Bettafix question

[swanandmokashi]

OK, my betta's fins are still gettting torn and I saw one very minute white spot on the tail. So I have started treating him with BettaFix.

My question is : do I need to take any other care while treating him?
Any specific food ?(He is eating fine). I may take the other aponogeton plants(I have 2 in there now) out too..(he won't be happy about it but its for his own good ..sigh).

I hope he recovers !

 

[finny al]

In my experience, bettafix has taken care of any problems my bettas have had.

 

[An t-iasg]

I would be careful of using BettaFix -- its main ingredient, melaleuca, may be harmful to the betta's labyrinth organ. I used MelaFix, a product with the same active ingredient, and my betta dropped to the bottom of the bowl like a rock. (This was a few years ago, a previous betta, and he did perk up when I did a complete water change.) Fishes other than labyrinth fishes are fine on MelaFix. I should also say that some people have had good results from using the MelaFix with a betta. But the tank was much bigger than yours, or mine, and daily water changes may have diluted it too. Just be careful with the BettaFix! Watch for signs of stress.

Just make sure the water stays nice and warm, and feed him his normal food. I guess those plants have to go! Did you see my other post -- I identified my plant. It's a Cryptocoryne walkerii, not a dwarf sag like I thought. My betta loves it and it hasn't torn his fins.

Watch the white spot on his tail! Do you think it's ich?!?!

 

[swanandmokashi]

thanks for the response.
How often would i need to do water changes while I am treating him?

 

[An t-iasg]

I would use BettaMax and not BettaFix. BettaMax turns the water green, and can stain things, so it should be administered in a QT tank. But if you already started BettaFix, I would do daily water changes. This way, hopefully, you are providing enough clean water to counteract any irritation to the labyrinth. I would do a change of about 50% daily, then add your med again. You should try to make the water as clean as possible during the treatment! Since Nigel was not stressed before he got finrot, he may be fine with the BettaFix. But I would still watch for stress, like lying at the bottom of the tank or bowl too much, or gasping at the surface a lot.

What size is your QT tank? I have a 1 gallon glass bowl as my QT. I keep it under my kitchen halogen lights and the temp. stays 80 or 82 degrees. At night I keep the light on and just put a washrag over 3/4 of the top of the bowl to provide some darkness.

If you decide to use BettaMax, mix up one capsule per gallon as it says on the box. Put in your QT bowl. The next day, I mix up another gallon of BettaMax in a bottled water jug, and change 50% of the water in the QT bowl. The next day, (3rd day) I use the other half of the BettaMax in the water jug to do another water change. On the fourth day, I mix up another gallon of the BettaMax to use for days 4 and 5. I continue with another gallon of the BettaMax mix to use on days 6 and 7 if necessary.

 

[swanandmokashi]

Thanks for all the info An t-iasg, as always very helpful.

Unfortunately I don't have a QT tank but the betta is all alone in his tank now. maybe I should buy a 1 gallon bowl like you ..I assume you don't have any filteration on it right ?

UPDATE on his condition : I guess I was imaging stuff about the white spot. This faint blue thing was always on him , in a shade lighter than his body color - thanks to my wife for spotting that ( I guess I am not thinking straight being too emotional about him).

I have removed all the aponogeton plants- he is not happy about it, but had to.
I treated him with BettaFix (2nd dose) and THOUGHT he started gasping a little - so I made 50% water change immediately yesterday night. I think this morning he was looking much better - the fins looked less torn than before.

Do you think I should continue the Bettafix dose today and immediately do a 50% water change. Unfortunately I am worried becuase we are going on vacation on thursday (early morning) and won't be back till Saturday afternoon.

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi swanandmokashi,
I don't have any filtration in the QT bowl. I just do water changes of 50% daily. It doesn't take a lot of time. I just use a measuring cup (one I got just for the fish!) and scoop out about half of the water, and pour the new water back in from the pre-mixed medicine water in the gallon jug.

I'm so glad the white spot isn't ick! (You're allowed to be emotional about him -- he's your baby! )

Did you add the BettaFix dose for today? If he's getting better, go ahead and do it today and tomorrow. Do a 50% water change each day. Then I would not use the BettaFix any longer than that. Before you go on vacation, do about a 70% change to make sure no BettaFix lingers while you are gone, and put fresh carbon in your filter. When you get back, change the carbon again, or just remove it, if you don't use it every day. Most people feel that carbon removes impurities and medicines well, but then you never know when the carbon is saturated, and it may release all the contaminants back into the water. So use it to remove all traces of BettaFix, and then throw it away.

Have fun on vacation! We're going away at the beginning of September, and I'm already having separation anxiety about my fishies!

 

[swanandmokashi]

while you are gone, and put fresh carbon in your filter. When you get back, change the carbon again, or just remove it, if you don't use it every day. Most people feel that carbon removes impurities and medicines well, but then you never know when the carbon is saturated, and it may release all the contaminants back into the water. So use it to remove all traces of BettaFix, and then throw it away.

I don't have a carbon media filter ..its an eclipse system 3.
Are you saying i should replace the filter media ?

 

[An t-iasg]

Oh, sorry...I thought the Eclipse 3 had a place to put a carbon cartridge, beside the bio-wheel. I had one about 2 years ago, and my betta at the time hated the current, so I returned the tank. I wish I would have kept it, and figured out a way to lower the water flow...oh well! That was BAA (Before Aquarium Advice! ) I guess I can't remember too well how the filter was arranged back there!

If you didn't remove the filter media before treatment with the BettaFix, I would replace it after you do your last water change. You want to avoid any possiblilty of the filter media releasing the BettaFix back into the water, especially if you'll be gone for a few days.

 

[An t-iasg]

I looked on the Marineland website to refresh my memory about the filter cartridges. They do have a pre-assembled cartridge with carbon. It's the Z Rite Size cartridge: http://www.marineland.com/products/consumer/con_cartridges.asp You could use this, then throw it away. You wouldn't need to run it all the time, just when some carbon is needed. What are you using in there now? I know this doesn't have to do with Nigel really, but I was just trying to remember what this tank was like. I do remember using a few of the cartridges. It was just a rectangle that you put back by the bio-wheel.

For my tanks now, if I need carbon, (which I haven't in a while) I use Lee's corner filter. I can attach the corner filter to my airpump through the gang valve that's already in place to run the sponge filters in both tanks. I fill the corner filter with Black Diamond carbon and add floss on top. In a day, or day and a half, it clears the water very well.

 

[swanandmokashi]

It was just a rectangle that you put back by the bio-wheel.

Same here

 

[swanandmokashi]

It was just a rectangle that you put back by the bio-wheel.

Same here