Irritating, Stubborn, Fin Rot

[RiverStoneBetta]

I'm at the end of my line here. Möbius has the worse case of fin for I've ever dealt with, and nothing is even slowing it down. I don't have true anti-biotics, since now store around here sells them. Aquarium Salt is my only real option left, but I'm hesitant about using it, since I've heard so many conflicting opinions about using it.

Here's the tank specs:
5.5 Gallon
Readings = 0/0/20
Temp: 78F (Steady)
Filtered
25% water change bi-weekly (other water changes done during medication process)
No objects to tear fins.

Other than his fins, he's acting healthy. He's active when I'm close to the tank and sleep in his bogwood when I'm not. Eats like he's always starving (what betta doesn't?) and physically, the rest of him is fine. From what I can tell, he's very young, less than a year.

Anyone have any advice here? I'm just short of pulling my hair out over this.

[LolaQuigs]

Aquarium salt is perfectly fine for treating diseases, it's long-term use of it that can be harmful.

To treat fin rot, keep the water about 77-78 degrees F, and add 1 tsp per gallon of aquarium salt (condition/dechlorinate the water as usual), and do daily 100% water changes. It's definitely easiest to put the fish in a small quarantine container if you have one that you could float in your main tank. Keep up this treatment for 7-10 days. If you have any Indian almond leaf or oak leaves, the tannins are extremely beneficial.

[PewPewPew]

Go with the AQ salt, just opt not to use it for over ten days.

Try ordering online. At this point, from what you said, it seems like a bacterial infection, which would probably require said medicines, broad spectrum(?)

If you can, lower the tank's temp to 76-77' and if you have one, shove an airstone/bubble stone in there to ward off bacteria. Change the water more frequently, as well. If you can, try to change it 50% every other day or so...that worked really well for me in that sized tank. Redose the salt as needed, up it to 1.3ish/gal if you plan to change the water more frequently. Change the water each time more salt is added.

[RiverStoneBetta]

Just as an update:

I've began treating with salt over the last few days and upped my water changes accordingly. The infection has slowed, but there is no regrowth yet, so I'm going to assume that it's not gone, just inhibited. I'm going to order some anti-biotics, but I'm seeing conflicting info on just what kind of bacteria is causing the damage. Is it gram-positive or gram-negative? Or is it just safer to use both kinds of medication to avoid Super-Fin Rot bacteria?

[Littlebittyfish]

I have had good luck treating a very stubborn case of fin rot with maracyn two on my older fish.
If it has slowed down or stopped though, it might just take extra clean water to heal it up.

[LaniBaby]

please see the post i put up about kH and fin rot. this same thing happened to me. it should be just below your post currently in the same section.