LuckyBlue still needs Help for Fins

[LuckyBlue]

Do you think there is hope?

[DoctorWhoLuver]

I'm sure there is :) He seems fine other than the clamped fins :)

[soady]

Originally Posted by LuckyBlue

yes aq salt for 10 days in Oct. then oak leaves ever since. Yes, he's breaking my heart.....

In addition, he was actually my granddaughter's, but she bought it with hmmm..me, and her parents said uh NO! So, whenever she comes over she wants to see her LuckyBlue... she named him before we left the store...

He isn't sick otherwise... although I don't think he enjoys swimming much.. so he usually sits in one or two different spots unless I come up.

He was so beautiful..... Did you look at the beginning at his picture?

He is having a hard time swimming with clamped fins. My betta was also just laying on the bottom and only going up for air, until I put a plastic plant which goes all the way to the surface, then, he was laying on a leaf of the fake plant and just kinda lifting his head up for air. Like he avoided swimming. Don't know why the picture didn't come through, here it is again:



I think this picture is a perfect example of clamped fins. This is my first fish ever and I cured it's clamped fish in 10 days. I don't know how hard it actually is, I might have just been lucky. I also heard that this may happen from depression. I had my female in a jar next to him all the time (she is completely healthy). Maybe you should try the Aloe Gel I mentioned before as it will relax the fish. Hope I helped!

[LuckyBlue]

I don't know where to get it. Where did you get it?

[soady]

Originally Posted by LuckyBlue

I don't know where to get it. Where did you get it?

I got it a huge pet store called Pet Centar. I am from Belgrade, Serbia so it might be a local brand. You should search for any type of Aloe Gel for bettas, any brand that is around. I believe that it was what helped him since I didn't treat him immediately but after 2 days and he hasn't recovered a bit in that two days without treatment, but when I put Aloe Gel and kitchen salt and started changing his water more frequently his fins started open immediately and continued to do so up to this day when he is as good as new. :) I strongly suggest you try to find Aloe Gel since it has a soothing effect and it may relax your fish. I am starting to suspect that he is lonely and depressed since it's been like that for two months now and I've read that depression can be the cause of clamped fins. Try to search for the gel online, at a place that you can go to and buy it or just buy it online if possible. Yours is a truly beautiful betta and I think that the longer the fins the more sensitive they are. My betta's fins are not as long as your LuckyBlue's so it might have been easier to treat it.

[LuckyBlue]

I searched our stores and didn't find it. I did find it online somewhere in Europe, but didn't notice if I can order from there or not. I will certainly look again. If you find someplace that sells it online will you drop me a note? Thanks for your help... your guy and my LuckyBlue's fins certainly look alike.

[Phaydra]

I use Stress Coat +. It's a water conditioner but has Aloe Vera in it. It's made by API and I know they sell it at Petsmart and Petco. Should be easy to find in most LFS too.

[soady]

Originally Posted by LuckyBlue

I searched our stores and didn't find it. I did find it online somewhere in Europe, but didn't notice if I can order from there or not. I will certainly look again. If you find someplace that sells it online will you drop me a note? Thanks for your help... your guy and my LuckyBlue's fins certainly look alike.

Okay, I searched the internet for Dajana Aloe Gel and wasn't able to find any online shops that deliver to USA. However, I found this:
http://www.petco.com/product/4011/Po...ress-Coat.aspx
It seems that it's similar to Dajana Aloe Gel which I used since it contains Aloe Vera. You should read the description on the page I gave you the link to and decide for yourself if this is what you want to try.

EDIT: I just saw that the post above me recommended the same thing so it can't be bad! :) Don't lose hope!

[LuckyBlue]

I have already been using the API Stress Coat for several months.... maybe I need to up the dose.

[fishyMcDoodle]

For the past few days I've been checking up on this thread because my betta had the same problems as your betta for weeks. He's since made huge improvements in the last few days - this is what i did.

Given that there are no other symptoms of disease and illness, that you have a filter and heater and all other parameters for a healthy tank are met, this is what I did.

- 100% water change in my 5.5 gal, also switched to Tetra AquaSafe Plus; the Nutrafin didn't seem to cut it for the tank. I am more inclined to say the conditioner was a factor, I habitually maintain very clean water for my buddy.
- Maintained consistent temperature of 79F.
- Increased the amount I feed him without overfeeding
- During his time of improvement, I was feeding him Hikari BioGold. Perhaps quality food combined with appropriate quantity have helped.
- I also added AQ salt at about 1 teaspoon per gallon: admittedly I only put four teaspoons. In a few days I'm looking to change his water to remove the high salt content.
- Also got a cover for his tank, which he didn't have before - it's not an actual tank cover but a plastic tray that was easily washable and provides a 'roof'

One of these changes have positively affected my betta. I can't definitively say which one it is because all of these changes were made in a relatively short time frame. My betta was visibly stressed (a male betta with visible stress lines!) before these changes were made and his fins were clamped.

Now, they're slowly fanning out and compared to the pictures I took when I first got him, he's looking more like his natural self. :D

EDIT: and during the time before he started improving, the stress lines would sometimes appear and disappear. He behaved normally (which was very confusing) and was not exhibiting any illnesses.