fin rot question

[T/A]

My Betta has fin rot. I have started treating him with Stress Coat and Melafix. Will adding some aquarium salt help in the healing process?

 

[MrMup04]

yeah i think so, i think i tried it last time and it work, i think theres a certain kind of salt like idoized or unidoized salt or something

 

[PreciousGems]

Salt should help, but neither the Stress Coat or Melafix are strong meds to use against fin rot. However some say they do work well. Just don't use IDODIZED salt, use [freshwater] aquarium salt. I-salt is table salt, big no-no.

Alexa

 

[Iggy]

Melafix and salt will not stop fin rot. Get Jungle Anti-fungus or Maracyn or some other fin-rot treating medicine. Melafix is only a fin regrowth stimulator, not a medicine that can kill the disease.

Do a full water change first, clean the gravel really well, and then add the meds (remove any carbon filters you might have)

 

[exodon]

FINROT

finrot is typically an infection that requires two steps.
One, find out why u have finrot by checking the water chemistry and back tracking to determine what stress caused it.

Two, treat with the approiate remedy. Melafix can be effective if the infection is caught in the early stages and you correct the cause of the finrot.

generally, a double dose of salt, or a salt bath will help, followed by a medicinal treatment of ...
OTC - Oxytetracycline - use caution as OTC disrupts the biological aspect of your aquarium.
Maracyn is also effective, but slow to see results.
EM, or Myacin, or Kanacyn, tend to be the better of most, but see whats available at yer LFS.

Good luck.
Exodon.

 

[T/A]

Thanks for info everyone. I had just moved my Betta to my 10 gallon. In the morning of the 5th day everything seemed fine but that night I noticed the back fin was ripped a little and had a hole. I immediatly moved him back to his 2 gallon and added Stress Coat and Melafix. Last night another piece of his fin partially came off. I'll be getting some better meds today. Hopefully that will do it. Thanks again.

 

[BlueAngel]

whoa! You are using Melafix on your betta!! Big no no. Melafix is much tooo strong for a betta. Betafix is much better it's more diluted and won't damage the fish's lungs. Melafix can be used if severly diluted... like only a few drops (not sure the actuall proportions here) Melafix is an antibacterial med as well so I've used it on pacu to help with fin rot and it worked wonders. I have had to use it once or twice on my bettas as I had nothing else to use at the time but like I said only in severely diluted form. You can also get non iodized table salt (which is less expensive than aquarium salt) and that will help as well. Best bet tho is to make sure that his water is perfect. fresh clean water all the time, He'll heal up for sure.

 

[T/A]

Thanks BlueAngel. I have stopped with the Melafix and started with Bettafix, like you said. On the container it says to use daily for up to 7 days then do a water change. Should I go by that or do you have a better suggestion? I already have aquarium salt so I am just going to use that as well.

 

[BlueAngel]

if you have him in a 2 gallon I would still do small water changes maybe 15% or less a day as a 2 gallon is much too small and won't complete a cycle.... you don't want ammonia to build up and add to the fin rot problem but I'd do a 75% to 100% water change after the 7 days are up with. The tank itself isn't too small for the fish but like I said it won't complete a cycle. I think most tanks that size recomend you change 2 inches of water daily. I have one of these little 2 gallon tanks and change it every other day ( the 2 inches that is). Good luck with you betta!

 

[T/A]

Thanks for the info BlueAngel. A small tank will never completely cycle, I have never heard that before. I use to do about 35% weekly water change but I guess I will do smaller more frequent water changes now.