# Betta Fish With Bad Care Of Fin Rot



## bettaowner101 (Nov 13, 2009)

Hello, I have a 1 gallon tank and I used to clean the whole tank once a week and I used to do 100% water change once a week. My betta has 2 hiding spots in his tank, an airstone and gravel. My betta has fin rot and I added 1/2 tablespoon of aquarium salt and the next day I bought Maracyn 2. It is the powder and I just add it to the tank and it disolves. I have added the Maracyn 2 to the tank the day after I added 1/2 tablespoon of salt and I didn't do a water change since then. I supposed to dose him for 5 days and today was his 3rd and I see no improvement. I have no test strips and I plan on getting a new filtered 5 gallon tank next Sunday. I have no heater in my tank and I am planning on getting one with my new tank that I am going to buy. When I wake up, his temp is 75 and torwards the end of the day, it is 80 degreese. My betta is also VERY lethargic. What should I do to help him out? I cannot buy a heater at the moment and test strips. If it helps, He is a CrownTail.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I think it will take longer than 3 days to see an improvement. The medicine is probably making him lethargic. Give it more time and hopefully, you'll begin to see an improvement in a few more days.


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## bettaowner101 (Nov 13, 2009)

Thanks. Btw, he was lethargic before I gave him some Maracyn. Did I give him too much salt?


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

This has been explained to you multiple times on a different forum: you need a heater and a bigger tank ASAP. Maracyn 2 doesn't work by killing the bacteria... it simply 'supercharges' the fish's immune system. That's why it cures so many diseases.

Fish are not warm blooded and therefore if there is no heat, everything goes slower. This goes for the healing process as well.

You have been given all the advce that you need and I know some of the people on UB come across a little strongly, but they definitely do know what they are talking about.

If you think that this will go away be sprinkling a little powder in the tank, just wait a week.


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## bettaowner101 (Nov 13, 2009)

Thanks. Sorry if I have asked this on anyother forum. I just got a little frustrated with their answers.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

It's frustrating how much fish wind up costing and I have been snapped at a few times myself on there. As young adults and adults a lot of them have forgotten how resticted you are when you count on your parents (who think it's 'just a fish') for funds for an adequate setup. They overkilled, but other than their approach their advice is totally solid and worth taking. Frustrating but true... what good would a little penicillin do you if you were spending the winter outside in your tshirt and shorts?

Like I've said before, save your money, don't monkey around with different mediactions. Keep the water pristine and try to hang in until your birthday.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

kelly528 said:


> It's frustrating how much fish wind up costing and I have been snapped at a few times myself on there.


That's why I don't go there anymore.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

Lol some of them may not be incredibly... socially gifted, _but_ I must admit, they definitely know what they are talking about!


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## bettaowner101 (Nov 13, 2009)

kelly528 said:


> It's frustrating how much fish wind up costing and I have been snapped at a few times myself on there. As young adults and adults a lot of them have forgotten how resticted you are when you count on your parents (who think it's 'just a fish') for funds for an adequate setup. They overkilled, but other than their approach their advice is totally solid and worth taking. Frustrating but true... what good would a little penicillin do you if you were spending the winter outside in your tshirt and shorts?
> 
> Like I've said before, save your money, don't monkey around with different mediactions. Keep the water pristine and try to hang in until your birthday.


Thanks. I turned his light off for today and his temp didn't change at all like it was when it was like 75 to 80 degreese. I will just keep on trying the Maracyn 2 and I'll see if that will take care of it. I have a feeling that I over dosed on Aquarium Salt. Someone told me to add 1/2 tablespoon of aquarium salt per gallon on UB. That could be why he is so unactive or because he is stressed because of his illness.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

Honestly, just lay off the maracyn 2. Like I have said before it _won't work_ unless the betta is in otherwise good conditions. Like I've said, how well do you think penicillin would work on pneumonia if the you were spending winter outside in your t-shirt and shorts? All it is doing is stressing him out. Are you keeping the water nice and clean?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Clean water is extremely important if you want healthy fish.


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## bettaowner101 (Nov 13, 2009)

kelly528 said:


> Honestly, just lay off the maracyn 2. Like I have said before it _won't work_ unless the betta is in otherwise good conditions. Like I've said, how well do you think penicillin would work on pneumonia if the you were spending winter outside in your t-shirt and shorts? All it is doing is stressing him out. Are you keeping the water nice and clean?


I am going to go clean his tank in like 30 minutes. So, The Maracyn won't work? I thought it would make his rot go away because it says it will and I have heard very good things about it.


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## bettaowner101 (Nov 13, 2009)

Ok. I will go clean his tank in like 30 minutes.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

bettaowner101 said:


> I am going to go clean his tank in like 30 minutes. So, The Maracyn won't work? I thought it would make his rot go away because it says it will and I have heard very good things about it.


Well it does, but not if you haven't eliminated the cause first, which is dirty, cold water.


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## bettaowner101 (Nov 13, 2009)

kelly528 said:


> Well it does, but not if you haven't eliminated the cause first, which is dirty, cold water.


 
I cleaned my tank yesterday and he is even more lethargic. I have a feeling he will pass soon.  I am going to keep on treating him with Maracyn. I can keep his temp at a steady temp at 75 degreese. He is EXTREMELY Lethargic and he only swims to go get air from the surface or when I tap my finger on the tank.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I would stop the Maracyn. I hate to say this but I think he's too far gone and all you can do is make him comfortable.


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## LaniBaby (Apr 14, 2009)

is dirty cold water the only cause of fin rot? because seriously, i clean my tanks religiously once a week. they are 3 gallons each and i change 50% or more of the water each week, usually more often. i vacuum the sand and i run a charcoal filter that i clean out, as well. the temps are 80F all the time, constantly monitored. Both my fish got fin rot, in separate tanks, and i don't share cups, supplies, nets, etc. i cannot figure out what is going on. i have tried everything to treat it, but no matter what i do, it just keeps coming back. this is the same thing that happened to the last betta i had. and yet when i kept bettas in wisconsin, i never had a case of fin rot, ever. i just took crumb out of a polyguard dip and he looks miserable and is lying on his sand sick. i just want to cry. i'm going to have to redo all the tanks again tonight and tomorrow with total clean water, boiled sand, etc. but no one can figure out why my fish keep getting fin rot. any help?


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

Can you c & p this question in a new thread (so as not to hijack bettaowner's thread and make things too complicated? I will address it on your thread and we can work through it from there.


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## bettaowner101 (Nov 13, 2009)

dramaqueen said:


> I would stop the Maracyn. I hate to say this but I think he's too far gone and all you can do is make him comfortable.


Yeah, I think I started to treat the fin rot too late.


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## LaniBaby (Apr 14, 2009)

kelly, i did give it my own thread. no one ever replied. so when clean water was mentioned i figured it was as good a chance as any to see if there are any other causes.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I know that temperature fluctuations can cause finrot but we can rule that out because you keep your temp at 80 all the time.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

bettaowner101 said:


> Yeah, I think I started to treat the fin rot too late.


Dude you need to realise that this has *nothing* to do with the medication. You have been medicating him for a week. This is because any medicine will not do it's job if you aren't doing yours. Had he been in a clean, warm tank the medicine would have been able to work.

I understand you were unable to provide the right conditions for him when he got sick, but you *need *to understand the importance of good tank conditions if you want to keep any fish successfully.


*Dramaqueen:*


> When I wake up, his temp is 75 and torwards the end of the day, it is 80 degreese.


Taken from the O.P.

*LaniBaby:* Looking up your thread in just a sec. Watch the board for my reply.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Betta Fin Rot Causes Here is an article that should be helpful.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

My comment about the fluctuating temperature was meant for LaniBaby.


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## bettaowner101 (Nov 13, 2009)

kelly528 said:


> Dude you need to realise that this has *nothing* to do with the medication. You have been medicating him for a week. This is because any medicine will not do it's job if you aren't doing yours. Had he been in a clean, warm tank the medicine would have been able to work.
> 
> I understand you were unable to provide the right conditions for him when he got sick, but you *need *to understand the importance of good tank conditions if you want to keep any fish successfully.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your help and thanks for not getting angry at me like the people on UB. I cleaned his tank yesterday and he got really stressed over that.


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## bettaowner101 (Nov 13, 2009)

dramaqueen said:


> Betta Fin Rot Causes Here is an article that should be helpful.


Thanks for the help!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

You're welcome!


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

bettaowner101 said:


> Thanks for your help and thanks for not getting angry at me like the people on UB. I cleaned his tank yesterday and he got really stressed over that.


When you have a bigger tank it willbe easier to clean with a gravel vacuum, which won't stressyour betta.


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## bettaowner101 (Nov 13, 2009)

kelly528 said:


> When you have a bigger tank it willbe easier to clean with a gravel vacuum, which won't stressyour betta.


Yeah hopefully he will still be here on my birthday. He is not improving at all. Everytime my parents see him laying down, they think he is dead but he isn't.


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## catappa leaves (Mar 6, 2011)

Hi,

Just want to let you know that I have put-up some very useful information about Betta Fish keeping and caring in my site for everyone to access. 

It is titled Aquarium Resources under Category. I have two topic there currently, that is Betta Fish Care and The Aquarium Secret.

Hope it will be useful and helpful to you. 




bettaowner101 said:


> Yeah hopefully he will still be here on my birthday. He is not improving at all. Everytime my parents see him laying down, they think he is dead but he isn't.


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## ollief9 (Mar 16, 2011)

catappa leaves said:


> Hi,
> 
> Just want to let you know that I have put-up some very useful information about Betta Fish keeping and caring in my site for everyone to access.
> 
> ...



I smell spam. Your site led me to this....
http://www.thesmileyfish.com/kick-ass-aquarium/?hop=nwong007

Which is without a doubt a scam.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

catappa leaves said:


> Hi,
> 
> Just want to let you know that I have put-up some very useful information about Betta Fish keeping and caring in my site for everyone to access.
> 
> ...


Why do you keep posting these? It isn't even related to the thread. Not only that but this thread is two years old. It is bad forum manners to bring up old threads.


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## PewPewPew (Nov 26, 2010)

ollief9 said:


> I smell spam. Your site led me to this....
> http://www.thesmileyfish.com/kick-ass-aquarium/?hop=nwong007
> 
> Which is without a doubt a scam.



another member (a few, actually..) have ordered from him without issue.
I had an issue with what I think is the site itself, and will wait to see if I still wish to continue ordering.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

PewPewPew said:


> another member (a few, actually..) have ordered from him without issue.
> I had an issue with what I think is the site itself, and will wait to see if I still wish to continue ordering.


Are they allowed to advertise here though?


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## PewPewPew (Nov 26, 2010)

No, I dont think so. Or not in a thread like this, considering its age and whatnot...

I'd think that if it was a "hey, this could really help and I sell them" and not such an advertisement as it was it wouldnt be as bad.

Idk :s Wasnt it you who bought from them? I remember someone did who had a light colored avitar.. LOLOLOL ^^;


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

No I get my leaves from amy, but I remember reading the thread your talking about lol.


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## catappa leaves (Mar 6, 2011)

I am so sorry for posting here as I did not aware it was ALREADY TWO YEARS OLD...really! I did not actually pay any attention on the date as I was just searching for Betta related topic, but I guess I am really too tired this few days after helping out on the logistic at the Singapore Red Cross Center. 




turtle10 said:


> Why do you keep posting these? It isn't even related to the thread. Not only that but this thread is two years old. It is bad forum manners to bring up old threads.


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## PewPewPew (Nov 26, 2010)

Bettaluva?!?! Ugghhhh its someoneeee D; ffff.


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## Lamiglass78 (May 4, 2011)

I tried something really crazy with my betta & it worked, he had really bad fin rot. I kept him in a 1 gallon tank for the treatment. The first day i grabbed my betta with my left hand, put 1 droP of dawn dishwashing soap in my right hand and gently washed his tail & fins making sure not to get any soap on his body/head then rinsed him off with running water. I cleaned his tank with dawn and hot water. No rocks. Did water changes daily for 14days. Each wAter change icleaned the tank, put 1 drop aquarisol, 3 drops melafix, 5 drops aquasafe and half a tsp aquarium salt. By day 10 his fins began to grow back


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## Lamiglass78 (May 4, 2011)

Whoa sorry kinda new to this site, i think i posted that in the wrong place!


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

Lamiglass78 said:


> The first day i grabbed my betta with my left hand, put 1 droP of dawn dishwashing soap in my right hand and gently washed his tail & fins making sure not to get any soap on his body/head then rinsed him off with running water. I cleaned his tank with dawn and hot water.


o____o what is this i dont even


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## Lamiglass78 (May 4, 2011)

U craddle the betta in your palm, tail & fins in between your pointer finger and thumb. I prefer using my hands rather than a net because i find that nets sometimes yanks scales out of them & damages their fins. I have several bettas,( halfmoon double tails)they actually are calmer in the palm of your hands. They wiggle frantically in a net. Try it if u dont believe me.during water changes i just pourthem straight into my palm.


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## denaliwind (Feb 27, 2011)

*Lamiglass78* - O.O
...or you could try the safe, healthy method of treating fin rot, clean water! Soap shouldn't even be used for washing your hands before handling fish/tanks/their water, let alone applying it to a fish/cleaning a tank with it. For more severe cases add aquarium salt! I do however agree that nets are stressful... but I also think that a good old plastic or glass cup to scoop the bettas out of their tanks works even better.


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## Arashi Takamine (Mar 3, 2011)

*facepalm* I know about the soap thing with the stuff and this...Fail....

I had originally washed my hands when letting Aki play with my finger with a tiny dab of soap and all three times he's bitten me....Wonder if it was that because after I stopped using the tiniest drop of soap I could get out of it he stopped biting it.


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## turtle10 (Dec 30, 2010)

To sum it up, NEVER use soap on your fish or on fish-related products (decorations, tank, etc).

You are lucky he wasn't poisoned, please don't do it again. Use the safe way like denaliwind said.


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## sayitaintso (Jun 6, 2011)

We are brand new fish owners. Can our betta get burned by the heater if he swims too close to it?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

No. Some fish like to lay on their heaters.


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