Fin rot?

[DragonGirl]

I think my betta has fin rot. I'm pretty sure it was from a plastic plant I used to have in his bowl before I learned all about fishkeeping. He's been in a 10 gallon for a few weeks but I recently noticed the fin rot getting worse so he's I'm quarantine. He's still acting perfectly normal but his fins keep getting worse. Can I treat him with just salt or do I need an antibiotic. Here are pictures of him when I first got him and today. Please help!

 

[DragonGirl]

Please help!!! I want him to get better :'(

 

[BettaGal]

I'm sorry. I don't see anything wrong.

 

[PockX]

Hm, hard to tell from the pics/fin color. If he was getting it from his previous bowl, when you moved him to the 10 gallon it shoulda at least got a little better, not worse. How is your water? Was he the only fish in the 10 gallon?

 

[DragonGirl]

His fins are slowly getting black and ragged. The 10 gallon is a community with cardinal tetras and Corys but there haven't been any nipping problems. Ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are all 0 and have been since I added him.

 

[JitterBugz]

My betta Ivory recently had fin rot probably from the rocks I use in his 10g. As soon as I noticed it I quarantined him and used BettaFix which I bought at the pet store. It's a daily dose for a week straight then you do a water change. However, after the week was done he looked alot better, so I put him back in his tank. Granted there are probably better things out there, BettaFix worked for my Betta and his fins grew back just fine.

 

[DragonGirl]

So would just using salt work or do I have to medicate him?

 

[DragonGirl]

And what about your rocks caused it? Were they sharp or something?

 

[JitterBugz]

Yeah they're not smooth at all, definitely not good for a betta so I've learned. His fins weren't all that bad, just a little ragged at the ends and the medicine worked for that

 

[BettaGal]

Black is a sign of ammonia, not fin rot. What kind of betta is it? Crowntail bettas look like they have a ragged tail somewhat. Can you possibly get better pictures? From those I see no difference in the tail other than the second one looks smoother and more fanned out.

 

[Berylla]

Is bettafix like melafix? I've read that's not good for bettas or other labyrinth fish.

 

[DragonGirl]

He's a double tail. He has a rip in his top tail and the bottom of the second tail is wrinkled and black and just kind of hangs there. I don't really have any better pictures but here are some with different backgrounds and saturations. Hopefully they help

I never considered ammonia burns but now that I think about it that's entirely possible. He was in the bowl for at least 6 months and I only did a water change every 2 weeks - not a good betta owner - so the ammonia definitely got up to 2ppm regularly. Are ammonia burns something I can fix?

 

[BettaGal]

Ammonia burns will heal with clean water. Weekly water changes minimum and test your water with a liquid test kit to monitor ammonia levels. Don't use Melafix or Bettafix. They aren't good for the betta because of the labyrinth organ. They also don't do much in the way if treatment. They really only reduce stress in some fish.

 

[DragonGirl]

Thanks! I guess I'll just keep him in quarantine with salt for a week or so and see if that helps it. Fingers crossed it does!