Mixed questions/concerns - SOS UPDATE

^_^ Yeah I'll get them tomorrow. My friend is paying me to help out with her garage sale and extra housework.....I normally would do it for free but you know my situation....what doesn't go to my gas tank goes to the fishies.

Yeah both fish never minded their homes being moved about the house or cleaned with water changes and such but today Alpha just freaked out about it and was hiding from me for a good few hours or so. He's back where he belongs now and I have a tea towel covering his tank so he doesn't have any distractions and he can see there's been no major change to his home. As soon as I'm paid tomorrow I'll stop by the store on my way home and get those meds. I think I saw a mix that both treated fin rot and also helped fin regrowth....but I'll buy the fin rot medication if I have to choose between the two.


And really, I don't mind sending some money to you as a thank you for sending me stuff....I'll be able to spare it soon after I get Alpha healed up.

No way do I want any money! Buy them some frozen brine shrimp as they love it.

You can tell them its from me. After all I'm so renowned in the Betta World!

Hahahaha!! Aside from their pellets I also have flakes with bits of dried brine shrips and something else too, I'm assuming blood worms. Even with how tiny the shrimp are I still have to break it up and soak it for a good while before Alpha will eat it....otherwise he carries it around like it's an egg that he's trying to find the bubble nest for or something, lol. His mouth is still so tiny.

Now the VT....HIS mouth can suck up anything in one bite. He's much bigger than Alpha is....though currently just as fat till Alpha empties his system a bit.


And actually I found frozen stuff at Pet Supplies Plus...they're the ONLY place that has frozen treats and they had a variety pack of cubed stuffs and then there was a 2-back value deal with the blood worms.

Oh and for the VT....I noticed he stopped bubble-nesting for a while so I cut off the bottom of a dixie cup, poked a few pinpricks through the bottom and put it in his water......he started bubble-gathering under it ^_^ I had to do the holes so the air wouldn't be trapped when I set it in and if I tilted it in the water to let it escape then the top would fill with water and sink it, lol. He seems to like it a lot.

I also checked the stores for IAL, and found nothing. Agway never even heard of it before but I might be able to get PSP to begin stocking them.

I should get some enticements for bubbling for my boys. I just don't want them to get any ideas as I'm not ready! lol! Maybe the old ping pong ball for now.

A frozen variety pack would probably be good. imagine it might have daphnia in it too. The shrimp thaw in a few minutes and you can see the shape sometimes. Maybe krill too!

Yeah the variety pack has a lot....like....even SQUID O.o

I dunno about squid....but I'll see what they have that's beta-specific, get the meds, and then head to the grocery store for some peas because I have the feeling Alpha will need them badly, lol. He's still just a baby!

I don't think the squid is a good idea as it found in saltwater. As always someone can correct me if I'm mistaken. I can take it since know one knows what I look like!

I wouldn't feed squid, but the others sound fine.

If you feed freeze dried brine shrimp and bloodworms, make sure you soak them even for the VT - other wise they swell up in their tummies

Yeah I only give them one tiny dried morsel in the morning and nothing else till the evening with the bigger meal time.

I'm still concerned for his fin as another spot appeared so I'll be sure to get some fin rot treatment.

Is there a medicine that's almost like a cure-all?? That would be a bit more practical to get for my budget.

As long as it is soaked it's fine, but it is always recommended to rehydrate the freezedried foods

Not sure what meds you have tbh so can't advise on that

API makes Melafix which helps promote wound and fin healing. Thats one you could try! Just go to their site and review the meds and make your choice/s. API is available in lots of lfs.

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F.Banks wrote:API makes Melafix which helps promote wound and fin healing. Thats one you could try! Just go to their site and review the meds and make your choice/s. API is available in lots of lfs.

They also make one called Pimafix that works in combination with the Melafix! Might want to read about that one too!

Be careful if you use melafix - in a tank with no aeration (filter or bubble stone) it can be dangerous - especially to Labrinth organ fish (bettas, gouramis). I have had issues with this med at normal does, but others have had success with using a reduced dose

I got one called Bettafix from API Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. My choices were SEVERELY limited (we don't have fish stores, just stores that sell a variety of pets and they don't care for their fish well).

On this it says "A safe, all natural way to treat Bettas for bacterial infections. Contains the healing power of Melaleuca, a botanical extract, to treat open wounds and tissue damaged by handling and netting. Use whenever Bettas exhibit signs of bacterial disease, such as frayed or torn fins, red ulcers or slimy patches."

I double checked with the so-called fish expert there and he said this should heal Alpha right up, if he has fin rot or not....if he does it'll kill the cause and heal and if he doesn't then it won't hurt him and just heal the fins. So I'm hoping this works.

But I felt so bad. I was looking through their new supply of Bettas and found this gorgeous orange Cambodian-colored VT but he was COVERED in Ick! I felt so bad....I even snapped a picture of him.....and a gorgeous pink-peach and lavender marble VT.

Meleleuca is just tea tree oil, some people swear by the medications containing it and others would never use it. Maybe take Silverrabbit's advice and try it at a reduced dose for now (maybe 2/3 dose) and see how he goes

He seems fine so far. It says to put in what would be 1stp for my tank size, every day for a week THEN water change. However I understand they don't specify specific instructions for filter vs unfiltered so I just put in one dose and wait till the next regular WC. I mean, it stays in the water, right? So increasing the amount within the water daily doesn't make much sense to me. If it's in there then it's in there and should work and more should only be added when some is taken away and new water added, right??


Or is my logic going too deep again?

You really need a bubble stone going to aerate the water - meds deplete 02 in the water and if it's not mixed in properly a film of med can form on the top of the water, making it hard for the betta to breathe from the surface

Ahhhh. If I see film I usually take a cup and scoop it out and put some fresh water in.....I'm very picky about the surface area being clean and clear.

He's got some massive new holes now....seems to be on his ray points right now. I'm really hoping this clears up soon!!

Keep an eye as it might be a bacterial fin rot that needs antibiotics to clear it up. Something like Jungle should sell something appropriate

Jungle???

I dunno what's truly causing it....but I was told this med should help as it solves a variety of problems from fungus to parasitic and others as well as overall heals. It seems like a cure-all, and once I get the heater installed things should smooth out better.

If it is bacterial, the stuff you have will be useless. Yes, melealuca is antibacterial, but at the concentration you'd need to kill an established bacterial finrot infection, it'd probably also cause some serious irritation to the fish's gills and mucous membranes. Ever got tea tree oil up your nose or anywhere alse sensitive? It stings like mad... that's what a large dose would do to a fish.

I would persevere for now, but if you see no improvement within a couple of days then an antibiotic medication would definitely be something to get.

Alrighty, I'll keep a super close watch on him. I don't think this medicine is straight up Melealuca....I think it's a mix of stuff but even still, Alpha's my baby and I want him to be well. It's so hard to find decent fishies in this area, he's irreplaceable to me.

ok so I went to the store today to find a different medication for Alpha. They had the same stuff I have and they did SWEAR by it....they had something else that was a different type of plant extract (some sort of tree?) and the aquarium salt. I told them my situation and the tips you all gave me. All they could suggest was either the stuff I'm already using regardless of the no filter thing, OR the salt, so I got the salt. Thing is I want your opinion on how to use it before I do anything. Do I do both the other med AND the salt? Or start with a fresh clean tank with salt? Do I slowly introduce it to him? How vital is it to be 100% exact (even though I'll be as exact as possible)? How should I go about this from where I'm at?

Personally I think you need to change your pet store, they obviously know nothing about medicines. I know you're trying to do the very best for Alpha though and the salt will help.

The bettafix/melafix etc are all a natural plant-based medication, they're all the same active ingredient and nobody is even sure it works. Most finrot medications contain something like phenoxyethanol, or you could try methylene blue or an antibacterial med.

The salt doesn't actually have a direct effect on the organisms causing the infection, the way it works is by upping the electrolytes in the water which helps the fish fight off the infection faster on his own. It'll give him a bit of a boost, and you should add it when you do a water change.

It's fine to add it alongside the other medication. I would start off at a half dose so as not to shock him and up it to a full dose over a couple of days as alpha is feeling fragile, so, if your tank is 2.5 US gals, add a flat teaspoon of salt dissolved in warm water on day one, then a day or two later on your next water change add another flat teaspoon, then the same again two days later. This brings it up to a full dose (according to the salt I have anyway, but salt is salt so the same will apply to you).

Then, every time you do a water change after that, just add half a teaspoon or so to keep the concentration stable until he's better, then each time you change the water a bit of salt will be removed as you add fresh water.

I hope he starts to pick up soon, it must be awful for you seeing him poorly for so long with no real improvement

Trust me when I say... don't listen to pet stores/aquatic centres.... most of them don't have a clue unfortunately

Meth blue could be your next option - it is relatively cheap and will be ok to use seeing as you don't have a filter (it kills of beneficial bacteria in a filter)

Yeah, we only have two stores in the area who sell Bettas other than freaken Wal-Mart, lol, though Agway had some AWESOME looking VT's there, one was mustard with blue fins, just gorgeous.


I'll do as you say with the salt....and you're right about my concern. It kills me to see him like this.


If it helps any it also seems like he's scratching himself, rubbing against the glass and his plants. The other doesn't do this.

And I fear my only other option, if this salt doesn't help, would be to find specific meds online with your help. Our stores just aren't well-equipped enough, and I live in a small area where high-end stuff is hard to come by.

However, I'm PRAYING this salt will work. I had only just enough money to get it for him today, skipped out on some gas in the tank for him ^_^

And I think he IS gonna end up HM fins....I got pics on my camera of him last night but I'm gonna wait to upload in case his fins get worse before they get better.


EDIT: Just examined him again, it's spread to other fins now. It's now all over him except the dorsal now. I'm gonna give his tank a full clean tomorrow to start fresh with measurements and everything, for now I put in 1/2 tsp (says 1tsp/USG) and he was swimming through the area I pured it in at and it didn't seem to bother him at all. Made me cringe though because I know how it feels getting salt in your eye and I know it's different 'cause he's a fishy but he's a freshwater not a saltwater....makes me think it would sting him