BTW, the fin loss is not permanent ... it will grow back most of the lost
tissue within a few weeks, if the fish is on the way to recovery, of course.

You know the really frustrating thing? The day before I found him dead, there
was what my LFS (Byerly's for those of you in Ohio) suggested was probably
regenerative fuzz. Don't know the technical name but I'm pretty sure it wasn't
fungal and it certainly was fuzz.

Ah well, no more non-LFS bettas for the boyfriend.

Do plants raise PH levels?

You know, I've wondered about that. I've read that decaying matter can be the
cause of lowered pH in a tank... but I wonder if the nutrients that plants take
in can do it as well... and if they DID, then if the plants were consuming the
pH lowering nutrients it would make sense that there'd be a pH rise, at least
to what it was before the excess nutrients. I can't really see it consistently
raising the pH though. This is pretty much all theory here, so don't do
anything based on what I've rambled about! ~

My best guess for the pH rise in your main tank (just on what you've shared)
might be that you've vaccumed your gravel from a pretty funky state and done a
water change. Icky stuff in the tank should lower the pH and rectifying the
situation seems like it would put your pH back to close where it originally
was. Again, don't go on my word here... it's all theory!

Interesting side note about meds... I heard from a few people I asked at the
LFS that if a fish recovers from something that 'needs' erythromycin (Mardel
tablets) he was probably going to recover anyway. Somethign to ponder.

Zen masters of the freshwater universe? Oh please correct me if I'm giving out
bad info.

Happy Trails,
Jessica

(Oh please let the tank cycle...)