Stubborn Fin Rot - Help!

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RE the getting stuck to the intake of the filter.

He is weak so that would be why to use a piece of filter pad to soften the out flow, but another option is a plastic needlepoint canvas from a craft store to surround the filter in an arc shape to help diffuse flow and keep him away.

This is the plastic needlepoint canvas, comes in clear, green brown, btw from different stores...
https://www.hobbylobby.com/Yarn-Nee...stic-Canvas-Sheet---10-1-2-x-13-1-2/p/PC20400

Keeping him in a smaller container might be easier since you are changing the water every day. Or after feeding. Live Brine shrimp are great to get them eating more maybe get his strength back. You may have a lfs around which sells them, you can always ask too, if they know someone who raises them or if they have some they raise for their own fish, you do not need a large amount.

Frozen food defrosted is also a possibility. Blood worms or black worms are hard for them to resist.
 
He's still eating thankfully yeah. I feed him a mix of pellets and frozen brine shrimp (which he LOVES) and I will continue with the brine shrimp for now. I've tried to feed him freeze dried bloodworms in the past as a treat and he has never eaten them, picky little guy. Initially, it took a few days of coaxing to even get him to eat the pellets when I first got him.

I will try the mesh once I can get my hands on it. How do you suppose I would attach that to the filter itself? I understand the arc shape, but I'm not quite sure how it's supposed to look.

Also, do you have any other suggestions for getting his strength back up? I am getting IAL's like I mentioned which should help with the quality but I do worry about him.
 
Yeah, of course you are worried about him. You are working hard for him.

Still feed pellets too, as they probably have vitamins. Medicine first.

The Epsom salt therapy. 1 tablespoon per gallon concentration.

You can give him food opportunities several times per day, you can remove uneaten food, a turkey baster just for fish is a great tool, a good dollar store item, or get a new one for the house and use the older one for the fish.

A zip tie around the bulb to the tube can also help with an older one that leaks /or doesn't have very good suction anymore - general fyi for anyone who reads this later too.

As for the plastic canvas, just position it into the substrate and tall enough to go higher than the water level but also so it clears the top glass if you have a top.

It will just take up space like a 90 angle if it fits in the corner or a 180 if it has to go around it on the back. You can use stones to hold it at the bottom, and maybe creatively using a wire or trim the canvas exactly to fit over the back glass side (like a tab) and tape in place with duct tape. it is temporary for the fish if he is inside the tank, until he gets stronger. No absolutely necessary. But if he gets his strength back in the smaller container he might be fine in the tank.
 
Thank you so much again. What do you mean by small container? I have an old small fish tank lying around but I'm not sure if it's safe to put him it in.
 
Also, could I keep the filter off at times? I'm so worried about him and I'm not sure if I'm able to access the canvas. I'll keep the filter on when I can watch him but since I'm going to be doing water changes anyways, I thought I could turn it off for now until he regains some strength.
 
BettaAspen said:
Thank you so much again. What do you mean by small container? I have an old small fish tank lying around but I'm not sure if it's safe to put him it in.
Click to expand...

Any container a fish could stay in, food safe which hasn't had chemicals or stuff that isn't fish safe like soap. An old small fish tank you have laying around sounds ideal.

Other ideas are, like a dollar store type plastic shoe box rectangle (two nested together make them stronger) or a better quality one, a gallon pickle jar, xl plastic food container like ziplock or hefty, take out / deli quart sized.

BettaAspen said:
Also, could I keep the filter off at times? I'm so worried about him and I'm not sure if I'm able to access the canvas. I'll keep the filter on when I can watch him but since I'm going to be doing water changes anyways, I thought I could turn it off for now until he regains some strength.
Click to expand...

You need to keep the water circulating for oxygen and wetness of the water and ammonia to keep building the BB in the filter pad, to keep them alive and growing.
 
Thank you! I will try the fish tank. I'll also monitor him to keep the filter on until I can get access to the canvas. I don't think him getting stuck will hurt him too much if it were to happen, because of the filter covering, but I'll keep my eye out. Hopefully I can update this with some improvements soon!
 
Okay, so it's a few days later since my last post on here and I thought I'd update. I've been doing daily water changes with absolutely no luck. Every single time, I get the same color on the API test kit I'm using for ammonia. I've tested my tap water and it's at 0ppm, but after every single water change I test the water and it's EXACTLY the same before the water change. Am I doing something wrong?? The numbers read at 2ppm every single time I test my water and I'm so lost on how to get the ammonia down. I know that is really high and I'm trying hard with the daily PWC's but I am just not sure how to get the ammonia down.
 
Did you / do you have carbon in the filter?

Temp should be 76-78F

Are you doing 100% pwc each day?

Has the substrate been rinsed yet?

Those would be more possible helps.
 
Hi, lots of information so I'll try and give it the best to you here.

I've been dosing with Kanaplex and I've already tried Maracyn Two in the past with no luck.

I do around 30-30% water changes daily, without siphoning the substrate. I can start siphoning it daily or every other day if need be.

Temp is stable around 80 degrees F, unfortunately my heater only goes in increments of 4 so I would have to lower it to 76 degrees if need be.

I don't currently have carbon in my filter, as that would require changing the cartridge in the filter and completely replacing it - I can do this, but it would destroy the beneficial bacteria currently on the filter itself.

I haven't tried the Epsom salts yet, but I can if it's possible to do it at the same time as the Kanaplex.
 
Correct, on the carbon, I was just wondering if you were using it, that had made the medication in effective.

How long left for current medication, didn't you just have one dosing left?
 
My bad, I actually had two doses left. I finished those a few days ago but I still haven't shifted to the active carbon filter in fear of starting my cycle over again, but then again since I can't get the ammonia down I might have to do that regardless.
 
Preserving your bb is important. Are you using Prime water conditioner or similar water product which neutralizes or binds the ammonia? If so, these change the ammonia to ammonium which also reads as ammonia but the not harmful to fish type.
 
Maracyin 2 kills BB fyi, you you started over back when you used it.

If you now get the sustrate gently rinsed and put the tank back together, plus doing huge water changes daily, it might help on the ammonia.

How long ago did you finish with the Maracyin 2?
 
I use Aqueon water conditioner, which detoxifies ammonia, though I'm not sure that's the same thing. I'm not sure if I can get my hands on Prime but I'll try. It's just strange to me how I'm still seeing so much ammonia on the test kit day after day. One of my other friends who's really into fish tanks told me it could be ammonium, but how would I manage to get rid of it anyway?

Also, just saw this now but on the Maracyn Two: I used it just over 3 weeks ago, and it didn't seem to do much for my little guy. For the substrate, would I just reach my hand in, grab some, and rinse it out? And thank you for the info, I'm still learning and I feel bad for jumping right into the medicine and completely messing up my tank. It's hard to try and work on both the fin rot (which looks worse) and the water at the same time, but I appreciate the help.
 
Ohh okay, that makes sense! If I can get my hands on some Prime then I will gladly do so. Should I be doing larger water changes daily in order to reduce the ammonia as much as possible? I'm also unsure if the fin rot is being caused by the ammonia or by another bacteria - his gills look okay from what I've seen, but he hangs around the bottom a lot and I've seen the common signs of ammonia poisoning. I'm just hoping I can do enough to save him.
 
Read through the article in my link and the, other 2, step over to the dark side and the other fish-in article. I'm running out the door, be back later.
 
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