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Marit

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Dec 25, 2016
Messages
2
So I purchased four flame tetras and a betta yesterday. When I got home I noticed all the tetra's fins looked torn and ragged. The were being kept in a community tank with much larger fish but I'm not sure if it's tail biting or fin rot since they all have it and all of their fins are affected. The betta was being kept in a tiny plastic cup with filthy water and molding food bits. Its tail is also torn in multiple places. I put them all together in a 4 gallon quarantine tank so I could keep a closer eye on all of them and their healing progress. The tank is fully cycled with zero ammonia, nitrites, 7.5 ph, and .25 nitrates. I added stress coat to the tank and half a tablet of the Tetra Life guard. I also put vitamin drops in the water. Today I did a 20 percent water change and repeated the process. I was curious if I should add a small amount of aquarium salt also? Am I overdoing things? The betta is nowhere near as bad as the tetras, some have hardly any tails left, but it's still not looking good. Thank you for any advice in advance. Oh and the tank temp is 78 degrees.
 
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Oh and I don't want anyone to worry, this isn't their personal living quarters!
 
Sounds like a possible case of fin rot on the Tetras.

Very clean water is an excellent treatment and often a fish will recover given the foundation of clean water.

Salt at a small amount can aid in healing. It needs to be aquarium salt or sea salt with nothing else added - only ingredient: Salt

You can add 1/4 tsp for each gallon, dissolved first in water. Epsom salts (magnesium Sulfate, also with no additives) would be a good additive as well.

Start with 1 tsp per gallon dissolved added about 1/4 - 1/5 at a time over a day. Excellent for healing. (Add it back in during the pwc at the same ratio.)

Use water conditioner too.

When you do the next pwc after that then increase it to 1 tablespoon to a gallon of water. Add 1/3 right away and then add the rest in gradually (20%) at a time over the next day.

Just keep up the ratio of Epsom and salt with the pwc removal to add back in. That goes in all at once as they are already used to the amounts.

Try that for 2-3 weeks and if the fish look healed or are healing nicely just keep it up a little longer and then the next time pwc, reduce the level to 1 tsp per gallon ratio and then just as you do you pwc in the future do not add back in and then after 3-4 more changes it will be pretty much out.
 
Dont Add Salt.

You're on the right track doing what you can. they are healing. Hope they make it.
 
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