Damaged Left Pectoral Fin

[Torokun]

I added one ADF into my betta tank few days ago. They were doing great. But I noticed today that Burt (my male Betta) was swimming funny. After careful examination, I noticed that Burt's left pectoral fin is mysteriously "missing".

It doesn't look like it's been ripped out or anything like that since you can see it sort of tucked right next to his body.



From the front view, you can see that left fin is not opened at all.



What must I do to help him heal? Have you heard of AFD attacking and hurting bettas? You think it's caused from fighting? Or he scrapped himself against a filter or something?

[BakaMandy]

Oh, it looks like some kind of fungusy patch on his side T.T; perhaps the fungus stuck his fin to his body?

[Torokun]

Originally Posted by BakaMandy

Oh, it looks like some kind of fungusy patch on his side T.T; perhaps the fungus stuck his fin to his body?

GAH~!

For real?

Does this happen a lot? What is the solution to the problem?

[Torokun]

Alrigh,

so the fin is not "tucked in" against the body anymore. But it's still not moving. Also on the side of his body where the fin is, there is what seems like a big grey-ish flake on it.

I am in a panic mode... Anyone knows what the problem is here?

[BakaMandy]

Hmmm well it defiantly looks like Columnaris/fungus (You can read about it here and here) just cause of that grey stuff on his side... It might be hampering his ability to move his fin properly? It is technically a type of bacterial infection, so maybe it hurts to move his fin?

I've never had to personally deal with this infection, but I've read about it and it looks very similar... so...

[Torokun]

Sniff...

That flakey thing spread through half of Burt's body last night and he died.

I called up my local tropical fish store and the owner told me to put in Methylene blue. So I did that last night but it wasn't much of help I guess. :(

So I don't repeat what happened, any of you expert know what happened here?

Do you think Ernie (ADF) brought in some bad fungus? If so, howcome he is okay?

Sigh... I am very sad...

[Yuuki]

If it spread that quickly, I'd assume it was Columnaris. Fungus won't normally spread or kill that quickly. It was almost definately something bacterial.

Columnaris can be really nasty sometimes. Fish can sometimes last for weeks with it, but in other cases... it kills them in just a day or two. Could be that Burt injured his fin and the bacteria got inside that way; in this case, the frog not having it would make sense.


I'd watch the frog closely for awhile. And I'd do some extra changes on the tank just in case.

[BettaxFishxCrazy]

I'm so sorry about your fish. :(