Please fill out the sticky at the top of this sub-forum and provide photos. Thank you.

Just a bit of advice: Never take advice from anyone who's willing to give it without the information we ask on the questionnaire. And don't self-diagnose from things you read. Sometimes symptoms are subtly different and therefore are misinterpreted.

I'll be up a while and check back.

 

Housing:
How many gallons is your tank? 1.0
Does it have a filter? No
Does it have a heater? No
What temperature is your tank? 77 degrees F
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? No
Does your Betta have tank mates? What kind? No

Food:
What food brand do you use? Hikari
Do you feed flakes or pellets? Pellets
Freeze-dried? No
How often do you feed your Betta? Daily

Maintenance:
Before your Betta became ill how often did you perform a water change? Usually once a week (sometimes twice)
What percentage of water did you change? 100%
What is the source of your water? Tap
Do you vacuum the substrate or just dip out water? No substrate
What additives do you use? What brand of conditioner? Aqueon Betta Water Bowl Conditioner (I finally picked up some SeaChem Prime (as well as some API Stress Coat) for the next water change)

Water Parameters:
What are your water parameters? Please give exact numbers. If tested by pet store please get exact numbers. "Fine" or "Safe" won't help us help you. Important: Test your water before the regular water change; not after one.

Ammonia: N/A
Nitrite: N/A
Nitrate: N/A
pH: N/A
Hardness (GH): N/A
Alkalinity (KH): N/A

Symptoms and Treatment:
When did you first notice the symptoms? Today
How has your Betta’s appearance changed? Decrease in finnage
How has your Betta’s behavior changed? No
Is your Betta still eating? Yes
Have you started treating your Betta? If so, how? Added 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt to QT
Does your Betta have any history of being ill? No
How long have you owned your Betta? 1 year
Was he or she ill or suffering some sort of damage when purchased? No

 

 

Either way, I wouldn't be too hard on yourself. I have two that I have treated and cared for nearly identical, and one is like the "problem child" and the other is literally the glowing "golden child". Not much advice from me, except I know it can be frustrating, and yes, embarrassing, but the advice can be so very helpful. Best of luck to your fella!

 

His fins just started looking like this in fewer than 24 hours? Can you provide us with a "before" photo and one from the top? How much and how often do you feed him? Thank you.

As far as treatment, until there's a definite diagnosis make a strong "tea" of either Indian Almond Leaves or plain Rooibos Tea. Both have antibacterial and antifungal properties. Add to tank until water is the color of whiskey. Store leftover in refrigerator. Additionally, I like to keep a leaf or teabag floating in their habitat.

Do daily 50% water changes (100% can be stressful on ailing Betta). Keeping his water as clean as possible if most important.

 

Unfortunately I don't have any before photos ( I'll try to get some topside photos tomorrow when the light is better). As per your question, I only noticed it yesterday when I did a full change (I don't recall their being any issues when I gave him his last full change a week or so ago). Outside of the regular daily feedings, I probably became too fixated on my ailing Veil Tail, and in turn, developed a case of tunnel vision in regards to my other two Bettas (and to my turtles as well). His regular tank had no lights, and in combination with his dark color, he tends to blend into the background of the countertop/bookcase combo that he resided on. That said, no excuse for not catching this sooner (hopefully much of this will be alleviated once I get the divided ten gallon up and fully running).

As for feeding, I try to give them (roughly) a half dozen or so Hikari Pellets per day. I did supplement their food with some Omega One Betta flakes a couple of weeks ago (which seems to be about the time all this drama started). Beginning to wonder now if they weren't spoiled. Even if they weren't the cause, out they go as a precaution.

I just recently acquired some Indian Almond leaves, so I'll make a tonic with them first thing in the morning.

Thanks again.

 

Just placed an Indian Almond leaf in his tank. Anything else that anyone else can think of, please let me know.

Also, if anyone has a blackwater tonic recipe that they could share, that would be greatly appreciated as well (I'm also looking into picking up some unadulterated Rooiboos tea next I get to the store).

 

Here's a better picture from tonight (hopefully it shows the details more clearly than the original):

The black in the fins does have me a bit concerned.

 

I'm not sure if I have him confused with your other Betta. Is he now in the same QT tank?
Can you get a picture from the top looking down on him?
How long has the almond leaf been inside his tank?
Did you leave it inside of his tank? If not you can drop the leaf in his tank, but it will take some time to release. see my suggestion below
Were you able to get a heater of sorts and filter?
Are you testing the temperature of his water, if so what method?

**his water should look darker with the leaf/ leaves floating in the tank. Almost like hot tea when you drink tea. You want it to look like a brown color. If you're getting plain rooibos tea that would help also. Take another leaf and boil it then let it cool and add the Seachem Prime and then add it to his QT tank. If you're doing 50% water changes daily you're going to go through quite a bit

I wouldn't treat with any medication at the moment. There are too many other issues that could be addressed before narrowing down what caused this. Without knowing the source of the problem it makes it more difficult to determine how to treat.

Hopefully someone can give you better advice. Answering the questions I posted, along with the pictures might be of help.

Best of luck to both of you!

 

Additional pictures showing more detail of damage to right vertical fin:

From some angles, the remains of the right vertical takes on a whitish appearance. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble getting good shots of that side at the moment, as he keeps doing a 180 whenever I approach the tank.

I'm guessing this might call for more than just aquarium salt and Indian almond leaves, but then again I've never dealt with this before, so I defer my judgment to those who have had more experience with these type of issues (especially if it turns out to be tail-chewing instead of fin rot).

 

Sorry for all of the questions, but it helps everyone help you, help him

With nearly his whole fin gone, could it be possible decor damage?
Can you tank a picture of the tank he was in before this one?
Has the water darkened?
Were you able to get some rooibos tea to make?
Do you have a water testing kit, or able to get your water tested?

 

With nearly his whole fin gone, could it be possible decor damage? No - He had no decor in his last tank

Can you tank a picture of the tank he was in before this one? I don't have any pictures of it, as it was a simple one gallon cube that has now been put in storage as I was prepping him for a move to a divided ten gallon tank when I first noticed his condition.

Has the water darkened? It has darkened some, but as I have been making 50% daily water changes, it keeps getting diluted.

Were you able to get some rooibos tea to make? Not yet - The stores I've been to so far have been out of stock. (still have a couple more places too check, though)

Do you have a water testing kit, or able to get your water tested? I have one that I bought about fifteen years ago, but as reagents don't last more than two years, I need to buy all new reagents. (I do have a professional pool testing kit, but outside of pH, it's not of much use).

Beginning to wonder if I should start some preventative treatment with my third Betta, as they shared nets and holding tanks while I did their weekly water changes.

Thanks again.

 

Your boy appears a bit thin; not too much, though. Hikari isn't the most nutritious option to feed Betta. I would stop it and feed the Omega One.But as you've seen, flakes can be awfully messy. I prefer pellets because they aren't as messy as flakes. I can't begin to tell you how happy I was when pellets became readily available to the average aquarist.

I'm sure you are aware most diseases are 99% caused by poor habitat maintenance which allows bacterial that is always in tanks/bowls infect fish bodies. The problem is it can take months to have any impact on health and the impact comes on very slowly. Right now, he needs a round of Kanaplex .

Then he needs 50% water changes and vacuums every day or every other day. You want the level of IAL to stay the same so replenish it every day. That is why I recommended making a strong tea from them and storing leftovers in the refrigerator. Add until the water is brown. I would use IAL after symptoms are gone for at least two months.

I'm not a big believer in medicating without symptoms; but take a really good look at the boy who was going to share the 10 gallon with this one. If he appears to have starting or progressed symptoms of fin rot I would consider using Kanaplex to treat him and this boy in the 10 gallon,

We all thank you for being honest about your care/water changes. Sadly, far too many aren't.

Here is something you and other members might find enlightening:

Symptoms and Diseases Triggered by Poor Habitat Maintenance

Betta and other fish can be the victims of a wide variety of disease. Did you know most can be prevented with good habitat maintenance? That means regular water changes and keeping parameters at 0ppm Ammonia and Nitrites and under 20 Nitrates. One 25% water change per week with substrate vacuum...

www.bettafish.com

Best of luck with your boy. Watch for clear on his fin edges which indicates regrowth.

 

Finished up with the first round of Kanaplex. Can't see any change, but I assume that it's still a bit too early to see much difference. Both appetite and energy levels appear to be normal.

I have them both in Rooibos tea baths, and am doing regular water changes as well. Didn't know if I should go back to adding salt (as there seems to be differing opinions regarding the use of salt in treating labyrinth breathers).

Thanks again, and as before, everyone's help is greatly appreciated.

 

Been a week since the last dose of Kanamycin, and no signs of improvement (in fact there appears to be additional fin loss, although it's not quite as jagged in appearance). Still has a healthy appetite, and energy as well (in fact, I'm having trouble getting him to sit still long enough to get a good picture). Have been changing the water on a regular basis as per everyone's instructions, and have been adding a tonic of Rooibos tea as well.

Didn't know if this was par for the course, or if I should contemplate another round of Kanamycin (although I was concerned that over week after the last dose, that a degree of bacterial immunity might have been built up by whatever is causing this). Or if another round of antibiotics is called for, should I contemplate using something different?

Hopefully I'll get some clear pictures soon, at which time I'll post them here.

Thanks.

 

Here a couple of pics (not the best, but every time he sees the cameras he swims off):

The second one includes his reflection on the surface, which gives an additional, slightly offset view.

 

It could be necrotic tissue sloughing off. He doesn't appear to have the necrotic bits in the last set of photos as he did in post 10. If he is going to get better, it will take at least as long as it took him to get this way.

They need to be in Rooibos or IAL 24/7. Please see how in post 16. Tank should be at least this dark:

But this is best:

If fish are already ill, in addition to floating a leaf or teabag, I recommend making the tea so they get the tannins quickest.

 

Thanks, as I should have realized that the necrotic tissue would first need to slough away before any new living material could grow back. Guess I'm just a little overanxious after losing the other one, and want to see this little one get better as soon as possible. As you said, though, it didn't happen overnight, so it's not going to reverse itself in that amount of time, either.

As for the Rooibos, I was brewing up a new batch whilst doing a water change, and decided to take some photos before adding it, so as not to obscure any necessary details.

Once again, thanks for your help, as it's always appreciated.



P. S. I've gotten a hold of some Northfin Super Betta, and taken them off the Hikari (they all seem to like it so far).

 

Thought I'd post an update.

Been a couple of weeks, and things don't seem to be improving. Doesn't appear to be any regrowth, in fact fin loss appears to be increasing, most notably the left ventral. The right ventral, as seen is the photos, seems to have regressed some as well, taking on more of a fuzzy appearance. Also, there are two whitish patches, one at the leading edge of the upper fin, as well as one at the leading edge of the lower (although that one does appears to have been there on some earlier photographs). I wasn't sure if these patches marked areas of regrowth, or were signs of further bacterial (or fungal) infection.

Have included some recent photos, although the quality is less than stellar (he's not the most cooperative subject, and the color shifts from shot to shot):

:

As far as appetite and energy levels, they still seem ok, although in some of the photos he does appear to look a bit bloated.

As far as treatment, I've am still following the recommended routine water changes, with rooiboss tea added.

Didn't know if I should continue as is, or if it was time to try a different approach (new round of medicine, etc.).

Thanks again (I'll try get some better and more consistent images as well).