The ammonia is provided by the fish. This method of cycling is imo cruel but it sounds like the original poster tried to avoid having to do this by adding cycled filter media but it did not work. But it is not the original posters fault.
Finrot or Tail biter?
- Thread starter DieselJunki
- Start date
The ammonia is provided by the fish. This method of cycling is imo cruel but it sounds like the original poster tried to avoid having to do this by adding cycled filter media but it did not work. But it is not the original posters fault.
In a 3 gallon Eclipse I would just go ahead and do huge water changes with temperature matched water. Try to get the temp down to about 76 degrees, but slowly. Bettas like about 78 degrees but so do bacteria at 77 degrees and higher. Maybe you could put a fan near the tank to blow on it to cool it down.
I wonder why it's so warm... you're in Maine. You must keep your house pretty warm? Don't use water changes to bring the temp down, just let it cool down slowly with a fan blowing across the top of the tank. If you could leave the lid off, but cover it with a screen so he can't jump out that would help.
I have a Brochis in a 5 gallon Eclipse and have been doing 90% water changes daily to treat finrot. His fins look almost 100% after about 4 or 5 days. I use Prime and match the temp. I've also been using Melafix, but I don't know if that is good for Bettas. I've heard many people say they use it on Bettas, and many people say not to use it, so I don't know for sure.
I would do daily big water changes, as much as 80-90%. AmQuel is good, but so is Prime. Many people that breed and raise Bettas and keep them in small containers or tanks do daily 100% water changes, but I don't think that's necessary. I wouldn't do the salt. If his water is pristine his fins will probably heal in a few days.
The tank can still cycle even with big water changes because there will be enough traces of ammonia in the tank, even if it is undectable when tested. The clean water, however, is of utmost importance to cure finrot. I would just think of the 3 gallon tank as a big bowl and do big water changes. Keep the filter in it and eventually it will have a good colony of beneficial bacteria.
I like having a bubbler in a tank to aid in oxygenation for the fish's comfort. Even though Bettas are labyrinth fish and can breath air they still use their gills, too.
You're using the liquid test kit? That's much better than strips.
I wonder why it's so warm... you're in Maine. You must keep your house pretty warm? Don't use water changes to bring the temp down, just let it cool down slowly with a fan blowing across the top of the tank. If you could leave the lid off, but cover it with a screen so he can't jump out that would help.
I have a Brochis in a 5 gallon Eclipse and have been doing 90% water changes daily to treat finrot. His fins look almost 100% after about 4 or 5 days. I use Prime and match the temp. I've also been using Melafix, but I don't know if that is good for Bettas. I've heard many people say they use it on Bettas, and many people say not to use it, so I don't know for sure.
I would do daily big water changes, as much as 80-90%. AmQuel is good, but so is Prime. Many people that breed and raise Bettas and keep them in small containers or tanks do daily 100% water changes, but I don't think that's necessary. I wouldn't do the salt. If his water is pristine his fins will probably heal in a few days.
The tank can still cycle even with big water changes because there will be enough traces of ammonia in the tank, even if it is undectable when tested. The clean water, however, is of utmost importance to cure finrot. I would just think of the 3 gallon tank as a big bowl and do big water changes. Keep the filter in it and eventually it will have a good colony of beneficial bacteria.
I like having a bubbler in a tank to aid in oxygenation for the fish's comfort. Even though Bettas are labyrinth fish and can breath air they still use their gills, too.
You're using the liquid test kit? That's much better than strips.
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I was trying to save the original poster the water required to do such big changes but then again I am from Florida where we have constant water restrictions and you are penalized if you use too much. I keep having to remind myself it's not that way everywhere.
Any updates on the fish?
Jspigs - That is exactly what I tried to do. The tank I took the filter media from had 12 baby platys a mama platy and a cory cat. I figured that would have sufficient enough bacteria to support 1 betta. The tank has been set up for years and I thought the filter media would have been perfect and it's worked on my eclipse 6 and my 2.5 gallon tank also.
Replys in red
His fins have gotten worse so I'm hoping with me doing 90% water changes it will start to take a turn for the best.
Thanks for all your help!
Replys in red
His fins have gotten worse so I'm hoping with me doing 90% water changes it will start to take a turn for the best.
Thanks for all your help!
Doesn't really look like fin rot to me either. Fin Rot usually has a white edge and the rays would look fray. Either way...a good water change will cure it. I'd actually try to get the temp up to 82F-84F until it heals.
It has to be something because he used to have a black rim on the outside of his tail and now it's completely gone like something is eating his fins. So it must be fin rot.
What type of filter do you have on the tank? My betta would wrap his tail around the intake of my filter and the filter would suck it in and tear up the end of his tail. Any way, daily water changes should heal it whether it is from damage or fin rot. Most fin rot is caused by water conditions so if you improve them and keep them pristine, the tail should grow back. I had a cory who lost it's whole tail and that is all that it needed. It did take 3-4 weeks of daily water changes, but he grew his tail back. The daily water changes will help with the lack of cycle as well. Check the expiration date on your test kit too, just in case.
i'm going to hold onto my assessment-
they do get torn by getting snagged on objects like a filter or sharp edge poking out of plastic plants etc etc - I agree with benz about it not being a finrot- you would see some white tinge with it- it looks just like a clean break- could do some little salt or stress coat to help heal the tail
also is there another fish in the tank as well too?
they do get torn by getting snagged on objects like a filter or sharp edge poking out of plastic plants etc etc - I agree with benz about it not being a finrot- you would see some white tinge with it- it looks just like a clean break- could do some little salt or stress coat to help heal the tail
also is there another fish in the tank as well too?
If the filter intake is a problem you could get one of those foam blocks, fluval foam or something like that, cut a small deep hole in one end and pull it up over the intake.
I have one on every intake to keep from sucking up the snails. I squeeze and swish it from time to time in a bucket of tankwater, because it can get a bit gunked up.
I replace the blocks, every now and then, with foam blocks that I"ve really cleaned well with tap water, but I always give the replacements a good soak in old tank water, or a bucket of water that I've treated with Prime, before putting them back on the filter intake.
When you say you test and "nothing seems to show..." do you mean no ammonia, nitrite, and/or nitrate? If you have no ammonia and nitrite that's great. It maybe is cycled, and although you would normally see nitrate in a cycled tank, maybe the daily water changes you were doing have been removing that.
Whatever the case, keep up the daily big water changes and your guy should be better soon. Keep up the good work!
I have one on every intake to keep from sucking up the snails. I squeeze and swish it from time to time in a bucket of tankwater, because it can get a bit gunked up.
I replace the blocks, every now and then, with foam blocks that I"ve really cleaned well with tap water, but I always give the replacements a good soak in old tank water, or a bucket of water that I've treated with Prime, before putting them back on the filter intake.
When you say you test and "nothing seems to show..." do you mean no ammonia, nitrite, and/or nitrate? If you have no ammonia and nitrite that's great. It maybe is cycled, and although you would normally see nitrate in a cycled tank, maybe the daily water changes you were doing have been removing that.
Whatever the case, keep up the daily big water changes and your guy should be better soon. Keep up the good work!
It's gotta be finrot because his tail is disappearing... There are no sharp things in his tank, their are real plants and a piece of mopani drift wood. His tail is much worse then it was when I took that last picture.
I do mean that nothing shows no ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate. :huh:
I do mean that nothing shows no ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate. :huh:
