Name: Fin Rot, Fin Melt, Tail Rot
Scientific Name: Pseudomonas fluorescens if caused by bacteria
Cause: Poor water quality or stress leading to a weakened immune system
Visual Betta Fin Rot Symptoms: Deteriorating tail and fin tips with black or red edges.
Behavioral Betta Fin Rot Symptoms: No abnormal behavioral symptoms accompany fin rot or tail rot.
Treatment: Depends on severity. Water change, Filter Change, Tropical Tank Temperatures, Antibiotics
Contagious?: Not usually contagious unless other fish have a weakened immune system.
Outlook: A full and healthy recovery is normal with fins growing back.
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Betta fin rot and tail rot (melt) is a gram-negative bacterial infection or fungal infection that is extremely prevalent in betta fish. More common in uncycled tanks and small bowls, fin rot attacks and begins to eat away at a betta fish’s beautiful fins. Many bettas purchased from large box stores may already show signs of fin rot due to water quality and temperature problems in small cups.
Be careful not to confuse fin rot with fin biting, tearing, or splitting. These are due to physical injury from boredom, fighting, or snagging sharp decor. You don’t want to medicate an otherwise healthy fish. The major difference here is the lack of white, red or black edges around the deterioration.
Betta Fin Rot Causes
First things first, don’t panic because fin rot is very common and not usually deadly. It is the most common ailment amongst the species and is caused by bacteria that naturally exist in your aquarium’s water. These bacteria only become a problem when your betta has a weakened immune system which you can correct to prevent future outbreaks.
Fin rot in betta fish is normally caused by poor water conditions. Is your tank’s water temperature well under 78 degrees fahrenheit, cloudy, full of uneaten food and globs of feces? Cold water, high ammonia (>0 ppm) and nitrite levels (>0 ppm) and nitrate levels (>20 ppm) will increase stress and weaken a betta’s immune system.
Overcrowding and high bio loads from too many fish in one tank can also rapidly deteriorate water quality, increase stress, and lead to fin rot. Another cause may be inconsistent feeding resulting in overfeeding or underfeeding, causing decreased immune health.
Fin rot may also be caused by a fungal infection or another underlying disease that has caused a weakened immune system or stress. It’s possible for a betta fish to be suffering from more than one ailment at once.
Betta Fin Rot Symptoms
There are stages of fin rot varying from mild to severe which will show differing symptoms and severity. It is always best to catch any visible fin rot signs or symptoms early because it can quickly progress without attention. The Dorsal (top), Caudal (tail) and Anal (bottom) fin are the easiest fins to check and identify if fin rot is affecting your betta. For full fin descriptions visit our betta anatomy page. If left untreated, fin rot can lead to columnaris and will begin to attack the betta’s caudal peduncle and body.
- Mild Fin Rot: Brownish fin edges, jagged fin edges, whitish tips or spots.
- Moderate Fin Rot: Large fin deterioration and receding, black sometimes bloody fin edges, fins starting to develop fuzzy-growths.
- Severe Fin Rot: Increased inflammation and redness of fin base, bloody fin bases, entire loss of fin or fins and fin membrane, cottony growths on the body, body rot, lethargic, difficulty swimming, susceptible to other diseases from the stress.
As a reminder, the symptoms above are very different from injuries caused by tail biting and fin nipping, fighting, or snagging tank decor. Fin tears and rips will exist without the brown or black edges and will not show the other symptoms listed above. Some breeds of betta fish are also bred to have split fins like the double tail halfmoon.
Betta Fin Rot Treatment
Treating fin rot will depend on the severity and progression of the rot. Treatment will also depend on the ecosystem and its size, and whether or not your betta is in a community tank. After classifying your symptoms above, choose the treatment and cure method that’s most appropriate for your betta.
Mild Fin Rot Treatment:
1. Check your tank’s pH level and temperature. The ideal pH is between 6.5-7.5 and the temperature should be in the range of 78-81 degrees fahrenheit. Perform a 50% water change with fresh non-chlorinated/conditioned tap water.
2. When extracting the 50% of existing tank water, use a gravel vacuum to clean the substrate of excess food, feces, and other debris. If your tank is cycled (has a filter), clean it in the tank to preserve good bacteria and replace any media that is old. Wash all tank decorations in hot water (no soap). For community tanks that are overcrowded, consider relocating some inhabitants.
3. Continue to monitor your water parameters over the next week and check for signs of healing or worsening. It can be a slow process but as you cure the rot the brownish jagged ends will disappear with new fin growth following. Continue to do 25% partial changes as needed while monitoring water parameters.
Moderate Fin Rot Treatment:
1. If your betta has moderate fin rot signs or mild fin rot gets worse during treatment, you’ll need to be more aggressive. If you have tank mates or plants, you should remove your betta from their main tank and place them in a quarantine or hospital tank with fresh conditioned and heated water. An ideal size quarantine tank is 1-2 gallons. Always acclimate your betta when adding them to a new tank. A betta without tank mates or plants can be treated in the existing habitat unless you decide to do a full tank cleaning which is outlined next.
2. Clean your filter in the tanks existing water to preserve good bacteria and replace any old filter media. If there are no other community members, perform a 100% water change, washing everything with hot water. This includes the tank, decor, live plants (warm water), gravel, and the heater. Replace everything and fill with conditioned water.
3. The next step is treating your betta with aquarium salt in the quarantine tank. Aquarium salt heals wounds, eases stress, and inhibits nitrite uptake. If you don’t have live plants, mix fresh conditioned water with 1-2 teaspoons of aquarium salt in a separate container to fully dissolve the salt before adding it to the quarantine tank. Adding undissolved aquarium salt will cause burns to your betta fish!
4. Slowly pour in the dissolved aquarium salt and conditioned water mixture into the quarantine tank with your betta. Perform equal portions of water changes to the quarantine tank daily before a new dose otherwise you’re adding more salt to existing salt and overdosing which can kill your betta. A 25-50% change is ideal. Repeat this dosing for up to a week, while monitoring for signs of healing.
Severe Fin Rot Treatment:
1. Severe fin rot will require the use of medicine to reverse its damaging effects, especially if it’s now combined with white fuzzy growths (columnaris). Remove your betta and acclimate them to a quarantine tank with fresh conditioned and heated water. Add an airstone or bubbler as certain medications can remove oxygen from the water. If treating in your regular tank, remove any carbon from filters as it will remove the medicine from the water.
2. Drain and clean your main tank and all of its components with hot water. Re-assemble everything, fill with fresh conditioned water, and ensure tropical water temperatures (78-81) If you have a filter start cycling the tank to reestablish the nitrogen cycle while your betta is in his or her quarantine tank.
3. Administer a recommended antibiotic in the quarantine tank following the instructions, and do not stop dosing early as this can create antibiotic resistant bacteria. Perform equal portion water changes before new doses to prevent overdosing. Recommended antibiotics to treat severe fin rot include: Maracyn II, API Fungus Cure, API Furan-2, Kanamycin.
4. Return and acclimate your betta to their main tank after treatment and maintain clean, warm water. Make sure again that your tank is not overcrowded with tank mates.
After treatment you should see clear growths of new fin membrane starting to appear. New growths are very delicate so make sure you don’t have jagged tank decor or nippy tank mates. Fin rot can also come back after treatment and you may have to do additional treatments to keep it away for good.
Make sure you’re taking care to prevent the causes of fin rot that are listed above. Also, new fins don’t always grow back looking the same, sometimes they are slightly shorter, longer, or even curled at the edges.
Preventing Betta Fish Fin Rot
The best way to avoid the anxiety and treatment of fin rot is to avoid it altogether. Keep your tanks water clean, heated and not overcrowded. Fin rot is more common in smaller, uncycled ecosystems like bowls which are not adequate environments for a betta. The correct size is 5 gallons with 2.5 being the absolute minimum.
The smaller the tank, the quicker bacteria builds up and water quality declines. A five gallon tank should have water changes once a week with smaller tanks requiring changes every 3-4 days or more. If your betta fish currently is experiencing fin rot, I wish him or her a speedy recovery.
My betta is eating and swimming great but he looks like he is ” fin nipping” but when I do my research I think that it’s fin rot! When I show everyone his picture they all say he looks fine! I don’t get it why his fins look like he took a bite of of his fin
Did you ever get a respond for your comment?
Bettas usually bite or chew on their fins because they are bored. Try putting more things into your tank or even get a bigger one. How many gallons is your current tank? I say the bare minimum is 2.5 gallons. If all else fails, try giving some new and interesting food such as different kinds of meat. You can also just give him more attention and interact with him more, like doing tricks.
Im having the same issue… He’s gotten black spots but he seems fine
Mine to
Mine is doing the same thing did yours end up being ok!?
I got my first betta 2 days ago, I have for now been keeping him in a .7 gallon tank but will get a larger tank eventually. He is a mostly red veiltail
And has nearly white front fins, and the tips of his other fins look clear, is this normal or possibly
Mild fin rot? He seems to eat well and is pretty active but does like to hang out in the gravel…
Clear fins can be a sign of new growth or the fin growing back.
Great article about fin rot. I like that you have decided between different strength of treatment.
Regards, Johann
I can’t tell if my fish is fin nipping or has fin rot either and I am very confused. Should I take him back to Petco and ask? He’s a very active fish and he eats well. He is in a half gallon tank. I know that is very small but I live in an apartment and can’t have a big tank. He has lived almost a year. We believe my previous Betta died of an infected swim bladder. I am very scared for Sebastian, my current fish. I have anxiety and watching him is very comforting. I was/am very attached to my fish because I can’t have children and can’t afford to take care of a dog or cat. Sebastian did injure himself about 6 months ago on some decor, the sore healed but I don’t know about his tail, whether it ripped or not. He is a red delta. I would appreciate some more input on what to do. Thank you.
Half a gallon? Do you do water changes daily? Id suggest getting a bigger tank, even 2.5 is easier to manage.
I agree. Anything less than a 5 gallon is cruel. I have my one Male betta in a 10 gallon tank.
My Betta just recovered from ich but now he is acting lethargic . He is eating fine but he lays at the bottom
He is responsive to me but im really worried . I have started treatment for fin rot but there are no improvements. I would request you to reply fast..
Have you tried adding some aquarium salt to reduce stress and encourage further recovery? Other than that, make sure the temperature is in the correct tropical range and that you are doing water changes frequently. If he’s eating fine that’s a good and just may be recovering still.
How much water need to be changed daily?
That would depend on the size of the tank. If it’s a 5-gallon tank, a rule of thumb is 20-25% partial change 1-2 times per week.
How old is your fish sometimes at old age they will start to be less active and sit at the bottom of the tank
So, I just bought a betta fish yesterday, and as I am looking at him I am wondering if he has tail rot?
I know at least one of the other fish in the store had really raggedy fins, and there is a thin white edge to his tail all the way across, is that normal or something to worry about? It isn’t black, but I’ve read tail rot can be white.
His tail isn’t super jaggedy, but it’s hard to tell if it’s naturally that bumpy or a little jagged. His pectoral and dorsal fins look more like a comb pattern, but his tail is more rounded off with a little ruffle.
I just want to catch anything before it becomes a real problem.
He’s naturally a very pale whitish blue, but this white is very white.
It may be beneficial to treat with some aquarium salt at a low dose and see how it responds for 3-5 days and keep the water changes. You can also send me an email if you want to include a photo to help better diagnose it.
Hi. I don’t know whether my bettas ripped his tail or had fin rot, but would it still be OK to give him the medication for fin rot? Thank you.
It’s never a good idea to medicate a healthy fish unless you know that it’s fin rot. For now, try keeping the water clean with frequent partial water changes and see if things improve. If it gets worse, then you may consider medication. You could, however, dose some aquarium salt as that’s not medication, or try some Indian almond leaves.
Could I email you pictures?
Yes you can. bryan@bettafish.org
Hi Bryan, I would like to send you and email if possible about my betta fish please?
bryan@bettafish.org
Hi,
I know this is a website for bettas, but I though it wouldn’t be much different for a guppy?
Well I got given two pregnant guppies and one of them- it looks like anther fish nipped at her tail from her last house.. and a couple days later my tank they were in got really bad and my ph was terrible, and I felt like my siphon wasn’t cleaning the sand properly as I still lest bits of food in it.. sorry- back to my point she now has fin rot, I did a 100% water change and put some replaced the sand with gravel out her in a make shift breeder box in the tank and put some medication in the tank, I also have 2 other fish in the tank… is this ok? Or should I do something else?
Thanks
Ps.sorry it’s long
Sounds like you are doing everything okay, I would just be curious how many gallons your tank is, and making sure you don’t have too many fish per gallon. Also treating the tank with the others may be necessary if they are subjected to potential fin rot too which hopefully the 100% water change accomplished. I cannot provide much more information than that, because yes, this site is betta-specific.
Hi all,
Wondering if my betta has fin rot.
Need help badly I’ve done everything I can do. Nothing is working.
Taylor if you’d like to, please send me an email to bryan@bettafish.org and I will try to help there if things are severe and not getting better.
Hi my betta doesn’t get better no matter what I do. I think he has really bad fin rot because his fins are scrunching up they also look bitten because he has holes on them. Ive tried changeing the water every 2 days. I tried melafix for 7 days twice. I tried adding sea salt into the water. Im about to buy fish mox to see if that will help. Fyi he is very active and eats well. Any ideas of what can fix him 😞
I’m sure that’s very frustrating Jessica. Assuming the tank is the proper temperature, I would increase partial 25% water changes to daily and continue with the aquarium salt. Severe fin rot would be very fast and approaching the body of the fish or a tail being completely gone. If it continues to get worse, then yes I have encountered those who have had good success with Amoxicillin (e.g. Fish Mox).
Hello. My betta fish is very much struggling. I believe he has fin rot–his tail fin started with black on edge and it has progressed and is almost up to his body. I’ve tried aquarium salts and frequent water changes, the water parameters are all good (except pH a bit high). I treated him with Furan 2. Now he seems very sick. He is laying on bottom and seems to be struggling breathing, his gills are red/inflamed. He did not eat today. I’m thinking I may put him in a 2 gallon quarantine tank and try another medication. Which one to try? I can’t get a hold of Maracyn 2. Kanamycin? API Fungal Care? SeaChem Polyguard or other sulfur drugs I also read can work? There is almost a whitish look over the black rot so I’m thinking there is something else going on. If I keep him in quarantine tank and completely clean my 5 gallon tank, do I need to toss the filters and start a whole new cycle with new filter medium? Thank you for any help!
Maracyn 2 is definitely good for treating fin rot. The quarantine tank would be a good idea for now to keep a closer eye on him and the water parameters. To be safe, you should get new filter media (although then you’d need some quickstart), but if not, rinse it and everything else in hot, hot tap water for several minutes. Adding an oxygen pump can help with the labored breathing too, to make sure he doesn’t have to get to the surface to get air and can help with recovery.
Hi Bryan,
I am having the same issue as described here by Chante and done everything as explained here, now I have my betta fish in quarantine and cleaned completely his 5 gallon biOrb tank, got him 5 months ago, clean the tank every Saturday since I got him, I am very sad, done everything explained to do, his beautiful fins are in pieces. Please help, thanks. Frankie’s mom
It can be tough going through fin rot and waiting for things to improve, seeing him or her every day, but they usually do get better over time with consistency. Have you been trying medication since it sounds like your case is advanced?
Hey Bryan. I adopted 3 male bettas who were being kept in pretty bad conditions. One of them has rather advanced fin rot. When I showed a picture to the lady at the aquarium store, she said he was a crown betta as was supposed to be that way. Today I googled fin rot images and he for sure has it. Well, I put all three in a new 3 room betta aquarium yesterday, and now worry I have infected the other two. It’s a new filter and new aquarium. How should I treat the infected one? Should I just treat all three with aquarium salt, or take it to the next level and add medication? also, what is the ideal PH and temp, and do you have recommendations for an aquarium heater?
Hi Cindy. Yes, you may have infected the others and should have removed the ill one to a smaller hospital tank if it’s advanced fin rot. You could add some aquarium salt and see if things improve. If not, you may have to administer medication. If you can though, I would remove the infected one to a quarantine tank and treat him separately. pH should be between 6.5 and 7.5 and temperature between 78-82 degrees Fahrenheit. To provide a recommendation on a heater I would need to know what size your aquarium is in gallons, but I can say make sure you get one with a built-in thermostat.
Hello, I am wondering if someone would be able to help me. I adopted a silver elephant ear male betta from a coworker this weekend, named Pieta. He was being kept in a flower vase with maybe .5 gallons of very green water, with lots of poop and food. He had been previously kept in a tank with a high flow filter, and his right fin was partially torn. When I got him, his torn fin is almost gone and very translucent, and his tail is very ragged, uneven, and has stripes of red. He also has some thin white fuzz or slime on his back and on his head. He is very lethargic- he won’t eat, he begins to fall to one side, and he hides in the corner near the heater and infrequently comes up to the surface. He sometimes responds to me, but not often. No longer even responds to food. I believe he has bad fin rot. I put him in a 5 gallon tank with a heater kept at 77 degrees F. I filled the tank with tap water treated with BettaSafe water conditioner. I started with Bettafix, and gave it to him for 4 days, but I’m reading now that it might not be the best. Tonight I put in the (hopefully) correct dosage of API Fungus Cure. He is still very lethargic and won’t eat. The instructions on the package say to wait 2 days, add another dose, wait 2 days, and do a 25% water change. I would like to know if this is recommended, or if I should be doing something else or add another treatment. I am clearly very desperate for advice, I’ve never owned a betta before. I’ve been researching for 2 weeks, but I feel lost. I love Pieta dearly and he was once so attentive and curious, and I just want to see him healthy again. If anyone can please help me, I would be forever grateful.
Hi Josie, I think that’s awesome you wanted to give him a better life. Sometimes when they go from such terrible conditions to a clean and larger tank it can cause a lot of shock from the abrupt change. I would also go the route of dosing in some (aquarium salt if you have access to it) in between fungal treatments as that will help with fin regrowth and reduce stress. Keep the temperature at 77-82, and continue what you are doing as you are on the right track. Sometimes it just takes time.
I have a very similar suitation. Should i remove the carbon filter while treating? Replace with new filter after treatment is over or can you use old one?
If you are using a medication, then yes you should remove the carbon filter until treatment is complete. I would personally replace it with a new one.
Hi, I have a female betta fish and she has black edges around her fins BUT they are not ragged, I have not observed any rot on the tail or anywhere else on her fins but I do see black edges around her fins. She’s had this for quite some time but I check every day and as I’ve stated, I have not seen any degradation of her fins. Should I worry? I change the water every week on Thursday and add a little salt and of course de-chlorinator and stress coat with each change. She’s in a ten gallon with a heater and filter and the only other inverts with her are two Amano shrimp. As of now, I do not worry but if I did see her fins rotting then yeah but I’m asking to see if I should worry and do something about that.
If it’s not part of her coloring, then it could be early signs of fin rot. I wouldn’t worry about it if it’s not receding, other than maybe using some test strips to see how the ammonia levels are on say Monday, or Tuesday and then you’ll know if you need to do a water change more frequently, maybe 2x a week.
Hello There!
I have a betta for last couple of months. Normally it resides in a 12 inch-by-12 inch tank. for last 3 weeks it is facing fin rot which led to loose all of its fins, though I have done regular maintenance (Weekly water change, monthly full water change with cleaning). So I placed it in a small glass. please advice me about the medication.
Thank you.
Past Picture: https://ibb.co/cMMeuS
Present Picture: https://ibb.co/mjvEdn
The habitat sounds too small if it’s below 2.5-gallons as a minimum. Please follow the advice on this page for moderate to severe fin rot based on the current picture you have uploaded.
I have followed all your advice. My beta fish still has fin rot – in some areas it might be worse. But he seems fine. He is eating good, and he swims around the bowl. He does seem a little more agitated and spooks easily. He has red on his tail, and several black pieces. I change his water every other day, and feed him the same amount of food twice a day which he always eats.
The bowl is large but too small to accommodate a heater.
He started to get the tail rot about two months ago.
Will he ever get better? How will I tell? Thanks I like this website.
Is it possible for you to get a larger tank and heater? Warmer water will definitely help. Indian almond leaves or aquarium salt are also great for helping fin rot and encouraging regrowth.
So I need a bit of help. My betta seems to be in pretty bad shape…Half his tail is gone, he has a white growth above his eye. He can’t swim upright. I’m pretty sure it’s fin rot but Im also pretty sure he might have been also tearing his fins on the (silk!) plant I had in there. I’ve taken everything out of his tank (2.5g) including the gravel substrate to make sure he can’t tear or scratch on anything while he heals. (his only companion is a small snail) Did a complete water change and have been doing a half water change every other day with ick cure & water treatment. I put about a half tablespoon of aquarium salt first day. He seems to be doing a bit better: his fins don’t look as black and angry (he’s red, so I wouldn’t be able to tell if the edges are red anyway). I was wondering, I suppose, if I should add any other medication or anything that might help him heal better. I might get a small heater but his water stays at a pretty good 75-80deg with me adding warmer water every other day to compensate for it cooling down. I was also wondering just how long conceivably it would take him to heal, and how long I should treat him before I start adding things back into the tank, or if i should get him some different equipment. I had a filter that came with the tank but it produced a really strong current with the output, and all of my bettas before I got this tank seemed to do better in still water than with a filter pulling/pushing at them. Apologies for this being so long I just wanted to be thorough. I can’t seem to get a straight answer out of anywhere on the internet: there seems to be a lot of “old wives tales” and not a lot on a proper treatment/care. Thanks so much!
Hi Katie. I would continue dosing the aquarium salt and doing the water changes – but stop the ick treatment unless you know for certain it’s ick. Please review the photos on the diseases page and compare. The aquarium salt will continue to reduce stress and swelling and the clean water will improve health. It can take a while for a betta to heal, the best sign is if they are still eating and their personality is still present and things continue to get better. The sign to watch out for is things getting consistently worse, even staying the same is better than worse.
My beta is not doing so well, he has completely lost his dorsal fin and it won’t stop. I can’t find the right medication and my second beta has developed a moderate case of fin rot. What medication do you recommend?
For advanced cases of fin rot, Maracyn II.
Hi, I’m just wondering if MARCAYN 2 is available now? I thought it wasn’t around any more where can I get some.
.
You can find it on eBay, or you can try using Kanaplex as an alternative.
So I got a white and blue crowntail last week and up until two days ago he’s been hiding away every time I came near the tank. Now that he’s comfortable with everything I see that the tips of his fins are brown and look like they’re breaking. Also he also has a couple curved fins? I’m not sure how bad it is, if it’s fin rot. He’s alone in a 10 gallon tank since the two tetras I got with him died during the trip home. Sorry that this is long 😅
That does sound like the early stages of fin rot Mimi. I’m not sure what you mean by curved fins unless they’re damages, or the edges are receding and melting.
I got a delta tail not too long ago and he’s already experiencing some fin rot (I’d say moderate to almost severe) and small amounts of fungus. I’ve been using something called bettafix but I’m not sure how good that is. After reading this I’m going to get aquarium salt but after reading through the instructions I wasn’t sure if you need to keep the betta in the quarantine tank for the time or put him in the normal tank after I apply the salt. Also, can I apply the salt in the normal tank? He was also acting really aggressive towards me yesterday which hasn’t happened before my guess was that was just from the stress though.
Replied to your email 🙂
Dear Bryan,
My Betta lives in a five gallon heated, cycled but unfiltered tank with live plants and gravel. He is orange with blue fins. When I got him 3 months ago he was already dull in color (that and body shape led me to suspect he is a senior). He used to be very active, exploring constantly, building nests and flaring at his reflection. He still eats well, but now only hangs at the surface with clamped fins, and rarely explores. I’ve also noticed that his eyes are no longer pitch black but are orange around the pupil, and that his body and color look pale . I’ve had him for 3 months, his fins were nice when I got him but started turning more red and slightly ragged at the ends over time. Now it is hard to tell because of the clamping. I change 50 per cent of the water every other week, take out uneaten food and poop right after feeding and the ammonia and nitrate are at 0. You state that fin rot does not otherwise come with behavioral changes. Does he have something else besides possible fin rot? Fungus maybe? Apart from the pale color I see nothing else wrong on his body.
Thank you so much for your answer, I really want to help him and find the right treatment.
Clamping is a sign of stress so it could be more advanced fin rot, or yes, there is something else going on too. Early cases of fin rot usually don’t accompany behavioral changes, but all fish are different. I would try increasing the frequency at which you do water changes, 25% per week for example, to keep fresh and clean water coming in more often. This will also reduce the abruptness of water parameters changing from a larger change. I’d also recommend dosing in some aquarium salt to help reduce any stress and promote a healthier immune system for fin regrowth too and then see how things are going.
I suspect my betta may have fin rot, or maybe just cut himself on a decoration. A small chunk of his tail was hanging off and turned grey. Would if be bad if I treated for fin rot and he doesn’t have it? I have a 5g tank with 2 mystery snails and about 10 baby snails. Will this be an issue for my snails? Tank water has been perfect however I have done a water change just to be safe.
Treating with aquarium salt is the safest, rather than medication if he doesn’t have it. The snails won’t mind slightly brackish water.
Hello,
I have a female rosetail betta fish. I am extremely concerned for her health. I bought her about 2 weeks ago from Petco. I instantly fell in love with her and named her Rose cause she was this very pretty light pink color. Shes also twice as big as my male crowntail I purchased at the same time. I am extremely worried that she has Fin Rot. Instead of being her gorgeous light pink, she has now turned into a light blue/green/turquoise color on her body. She has black on her fins, and then slightly some red on the tip of her fins. Does she have Fin Rot or did I purchase a very sick fish from the store and now shes getting her color back? I could post pics to show! HELP!!! I don’t want my fish to suffer if she is sick…..
It sounds like she’s getting her normal more vibrant colors back. Are the edges of the fins raggedy or torn? If so, paired with the black edges, I would say it’s fin rot starting and you need to treat it and it’s very treatable. If you still would like to send pics, you can email me bryan@bettafish.org
Hello, I have had my fish (Kal-El) for about eight months and when I first got him he was incredibly vibrant. He had different blues that would fade and the end of his fins were a pinkish red. Now his fins are much smaller/less full and the red-pink is completely gone. His blues are still there but I am starting to get very worried about him. I have noticed a few small white spots at the end of his fins but they are very minimal. Any help you could offer would be much appreciated, thank you.
First, make sure the water temperature is within the proper range, and then make sure your water parameters are okay. Stress can dull the coloration of betta fish, and those two things are the common culprits. Next, make sure he’s getting a high-quality and varied diet. Finally, if you think a mild case of fin rot is starting, you can follow the instructions for that on this page.
My betta seems to have fin rot and is extremely lethargic. He lays sideways at the top of the tank and won’t move till I come up to the tank. He honestly looks dead and a majority of the time I think he is. I have been giving him Betta Fix for the fin rot for a week but I haven’t seen any improvements. The lights in the tank just broke so I have moved him into a new tank and did a 100% water change. I am going to get a new tank and a heater today. Is there anything else I can do to help him out and should I continue to use the Betta Fix? Thank you
Hi, my beta fish is a rose petal male and I am very attached to my betta and he is currently suffering from I think is severe fin rot ( I know he has had fin rot) I tried bettafix and I tried melafix but none of those seemed to work. I have a half of a gallon tank. He stays at the bottom most of the day and is blowing a ton of bubbles and is eating well. But he doesn’t really swim around a lot. I’ve had him for a bit under 3 years and I love him with all my heart so what medicine would be able to cure his fins. Thanks
My Halfmoon Betta has ripped fins. I’ve tried treating him for tail rot, lowered the flow of my filter and added Betta salt to his water but it isn’t getting any better, his fins are looking worse every day. The weird thing is the He isn’t showing any other signs of being sick. He’s still very active and quick to come to the surface to eat and his fins aren’t droopy. Is there something I might be missing or a different treatment I can try?
The first thing to check would be the quality of your water with test strips and the temperature of your water to ensure they’re both ideal. If both of those check out, and the fin rot continues advancing, then you may need to opt for medication like API Fungus Cure or Kanaplex.
My Betta fish is very lethargic, doesn’t eat and stays in the bottom corner of the aquarium. Occasionally he sims up to top and seems very Skittish. Could possibly have tail rot but not sure. Can you help?
My 2 bettas in 6 gallon divided tank has damaged fins (split and torn). They’ve been in the tank for 2 weeks now and weekly change of water. They eat well and energetic.
The tank has live plants, moss balls and water filtration (sponge filter on one side and over head filter on the other side). It does not have heater because I live in Malaysia (tropical weather).
But the 1 betta in a jar, which I quarantine because I am not sure if the fish is sick plus I just got from a friend, has a better fins.
What could be the possible reason(s) the fishes in the tank has damaged fins?
Can they see each other through the divider? If so, that can cause a lot of stress and a weakened immune system. If you have aquarium test strips, use them to see if the water has any ammonia in it and to make sure your pH is in a safe range too.
I’m not sure if my Betta has fin rot or not, he is a crown tail x veil tail but Ive noticed the rays seem to be extending further passed the fan of his fin than the used to and the anal fin has some curling on a few of the rays. I have been treating him with aquarium salt for a couple days but his fins actually seem to be getting worse. Maybe I’m just becoming more aware of things? Just unsure because his fins aren’t jagged aside from the curls.
He is in a filtered 2.5 gallon which up until recently has been a little chilly (~72°) and his tank wasn’t being cleaned often enough. He has lots of deco and 2 live plants to swim around and gets lots of attention so I don’t think its nipping. Any suggestions?
I generally don’t recommend filters in a 2.5-gallon tank unless they are sponge filters. Is the filter causing a strong current in water? This can stress a betta out and weaken their immune system if they are getting tossed around? Low temperature doesn’t help either, make sure that stays within the proper range, and do regular partial water changes to keep ammonia levels down. You may be hyper-aware of the fins, or things are still not improving quite yet.
I brought home my Betta on the 19th of December and he clearly has black edges of his entire tail. Petsmart told me not to buy aquarium salt and to use Betta Fix, which I am now on Day 7 of. The black edges of his tail have not improved. I got him a heater, so he’s eating and swimming around (he wasn’t for the 5 days he didn’t have the meds or the heater.) I don’t know if I should try something else now that I am done with the first treatment of Betta Fix. Help! Thank you
Is it possible the black edges are his natural coloring? If the black edges are present with tattered fins, then you are likely correct to treat for fin rot. I don’t recommend Bettafix – and mild fin rot can normally be cleared up with properly heated water and doing 20% partial water changes daily until things improve and new white edge regrowth starts occurring and then ensuring regular water changes.
I do believe it’s tail rot since the his tail coloring went from bright red, to now barely orange. His tattered fins are slightly better using Betta Fix, but I’m not sure if I should do anything else for him at this point. He seems pretty happy. I’m going to monitor him for the next week and see if his fins continue to look fuller and brighter. =\
Sounds like a plan. Keep the water clean and the temperature within the proper range and he should be on the road to recovery.
I am a first time Betta fish owner and I have two Bettas in a five gallon tank with a separation screen (although after this experience I’m getting a bigger tank ASAP). Anyway, one is a dumbo eared Betta with a strong immune system and energetic as can be, the other one is a blue Halfmoon Betta (I believe). His immune system has been pretty weak ever since I’ve brought him home, he gets stressed very easily and first the first two weeks barely moved in the tank, when he finally warmed up he then had swim bladder disease… which he recovered fine and was going strong for a while. So his health has always been a wildcard. But due to my lack of awareness of Fin Rot I never really was able to definitively notice until one day I found him half way stuck out of water on the tank heater. Much to my surprise, he was still alive after I frantically nudged him back into the water. Ever since then he’s taken a turn for the absolute worst. I’m assuming the understandably high stress levels of that situation accelerated the rot because a few days later I noticed how very very sickly he looks to go along with his top fin basically disappearing and even a change in his eyes. I feel absolutely horrible because I’m
Not so sure if it’s just fin rot at this point but the fin rot is definitely very severe and now I am in the process of getting the antibiotics and completing the steps but I fear it may be too late and that he has more than just fin rot at this point. The biggest concern being the white ring around the pupils in his eyes that were definitely not there or even noticeable before. And his lack of energy, even though he’s still swimming and eating. I guess I could use a second opinion, I could email you pictures but mainly I just feel horrible because I care deeply about my Betta fish and I feel as if I failed. Just hoping I can save him at this point.
Can they see each other at all through the divider? Some dividers have larger holes than others, and if they can see each other it may stress one (or both) of the bettas out. If the fin rot is not getting any better doing daily partial water changes and it starts taking a turn towards moderate, then it may be time to move him to a hospital tank and consider treating with aquarium salt or medication. If he’s swimming around and eating, I wouldn’t jump to a conclusion that it’s something else other than stress.
I have an all white betta I bought my dad back in September (January now) he traveled a lot for his job, so he gave him to me because he couldn’t care for him properly. By the time the betta got to me, his fins were bloody, but he was still active. I have a 5 gallon tank, unfiltered, with a heater. There is another betta, but they’re separated by a divider.
I noticed a week ago the top part of the white betta tail was becoming smaller. I immediately followed all precautions on this site and “hospitalized” him, doing daily water changes and aquarium salt. He seemed to be doing better after the week. I put him back into the 5 gallon tank (after a 100% water change). I came home today, his tail is looking severely worse than before I even initially started treatment. Any suggestions? I have pictures, but don’t know where to email them to for a better diagnosis.
A couple of items to be certain of – did you make sure to acclimate him back into the 5-gallon after that 100% water change? Going from slightly brackish (salt) water into new water that is different parameters and temperature abruptly can cause a lot of stress. Second, can the bettas see each other at all through the divider? It’s possible that could be causing a lot of stress if so.
My beta is over 2 1/2 years old. I clean the tank 1 x per week, religiously. For a month now, he’s been lethargic and rests in his log tube all day, doesn’t eat and oddly leans on his bent tail in the tube or on the bottom of the tank. I catch him swimming sometimes like he’s ok. I’ve replaced the gravel and tried an all natural fin & skin fix additive to his water. Is he just old? Any thoughts would be great!
As bettas get older their activity level and appetites do decrease. Average life span is 2-4 years in captivity, and they are usually 6-months to 1-year old when purchased at pet stores. With that said, I can’t definitively give you an answer, but I would start by ensuring the water is clean and your temperature is within the proper tropical range.
Hi , I believe my sons betta has fin rot. I was reading the directions for treating mild fin rot, but it didn’t say anything about if the tank has live plants or tank mates. What do I do with them? In the treatment with aquarium salt how much do I put into the tank? It’s a 3.5 gallon tank. Thank you.
Hi Cassie. With mild fin rot, you can generally get it cured up by ensuring you do daily partial (~20%) water changes to keep the water extra clean and ensuring proper water temperature. You should start to see some progress in a week or so. If things get worse and you need to treat with salt and you have tank mates that don’t tolerate slightly brackish water, then I would move your betta to a hospital tank. I keep a small 2.5-gallon horizontal tank for this purpose with an extra heater for when I need it. Some live plants also do not tolerate salt very well. If you have a 3.5-gallon tank and have tank mates other than a snail, this could also be leading to water dirtying too fast and creating fin rot problems. Something to consider. Best wishes.
I recently bought a new betta, which I think had mild fin rot from the store. I have a heated 5 gallon tank with good water parameters other than the pH being a bit high and I figured it would clear up in clean water, but it abruptly got worse and his fins started disintegrating. I increased the aquarium salt (2 tsp/gal) for about a week, then tried Seachem Paraguard, but it just kept getting worse and now half his tail fin is gone. I have Maracyn, Maracyn II, and Kanaplex, but I don’t have another tank except for a half gallon carrier that I don’t have a heater for. Is it really bad to medicate in his main tank? I’m concerned because I had another betta with fin rot that literally didn’t respond to anything and he eventually got sick and died (I’ve since bleached out the tank and replaced everything I couldn’t bleach).
Sorry to hear about that Theresa. It’s not bad to medicate in the main tank if you don’t have live plants or other tank mates. For any medications, you’ll need to remove any carbon in your filtration system during treatment as well. The pH spiking is likely causing the stress and fin damage from the nitrogen cycle not being fully established. Do a daily 20% water change for a week, continuing with the salt at 1tsp/gal and see if things start to improve. If not, I would try the Kanaplex next if it gets even worse.
Well do you know the cure for fin rot
Yes, it’s on this page.
We’ve been struggling with our beautiful betta since my daughter got him for Christmas. His fins are receding at a rapid rate but I can’t see anything fuzzy on the ends. We have tried melafix and bettafix but none seem to work. He is eating and other than his fins he seems to be in good health. We have added aquarium salt in the last few water changes and he is in a 15L tank with live plants. We have the temperature around 25 degrees centigrade. We also check the PH and its around 6.5. We live in hong kong and it’s quite difficult to source treatments so I get what I can from amazon. I would love some advice because we hate to see him not doing well.
Based on your information it sounds like you’re doing everything right so far. Your temperature, tank size and pH are within range – although the pH is on the low end. The recovery may be slow, but you should start to see some signs of new fin growth or the stop of recession within a couple weeks. I would do a daily partial water of 20-25% of the total volume and continue with the aquarium salt dosing. If things do get worse, try a product like Kanaplex which can be sourced on Amazon which is a better product than what you’ve tried. Also, if you added live plants recently and didn’t rinse them thoroughly with hot tap water or quarantine them, you may have introduced some bad bacteria into the tank.
I’ve fought fin rot previously using aquarium salt and diligent water changes with great success but now it’s come back with swim bladder disorder!
Three weeks ago I noticed my betta wasn’t swimming normally and struggled to stay upright. This continued to the point where he couldn’t swim down and just floated on his side. He still had some energy and wanted to eat so I assumed he was just constipated. I fasted him for two days then fed him a quarter of a pea on the third but the SBD persisted.
One week later I noticed his front left dorsal fin was nearly gone. I started him on a course of API Erythromycin thinking it must be a bacterial infection. I did a five day treatment with no improvement at all.
I left town for a few days and began a course of Amoxicillin when I returned; it’s now been three days of treatment and not only has the SBD persisted, but now his front right dorsal is nearly gone and he looks smaller!
There are no other signs of illness…it’s not ich or dropsy and it doesn’t look like TB. I’m diligent in my weekly PWCs. Ammonia 0, nitrites 0 and nitrates less than 20ppm; PH 7.6. I use treated tap water and one teaspoon of aquarium salt in my buddy’s heated, five gallon tank. He has live plants and the tank is filtered (I removed the filter for treatment of course). I’ve done nothing differently with my care for him that should have caused this suddenly.
I’ve scoured the internet and spoken with several fish stores but everyone seems to keep telling me it’s constipation or organ failure and there’s nothing I can do. Has anyone else experienced this before? Was anything successful? My little buddy looks miserable and I feel so helpless!
Adam, it sounds like you’re an experienced aquarist and I agree with everything you’ve said thus far and I’m sorry to hear about your betta. Your pH is on the high side and yes it could be organ failure if it’s not constipation which is leading to the bloating. SBD is usually contained to the stomach area, and does affect the buoyancy of the fish. Dropsy (pinecone scales) is more associated with organ failure and is visible by looking down on the fish from above and seeing both sides extended out with scales protruding out. Have you tried fasting for 2-3 days to treat the SBD? For the fin rot it sounds like you’re doing everything you can, but progress may be slow. The most important thing is to stop any further recession. Also, if you recently introduced some live plants, did you make sure to quarantine them or rinse them thoroughly in hot water as to not add any potentially bad bacteria into your water? This is important if the plant was in a community tank or unknown care-wise. Lastly, how old is your betta? Is it possible he is towards the end of his life span?
Bryan, as usual your input is well thought out and displays your knowledge and passion for the hobby. You’ve been a great help to me previously and everyone reading this should heed your advice.
I’m sad to report that my buddy is in his final days despite all efforts. I’ve focused on keeping him comfortable since my last post here but the time has come, if he makes it through the night, to euthanize.
In answer to your questions above, I’ve fasted and tried all other remedies. He’s not in a community tank and there have been no introductions of new bacteria. I do wonder however if my water source has changed (increased or decreased treatment chemicals) in ways I can’t test with my API kit. He’s a pet store rescue and I’ve had him for 1.3 years; I suspect he’s 1.5 years which seems young for natural causes. Lastly, it’s possible but unlikely that this could have been brought on by inbreeding.
I know I did everything in my power but if I could do anything differently, I wouldn’t have administered two rounds of antibiotics. Bettas are not as hardy as people believe and with his weakened immune system I fear I made his final weeks less comfortable than he deserves.
Bryan, when it comes time to rescue my next friend how would you recommend I prepare the tank, substrate, etc? Is it necessary to bleach everything before cycling since I can’t be certain what went wrong here?
I really appreciate your kind feedback Adam. If he passes or you decide to euthanize, I hope he swims in peace. When you purchase a betta at a pet store they are generally 6-12 months old if they have fully developed fins. As you said, you also never know the history of the breeding and the genetics at play. Bleaching isn’t required, but it does ensure everything is killed. Hot, hot tap water and letting everything completely dry in the sun is also usually effective. I would set the next tank up and cycle as normal to establish the nitrogen cycle and for substrate it’s preference for rocks or sand. I personally love the look of white sand. Best of luck to you and your future betta.
My fish seems to have fin rot he was fine with just a minor tear in his tail fin last week so I did a complete water change thinking it was the rough plant in his bowl 10 days later (March 26) his fins started to clamp up and tear pretty quickly it happened within 2 days but he was still eating and swimming around until this morning when he was a little slow to eat and tonight completely lost his appetite I was advised to do a complete water change and add bettafix to his bowl (small half gallon unheated and unfiltered just has his live plant) and to skip the aquarium salt for now it seems to have perked him up some but I’m not sure if that was solid advice because I’m seeing so many people saying bettafix won’t help his clamped torn fins as for the lack of heater we live in a very warm area and my other Bettas are doing great without should I keep doing the drops since he seems to be moving more or go ahead and add salt? If so how much or should I do something completely different?
When a fish is under stress, a 100% change can add a lot more stress. In the future, only perform 25-50% in this scenario to prevent abrupt changes. If your surrounding air temperature in a room is less than 78 degrees, then the temperature in the tank will be too cold than is ideal for a betta. Also, your habitat is too small and can lead to quick ammonia spikes which cause fin rot and stress. The recommended habitat size is a minimum of 2.5-gallons with a heater. If the fin rot is still mild, I would use aquarium salt over bettafix personally.
Hi. I read here that you do not advise a filter on a 2.5 gallon tank ? I currently have 2 2.5 gallon tanks with Bettas in them. The tanks came with a small filter, the one that takes the extra small filter. I have heaters on all. I have only had my blue betta for 3 weeks now. He has beautiful fins. I have a female red dragon, had her for 5weeks.I’m afraid now that the filter may stress these fish out and cause fin rot. So I just want to be clear that as long as I do a partial 20% water change every 3-4 days , full water change 1 x a month and add aquarium salt at every wc the Bettas will be fine with out the filter?
I don’t advise them for beginners mainly. That’s because they may not know about how the water current can stress a betta and lead to problems. In this size I generally recommend sponge filter setups which you can look into. Another option is to add a pre-filter sponge over the outtake tube if that’s how your tank is like the fluval’s setup. You would know if they were stressed because they would have a hard time swimming constantly and try to avoid the area where the current is. It’s up to you, though, if you want to use the filter or not – there are benefits to both setups. The aquarium salt isn’t required but yes that should be ideal and water test strips will confirm your water parameters for further guidance on partial water changes.
I have a male Crown tail for about 1 year. The last 3 months have been a real battle with fin rot, and now his tail is almost gone and he has holes & redness in other fins. I have tried Fungus Cure, EM Erythromycin, Methylene Blue dips (10 seconds), Kanaplex, and nothing has worked. I do weekly PWC between 20-40%, live plants, sponge filter, divided 10 (Life With Pets’ divider with some holes for water movement), and 0/0/20 parameters. I should note I moved him to the divided 10 when I noticed his fins looking ragged, and he seems oblivious to the other male. Prior to this, he was in a community 20 long, but no one bothered him. I have clove oil, but he is eating fine and sometimes engages when he sees me, so I keep saying one more day each day. Honestly, I am unsure what more to do, as nothing has worked thus far, so tonight I placed him in 2 gallons with 2t aquarium salt and heater. I will change each day and hope for the best. I should clarify by adding that the 2nd male was not subject to treatments noted, as I added him after I thought Crown tail was finally cured. The 2nd male was in quarantine for about 1 month after I brought him home. Any thoughts?
I’m surprised it’s not responding to any of your treatments so far. I would definitely keep him in the 2-gallon for now to avoid any additional stress from switching habitats and tank mates, etc. Do the daily partial water changes and even consider dosing in the Kanaplex again. Sorry to hear it’s been such a tough battle so far.
Yes, I opted to incorporate the Kanaplex and added 3 small Indian Almond Leaves. Question: is salt, leaves, and Kanaplex okay together? I think so, but feeling less confident with all failed attempts thus far.
His appetite remains good, and I have caught him flare at his reflection when he sees his reflection, if I turn on a light nearby. Otherwise, no lighting beyond what is in surrounding area, as I have hospital tank on my kitchen counter for observation. I don’t cook much, so it is not a busy place. 🙂 He looks a horrible, but clearly has the will to live, so we keep fighting the good fight.
Recently added Indian almond leaf into my Bettas tank. After like a week his fin became jagged. I can’t tell if he nipped his fin or is having fin rot. The colour of his fin seems to be fine though.
The Indian Almond leaf wouldn’t cause this to happen. Keep monitoring it and keep your water very clean and heated to help prevent any further regression.
Hi, my betta’s fins are looking stuck together… he’s a halfmoon type and he now looks like he has 3 pointy fins. he isn’t swimming around like he used to and he just stays inside his hut and doesn’t greet me anymore. he’s still young (he’s not an adult) and i’ve only had him for 2.5 weeks. I bought some stress coat solution by API and did a 50% water change last night and added that along with a water conditioner and some stress zyme solution (also by API)(it contains live beneficial bacteria to help with keeping the water clean???) but today he looks worse. i’m not even sure if its fin rot but i don’t know what else it could be. my next step would be a salt solution but i’m scared to do that as i’ve never tried anything like that before.
i also don’t know why he’s sick; his water is definitely clean, its at the correct temperature, i have the filter going, all decorations were thoroughly rinsed in scalding water before being added to the tank, and i have two moss balls and an anubias nana plant which i thought would make the environment better for him. should i remove them/would those be the culprit? i’ll admit i did not rinse the plants in hot water i figured it would be fine? but now i’m not sure.
i would appreciate some input and like a super dumbed down step by step solution on how to do the salt treatment. thank you so much in advance!! i don’t want my baby to die ):
Clamped fins are a sign of stress or sickness, often from dirty water or water that’s too cold. The 50% water change is too much for a stressed fish, perform a smaller one more frequently to reduce abrupt changes in parameters and temperature. This will limit further stress. Aquarium salt is more natural than introducing medications, so don’t be scared of that. Plants can contain bacteria and disease so you should always rinse them. For the aquarium salt, you dose what’s recommended on the package, dissolve it in some conditioned water (1-2 teaspoons in a gallon jug), then add it into the tank like you normally would with a partial water change.
Hi Bryan:
I have a crowntail betta that I’ve had for 4 months that has suddenly developed fin rot. His dorsal fin almost looks like it was shorn off, and his tail has thinned and is ragged, plus his scales near the dorsal fin on both sides of his body look bleached out (but not puffy, like pine-coning).
He’s in a 3.5 gallon tank with live plants that is completely cycled and the water is clear, but I missed a weekly water change over the holiday, and think I fed him too much. He was making bubble nests and seemed happy before I noticed the fins. All his PH and nitrates, amonia–everything are clear according to the strips. He has a back-of-the-tank filter with a carbon pad and a bag of bio balls that I added to boost the bacteria when balancing the tank. It’s pretty low volume, and I keep the water at 78-ish. When I change the water, I rinse the carbon bag and bio bag in clean tank water before putting it back.
When I noticed the change in him, I immediately did a 50% water change, removed the carbon filter, left the bio balls in. I added a stone bubble line (crimped a little) for increased oxygen and bought some Tetra Lifeguard as well as API Fin & Body Cure (Doxicycline Hyclate). I’ve been medicating as directed for my tank size with both for the last 3 days, along with daily 50% changes and increased water temp to 82 (today I did a 25% change). He’s eating normally, but I reduced his food to a few pelets a day. He eats just fine, and swims around and doesn’t seem too stressed.
Should I also use aquarium salt in combination with the meds to help him recover? Or should I continue with these meds before using salt? Or am I using the wrong meds? I’m wondering if I should remove the plants (merino balls and swords attached to a fiber “tunnel” that he loves to swim through). There’s an inch or two of black gravel in the tank, but I’m vacuming it pretty hard in the water changes. The water remains clear, although it’s a little discolored from the Doxycycline.
I can’t really tell if he’s getting worse, but I’m worried about his scales, and his once glorious tail fins are so thin, I’m afraid he’ll lose them altogether! I can send a picture if you think that would help.
You have to be careful of not letting any rot or fungus reach the body when things get that advanced that fast. You’re doing great so far in treating him and that medication should definitely help that you’re using. You can also use Aquarium salt during this if you’d like. It will also help keep an active slime coat and reduce the potential for further infection and stress. You will have to read the medications label to see if it affects plants. Keep doing what you’re doing and you should start to see some recovery in a week or two in fin regrowth – which is clear edges starting to show.
Should I keep using the Lifeguard and the Fin and Body cure after the initial treatment? Say another 5 days?
Or should I just use salt now for another week or so?
I’ve noticed in the last couple of days my Male betta is losing some of his fins, is this causes by fin rot? He also has developed dark grey on his silver body his fins are red. I can post pictures of him before and now to see what the best thing to do for him. I did put him a quarantine tank and cleaned his main tank, please need your help
It could be fin rot, but I’d have to see a picture as you suggested. You’re welcome to email me using the contact page.
I am more then certain my new fish I got 4 days ago has fin rot. I went to the pet store and they gave me Bettafix. I cleaned out a little of his tank to remove any old food. I did not put any new water in. I wanted to leave some room up top which I thought I had too high to begin with. I added the bettafix like it said to. Do I still need to do water changes daily for 7 days? The medicine just said to add the amount every day for 7 days but yall say to change out his water. Will the medicine still be effective? If I do water changes daily?
Each medication is different regarding their instructions and all situations are different (tank size, etc.). Most minor fin rot can be cured by just doing partial water changes and ensuring proper water temperature. If you are using Bettafix, you can follow the instructions, but I’d still recommend some more frequent partial water changes.