Help with my fishy friend.

[amphrite]

My betta will not get better. I have had him for four months maybe, and he keeps getting Fin/tail rot. I have fungicide, and I tried changing the water, and then only 10% water changes, and he seems to be better for a while, then it comes back. It is not near his body yet, but about 50% of his tail is gone. I recently moved him to a 2 gallon tank so the water conditions would be slightly more stable and so I would not have to do water changes every other day. The 100% water change seemed to work, but not enough to actually get rid of it.

This is probably hard to read and I am sorry. I am burning out at work and I have had to deal with this as well. It is really upsetting to come home, look at your fish and see strands of where his tail used to be. :(

So, Does anyone have any other ideas? I cannot find a decent water test kit, but I know calgary's PH is high. I have to leave the light on constantly because even a slight drop in temp seems to make it worse as well. However at this point it seems like LOOKING at him makes it worse.


Sigh. My poor poofy Izzy.

[Amethyst Hunter]

Based on the medicinal chart I have here in front of me, I'd say your betta has a bacterial infection (read: something internal) that can't be dealt with by fungicide alone. Water quality definitely helps with recovery, so you were right to switch him. However, if you want to knock out the tail/fin rot, you'll need something more powerful and geared specifically towards that disease. My chart suggests any one or more of the following in conjunction with either CopperSafe or Maracide (these will help protect against reinfection from any lingering parasites in the aquarium): Maracyn-Two, Maracyn-Plus, Trisulfa, and/or Tetracycline tablets.

You may also wish to ask your local pet shop dealers for their advice; they may know more than just what my chart says. (As a keeper of bettas myself, I've only ever had problems with dropsy, which I've never ever been able to treat successfully in any fish I've had, despite using the Mardel line of products - which is where I got the chart from. This is likely because dropsy is near-impossible to cure due to that disease's nature, not because there's anything wrong with the Mardel products themselves.)

Good luck. :)

[Listerfiend]

Unfortunately I don't have any info for you, but the folks on http://www.ultimatebettas.net are extremely helpful.

[amphrite]

Thanks for the tips. I went to the BIG pet emporium (piscis) and they help me find some heavy duty stuff for him. Hopefully it will help. I have grow very attached to him. :o

[BlaqueKatt]

I just want to say good luck-and I'm glad you're taking care of him instead of just saying "oh he's a fish-I can flush him and get another one"-yay for people who love their fishies---dammit I want a guppy now.:cry: