Re: pictures of my Betta... in an unheated, unfiltered
bowl... hypochondria sans knowledge
05/14/08
Thank you for the links! From your website, I've discovered that he has
fin and tail rot which I'm treating him with Bettafix for. He seems to
be getting some of his color back and he's spreading his fins out
occasionally again. However, I'm worried about the lump under his chin.
What do you think it is and what can I do for it?
<Can't tell...>
The fish specialist at Petsmart said it could be an internal infection
or ulcer so she recommended "Anti-bacteria food by Jungle."
<I would just wait...>
I've been feeding him this for about 4 days now and I don't see any
significant changes except that he is blowing bubbles whenever I'm near
him or I try to feed him. He only eats a tiny piece of the crushed up
pellet and sometimes none at all. It's almost like he's too preoccupied
with blowing his bubbles to eat and I'm worried that he's dying because
he's always eaten like a pig, until about a week ago when I noticed he
was really sick. I would give him Maracyn because that is supposed to
treat finrot and lots of other infections, but he is in about a 2-quart,
little fish bowl with no heating or filtration.
<... this is the root of the trouble... Read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwsetupindex.htm
the third set down... Betta Systems... you're killing this fish>
The fish specialist at Petsmart said it would be too strong for him.
Would you recommend that I get a small tank with a heater and filter for
him so I can give him the Maracyn, or can he be healed in the bowl with
just the medicated food, a pinch of aquarium salt and Bettafix alone?
<The fish will die prematurely in the present circumstances. It does not
need "medicines">
I would worry about transferring him to a new tank with a new
temperature in his condition. I guess what I need to know is what can I
do that would be the best for him? -Erika
<Keep reading, save your medicine money... Bob Fenner>
bettafix not helping fin and tail
rot 05/09/08
Hi! This question is for Bob. I have a smaller male betta fish with quite a
serious case fin and tail rot, I'm pretty sure based on what I've read on here.
I have had him since last August and he has about a 2 quart bowl with no filter
or heating system. I used tap water with Prime by Seachem brand conditioning
drops that remove chlorine, chloramine, and ammonia, and detoxifies nitrate, and
nitrite, and provides a slime coat. The room temperature was always sort of on
the colder side about 65-70 degrees because I was living in a college dorm with
a roommate who liked the room cold. I didn't know that colder temperatures could
be harmful to bettas. I would change the water about every 2-3 weeks because it
would develop a slimy-cloudy film on top. I always fed him one food pellet a day
and sometimes an extra one because he always ate like a pig. Around the middle
of this past April, I noticed parts of his fins starting to disappear like they
were being torn off and he was not spreading them out like he used to. I
immediately changed his water and didn't think that it was anything serious
because he was still acting normally. Then a few days later, I brought him home
with me from college for the summer. My house temperature is much warmer (about
77-79 degrees.) A few days after I was home, I noticed that he didn't seem to be
feeling well and a little more of his tail and fins were missing. I went to
Petco and asked the fish expert what it could be and what I should do. She gave
me Bettafix medication. I changed the water to my home tap water and added the
prime and bettafix medicine as directed. I continued to add the Bettafix for 7
days without changing the water as directed. On the 8th day, I noticed he looked
like he was getting worse. So I changed the water and some tiny pieces of his
fin came off in the net. He also looked very pale, he's an aqua blue color, but
he looked like a pale-translucent-blue-grey I went online and looked up betta
diseases and fin and tail rot seemed to match my fish's condition. I freaked out
and rushed to petco to get a better medication. I told them the bettafix they
gave me before wasn't working and what was happening to his fins. The fish
"expert" told me that he probably wouldn't make it and gave me a different type
of bettafix and aquarium salt. I changed the water, added the prime conditioner,
a pinch of the salt, and the new bettafix. This was yesterday (5-6-08.) Then I
fed him and he ate like a pig as usual. This morning he looked like he was
feeling better, he was vibrant aqua and his fins and tail were spread out. Then,
this afternoon he started to look sick again with his fins and tail clumped
together. I tried feeding him but when he tried eating the pellet, it was like
he couldn't get it in his mouth. He kept missing it or he wasn't opening his
mouth wide enough, or it was too big. So I cut the tiny pellet in half and he
finally was able to eat 2 halves. Eating has never been a problem for him before
so I'm really worried. So, I went to petsmart and I learned that the old
bettafix I used and the new bettafix I was using was the same thing in a
different bottle. I checked both of them and they both have .2% of melaleuca in
them. I read on the internet that bettafix is good to treat fish who have mild
cases of fin and tailrot or who are recovering from it, and in secondary cases,
they need something stronger. The girl at petsmart told me that any other
medication would be too strong for him because he is in such a small bowl. But
if he has a serious case of fin and tail rot, then will the bettafix be enough
to stop it? I read that online that I should try Maracyn-TC by mardel, is that a
good choice? Please tell me what I can
do to save him.
-Erika
<Erika, "bettafix" and other tea tree oil-based products are indeed very
unreliable and (in my opinion) not worth using. Maracyn would be a much better
bet for fixing Finrot on a Betta. So yes, use that. Salt is neither here nor
there when treating Finrot, but do remember that lowland Betta species like
Betta splendens like quite warm water so certainly maintain the tank at around
25-28 degrees C. Frequent water changes and good filtration are also critical,
because ultimately Finrot is caused by poor water conditions. Don't force food
into the poor little chap, and if he doesn't want to eat right now, don't worry
about it. When he gets better, his appetite will return. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: bettafix not helping fin and tail rot 05/14/08
Thank you so much for your quick response! I bought a 1 gallon tank with
a pump and filter,
<Read again... tropical fish... needs a thermostatic heater>
and some new stones to go at the bottom. I also bought Maracyn two
<Stop!>
because the diagnosis guide said it was for sick fish who won't eat and
it treats internal infections as well as the fin and tail rot. I
transferred him to the new tank with the Maracyn two (I had added 1/5 of
the powder in the packet because it is 1 packet per 5 gallons.) The
water temperature is about 76-77 degrees F. I gave him some freeze dried
mixture food that includes bloodworms, mysis shrimp, and daphnia. He ate
a small piece of it. Then he just laid in the bottom of the tank,
completely listless for a couple of hours. Then he went to the top and
he was just floating at the top of the tank, letting the water move him.
He looked like he was in a trance or on drugs or something. When I would
go up to him and talk to him he would swim a little and he ate a couple
more tiny pieces of food. Is this trance-like state something I should
be worried about? Is he healing or is he having a bad reaction to the
Maracyn? What signs can I look for that will tell me if he is
recovering?
Thanks for all your help!
-Erika
<Read, stop pouring money into medicines... the real problem here is
environmental, not pathogenic. BobF>
Re: bettafix not helping fin and tail rot -05/15/08
Hi Bob!
<It's Neale today.>
Thanks for your advice! In regards to the heater, I bought a thermometer
that sticks on the outside of the tank and it has been reading 78-80
degrees F. Do I still need a heater?
<Unless you home is heated to a constant 25 C/ 77 F, then yes, your
aquarium needs a heater.>
If so, I'll go out and get a 5 gallon tank because the smallest volume
that the heaters at the pet store will take, but I don't want to over
heat him.
<Indeed not. Look at the cost difference between 5 and 8 or 10 gallon
tanks; the difference in price is usually trivial, but the difference is
hobby value is dramatic. With an 8 or 10 gallon tank you could add
plants, snails, shrimps... generally make a nice little "underwater
world" instead of a bowl.>
I would have bought the 5 gallon tank to begin with, but he's just one
tiny fish. Should I look into getting a tank-mate for him?
<Usually not a good idea to mix fancy Bettas with other fish, and
certainly never add any other kind of fish to a tank a mere 5 gallons in
size.>
I'm not sure how he would respond to that in is ill condition and I'm
afraid even another tank change could be too stressful for him.
<Moving him to a bigger, healthier tank can *only* benefit him.
Remember, he's a fish, not a person. He doesn't care much about
"familiar surroundings", but what does matter is clean water, the right
temperature, etc.>
From what I've learned from reading, I need to get a gravel vacuum and
sponge filter right?
<Gravel vacuum cleaners are a gimmick, and total overkill in a 5-10
gallon tank. But sponge filters are ideal for Bettas.>
Also, are you sure that he doesn't need medicine to get well because if
it's an infection, than doesn't he need an anti-biotic to kill it?
<Antibiotics are for treating bacterial infections. If he has Finrot,
then yes, antibiotics are important. But otherwise there's no need to
use them.>
Or do you think he has no infection?
<Not obvious from these photos. Finrot is very distinctive: frayed fins,
white/pink decaying tissue, often streaks of blood vessels obvious along
the fins.>
I'm afraid if I don't give him the medicine, he'll die. He's hanging in
like a champion for all he's been through the past 4 weeks. I know he
had fin and tail rot, but his fins have stopped shrinking and are
strengthening.
<Then he's improving. Finrot is a "symptom" of poor water quality; it's
a sign the fish's immune system was overwhelmed by the normal bacteria
in the water. In poor water, the immune system is stressed, so these
bacteria that normally don't cause problems end up damaging the fish.>
The other symptoms he had a few days ago led me to believe he had
another type of disease (listlessness, not eating, black/swollen gills,
loss of color, clamped fins, lump under throat.) So, the Maracyn two
seemed necessary. Today is day 3 of Maracyn treatment and he appears to
be doing much better. The Maracyn two seems to be helping. He is eating
small, crushed pieces of food now instead of just blowing bubbles when I
put the food in. I crush one pellet and sprinkle a pinch of the freeze
dried melody in there once in the morning and once at night.
<All sounds pretty normal. Take care not to overfeed.>
I think I should lighten up a little though because he doesn't appear to
be having bowl movements. He also looks a little bloated near the end of
his body, he might be constipated. I was so concerned that he wasn't
eating that I may have been feeding him a little too much the past 2 or
3 days. What do you think? He's also out of the trance like state he was
in those 1st few hours of the Maracyn two treatment. He's constantly at
the top of the tank, swimming around (he likes the bubbles from the
pump.)
<Fish actually *don't* like bubbles much, and fish farmers use bubbles
as "walls" to block fish into particular areas. You've perhaps also seen
those whales that make bubbles to corral small fish into dense schools
that can be eaten easily. So when you see fish attracted to the bubbles,
it's much more likely the fish isn't getting clean, well oxygenated
water. The aerated water with the bubbles is the healthiest patch in the
tank, so that's where the fish goes.>
He also looked like he was getting some of his shiny aqua color back
this morning. I think he is healing, but I could be wrong. What should I
do? Should I stop giving him Maracyn two?
<Always a good idea to *finish* a course of medication.>
Should I get him a 5 gallon tank with a heater?
<Yes, or even a bigger tank with some Cherry Shrimps or something else
that will be harmless but fun to watch.>
Should I keep him in the 1 gallon tank?
<No. 1-gallon tanks are death traps. They're a con, and shouldn't be on
the market.>
I know I've spent quite a bit of money, but I'll do anything to keep him
alive.
<Unfortunately, ALL animals are expensive to maintain. If your retailer
told you this was a "cheap" pet they were misleading you.>
I appreciate all of the links, articles, and FAQ readings, I've learned
a lot from them and I understand you and the crew spend tons of time
telling people the same things over and over again, It must get tedious.
<Only tedious to know that lots of people don't read, and treat their
pets as disposable ornaments. Those who ask questions, however often,
aren't tedious at all, and are welcome at WWM anytime.>
However, my fish is in a very specific situation, and if you could,
please tell me what I should do for him. I've attached some pictures I
took just now. Thank you for helping me rescue my baby!
-Erika
<Cheers, Neale.> |
