File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
Hey guys.
So, my Betta got Fin Rot, but I'm not sure how. It just kinda appeared one day, we noticed his fins starting to tatter, and then deterorate. It's not that bad yet, and I've got medication that I'm HOPINH is going to work like it says.

What exactly causes fin rot? Is it lack of water change or what?
pic related. not mine though.

Mine had a beautiful halfmoon tail, not it looks like a tattered crowntail D:
>> Anonymous
low water quality + stress = fin rot.

How big is your betta habitat, any other fish in there, what filtration, how often and what percent water changes, and do you ever test water chemistry.
>> Anonymous
my mom has had a betta for 6 years now top that anon
>> Anonymous
You should talk to the people at your local petstore. It might be the PH and stress as 297957 pointed out, or you might be able to treat it with antibiotics. Had a veiltail that got finrot, treated it with antibiotics and he got all better
>> Anonymous
>>297957

I never really do any of the PH stuff with Bettas. They usually do just fine in a 1.5 gallon with a bubbler and often water changes.

Anyway. He has a 1.5 gallon with a small chinese algea eater (who doesn't have finrot, but he's getting the medicine too, just in case it's not showing up on him yet.) They have a bubbler, but no filter. I change the water (All of it) every week and use water conditioner. I always make sure it's the same temperature as their old water if not a couple of degrees warmer.

He eats Wardley's Betta Pellets, Tetra Bloodworms, and Omega One Betta flakes.

At the moment I'm treating him with a 5 day antibiotic, but I've not noticed any changes yet, and today I found he had a little white spot on his head where it looks like he was bitten. But, I've never known algae eaters to attack another fish, so now I'm worried that might be something else to worry about
>> Anonymous
>>298154
golden rule of tropical aquariums: No less than one gallon of water per inch of fish. Your betta is likely two inches. Your algae eater is likely at least two inches. You have at least four gallons worth of fish in a gallon and a half. I'm surprised you haven't run into trouble before now.
>> Anonymous
>>298154
I think your problem is changing 100% of the water. I'd really do like 50% max. A complete water change is pretty stressful on fish.
>> Anonymous
>>298154
mm yeah way to much fish for a 1.5 gallon. get at least a 10 gallon if you're going to be keeping mr. Chinese algae eater. (Heck I don't even think thats enough.) those guys also tend to be kinda aggressive towards other fish every once in awhile. Also they're more like scavengers than algae eaters. (if I remember my limited research on them correctly anyways.)

So the over crowded tank would be my guess as to why he got fin rot.

the white spot could be a bite, or a fungus, or ich, a parasite.

http://www.bettatalk.com/betta_diseases.htm has good info for diagnosing betta health problems and tells you what causes them as well.
>> Anonymous
We're about to move, I'll get a bigger tank then. I've never had problems keeping bettas in 1.5 gallons.

But, I also never knew to do just a 50% water change, either. I thought it was best to get all of the shit out so fungus wouldn't grow. I guess I'll just have to pour half hte water into a container while I clean out the gravel.

thanks for the advice, though.
>> Anonymous
>>298183
Might I suggest getting a gravel vacuum? you can get them almost any pet store that sells fish supplies.

And the betta is fine in the 1.5 gallon the algae eater on the other hand is not. They get up to being around 10 inches.