# Is this fin rot? white spots on tips of crowntail



## Mew_chan

I looked at her yesterday and they were not like that so in a period of 16ish hours they have gone white.. I think I may have noticed that they were a bit darker than normal yesterday but couldnt really tell since she is dark to begin with...I cant tell if the fin itself is white or if something is attached.. but it could be either from looking at her... I did a water change last night adding a tiny pinch of salt like I always do and prime water conditioner...

I just tested my ammonia and it is reading at 0.5 maybe a little higher...I have just run out of test strips for other measurements so will be buying a liquid kit soon... my filter is a crappy one I got with the tank and i have been keeping it on its lowest setting (which seems almost like off but the book says otherwise) since it just blows the girls around the tank if it is on the second lowest.. I know I should probably get a new filter but I have had quite a few other expenses this month and cant afford it until next pay (you can kinda see the filter in my sig(black and blue thing in far left)

I already have some melafix which is a natural anti bacterial fish remedy. I had been using it since she tore part of her fin a few days ago... it says it repairs damaged fins, ulcers and open wounds. Active ingredient is melaleuca. Should I start dosing with this?

What should I do(without buying a new filter)? the affected girl is in a tank with 2 other girls and a bristlenosed cat fish (see sig), I think one of the other girls is showing a similar symptom on one fin. I know I should do a water change but how big? should I maybe start a salt treatment or would that make it worse?


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## Mew_chan

ok while I was doing a water change she managed to knock the white stuff off her rear fin so it obviously is not her fin turing white... the tips of her fin still seem darker(black) but I am just curious about what the white stuff is? how do I get rid of it since It is probably the same stuff as in this previous post of mne that no one answered: http://www.fishforums.com/forum/bettas/23467-white-gooey-stuff-female-betta-tank-help-pictures.html

Help?

I think the amonia is probably cause by the tank still cycling... or not cycling if my filter is baing a jerk...


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## TheOldSalt

Many things can give this appearance to a fin edge. Fin rot tends to be a fairly rapid sort of thing, though, so the big question is whether the fins are actually rotting or just scabbing up a bit. I can't guess from just this picture, so your own observations will be needed.


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## Mew_chan

I dunno they appear darker than they were originally, here is an image I took when I first got her... and was trying to diagnose the gooey stuff in the tank:









To me the fins look like they are getting darker... but what I really want to know is what is the white stuff that keeps getting attached to her fins... she is able to knock it off if she moves around enough...

The tank itself looks a little hazy even after a 50% water change... and the ammonia remains highish... obviously a mini cycle...


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## TheOldSalt

Good question, but I don't know the answer. There are some protozoans that like to attach themselves to fin edges in great enough number to be visible, and it looks like it could be that, but they tend to cause very rapid fin rot as a result. It could possibly be one of the harmless ones. The fins look perfectly fine otherwise and aren't rotting.


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## Mew_chan

There is a thin film over the ripped section of her tail fin.. can it really be healing so fast... she ripped it 5 days ago... what looks like the regrowth is thin and whiteish in colour... I have been dosing her tank with some salt and metafix for a few days.

I have just noticed that my male betta has a ripped dorsal fin and slightly tattered tail fin as well... his dorsal fin is ripped into 3 sections almost to his body and the section closest to his tail hangs slightly limp and does not rise like the other 2 bits when he flars his fins but since it has alway been a little limp at the rear I wonder if this is the reason for the tearing... since he spends alot of time around the filter I wouldnt be surprised if that was the cause of the rippage as well.









He seems to be acting normally otherwise eating well.. flares if I show him a mirror (which is how I can look at his fins)

So I have started dosing him with the same salt and metafix mixture that I am dosing the girls with to see if he improves


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## FlatLine

One of the things I have noticed with my Bettas, which are in separate tanks, is depending on water changes and water parameters, their fins are very delicate. They ammonia burn easily, and they tear easily, as Kahn found out getting to curious about my siphon one day.... But, in any event, I have not seen those white spots, but I would be concerned with tank temp, and the parameters being within acceptable range of a Betta. If it is a protozoa, and is attached the fish, the fish _is_ stressed, so we need to look at why.


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## Mew_chan

I'm doubtful that it is temp related since I live in a hot climate and at the moment the current temperature range is between 25 to 27 C at the moment. There is a heater in his tank set to 26 C incase it drops below that too just in case. And my apartment is pretty warm anyway. 

I think its most likely he has torn it while mucking around with the filter... Im not sure why but he seems to like zooming around behind the filter intake back and forth being sweapt along by the slight current in that area... but besides the current near the drop off there isnt much and there are plenty of spots in the tank where he can get away from it. I wouldnt be surprised if there were some rough edges on some of the ornaments in his tank too so maybe I should look at those... 

As for the white spots on my female crowntail, I had my boyfriend give the tank a good clean on Tuesday afternoon and when I got home yesterday (wed) the tank seemed a lot cleaner and the white things were gone from her tail. Im hoping it was the 1 tsp of salt I got him to add to the tank + the metafix. 

It is very likely that she (her name is Ophelia im going with an O naming theme atm  ) is stressed since she has only recently been added to the tank, and it could very well be the cause. Plus her tail fin got ripped on that same day (probably my fault since she was very difficult to net and is very spirited). Im sure the frequent water changes due to the ammonia spike arent helping either though. but once the spike is down she should get better I hope as long as I keep dosing her.


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