# treating fin rot



## lwstinkinsweet (Aug 2, 2005)

I have tested my water and it is okay, but there is a white gooey film that covers the surface of my water every once in a while. it appears after a couple days. i have been doing weekly 100% water changes. My fish now has tail/fin rot. so i am assuming since i have tested and everything is fine, it is because of the cleanliness of the water which looks clean and i am doing everything i have been told to do with it but i may need to change what i am doing. i have well water. i dont know about chlorine content and i am looking into getting bottled betta water but for now here is my plan: 

I took out his plant and gravel as he likes to spit out his food (he is picky and will only eat one of four foods i try to give him) it is easier to clean the bottom between water changes without the gravel. his plant had some plastic and i wonder how much this contributed to his tears in his fins.

I am going to buy a new turkey baster for use only in his tank so i can suck up any uneated food every day. 

I am going to buy some medicine to help him recover faster.

I want to do ten to fifteen percent water changes daily. this may be a problem but i have a plan to make it work. Tell me if it is a bad plan or if it may work as i have never had fish before this month.

I have no sink or water source on the same level of the house that my room (where he is at) is on. So carrying the aquarium up the stairs every day may be a bit of a pain. Not to mention that i would have to take him out of his water every day then ease him back in and i might as well do a full change every day. 

So my plan is: 

use the turkey baster daily to clean all old food out of the bottom, skim the top of the water in case there is a film like there has been or in case there is uneaten food up there. then take about ten percent of the water out using the baster. (we have a laundry tub down here that i can pour water into but no water comes out of it) then i plan on keeping a gallon of water in a clean milk jug (i am currently using this to do my changes. it is very clean and i used no chemicals but rinsed it out for about an hour, repeatedly filling shaking and dumping it) with all of the salt and water conditioner already in it then pouring some of that into his tank when i have taken some out. and then i plan on doing a full change/cleaning once a week.

Now my questions with that are: how long can the water sit treated and everything until it is no longer safe to put it in his tank? is it safe to leave him in his tank if i use this method? i use tetra aquasafe or jungle bowl buddies for his conditioner and i know how to measure those out for my two and a half gal but i dont know the math for a one gal jug that i would use. but i could figure it out.

Does anyone think this will help heal his rot and will it keep the tank cleaner?? i am new to fish and this was all i could come up with/

i would appreciate any advice but please dont yell at me if this is the wrong way to do it, just tell me how i should do it. i am very sad because i dont think i am very good at taking care of fish. my first came sick and i was talked into taking it back and now this one is sick but i have had him for a week and a half and so it must be me. so any helpful advice would be welcome but please dont be mean


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## euRasian32 (May 19, 2005)

No ones going to yell at you, unless you yell first.

This looks like a branch off a previous thread. To help, list more info on this thread including: tank size, type of fish (betta???), the test readings, wether or not you're using a dechlorinator, your waters hardness if you can.

A turkey baster sounds like a good idea, also, reduce the amount of food that you give it. A couple flakes at a time when trying new foods. Food that it likes, should be consumed in 3-5 minutes, if you still have food lingering in the tank after 5 min it's too much, and overfeeding could cause a great impact on water quality.

You could use a clean cup to skim the surface of the water when doing water changes.

Having water sit stagnant will dissipate chlorine and chloramines, just keep it capped. However, i don't know how long it has to sit before they do dissappear, but you should be using a dechlorinator nonetheless.

I don't know of a med to recommend, but I know someone stated in that other thread that clean water will have a great effect on the healing process. By all means, cut down on the feedings. Fish can go without food for a week when introduced to a new environment.

Please don't get discouraged, you seem like you care about what's the right or wrong way, and if you have patience, you'll be able to overcome your current situation. You've chosen a great forum so you won't get any flames or ill references, which is why I'm still here.


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## lwstinkinsweet (Aug 2, 2005)

it is a betta in a two and a half gallon tank. i am pretty sure i did put the tank size in there and i figured since this was in the betta section that was a given. 

I am using aquasafe water treatment wich has a dechlorinator in it. we also have well water that my dad checks often and it has no chlorine, so it is safe anyway.

the readings were as follows for my test that i did in the tank (keep in mind i just did a 100% change this morning) nitrate 0 nitrite 0 hardness 0 (very soft) alkalinity 300KH ppm (high) ph 8.4. 

Thank you for your imput. 
I was confused about the gallon of stagnant water for changes. maybe i asked in a confusing way. what i want to know about that is if it is okay to fill a jug with water and keep it in my room and when i do my ten or fifteen percent changes use that water so i dont have to fill it and treat it every day. it should be used up in two to three days of filling it and treating it anyway,but what i wanted to know is if that water will stay clean capped and sitting treated for two to three days or will something bad happen to it?


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

I answered your request in another thread (sorry about that). Check the thread titled "I give up"


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## lwstinkinsweet (Aug 2, 2005)

Well the medicine i bought was expired but he is not getting any worse. we are currently working on switching to bottled water. wish me luck


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

did you ask to get a refund? I wouldn't switch... youre doing just fine. but I would add some melafix to the tank. This should help heal wounds faster/regrow fins as well as fight finrot. Water treated with dechlorinator will be good for a long time capped in a jug.


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## lwstinkinsweet (Aug 2, 2005)

well i pretty much have to switch because the water i have is very sulfuric. but i am looking into getting some other medicine to cure him


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## ChaldoChris416 (Aug 19, 2005)

r u sure its not velvet


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