Betta Fin Rot

[ajaniwisteria]

Housing
What size is your tank? .5 Gallon
What temperature is your tank? No matter what I do, the temp stays at an even 82
Does your tank have a filter? No...
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? Nope.
Is your tank heated? Aye, it is.
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? Greg's a loner.

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Tetra Betta floating mini pellets (and yes I've tried feeding him bloodworms. He won't eat them.
How often do you feed your betta fish? About 4-7 pellets at least once a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? Every 2-3 weeks-ish
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? Change ALL the water!!
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? I usually use filter watter and the BettaSafe drops

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

Ammonia: Unknown
Nitrite: Safe
Nitrate: 20
pH: 8.4ish...
Hardness: Hard
Alkalinity: Apparently high alkalinity

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Ragged, black-tipped fins...that's about it.
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? It hasn't. That's why it took me so long to realize what was happening.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? About...a few days ago?
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? That's what this post is about. I haven't started treating yet.
Does your fish have any history of being ill? Nope, he's always been healthy.
How old is your fish (approximately)? I wanna say...a year and a half?

****

So before any of you tell me: You need a bigger tank/better heater/filter/etc. etc. let me tell you this. I'm a college student. I have very little free money to spare, so I've had to make do with what I can. I keep good care of him, clean his tank, make sure he's not too cold (he HATES that)...but I can't really upgrade. I live in a small apartment with three other people, and there' s not much room for a 5 gallon tank (However, I've been thinking of upgrading to a 1 gallon pretty soon).


So here's my main problem....what DO I do? I've been doing some research online, and some sites say: Don't use Maracyn (which is what I have) at all! Just do daily water changes with aquarium salts and you'll be fine! Other sites say Oh, you have to use Maracyn AND Maracyn too PLUS daily water changes, others say I don't have to do daily water changes...

It's a clusterfrack of information that I don't know how to sort. Plus, I have a .5 gallon tank, and everything is measured by 10 gallons.

Any help would be greatly appreciated because, in all honesty, I have no freaking idea what to do. Thank you so much!!

Oh right. Pictures! Here are some pics I snapped of his fins:

[SheamusBetta]

Hey. I have a similar problem. I had mine in a tiny cup basically until I noticed him looking really bad and finally did my research. (Just as a side note, Amazon has some decent 1-2 gallon tanks with filters and all for around $30. Some that are even specifically made for desk tops and small spaces) All I can tell you about your little guy is what I've been finding: Jungle Fungus Eliminator seems to be the safe medicine of choice. I have read that the black tips on the fins are fin rot and I've read it's fin rot healing. I appoligize I can't help you there. I'm eager to see what people tell you.I ccurrently have aquarium salt in my guys tank.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Good luck

[LittleBlueFishlets]

What size is your tank? .5 Gallon
How often do you perform a water change? Every 2-3 weeks-ish

A 0.5 gallon tank is really small, but you already know that.... However, this is WAY too few water changes.

Per the first post in the thread Oldfishlady water change recommendations, here is the recommended water change schedule:

"Tanks:
1-4gal without a filter or live plants
Twice weekly-1-50% water only and 1-100%"

So a tank twice the size of yours would need three water changes per week: one full and two partial.

Next, is there a reason you can test all the water parameters except ammonia? That's probably the most important test, in terms of knowing how much waste is building up in your tank.

Also, is there a reason that you're using filtered water, rather than tap water?

[LittleBlueFishlets]

Originally Posted by SheamusBetta

... (Just as a side note, Amazon has some decent 1-2 gallon tanks with filters and all for around $30. Some that are even specifically made for desk tops and small spaces) ....

That seems like a lot of money to me, even though these probably come with a light and filter....

I went the low-tech route instead. I use 3 gallon critter keepers with just a heater. (No filter, no light.) They cost $16 at Petsmart, and $13 at Petco (although it looks like Petco's is on sale for just $10.39 this week.) Since I don't have a filter, I just do frequent water changes.

[callistra]

2 gallons is minimum for keeping a betta. The reason for your fin rot is lack of water changes and too small a bowl.

You need to upgrade his tank to a 2 gallon and ideally a good adjustable 25w heater like Marineland Visitherm or Jager. In this twice weekly water changes of 50% and 100% are needed... in what you have I would do 50% and 100% changes alternating daily.

Don't use filter water.. I assume you mean from like a brita filter? Just use a conditioner which says it removes chorine, chloramines and heavy metals. It should mention all 3 or it's not good enough.

Clean warm water is the most important thing for him. you can also treat with aquarium salt at 1 tsp per gallon predissolved for up to 10 days - only readd salt with water changes. Or you could opt for an antibiotic like Kanaplex, Maracyn Plus, or Furan 2.

As a side note, your pellets are really low quality - one of the worst out there. Look for a pellet whose first two or three ingredients are whole fish, not fish meal or the worst is wheat. Whatever you feed he needs one day a week to fast and clear his bowels.

[ajaniwisteria]

Hey guys, thanks for the tank info, but...um...

Okay. Please, remember (I should've bolded this) I'm a college student with very little money to spare. I'm working up to buy a better tank for him, but at the moment, this is all I have to work with. Again, I'm trying to get a better one.

As for RIGHT NOW, does anyone have any suggestions as to how to divide up the medicine/help him get better in the tank that I have right now? I don't want to sound like I don't care, because I do, but I can't better his living conditions until I work up enough money (which should hopefully be soon).

I need help dividing up the Maracyn for his tank, etc. etc. (I'd rather not learn that I bought it for no good reason...)
Please, please help me with that, and I'll get back to you on the tank conditions soon!

[LittleBlueFishlets]

To prevent or treat fin rot, the most important factor is clean, warm water.

A fish kept in a 0.5 gallon tank with water changes done "Every 2-3 weeks-ish" is not living in clean water.

Your fish is swimming in a toilet bowl.

As for being a college student - changing his water daily to keep it clean is CHEAPER than buying medications like Maracyn.

The way you described the rot sounds like it's still fairly minor. Medications like Maracyn are harsh on a tiny fish. I try to use them only when it's really needed.

Personally, if this was my fish, I would start his treatment this way:

1. Do 100% water changes every day. Use tap water, treated with water conditioner.
2. If the rot worsens, I would add 1/2 tsp of Aquarium salt (predissolved) to his 0.5 gal tank - continuing to make daily 100% water changes. Do not use the salt for more than 10 days.
3. If the rot worsens despite the daily water changes and salt addition, then I would consider using medications.

[txbettaowner]

When my female got fin rot, I changed the water daily and added a little bit of aquarium salt to do it. Just like when my little female get horrible nipped fins, I change her water daily if not every other day and add aquarium salt to it. I agree though that 2-3 weekish water changes is TOO long to go out without changing the water. I understand not having a lot of money. You need to get a tank that is 1 gallon per one inch of the betta. You can buy a plan 5 gallon tank for like $5 or so and just add the lid and heater you need. You will want to buy so API aquarium salt and API stress coat if you don't already have it. I am in the same boat as you. I am still learning and I am learning something new every time I use this website to ask for advice. I bet some of the people are getting tired of me asking questions all the time but I would rather ask and know than do something and severely hurt one of my 5 females or my handsome man.

[ajaniwisteria]

Thank you guys so much ^.^ I cleaned his tank today, even added in some new clean gravel for him -

Ah, speaking of gravel, is there any way I can completely sterilize the original gravel? I've heard of boiling it (which is what I'd do) and I've also heard of bleaching it (which is something I'd NEVER do)...any thoughts/ideas?

Also, wouldn't it be a bit...erm...traumatizing to constantly take him in/out of the tank for 10 days (well, more than 10 days) to do complete changes? I mean, wouldn't that hurt him, being carted around so much? I'm very careful when I change his water and move him from place to place, but...

[LittleBlueFishlets]

Since you're going to be doing 100% water changes every day, I, personally, would not use gravel right now. It just makes it more difficult to do the water changes. (Plus it takes up space in his tank.)

And yes, removing him each time is going to be stressful for him. But since he's in a tiny tank, it's better to remove him and change the water every day, than to let him swim in his own waste products.

I'm glad you cleaned out his tank today. I'm sure he'll be happier if you continue to make water changes every day until he's better. And then every other day, until you can upgrade his home.

I know that money is tight, and that you're doing what you can for him right now. But I think that once you can afford to get him into a larger tank, both of you will appreciate it. With a bigger tank, they can move around a lot more, and it's really cool to watch them swim around.