sponge placed there as a baffle. I thought there might have been some of my beneficial bacteria living in there so I forgot to rinse it regularly. I did so on Saturday, using water treated with Stress Coat so that I wouldn't kill off any beneficial bacteria (my water conditioner) and it took 3 jugs of water to finally get all the gunk out. I was quite horrified to realize this, especially since the poor boy lives on the side where water was coming out past that. No wonder he got sick!

I'm planning to do another 20% change tonight minimum, but I would definitely appreciate any advice on the matter. I usually change 30-50% per week with Stress Coat. My boys are fed 2-3 pellets in the morning and 3 pellets in the evening, except for their weekly fast day. The ill boy has been with me for about a year and a half and, outside of some tail biting, this is the first time he has been sick.


----------



## tekkguy (Jan 28, 2013)

First, stop using aquarium salt. It irritates the scales, and can actually cause more rot to occur. You should do a 100% water change to get rid of the aquarium salt. If you want to stimulate the slime coat, Stress Coat is good for that.

All you need to help his fins grow back (since it doesn't sound like there's really any rotting going on), is warm, clean water and time. Keep an eye on that filter. If it's not baffled well, his fins will continue to tear. Hopefully they were only tearing because of the filter and not any actual rot!

Do you have your own test kit? The API kit is on Amazon for under $20 - testing your own water is always faster and not very expensive.


----------



## tekkguy (Jan 28, 2013)

I re-read your post and obviously missed something ... I thought you said the fin loss was caused by an un-baffled filter.

Do you notice any black around the edges of his fins where they are becoming shorter?

And while we're at it, can you answer these questions?


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Can't really do a 100% change in a filtered tank with an established beneficial bacteria population without really messing up the water chemistry. Aquarium salt is a listed treatment in the sticky thread in this section of the forum under the treatment of fin rot. The edges of his fin are red and ragged, gradually getting shorter with small sections looking like they are turning to red puffs before sloughing off. 

As he has been a tail biter and did once tear his tail fin in the current before I baffled the filter, I am familiar with what torn fins look like and this is definitely not it.

The filter is baffled with a sponge that is effective in slowing the current enough for him to be happy, but as it had not been cleaned in some time, I think it may be part of the reason why the ammonia was so high as it may have contained decaying organic material from generations of beneficial bacteria. As one generation died, it would have decayed.


----------



## tekkguy (Jan 28, 2013)

You can do a 100% water change if necessary, or as close as possible to 100%, by performing 25-50% changes over the course of a week or so. How long have you been adding AQ salt to the tank? I ask because you have been exposing both fish to the salt, and it is unhealthy for extended periods. If it is not helping, it should be removed from the water.

Is it possible for you to treat him in a separate hospital tank so that the other fish is not exposed to any medications? You may at this point need to start him on a course of something like tetracycline.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I do have a quarantine tank, but it is only a 1/2 gallon and would not have heating/ filtration possible. Based on what conditions were like before they got the current tank, temperature would not get higher than 70. The quarantine tank will not float in the 5.5 and I don't have anything suitable that would float, so maintaining a safe temp would be very difficult. Aq salt was added as 1 tablespoon initially, a few grains at a time over about 10 hours to avoid changing things too fast. I was aiming at a mild tonic level. Additional salt was added on every second 10% water change so that the level would not build up to a problematic level. Ramesses was displaying some hint of illness as well at the start, with some white puffs on his head and a reduced interest in food so it made sense to treat the tank. He has since cleared up from the spots and has regained some of his appetite. He will have spent 2 years with me as of the 29th.


----------



## shellieca (Jul 12, 2012)

RillC said:


> Can't really do a 100% change in a filtered tank with an established beneficial bacteria population without really messing up the water chemistry. Aquarium salt is a listed treatment in the sticky thread in this section of the forum under the treatment of fin rot. The edges of his fin are red and ragged, gradually getting shorter with small sections looking like they are turning to red puffs before sloughing off.
> 
> As he has been a tail biter and did once tear his tail fin in the current before I baffled the filter, I am familiar with what torn fins look like and this is definitely not it.
> 
> The filter is baffled with a sponge that is effective in slowing the current enough for him to be happy, but as it had not been cleaned in some time, I think it may be part of the reason why the ammonia was so high as it may have contained decaying organic material from generations of beneficial bacteria. As one generation died, it would have decayed.


The description "edges of his fin are red and ragged" you have here does not sound like fin rot to me. I'm currently dealing with fin rot on my VT male & it is the classic black edge on his talil fin & it is not ragged. As for the sponge not being rinsed out (which should be in used tank water) I don't think that would be your source of ammonia since it would have an abundance of BB built up. If the store used strips to test your water I wouldn't rely on the test results since strips are known to be inaccurate plus if your ammonia had been at 4.9 I don't think you'd have a live fish. This is one reason it is important to have your own liquid test kit. If your Ph is around 6 your tank may not be holding a cycle because a low Ph can cause cycle problems. In dealing with my VT who has fin rot, I am doing daily 50%+ water changes for a week now, I added Aq salt the 1st day as I saw some fuzziness in a spot or two, after that I didn't add Aq salt until yesterday a week later. He still has some black edges but has not been losing any fin, he's very active & still eats like a pig. I'd really like to see a pic of your boy if at all possible. It really sounds like there's something other than fin rot going on.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I'm at school right now so I'll post a picture when I get home in a few hours.


----------



## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

I saw the boy in question a week ago, it definitely appeared to be rot.


----------



## shellieca (Jul 12, 2012)

Silverfang said:


> I saw the boy in question a week ago, it definitely appeared to be rot.


My concern is that it has now progressed to something more serious as can happen with fin rot when it won't heal up. There is a strain, if I'm not mistaken, that is very difficult to get rid of.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Okay, let's try some pictures. The first 2 are not long after it started and the last 3 and from today. I'm going to clean the bottom again when I do the water change today. Don't mind the split dorsal fin. I'm not sure how he managed to tear it, but there are no signs of any further issue there. He doesn't get much in the way of plants because he tears his fins on just about anything other than the one he has. The glare from the flash alters the color somewhat but the edges are red.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Hi RillC. Silverfang asked me to take a look at this. 

AQ salt isn't harmful for fin rot, really. What it does is encourage the production of slime coat so that the fish can naturally shed the bacteria himself. In addition, some bacteria can be killed by the salt. For mild fin rot cases, salt can be very beneficial. 

But since salt isn't doing the trick right now, I would recommend moving up to a medication. The infection he's got going is probably a gram negative bacteria so I'd suggest either API Triple Sulfa or Mardel Maracyn Two. Don't use Triple Sulfa if you are allergic to sulfa drugs. Also, if you use Maracyn Two, be sure it hasn't expired yet as it becomes very toxic. It is also less effective if you have a high pH, over 7.0.


----------



## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

I never know what to suggest for meds. Thanks Sakura. Luckily I have Maracyn2 on hand, as well as erithromyacin and triple sulfa.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You're welcome. Kanaplex will also help but I think either of the first two meds should be tried first.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Thanks for the advice Sakura. Silverfang said that the Maracyn2 she has expires this month so I'm wondering if it is still safe to use or should I work with one of the other options? I have no idea if I would be allergic to the triple sulfa. Psusennes won't be happy about having to go in the colder 1/2 gallon for a while, but I'll keep it in the warmest spot possible. Ah well, back to daily 100% changes for a while in there. With regard to the salt left in the 5.5 gallon: would it be okay to work it out over the course of my regular weekly changes or should I get it out quicker? I think the concentration now would be at about 2 teaspoons maximum for the 5.5 gallons since I didn't replace the salt on half of the water changes. According to the fish store water test, the pH was around 6 so the Maracyn2 should work properly, right?


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You can probably just do a 100% change to get the salt out without harming or shocking him. 

The Maracyn should be okay but just to be on the safe side, monitor Psusennes carefully for any signs of distress and get a new batch if he reacts badly.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

He is still in the main tank yet, so I was asking about the salt mainly for Ramesses who will still be in there once Psusennes has been moved to the treatment tank. I've been told that a filtered tank shouldn't have 100% done all at once for the sake of the beneficial bacteria population and maintaining good water chemistry. I was planning to do a couple of 30% or so changes this week. Will that be enough when combined with next week's usual 30-50% change?

Psusennes will be getting daily 100% once he's in quarantine, but I want him to have the nice warm tank until I get the medicine to start his treatment. Ramesses shows no hint of this fin rot.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Ah, I didn't realize he was still in his main, cycled tank. Yes, in that case, phase out the salt with several back-to-back water changes. That will be fine and it won't harm Ramesses at all.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Okay, thanks! Silverfang is going to let me borrow her medicine supply to get the treatment started tomorrow. At least he still has a healthy appetite so he can keep his strength up.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Okay, I have the Maracyn2 now. It says add the contents of 2 packets per 10 gallons of water. I don't think I have anything to fit that much and Silverfang said that one batch of this isn't any good after 24 hours so how should I arrange this for treatment in a 1/2 gallon quarantine tank? First time using anything other than water conditioner and a bit of aq salt.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Unfortunately, yeah, Maracyn Two has to be made up fresh for each batch so when treating in anything smaller than a 10gal, you end up wasting a lot. That part sucks big time.

Here's the method I use: Get something that holds 5 cups of dechlorinated water. Add the two packets. Then you add 1/2 cup of medicated water per gallon so . . . (*sucks at math*) like, a quarter cup or something like that? (*really really sucks at math*). 

Wow, that is a huge waste though, isn't it?


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

With the 100% daily changes, it will be a ton of waste. At least the medicine is near its expiry date so using it up will be a good thing I guess.


----------



## tekkguy (Jan 28, 2013)

If you have a good kitchen scale and want to do the math, you can weigh the meds, and then dose out the correct amount.

Total weight of meds / 20 = amount of meds you need to dose .5 gallon tank
Total weight of meds (BEFORE FIRST DOSE) / 40 for subsequent days


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

A scale is not something I have to work with, but thanks for the info tekkguy.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Okay, first dose is in. Psusennes is definitely NOT HAPPY to be out of his home. He hasn't been out of that tank since I first put him in and he has never been netted before. He's a bit clamped up, but I think that may be from the net experience. I wasn't able to get him into the cup with the filter, heater, and leaf hammock in the way and he has been spending a lot of time at the bottom. I'll keep an eye on him for a while and see how he settles in.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Go Psusennes! Good luck, RillC!


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Day 1: He unclamped after an hour or so and started exploring a little. All three breakfast pellets were quickly gobbled and he seems more active today. I think he's not hanging around on the bottom as much either. Here's a picture. I didn't have any extra decor so it's rather bare, but he doesn't seem to mind too much for now. Looks like it's working! I wonder how much improvement I might expect to see by the end of the treatment time and how to tell if he's well enough to go back home. The bare rays don't seem as red anymore.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

If the Maracyn Two is working its magic, then you should see the black growth fall off and new clear growth start to come in by the end of the treatment. In this case, I would actually consider continuing with the Maracyn Two for an extra few days to make sure the bacteria is completely gone; stopping treatment too early may result in the rot coming back resistant to treatment.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Well, what I thought were bare rays have turned out to be long filaments up to 1 cm in length. They turn open like small feathers and some have fallen off. I first noticed this yesterday. They are almost clear, just a bit white and I haven't seen anything like it before. Is this common or is something strange happening? You can just make them out hanging from the fin in the picture above. Those little dangling bits near the middle of the area affected by the fin rot? They're the ones that turned into feathery things with a central shaft and lines coming off it on both sides. Not sure how else to describe it, but a couple of them had fallen off by last night's water change and the ones today seem to have gotten longer and unfurled more.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

It could have been dead tissue falling off in order to allow new growth to come in. Every fin heals differently and to be true, some don't grow back at all.  I am unfortunately not an expert in fin structure (breeders would know that best) but it does sound to me like new growth is possibly coming in with dead tissue falling off. Let's hope so. The most important part is if the black rot has stopped progressing.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Well, I think I'll have to keep the Maracyn going for an extra couple of days. Those feathery tufts did break off, but what was left on him grew back. Then some fell off and it's growing back again. It's really strange and I have no idea what is going on. It seems to grow upwards of 1/2cm per day off of that fin. I did get a picture this time with the table in the background so it shows up better. The two whitish tufts were about half that length last night.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I wonder if his anal fin is really fragile after that bout with fin rot so new growth breaks off easily. Yes, it's okay to continue with the Maracyn for a few more days; better to make sure the bacteria is all gone than risk stopping to soon. Other than his anal fin, he's looking pretty good.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

That's just it, this doesn't look like new growth. It's whitish feathery fluff. It doesn't have any resemblance to fin tissue at all. New growth also would not be growing that fast. Half a cm in a day makes me worry that there is a fungal setting in here.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Does it look like shedding slime coat? Maracyn Two has been known to cause excess slime coat production.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I have no idea. I've never seen a fish shedding the slime coat before so I wouldn't know what to look for. Would it be restricted to the area where the fin rot was happening? That's the only place this is showing up.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

A lot of the time, the slime coat comes off the tips of the fins so that could be why it's only where the fin rot was. Usually what it looks like is white stringy stuff coming off the fins and sometimes the body but the fish otherwise looks and acts healthy. It often happens the most after a fish has been in medication or aquarium salt.

If the white stringy things continue but the fins are healing and you no longer need to use the Maracyn Two, then we may consider a so-called anti-fungal medication. I say so-called because all of the diseases we think are fish fungus are actually bacteria.  A med with acriflavine would be best, such as Fungus Cure.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I think it might soon be time to consider the anti fungal type. The fuzzy fluff is still there today and there is now a tuft on his dorsal fin. Looks like it is starting to spread, whatever it is.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Stop the Maracyn then. We'll give him a day or two in plain dechlorinated water and then start him up on the antifungal. Look for Jungle Labs Fungus Clear. It's usually at Walmart or Petsmart. Dosing can be a little tricky since they are tabs though.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Glad I checked back before doing tonight's water change. I'm not sure if the closest pet store will have it, but I'll check there tomorrow. If not, I can go to Walmart/ Petsmart on Friday since they're a much longer trip to reach. He'll be started on it no later than Friday evening so long as I can find it. Any alternatives to look for in case I can't find this one? Selection here can be iffy sometimes. We can figure out the dosing once I have the medicine at least.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

If Petsmart has it, API Fungus Cure will work as well. In fact, it would be easier if you went with Fungus Cure first since it comes in liquid and powder form, easier to dose.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I'll see what I can find then. Thanks for all of your help so far with this. At least he has been active and having a healthy appetite despite the illness and the cool temperature in the hospital tank. I'm looking forward to getting him back into the warm tank though. He will be too.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

No problem. I'm happy to help, especially a friend of Silverfang's.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I was able to find the API Fungus Cure at the local pet store. It's being a crazy night considering what I have due tomorrow so I plan to give him the second day break from medicine and start this one tomorrow. He still has some fuzzies, but since he refused to get in the cup last night and I had to chase him with the net, he managed to shake off a few of the longer tufts. He is really good at evasion, pulling 180s like nothing else. At least he is being a tough boy for this. It says here to add 1 packet for 10 gallons, repeat dose after 48 hours, wait another 48 hours, then change 25% of the water and put the filter back in. So how will this be managed with my unfiltered 1/2 gallon hospital tank? I know it's the same dosage as the Maracyn, but the water change is not going to wait 4 days in that tank!


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Use the same 5cup method but change every day and redose the meds each time. I'm glad he's still got the moves and is feisty.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I managed to convince him to get in the cup this time, but I didn't expect there to be quite so much green dye in this medicine! No trouble to tell it's in there, but I hope the dye will come out of the jug and measuring cup after this is done. He doesn't seem quite as active now, but then again breakfast has not been served yet.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

O.O I didn't realize it has green dye too, but wait . . . yeah, I think this med has malachite green. Dang. I wish I'd known about that beforehand to warn you. Sorry, RillC.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I don't think Psusennes cares much for the green water. He's been a bit listless and wasn't much interested in the food yesterday. Of course that could be because he thought I was going to try to cup him every time I lifted the cover off the tank. He REALLY doesn't like that. Or maybe he couldn't see it as well with the colored water? Who knows. The fuzzies seem to have stopped growing at least. There's still about 2-3mm of fluff hanging off of the fin, but it isn't growing fast like it was before.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Well, we're heading toward the final day of treatment and not only has the fluff not started to fall off, it's starting to grow again. It is definitely getting to more than a 1/2 cm long sheet from the tattered section of fin. I'm starting to get worried again. What's the plan for if this medicine doesn't help?


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

After double bouts with medication, I think the best plan is to put him in clean, nonmedicated water for at least a few days and see how he handles that. There could be a chance that the fluff is excess slime coat caused by all the medication. If it continues to grow and spread after being in clean water, maybe try Triple Sulfa, as long as you aren't allergic to sulfa meds.

Is he still listless?


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

He isn't as listless now. Even though he is being more active, he still doesn't seem to have much appetite right now. My other boy, Ramesses, is now on a few days of fasting since he's looking a little bloated. Silverfang says that's more common in crowntails? At any rate, he's more than 2 years old so I'm thinking I might want to reduce the amount of food on offer in general for him. He isn't a very active fish most of the time so I may have been slightly overfeeding with a total of 5 pellets per day. After the few days fast I plan to put him on 2 morning and 2 night to see if that helps.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yes, crowntails can be prone to bloating because they have shorter bodies. Halfmoons, doubletails, and delta tails also have the same problem with halfmoons probably being the most prone to bloating and constipation. 

You can try 1 tsp of epsom salt per gallon for Ramses along with the fast. 5 isn't bad but in general, it's always best to underfeed than overfeed so going down to 4 won't hurt. 

How is Psusennes now? Does he still have the stringy fluffy stuff?


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

He doesn't seem to have a shorter body than Psusennes does in proportion to his fins, but I could be mistaken. I've always included one fast day per week to try to avoid any digestive troubles with them. Psusennes does have some strings remaining, but they seem a little shorter today.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

That's good the strings are shorter.

I think part of the body length depends on genetics. Crowntails have longer bodies than halfmoons but shorter than veiltails but if Ramses had some veiltail somewhere in his heritage, he might have a longer body than some crowntails.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

There's a tiny bit of string from his fin now, but at least he's got his appetite back. I may need his hospital tank for Ramesses since that bloating hasn't cleared up with fasting alone and with Psusennes soon heading back to the main tank, I think Ramesses had better have the hospital tank to himself for an epsom salt treatment. I need to pick some up today. Once again, I haven't needed it before so I hadn't invested in any.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'm glad to hear Psusennes is improving but darn about Ramses.  You may want to borrow some of Silverfang's Kanaplex for Ramses and be prepared to use that along with the epsom salts.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Let's see now. You said 1 tsp epsom salt per gallon so that would be 1/2 tsp for the 1/2 gallon. I will be doing a water change in the main tank first, then acclimating Psusennes back into it, cleaning out the hospital tank, and getting Ramesses into it for his salt treatment. How long does it usually take for epsom salt to work? I haven't seen any sign of poop on his side since the fast started and he hasn't gotten any smaller in the belly either.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

If his problem is definitely constipation, it could take a few days. If you have any brine shrimp, you might try feeding that as it is relatively high in fiber.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Ok, Psusennes is growing fin again so I put him back home. Acclimation was shorter than I would like due to the cup tipping over in the tank, but he did get about 20-25 minutes. He was all over the place exploring when he got in. Ramesses is starting to look like the scales on his sides are stuck out from the bloating so I wasted no time in getting him into the cleaned out hospital tank. Epsom salt is in so we'll see how he does.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Happy about Psusennes but worried for Ramses. Definitely ask if you can borrow some of Silver's Kanaplex.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Psusennes has been happily nesting. Ramesses did get a snack pellet on Sunday to keep his strength up after a 5 day fast, but 2 days of epsom salt has not resulted in any poop. I have the Kanaplex now. It says one scoop per 5 gallons so that's 2.5 cups for mixing and then 1/4 cup in the tank water for 1/2 gallon? I'm worried about him, but he is still active at least.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

With Kanaplex, it would probably be best to just eyeball it. I was told by Seachem that a half scoop is suitable for 1 gallon so if you can try to get like a 1/4 scoop, that will be fine for a half gallon.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Well, no luck so far. He got the dose of Kanaplex last night. It says every other day for a max of 3 doses so none tonight, correct?


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Correct. You may want to continue the Kanaplex for a second course as well.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Ugh, Psusennes is having a setback. We had the power out for a bit less than 2 hours Wednesday. I don't know if that had any effect, but today he's had no interest in food, stayed in his plant or on the bottom, and now looks to be breathing hard at the bottom. I'm starting a 50% water change now. Anything else I can do for him? Ramesses remains unchanged. I am concerned about the amount of fasting he has been on to avoid bloating him more. He's had 2 pellets total in more than a week. I don't want to feed much though until he starts pooping so I don't overwhelm him. This is getting chaotic.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

RillC, the only thing you can do for Psusennes is to lower the water level or cup him if he really has trouble reaching the surface to breathe. I can't imagine that the power outage was long enough to cause any kind of troubles so this setback is probably unrelated.  

For Ramses . . . well, fish can go for quite a long time without eating but in this case I'd rather see him eat so he can keep his strength up but it also doesn't make sense to put anything in if nothing is coming out. :/ If it's not already at that level, up the epsom salts to 3 tsps and try to keep the heat at 80 or so.

I hope both boys get better quickly. You've done all you can for them, you're doing a great job.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Looks like there was a lot more going on with Psusennes than I thought. It seems the fin rot has returned and is being very aggressive. See the first 2 pictures below. He is able to reach the surface, but lowering the water level for him means turning off the filter long term so he doesn't get swamped by current.

Ramesses is currently in an unheated 1/2 gallon hospital tank with 1/2 tsp epsom salt daily with water change. I would like to get him warmed up, but it's hard to do at that size. How would 3 tsp of epsom translate for this size of tank or should I switch them again? Psusennes to the colder hospital tank and Ramesses to the warmer main tank...would that help either of them? Two pictures of Ramesses are also included below.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I do have a second 1/2 gallon that I could use as another hospital tank. I'm wondering if the infection is still in the main tank. I might have to look into scouring that one and starting it over.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Okay, one 3 hour long trip to the biggest pet store in the area later, I now have a fresh batch of Maracyn 2 and a pack of Erythromycin available. I had given Silverfang back her medicines in exchange for the Kanaplex so I needed to get my own this time. I also have plenty of API Fungus Cure left. Plan is to get Psusennes out into the second hospital tank with one of the medicines. Which one do I use? I am going to add another 1/2 tsp of epsom salt to Ramesses to see if that helps and I hope that is not too much for the 1/2 gallon.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Okay, for Psusennes, use the Maracyn 2. For Ramses, the Kanaplex is the best med for him and the epsom salt. The good news is he's not pineconed but wow. Psusennes sure did have a setback. Darn it.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Two packets of Maracyn 2 dosed in the 1/2 gallon, measured as before. He found the energy to give me a chase with the net, but I really couldn't cup him when he surfaced so infrequently. He's on the bottom of the hospital tank and looks quite tired. A few chunks of reddened fin came off in the process so I scalded the net in the hottest water my sink can produce.

I'm going to change the water for Ramesses shortly. It's time for another Kanaplex round. Would it be 1 tsp epsom salt for the 1/2 gallon now instead of 1/2?


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Let's see . . . 1.5 tsps. That would be the half equivalent of 3 tsps per gallon, right?


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Sounds good to me. I am wondering now if I'm going to have to scrub the whole main tank to make sure the infection isn't going to be still in there if/when either boy recovers. I really don't want another relapse like this one.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

It may not hurt to do that. Vinegar and hot water will work or a 1/10 bleach solution. If you use the bleach, rinse until you no longer smell it and then when you fill the tank back up the first time, use extra dechlorinator.

I'm mostly worried that the rot on Psusenne's tail has become resistant.  Praying it's not.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

The red has receded quite a bit on Psusennes. There's lots of bits on the bottom of the tank so it is coming off. He isn't very active and neither boy has any interest in food, but he is not just flopped over on the bottom either. Too soon to tell for him. Ramesses still remains unchanged. I don't know how long he can keep going like this. He has to be uncomfortable being bloated like that.

I'm going to leave the tank until after exams. Keeping up with their medicine is going to be enough for now and neither one needs the main tank in a hurry while they're in treatment.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Good luck with your exams, RillC.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Well, Psusennes had looked like he was losing some color, but he's back to himself again and happily gobbling everything in sight. Ramesses on the other hand... no change. He isn't eating, barely moves unless the cup is after him, and mostly hangs out at the top of the warmest corner(closest to the room heater). He's had the 3 doses of Kanaplex and 1.5 tsp of epsom salt. Is there anything else I can try for him? He is over 2 years old and all, but if it is his time, I would like to see him out comfortable instead of being in pain. Being so bloated for so long can't be remotely easy for him and I'm really worried about him.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'm sorry about Ramses. Poor guy. If the Kanaplex didn't have any effect at all during the first 3 dosages then I'm not sure trying a second course will help. You can if you want but it's beginning to sound like the bloating is from fluid buildup as his organs shut down from old age. Keeping him in epsom salts will help to relieve some of that buildup but that's about al that can be done. Lowering the water level so he can easily reach the surface will help but then, that doesn't leave him a whole lot of water in a half gallon tank, does it? 

I'm glad to hear Psusennes at least is recovering. Yay for that!


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

He hasn't had any trouble with the surface. He has more trouble staying near the bottom. He tends to hang out at the top of the tank in one corner so at least he has no trouble breathing. It's hard to think of losing him. He was my first fish. I named him Ramesses in hopes for good luck and a long life because Ramesses the Great is supposed to have lived near 90 years so I was kind of hoping he would pick up on a bit of his namesake's longevity. This is only the second time he's been sick in his whole life so I guess he's done pretty well for himself.

Psusennes has the same name pattern of a long lived Egyptian pharaoh. This one is supposed to have lived upwards of 80 years. He'll be staying in the 1/2 gallon for a while until I can get the main tank done. He's doing well and just completed the Maracyn 2 treatment, but I did see a couple of fluff bits again. I have 2 doses left out of an 8 pack so should I keep it up until those are gone, just to be safe? I don't think he'd deal well with another recurrence. I have enough fungus cure for another round of that if needed, but he really doesn't seem to like the green water then. It put him off food a bit last time.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

RillC, go ahead and use up the two doses if he seems like he can tolerate it. 

*hugs* I'm so sorry. That's the hardest part about our bettas, is their short life span.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I'm not sure what to make of this. Ramesses actually ate a pellet yesterday and he just ate one today. I'm not giving him more than that since he still isn't pooping at all, but he is more active than he was and was interested in the food. I'm going to keep up the epsom salt for now and see what happens. Any suggestions or thoughts on what's happening here?

Psusennes is finished his Maracyn treatment. Yesterday, he had some fluff on his dorsal, but most of that came off in the chase to cup him. I will be giving him a few days on regular water and see how that goes. I do have fungus cure on hand in case he needs that again. He's so excited for food that he lunges as soon as the tank lid is lifted, then lunges at the food and misses the first few times. His aim returns by the last pellet though when he's calmed down a bit. His anal fin looks like someone took a big round bite out of it from the fin rot, but he's doing well so far.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'm glad to hear Psusennes is back on the mend.

On the one hand, I'm really glad to hear that Ramesses is interested in food because that shows he's got a will to live. But on the other hand, if he's not pooping. You can leave him in epsom salts for as long as necessary so there's no harm there. Maybe . . . let's see if his latest meal stimulates anything. If not, then I'm honestly not sure what can be done or what the problem might be.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I saw some whitish bits in the tank the last couple of days and got my hopes up a bit. Looks like the epsom salt is finally working. There is poop in the tank now so I hope Ramesses will be able to get clear of the bloating. He flared at Psusennes last night. Their tanks are right next to each other. I am going out of town tomorrow for a couple days so I have to walk my landlord through doing the water change and how much epsom salt to use. He's been awesome about feeding the fish when I'm gone for a while, but he hasn't had to do water changes since I got the 5.5 gallon.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Well, here's an update. Ramesses is still highly bloated and not much is happening. He is still on epsom salt, but I believe my fish sitter used a 1/8 tsp measure while I was gone instead of the 1/2 tsp I had left out for that. Psusennes appears to have new growth, but is a bit uninterested in doing much. He is twitchy and does not eat a full meal, but just picks at a pellet.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

RillC, can you get a picture of Ramesses? His bloat may be a tumor. 

A bit worrisome about Psusennes not wanting to eat. :/ If necessary, a 1 tsp of aquarium salt per gallon for a few days but beyond that, I'm reluctant to advise meds for him without more concrete symptoms.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Psusennes did chomp down his supper though. He's a bit sluggish though and is spending lots of time at the bottom. I've got a picture of him to start and then a few of Ramesses.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Hmm, no, probably not a tumor and he's getting faint pineconing too.  

With Ramesses, I'd suggest trying an antiparasite med such as General Cure if we haven't already. If we have . . . then maybe try it again. But if he's bloated because he has a blockage somewhere in his intestinal tract, then I honestly don't know what more we can try short of surgery. I'd maintain the high dose of epsom salts and if he will eat, maybe try something higher fiber such as brine shrimp or daphnia. 

For Psusennes, my biggest concern is that the fin rot came too close to his body and went internal. I do see some really encouraging growth at the front of his anal fin but that blackish part near the rear is worrying me. Keep an eye on him for a day or two, maybe add the 1 tsp of AQ salt but if the sluggishness continues we may want to try him back on Kanaplex for 3 doses in case the rot bacteria DID go internal.

Gagh, why do betta fish have to get sick so easily?


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Silverfang brought over what anti-parasite meds she had. There's Metroplex, Tetra Lifeguard all in one, and Jungle Parasite Clear. Will one of those work or should I get a different one. We haven't tried anti-parasite for him yet. Psusennes didn't have that tuck in his fin after the medicines were finished so I don't know how that happened. It might have been while I was out of town.

I wouldn't say these two boys got sick that easily, considering that it is the first illness in more than 1.5 years for Psusennes and only the second time in over 2 years for Ramesses. I get sick more often than that. The thing here is it takes a longer time for them to fully recover and they are more prone to relapses.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Metroplex. Definitely the metroplex. Thank you Silverfang!


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Ramesses is heading for his second dose of Metroplex tonight, but there is no change yet. He has been getting at most 1 pellet per day through this as I am unsure how much is safe to give him. Psusennes perked up after the dose of aq salt and is back on patrol in the tank, eagerly hunting for any sign of food and lunging at it when he finds it.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You can try soaking the pellet in medicated water before feeding to get even more medicine into his system.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I'm not sure how well that would work. They tend to ignore anything that ends up in the water for any length of time and the pellets tend to swell a bit when soaked. Ramesses is EXTREMELY picky over the size of his food. If it is a touch too big for his liking, he'll just spit it out and ignore it.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Okay, it's better that he eat a few pellets a day and get the medication via the water then. I would treat with the Metroplex for at least another three days, if possible.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Well, the Metroplex had absolutely no effect. He's looking even worse today. I was out of town again for the weekend, but had someone looking after them. He looks like a different colored fish with the way his scales are sticking off. He spends his time breathing hard at the top corner of the tank. I'm not sure how much longer he can go. It's been a very long time.


----------



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'm so sorry, RillC. It sounds like he has a much more serious internal issue than can be treated at this time. You've done an amazing job with him and I doubt he would have come so far without your care.


----------



## sunlight (Apr 24, 2012)

wow i tried to read all pages and you guys did meaning job . So sorry for Ramesses. How about Psusennes is he going to survive?


----------



## sunlight (Apr 24, 2012)

so sorry just saw my post, i meant you dedicate so much time and afford to save Ramesses and Psusennes. It just amaze me how much people really care.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Thanks for the comment sunlight. They're my first fish and I love them a lot. Ramesses will keep getting epsom salt every day to keep him as comfortable as possible. He was my first boy, but he looks to be nearing his time. 

Psusennes is still a little listless at times and his fin is taking its time about starting to grow back, but he is very eager and active at mealtimes so I think he's going to be okay. I'm going to keep a close eye on him though until the fin grows back just in case he needs another dose of something. They've been good company for me the last couple of years so they should get the best care I can give.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

just want to make sure you know to rinse/swish the filter media once a week in tank water or dechlorinated water. If the cartridge becomes too old or starts to fall apart, put a new cartridge in the filter but keep the old one behind it for a week and monitor for ammonia spikes.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

RIP Ramesses

He passed this morning. I found him lying on his side, not breathing, when I woke up. I have him in a box in the freezer until I can get to the place where I am going to bury him. I know a lot of people flush them, but I just couldn't bring myself to do that to him. It's going to be very strange here without him. Psusennes is doing fairly well, munching everything in sight, but still a bit lazy. He will be in the hospital tank until I see significant new growth.

I know many will not be surprised, but I did go look at bettas today. One young crowntail was doing his best to get my attention and is now on hold while I think about things and get the tank cleaned thoroughly. He is a double ray crowntail like Ramesses was, but unlike another crowntail boy at the store who was the exact same color, he is a metallic so the color is quite different. He followed my finger and was very active so I have a lot to think about, some of it being happy thoughts at least. When Ramesses flared, he came within a few degrees of 180 so he was a super delta crowntail and a very special little boy. Here are a couple of pictures of him taken during his first 6 months at home. This was before I got the 5.5 gallon divided tank for my boys.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

sorry for your loss 
Do you need any tips on disinfection instructions? Since he really had something going on you need more than just hot water.

I am glad you going to give home to another betta. Make sure they change his water in the store while he is waiting for you. I had bad experience once. I saw beautiful betta at the store which was i think one of the 50 that they have in the store. I needed betta for someone else , not for myself. So i needed 2-3 weeks .. He was beautiful and look healthy. When i was back in 3 wks he was there but i could not buy him. He looked very sick, which absolutely broke my heart but i could not get him , since betta was for my friend So make sure they take care of him and change his water.
Can't wait on new boy pictures, good luck


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Thanks anhel. I have instructions on both mild bleach solutions and vinegar solutions and how much rinsing is needed to make sure it will be safe. The boy I was looking at today had his water changed yesterday. It's a good store and one of the workers there is also breeding bettas so she keeps an eye on their condition. She was also going to get the new shipment out of those horrid tiny bags when I left so I can have a look at the rest of them tomorrow. That little metallic boy seems very determined for me to be his person though so any new ones have stiff competition.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

can't wait for the picture. 
And sorry i know you already have all instructions on disinfection but i really love one link that have a lot of tips on disinfection, so may be you will find something helpful. I am going to post the link for you
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?p=2036738
Be careful with


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

It's a good resource. I would also like to add a piece of advice I was given. After the final rinse, add a large dose of water conditioner and fill the tank. This will help to neutralize any remaining trace of chlorine. Then empty the tank and prepare for the next fishy. I have the new boy acclimating now. I used enough water conditioner for a 5 gallon tank on the 1/2 gallon hospital tank so that should make it safe for this little boy. He is so tiny and a bit skinny, but he was so determined to have me take him home. I'll post the link to the picture thread once I have him settled in.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?p=2139169#post2139169

Here is the thread for the pictures of the new boy.


----------



## colouratura (May 20, 2013)

So sorry to hear about your loss. I've read through the 11 pages and you are wonderful to have put so much effort to try and save him. You certainly did your best. 

Congrats though on making the choice to bring a new betta boy into your life. He is a very lucky fishy. He did right in 'choosing you'.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

RillC said:


> It's a good resource. I would also like to add a piece of advice I was given. After the final rinse, add a large dose of water conditioner and fill the tank. This will help to neutralize any remaining trace of chlorine. Then empty the tank and prepare for the next fishy. I have the new boy acclimating now. I used enough water conditioner for a 5 gallon tank on the 1/2 gallon hospital tank so that should make it safe for this little boy. He is so tiny and a bit skinny, but he was so determined to have me take him home. I'll post the link to the picture thread once I have him settled in.


Your new guy is gorgeous and thank you for the advice i actually posted it to that link about disinfection. I am going to keep the link so i can give it to the people who needs those instruction


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Darn it!!!!!! I think I missed something with Psusennes. He's been listless for a while and I've been waiting for the fin to grow back, but there's been a tuck near his body with nothing growing back. I just got a good look at him in natural light and saw some thing I had missed. Nearly that entire fin, in an arc that does go into his body, is a much darker color than normal. I think he may not have been clear of the fin rot after all and it may be in his body now. He's been through 2 rounds of Maracyn 2 and a round of API Fungus Cure. I am out of Maracyn 2, but I have Kanaplex, Metroplex, and some of the Fungus Cure. Please help! I'll do whatever I can to help my poor boy. What medicine should I use?


----------



## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

Bump in case anyone can help my friend.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Not sure if Sakura will see your post and help you,since she is not on the forum any more. But she will receive e mail confirmation since she was helping you already,so may be she will come and help. 
But i was thinking that you treated him with so many medications that he might be resistant to it.
I don't remember if you was using aquarium salt. I would use it again. Even if you did you can use it again .If it been more than days that he was on the salt treatment you can use it again. 
I would use higher dose of aq salt 3tsp/gall with daily water changes. I don't remember if he was in the hospital tank. If he is you can do daily 100% water changes with pre dissolved , make sure you shake it well until there is not crystals left and acclimate him slowly. See if it would help. 
If you have him in cycled tank then you can do 50% daily water changes, of course adding salt every change.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Kanaplex is good medication if you don't want to try salt. But i think too much medications as bad as no medications at all.
Kanaplex is a blended kanamycin based medication that safely and effectively treats several fungal, and bacterial fish diseases (dropsy, popeye, fin/tail rot, septicemica). Because it is absorbed by fish it is useful in treating internal infections in those situations where food is refused.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I've been using aq salt on a regular dosage, but it doesn't do much. It does have him a bit more active, but that's not enough. I think I will start a course of Kanaplex on the next water change. I just hope it isn't too late to reverse this. It has been a while since he was on anything so at least it's not a mass of medicine all at once.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

You mean regular dosage that the box instructions recommending ? Because the box instructions not therapeutic dosage at all.
The therapeutic dosage is 1tsp/gall up to 3tsp/gall. 
Let us know how he doing.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I did mean the regular therapeutic dosage of 1 tsp/gallon. He got his dose of Kanaplex last night, but it's a bit too soon to tell really. He has been a bit more active with the salt in there, but at least he still has a good appetite.


----------



## sunlight (Apr 24, 2012)

bump


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

If you started him on Kanaplex then of course finish it. And i would really recommend when you finish the medications and you think he is not completely back to normal start him on 3tsp/gall of the aquarium salt for minimum of 10 days. Salt will help balance his electrolyte level and encourage the production of slime coat,which will in turn help protect him from infection.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

He is getting the last dose of Kanaplex tonight. I may give him an extra one though. He is showing more growth of the fin again, but he is still highly discolored in the anal fin and body. He swims a bit stiffly, with the base of his tail as the highest part of him and his head down. He is a bit slow to rise, but still eats near his usual amount.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I had a nice surprise this morning. Psusennes was hanging out at the top of the tank instead of the bottom. He's also swimming a lot closer to level and his head isn't down as much. He is having trouble making tight turns and his tail seems very stiff, but I think a lot of that comes from the location of the infection at the base of the anal fin. Still, any improvement is good right now. I think I will be giving him one extra dose of Kanaplex to try and get rid of any stubborn traces of infection before going to the high dose aq salt. Given how persistent this case of fin rot has been, I may have to permanently restrict him to the hospital tank. It's been over 2 months of fighting this with recurrences and I really don't want to risk Menkaure by eventually having the pair in the same divided tank.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

I was also thinking to offer to treat him with extra dose of the Kanaplex. If it helping then i would treat longer. I remember i saw one thread someone recommended that you can treat longer with Kanaplex. I am not sure how much longer. I will try to find out how much longer.
Sorry i forgot how big is his hospital tank? I don't see anything bad in keeping him in the smaller tank since he has so many issues and it will be easier for you to monitor his health, so i think it good idea . 
Also i think that the Kanaplex is his last resort because i think when fish been medicated by so many different medications that the treatments have shortened its life or the parasites/bacterium have built up a resistance to the products you are using. That's why a lot of people prefer treating chronic illnesses with aquarium salt, IAL, and 84* degree water. It's a gentle enough treatment to use over and over and over again for years without causing internal organ damage and the high temp kills anything the salt misses.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I don't have access to IAL right now and it would be very difficult to keep him at 84 degrees unless we have a super hot summer. The hospital tank is a 1/2 gallon so it is too small for a heater. The main bad thing about having him in there, other than it being a bit on the cooler side, is that it does require the daily 100% water change. Considering his condition though, that level of water change is not a bad thing to keep him in fresh clean water every day. It also means he doesn't have to rise very far to reach the surface.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

well you can keep him in that hospital tank as long as you want. I had one of the betta once at work in 1/2 gall for pretty long time. But if you live in the cold climate you not going to able to heat it, so may be when you can you can upgrade it to bigger one. You can successfully heat the one or 2 gall tank. The place where i live now pretty worm now in the summer so i took all heater out from my tank. Even though the temperature fluctuate it fine because it gradual and it worm. 
I did e mail Sakura about medications and her answer was: 
'' You can treat with Kanaplex for up to 2 courses, so that would be the recommended dose on the box and then a full course after that. You can probably treat up to 3 courses if absolutely necessary.''


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I'll be giving him the second course then. He does seem to be doing a bit better now so I want to be sure I eliminate all the infection this time. I tend toward putting the heat up a bit in here over winter if I have any fish outside of a heated tank and I have the hospital tank placed as close as I can safely put it to the heater to keep them as warm as possible.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

I think 76* is fine for healthy betta. And i also though if you think he is better then go ahead for second course. If you think that after you finish another course of med's he is not completely back to his normal healthy behavior ,you can finish with medications and continue with salt. 
Oh good luck and please give update.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

The second course of Kanaplex is definitely helping. He is much less stiff, although he is still not turning as well as he did before all this. He is also just starting to come looking at the front of the tank and doing a hint of a wriggle dance for his food. It is so nice to see him do that again. He hasn't been doing it for a long time.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

I hope so it was long way with medications , hopefully it helped and then clean water will help to recover from all stress he had . Rillc sorry i don't remember if you have stress coat? Stress coat recommended for healing and definitely would help .


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

Stress Coat is my regular water conditioner so I use it for every water change. When first deciding on water conditioner, I looked at the aloe and decided that was the only one for me to use.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

oh good , i hope he will get better. Give us update please.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I'm not sure what to think anymore. Psusennes just does not seem to be keeping any regrowth right now. Also, I noticed a small peach colored spot on his body that looks like the scales have come off entirely. The second round of Kanaplex is over and I'm working the salt dose up to what was recommended, but today he is starting to spend more time at the bottom again. I can't keep him on medicine all the time, but it was only on the Kanaplex that he was getting back to being himself. It seems more like palliative care now with all the setbacks.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

RIP Psusennes

He passed today. He was lying on his side and moving infrequently when I headed out this morning and he was gone when I got back. He was a stubborn boy, hanging on through nearly three months on treatments for the fin rot, but I guess there wasn't much to be done when it got into the body. He went through so many medical treatments and did his best. I'm just glad I have Menkaure with me now so I still have one to keep me company.


----------



## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Oh RillC i am so sorry he was stubborn so are you. You was trying so hard to help him. Thank you.
If i am right i think you bought new guy recently, is he doing well?
Make sure you disinfect the tanks if you going to use it for another betta. Do you need disinfection instructions? Sorry it 13 pages and don't remember if you might already know all instruction.


----------



## RillC (Mar 31, 2011)

I had to disinfect the one Menkaure is in after Ramesses passed so I am familiar with the process. I think I may wait a bit before getting another. Menkaure is a zippy little imp who is always after more food. He's doing very well and no longer is as skinny as he was when he came home. With his appetite, there was never a worry on that count. He's looking very healthy. I suppose I will have to think about what kind of betta I will look for next. Menkaure will keep me company while I think about it.


----------



## carlos puron (Jun 9, 2013)

My halfmoon betta is having the same problem I've benn using aq salt for 7 days and still on yhe same ill do a 100 % water change tonight and add stress coat hoping that would work any recommendations before doing something are accepted


----------

