amb44 Posted June 27, 2012 Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 Hi, I have just noticed my betta's tail is looking surprisingly short, and on closer inspection has a white outline at the end of his fin. I am a complete beginner - is this fin rot? If yes what is best to treat it with? He is in with tetras and apple snails, will they be ok in the same tank? I don't have a spare tank but could use a coke bottle with an air stone in the same tank is that correct? I will also add that I have been watching one of my tetras chase the betta around the tank tonight and actually nip the tail so could that be the cause instead of fin rot? It's to the point where the normally outgoing betta is now hiding from the tetra. Thanks in advance, Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeebee Posted June 27, 2012 Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 Hi there, when a fin is nipped it leaves it susceptible to getting fin rot. You may want to buy a cheap quarantine tank and use wunder white spot cure which has malachite green in it so will stain your silicone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted June 27, 2012 Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 It may be the tail trying to regrow itself. Check with Adrienne, I think she has had a lot of experience with Bettas, so she may be able to specify. Either way, fin rot or regrowth, you are better off by separating the Betta from the tetra's if they are causing fin damage. Lots of little water changes, maybe 10% every two days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted June 27, 2012 Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 looks like damage with a touch of fungus. Will be a sitter for finrot unless the water conditions are pristine. Might pay to isolate and treat with wunder tonic or furan2 ---both have ingredients that will treat both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amb44 Posted June 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 Thanks everybody for your replies. Sheepsnana I will be setting up a tank for the tetras this weekend but as I will have to wait for it to cycle the betta will be stuck with them for a while unfortunately. I was originally going to be setting it up to protect the tetras from the betta but now the tables have obviously turned! alanmin Will a 2l ice-cream container be ok for a hospital tank? I was planning to attach it to the side of the existing tank to keep the temperature up. If not, will an AquaOne mini tank for pregnant/sick fish be ok? Thanks, Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted June 27, 2012 Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 Yes. Many people keep them in quart preserving jars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted June 27, 2012 Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 Yes. Many people keep them in quart preserving jars. as long as you do HEAPS of water changes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted June 27, 2012 Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 You can put it in a large coke bottle or juice bottle with the top cut off and attached it to the side of your tank. Fresh clean declorinated water with a pinch of salt in 1 litre of water will do. Change all the water daily . Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Thanks for the endorsement Sheepsnana but I bow down to Discusguru in knowledge and experience. He taught me most of what I know. I can not tell from the pics, but if you see red streaks in from where the tatty bits are then it is bacterial if rot. Otherwise treat as Ron says. You can always pop the fighter in the newly set up tank. He will appreciate it! Oh and what sort of tetra are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Some tetras can be fin nippers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amb44 Posted June 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 You can put it in a large coke bottle or juice bottle with the top cut off and attached it to the side of your tank. Fresh clean declorinated water with a pinch of salt in 1 litre of water will do. Change all the water daily . Ron How long should I keep him in with the salted water? Do you think I shouldn't bother buying some Wunder Tonic? There don't appear to be red streaks in the way that I've seen in pictures but in parts his tail is very transparent with a somewhat pinky tinge - it is dependent on where the light is hitting him though. Adrienne, they are neon tetras. The betta used to kill them (I had 12, now have 6) so was going to be separating them. He seems to be alright with the 6 and I have been thinking about putting him in the bigger tank with them but want to get a few more tetras and other fish as well so wasn't sure if the betta would cope or go on another killing spree. I know to avoid guppies but everything I read said that bettas and tetras got on alright. Thanks everybody, I will either be buying Wunder Tonic tomorrow or grinding up some sea salt. Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Keep him in salted water until the tail grows back. You wll need to do daily changes of the water as it is the clean water that is the most essential element in preventing infection. The tail regrowth will appear translucent/ white at first and then hopefully will change to the original color. This will take a few weeks. I personally would not bother with wundertonic at the moment. In my experience water rock/ tonic salt are as effective as this, if not more so. I am a little surprised the neons a causing issues, however if your fighter has been causing trouble they may be retaliating. Sometimes male fighters are best alone as in nature they are solitary fish. In saying this I think there is nothing nicer than an active male fighter in a community tank. Good luck. If more of the tail should disappear please make sure you post on here again. Keep us updated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amb44 Posted July 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2012 Just an update - the betta has been in his ice-cream container since Saturday, and while the rot is worse than I had thought he seems to be responding well to the salt and being away from the tetras. I didn't realise how clamped his fins were, but he has now mostly unclamped his top fin. I will continue to do water changes with salt every day and hopefully he will continue to get better. Thanks again everyone for your help, Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Keep us posted :spop: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Glad to hear things are approving...keep us posted! Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amb44 Posted July 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 Hi again everyone, Things were improving a lot - his fins are all unclamped, the black edges that appeared have all gone but I have just noticed a new hole and one new tear. I guess I will be buying Wunder Tonic after all! I am still changing the water each day and don't have any ammonia/nitrites so I'm not sure why it has become worse. I've been looking at the photos I posted and he looks really ratty compared to them. The fins look about the same length but seem thinned out for lack of a better description. I tried to get photos but none turned out well at all. There is only colour at the end of the fins as well, they seem to be mostly transparent, but it is very dependent on the lighting. I don't know if this is just his colour or not but I thought it worth mentioning. Still no major red lines but the bottom fin still has a pinkish tinge mixed in with the transparent parts. Overall he seems much happier, I guess the rot had become too entrenched for salt to be able to fully take care of it (correct me if I'm wrong here). Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I've been away for a while so havent looked on the fishroom but how is your fighter doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amb44 Posted July 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 I've been away for a while so havent looked on the fishroom but how is your fighter doing? He's doing much better I think. I had a good look at him yesterday before I put the Wunder tonic in, and I'm pretty sure that there is new fin growing back in some places! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 good news, keep a watch on it for a while even after it seems to have completely grown back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxximuscool Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 Do water change 25% each day and do not forget to add tonic salt into the tank. From what I can see is a bite mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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