betta fin rot emergency: help needed

[florapink]

I just got this male betta a little over a week ago, and he was in a 1.5 gal bowl. Two days ago, I moved him to a 3.5 gallon tank with a filter and heater, my thermometer says the temp is at 81 degrees. I've noticed a black outline on his tail and it kinda looks like the ends of his fins are a bit tattered. I'm not sure if I'm being over dramatic, but I'm worried it might be fin rot. Please take a look at the pictures and help me out. He's still really active, and I've got plants in the tank, and I just added a moss ball.

I'd love to know how often I should do water changes, the tank came with a one time use of salt, stress coat and quick start, so I've had that in for two days. I also added one tablet of tetra lifeguard two days ago, and another one today. If this is fin rot, how long do I need to treat it? What can I do to fix it without breaking the bank?

[wingbeat]

I'm going to be honest with you, since your filter isn't cycled yet, you're going to have to do a ton of water changes. I'd highly recommend getting test kits for ammonia and nitrite so you can figure out exactly how much water you need to change, but if you don't have those, I'd say change at least half the water every day. Just make sure the new water is the same temperature as the tank and dechlorinated, or you could end up stressing your betta out even more.

If you're lucky, just doing a bunch of water changes might be enough to help your betta's fins heal up. But if you don't start to see some improvement after a couple of days, or if things start to look worse, you'll probably need to use a fin rot medication.

[florapink]

I'm going to be honest with you, since your filter isn't cycled yet, you're going to have to do a ton of water changes. I'd highly recommend getting test kits for ammonia and nitrite so you can figure out exactly how much water you need to change, but if you don't have those, I'd say change at least half the water every day. Just make sure the new water is the same temperature as the tank and dechlorinated, or you could end up stressing your betta out even more.

If you're lucky, just doing a bunch of water changes might be enough to help your betta's fins heal up. But if you don't start to see some improvement after a couple of days, or if things start to look worse, you'll probably need to use a fin rot medication.

I'm still concerned about my betta's fins and I've been doing some research. I think I might have caused the stress that led to this fin issue by moving him to the new tank too quickly. Wingbeat is right, my filter isn't cycled yet and I need to get some test kits for ammonia and nitrite ASAP. I've been doing daily water changes of about 25% and I'll keep doing that until I can get the test kits. I've also stopped using the stress coat and quick start, I'm just using the tetra lifeguard for now. I'm hoping that with regular water changes and the right medication, my betta's fins will start to heal. Does anyone know how long it usually takes for a filter to cycle?

[oceana]

Your tank is a step up from a bowl, I'll give you that, but it does need to be cycled. I'm not convinced it's fin rot, though - just keep an eye on it and treat if it gets worse. When doing water changes, make sure to dechlorinate the new water.

[goldminer]

I'm going to be honest with you, since your filter isn't cycled yet, you're going to have to do a ton of water changes. I'd highly recommend getting test kits for ammonia and nitrite so you can figure out exactly how much water you need to change, but if you don't have those, I'd say change at least half the water every day. Just make sure the new water is the same temperature as the tank and dechlorinated, or you could end up stressing your betta out even more.

If you're lucky, just doing a bunch of water changes might be enough to help your betta's fins heal up. But if you don't start to see some improvement after a couple of days, or if things start to look worse, you'll probably need to use a fin rot medication.

I've got some thoughts on those products you're using. Tetra Easy Balance? More like a waste of money. Clean water and regular changes will keep your tank balanced just fine. Betta Fix? Don't make me laugh. It's just a way for the manufacturer to line their pockets. Your fish will be better off with clean, warm water.

As for ammonia neutflakeizer, I've got no idea what you're using, so I won't comment. But Tetra Betta Safe? Now that's a product worth using. It does the job, killing ammonia, chlorine, chloramines, and heavy metals. That's the kind of thing that'll keep your water safe and healthy for your Betta.

Fin rot's usually just a sign of poor water conditions. You don't need all those fancy treatments. Just give your fish plenty of warm, treated water, and maybe a bit of aquarium salt. That's the way to go.

[florapink]

I just read about betta safe and I'm freaking out - I looked at my betta and today I saw a huge tear in his fin. I'm doing a 50% water change right now, hoping it'll get rid of some of the betta fix I've been using. I mixed in some bottled water too, I really hope this helps him because he's getting worse by the day.

[goldminer]

You mentioned bottled water - I'm assuming you're referring to spring water? The pH levels in bottled water can be all over the place, ranging from as low as 4 to as high as 10.

[florapink]

I used Sam's Choice purified drinking water, and I made sure to condition and treat it properly since it was mixed with tap water.

[florapink]

I've got to ask, what's the deal with the bottled water you're using? You mean it's not just any old spring water, right? Give me the lowdown, because I've heard not all bottled water is created equal - pH levels can range from 4 to 10, that's a pretty big difference. I just had a look at him and I'm getting a bit worried, I saw some whitish/grey spots around his face - could this be something fungal?