Does my betta have fin rot?

A

adriennek227

AC Members
Aug 18, 2006
7
0
0
45
Hudson Falls, NY
I am a new member here (just registered today actually). For the past month I have been looking all over for information on fin rot. I have read that it is a common problem with bettas. My boyfriend thinks my betta has fin rot, but I am not so sure. If he does, it would have to be the begining stages because his tail is not really deteriorating (or not to the point I saw in the pictures anyway). I can't seem to find any pictures of the intial stages of fin rot. How long would it take for his tail to get to the point of the pictures I see online? I would have asked all this a month ago, but I was just looking for information, I didn't think about joining a forum.

His symptoms would be that his tail is clumped together, not fanned out like the pictures some of the members here have posted of their bettas. I don't see any holes in his fins and they aren't very ragged like in the pictures I have found. However, almost to the tip of his tail looks...strange. The fins have a "rolled" look to them, almost like ocean waves (its hard to describe) and then they even out and are flat again after the rolls. Its like they have a crumple or wrinkle in them. Does this sound like fin rot?

And, to give a little background about him-he was in a bowl with a plant in it. Then I found something online saying that wasn't good for him. I felt bad for him, so I bought a ten gallon tank, and let it cycle for a few weeks. I put him in and was told that I could keep community fish with him, so I bought two guppies about a week later (petstore guy told me guppies would be fine). After about a week, he started chasing one of them nonstop, so I put him back in his bowl and got a 2 gallon, set that up and that it where he currently is. He has one live plant, a filter, a light, gravel and I feed him beta pellets. I don't know if all that information is necessary, but I figured too much is better than too little.

Any ideas or pictures would be very much appreciated.
 
Offtopic but, you kiked a betta out of a 10 g and kept the guppies???LFS guys are stupid SOMETIMES. Telling you a MALE gupy and a betta can get together.


Ontopic,Fin rot is displayed when the end of the fins are gray, the fins are split and not "webbed" together, or their are holes in the fins. Search google and you wil get some good pictures.Then compare
 
I've searched and found tons of pictures. That isn't what he looks like, which is why I was wondering if he was just developing it? What else would make their fins clump and not fan? And the wavy/crumpling at the end of the fins? And they aren't turning gray that I can see.

And, I didn't really know what else to do with the guppies after I had bought them. That's why the poor betta got kicked out.
 
If it is fin rot, do lots of water changes and he will gradually get better. Im not sure it is though, from your description. But you should do weekly water changes, at least, at any rate. About 35-50%, Id say, adding nothing but water conditioner that removes chlorine ( and chloramines if your water has them).
I dont think bettas are more prone to FR when kept in proper conditions, but if they are kept as many are - in unfiltered, unheated bowls where the water is never changed - that could cause it, for sure.

BTW, Lots of information is good here!
 
Some bettas fins have unique looks. Does it "feel" bad to you? Id stick with a good wc regimine and see what happens
 
I do change 60% of his water at least once a week (every five days). Intitially I was changing 100% of his water, but he didn't seem to like coming out of his tank so often, so I started using the vacuum and just removing most of the water. I use bottled spring water (because I don't like our tap water) and add stress coat and aquarium salt. Should I not be using the salt? Thanks.
 
No need to use the salt, unless you are treating for ich. Im not sure about spring water, but I know that sometimes its best to just use the tap (and cheaper!) since tap has more minerals in it that can be good for the fish. But, having said taht, some city water is pretty funky. Where are you located? maybe somoene else lives near you and can give you some ideas on wether or not youre city water is safe.
 
I live in Hudson Falls, NY. I was using tap water when I intially got him. But the water became very cloudy and stank badly two days after a water change. So I was changing 100% of his water every two days. I figured the water couldn't be very good, so I switched to bottled water. I haven't had any problems with him being cloudy or stinky water since. I also use bottled water in my 10 gallon.
 
adriennek227 said:
I switched to bottled water. I haven't had any problems with him being cloudy or stinky water since. I also use bottled water in my 10 gallon.
Click to expand...
Just a warning, if the bottled water is RO (Reverse Osmosis) treated or distilled, it does not contain the solutes and minerals necessary to sustain life. Your fish will eventually get sick. Most people use RO mixed with their tap water (if it is really hard, e.g. lots of minerals) or use a solution to add back all the solutes ("RO Right").

Your betta's fins sound like they're simply torn. This happens easily in bettas due to ammonia and nitrite poisoning. As TheZoo said, the best remedy for that is frequent water changes.

Did you cycle your tanks? If not, that's the most common cause of torn fins (in my experience).
 
Hi,

Bottled water as a very low ph, you really need to be careful when using it. You are better off using your tap water, IMO.

Sandy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom