First Fin Rot

[leander]

Hi!
I'm a relatively new owner, but I'm learning what I can. My betta, Andy, has had a case of fin rot pretty much since I got him. Initially, I didn't diagnose it as such because he took almost three weeks to start eating after the (apparently) traumatic bus ride home, and figured it was just weight loss.

Once I realized what it was, I sterilized his tank and all the things in it with boiling water and soap (yes, very well rinsed out). He's now living in a bare tank with only a vinyl plant for to break up the monotony. I initially started treating with Splendid Betta BettaFix Remedy, and by the next day, it looked like an amazing recovery - regrowth had started. It's now two weekslater, and the rot seems to be getting progressively worse. I've recently noted that, as he swims, there seems to me an almost ethereal white trail following him, as if the water were dirty (it was cleaned yesterday) - perhaps this is pus?

I've moved on to API Melafix (which has a higher concentration of Melaleuca, in case this is a Canada-specific product). The temperature is fine, and fairly well regulated. Temperament hasn't changed, he's still fiesty and greedy, with the possible exception of resting on the foliage more. I've been changing water every 3-4 days, but will now do it every 7, as per the Melafix instructions.

The stores I've been to don't have the products mentioned on the main site, so I've picked the ones that seem best suited for fin rot. I haven't yet tried aquarium salt, because I want to give the Melafix a fair shot. Basically, I'm just looking for confirmation that I'm doing everything I can, and should just wait it out (is a four-week healing period accurate?), or that I need to take more action.

Thanks very much for your support and advice!

Leander

[loke]

I'm having the same problem... My betta can't decide whether he watns to get better or worse, his fin rot is devastating and he basically looks like a hobo fish that hasn't bathed in weeks. I keep changing the water, putting the Melaluca in, keeping the water as warm as possible, but nothing seems to be helping or hurting him. I can't imagine he feels very good, but he is swimming a lot and has gotten past his "lie on the bottom of the tank breathing heavily and looking otherwise dead" phase. I haven't put his plant back in because i don't want to risk him damaging his fins any more. He still doesn't eat, and I'm not sure why.

Also, what am I to do when (if betta is still living) I leave school in two weeks? I have someone that's offered to take care of him here over the summer, but there's a 1-week interim and I can't imagine leaving the poor thing alone for that long... but I also can't imagine bringing him on a 3-hour bus and then a 6-hour flight.

[amanichen]

Instead of Melafix, use a more powerful antibiotic. Melafix is one of the weaker antibiotics, and is better at healing damage than it is at actually killing bacteria.

Penicillin, tetracycline, nitrofurazone, and sulfa drugs should will deal with aggressive fin rot better than the melafix. Once the wounds are healed and any bacteria are killed, fin regrowth will take around four weeks.

Sometimes fin rot is an indication of another problem that's compromising a fish's immune system, especially if it's aggressive.

You haven't provided any details of your fish's habitat or your care routine. Check out this thread for guidelines on what kind of information is useful:

healthybetta.proboards19.com/index.cgi?board=newvisitorinfo&action=display&thread=1143564362