[freemike]

I should rename these fish miracle 1 and miracle 2 if they live. Yesterday I forgot to plug the blue one Joe's heater in after water change and shut off my bedroom heater for the day. I know I'm an idiot. I came home to a pale lethargic fish that couldn't out swim his filter. I thought for sure he was a goner. I made an emergency tank using a aq. heater and drawer in a sterilite chest with low water, so he wouldn't have to swim hard to get to the top for air. Transferred him to the holding area. He also has what looks to be the beginning of fin rot. The red one Larry has been acting well other than what I believe to be ammonia burns and his tail had two minor splits and one in his dorsal.

This morning I went to Petco bought two medium critter keepers and treated their water with conditioner and 2 tsp of aq. salt. I'm hoping the salt alone will clear up their problems as I would prefer not to have to resort to medications unless absolutely necessary. The good news is Larry's face is looking cleaner and Joe had white on his gill which is starting to fall off. Joe's color and activity is coming back. So the plan is to do the salt treatment for 5 days and to do a fishless cycle on their 10 gallon tanks while keeping them in the keepers for a few weeks.

 

[Sakura8]

That's pretty much the setup I have for a few of my boys, except I put some plastic plants in for cover and to give them something to rest in. Petsmart has some nice inexpensive ones that suction cup to the bottom, making water changes easier. You can also just float a plastic plant in there. It will tip over on its side (unless it has a weighted base) and often the fish will rest in it.

Keep up with the salt for 5 days, it should do the trick and you are right to not jump straight to meds. Too much medication is often just as bad or worse than not medicating.

 

[freemike]

I'm two days into the salt treatment and getting mixed signals from the blue Betta. His caudal had a big split down the middle of it and is healing a lot faster than I thought and actually looking good compared to just a few days ago. The dorsal fin is about the same it appears. The anal fin is almost appearing to get worse ever so slightly. I mean it's not got much worse but maybe a touch worse. Is it normal for fins to heal at different rates? I mean it seems likely if the fins get different amounts of blood flow but I don't know.

 

[Sakura8]

I think this s probably normal. In my experience, for some reason the tail seems to heal the fastest. Maybe it has to do with blood flow, as you suggested. Or maybe because they need the tail the most to maneuver so, as a matter f survivability, it gets priority healing?

As long as none if his fins don't look drastically worse, continue with the salt.