# I think my betta has fin rot :(



## fishielover123 (Apr 21, 2010)

I woke up and my bettas fins are all tattered. The only things in his tank are a sponge filter, his heater, a few plastic plants and a cave. I think he has fin rot! He is acting normal and he ate but will fin rot kill him? I have Melafix and Ich-Attack. I know your not supposed to use melafix on bettas. Ich attack says that it works on diseases caused by ich, fungus, protozoans, and dinoflagellates. Mela fix says that it treats fin rot. Which should I use? Or should I use neither?


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## fishielover123 (Apr 21, 2010)

Here you can see it a little on his tail. His other fins look just like his tail...


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## Fishy Freak (Jun 1, 2011)

pic not showing for me


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

IME, the best treatment for vanishing fins is clean water. Start small, but quickly ramp up to huge daily water changes. If the fins stop shrinking, keep it up until fins grow back.

If the fins don't stop shrinking, then you need tot treat for fin rot. If you see white fuzz, use anti fungal, otherwise antibiotic. 

If you use melafix, use a very small dose, like 1/5th of the label dose. It does help regrow fins, but oily stuff is bad for the air-breathing organs of bettas. http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/57172-melafix-vs-bettafix/ I think melafix can be helpful, but I wouldn't expect melafix to handle an aggressive bacterial fin-rot and it needs to be used with extra care in bettas. If the fish acts unhappy after you add it to the tank, change water and try something else.


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## fishielover123 (Apr 21, 2010)

It looks like there is white at the tip...


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## egoreise (Mar 16, 2011)

White at the tip could also be new fin growth. But I can't see the picture to tell for sure....


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## fishielover123 (Apr 21, 2010)

It looks like this but not that bad.... It is just a little tattered. http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/members/zowie717/albums/betta-hm/8010-bb-his-fin-rot.jpg


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

I think that's fin rot.


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## fishielover123 (Apr 21, 2010)

Im gonna do an almost 50% water change and add melafix.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

That should do it... I'd say 100 percent every day...


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

how about you get rid of the fake plants first....
fin rot does not appear overnight..it progresses over a period of days...little by little...
plastic plants can often be a problem for bettas because their fins can be snagged and torn by the edges of the plants...bettas enjoy swimming around through plants..the plastic is not really smooth so it will tatter the fins..


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

I am in agreement with John, and I would like to add: If you get your fish some hornwort once all of this is through (when its through, not right now) and float it at the top of your tank your betta will be in heaven. Cambomba would work as well. Any of the fluffy top floating plants really. The stuff grows fast, and you can trim it back accordingly. They like to sleep in the leaves and love to lay in and out of it. The plants won't hurt your Betta like the plastic will.


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## fishielover123 (Apr 21, 2010)

That sounds like a really cool idea. Could I get it at Petco or do I need to go somewhere else??


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Any of the marts should have it. Here PetSmart has a better selection than PetCo. 

Here is what you are looking for: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=768+2948&pcatid=2948

They have it tied down in that so it comes from the bottom. I left mine floating at the top and he loved it. Grew like a weed in very low light. The stuff is awesome LOL. 

Be aware that live plants can bring in snails. Someone here can probably tell you how to wash them to kill the snails before they go into the tank. My betta used to eat some of the snails that I got from that since I didn't rise it. I think there is a mild bleach solution you use for a brief period of time and that nukes them. The one who told me about this isn't here anymore but I am sure someone else will know. Put it up in the live plant section as a question  I got pond snails from that and those were easy to contain. MTS are a whole other nightmare LOL.


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## fishielover123 (Apr 21, 2010)

Oh jeez, snails!!! I DONT need a snail infestation in my tank D:
We dont have a Pet smart here, so I'll try petco...


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