Fin rot came on very suddenly, help?

[Jayoen]

I will see how he looks when I get home, and take some more pictures.
Right now I'm going to go pick him up some stuff from the pet store.

[callistra]

Bettafix is not a good product and will not treat conditions resulting in body rot.. Bettafix is like treating with neosporin. It definitely would not work on this.

Bettafix is a diluted Melafix. The same properties that killed your fish with the Melafix are present in the Bettafix in a much lower proportion.. meaning it's still just as bad for them, but they've diluted it so that it won't cause problems in most. If you use it frequently enough it could still cause the same problem.

So.. being as it's not a true antibiotic, isn't very effective on anything minus a very mild fin rot maybe that would have cleared up with good water and salt, and has potentially damaging properties, it wouldn't be one I'd mess with.

[Jayoen]

I got test strips to test his water, and his PH is high, though stupid me forgot to buy the PH reducer :/ I'll have to get it tomorrow. Nitrite and Nitrates are a bit soso, I don't know how to reduce those though.

Tried to take pictures too, but he doesn't want to cooperate with me, and hang out in the same spot long enough for my camera to focus, and me to press the capture button.

They also didn't have any Kanaplex there that I saw :( otherwise I would have gotten it, I did get the stress coat and the heater though.

[callistra]

Hopefully you also have a glass in tank thermometer?

Test strips are very inaccurate but they're better than nothing. If you have nitrites your tank is not cycled and you should read this guide about the fish in cycling: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=47838 You will also need an ammonia test kit. You will need to increase water changes to deal with these levels. The guide talks about how and how often to test and do water changes while your tank is cycling. Once it is cycled, you will need weekly water changes of at least 20% weekly. Also the tank will need to be at least 5g to maintain a cycle. Never filter anything less than 2.5g and the 2.5g will require extra work/ more and larger water changes.

If you can't find Kanaplex (I would get a phone book or use yellowpages.com and call around) then get something else.. Maracyn Plus (not to be confused with Maracyn or Maracyn II or Furan 2)

[callistra]

glitchy. sorry.

[Jayoen]

The light pink on the test strips all looked the same to me, so I'm not sure which they were, one of the lowest two though.

I forgot the thermometer as well, derp. We used to have one once, don't know what happened to it though.

More things to pick up in the morning!

[AyalaCookiejar]

May I ask what the pH is? They can generally adjust to most pHs.

[Jayoen]

PH came up somewhere between 8 and 9

[AyalaCookiejar]

It should be okay if it's not over 9.

Changing their pH can be more stressful to them than just leaving it alone. They will adjust.

[callistra]

I would leave it alone as well.