# Fin Rot help!



## Emily31996 (Nov 4, 2012)

A few moths ago I went to Petco and bought a double tail Betta. A couple days after he had been in his tank I noticed the edges of his fins were black. I treated him with medication and the fin rot went away but his fins lost a lot of length and they're very ragged. I was just wondering how long it will take for his fins to completely grow back and if there's anything I can do to speed up the process.
He's in a heated and filtered 10 gallon tank.


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

You can use some Melafix- it helps fins grow back. It does not "grow them" it makes them stay healed well and it helps things go faster


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## endlerguppy (May 7, 2012)

api aquarium salt works wonders


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## Emily31996 (Nov 4, 2012)

I have some aquarium salt, how much should I use?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

get a razor blade or a sharp pair of scissors and amputate the damaged fins..


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## Emily31996 (Nov 4, 2012)

Nah.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

ask the betta experts here on FF...it is what they do..


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## Emily31996 (Nov 4, 2012)

I don't see how that would be safe, or beneficial for the fish 


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Obsidian said:


> You can use some Melafix- it helps fins grow back. It does not "grow them" it makes them stay healed well and it helps things go faster


NONONONO! *slap* melafix is not good for bettas. It's an oil and messes with their labrynths. Methylene blue works better and is safe. 



Emily31996 said:


> I don't see how that would be safe, or beneficial for the fish


Actually, he is being sarcastic. If the fin rot is over, there's no need to amputate. If it's really severe, you should but only as a last resort. If you want the fins to heal, add a little bit of aquarium salt as directed on the back of the box and give it clean water that is 82 degrees. Also, if you really want it to grow back quickly, use API stress coat as a water conditioner. There's something else that supposedly works like magic according to another betta keeper, but I forgot the name and the forum crashed.


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## Emily31996 (Nov 4, 2012)

I figured he wasn't serious lol. And thanks for the advice 


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Oh duh, sorry about the Melafix! Definitely wasn't thinking. Good catch Betta 

No Melafix with the Betta's 

The salt will help.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Heehee. Yeah, it's hard to remember because it says "good for bettas". No bettafix either.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

now why would a company state on the label of it's product that it is good for something but then kills the fish...that would leave that company open to one hell of a lawsuit...people from all over the world would be filing suits...their research has obviously proven the the product is safe for use..
i think it would be appropriate for you to post scientific evidence that the product kills the fish before you go making slanderous statements about it...actually your statements against the products could leave you open to a lawsuit...
i have used melafix on a number of fish including bettas and a couple of other species of labyrinth fish..i have never had a loss...but it worked really well on healing any fish i used it on...

scientific evidence is absolutely mandatory to defend your statements..


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## Emily31996 (Nov 4, 2012)

He never said it kills anything. He said it isn't good for bettas. Doesn't mean it's not good for other things. 


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2013)

lohachata said:


> now why would a company state on the label of it's product that it is good for something but then kills the fish...that would leave that company open to one hell of a lawsuit...people from all over the world would be filing suits...their research has obviously proven the the product is safe for use..
> i think it would be appropriate for you to post scientific evidence that the product kills the fish before you go making slanderous statements about it...actually your statements against the products could leave you open to a lawsuit...
> i have used melafix on a number of fish including bettas and a couple of other species of labyrinth fish..i have never had a loss...but it worked really well on healing any fish i used it on...
> 
> scientific evidence is absolutely mandatory to defend your statements..


A company will state anything on the label of its product that it is good, when in fact that it isn't really good for the fish. Just like with Rid-Ich Plus, it says that it is safe for loaches, but it isn't because there is malachite green and formalin in it which will burn loaches because they are scaleless fish. The point of selling products and telling consumers that it is good for the fish is to get consumers money. The product kills the fish and the consumer buys more and more of the product in hopes that it will not kill them.


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

An explanation of what these products are:

"The oil of the humble tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), one of the great survivors in Australia's harsh climate, is widely used as a medication, although there have been few proper clinical trials to confirm its efficacy.

The only place M.alternifolia occurs naturally is in a relatively small area of northern New South Wales. But there are already a number of plantations producing about 100 tonnes of tea tree oil annually, which is sold to companies that include it in a wide range of products - shampoos, hair conditioners, soap, cream, gel, lotions, even toothpaste. It is also included in liniments, foot balms, insect repellents and germicides.

University of Western Australia microbiologist Dr Tom Riley, and PhD student Christina Carson have found that the oil will kill many bacteria present in a number of common infections, including some of the staphylococcus and streptococcus bacteria. There are also unconfirmed reports that it is effective against cold sores and herpes. Like eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil should not be administered orally.

Dr Riley is confident that tea tree oil is effective as an antiseptic and disinfectant, useful for minor cuts and abrasions, and as it penetrates the skin it is effective for complaints such as acne. It is also believed to have been successfully employed in treating vaginal infections.

Tea tree oil has been used on a small scale as a medication ever since European settlement more than two centuries ago. Aborigines used it - in a non-processed form - as a treatment for headaches, other pain, colds and as an insect repellent."

Information above is from The Melaleuca Page.

MelaFix - MelaFix is 1.0% Melaleuca. It is the more concentrated, or stronger, of the two remedies.

BettaFix - BettaFix is 0.2% Melaleuca. It is less concentrated than Melafix, by 80%. This means for every one drop of Melafix, you would need 5 drops of BettaFix to get the same amount of Melaleuca. 

PimaFix is a natural botanical remedy made from Pimenta racemosa Pimenta racemosa (West Indian Bay) oil, providing unique active compounds, which harmoniously work together to attack fish diseases. The active compounds found in Pimenta racemosa not only provide many different modes of action, but also eliminate the possibility of the development of resistant strains of disease-causing organisms. Until now, most antifungal medications resulted in unsightly water discoloration throughout the course of therapy. 

PimaFix does not have this disadvantage, providing better viewing of fish during treatment. Treating with PimaFix will not harm the biological filter in freshwater or saltwater aquariums or ponds. PimaFix has no effect on pH. PimaFix is harmless to aquatic plants. 

In extreme cases of especially stubborn infections, PimaFix has been designed to work synergistically with MelaFix. Using PimaFix and MelaFix together provides the added benefit of quick tissue regeneration and wound healing.

PimaFix information came from their company page, as posted elsewhere that I found. 

The question at hand is if the oil does or does not harm the labyrinth organ. I know that it has been used for years with Betta's by thousands without a problem. I also know that others have experienced fish death with it. For "me" and my own practices I can't say I would use it because of the potential for harm, based solely on anecdotal information. At least now there is an explanation of what it is for those who are Betta/Mela/Pima-Fix impaired


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Hikari freeze dried bloodworms "feed your fish the amount it can eat within a few minutes" It also says "feed up to 3 times daily". Directions are misleading.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

why misleading..most of our fish get fed 3-4 times a day..and the fry as many as 6 times a day...
although i rarely use bloodworms because they can cause some digestion issues in some species..i never use freezedried..only frozen...i am violently allergic to them and if i happen to inhale any of the dust from them i will wind up in the hospital...
i shouldn't have said that...now betta man is going to send me an envelop full of bloodworm dust...lol


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Sent Via USPS airdrop. Hope it gets there soon! Anyways, as much as the fish can eat in a few minutes is enough to bloat them.


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## Trout (Mar 16, 2011)

Girls, you're both pretty. Perhaps the more prudent course of action is to recommend what you think will work best and then let the poster of this thread decide which to use.


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## Chard56 (Oct 10, 2010)

Thank you for the belly laugh Trout!


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2013)

chard56 said:


> thank you for the belly laugh trout!


+1


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Trout said:


> Girls, you're both pretty. Perhaps the more prudent course of action is to recommend what you think will work best and then let the poster of this thread decide which to use.


Keep talking... I always yawn when I'm interested.  

Anyways, melefix is not good for bettas. I have spoken with many people who agree with me.


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## Chard56 (Oct 10, 2010)

After the third time (5 years ago) of using Bettafix it dawned on me that the only logical explaination for three Bettas dying soon after treatment was the Bettafix. Gasping at the surface like they were suffocating it was the only reasonable deduction. I recently ran out of what works great for me. I don't know what company makes it but it was tank buddies fungus cure. A carded pill form I got from my brother. I have thrown the cardboard away and crushed the pills into powder form and kept in a glass bottle like the 6 gram size BBS egss come in. If anyone knows how I can get more I'd love to hear.


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## Chard56 (Oct 10, 2010)

After doing some reaserch I found out that many ich medications can also be used to treat fungus, mouth rot, fin rot and dropsy. Since I'm out of fungus cure and I have three Bettas with a fin rot thing going on I'll give it a try.


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## Guest (Feb 21, 2013)

Chard56: rid-ich plus would be your best bet. There is an anti fungus med out there that will take care of fin rot. It is by API and is called Anti-fungus. I have used ich meds when halfmoon had ich and he didn't get it again.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

formalin is also good for treating fungus and finrot...


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Just make sure it doesn't have malachite green in it.


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## Guest (Feb 21, 2013)

Evidence Betta man. Malachite green is very effective against diseases.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

Evidence Angelclown. Deadly, teratogen (alters DNA), and respiratory poison. It's also suspected of being a carcinogen (I'm not putting my beloved fishes in with the stuff). Small fish are very sensitive to malachite green. If you don't believe me, maybe you will believe this site and its resources.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/malachitegreen.htm
Why use it when methylene blue does almost the same thing, better, and safer? I had a fish with finrot in malachite green meds and it did absolutely nothing. I noticed no difference and the fin rot killed the fish.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

acriflavine is another good product...


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

everything that exists is a carcinogen..even the air we breathe...


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## TankdreamerJim (Sep 25, 2012)

put anywhere from 1/4 to 1 tsp per gallon of water and do twice weekly water changes. Feed him 1 pellet every couple hours throughout the day up to 8 total pellets daily so his body has plenty of nutrients to rebuild his fin and he should be fine in no time. My betta split his fin one day and I was in panic mode but noticed his fin was healing almost immediately it took a week to heal, some people were saying months to heal.


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