Betta fish and fin rot recovery

[floraz]

My betta's fins are looking rough, like they're fraying at the edges. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Tank is 5 gallons, heated to 78, filtered with a sponge. Been doing 20% water changes weekly. What else can I do to help them heal?

[Reelstar]

Fin rot's usually a water quality or stress thing. Even if your params are good, small tanks can get dirty fast. Bump water changes to 30% twice a week, and add some Indian almond leaves. They've got tannins that help with healing. Also, check for sharp decor, that can tear fins.

[Lollies]

Yep, Reelstar's got it. Almond leaves are magic for bettas. Also, if you're feeding flakes, switch to pellets or frozen food. Flakes can mess with water quality. And yeah, check for anything sharp, bettas are drama queens with their fins.

[honeycomb]

Fin rot's usually a water quality or stress thing. Even if your params are good, small tanks can get dirty fast. Bump water changes to 30% twice a week, and add some Indian almond leaves. They've got tannins that help with healing. Also, check for sharp decor, that can tear fins.

Agreed. And if it's bacterial, a tiny bit of aquarium salt can help. Just don't overdo it, bettas are sensitive to salt.

[goaliepro]

I'd skip the salt unless it's real bad. Clean water's usually enough. What's your filter flow like? Bettas hate strong currents, and stress can make fin rot worse. If it's too much, baffle it with a sponge.

[floraz]

Thanks, everyone. Gonna try the almond leaves and up the water changes. Filter's already baffled, so that's good. Appreciate the help!

[zenmaven9]

How long has the fin rot been going on? If it's not improving with clean water, might need meds.

[bayo]

Yeah, meds are a last resort tho. Clean water fixes most stuff. Also, what's your lighting like? Too much can stress them out.

[Falcon]

Mine had fin rot once. Fixed it with just water changes and almond leaves. No meds needed. Just gotta be patient.

[sunsetter]

Mine had fin rot once. Fixed it with just water changes and almond leaves. No meds needed. Just gotta be patient.

Same here. Took a few weeks, but it worked.