of the Betta
Signs:
These are often confused with fin rot and if you monitor your fish everyday they can be avoided. These start out as little tears or holes in the caudal (long flowing) fin or the dorsal (top) fin. This condition could be a result of the fish scrapping his fins across a sharp decoration in his container. One way to check for sharp edges is to run the items through a pair of panty hose; if the panty hose snags, the decoration will also snag the fish's fins and is not a good item to add to his container. I have had success in treating micro tears or small holes in the fins with the use of Melafix (10 drops per gallon) along with medicated flakes and the aid of dried banana leaves. If you can catch the damage in this stage then you should be able to avoid a full bloom of the rot itself.
~Written by Lizette Thomas~
Fin Rot
Signs:
An outbreak starts with the appearance of a gray-white line along the outer margin of the affected fin(s), followed by "fraying" of the soft tissue (fish membrane) at the fin edge(s) and eventually of the fin ray(s) as well. The area of rot on the margin of the fin is typically reddened and inflamed. Some of you with red Betta's are going to have a problem with this and will need to watch your fish more closely for signs than with the other colors. Congestion of the blood vessels resulting in red streaks on the fin is often a warning sign that a fin rot outbreak is about to occur. In some cases, the fin rot attacks the cartilage at the base of the fin and the whole fin drops off. If not detected and treated quickly, the fish can die.
Cause:
A number of bacteria, many normally associated with environmental factors, have been associated with fin rot. These include:
AEROMONAS
PSEUDOMONAS
SAPROLEGNIA
How do these start?
· Water is too high in pH value.
· Water temperature should consistently be between 75 and 80 degrees.
· Water contaminated with fish waste as a result of infrequent water changes.
· Poor water quality. Use a good water conditioner and product to remove chlorine.
· Acute stress.
· Use of infected nets.
· Splashing of water. I interpret this to include pouring water in too fast when making a partial water change and the current caused from mechanical filtration.
All of these can lead to the bacteria listed above.
Prevention:
Correct water quality is imperative. When you get an outbreak of this you should recognize that there is something wrong with the water. Usually you have a couple of days warning that this was coming, either with a micro tear or the fin edges started looking rough instead of smooth.
Treatment:
When choosing medication, look for one that will treat the bacteria I have listed previously. Fungus Eliminator by Jungle is easy to use and was listed several times as the medication of choice in my search. If you are lucky enough to catch the disease in the early stages, then I would recommend the use of Melafix (10 drops per gallon) and feeding with Medicated Flakes. In a more severe case, an antibiotic to consider is Tetracycline. With any medication it is very important to complete the full dosage, even if you see signs of healing within a day or so.
The use of Gentian Violet has also been recommended in several books as well as on numerous web sites. However, I feel this should only be used as a last resort when the fin rot is so severe you risk loosing your fish because it requires netting the fish and applying the product with a soft q-tip three times a day. I see this as a highly stressful form of treatment and would recommend taking the fish to an expert for assistance.
Not correcting the initial cause of the problem and continuing to use any form of antibiotic is going to eventually lead to the death of your fish as he builds up a resistance to all forms of treatment.
Note: This information was compiled in parts from various web sites and mostly the following books, which I highly recommend to all stages of fish keepers:
FishLopaedia
By: Mary Bailey & Peter Burgess
A-Z Tropical Fish Diseases and Health Problems
By: Burgess, Bailey and Exell
For more information on Aeromonas Bacteria see the following site: http://www.pdhnet.com/sub-article/cat-02/aeromonas.shtml
~Written by Lizette Thomas~
Spawns
Shop
Pictures
in a Vase
Craze...
