King seems to be doing worse since I started treating him for fin rot

[gargleknobs]

I cleaned his bowl again last night and acclimated him accordingly. I kept the salt in his water, and I didn't put his rocks back in. I got him to eat a few pellets without spitting them back up.

His coloring is still very light (his body is somewhat greyish brown, like when I first brought him home), but from what I can tell, his fins haven't gotten any worse. There aren't bits of fin all over the tank like there were yesterday. It appears that most of what was black and rotted fell off already.
I wish I had a betta hammock for him so he didn't have to make such a long trip to the surface when he's trying to rest like this, but I don't have any time to get to the pet store today and I can't afford to spend a ridiculous amount of money to have it shipped quickly.

At this time I don't know that there's a whole lot more I can do for him and I just hope he lives long enough for his medicine to arrive (and then I hope his medicine actually fixes him).

[gargleknobs]

I don't have a way to test his water right now, but I will try to do that as soon as I can.

[Oldfishlady]

I looked over your thread and nothing really sticks out other than possible stress related compromised immune response. What started all of this is hard to say. He might be aging out or it might be genetic related.....Once the immune response become compromised this allowed a secondary problems.

I only recommend natural treatments-treating the fish as a whole-giving them the tools to help themselves.
Once you start antibiotic there is very little I can do.

The treatment I would recommend-heavy tannins from either IAL or dried Oak leaf, Epsom salt 2tsp/gal (since he isn't doing well with the aquarium salt) and partial water changes every other day using premixed treatment water. Water temp at 76-78F, top of the QT covered with veggie wrap to retain heat/humidity for the labyrinth organ. I would QT in something small enough to float in the heated tank. This lower water level in a QT and high humidity with the dark tanned water will help ease stress so he can get control of whatever is going on-If its not too late.

Once they pass a point---sometimes not much can be done...

Good luck an sorry I couldn't be of more help....

[gargleknobs]

I came home after a loooong day at school, and I'm relieved to see that King is still alive. He ate three pellets and he's hanging out around the top of the bowl, but not floating. He seems to be having no problem swimming to the bottom of the bowl and staying there. He has pooped several times since I cleaned the bowl late last night and his poop is brown. His color is about the same, if not slightly darker, and his don't seem any worse.

Fingers crossed that he pulls through.

[BettaGurl79]

I have my fingers crossed with you! Get better soon King!

[SharkyTheBetta]

Keeping my fingers crossed too!

[gargleknobs]

King is looking much better today. His color hasn't completely returned yet, but his fins are opening up again! There still appears to be a bit of gray at the tips of his dorsal fin, but there haven't been any fin bits in his bowl for the last day and a half or so. He's eating normally again and swimming all around his bowl.

I'm hopeful that I won't end up having to use the kanaplex that I bought and that he'll recover on his own. I'm currently doing water changes every other day as to not stress him out too much.

Just curious... I've read all over the place that you should stop aquarium salt treatment after 10 days. Why is this? What if he isn't 100% recovered after 10 days? Will it hurt him to keep him on it longer? It seems like some people have aquarium salt in their water at all times.
If it is necessary to take him off the salt after 10 days and he isn't better, how long do I have to wait before treating him with it again? It has been only about 6 days, but I'm not convinced he'll be completely healthy in 4 days.

Here are some pictures from today.



His pectoral fins are completely open again, which is a relief. His new tank should be here in a day or two, though I'm going to hold off on moving him into it until I'm convinced that he's at least 90% better and I get a filter.

Anyway, thank you so much to everyone who has helped me out. I owe King's probable survival to all of you.

[AyalaCookiejar]

Aquarium salt can harm them over time. 14 days is the max... If he's not better in that time, use the Kanaplex. It's actually a pretty gentle medication.

[gargleknobs]

Alright, will do.

[SharkyTheBetta]

That's great news. :) He's a true fighter.