[Margo]

Hello to all. Im new here and have some problem with my Betta.
Let me start from the beginning. I do have Fluval Chi 5 galon tank. I have it for more than 1.5 year. Previously we did have crowntail in it but he died day before Christmas for unknown reason (he was about 2 years old, no fin rot, no spots, no velvet. He just stopped be active at the first point and was lying on the bottom, then he stopped eating and was lying on his side, then more on his back. Could swim when I touched him but quickly was loosing energy and sinking. I have changed the water completely, adjust temperature, add salt. Nothing helped). Anyway, after his death I cleaned the tank carefully with hot water. Throw away plant, boiled pebbles, changed filter. I left moss ball and snails (two zebra snails), I planted two Japanese rush plants, run the tank for two weeks and bought new Betta. He was fine for about two weeks. Today I added new water to his tank (as usual once a week) and Ive spotted his fins are stuck together. He swims and is very active as usual, eats well. I'm pretty sure the fins were fine yesterday for sure they were 2 days ago. Maybe its only me but I think there is some slight white coat at the edges but I'm not sure (it might be stuck effect), also they might be shorter but again hard to say because they are stuck. I removed him from the tank and put him to the small (0.5 gallon) tank with clean water, stress coat and salt (2tsp) add the heater (its preset - 78-79). My Betta swim there as usual, very active, explore new tank. I just wonder what can cause the problem and what the problem actually is. Is this related to the previous disease? (The previous Betta didn't have stuck fins). The original tank seems tobe perfectly clean...

 

[BettaMummy87]

Whne you say stuck togther, do you mean like this:

 

[Margo]

Yes...

He is deltatail.

 

[Bettalovinmomma]

Looks like he's somewhat clamped. Something is stressing him out or he's sick. Are you using water conditioner? What kind? Do you know your water parameters?

ETA: sorry. Just re read and saw stress coat.

 

[Margo]

There is nothing what can stress him, except me when was adding the water I use Api Stress Zyme and Api Stress Coat. When I was adding the water (approx 1-1.5 litter) the both conditioners were added, water was settled for 3 days, room temperature. I do not know parameters (too late to buy a kit).

 

[BettaMummy87]

If it is like that, the fins sticking together, rather than just clamping (He will clamp too with melt, but the fins will be able to be spread fully if clampled) and the anal fin at least looks melty to me, it is a water quality issue. If you have access to a heater thats adjustable, all the better, get the tank to 80F, if not dont panic, 79F isnt bad at all, just helps a little.

- Extra water changes until this goes away, that water cannot have even a detectable amount of ammonia, or it won't heal.
- AQ Salt at 1tsp/gallon (You can build up to this doseage if you want, so the sudden addition of salt is not a shock) but do not use the salt for more than ten days. After the 10 days discontinue the salt, but keep up with the water changes.
- Keep adding Stresscoat+ with water changes, this will help the process. You can up to double the doseage of stresscoat during treatment.

 

[Margo]

My betta feels fine now. After one day in small tank with salt and stress coat his fins were better so I've changed 50% of water in original tank, added double dose of stress coat and salt (0.1%), heat it up to 80F and moved him there Saturday evening. Since then his fins are normal again, he is very active, eats well. I have no idea what caused the stress (maybe high nitrate - it was the only one too high water parameter before water change). Anyway he is fine now. Thank you for help.