Chronic Fin Rot - Betta

[Todd K.]

This pattern has been going on a while.

I change the bettas water (about 1 gal of his 1.5 gal tank every week) and
a couple of days later he suddenly gets fin rot overnight. I treat with 1
tsp salt to the 1.5 gal and a couple of days later he's fine again. For a
couple of week or so I left him with 1/2 tsp salt and he was fine, then I
didn't salt the water after the water change and back to square one again.

Does anyone else have this problem? Shouldn't he be able to live without
the added salt?

I did read on this group that water pH is important for fin rot. High pH is
bad. When I was only doing 25%-33% weekly water changes, I carefully
measured pH and adjusted by mixing tap with distilled water to something
under 8.0. He then developed the fin rot problem (around the beginning of
summer...water temp?). I measured nitrates and concluded they were way high
(40 to 80 ppm) and that is what was causing the fin rot, so that's when I
started doing 66%-75% weekly changes. Since I was changing most of the
water, I figured I could just blindly use my 7.8 pH tap water with out
measuring the pH. I just checked my pH. It was 8.67. Is that a problem?
Anyways, I'll start blending in the distilled water again in the future.

Thanks,

Todd K.

[Flash Wilson]

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 17:21:11 GMT, Todd K. > wrote:
>I change the bettas water (about 1 gal of his 1.5 gal tank every week) and
>a couple of days later he suddenly gets fin rot overnight. I treat with 1
>tsp salt to the 1.5 gal and a couple of days later he's fine again. For a
>couple of week or so I left him with 1/2 tsp salt and he was fine, then I
>didn't salt the water after the water change and back to square one again.
>
>Does anyone else have this problem? Shouldn't he be able to live without
>the added salt?

Yep, I never add salt to bettas (I read that they don't like it.)

Bettas are prone to fin rot, although mine lived for months
with it.

When it worsened I used meth blue - as he had his own tank with
frequent water changes it didn't really matter about the bacteria
damage potential - and changed the water every 3 days adding
fresh meth blue, for about 2 weeks. Arrested and slightly
improved things, but he was never free of it...



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[Lady Samsara]

(Flash Wilson) wrote in message >...
> On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 17:21:11 GMT, Todd K. > wrote:
> >I change the bettas water (about 1 gal of his 1.5 gal tank every week) and
> >a couple of days later he suddenly gets fin rot overnight. I treat with 1
> >tsp salt to the 1.5 gal and a couple of days later he's fine again. For a
> >couple of week or so I left him with 1/2 tsp salt and he was fine, then I
> >didn't salt the water after the water change and back to square one again.
> >
> >Does anyone else have this problem? Shouldn't he be able to live without
> >the added salt?
>
> Yep, I never add salt to bettas (I read that they don't like it.)
>
> Bettas are prone to fin rot, although mine lived for months
> with it.
>
> When it worsened I used meth blue - as he had his own tank with
> frequent water changes it didn't really matter about the bacteria
> damage potential - and changed the water every 3 days adding
> fresh meth blue, for about 2 weeks. Arrested and slightly
> improved things, but he was never free of it...

I have always used salt with my Bettas. I know there's a big
contoversy over salt...it just seems as if it has helped with healing
after fin issues.

I have had very good luck with using either Maracyn-2 or Jungle Fungus
Eliminator. I would do one dose, wait a week or so and sometimes
repeat, depending on how they look. All the while I keep the water
very, very clean. This has always worked for me. Not to say the
fraying doesn't return, unfortunately they are prone to it. Good
luck!

[TYNK 7]

>Subject: Re: Chronic Fin Rot - Betta
>From: (Lady Samsara)
>Date: 7/22/2004 5:11 PM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: >
>
(Flash Wilson) wrote in message
>...
>> On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 17:21:11 GMT, Todd K. > wrote:
>> >I change the bettas water (about 1 gal of his 1.5 gal tank every week) and
>
>> >a couple of days later he suddenly gets fin rot overnight. I treat with 1
>> >tsp salt to the 1.5 gal and a couple of days later he's fine again. For a
>
>> >couple of week or so I left him with 1/2 tsp salt and he was fine, then I
>> >didn't salt the water after the water change and back to square one again.
>> >
>> >Does anyone else have this problem? Shouldn't he be able to live without
>> >the added salt?
>>
>> Yep, I never add salt to bettas (I read that they don't like it.)
>>
>> Bettas are prone to fin rot, although mine lived for months
>> with it.
>>
>> When it worsened I used meth blue - as he had his own tank with
>> frequent water changes it didn't really matter about the bacteria
>> damage potential - and changed the water every 3 days adding
>> fresh meth blue, for about 2 weeks. Arrested and slightly
>> improved things, but he was never free of it...
>
>I have always used salt with my Bettas. I know there's a big
>contoversy over salt...it just seems as if it has helped with healing
>after fin issues.
>
>I have had very good luck with using either Maracyn-2 or Jungle Fungus
>Eliminator. I would do one dose, wait a week or so and sometimes
>repeat, depending on how they look. All the while I keep the water
>very, very clean. This has always worked for me. Not to say the
>fraying doesn't return, unfortunately they are prone to it. Good
>luck!
>
>

I too find using salt benefits Bettas.
I would also agree on the use of Jungle brand's Fungus Eliminator..not the
other fungus cure made by the same company, but the fungus eliminator. It works
on fin rot and other bacterial diseases.