# Is this Fin Rot?



## Byte (Jan 15, 2011)

Hello,

I recently posted a picture of my (owned for) 2 month Betta on DeviantArt and someone commented that he had really bad fin rot?

Being a first time Betta buyer I have heard of it but have no idea what it looks like nor where it mainly occurs, Google images were no help

So I ask, does my Betta have Fin Rot and if so specifically where on him?


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## Byte (Jan 15, 2011)

No answers? Or Should I be posting this in a different section? :-?


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## gbose (Dec 2, 2010)

Byte,

It doesn't look like fin rot to me. I think that's just a normal crowntail Betta. Have you seen any signs of ragged fins, discoloration, etc? Anything that seems to have gone 'downhill' since you got him?

If not, I wouldn't worry.

GB


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## Byte (Jan 15, 2011)

Thank you and no I have not. I have been trying to explain kindly to the lady that it's just shadow from the photograph but she's proven to be stubborn

Thank you for your opinion and help


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## Harley (Mar 20, 2011)

Hmmm. I'm far from an expert but it looks like the lower fin may have just a bit of fin rot. It should advance somewhat rapidly but it can be slow too. Harley started out with slight fraying as shown in parts of the bottom fin on your fish. Harley had it just a bit before it got much worse, almost overnight. I definitely wouldn't say its really bad fin rot. I'm far from an expert on crowntails though, maybe its normal for them.


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## lilxsteffie (Apr 10, 2011)

I'm almost 100% sure that is NOT finrot =), Ravi had it bad when we first brought him home. Here's a before & after shot of him










after treatment =)


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

wow, those are the same fish? great job on fixing him up


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

What about AQ salt? It wouldn't hurt right?


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

I just dose my boy with a little AQ salt to help prevent fin rot, it probably won't hurt to help treat it, but someone who has dealt with fin rot can answer better, OFL was so helpful


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## chelsmarie23 (Jan 3, 2011)

Nah I don't think your betta has fin rot. It is just the fin type I think. He is really pretty btw!!


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

I believe he has fin rot, at least on his anal fin. 

If you could answer some questions I can try and help you get to the bottom of this so you can heal his fins up 

What size is the tank?
What is the water change schedule? Filter?
Temperature in tank?
Feeding Schedule?

Your boy will heal up in no time. The fin rot is very minimal, so don't worry, he isn't in any immediate danger.


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## Byte (Jan 15, 2011)

1 Gallon (biggest we can fit unfortunately)
No filter, changed once a week
A constant 79-80
2 or 3 pellets a day with a one day break


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## JackisLost (Feb 26, 2011)

Take another picture. It does look like fin rot on the bottom fins. If it doesn't look like a strait lllll and the tips look twisted or weak... I don't know how to explain it but my betta had it when I moved him in a smaller tank, now he is back in his 14 gallon


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Byte said:


> 1 Gallon (biggest we can fit unfortunately)
> No filter, changed once a week
> A constant 79-80
> 2 or 3 pellets a day with a one day break


A one gallon is the absolute minimum, which isn't really a problem if you do adequate water changes. In a one gallon you should be doing 100% every other day. Ammonia can build up fast.


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## Byte (Jan 15, 2011)

JackisLost said:


> Take another picture. It does look like fin rot on the bottom fins. If it doesn't look like a strait lllll and the tips look twisted or weak... I don't know how to explain it but my betta had it when I moved him in a smaller tank, now he is back in his 14 gallon












So what's the easiest way to solve this problem then?


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## JackisLost (Feb 26, 2011)

Here's where I suspect the fin rot/damaged fins


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## JackisLost (Feb 26, 2011)

That 2nd picture he is fine. Is the 2nd picture more recent? I'd say nothing is wrong


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

Do an aquarium salt treatment. Quarantine him in a container in his tank so the temp stays warm. Do daily 100% water changes making sure the new water is the same temp as the old water. Use one teaspoon of aquarium salt per gallon. Do this for ten days.


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## Byte (Jan 15, 2011)

JackisLost said:


> That 2nd picture he is fine. Is the 2nd picture more recent? I'd say nothing is wrong


Yeah, I just took it, the other one I'd say was more around the time I purchased him

I'm worried I'm going to stress him out with so many water changes. Thank you everyone for the help, I will give the Salt option a go to see if things improve


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## Dragonlady (Nov 29, 2010)

Adding an indian almond leaf might help your fish recover.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

I hope ur fish gets better!


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## Byte (Jan 15, 2011)

So

Today I bought a 2.5 Gallon tank, medication and tomorrow will be buying a live plant. I asked the lady at the store today what are signs of stress in a Betta (as she owns multiple herself) and she told me fatigue and laying at the bottom of the tank which mine has _never_ done, even after water changes

I've decided to take my golden mystery snail out for a bit too, even though in my opinion he doesn't seem to cause much trouble, if anything Byte harasses him a little

In all honestly, I still think my fish is a perfectly happy lil' fella who always greets me and swims around like there's no tomorrow and I hope these changes aren't too dramatic and cause him to die 

All this stress from being harassed on DeviantArt :|


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

I don't see a prob, just be on top of h2o changes


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## Byte (Jan 15, 2011)

How often should I change a 2.5 Gallon tank? And do I do a 100%, 50% or 20%?


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## Harley (Mar 20, 2011)

As per:

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/betta-fish-care/betta-fish-care-49160/#post445950

For 2.5 gallon and larger tanks: If your aquarium is cycled, you should change 10% of the water twice a week or 25% of the water once a week.

Hope that helps.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

For an uncycled tank, 100% every week ought to do it.Rinse out all the decor, put aged, conditioned water back in and wait 20 min for everything to settle back down/and allow mr betta to acclimatize. You could also get a plastic two gal bowl the should be easier to carry to the bathroom, once you've taken mr betta out, of course.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

I believe one 50 and one 100 is better for that size tank, mine is 10L or 2.65 and that's what I do


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## jackals (Jul 20, 2010)

I need some help. I have a 2.5 gallon that has gone down the tubes it is a cheap gravel filter, and the light stopped working.. I have neglected his changing of water and he has developed some fin rot. His color isn't as vibrant as it once was - 

I am picking up some API AQ salt from Petco.. I also plan to use Bettafix.. does anyone recommend anything better than Bettafix for fin rot?

I have a new tank that got here today - the Tetra Crescent 5 gallon w/ LED Lighting. What a treat he is going to get. I ordered all new thermometer, and gravel and silk plants, and a little cave.

Only thing being reused will be with heater from foster aquatics site (25 watt).


*I never knew that AQ salt was good to put in for ever water change?

And what is better than Bettafix, or just go with that?*


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

AQ salt is only for if your fish is sick, DO NOT PUT IT IN EVERY WATER CHANGE.

Dont use the bettafix, it harms their labryrinth organ which they use to breathe air. It's a watered down version of Melafix.


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## jackals (Jul 20, 2010)

bettafish15 said:


> AQ salt is only for if your fish is sick, DO NOT PUT IT IN EVERY WATER CHANGE.
> 
> Dont use the bettafix, it harms their labryrinth organ which they use to breathe air. It's a watered down version of Melafix.



How often do I want to put AQ salt in, once a week, twice, etc?

And online bettafix has good reviews, lot of people like it here. Yet I also see people speak negatively of it.
What would you recommend in addition to salt?

You saw my post - I am giving him a new tank on Saturday with everything new.. his water is dirty right now.. that def was the cause of it and he has a crappy hard plastic plant that is def too huge for a 2.5 gallon hexagon tank.

Maybe just salt and the new tank will cure the boy.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Maybe, it could be stress..


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## Byte (Jan 15, 2011)

So after some treatment and a new home, do you think my boy is looking any better?










(The shrimp was added after the supposed fin rot was discovered...There was two but now only one. I think he ate one?)


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## Twilight Storm (Apr 14, 2011)

Byte- 
Your fish is so cute!  I can't see your picture in your last post. Where it would be, it says it was removed for violation? (This problem could just be my computer though a lot of pictures are blocked.)

Jackals- 
I am not sure how much salt would be recommended for your fish treatment. 

Whatever people recommend should only be used for a total of 10 consecutive days then stopped. Do water changes during treatment however often it is recommended. At the end of treatment do a 100% water change to get the salt treatment out of your tank and go back to his normal fresh water. 

It's helpful to mix the salt in a gallon water jug (that has only held water) with the dechlorinator before adding it to the tank. I was told that salt can burn them if they come in contact with the crystals. 

If his water is dirty now, do a 100% water change asap though! 

Oh and btw grats on the new tank and stuff  Your fish is beautiful if he is the one in your avatar! Hope he feels better soon!


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## roypattonphoto (Mar 19, 2011)

delete


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## Arashi Takamine (Mar 3, 2011)

Byte said:


> Thank you and no I have not. I have been trying to explain kindly to the lady that it's just shadow from the photograph but she's proven to be stubborn
> 
> Thank you for your opinion and help


I know this has probably been resolved but his rays look small because he's probably pretty young. His fins look EXACTLY like my boy's fins when I got him and still look like that when he's not flared or trying to impress my female. Whoever this person is on DeviantART...If you PM me the link to your pick I'll gladly back you up. Fin rot is where the fins look like their dissenagrating and have a gray or black line around them. Trust me I've gotten the scare a few times by my own betta's in certian lighting.

EDIT: Wait bent looking fins could mean possible fin rot? Aki's looks like a few are curled a little but he's been like that since bringing him home and if anything they've grown. It's isolated in his anal fin as his caudal and dorsal are fully double rayed and he only 'folds' them when he's doing his daily "Maka watch" on the silk plant...Oh no could this mean my boy has it too? I mean his beard has been changing colors some but not to a point where I thought it was fin-rot. I thought there was a little black but when I looked closer it appeared to be the same color as his face....Nvm I hope your betta gets better but if that person on dA was rude....


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## Byte (Jan 15, 2011)

Not sure why the picture was deleted. He polished off the last of the shrimp last night


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## Canuck Fins (Oct 5, 2010)

He looks great! What a wonderful photo! I find it hard to get a good photo with such active fish.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

He is so cool! Is he a crowntail?


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## Byte (Jan 15, 2011)

Thanks guys and yes, he is a crowntail


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## DarkMoon17 (Apr 16, 2011)

He's colored up a nicely but it looks like he's lost a lot of fin. He barely has any ray left on his anal or caudal fin. You are going to have to really keep on top of his water changes for his rays to grow back. You might want to try adding "stress coat" to the water too, it helps with tissue regrowth. 
Keep it up


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

I use top fin water conditioner which neutralizes chlorine and other stuff (too lazy to write it all) and helps with slime coat.


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## Byte (Jan 15, 2011)

Same stuff I use :|


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## DarkMoon17 (Apr 16, 2011)

Top fin water conditioner does provide electrolytes needed for a healthy slime coat but does not help regrow damaged tissue. There's a difference  Stress Coat has been proven to increase the rate of tissue repair in injured fish and my personal findings agree. For example, 2 months ago, the barrier between two of my males fell down and they tore each other up pretty badly, I added stress coat and within a month their fins were back to normal (with extra water changes too of course). You don't have to use it as a water conditioner. I use in addition to my normal water conditioner when my fish need to regrow tissue or slime coating. Works like a charm


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Oh, okay thx. I like the quote by Gandhi in your sig.


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## alixhero (Apr 11, 2011)

I think i have the REAL problem ...

My Double Tail Half Moon's tail clamped togather ... i've added yellow first aid medicine sufficiently , and word of advices pls ?


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

If he's in a community rank, QT, and clean water very day. I've read that that helps a lot.


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