# Bits of tail falling off?



## Pearl2011 (May 21, 2012)

I know Swish is sick, but I'm wondering what is best. I forgot the medicine and my friends house *facepalm* and right now I want to know if it is tail biting or fin rot. Up until I got home today is was rotted in the middle, but now the side are in have and a little peice has fallen off (sooooo gross) and another peice looks like it wants to do the same.
Is this fin rot or tail biting? I'm leaving tomorow until Sat or Sun, so I have my grandad looking after my fish. I dont trust anybody but myself and my freind to change the water or anything in the tanks. I just want to know what it is?


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## aqua001 (Jan 13, 2012)

I can't be sure but I think it might have been that your betta got fin rot and then got stressed out and bit his tail. (It's happened to me twice.) If I'm wrong, someone will correct me.


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

Could you answer these? 
Also, a pic wwould help as well ^^

Housing 
What size is your tank?
What temperature is your tank?
Does your tank have a filter?
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?
Is your tank heated?
What tank mates does your betta fish live with?

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish?
How often do you feed your betta fish?

Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change?
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity: 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed?
How has your betta fish's behavior changed?
When did you start noticing the symptoms?
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
Does your fish have any history of being ill?
How old is your fish (approximately)?


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## Pearl2011 (May 21, 2012)

Alcemistnv said:


> Could you answer these?
> Also, a pic wwould help as well ^^


When I took a picture to put here the other day to show he was yellowish, it made him look healthy. The camera sucks. I have a good one, but it broke 
I know his fins suck, Melafix isnt working ang Im away. Woot.Woot.


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## kyasarin5 (Aug 8, 2012)

You are away from your fish right now? He prob has fin rot. What size tank is he in? He definitely needs to have his water changed. Just tell them to get distilled water for now to be on the safe side. They need to float him for 20 minutes in the water he is in now in a container in the tank so the temperature will be the same and keep from shocking him. If he doesn't have a tank heater he is prob too cold. They need to be kept around 78 to 80 degrees.


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## ysa4912 (Aug 13, 2012)

Yes, It's fin rot. The only guaranteed solution is Melafix put it in the water one in a week make sure you have a betta hammock so that he won't have to stressed himself/herself out of swimming . If the water is dirty because of the fins rotting, CHANGE it or the water will stink and the fish will die. Trust me I experienced this a lot of times before...  Happy betta caring!


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

Melafix contains oils that can harm your betta if not dosed 100% correctly -- and even then.

Besides, it's just an antiseptic, and probably won't take care of advanced fin rot (which is either a true fungal OR a bacterial disease - most often bacterial).

If someone else is taking care of your fish, tell them this very clearly:

1. Put the fish in a covered cup. 

2. Change 100% of his water, making it as close to the regular temperature as possible.

3. Dissolve ONE teaspoon of ROCK salt per gallon (not TABLE salt) in the tank's new water - make sure it's dissolved! Or it could cause burns.

4. -Slowly- add a little new water to the betta's cup, every few mins. Ten mins is more than enough, he'll be cold after 20... (and if you don't have a heater - get one asap? Kind of essential equipment, there). 

5. Place betta back in tank.

6. Repeat every second day.


The salt will help to halt the fin rot, and isn't too hard to deal with - medications can be tricky for non-fishy people at the best of times. That should tide him over until you get home and can observe how he does on salt for a week or two. If there's no improvement after week (ie, the rot is still advancing/his health is getting worse) grab some Kanaplex OR Furan-2 and treat him with one of those -- they are proper antibiotics, not just antiseptics.


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